Chapter 19 - The Burden of a Lion

Drew stood in the conference room of the former Galbadia Garden. The automatic door opened to reveal Garden Master Taylor and two students accompanying him. Drew smiled and walked over to welcome the old man.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Master Taylor, I trust that our new alliance will do much to strengthen the true Garden, Neo Garden."

Drew watched as the Garden master only nodded. It was impossible to see his expression behind that yellow facial piece. Drew had never been fond of the Garden Masters, they were always a nuance to him in his five years as a SeeD.

"Garden Master Taylor is in a state of mourning," on of the students informed Drew."His close companion, Master Polk was kidnaped by a band of bandits as he traveled here from Trabia. Master Gore wanted me to ask you to please respect Master Taylor's unwillingness to talk during this sad time."

Drew nodded, trying to keep his face sympathetic as he could. It annoyed him that the man could see out of that yellow facial piece and yet he cannot see in. It seemed fair though, the old man was deaf, all he had was his sight. Drew never liked the man, he had seen him without his mask once or twice in Balamb. It was a good thing that the Master kept his mask on, he was as ugly as a pile of vomit, from what Drew remembered. Now Garden Master Polk was a nuance as well. He too was ugly, with a face wrinkled as that of a dog's.

Drew turned to one of the students. "As long as Master Taylor remains by my side, I have the confidence of the rest of the garden masters, am I correct?"

The student nodded. "Master Taylor is highly respected among the Garden Masters. As long as you have his confidence, the rest of the Garden Masters are behind Neo Garden. Master Taylor will write a progress report to the other Masters each evening. They are sorry that they cannot trust you to act without his supervision. With time, they believe that this bond between the new commander and the Garden Masters will be far stronger."

Drew nodded. "I understand, I can't expect them to trust my decisions straight off the bat. Garden Master Taylor, you are welcomed to supervise me for as long as you would like."

With that Drew raised his hand to shake Garden Master Taylor's. Yet inwardly, Drew could not believe his luck. The man was deaf, it would be too easy to sneak around behind his back. What idiots the Garden Masters were to entrust their fate to such a man instead of one like Master Stern who would know that a leaf was falling from a tree three miles away. All the better for him, Drew supposed. His secret negotiations with Galbadia would not be reveled now. Little did the Garden know, how close they were to war. Now with the support of the Garden Master, Drew had no doubt that Neo Garden will prevail over Squall's pathetic excuse of a army. He would not have to fear invasion from Balamb Garden anymore.

* *

"Good evening, Mr Peterson," James said, saluting the veteran SeeD. James stood up tall and erect in effort to make a good impression on the man.

Peterson nodded. "Keep up the good work, young soldier. Are you guarding the Quad all by yourself?"

James nodded in assent. "They couldn't spare the man power to guard a wrecked aircraft. The Galbadians have retreated anyway, they didn't see the point in keeping guard here."

Peterson patted the young man on his shoulder. "You are a hard worker. Go take a break. I'll send someone else over here to guard the ship. Surely, you have a young lady you would rather spend your time with than a shredded piece of metal."

James smiled fondly. "I have one but she's a SeeD, like you. I don't see what she will want with the likes of me."

Peterson rolled his eyes. "Go, get going. Take her to the ballroom, I heard that they are celebrating tonight. The death of Wallace is a big victory for us. I'm sure that Jane will be happy to go with you."

James blushed noticeably. "Jane . . She's too high above me."

"Nonsense," Peterson said. "Go get going or you'll miss the fun."

James walked away, looking back once more, he saw Peterson leaving the Quad. What a kind man he was. If only all the snobby SeeDs were like that. James turned and did not look back anymore as he went in search of Jane.

Neither of them saw the dark figure that watched them from outside the Quad.

* *

Drew heard the quiet tapping of the Taylor's Garden Master slippers as he walked beside him to the conference room where a representative from Galbadia was waiting. Drew really did despise the man. However Drew tolerated him. If there was one thing which Drew did respect, that was his elders. He had always listened to what Cid told him. As for the garden masters, he tolerated them as well, although he never really respected them. The hierarchy of power went int terms of age. That was why Drew always despised Squall Leonhart, the little seventeen year old punk that thought he could use garden to get him more women. It was intolerable really, for Drew to allow himself to be a subordinate to that young ruffian who was barely even a SeeD.

Drew turned to Master Taylor as they stopped at the entrance of the conference room.

"Master Taylor, if I were to meet Squall Leonhart on the battle field I'll take him out in matter of seconds. I don't care what they say about him being a gifted fighter. In the end experience is all that matters. Isn't that what you used to say? That hard work makes the SeeD not the talent?"

Master Taylor merely grunted in response.

Drew leaned against the wall for a moment, glazing whimsically into his won reverie.

"I remember a five years ago when I told Cid that I would never become a SeeD because I had no talent. My father was a fisherman, I had no great lineage of fighters in my family. The headmaster then shook his head at me and told me that the greatest SeeDs he had ever seen were also the greatest workers. He had seen many a talented SeeD meet an early death due to their rashness. I passed the SeeD exam that year with his words in mind. I don't fear Squall Leonhart, if it is fate that I should die in his hands then I will do it gladly. But I have faith in Cid's advice, that perspiration will win over reckless strength."

Garden Master Taylor nodded, in quiet assent. Drew smiled. No reply was a good reply. Taylor was known for his bitter criticism. That must mean he liked my speech, Drew thought to himself as he turned and the stepped into the conference room, or maybe he just didn't hear it.

Patricia was there, with two Galbadian Soldiers. She had a frown on her face as Drew shook her hand. He took a seat opposite her. Taylor sat down beside Drew.

"I expect that you heard about the situation with Galbadia, that we lost our General in the last battle."

Drew nodded. "Yes, Wallace was a fool."

Patricia was unperturbed. "What I don't believe you heard was that the one who took him down was Seifer Almasy."

There was a silence in the room. Drew contemplated Patricia's words.

"Seifer Almasy? He was exiled from Garden. I don't understand."

With that Patricia pulled out a stack of glossy photos. She tossed them onto the small table where they landed with a flop.

"Take a look at these, Gains."

Drew looked at the photo closest to him. On it was the a blue blur. A girl, black hair, standing with her back to the camera. Drew saw a faint resemblance of a angel wing design on her back. The sorceress Rinoa. But it couldn't be. The terrace, that was in the east wing of Balamb garden. So had Garden been harboring the sorceress all along?

Beside him, Drew felt Taylor glancing over his shoulder to look at the photos.

"Looks like the knight and his sorceress have been reunited Gains." Patricia commented.

"But, I don't understand. This is insane. Garden has allowed Almasy into their mist?"

Patricia nodded sadly. "Looks like you've been had Gains. They were with the sorceress all along and now her knight has shown up. You lied to us Drew. You said that Garden was harboring the sorceress because she was in the body of their friend. Now what are you going to tell us? That Seifer Almasy is their friend too? That the sorceress just happened to show up on that terrace as Seifer Almasy was in that aircraft?"

Drew shook his head, at complete loss. "I don't understand. What do you plan to do? I swear I had no knowledge of this."

Patricia looked even more grave. "You must prove your loyalty to us Drew, and prove that your Garden is not corrupt as well. SeeD is for fighting sorceresses. Their Garden has obviously become a sorceress defender"

"Get to your point," Drew said.

Patricia smiled. "Fight Balamb Garden. Kill Almasy and the sorceress. Bring me their heads on a platter. Deling has ordered me to inform you that if you do not comply we will declare war on Neo Garden as well."

Drew looked down at the carpet. He began breathing deeply in anger and in despair. So all his efforts were in vain. They would be fighting a war anyway, a war on Garden. It was so disgustingly unfair. What was Quistis thinking? Harboring the sorceress?

"Listen," Patricia said, in effort to console the young man. "Galbadia will be behind you. We will support your men. Garden is weak, they will go down easily. Remember what you said to Wallace about Garden being weak spirited and low in confidence? With your superior leadership Garden won't stand a chance." Patricia glanced over at Master Taylor. "We will fully reimburse the Garden for all the funds required for war. I promise that you will lose no profit in this endeavor."

Master Taylor nodded.

Drew glared at him but finally turned back to Patricia, realizing that he was beaten.

"We have assurance of Galbadia's support?" Drew asked.

Patricia nodded in assent. "We will be with you every step of the way. You have my promise and Deling's."

Drew spoke bitterly "Deling's promises mean horse shit to me. I will fight Garden but I want complete support by your men. These people in this garden are my brothers and sisters. I grew up here. I won't sacrifice their lives for a worthless cause. I'm not Quistis Trepe or Squall Leonhart. I won't sacrifice the lives of a billion for that of one. I will bring you Almasy and Heartilly's heads. If Leonhart shows up I will bring you his as well."

Patricia nodded once more. "Good, that's all I need to hear. Deling wants the sorceress. He would be more than happy to leave Garden alone."

As Drew watched Patricia smile her plastic deceitful smile once more, he felt his stomach turn in disgust. The truth was however, Drew was only willing to sacrifice one life for his mistake in trusting Galbadia - his own. After Patricia left, Drew walked out of the Conference room. He didn't care anymore if the Garden master was following him. A man on the brink of death does not care about such trivial matters. Drew entered his second in command's office.

"Send a message to the Garden, Alan, tell them we are invading Garden. I'm challenging the leader of Garden to a duel to the death. Winner takes all."

* *

Quistis Trepe stood at the window of classroom looking over the fields where the war was raging on. Seifer had been right. After Wallace's death there was chaos. The Galbadians troops were a aimless mob that, some retreating over the hills, others fighting half heartily. However as she watched she noticed how artfully they managed to dodge all the mines which the Garden students had planted. It was strange really, how she didn't notice it before.

"Commander Quistis, Mr. Almasy is outside, would you like to speak to him?" a young student asked, tentatively.

Quistis looked over at the little blond girl, with large almond shaped eyes. Suddenly she felt a wave of sadness wash over her. That's what I used to be. I was young once too.

"Don't call me commander, Squall is still the commander of this garden." Quistis reminded her gently.

The girl nodded with uncertainty.

Quistis nodded, "alright I'll go talk to him."

* *

Quistis walked into the empty hallway to see Seifer standing there, his back turned to her. It was like old times again, back when she still was his teacher, and him her student. But now things were different . . and yet so much the same.

"Did you want to talk to me, Seifer?" She asked him, startling him for a second.

He turned towards her, blood stained gunblade in hand. She remembered back in the old days when she used to remind him to pull the trigger when attacking. He had laughed at her. Do you really think you could teach me anything about *my* gunblade? He had asked sarcastically. Then when she reminded Squall of the same fact he had frowned and turned away. That a pair they were.

"Yeah I wanted to make a confession," he said smirking. "Remember that time when you accused me of cheating on the test on Guardian Forces? Well, I did. I copied most of my answers off of Squall a.k.a. Mr goody two shoes, while we were passing them in."

Quistis shook her head with contempt. "We are in the middle of a war, Seifer, if you are trying to irritate me, save it for some other time."

Seifer shrugged. "Hey this is part of my redemption, admitting to all the bad things I've done."

Quistis turned to leave when Seifer interrupted her.

"You have no idea where the sorceress is, have you?" He asked.

She turned. "I thought you told me to leave finding the sorceress to you, Seifer."

Seifer grew serious. "The sorceress is a bigger threat than Galbadia. Galbadia only seeks the destruction of Garden, while she seeks the destruction of the world. If we don't find her soon, there will be no victors to this war. She's gathering her powers now, we need to find her while she's still weak. Once she is strong enough she will appear in one of the major cities and begin her conquest. It will be too late then to stop her."

Quistis thought about his words. "Do you know who she is Seifer? Edea does, as Zell told me. But Edea refuses to tell us anymore except that we must remember that she is evil. What do you know?"

Seifer tapped his gunblade against the floor. He scratched his head then he looked at her. "Her name is Alexandra. Ultimecia kept her imprisoned for most of her life because she has powers that could not only destroy the world of the living, but also that of the dead. She's not aware of her own power, that's the only advantage we have. However, when thrown into a rage, she might have access to these powers. She's young, very manipulative. Evil to the core, although she is easily able to convince others that she is lonely or helpless."

Quistis paused. "Rinoa, Squall, what do you think has become of them, Seifer? Is Squall really her knight?"

"Well I would say that if puberty boy doesn't show up within a few hours, he probably won't show up at all. Tomorrow, as you know Instructor, is the eight month of the year. The number eight has a lot of significance to sorceresses. Her powers will peak on the eighth day of the eighth month. We need to find her before then, it is perhaps too late already."

Quistis sighed and threw back her hands. "I can't take this anymore. This is ridiculous. The sorceress and Galbadia at once, what kind of disgusting situation is this?"

"Quistis! Quistis come! To the conference room." Fifi yelled as she came running down the hall, her pigtails bouncing wildly behind her.

"What now?" Quistis asked, exasperated.

Fifi leaned against a wall, breathing deeply. "Drew . . . . . Galbadia . . . . . message. Need . . to . . go . . . to . . . conference room . . now!"

* *

As Quistis stepped into the conference room she saw most of the SeeDs had already gathered there. Joe was sitting in one of the chairs near the window, the sun to his back, his expression grave. Fifi took her place near Zell who was sitting on the floor, his legs crossed under him. Irvine was standing in the corner, cowboy hat over his eyes with Selphie standing near him. A SeeD named Lindsay was sitting across from Irvine, watching him lovingly.

The SeeD named Jane, the one with the small scar across her chin who weld a powerful blade, stepped forward. Her short bob of a haircut looked almost boyish in nature, but her tiny elegant nose betrayal her attempts to appear rough. She was beautiful in her own tomboyish way.

"Quistis, we've just received word that Neo Garden has declared war on Garden." She gestured to the desk at the center of the room.

"It's all because of Seifer Almasy," Joe said as he stepped forward. "Quistis this is no time to let your emotions take control of your good judgement. He was the sorceress's knight. He tried to take your life, Squall's life and that of most of the people in this room. What right does he have to be under our protection?"

Quistis looked around the room desperately. "Irvine, Selphie? Zell? What do you think? I don't care anymore. Tell me what to do."

Silence.

"It's not Seifer they are after," Zell said, after a while. "Fifi, tell Quistis what you told me and Joe this morning."

Fifi looked about in a fearful manner. Finally she looked down and spoke in a quiet voice. "I found something in the Quad this morning. It was a Galbadian ID card, like the kind that only the top officials carry. It was near the entrance, beside the small palm tree."

"Seifer is a spy for Galbadia. How else would you explain it? Why do you think after the death of Wallace that we still didn't completely annialate the Galbadians? How they manage to elude us again and again, no matter how artfully we set out traps?" Joe asked.

"How do you explain Wallace?" Jane asked.

"Easy, Seifer didn't kill Wallace, Irvine did." Zell interrupted. "It was a staged act. Seifer wanted our trust, so that was a good way to get it. Why do you think he's so goody goody all of a sudden? Did the Seifer we knew care about any sort of redemption? I say hellz no!"

"Shut up chicken wuss," a voice said, behind Quistis.

The entire room was silenced as Seifer walked in. He nodded at them all, knowingly and menacingly.

"I have a confession to make," he said "the spy -"

However he was interrupted as a few Galbadian airships flew by pelting the Garden with bullets.

"What the?" Irvine asked. "I thought they were retreating."

"Um, Quistis." Selphie said, "you better come take a look at this."

Quistis ran to the window and saw the troops coming over the hills. They were like a giant flood of oil, flowing over the landscape toward Garden. No no no no, Quistis thought. Not Neo Garden. Anything but another war, another bloody struggle.

As Quistis turned around she saw that half the SeeDs in the room had left. Selphie, Irvine, Zell and Joe were still there.

Joe smirked. "The spy has brought his upon us."

"No," Quistis whispered as she closed her eyes. "I brought this upon us."

* * *

Quistis saw Drew standing there, sword in hand as he led his troops. Garden's members opened a trail as she walked to the front of the ranks. She walked slowly, watching the faces of those she passed. How many of them will die in this battle? How many childhood friends will she lose? How many former students? How many of those faces would she sacrifice for the love of one?

At the front of the ranks she saw Seifer standing, Joe to the opposite side. Behind Drew were a row of Garden Masters. So they had gone over to Drew's side as well. It didn't surprise her. The entire population of Neo Garden was here. It would have taken more than a little persuasion by the Garden Masters to get them all here, fighting their own kind.

What kind of tragic trick was this for Garden to fight Garden? Quistis walked slowly, over the blood stained grass of the Balamb meadow. She was in no hurry to get there. Squall was gone, gone for good. She was alone in this. The composer of yet another war. The singer of yet another song of death.

Finally she reached the front of the ranks. Behind her, Student and SeeD alike filled in the path they had made for her to walk. Beside her on one side stood Seifer, on the other, Joe. She stood facing Drew, emaciated, deceitful, iron hearted Drew. He nodded at her in a gesture of mock respect.

"I didn't come here, Quistis, today, to fight a war." He told her, honestly, sincerely, lovingly.

The meadow was full of Garden members who were absolutely silent, listening to the two leaders. One who was the new puppet of Galbadia, the other a puppet of her undying faith.

"I want to settle things, Quistis, in the way that will cost the least amount of lives."

Drew watched Quistis's unmoving marble face. Would he fight her? what if she wanted to be his opponent? Drew looked past her at Almasy. Yes him, if Drew was to die at anyone's hands it would be either Almasy's or Leonhart's. Drew felt the Master Taylor stepping forward but he no longer cared. Let Taylor say anything darn thing he wanted to the other Garden Masters. Drew did not need their support anymore. Death was death. What did it matter if he died with or without the bloody acceptance of the obese one in his moth eaten red robe?

"Choose a member of your side to fight me, Quistis. We will duel to the death. That will settle things. No more helpless students will have to die. No more innocents perishing on the battlefield. Just me and one of you. Winner takes all."

Quistis watched Drew speak. She felt a sudden surge of forgiveness for him although she still hated him bitterly for what he had done. So he did care more for Garden then for his own hid. But her relief was quickly extinguished. Who would she choose to go to represent Garden?

How can she choose anyone to finish a war she started?

Silence.

Drew looked at her sheepishly. "Quistis, please. Don't take out your grudge on my people. Let this duel decide the outcome of this war."

Quistis allowed her head to nodded, slowly up and down. She knew that by nodding she was not just agreeing to the duel. She was agreeing to fight him. Who else was more responsible for where they are today then her? No one.

"Drew, I accept your proposal. The representative from my side will be me."

A hush went out on all side. All the eyes were on Quistis who pulled out her Save the Queen and stepped forward.

Drew stared at her, his mouth agape. No not her, he did not want to fight Quistis. He hesitated hoping that someone would come to her rescue. Someone. She was a noble women, a good women, one who was loyal to her friend. Drew, as much as he disagreed with her, had admired her. She was the blessed virgin. The Penelope that waited fourteen years for Odysseus to come home. The Artemis with the wild hair and white arms that waited in the forest and ran with the wild deer. Come to her rescue, one of you cowardly men. Irvine, Joe, Seifer, Zell. Will you send your instructor, friend, student, leader to a bloody doom without a single word?

"Wait."

* *

All eyes were on Seifer Almasy as he stepped forward. He held his gunblade in his gloved hand and tossed his coat back with his old classic dramatic flair. The sun glittered off his short strands of golden hair and he was at that moment indeed as startling as any god.

"I have sometime to say, that you two might want to hear."

"Shut up Almasy," someone behind Quistis yelled.

Seifer ignored it,

"You've all been fooled. There is a spy here." Seifer stepped forward into the gape between Drew and Quistis. Seifer pulled out a wig and a folded up dress, blue with the familiar angel wing pattern on the back. He flung it onto the ground before Drew and Quistis.

"Here is your sorceress Drew. It was Fujin in Rinoa's clothing."

Seifer looked over at Quistis. He smiled suddenly, an amused smile.

"And Quistis, here is your spy," Seifer raised his gunblade in one swift motion and pointed it at Joe's throat. "Admit it, Peterson, you've been with the Galbadians all along." Seifer ordered.

Peterson erupted into laughter. "You disgusting imp, mislead child, deceitful traitor. What proof do you have that I am a spy? It's your word against mine. Shut up Almasy, we all know who is the traitor, the sorceress's lapdog, the warrior who will always be second place. Make one more accusation like that and I will make you eat that rusted gunblade of yours."

Seifer growled at Peterson.

"Do you have any proof, Seifer?" Quistis asked.

There was absolute silence as Seifer stared at Peterson without blinking. It was a staring match with Seifer's weapon still at Peterson's throat. The entire meadow held its breath. The sun stopped dead in the sky as the two men stood deadly still, as Drew did not notice that Master Taylor had stepped in front of him.

"I have the proof," the garden master said.

* *

Squall Leonhart ripped off the yellow facial piece of the Garden Master. He pulled the red robe off and tossed it aside. Inside, beneath that robe had been his well concealed gunblade.

Gasps erupted from every mouth in the meadow. The symphony of surprise was almost as loud as the shocked silence which permeated the meadow like the thickest fog. Quistis fell back in surprise. Selphie screamed in glee. Irvine smiled, unable to conceal his joy underneath his nonchalant exterior. Zell jumped backwards, knocking down a few SeeDs.

Seifer merely nodded at Squall, somewhat relieved that he had a ally among so many enemies. "What took you so long, puberty boy?" Seifer asked in mock jest.

Squall pulled his gunblade up to Peterson.

"You gave those photos of Fujin from the Falcon to the Galbadians. I saw you that night, I was outside the Quad watching you Peterson. You were their spy all along."

Squall turned and surveyed all the members of Garden with his eyes. The members of Neo Garden looked away in shame.

"And I don't think anyone here would doubt my word."

Squall drew his gunblade back to his side. His sapphire eyes burned with fury as he glared at Peterson once more. However the atmosphere of seriousness collapsed as Selphie ran out from the crowd and attacked Squall, hugging him close to her and spinning around.

"Squall! You are okay! Wheee!" She yelled laughing.

That appeared to loosen everyone up as Quistis took a few steps forward as well. For the umpteenth time that week she had tears in her eyes. But for the first time, they were tears of joy. Quistis stepped forward, drifted towards him. It was impossible to describe the emotions that were rupturing her heart. Relief, anger, love, joy, fear and hatred all merged into one to form the watery pearls that slide down her pale cheeks.

In the end the ones you love are simply. . . the ones you love.

She walked over and hugged him. Collapsing into his arms and held him so tightly that she knew she would never let go. Even when the dream was over and she woke up in her narrow bed, watching the Galbadians attack across the ruined landscape, she would never let go.

Seifer watched nearby where he still held his gunblade to the throat of Peterson. The blue fire in Squall's eyes were extinguished as the instructor, to everyone's surprise, fell into his arms.

Selphie stood back as she watched Squall awkwardly hug Quistis as she held him. For a moment there was complete silence, except the sound of Quistis's voice as she finally emerged from that long awaited embrace.

" Squall." She whispered as she looked up at his face. "Squall, is it really you?"

Quistis spoke those words softly, gently like whispers that lovers say to one another beside the ruins of the ancient castle at twilight. Like words which sleeping beauty uttered when she woke up from her centuries of sleep. Is that you? You look so familiar and yet so different, my dear prince.

"It is me," Squall assured her, as he tried to help her back onto her feet.

"Hey Instructor," Seifer called out, "Save your student molesting until you get behind closed doors for Hyne's sake. I'm about to puke."

Squall glared at Seifer. Quistis got up, brushing her hair back embarrassingly. She quickly replaced her emotions with her perpetual frown.

Seifer laughed and Peterson saw that it was his chance. He shoved Seifer back and began to run toward the cliff that overlooked the sea.

The Garden members, utterly shocked and confused, unwillingly opened up a path which he ran through. Seifer had fallen on his back. He cursed and brushed himself off. Squall, with his gunblade in hand, had started running through the crowd after Peterson, with Quistis not far behind.

Peterson stopped as he reached the edge of the cliff. The Garden members closed off the way back to the field. Squall emerged from the sea of people. He walked up to Peterson slowly.

Peterson looked like he was about to have a heart attack.

"Back off," he ordered Squall, holding his staff in both hands.

Squall did not respond as he merely walked leisurely toward Peterson. Squall was frowning, with his brows tightly knit. The scar across his forehead shown brightly against the sun. His short strands of gleaming brown hair twisted in the wind that came from over the sea.

Quistis finally emerged from the crowd. She stopped there, in front of the spectators, watching Squall walk closer and closer to the edge of the cliff where Peterson was. Quistis knew that she could not fight him, Peterson, her mentor. All she could do was watch. He would take care of things for her, Squall. There was no more need to worry. Everything was going to be okay. He knew what to do, he always did.

As Zell, Irvine and Selphie reached her, Quistis put out her arms to stop them from advancing on the cliff.

"Let him take care of it," Quistis said softly.

* *

Peterson struck first, unable to tolerate the anticipation anymore. He swing his staff at Squall's head but Squall ducked easily. Peterson was losing his nerve and in doing so his actions became more clumsy. Squall was able to dodge the man's blows with little effort.

The man swung his staff wildly, forgetting his experience and training in a desperate effort to hit his opponent. Finally, Squall caught his staff in one hand and tugged it out of Peterson's loose grasp.

Peterson was helpless he was beaten. He waited for Squall's final blow but Squall merely stood there, watching him with his acid blue eyes.

Finally Peterson broke. He began to laugh. He desisted his futile attempts to attack Squall and erupted in maniacal laughter. The wind passed through his clothing blowing him forwards as he stepped dangerously close to the edge of the cliff.

"You fool," he said to Squall, laughing some more. "Do you believe you have won? You disgusting insolent brat?"

Squall leaned against his gunblade, saying nothing. His face betraying no emotion expect annoyance.

Peterson opened his mouth and let out another string of laughter. "You . . . . you sorceress's knight. Do you think you are better than me? Do you think you are smart? Luckier? Wiser?"

Peterson turned around on that tiny inch of ground that was still supporting his weight.

"Well Leonhart, cast your eyes upon me and look into the mirror. We are one and the same. The sorceress, the sorceress will kill you all!"

Peterson looked at the garden spectators on last time. He smiled. There was no happiness in that smile, just utter fear and despair hidden and compacted for so long that it has emerged as mock joy.

"Garden fools, your leader is a sorceress's dog. A bastard mut!"

Peterson turned his glaze back to Squall. Squall was unaffected by his words.

"You don't have to do this, Joe." Squall said, watching him nonchalantly, speaking sincerely. Squall watched him with half sympathy and half irritation. It was clear that there was no more fighting to be done. This was a broken man. Squall leaned against his gunblade. The two eyed each other.

Peterson spoke at last. "Oh no, but I must Squall. I must. This is my destiny. My tragic destiny. But is better than yours Squall, better by far."

With that Peterson stepped off the edge of the cliff. Squall reached over and grabbed the man by his arm. The man's legs were dangling over the sharp rocky land a hundred feet below. He looked up at Squall with absolute terror in his eyes. But he threw back his head and laughed one last time as he pulled out a ivory handle dagger and stabbed Squall through his hand.

* *

Selphie was the first to reach him. Squall was walking back from the edge, his hand bleeding profusely. The blood trickled down his fingers in streams and dripped off the tips of his fingers. He held his gunblade with his left hand, dragging it along at a thirty degree angle to his leg. His leather jacket was bloody but it was invisible against the sun.

Squall did not react as Selphie grabbed him and cast full cure. Quistis reached him next and she let out a torrent of white wind. The mist enveloped him for a second then evaporated.

Irvine and Zell appeared next. They just stood by and watched the two women greet their old friend.

Squall glanced at his right hand. The gory red crater in the center had closed off half way. The bleeding obediently coming to an end. He grimaced as he tried to flex his hand. Healing spells weren't going to do much more for now.

Squall walked past his friends, back to the awaiting Garden spectators who were watching him with awe. Behind him, followed his friends. There, in front of everyone stood Seifer. Garden watched in anticipation as to what exchange would occur between the two rivals. However, they were disappointed as Seifer merely stepped aside to let Squall pass. His gesture did not go unnoticed as Squall nodded gratefully as his old enemy.

Following Seifer's lead, the rest of Garden, SeeD and student alike, stepped aside to open up a path for their commander to walk.

However, one person stood there, unmoving, blocking Squall's path.

Drew stood there, long katana in hand. His red hair glittered with sweat as the scar in his cheek shown evermore brightly then. He shrugged off his blue jacket and tossed it aside.

"I challenge you, Leonhart, to a duel to the death. Winner takes Garden."

Squall tightened his grip on the handle of his gunblade. He watched Drew intently.

"Is this what you really want Drew?" Squall asked.

Drew nodded, with a wicked gleam in his blue eyes. He brushed his cloud of red hair back from his forehead.

"What, Squall, scared? Are you afraid that you're not good enough for me? Peterson was just child's play. He was scared out of his wits. Well not me Squall, not me. I will prove once and for all to everyone here that persistence triumphs over talent. You and Seifer Almasy are but two conceited brats. I've had enough of this knight garbage. We are mercenaries, terrorists and warriors. This is not Camelot and you are not Richard the Lionheart. Fight me now Squall if you dare, I will destroy your grandiose illusions once and for all."

Squall nodded, seemingly sad. "Alright Drew, if this is your wish." Squall gestured for everyone to step back. Quistis caught him by his arm.

"Squall, your hand!"

Squall ignored her.

"Step back Quistis," he said once more, keeping his eye on Drew.

Irvine grabbed Quistis and pulled her away.

The crowd drew back, to form a circle about 15 feet across for Squall and Drew to duel in. Squall held his gunblade in his familiar posture, the handle at his hip with the tip at his adversary's eyes.

"Just one question, Squall," Drew said as he pulled his Katana up and pointed it at Squall.

Drew smiled, the scar on his cheek forming a semicircle. "What did you do with the real Master Taylor?"

Squall flexed his right hand painfully and wrapped it around the handle of his gunblade.

"He's in Shumi Village, drunk along with Master Polk."

Drew nodded. "I underestimated you, Squall. I thought that as soon as you returned you would come at me with your gunblade held high like some crazed angel. But I was wrong. I won't be wrong again."

Drew went for Squall's neck, Katana slashing wildy. Squall jumped aside, altered his grip on his gunblade and went for Drew's mid section. Drew blocked it and cast Ultima on Squall.

The green eruption threw Squall back against the ground but he was on his feet in a second. He raised his palm and returned with Meltdown.

Meanwhile, Quistis was watching from the side. Irvine kept his grip on her arm but she managed to wrestle her way out of it. She crossed her arms, watching the clashing of the two swords as they sent sparks into the air. It was like some lunatic ballet, a deadly dance, which Squall was not gaining the upper hand in. His hand was altering his performance considerably.

Squall slashed Drew with a downward cut, at his chest but Drew fell backwards. On his back Drew summoned his Guardian Force.

Ultima End! Drew yelled. Purple storm clouds bursted into the sky as Drew's Guardian Force Arrived. Squall immediately called Terra Flare. Bahamut, large shadow scaled dragon arose from the watery sea. His claws dug into the ground as he roared into the mid day sky. The dragon drew back a deep breath and sent a string of explosions into Drew's Guardian Force.

From behind Quistis, Zell whistled. "Wow pretty good move, but he should have boosted Bahamut. He should use Eden, Eden has a high affinity for Squall."

Quistis stared at the battlefield. "No," She whispered. "I have Eden, he gave it me before he left for Deling. He has Quezacotl, Carbuncle, and Bahamut."

Zell stared at her. "What?! Carbuncle? Are you joking? What is that little twerp going to do? He takes nearly half an hour to come for Squall anyway. He hates Squall more than he hated Ultimecia. "

Quistis shrugged. "We didn't expect him to go to Galbadia to fight a battle, Zell."

"Had enough Squall?" Drew asked as he tossed aside a empty container of potion. He tightened his grip on his Katana and watched Squall struggle with his grip on the gunblade. The boy was having a hard time holding the heavy blade with his wounded hand.

"Cid once told me Squall, that patience and discipline wins over dire strength. You may be the lion Squall, but I am the mouse. I will take you down, in the end because I use my will, not my muscle."

Squall stumbled back a step. He was obviously exhausted from the two battles. Strands of his brown hair was plastered to his forehead as he shifted the gunblade in his had again, trying to gain a better hold on it. Stretched to his limit he raised his gunblade to his waist and called fatal circle.

Bright red fire sprouted from the sides of the gunblade and enveloped Drew in a avalanche of pain. Drew recoiled back and used his own limit, ending touch, which sent a whirlwind around Squall, knocking him off his feet.

"Someone needs to help him," Quistis whispered in a frightened voice as Squall was trying to get back on his feet. Drew was stumbling back in exhaustion as well, unable to finish Squall with a last stab.

"This is his duel, Quistis, there is nothing any of us can do for him," Irvine said beside her.

Squall getting up slowly, on his knees how as he reached over for his gunblade which had fallen out of his grasp. He whispered something under his breath, ruby light.

"Had enough, Squall?" Drew asked in a mocking tone but was unable to conceal his own weariness. Drew was bleeding from a wound across his shoulder which Squall had delivered at the beginning of the battle.`Drew walked over to Squall and kicked the gunblade away. Drew raised his Katana and pointed it at Squall's throat. Squall said nothing, keeping his eyes away from Drew and at the ground near Drew's left leg.

"I won. Admit it Squall." He turned his eyes to the Garden spectators and smiled past his sweat, blood and pain. "Behold, your commander beaten! Is this the great warrior you told me about? Is this filthy dog faced commander of trash worthy of your admiration?" Drew turned his attention back to Squall. He poked Squall in the throat with the tip of his Katana.

"I want to hear it from you Squall, admit it that I've won. Say it and I will let you die quickly. Tell me that persistence has won over talent. I want to hear it from your lips!"

Squall looked up at Drew, meeting his eyes finally. Drew screamed suddenly as the ground under his left leg opened. Drew fell onto his back with his leg still dangling in the tiny hole where Carbuncle angrily appeared. Carbuncle was even more bitter when he realized that he had been kicked in the head.

Squall got back onto his feet as Carbuncle stuck his tongue out at Squall and ran in the direction of Selphie. Squall stepped forward, gunblade in hand and pointed it at Drew's pale slender throat.

"No Drew," Squall said despite his weariness. "Persistence might win over talent but ingenuity is the ruler of empty labor. I have less talent than you, Drew, and far less physical strength, your narrow mind was what I used to beat you. Remember that, Drew. Now go, get out of Cid's Garden and never return."

Squall picked up Drew's Katana and tossed it to him. He stood back as Drew grabbed his sword and ran in the direction of the mountains. The crowd opened up a path for him as he ran. He looked back only once and in doing so, tripped horribly over a protruding stone. He continued running toward the snow capped mountains as though all hell was chasing after him.

The garden members closed in around their commander. Selphie had Carbuncle sitting on her shoulder. Quistis stepped forward and up to Squall's sweat drenched face.

"Welcome home, Commander Squall."

Squall turned his face upward toward the clear blue sky.

"There is just one thing I still don't understand, Quistis," he said.

"What?" She asked curiously.

"Why the Galbadians still haven't attacked us." he said, breathing heavily still from the battle. As if on cue, a female garden student came running from over the hill. She ran into the crowd, they allowed her pass. She collapsed near Squall and Quistis. She was heaving and wheezing.

"Commander Quistis, commander Quistis!" she yelled but stopped as she caught sight of Squall. She looked absolutely embarrassed beyond belief and was shocked into silence.

Squall ignored her red face. "What is it?" He asked stepping forward.

" President Deling is dead. The sorceress has taken over Galbadia."

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*Author's Note: this is a note on Chapter 16, in case you didn't know, crossing the stars means to go against fate. Romeo and Juliet were "star crossed lovers," meaning that it was written in the stars that they couldn't be together. I'm not trying to imply anything about Squall and Alex being lovers or anything, I'm just saying that they were never meant to be.

**Author's note: this chapter was based on Homer's The Odyssey. I spent a few weeks wondering how Squall will return and I came to the conclusion that he was a lot like Odysseus. Odysseus left his home to fight the Trojan war and all these evil suitors came to try to marry his wife, Penelope. Penelope is known for her loyalty since she waited so long for him to return. Also she bitterly refused the suitor's advances, like the way Quistis kept Squall's place for him while he was gone. When Odysseus came back he was disguised as a beggar, therefore, caught the suitors on surprise. He then killed them all mwhahhaa. Well I guess Squall can't kill them all, or he would be a bloodthirsty jackass. I'm not trying to make Squall into a larger than life mythical hero either, just a mythical hero will do (Lol).

So pretty much Quistis is Penelope and Squall is Odysseus. That's why the plot might have seemed strange. I went out of my way to draw this parallel.

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Chapter 20 - Last Sight.

In the back corner of the train sat a lady wearing a dirty brown shawl. Her head was covered by it and her body in a lumpy shapeless brown dress. The passengers of the train ignored her as she sat by herself in the shadows, leaning against the wall. The train to Deling went over a bump and jarred Rinoa from her sleep. She awoke and looked down at the filthy floor of the public train. She felt Alexandra pulling the shawl up to cover her head better.

"Why are we going to Deling City?" Rinoa asked.

Alex was silent.

"I might be more cooperative, Alexandra, if you would tell me what we are doing."

Rinoa felt the bitter silence cutting into her. The sorceress, Deling, it was all some sort of horrible plan. The realization did hit her finally that she was going to Deling City, where Ultimecia's base was. It was really too much of a coincidence. The sorceresses were in love with Deling.

"Rinoa," Alex said whimsically. "Do you believe in fate?"

Rinoa was silent. "I don't want to talk about Squall."

Alexandra laughed a little. "I wasn't talking about Squall. Anyway, he doesn't love you Rinoa, he loves me more. You've finally realized that. This is just lovely. Everything is turning out the way I wanted it."

Rinoa felt her fury building up inside her. "Why do you hate me so? Alexandra? Why are you so determined to ruin my life?"

Alexandra stopped laughing. There was a moment of silence. When she spoke next it was in a silent tone of sorrow. "What is hate, Rinoa? Hate is when you love someone who refuses to love you back."

"I don't understand," Rinoa said.

"It doesn't matter. I didn't expect you to. Don't worry about your life Rinoa, soon you won't be here to see me living your life. My powers are building, it is the time of passage."

"Time of passage?"

Alex laughed again. You'll see. You'll see everything in due time. It will be the last sight you ever see.

The train stopped and the bag lady in the corner stepped out into the streets of Deling. Rinoa felt such profound sadness then as she saw the familiar nighttime lights of her hometown. She was once a child who had looked upon these same streets believing that she would grow up to fall in perfect love with the dark stranger who placed his eyes on her. What an idealistic fool she was. In the real world there is no perfect love, no complete understanding, no one to truly hear these words that you speak on the stage on your own. There is just last night after last night, of giving the love that can never be returned.

Rinoa stood there without tears in her eyes. What does it mean to feel the most profound sadness of your lifetime, and not have the eyes to weep through? Her face smiled, Alexandra was happy.

"We are almost there, Rinoa."

* *

Deling sat in his office surveying the last of Patricia's reports. The phone rang and Deling picked it up. The dim light of his reading lamp flickered.

"Hello?"

"President Deling, this is Patricia, operation Doom is under way."

Deling rubbed his temples. "You spoke with Gains? He's going to lead his Garden against the other one? Are you sure? Wallace's death really cost us. Failure is not an option."

Patricia crackled her witch like laugh. "Gains is an idiot. He'll do whatever I tell him with a little manipulation. Don't worry, Garden won't live to see the next sunrise."

Deling nodded. "As soon as the two Gardens convene, I want you to drop all the bombs in your inventory on them. I don't care how many civilians die. I want the Balamb meadows burnt to such a crisp that all the bugs twenty feet into the ground will be burnt to ash. Wallace was a fool. He refused to use missiles on those terrorists. I think I can trust you not to let your emotions get in the way of your duties, Patricia."

` Patricia agreed with complete assent.

"Make sure not one of them survives, Patricia. I want that malignant cancer called SeeD eliminated from our world once and for all."

Deling hung up the phone. He sat back and sighed. He lite a cigar and took a deep breath. The end of Garden. It was truly going to be a wonderful world.

* *

"Watch it!" A man yelled as he shoved the pauper aside.

A lady nearby walked up to Caraway who was eating at a nearby cafe.

"Mr Caraway, I think that panhandler is making trouble for the shoppers here. Maybe you can remove him from this public place."

Caraway grunted. He glanced at the old women who looked at least ninety. If it had been anyone younger he would have told them that he was a general not a parasite exterminator. However, he decided to help the senile women out.

Caraway paid for his meal and walked up to the pauper who was standing by himself in a corner.

"Would you come with me please?" Caraway asked. "You are disturbing the shoppers here. Let me take you to a shelter."

There was no reply. Caraway frowned, beginning to regret his act of charity. He reached over and grabbed the man's arm but in the process disturbed the shawl which covered his head. Caraway felt his heart leap to his throat.

Rinoa.

It couldn't be. He was hallucinating.

There she was, her raven black hair a horrible tangle on top of her head. Her eyes glowed yellow as she looked up at him, her glare ferocious. Around her cheeks he could see blue veins forming a vine like design. It was the sorceress, the sorceress inside his baby girl.

Caraway glanced around. Where was that imbecile Leonhart? Without another word Caraway reached over and pulled the shawl over her head again. He placed his arm around her waist and quickly began walking in the direction of his limo, as fast as he could without attracting attention.

* *

"Please don't hurt him," Rinoa begged Alexandra as Caraway helped her into the limo. Alexandra scooted over and Caraway sat down on the black leather seating beside her.

"To the mansions, now!" he ordered the driver.

To Rinoa's surprise, her arm twitched suddenly. She did it again. Her arm moved across her lap. As the limo started up, Rinoa found that she could move her leg forward and back. Her face, her lips, eyes, they were moving again, reflecting her emotions instead of those of Alexandra's. She felt Alexandra withdraw to a small place inside of her.

"Talk to your father, Rinoa," Alexandra whispered. "Tell him that you love him. It might be the last time you will see him."

Rinoa did not reply. No she thought, I will not give you that satisfaction.

Alexandra chuckled. This is your last chance Rinoa.

Rinoa watched as Caraway turned towards her. Her old father seemed to have gotten a lot older since the last time she saw him. It was hard to hate him now, so hard. He was watching her with a mixture of confusion and worry. She sat there rigidly, knowing that he was probably wondering why those blue veins were retreating from her cheeks, why her eyes were brown again, not yellow.

"Can you hear me Rinoa?" he asked her.

She did not reply.

He sighed. "This is all my fault. I didn't take care of you. What would your mother say if she saw you now? You have every right to hate me. I was never a good father."

There was absolute silence until the limo finally stopped, behind the Caraway mansion. Rinoa had passed the time flexing her hand and allowing her eyes to warm with tears. It was a wonderful feeling, to be able to cry. One does not realize what a relief tears bring until one loses the ability to shed tears. She flexed her hand once more, watching those long fingers curl up at her command. They were hers again, these bloody sorceress's hands.

Her father looked over at her. She closed her large almond shaped eyes and allow the bitter tears to flow down her cheeks. Somehow she never though that this was the way it was going to end. That she would be so sad, at the last sight of him.

"Hurry Rinoa," Alex said.

Rinoa opened her eyes and looked over him. He was watching her, at the tears in her eyes, at her hands which were wringing each other in her lap, her long bruised legs which were peaking out from underneath the rags, her shoes were worn from travel, her necklace encrusted with dirt. She wiped away the tears on her cheeks, with the backs of her hands.

It was then when she suddenly realized that she had lost control of her left hand. It was reaching over to the handle of the door. She couldn't stop it from moving. Her legs were gone as well. She turned her neck toward her father one last time. Her last sight of him. Suddenly he didn't look so evil. He looked sad. Like the father she used to know. The unmoving oak tree that spread its branches over her, protecting her from the rain. He couldn't protect her now although she knew that he wanted to.

Her neck turned around. It was Alexandra's body again. The door opened, one of her legs stepped out. No, she would not leave him this way. She was more desperate now than she had ever been. She concentrated all of her effort into moving her face. With the last of her strength she suddenly jerked her neck around.

"Daddy, I forgive you."

That was all she could say before she disappeared into Alexandra. Alexandra got up from that seat then and began to run away from the parked limo. Her father did not come after her. As her body ran from Caraway's mansion, toward the Presidential Mansion nearby, Alex said to her, gently., "don't cry, Rinoa."

* *

"Shari!" Deling said, gently scolding his daughter as he walked into his daughter's magnificent bedroom.

"No no no! How many times do I have to tell you sweetheart? No raccoons in bed!"

Deling walked over to his tiny blond chubby faced daughter. He sat down on the soft silk blankets of her bed and reached over to take her raccoon from underneath her covers.

"But daddy!" She said as she reluctantly handed the animal over. "He doesn't like his cage, it's cold in there. He's good. He won't poo-poo in my bed."

Deling shook his head as he placed his hands over the soft belly of the struggling raccoon. He bent over and placed the raccoon in his cage and walked back over to his tiny daughter who was pouting miserably.

He laughed, leaned over and kissed her.

"Go to bed Shari, Daddy loves you."

* *

As Deling walked back to his office he felt strange, threatened, almost as though he was being watched. It was stupid. There were guards galore outside of the presidential mansion. Who can get it? Not even the tiniest mouse can sneak past those men.

"No one is watching me," he reassured himself as he closed the door to his office. He stood at the large window which covered two walls of his office. Standing there he could see Deling City in its entirety. His Deling City. What a magnificent sight. This was the rainbow city, where magnificent lights and architecture graced the streets. A meeting of the modern and the ancient. Esthar might be the more advanced but Deling would forever be the most beautiful.

It was for this city that he schemed and plotted against Garden. For the safety of the inhabitants of this city. For the safety of his daughter. He smiled then, faintly. Tomorrow afternoon, for the price of a thousand lives, he would have all of that. He would go down in history as the most magnificent ruler of all time. The most sympathetic, the most loved, the most lionhearted. The one that destroyed the band of terrorists which cruelly snatched orphans from cradles to be made into heartless soldiers.

For the good of the future, I apologize to all those that will die on that grassy field tomorrow afternoon. I am sincerely sorry but there is no other way.

It was then when he heard clapping. A single person clapping, from behind him. Deling turned around and gasped. It was the sorceress, the Sorceress Rinoa. She stood there, dressed entirely in black, a skin tight velvet dress that flared out at her ankles. Her black hair was above her head in an intricate design of pearl and jewel. Her sleeves were large and they went down to her waist as she lifter her hands to clap.

A wicked smile was on her face, a yellow tint in here eye. She looked like a giant spider that had crept into his bed.

Deling stared at her in utter shook.

"An impressive speech, Deling" she said, "I've almost begun to feel sorry for you. Almost."

"Who are you?" he asked, choking on his words.

"The one you've been waiting for, William," she said softly, gently, like a mother cooing a child. "Well, I've come, finally. I've come to kill you."

"Ultimecia?" he asked, perplexed.

"No, Alexandra.

She smiled showing him her glittering teeth. It reminded him of the fangs of a vampire.

" It's time for you to die, Deling, just like your brother."

Deling suddenly began to hyperventilate."No, it can't be true. No, you are dead. You can't be here." Deling was studdering at complete loss for words. He felt like his knees were about to buckle underneath him. No it wasn't supposed to happen this way. It wasn't part of the plan. Why didn't Leonhart take her to Esthar?

Outside the room, a tiny hand knocked on the great oak door of Deling's office.

"Daddy? Daddy, I'm scared, there's something under my bed. Can I sleep with you?"Shari's voice came high and shrill as she begged her father to open the door.

Deling looked over at Alexandra. "Don't hurt her," he begged. Alexandra smirked, her purple lips curling up into an expression more frightening than anger.

"Shari, pretty Shari." She whispered whimsically.

"Don't!" Deling ordered her.

Alexandra stepped forward and grabbed Deling by his neck. She held him close forcing him to stare into her yellow eyes. She kissed him gently on his oily wrinkled forehead.

"You care so much Deling, it makes you all the more beautiful in my eyes." He was crying, tears flowing from his eyes, down the rough terrain of his cheek. He felt the sorceress against him her smooth skin felt like the scaly hid of a snake. She stroked his balding head with one clawed hand. Her nails were black, like the talons of a vulture. She was giant lizard that had crawled up his leg. The scorpion that was standing upon his neck.

Her fingers tightened around his neck.

"So good and yet so evil. So deliciously evil." She massages his neck with her left hand. Her yellow eyes holding his in one spellbinding trance. He couldn't look away. In her eyes he saw his life before him. He saw his brother, Julia, Shari all in one tiny black hole. She drew back suddenly. Her eyes widened. She looked very young then, very innocent. Her mouth was absolutely serious now as she said her final words to him.

"It's not too late for one last sight."

Deling understood. He turned his head toward the window where he allow the bright lights of Deling enter his eye, one final time. And watching, he died with his eyes open as Alexandra broke his neck. It happened so suddenly he did not feel the pain. All he could do was stare at his empire and know.

It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

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Author's note: "it's not too late for one last sight" that's pretty much what the entire chapter was based on. A couple of weeks back I read this poem on Lot's Wife, I forgot who wrote it. Some Russian poet, I believe. In the translate there was the phrase "it's not too late for one last sight." You see Lot was ordered by God to leave his hometown and to go forth and never look back. However, his wife looked back and for that one sight gave up her life. So of course, in this chapter, as Deling takes that one last look, he gives up his life. I'm sorry, I was madly in love with that phrase for weeks. For what sight would you give up your life?

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Chapter 21 -Eye of the Storm

(a.k.a., a record of my conversation in the chat room Balamb Garden at 5:15 in the morning. Lol my buddy Seifer really helped me out with this one. Hehehe all that stuff about Squall and Seifer sleeping together was priceless and that anti Rinoa spray that Seifer peed in! Hahahaa, I'm still laughing. Well I guess you all know now where my inspiration comes from now (j/k).)

"Hot dogs!!!" Zell yelled as he ran into the dormitory holding a tray piled high with is favorite food. He ran into the room where all his friends were gathered. They were sitting around the table in the living room of one of the vacant joint rooms. They had met here secretly for the sake of privacy. Squall was sitting there, against the wall. His right hand was wrapped in a bandage, he had that hand pressed against his head as though he was suffering from a headache. Quistis sat beside him, she had looked up as Zell came running in. Selphie was across from Squall, her tight yellow dress as bright as the sun as she giggled at Zell's sudden burst of enthusiasm. Irvine meanwhile, was beside Selphie, his face locked in a look of friendly mockery. The last person was Fifi, who was sitting at the end of the table. She had gotten up, as Zell came in, to bring him an extra chair.

"Sit down here, Zell" she ordered with a smile, tossing a pigtail behind her back. Zell thought she was the most lovely girl he had ever seen, well maybe it was a tie between her and Rinoa. She so cute and tiny, with her shiny brown hair and pudgy nose. Now she patted the seat next to her in loving affection, waiting for him to sit down.

Zell brought the hot dogs over and placed them on the table.

"Take one, Squall, maybe it will make you less gloomy." Zell offered. He didn't ordinarily offer his hot dogs to anyone else but this was a special occasion.

Squall looked away and ignored him.

"That's everyone, right?" Irvine asked. "We are all here."

"Tch," Zell said as he began to devour his food. "So be that way, Squall. I see you haven't changed."

"We are all here," Quistis answered as she turned her attention from Zell back to Squall.

"Tell us what happened, Squall," Quistis said as gently as she could.

"Were you planning to start without me?" Someone asked from the doorway. The group turned around to see Seifer Almasy standing there. He walked in smiling as though this was the most natural thing in the world. He walked up to Squall and roughly patted him on the back.

"I want to be here when my buddy Squall tells everyone about the recent developments of his love life. I wouldn't miss it for the world, right Squall?"

". . .Whatever."

Seifer laughed. "Go on, don't mind me, Squall. Tell us all about Rinoa. How is she? Does she still talk about that summer we spent together? She used to kiss me you know, did she do that thing with the tongue with you too?"

"Shut up Seifer," Quistis said. "I thought you were taking a nap."

Seifer shrugged. "When my buddy Squall wants to talk I'm going to be here to listen. Right Squall? Don't tell me you never told them about the good old days when we used to sneak porno magazines around and sniff glue. Now that you're a big ol' commander you forgot your old buddy Seifer?"

"Shut up!" Fifi said. "You are not helping Seifer."

Irvine looked up suddenly. "Porno mags? Did someone say porno mags? Where?"

Squall got up. "I'm leaving."

"Squall!" Quistis yelled.

Squall paused and watched her with a deep frown on his face. He looked truly malignant.

Quistis stood up and gestured to Seifer. "Ignore his childish antics, he has something he wants to tell you about the sorceress."

Squall turned his glaze over to Seifer. "What is it?"

Seifer just stood there smirking.

Squall turned to leave when Seifer suddenly spoke up.

"Alexandra isn't who you think she is."

Squall paused.

"She wants to take over the world. Her powers will peak soon. If we don't stop her, she will finish up where her mother left off."

"How do you know that?" Squall asked.

"Did she ever mention the number eight to you Squall? Sorceresses are fond of that number. On the eighth day of the eighth month, she will obliterate the world. Did she show you her power Squall? It's rather fierce. The world of the dead and the world of living, they will cross when her season of passage comes."

`Squall turned around, "how do you suggest we get rid of her, Seifer?"

"Well, that is for you to figure out, Mr Leader." Seifer answered. "That is, if you are still interested in destroying her."

"What does that mean?" Squall asked in a malicious tone.

Seifer laughed. "Sorceresses have a way of manipulating their knights, Squall. How do we know we can trust you? How do we know you are not really her spy?"

"Shut up!" Quistis yelled. "Squall is not a spy, nor a knight. He is the leader of Garden, he will help us destroy the sorceress and rescue Rinoa, right Squall?"

Squall said nothing. Suddenly, Selphie spoke up.

"What about Maniac Athena? Do we still need that? As a last resort perhaps."

"What is it?" Squall asked quietly.

"A weapon for absorbing the power of the sorceress," Irvine answered. "It's very effective I heard except . . ."

"Except it will kill Rinoa if she has all of that power passing through her," Zell added. Squall frowned even more deeply. "That's not a last resort. That's not even a possibility. I won't have it. There is another way." Squall left the room in disgust.

Quistis got up and went after him. She found him at the end of the hallway, leaning against a wall, staring out the small circular window. "Squall, tell us, what do you know about the sorceress?"

Squall looked away and refused to meet her eye. "Not enough to help us in any way. She's young, immature and easy to anger. Rinoa . . Rinoa might not hold out much longer against her. I'm afraid of her, of the affect she has on me. Seifer is right. I might just be her knight."

"No," Quistis said. "I have faith in you Squall, you are strong. You won't give in to mind games. You are no one's puppet. I know that Rinoa will be okay in the end. We will save the world again."

Squall looked at her sadly. "Are you sure Quistis? Because I'm not." He turned away and sighed with such a profound sense of sadness that Quistis realized that he was being serious. He was not going to be of mush help to them in this battle, this time. She would have to deal with the sorceress alone, and maybe with Seifer. Quistis realized all this in a matter of seconds and so she changed the tone of her pleading with Squall.

Quistis nodded in understanding. "Squall. Let us take care of the sorceress. You need your rest. You can't fight her. Remember when Cid stepped down because he couldn't fight Edea? I think that is what you should do now. Leave this to us."

Squall contemplated her words for a moment. Finally he nodded. " It's true I'm too close to the problem to be of much help. I can't . .I can't meet with her, Alexandra. She has a way with messing around with my mind."

Quistis looked at him with sincere sympathy. "I'll bring Rinoa back to you Squall. Don't worry about this. We have a plan. It is better if we don't tell you, until it is over and Rinoa is safe."

Squall looked at her, his frown dissolving. "Alright then, I'll leave you in control Quistis." With that he turned around walked away.

But he looked back only once and said to her "please, remember she is evil. All those who defend her must be destroyed. No matter what else happens don't forget what I say to you now."

Quistis nodded, watching him leave. He looked sad, almost beaten, as though he had the weight of the world bearing down on him. She was wrong, she realized. He was only one man. He was no omnipotent god. He was just a boy who could not longer hold up against the torrent of misery that plagued his life. As she watched him disappear around the corner someone walked up to her from behind.

"Where's he going?" .

Quistis turned around to find Seifer standing there.

"We are going to have to go against Alexandra alone, Seifer. Squall's not coming. He shouldn't. It can't be good for him to have to deal with fighting Rinoa."

Seifer nodded. "I see. I have something to show you Quistis. Don't tell the others. This is just between me and you."

Quistis gasped at what he showed her.

"No it can't be . . . it was you all along!"

* *

Zell and Fifi were walking down the main hall of the Garden when they caught sight of Fujin and Raijin standing beside Seifer and Quistis.

Zell watched frowned as he saw Quistis actively engaging in a conversation with the three. What was with her, he wondered. Why was she eager to trust Seifer suddenly? Zell decided to ignore it. He turned to Fifi,

"I ... um . . .don't . .. . want . . .come .. .with. . us, Fifi, ..you .. there .. dangerous."

Fifi shook her head. "I . .I . .can't . .you . .leave."

Zell scratched his head. It was always so hard to form coherent sentences in front of her.

From behind, Raijin cam walking up to them.

"Seifer says that we are leaving in 300 hours. Hurry up and get your things."

"What?!" Zell asked angrily. "When did Seifer start giving orders around here?"

Raijin shrugged. "Ever since Squall decided he wasn't up to the job of being leader anymore." Raijin chuckled deeply from his broad chest. "That chicken wuss."

"No you idiot," Fifi said, "Zell is the chicken wuss, Squall is puberty boy or something. I guess they call Squall that because he's experimenting with his sexuality with Rinoa."

Raijin shrugged. "Oh well, I was close."

Seifer walked up to them with Quistis following quietly behind him.

"Hey, I didn't send you over to socialize. Let's get going."

Zell looked over at Quistis. "Since when did you two become buddies?"

"Hey, any friend of my buddy Squall is a friend of mine right instructor? Anyway I'm her favorite student. I used to ace all her tests."

Zell was even more irritated when Quistis did not object to Seifer's idiotic comments.

"I can't believe you Quistis!" Zell exclaimed.

"Hurry." Fujin said as she pointed to the car which had stopped in front of Balamb garden.

"Hey wait for us!" Irvine called from behind them. He and Selphie came running. They were fully prepared, their junctions ready and their weapons out.

Carbuncle wasn't in his hole however. He appeared to have taken a liking to sitting on Selphie's shoulder. The little animal was perching happily there where he muttered his name now and then.

"Carbuncle," he said and giggled happily. Well it was no mystery then, who Carbuncle was to be junctioned to.

Seifer turned to Quistis. "Do you still have Eden?" He asked her. She nodded.

"Give it to me," he said to her, quietly. To everyone's surprise she handed it over without another word. "Use some luvluvs, Seifer," she told him. "Eden only has a high affinity for Squall."

Seifer nodded "Instructor, I know everything about Gfs. Hmm what did I get on my GF test again?" he asked. "Oh yes I believe it was a perfect score, just like your second favorite student, Squall."

"Let's get going," Quistis said.

Irvine, Selphie, Zell all stared at her in surprise, unable to believe the sudden change in her disposition. Seifer and Quistis started to walk toward the entrance with Fujin and Raijin following closely.

Zell shook his head. "I think something has possessed Quistis," he said sadly.

Irvine shrugged. "Hey he is her age, come on, maybe she just has the hots for him. You know Squall and Rinoa are pretty close now. Maybe Quistis thinks she has a better chance with Seifer."

Selphie stuck her tongue out. "Ewwww. No Quisty won't go wonky on Seifer. Seifer is the bad guy remember."

"Hey," Irvine said, "she just handed Eden over to him. I would say that's some pretty wonky stuff."

Selphie turned around and started walking after Seifer's group. On her shoulder Carbuncle turned around and stuck his tongue out at Irvine.

"Hey do you really think Squall is hiding porno mags from us?" Irvine asked Zell and Fifi.

Fifi kicked him. "You pervert."

Zell nodded. "Yo if Squall was into that and sniffing glue it that would explain why he's such jerk all the time."

"Yeah yeah," Fifi said. "And I'm sure that Seifer's website really has nude pictures of Squall like he claims. Shut up you two and get going."

* *

Selphie held the bread crumbs in her hand for Carbuncle to sort through. She giggled happily. "Hey I think he likes bread. Ooh! His tongue tickles! You guys should try it."

"Yeah," Seifer said from where he was sitting. "Hey Zell, try it with Bahamut."

Zell growled at him and proceeded to get up and punch the air. The SeeD suite in the train system was large enough so that he could do so without punching anyone in the snot.

"Seifer," Quistis said, "Why do you think the sorceress hasn't closed down the transportation?"

Seifer shrugged. "Stupidity, I guess. Sorceresses are usually pretty dumb, why do you think they need knights to protect them?"

Quistis sighed.

"Do you guys have any sort of plan?" Irvine asked.

Seifer laughed. "I don't need a plan. Plans are for dimwits. I just improvise as I go alone."

"Yeah," Irvine said, "I'm sure that's why you got your ass kicked three times by Squall."

Seifer leaned back. "Hey I was outnumbered. You can't expect me to fight a whole army of people. Anyway Squall was cheating. Did you see him drawing aura from me? That little twerp."

"Carbuncle!" Carbuncle said eagerly as he hopped down from Selphie's shoulder and began to walk around the room.

"Hey is that thing housebroken?" Raijin asked. "I don't want to sit here for a few hours sniffing GF poo, ya know"

Selphie reached over and reclaimed Carbuncle protectively. "Shut up, meanie!"

"Yo, you guys, will we really have to fight, Rinoa?" Zell asked after a while.

Quistis looked at Seifer. He frowned.

"No we'll be fighting the sorceress. If Rinoa shows up instead we'll take her home and give her over to puberty boy so they can act out some scenes from Squally's porno mags."

Zell growled. "No I mean will we be fighting the sorceress in Rinoa's body."

Seifer shrugged. "Well well that depends. We can call an exorcist in that case. Hey Raijin, I think you know a little about exorcism don't you?"

Raijin shrugged. "I know about exotic sex. But I don't think I ever heard of exorcisms."

"Oh well," Seifer said. "Now leave me alone, I'm going to take a nap. I worked pretty hard when I was Ultimecia's knight. She worked me all night for a week. You guys should show more sympathy toward your new leader. So be respectful and leave me alone."

So Seifer leaned back and closed his eyes. Irvine, Zell and Selphie were watching him in disgust. Only Quistis spoke up.

"Let him be."

_________________________________________________________________

Author's Note: please, really, this is a interlude before the storm. The stuff that Seifer says about Squall sniffing glue has nothing to do with the outcome of the story. Please people, he's just joking, everywhere. Don't believe it. This was my little period of insanity and yes I know, everyone in this chapter appears to be on crack.

__________________________________________________________________

Chapter 22 - The Sins of a Father

The phone began to ring. Being alone in the Headmaster's former office, Squall felt he was obligated to pick it up. He sighed and decided to wait until the caller gave up. After the eleventh ring, it was obvious the caller wasn't about to. Squall finally reached over and picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hello, this is Laguna Loire, President of Esthar, who am . . . .. wait a second, Squall is that you?"

"What do you want Loire?" He asked.

"Are you okay? Ellone and I were worried about your safety. I was wondering if I should send some troops over there to fight those Galbadians. Xu and I were talking about that but Xu never called me back. Is she okay?"

There was silence. Squall contemplated hanging up the phone immediately. He was about to drop the phone back in the cradle when Laguna spoke up again.

"Squall, are you still there? Why won't you talk to me?"

Laguna was silent for a second more before he began again. "Why do you hate me so Squall? I don't understand. Talk to me please, Squall. Tell me if you are okay. I'm your father. I worry so much about you. I wish you would tell me how I can make things right between us."

There was along silence before Squall answered Laguna. When he did he spoke in a low voice of repressed anger and gravity. "Laguna," he began slowly at first, "to make things right between us you would have to change the past. Raine died in hatred for you Laguna. I will always live in hatred for you. Did you really believe that you could correct seventeen years and three lives with a simple apology?"

Laguna's shield of calmness began to crack. He began to forget what he had planned to say and instead began to plead with the iron hearted young man. "Raine did not die in hatred for me. Squall, your mother loved me, I loved her. She would have wanted us to be together. You are not the only one who went through hell the past two decades Squall. I've suffered just as much as you have. I can't take correct the last seventeen years but I can try to change the next fifty. The past is the past, Squall you need to let that go."

Squall began to breath deeply into the receiver. "Do you believe that Laguna? That she forgave you? She thought you were a mistake Laguna. She wished that she had never met you. That is the truth, Loire. Stop living in your rose colored delusions."

` "How would you know that Squall? How? Have you spoken to her? Did her ghost come, grab you by the arm and tell you that your father was a mistake? How would you know anything about Raine? Everything you saw of Raine you saw through my eyes!"

Squall was silent. "Why did you call Laguna? Whatever you want to say, you better say it now because I'm going to hang up."

"Squall, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lost my temper. You have every right to hate me. I understand. I just-"

"Hurry, Loire. I've had enough." Squall said bitterly.

"Wait wait, don't hang up. I just called to tell you that we figured out what happened to Maniac Athena."

"What happened to it?" Squall asked nonchalantly.

"We were wrong. The Galbadians never touched it."

"So it's in your possession now?" Squall asked, sounding quite weary.

"No, . . . . .Seifer Almasy has it."

With that Laguna heard a crash on other side of the phone line. As though something was heavy was dropped. Then footsteps, over a wooden floor, disappearing.

"Squall? Squall? Are you okay? Squall are you still there?" Laguna yelled into the phone. He held onto the phone until the dial tone came. There was no answer. Laguna stood there holding the phone, unable to shake the feeling that something horrible had just been set into motion.

"Kiros," Laguna said, turning to his left, in a silent daze. "I want you to send troops to Deling City."

Kiros, ever the vigilant one, walked over to Laguna and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"What is it? Does it have to do with Garden?"

Laguna shook his head, letting his long brown hair loose from the thin ponytail.

"No, it's my son. He's about to do something really stupid."

* *

On the other side of the planet a train emerged from the underwater tunnel. The lights in the SeeD suite had dimmed as the daylight disappeared from the sky to give way to the long night ahead. Selphie was fast asleep on one of the couches while her GF laid nearby, resting as well.

"Seifer," Quistis said finally breaking the blanket of silence. "You do have a plan don't you?"The cold eyed instructor scanned the sleeping form of the blond boy by her side. To his other side, Fujin was sitting with her head leaning against the window. She had been studying the darkening landscape in a nostalgic reverie but now she was studying Quistis with apprehension as she always did.

"You can stop pretending to sleep now," Quistis said, he voice becoming a tad more commanding. "No one is here but us, Selphie is asleep."

Seifer opened one blue eye and with his right hand he casually scratched his chest. "I told you already that I will take care of the sorceress."

"How are you planing to do that? I remember what you told me before about the barrier around the city with will be broken four hours before midnight the seventh day of the eighth month."

"Yes," Seifer said with weariness. "The barrier is broken because she needs to collect her powers. She will be powerless for four hours since she is conserving her power for midnight, where the season of passage will take place. We need to get to her before midnight. You aren't chickening out are you Quistis?"

"No," Quistis said pressing her lips together. "I told you already, I have made my choice."

Seifer looked at her and nodded. He then withdrew his hand from his pocket and opened his fist. On his gloved palm laid the circular crystal which burned a faint blue in the darkness.

"All I need to do is press this against her forehead and the sorceress will be done for."

Quistis studied the glowing globe intensely. It lite up her face in an eerie turquoise light.

"And so will Rinoa."

Seifer shrugged and closed his palm around the crystal once more, squeezing it for reassurance. He closed his eyes and leaned back.

"One life for a billion. It's not much."

___________________________________________________________

Author's Note: At this point it is very very important that you understand the meaning of "crossing the stars." Whenever Alexandra says "cross the stars" she means to go against fate. As anyone who reads Shakespeare would know, going against fate often results in devastating tragedy. In my interpretation of FF8, I will assume that fate decrees that Rinoa and Squall shall be together. However, you must understand what when Squall uses the phrase "cross the stars" there might be a double meaning. He could either mean to go against fate as he did back at chapter 15 or to bring someone back from the dead. So I guess its up to you to figure out what he means.

Author's Note: Consider this : Athena is the goddess of justice.

_______________________________________________________________

Chapter 23 - City Closest to Hell

Squall Leonhart landed the Ragnarok near the Tomb of the Unknown King and continued to walk to Deling City. From the Ragnarok he could see Deling covered in a mist of red. The seventh day of the eighth night, was tonight.

At the entrance of Deling he saw a mass of soldiers guarding the entrance. Squall pulled out his gunblade and held it ready in his right hand. He grimaced in pain as he tightened his grip around the handle. He had given all his GFs to his friends. If he got into a fight he would only be able to attack. There must be another way in than through battle.

"Hey who goes there?" a young soldier yelled as Squall walked out of the shadows.

It was only one soldier, Squall decided that he could probably take him out.

"Mr. Leonhart!" The young man yelled suddenly, removing his helmet. "Imagine seeing you here, Mr Leonhart. Wow, remember me? Well of course you don't, I'm sure you have far more important things on your mind. I'm Clay Stripe!"

Squall frowned and loosened his grip on the blade. So Alexandra had idiots guarding her gates. What happened to the real soldiers?

The young man removed his helmet, letting loose his mass of spiky blond hair. He smiled at Squall and raised hand in effort to coax a hand shake out of Squall. Squall stood his ground and did not raise his hand.

Slightly embarrassed, the young man took back his hand.

"Where you going, Mr. Leonhart, can I help you with anything? Are you going on some really important mission to save the world? I really want to help you, you know since you were so nice to me at the Deling party. I'm involved now, you know what they say about the train."

Squall narrowed his eyes at the young man. He was about sixteen years of age, Squall estimated, yet he seemed ages younger than his seventeen. The man's huge blue eyes were downright frightening and his arms were huge in comparison to his body.

"No, I don't know," Squall replied. "What do they say about the train?" Squall asked trying to be friendly.

"There ain't no getting off the train once you get on it, Mr Leonhart. That's what my friends told me. The train we are on makes no stops."

Squall frowned and slowed his pace to speak to the blond boy. "A word of advice, Mr Stripe, if you want people to respect you maybe you should start using proper grammar and not words like 'ain't' you sound like a hillbilly from a tiny town near the mountains."

Clay nodded, quite ashamed. "I'm sorry Mr. Leonhart." The boy all the more eager to help now that he had throughly made a fool of himself in front of his idol. "Are you trying to get into the city, Mr. Leonhart? I can help you get in. I know a way nearby. Come follow me!" the boy said waving for him to follow. Squall sighed and followed him.

* *

Quistis got off of the train in Deling. She didn't need to be reminded by Irvine this time to head for the sewers. Beside her, Seifer was standing frowning at the Deling guards.

"Does she have them under mind control?" Quistis asked.

Seifer shrugged. "Perhaps, some of them are just plain stupid. They don't really need mind control."

Quistis watched her friends climb down into the sewers and she followed. As she stepped off the ladder they were attacked by a group of Creeps. The long fingered shadow creatures came in a group of five. Seifer raised his gunblade and slashed one of them across its middle. Selphie stocked up on some thunder spells while Irvine shot one with some Dark Ammo. Zell was zapped with a lightening spell but he countered with a Holy spell. Quistis frowned at him.

"Don't waste the strong spells."

Zell ignored her. "Yo, those bolts hurt."

Fujin took down the last one with a Aero.

"The enemies down here are a piece of cake," Raijin said.

That was when they heard a rumbling from the depth of the dark sewers.

"What was that?!" Selphie exclaimed.

"It doesn't matter," Quistis said."Whatever comes, comes. We need to get going. We need to get to the sorceress before midnight."

The group nodded as they continued walking following Quistis's lead.

* *

Squall stepped out of the tiny tunnel Clay had led him through. He made a face as he brushed cobwebs out of his hair. Clay shrugged sheepishly as he watched Squall brush himself off.

"I'm sorry, it's probably not fitting for big heros like you to crawl through abandoned pipes." Clay looked even more ashamed as he looked at Squall's frowning face.

"No," Squall said, coughing from the dust. "It's fine. Which way is it to the presidential mansion?"

Clay pointed at the distance. Squall shook his head as he saw the distant building surrounded by red lights. It was going to be a long walk. He turned to leave when Clay grabbed him suddenly by the arm.

"Wait, here, you might need this. It's not much but it should help you on your way." Clay handed Squall a bag of Ultima stones. Squall took them from the young man and for a moment Squall was touched by the man's gesture. He looked at Clay and patted him on the shoulder.

"Thank you Clay, I misjudged you."

Clay smiled. "I'm going to be like you one day Mr Leonhart. I'm going to be a hero, I'll have women galore just like you and the entire world will love me."

Squall looked at the young man sadly. "All that comes with a price Clay. In the end you might wish you never gave up what you have now."

Clay shrugged. "You are really something Mr. Leonhart, you're going to go rescue your lady now aren't you? Big time heroes like you always save the lady from the evil villain. Only the second rate counterfeit heroes ever have their lady dying on them. You have nothing to worry about." Clay waved to Squall as he turned to enter the pipes once more.

Squall turned toward the city and watched the magnificent city before him. If only it was really so simple. But in reality there were no real villains or any real heroes. Only those like Seifer Almasy divided others into black and white, endings into happy and sad, emotions into love and hate. Because in the end no matter who you choose to fight or who you saved from harm, both sides had already lost something by waging war.

What is it really that you want, Alexandra? Squall wondered.

* *

Quistis turned left again for the fourth time.

"Are you sure we are not lost Quistis?" Zell asked.

"No, I've been down here a dozen times already." Quistis reminded him.

Irvine chuckled. "They should make this the official SeeD doorway."

Raijin stopped in his tracks. "Did you hear that?" he asked.

"What?" Selphie asked. She looked around. "I don't see anything."

Something growled in the distance. The entire group turned around in the direction of the sound. Seifer walked forward slashing the air with his gunblade.

"Come out, damn it. Stop being a coward. Come out you fool and fight me!"

"Calm down Seifer," Selphie said. "It probably can't understand what you are saying anyway."

Seifer stood there and frowned. Zell walked over to him and squinted in the dim light trying to make out a shape.

"Nothing." He said.

That was when he was suddenly hurled backwards by a huge claw. He fell against the wall and collapsed in a heap. The monster walked out of the shadows, his green eyes glittering with menace. It was a huge thing made of slime and mud. He growled at them, unleashing a bad breath attack. Selphie went to Zell's aid while Quistis immediately used a mega elixir to undo the status affects on Raijin, Irvine. Seifer ran forward fearlessly and slashed the monster across its face. But the monster just melted back together.

"What is this?" Seifer asked as he cast a Bizzarga on the creature. Part of its face froze but new slime just replaced that which was frozen.

Quistis whipped the monster with her Save the Queen but her whip was stuck in the middle of it. She tried to tug it out but the monster refused to let go.

"Irvine! Help me!" She yelled at him but he was on the floor fast asleep. Quistis growled and continued to tug.

Fujin drew Aura from Seifer and cast it upon him. Seifer nodded in her direction and began to use the Fire Cross on the demon. Quistis was still holding onto her Save the Queen. It was stuck good.

Fire Cross did no good. The monster just melted back together. Raijin came over and began to help Quistis pull her Save the Queen. Finally Zell got back on his feet. He then called Leviathan. "Get out of the way, Quistis!" yelled as he, a sleepy Irvine and Selphie began to run down the tunnel. Seifer slashed at the monster one last time, then he and Fujin began running as well.

Finally Quistis gave up as she turned around with Raijin and began to run. Behind them, Leviathan's waterfall obliterated the monster.

Quistis shook her head and fixed her wet hair.

"I guess it's up to you guys to attack the sorceress now, " she said.

* *

Squall crept through the trees, doing his best to avoid the sight of the guards as he neared the archway. His gunblade caught a ray of light and glittered like gold in the street light. Seeing a guard in front of him, Squall took him out with one good stab and emerged from the tiny forest. He crept along the archway, with his back against the yellow stone, as he looked over at the Presidential Mansion down the street he frowned at the long open distance he had to pass to get there. It was impossible. That was when someone caught him roughly by the shoulder and slammed him flat against the stone wall.

The man pressed Squall's mouth closed with his gloved hand.

"Don't make a sound," he ordered and took his hand off.

Squall rubbed the salty taste off his lips with the back of his hand.

General Caraway poked his neck out to scan for guards then, seeing the coast was clear, he turned his sight back to Squall.

"Listen, Leonhart, you did a pathetic job of taking care of my daughter. She's in that Presidential Mansion trapped inside the sorceress. You better rescue her."

Squall glared at him. "What do you think I'm doing Caraway. I don't see you putting out any effort to help Rinoa."

Caraway looked remorseful. "Because . . I can't. I can't help her, Leonhart. I'm an old man there is only so much I can do. You will . . bring her back safely to me, will you?"

Squall's tone decreased in malice. "I'm going to do that now. Seifer Almasy is there. He's planning to harm her. I'm going to defend her from him. Will you help me get to her?"

Caraway nodded. "Seifer Almasy, I only wish I could help you kill that bastard. He's going to try to harm Rinoa? Well I'm not surprised. Come Leonhart, I'll help you into that mansion. If I see Seifer Almasy I'll shoot him on sight."

* *

"Carbuncle is cold, hey look he's shivering!" Selphie squealed as she hugged the GF in her arms.

"Put him back in his hole them," Seifer said, throughly irritated.

"No!" Selphie said. "He hates his hole. Squall kept him in his hole all the time. "

"I can see why," Seifer replied with disgust.

"Light." Fujin said as she pointed to the room with a ladder in the distance.

` "We're out of here!" Zell yelled happily.

Quistis rubbed her wet arms. She could see why the little animal was cold. She was freezing as well. It was middle of August too. But Deling City appeared to have frozen over.

It's the day that hell froze over.

Irvine walked over to her and handed her his coat.

It's cold because Alexandra has sucked all the energy from the air. She is harboring that energy ready to use it to destroy the world, Quistis thought to herself.

"Here, Quistis," he said. "Put it on, you are going to catch something nasty."

"Hey!" Raijin said, "I'm wet too. Why did chicken wuss have to call Leviathan while were still tugging at the whip anyway. It's just plain stupid, ya know."

Zell growled and lunged at him but was restrained by Selphie.

"Stop it!" she ordered.

Quistis shrugged and wrapped Irvine's coat around herself. "Let's go," she said. "We don't have much more time."

The group climbed up the narrow ladder into the Deling Archway.

"Look," Seifer said. "The Presidential Mansion is right there. Let's get going."

"Yeah but how?" Zell asked. "The guards just might notice a group of armed SeeDs walking down the open street."

Quistis pointed at the clock. "Look, we only have three hours before midnight. We need to get there now."

Seifer kicked the stone wall in frustration. "I don't care, let's just take out all our firepower and make a run for it. We have enough ammo to take down a small town, anyway."

Fujin nodded at Seifer's words. Raijin shrugged. Irvine scratched his head. Selphie frowned.

"It is the fastest way to get there, ya know." Raijin said in support for his leader.

Irvine, Zell and Selphie all looked to Quistis for a decision. She merely threw her hands aside. "I give up Seifer, do what you wish." Quistis finally said.

"Hey!" Zell said. "I'm through with this. Quistis why have you been on Seifer's side all this time?" He inquired. Quistis just looked at him sadly and followed a cocky Seifer out from under the arch. She whispered something as she turned her head around. It sounded something like "because he's our only hope."

* *

Quistis walked over to Seifer's side as they stepped out from under the arch. She did not believe that this was the best course of action but frankly she was too exhausted and too pressed for time to care. Seifer looked over at her and shrugged.

"It's not far, we'll just make a dash for it."

Quistis pressed her lips together and did not respond but suddenly her eyes widened in surprise as she saw a form emerge on the other side of the arch. It was the shape of a man, with a gun. A sense of deja vu shoot through her. Caraway. In an act of reflex, she shoved Seifer to one side out of the line of fire from the man with the gun.

"He-" Seifer exclaimed as she pressed her gloved hand over his mouth.

"Sssh," she said as she glanced over to make sure the others were still loitering behind but it was too late. Selphie had ostentatiously stepped up to the threshold of the arch with Irvine beside her. They were walking together quietly, taking no notice of the danger before them. Quistis felt every muscle in her body tense.

Please, she thought to herself, please don't shoot.

But suddenly, instead of a shot, she heard Selphie squeal in joy.

"Sir Laguna!!!" Selphie yelled and she ran over and hugged him.

Beside him stood an embarrassed Kiros and a nervous looking Ward.

Quistis took her hand off Seifer's mouth as she looked over in surprise.

* *

Irvine scratched his neck as he watched Selphie embrace Laguna, Kiros then Ward.

"Are you here to get the sorceress too?" Selphie asked.

"Carbuncle!" Carbuncle said happily from her shoulder.

Laguna nodded. "Is Squall here?" he asked.

"Nope!" Selphie said. "Squall is at Garden. He told us to go save Rinoey for him."

Laguna breathed a sigh of relief. "That's great. I thought he might have come here to fight the sorceress."

"Naww," Irvine said with a wave of his hand. "Squall has had too much action in the past few days. It's just us here. Leave it to us. We'll get her like we got Ultimecia." He assured Laguna.

"Hey who goes there!" A Galbadian soldier yelled as he caught sight of the party.

"Oh no!" Selphie exclaimed. "Looks like we have some company." She took out her Strange Vision and held it ready.

"Stand back, Laguna, we'll take care of them, right Quistis? Zell?" Irvine suddenly looked around in surprise. "Zell? Quistis?" He asked in shock as he realized that he and Selphie were all that was left of their party.

The Galbadian Soldiers started closing in.

"Ha ha," Kiros said. "It looks like they left you in their hurry to get to the sorceress."

Laguna stepped forward and readied his machine gun. "Selphie, Irvine, go after your friends. We'll take care of these soldiers. Back up from Esthar is just around the corner. Go."

"Are you sure?" Selphie asked.

"Yeah, go. Kill that bloody sorceress and her knight, for me and for Squall. Go!" Laguna urged.

Selphie and Irvine nodded as they began running in the direction of the Presidential mansion.

* *

"I see them coming!" Zell said as he held the giant oak door ajar. Quistis watched with concern at Selphie and Irvine who were nearing the mansion. They had narrowly avoided a time consuming fight with the Galbadians. They were even luckier, perhaps, that Laguna did not see Seifer. Quistis didn't want to contemplate the complications that would resulted should Laguna realize that they were going to use Maniac Athena on Rinoa.

"Hey you left us!" Selphie exclaimed as she slipped through the door with Carbuncle held tightly in her arms.

"It was necessary, ya know." Raijin told her. "We couldn't wait for ya guys to chit chat."

"We need to get going," Quistis reminded them all as Zell shut the door tightly behind Irvine.

"Yo," Zell said. "Would anyone might explaining to me why there are no guards at all here?"

"The same reason, chicken wuss, this place is fifty degrees lower in temperature than the outside," Seifer answered him.

Zell growled at him.

"Shut up," Quistis said. "Listen, the sorceress is here. Remember when we went to fight Ultimecia how mature you guys acted for the sake of saving the world? Well I want you to act like that again and stop the bloody bickering!"

"Sheesh," Zell said. "Seifer started it."

"You guys, please, let's stop." Selphie said speaking up finally. "I don't like this place. It's eerie. Let's get this done and leave, please." Held tightly in her arms, Carbuncled agreed eagerly.

Irvine pointed down the main hallway, "I think it is this way, up those stairs in back. That should lead us to the main room."

"Proceed," Fujin said.

The group followed Irvine's lead as he began walking down the long dark hallway. The room appeared to be getting darker as they walked, as though some vampire was sucking the light and heat from the air. They came to a stairway moments later. Irvine shrugged as he bravely lead the way up the stairs followed closely by Seifer and Quistis. Behind Seifer and Quistis was Fujin and Raijin who were followed by Selphie and Zell. Zell was slowed down by his recent injury by the sewer monster, Selphie just didn't really understand what they were planning enough to take any sort of leadership role.

"The throne room is down there." Irvine whispered.

Quistis nodded as she watched Seifer step into the lead. That was when she heard music. It sounded like some sort of flute but then she realized that it was the wind. The skies were singing. It was a low song with the noted drawn out almost as soulful as the voice of the violin. It was so sad and poignant that it made her heart fell heavy in her chest. How evil would a sorceress have to be to make the sky cry in pain?

"We are ready right?" Seifer asked in a low voice. There was no mocking tone this time, no smirk. It was a genuine question.

"She's alone in there." Seifer reminded them. "She's just one women. We can take her out, just leave it all up to me."

Fujin, Quistis, Raijin and Selphie nodded. Irvine shrugged and Zell said nothing.

Seifer turned to begin walking down the long eerie hallway when he heard a voice, singing. They all heard it, although no one said anything about it. Someone was singing.

"Fairies, lambs, and butterflies," a voice sang in the distance.

Seifer felt his muscles tense as he heard the voice. It was her. He could almost feel her neck in his hands. She was his. She was sitting there, the embodiment of all his nightmares, of all his internal torture. Ultimecia's spawn. Squall had never allowed him the opportunity to seek his vengeance on Ultimecia but now he would have it on Alexandra. He would never be mockingly called the sorceress's knight, he would be the one to save the world this time. Squall's moment of glory had passed. That pathetic excuse of a rival would be obliterated forever from his playing field when, he, the rightful heir, took all of the sorceress's power. In his hand Seifer squeezed the hard bulb of Maniac Athena, he could almost feel the power flowing into him like ichor. That wonderful nectar which would wash away all his guilt, sin and helplessness.

"Sleepy clouds in summer skies." the voice continued.

Quistis clenched her fists tight at her side. Rinoa, that poor child. She never understood the danger they were in. It always a game to her. Quistis just hoped that she would not feel it when Seifer pressed that crystal to her forehead. Did she even understand what it mean to die? She was always the innocent one, the foolish child that believed that any problem could be solved by calling the other a "meanie." Poor Squall had tried so hard to preserve her innocence. However, in the end she will have to grow up and find out that you can't elude death by calling it a meanie. Quistis just hoped that Squall would understand why she had to take this course of action. That unlike Zell and Selphie she did not find Rinoa's life more important than that of a billion. Perhaps Squall knew that too and had sent her to complete a mission he could not bear to suffer through. Quistis knew that he had placed the success of this mission on her shoulders and that regardless of what happens she had to complete it for him even if it meant Rinoa's life or that of her own.

I'm doing this for you, Squall.

From the depths of the hallway the singing continued, unhurried and calm.

"Sleepy clouds in summer skies."

Fujin kept her eyes on Seifer as they continued down the hall. She watched him swinging his gunblade casually as he walked. That tiny gesture made her feel better, as though there was still sanity in this ghoul's home. He was her pillar of strength. In the end as long as he still stood there with that devil-may-care smirk on his face, she knew that nothing in the world could go wrong. It would always be a long continuous pursuit of Seifer's dream, as capricious and fickle as that dream may be. There in the darkness, underneath the screaming sky outside, in the freezing mid August night, Fujin was not afraid.

"Sleep all night, in my sight,"

Irvine rubbed two of his gun powder stained fingers together as the distance between him and the sorceress shortened. The sorceress was singing, it was funny. He turned and winked at Selphie who had a serious look on her face. The future may never come, the past is gone, all that exists is now, those were Stella's words. The future might bring death. The world might end tonight. These might be his last moments alive, why spend them being afraid? What a bizarre night, the skies appeared to be screaming. It was a miraculous show to see. With a smile on his face he reached over and hugged Selphie one last time.

I can't die. What will all these women do without me?

"Though you're off in dreamland."

Zell squeezed his fists tight. He was mad at Quistis, for not trusting him with her plans. He could not understand why Quistis choose to discuss her plans with Seifer before she would discuss them with him. Was he really as useless as they said he was? It reminded him of when Squall had chosen to team up with Seifer during the Dollet exam rather than him. Squall would rather be with his enemy rather than befriend him. All his life he had tried to cover his own insecurity using his fists, yet now he began to come to the painful realization that perhaps it was all just illusion, not any better than Seifer's mockery of a dream. Fifi, he thought of his lovely Fifi but the thought did not give him any comfort. Rinoa's life was in danger, of that he was sure. Seifer who hated her and Quistis who did not care. They were the leaders of the operation. What sort of a fool was Squall to do this? If he was really the wonder of a man that all of garden praised why was he not here to save his Rinoa?

Zell frowned. I'll protect you Rinoa, even if Squall won't.

"Then, tomorrow, with the sun,"

Selphie held her whimpering Carbuncle in her arms. She forced a smile on her face as Irvine hugged her. He looked genuinely happy.

He's trying to comfort me

She watched Quistis and Seifer nearing the huge lavishly designed door at the end of the hall. It glowed in the dim light. She remembered a long time ago when it was Squall and Quistis standing at Ultimecia's door. "Let's get it over with," Squall had said as they stood there in a circle back then. As cold and impersonal as Squall was, Selphie had felt safe being led through that fight by him, their leader.

Now, that leader was Seifer.

Somehow it just wasn't the same.

Quistis closed her eyes as Seifer went through the door. She was next. She forced her eyes open as she followed behind. What kind of instructor was she to let her student in first? But it did not matter. She had too many memories of Ultimecia to want to be the first one.

She had expected a great golden throne. She had expected to see an open blue sky eerie in its artificial quality, expected a great ostentatious witch sitting there in her flaming red dress with rainbow spirals across her skin.

But there was nothing like that.

On the small throne where Edea had once sat was Rinoa.

She was bent over something which she was holding lovingly in her lap.

. Her hair on top of her head in a black crown of thick coils lavishly decorated with pearls and jewels. From her back were two magnificent black wings, as dark as those of the raven perched on the bust uttering "nevermore." She wore a black dress of velvet, one which had a small V neck. One of the few dim lights in the room fell upon her, illuminating her in a cylinder of yellow. Her smooth skin was as white as virgin snow, as though no blood ran underneath that emaciated flesh.

In her arms she held a bundle of fur. As the group formed stood in front of her she bent over and planted a kiss on the raccoon on her lap.

"Back to mama, little one," she whispered and looked up. Her eyes were as yellow as the mid day sun and her cheeks wrapped with a layer of vein. She smiled then.

"So you've come for me, SeeDs."

The raccoon on her lap her perked up. Quistis watched the little animal crawl off her lap. It slipped clumsily off the folds of her dress and fell onto the carpeted floor. As it pushed itself back into a standing position, its neck twisted around almost a hundred and eighty degrees. Nothing alive can twist its neck like that, Quistis realized in horror. The raccoon was dead, long dead. Yet it kept walking towards them, pulling itself along desperately on its crumpling legs.

Halfway across, the raccoon's back legs gave out. It dragged its self on its front paws until those two gave out. It was a while later before the head collapsed and the animal fell dead.

Alexandra looked sad.

"That always happens. They are so fragile."

Quistis felt such nausea then as she had never felt in Ultimecia's presence. This woman was evil. She was evil beyond rational perception. It didn't matter whose body she was in. Alexandra must die. Quistis would have strangled her with her bare hands if she could.

Seifer's voice burst out as he stepped forward. "Prepare to meet your doom Alexandra."

Quistis nodded in consent as she stepped forward as well.

Alexandra smiled more deeply as she kept her gold eyes on Seifer.

"Turn around, Seifer, and meet my knight."

The entire group was shocked into silence as they turned to come face to face with Squall.

Chapter 24- Dueling for a Haunted Lady

Squall walked down the dark hallway holding his gunblade in one hand. The only sound he heard was the clicking of his heels against the wood floor. Even through his thick jacket he was beginning to feel the cold. He flexed his injured hand again, trying to drive away the pain. This final fight with Seifer was inevitable from first day Seifer picked him out as a rival. It didn't matter to him anymore if he won or lost. Alexandra was right, he had strayed too far from his dream. All his life he wanted the love of one person, not the adoration of many. There was no point in being the hero of Garden when he only wanted the understanding of one. He realized then that he had never been further from his dream, and never more alone.

**You wanted that because your thoughts brought you so much pain so you choose not to think at all, just like Seifer.**

He was beginning to see the truth in Alexandra's words. Squall walked closer to the double doors at the end of hall. It was night of discovery for the children of fate. Destiny had not brought him here. It was his choice this time. He had never meant to be on this side of the fight, on the side of the sorceress. But he had never liked destiny anyway, it was the sloppy scriptwriter that fired off one event after another never caring how the insignificant puppets walking through the roles liked it. Well, tonight he walked out of that role.

Squall stepped up to the double doors and paused before he stepped in.

**If you ever want me to understand, it is not I that must change but you.**

Rinoa, he thought, I think I'm beginning to understand..

Squall stepped inside, closing the door quietly behind him. There stood Alexandra beside the window. She was leaning against it quietly, mournfully, pensively. She was dressed all in black but the moonlight made her glow in white. She raised a hand to cheek and leaned against it.

"So you've come, Squall, I knew you would."

Squall took a few steps into the room, walking from one spotlight of light to another.

"You know I came for Maniac Athena, Alex, not you."

Alex nodded. "You are here. That's all that matters. You were meant to be here, fate decreed that you should be here at this place at this time. Yet the choice remains up to you what to do when your friends step through that door."

Squall looked away from her, allowing his eyes to run over the dismal decorations of the room. He had been here before, the throne room.

"You lied to me Alexandra. Everything you told me was a lie."

Alexandra finally looked up from that window. She met his eye and she looked more sorrowful than ever. Her purple lips were pressed together tightly as though she was trying to keep herself from saying something awful.

"You are taking over the world now, Alexandra. That was your intention all along wasn't it?" Squall asked her.

She looked back out the window as though her fury had passed. She spoke calmly then, in a voice of resignation.

"Seifer told you that did he? It sounds like something he would say."

"Then why are you here, Alexandra?" Squall asked exasperated.

"I came here to save your Garden. It was for you that I killed Deling. You asked Raine for help didn't you? Well I did what she could no longer do. That day in the Balamb meadow, Deling wanted to killed you all, Balamb Garden or Neo, he did not care."

Squall frowned. "Deling is dead now Alexandra, why are you still here? My Garden is safe, the fight is won. Nothing you say makes any sense."

"Remember Squall, what you said once? That you didn't want to die because you were afraid of becoming just another memory. That people would speak of you and say what they want, using the past tense and twist your deeds to their own interpretation."

"What does that have to do with our situation now Alexandra?" Squall asked with increasing weariness.

"Well." she looked back over at him and gestured to the large city that stretched across the landscape under the large oval window. "I offer you this. This will be your immortality. Think about it Squall, you can rule the world, make them all think what you want. And when you die, you will be remembered as the greatest king that ever lived. No one will twist your deeds, you will be a legend. I can give you this, the world, the moon, the sea. It will all belong to you and all I ask in return is that you cross the stars."

"I don't want any of that." Squall said. "I want for you to stop this nonsense Alexandra."

She shrugged. "Think on it Squall, what kind of future do you see for yourself? You are no warrior, not like Seifer Almasy. Warriors see in black and white, it's just to kill or not to kill. You see the gray that hides in between. The very fact you are having this conversation with me now proves my point. Garden was never meant for the likes of you. You were born to rule."

"No!" Squall said. "Stop it, stop using my thoughts against me."

She closed her eyes than, as though she was listening to the whispering wind.

"I hear her Squall, Raine, she's here. She wants to tell you that you are in danger. That you should leave."

Alexandra opened her eyes and looked at him. "But she is wrong, you are not in danger, my prince, I will protect you."

She walked away from the window, her legs pushing the material of the black velvet forward as she walked. She walked with her hands clasped over her chest as though she was praying.

"They are coming Squall, I can feel them. I can't fight them, Squall. My powers have dwindled. I can't protect myself from them should they attack, not until midnight."

"What happens at midnight?" Squall asked.

She smiled. "It's the season of passage. You will see what will happen. You will be surprised."

Squall shook his head. "I'm not going to let them use Maniac Athena on you Alexandra. That I promise. But I make no bond of loyalty to you, remember that."

Alexandra picked up something limp and furry from the ground. "It doesn't matter anymore Squall. After the season of passage nothing you believe will matter." Alexandra walked over to her throne and sat down with the bundle of fur in her lap. Squall merely frowned at her cryptical statement and walked to the wall. He stood there in the corner adjacent to the door, in the darkness. He needed some time to think. With that Alexandra opened her mouth and began to sing quietly to the fur in her lap.

"Baby dear, Mama's here," Alexandra sang gently stroking the object in her lap.

Squall leaned against the wall and said nothing.

Rinoa, I think I'm finally beginning to understand what you were trying to tell me.

"Watching o'er your slumber," Alexandra continued.

**Even as I see your eyes watching me, you don't see me anymore.**

Rinoa. Squall thought. He saw her now even as he looked at Alexandra.

Rinoa, no matter what happens tonight, I will save you.

* *

"Dream, my child, until the dawn" Rinoa felt her lips moving, singing softly. She looked out of Alexandra's eyes, at Squall who was standing there, leaning against the wall, gunblade in hand. He was holding it in his left hand. Funny, she always thought he was right handed. He was frowning, making that scar on his forehead stand out crimson against his pale skin. It seemed as though that scar was the manifestation of all his troubles instead of a slash of a gunblade.

Take a good look, Alexander told her, it may just be your last sight of him.

Rinoa tried to ignore Alexandra to the best of her ability. She suddenly sent a burst of strength into her fingers making them flex to her will. Alexandra was irritated. Stop it, she ordered. Rinoa felt a tiny degree of satisfaction. She was getting better at resisting Alexandra and now in her weakened state, Rinoa found that she was able to jerk her limbs now and then. In fact, it was easiest when Alexandra's attention was elsewhere. It was pretty useless but her sudden acts of control irritated Alexandra to no end.

You won't be in this body anymore, Rinoa after midnight.

Rinoa tried to keep her mind clean. I don't care, she forced herself to think. I won't show fear in front of you Alexandra.

"Wake the daisies on the lawn," her lips moved again.

Rinoa turned her attention back to Squall who was staring at the dark corner as though it was the most fascinating thing in the world. What are you thinking, my love? She wondered. In Alexandra's ever increasing weakness their minds had become intermingled into one. Seeing then from Alex's eyes, Rinoa knew that Alex could no longer read Squall's mind. However, Rinoa did begin to notice a shade that followed Squall around. Raine.

Her mouth continued to sing as Rinoa felt that shade wandering about the room. Squall looked down and appeared to close his eyes in quiet meditation. From down the hallway, Rinoa could feel something coming.

* *

Squall lifted his head as Alexandra neared the end of her song. The door to the room had opened. It didn't surprise him when Seifer Almasy stepped into the room. Behind him followed Quistis, walking in fearfully behind him, then Seifer's posse came followed by the rest. Squall did not move, they took no notice of him. They all stared at Alexandra in shock. Squall did find it amusing how she was able to throughly terrify them with her glowing eyes. The little bundle of fur on her lap suddenly stepped onto the floor and began to walk.

"Prepare to meet your doom Alexandra." Seifer yelled suddenly.

Squall stood up and tightened his grip on his gunblade. It is time Seifer. You have taken her from me for the last time. Alexandra looked over at Squall. Yes it is time, she said with her eyes. Suddenly she broke into a smile.

"Turn around, Seifer, and meet my knight."

Squall watched the surprise on their faces as they saw him, standing there, weapon in one hand hanging by his side. Why were they so surprised? How could they know him so well and yet be unable to understand his decision. He was willing to pursue his dream to the same extreme that Seifer was willing to pursue his. Unlike Seifer, his dream was not for fame, titles or power. He just wanted the love of one. In the end, no friends, enemies or rivals, were going to stand in the way of this dream. Squall walked over to Alexandra. He held his gunblade in both hands, in front of him, ready to defend her should they attack.

" I'm sorry," he said to them. They were all in shock, unable to move, but Seifer stepped forward gunblade held out like a fencer.

"I knew it," Seifer said viciously. "You are her knight," he chuckled sarcastically. "I was right all along."

"Squall!" Quistis said as she reached out her right hand to him in futile gesture.

"Stop it Squall! She's got you under mind control!" Selphie yelled at him.

"Shut up!" Seifer said. "It's useless to reason with him. He's under her power." In a blur of white Seifer spun around and sent his gunblade into Squall who blocked his blow. Seifer pressed his gunblade against Squall's and they stood face to face.

"You will fall, black knight." Seifer growled at him as Squall shoved him back.

Seifer jumped back his white coat flaring out like a cape. He chuckled and fixed his grip on his gunblade as he swung it forth aiming for Squall's head. Squall raised his own blade blocking the blow. There was loud smash like the sound of glass shattering as the two blades met.

Squall shoved Seifer back once more as he charged forth and attacked mercilessly letting out a torrent of blows which Seifer narrowly blocked. Finally Seifer swung his blade around and pulled the trigger slashing Squall's shoulder. Squall jumped back and in his wrath sent his blade over Seifer's chest, cutting him across his breast. Seifer stumbled back, momentarily stunned. He glanced at the bloody staining his white shirt red but quickly cast Curaga on himself. Squall pressed his hand against the wound on his shoulder. Unlike Seifer he did not have the benefit of magic. He had not one GF on him.

Seifer realized his advantage quickly and commenced to attack Squall.

Quistis watched the fight from the doorway. Squall's blood was staining his shirt red as he blocked blow after blow from Seifer. She wanted desperately to help him but he was the sorceress's knight. There was nothing she could do. One man's life and a billion innocents. Which was more important? That was not a decision she could easily make. A world of strangers for the life of her professed younger brother. She remembered Squall's last words to her, what he had made her promise before he sent her on this mission to hell.

**please, remember she is evil. All those who defend her must be destroyed. No matter what else happens don't forget what I say to you now**

Yes Squall, but that was so much easier to swallow when the enemy we fought against was not you.

Quistis stood there without moving. She could not decide.

"Had enough Squall?" Seifer asked as he watched Squall stumble back from his numerous blows. Squall pulled his hand tighter around the blade. In a act of pure fury, he lunged at Seifer and slashed at his chest so viciously and so fast that Seifer fell backwards in effort to block it.

Seifer was on his back now as Squall stood in front of him. Squall merely stood there for a moment. Seifer was fighting for him fame, he for Rinoa. This was the way it always should have been. Squall raised his gunblade when suddenly a light burst of out no where and picked him off his feet and threw him against the wall. Seifer laughed and got up.

"Eternal Breath, Squall. How do you like your own medicine?"

Alexandra's eyes flared in yellow as she watched Squall try to get back on his feet. The wall was imprinted in red where Squall had violently clashed against it. Squall was on his knees now, grimacing as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"We need to help him!" Quistis yelled. Zell agreed, broken from his thoughts. They went in the direction of Squall but was restrained by Raijin and Fujin.

"No." Fujin said with a deadly look in her eye.

Alexandra ignored them all as she glared at Seifer. Squall was using his gunblade as a cane as he clumsily got to his feet. He fell against the wall as soon as he managed to stand up.

Alexandra raised her clawed hand. She watched Seifer then, the pupils of her eyes gone as her eyes shown like two spotlights. Her hair was crackling with red currents as her black wings flapped once behind her. She cast Ultima on him, tripled. The green explosion left Seifer on his knees as well. Fujin's eyes widened as she left Quistis and ran over to Seifer. She bent down beside him as Quistis, and Selphie broke from Raijin and ran over to Squall.

Selphie cast full cure on him while Quistis used Curaga. As the wounds on his body closed Squall got back onto his feet and shoved Quistis aside roughly. He walked over to center of room and glared at them all. In his hands he raised his gunblade.

"Who is carrying Maniac Athena?" he asked his royal eyes jumping from one to another.

"Maniac Athena?!" Zell yelled in surprise.

Seifer stood up from where he had fallen, Fujin by his side.

"What are you talking about?!" Irvine asked, equally surprised.

"I am, Squall." a voice called out suddenly. Squall turned to his left to see Quistis stepped forward.

"You?" he asked genuinely surprised as he stared at his former instructor.

She nodded and walked closer to him. "I knew all along. They know nothing. I came to kill your Rinoa. It is my fault entirely."

Squall stared her, it was his turn to be shocked now, so shocked that he didn't see Seifer making a mad dash for Alexandra. Squall turned around too late as Fujin cast a fire spell on him throwing him off his feet. Seifer shoved Alexandra onto the throne as he raised his other hand with Maniac Athena.

"Seifer!" she yelled suddenly. It was Rinoa's voice that erupted from those purple lips as she cringed in the throne trying to block herself from his crystal bearing hand.

"Seifer no!" Zell yelled.

Seifer was not deterred. "Sorry Rinoa," he said as he grabbed her roughly by her throat and pressed her against the back of the throne. Yet Seifer stared at Rinoa's tear filled eyes and hesitated, for a second. But a second was all Alexandra needed as she filled Rinoa once more and drew her legs back and kicked Seifer squarely in the stomach. Seifer opened his mouth in surprise as he fell onto his back, his head knocking against the wooden floor. Maniac Athena was knocked out of his hand and it rolled across the floor to Squall's feet.

No one said a word as Squall reached over and picked it up. Standing there, with her hair in disarray, dress torn, wings ruffled Alexandra smiled.

She reached out her clawed hand, "Give it to me, Squall."

"Squall don't!" Irvine yelled as he stepped forward.

"Don't be an idiot." Seifer yelled as he got back on his feet.

Squall said nothing. He looked at Alexandra. His gloved hand squeezed the blue globe tightly. He took a few steps forward and hesitated.

"Squall." Quistis begged but was promptly ignored.

"I want to talk to Rinoa, Alexandra." Squall said. "I'll give Maniac Athena to her and her alone."

Alexandra watched him sadly. "Why?" she asked.

Squall frowned at her. "Do it, Alexandra."

Alexandra stared at his unwavering sapphire eyes that glowed as brightly as the globe he held in his hand. Finally, she nodded and looked down. There was not a sound in the room. Suddenly she leapt forward and shoved Squall back. He fell back in surprise but quickly regained his balance as he grabbed her by the arm. He shook her roughly.

"Stop playing with me Alexandra!" he scolded.

She pouted at him and wrenched her arm from his gripe. She picked up her dress and stepped back to the throne. There she stood and suddenly smiled. She had stalled long enough.

The clock struck twelve.

Chapter 25 - The Season of Passage

Quistis lifted her arm to cover her eyes as the red fire surrounded Alexandra in a barrier. The witch was filled with light now. Electricity snaked through her body as she stood up to her full height. She raised her hand and in a single gesture, threw Squall across the room. Squall skid on the floor and his gunblade landed with a clang. From his hand, Maniac Athena rose into the air as though it was lifted by an invisible string. It flew into Alexandra's hand like a bird. She closed her clawed hand around the globe and smiled in pleasure. Her eyes were pure yellow as the door behind her flew open. The wind rushed into the room from the screaming sky. It swirled around the room, lifting Quistis's hair behind her. Seifer stood up and tried to use Eternal Breath on Alexandra but she broke Eden easily. Seifer stood there helpless with Fujin by his side. She readied her weapon as though such a pitiful instrument could really protect the two of them.

"Seifer," Alexandra said, her face covered with rainbow spirals and her tongue emerging from her lips, forked like a snake's. "Seifer and Danielle, together in life and in death." She said mockingly.

"Kiss him, Danielle, before the I make him death's paramour. Pay him your last goodbye."

Fujin glanced at Seifer who was frowning at Alexandra.

"Witch," Fujin cursed at Alexandra who merely laughed in reply. Alexandra raised her hand and a yellow beam of light shot across the room like a laser. It hit Seifer in his chest and surrounded him with light.

"No!" Fujin yelled suddenly as she was thrown back by the force of the energy field around the glow. She saw Seifer's face twist with pain in the yellow bubble.

She got back on her feet and ran straight into the field. From across the room, Squall hurled a Ultima stone at Alexandra. The beam disappeared as the green explosion erupted under Alexandra's feet.

Seifer collapsed onto the floor with a thump. Fujin knelt beside his limp body and leaned over him. Raijin, ran over from across the room.

"Seifer, no," Fujin whispered as she held his still warm body in her arms. Quistis looked down in pity as she caught one last sight of the girl crying. Her grey hair in a horrible tassel, her single eye crumpled up into tears as she squeezed Seifer in her arms. He was breathing, just barely.

Squall walked up to the edge of the fire barrier. He held his gunblade in his left hand.

"Squall," Alexandra said with a smile as she turned toward him. Her smile was growing more psychotic by the second and for the first time that night, Squall felt fear as he watched her.

"You asked me, Squall earlier, what would happen at midnight. Well, I will tell you now. Rinoa, she is leaving us. I'm going to seal her away forever. That's why, Squall it's called the Season of Passage. I'm passing her into death." Alexandra chuckled. "You thought you tricked me didn't you Squall? Ah, I love your intelligence. You were going to trick me into letting you hand Maniac Athena to her. She would have used the crystal on herself, therefore absorbing my power into her. Then, leaving me helpless in the future, you would have walked home happily with your lady. I love the ingenuity of your plan. Had someone else used it on her she would have died because the scaffolding of her body collapsed but since she would use it on herself, she would just be replacing scaffolding with more powerful scaffolding. You amaze me always, Squall."

Squall said nothing. His faced betrayed nothing as he watched Alexandra.

"What are you thinking Squall?" Alexandra asked, "after I seal her away I'll be able to spare the power to read your mind again but now I'm curious. What do you think about what I have just told you. Do you feel betrayed? Foolish? Beaten? Tell me."

**You're not here anymore. You are with her.**

Squall stared at Alexandra and felt his mouth move.

"The stars. This can't have been written in the stars Alexandra."

Alexandra suddenly looked sad once more. Her black wings appeared to grow limp as she listened to his words.

"You love her. That has been engraved in the stars more deeply than anything I have ever seen. You will always love her Squall, even after I kill her. I see that now and it saddens me but it won't stop me."

Squall stared at her in quiet contemplation.

**Watching me? You can't save me with yours eyes alone.**

"It's too late for me to cross the stars." he said.

Alexandra nodded. "Too late Squall. It's too late for you to choose anything other than her. This has always been your destiny. It's also too late for you to plead with me to spare her. Her death too has been written in the stars, just like your love for her. It's all a path that we must walk. Give in to destiny Squall. I have. I won't try to plead with you to love me anymore. I see now that it is impossible."

**I know that although you never say it, that when I need you the most, you will come.**

Rinoa, I can't save you this time, not the way you want me to.

"Alexandra, I'm sorry." Squall said.

She frowned at his words. "I'm going to do it now, Squall. Don't apologize. This was what was meant to be. You could never have loved me not matter how much I wanted it, no matter how much you might want it. No one can cross the stars."

**Right now, across the oceans and deserts that separate us, I send you my love.**

You were right, Rinoa. Our last night together has passed. We can never be together again. For what I am about to do now, I can only hope you will understand.

"You are wrong, Alexandra," Squall whispered. "Destiny can be rewritten."

At that moment he lifted his gunblade and stabbed himself through the stomach. Across the room there was complete silence as Squall pulled the bloody blade out of himself and collapsed on his knees.

Alexandra's mouth opened to a O as she stood gaping. She stumbled back in surprise.

"No." she whispered she said as she fell onto the throne. In her disarray, suddenly her arms jerked. Alexandra took no notice as she stared at the bloody puddle pooling at Squall's feet. Alexandra's arm jerked once more, this time, her right arm moved upward swiftly in a smooth curve and pressed Maniac Athena to her forehead.

Alexandra screamed in pain as the air around her bursted into light. The entire place exploded in flame as though the sun had descended from the sky and had entered the room. In the middle of that ball of light the power of two sorceresses entered into Rinoa, Alexandra's and her own.

As the last of the power went into her she collapsed on her knees. The light was gone as though someone had flicked a switch and turned it off. There, under the throne, Rinoa kneeled. Her hair had fallen from its hold on top of her head and it laid around her shoulders in waves. All traces of Alexandra was gone, the veins from her cheeks, the claws from her hands, the wings from her back. Only the raven colored dressed remained. She took no notice of it as she got up and ran over to where Squall laid. She kneeled down beside him and took him into her arms. She pressed her left hand to the wound on his stomach where the black blood flowed in a thick river.

He was watching her as she knelt there, tears warming her eyes. From across the room Quistis came over in a hurry as did Zell, Selphie and Irvine. Squall kept his eyes on Rinoa. He whispered something. She bent down so he could whisper it in her ear.

"If you go there," he said to her in a broken breath. "I promise you will find me, do you understand?"

She stared into his eyes, feeling his breath warming her cheek. She choked on her words as she tried to produce them. "I . .I understand." she said and broke into sobs as she felt his bloody hands squeeze her fingers over the fountain of warm pulsing blood flowing from that wound.

He merely stared at her then, his blue eyes continuing to watch her as Quistis kneeled down beside him. Irvine bent over while Zell crouched down beside Rinoa.

Rinoa kept her eyes on his, hoping that he couldn't leave her as long as she didn't turn her eyes away. Yet even as she stared into his blue eyes without blinking, she felt his body grow cold.

Rinoa felt his hands begin to loosen from hers.

"No," she whispered. "No, Squall, don't leave me. No!" She pressed her hand harder against his to make up for the fact that he was no longer holding her. He swallowed his pain and cast his eyes upon her one last time. His vision blurred, he could hardly see her but still he kept his eyes upon her.

Rinoa roughly rubbed her tears from her eyes and placed her hand back on top of his.

You can't leave me now, not when I have finally earned your love. No, destiny cannot be so cruel.

"Squall!" she cried as she embraced him tightly but no matter how hard she held him, the life was draining out of him, from that wound. Slowly, then, his eyes began to relax, his brows untangled themselves from that frown and his hand went limp in hers.

His head rolled to one side.

"No, Squall" Rinoa whispered. "No, no no!"

His eyes still open as he watched her from death.

"Squall," Rinoa moaned as she buried her face in his chest.

Quistis reached over and closed his eyes. Rinoa laid there on, holding onto him, refusing to let go. She would never let go.

There was not a sound in the throne room as they grieved for their lost leader. Respectful silence prevailed until the large oak doors bursted open and Laguna stepped through, Kiros Ward behind him and a slew of Estharian soldiers behind as well.

"What in the world happened?" Laguna asked in shock as he saw Rinoa leaning over Squall's body. She did not take any notice of the people who had entered the room.

Irvine stood up and looked at Laguna. "The sorceress is beaten. Squall won. Good has triumphed over evil." Although what he said was true, no one in the room believed that on this mournful night, that good had truly triumphed. Laguna took his helmet off and knelt beside Squall. Rinoa dragged her bloody wrist over her eyes and continued to hold him. No one disturbed her.

Outside, slowly, it began to rain.

Chapter 26 - The Legend of a Hero

Seifer Almasy walked through the crowded first floor of Balamb Garden trying to attract as little attention as possible. He was there alone today, with neither his posse nor his gunblade. Squeezing his way through the sea of people he heard snippets of conversation. In the past day or so he had become rather popular at garden. It was made known that he had lead the fight against the sorceress, that in the end he had almost died fighting the witch. He was the new hero of Garden.

The crowd stirred. Seifer was pushed to the side as people began moving, trying to make a path for the small carriage bearing the coffin of their old commander. As the oak casket went by, there was a mixed reaction as some students choose to salute it while others looked away in disgust. Seifer did neither, he merely turned his face away and continued making his way toward the elevator. The last thing he wanted to do now was attend the funeral of Squall Leonhart. In fact, he was planning to get as far away from that gathering as he possibly could. Yet as he caught sight of that coffin he felt a surge of dread. No, it couldn't be. He wasn't feeling guilt. . . was he?

Seifer had never believed that Squall deserved the acclaim he got for defeating Ultimecia. However now, he couldn't fool himself into believing that Squall deserved the notoriety that clouded his name for defending Alexandra. It was all just a pointless game, one that he was finally gaining an upper hand in.

Seifer stepped to the elevator, out of the mob. He pressed the oval button for up when the doors opened with a ding. He winced inside suddenly as he saw who was standing there.

Rinoa. Her eyes had a distant look to them but they focused suddenly as she caught sight of him. For the first time in a long time, Seifer was at loss for words.

"Seifer," she said with a nod, her layered raven hair bounced lightly as she walked out, towards him. Seifer stood there, watching, half hoping that she would disappear, half hoping that she would just burst out and confess her hatred for him.

She was dangerously close now. Her large brown eyes looking into his. What was it that he saw now that he had seldom seen before. Her eyes glowed with an aura of sadness as she watched him. This was not the Rinoa he had used to know.

"Is there something you want to say, Seifer?" she asked.

What did she expect him to say? Did she expect him to apologize for all the times he tried to kill her? He wanted to run away then even at the risk of being a coward. This was one confrontation no amount of training could prepare him for.

"I'm not sure .. what you want to hear Rinoa." he said.

She nodded as though she completely understood his reply. She brushed a strand of hair away from her face and frowned. Her tiny pout was tantalizing. Had he seen it on any other woman he would have found it erotic. However her entire demeanor frightened him. She was . . . just like a witch.

"I don't hate you Seifer." she said reaching over to touch his arm. She withdrew her hand as he twitched at her touch. "Maybe, Seifer, some dreams are better left unrealized."

He frowned at her. "You know nothing of my dream, Rinoa."

She nodded as though that too had been expected. "I didn't mean your dream, Seifer, I meant mine." she drew back. "I once told a man I loved dearly that I never stopped loving something once I've started. I want to say the same to you now." At that she backed away and walked into the crowd. She looked back only once and nodded at him.

Seifer stood there for a moment longer, feeling a chill down his spine.

Why can't you just hate me, Rinoa?

* *

Quistis Trepe kneeled down beside Squall's coffin. The lid had been removed and there on the white satin, her little brother laid sleeping. She felt an awful lump in her throat as she leaned over him. She could see his ungloved hand laying top of his chest against the intricate designs of his SeeD uniform. He didn't look dead, maybe he was just knocked out. Perhaps if she sprinkled and phoenix down on him he would wake up. Quistis reached over and took one of his cold limp hands in hers.

The only thing worse than facing his wrath at her betrayal was to know that he had taken that grudge with him to his grave. She remembered how he had turned his head toward her as he slipped out of life. His eyes had been open, as though he had died without understanding. His accusing eyes opened forever as a monument to her decision.

Squall, if only, I could tell you now, how wrong I was.

"Quistis," someone said from behind.

Quistis turned her head, irritated at being disturbed when she had instructed the guards that she must have a moment alone.

Rinoa.

Quistis bit her lip. Rinoa walked over, her black heels clicking against the tiled floor. Rinoa knelt down beside the coffin, beside Quistis. She cast her large brown eyes down at the sleeping boy.

"Don't blame yourself Quistis. It's all fate. Where ever Squall is now, I'm sure you are the least of the ones he would blame."

Quistis swallowed deeply. Her eyes were becoming warm with tears.

"No," Quistis whispered. "I failed to protect him. He was my responsibility. It was my own narrow mindedness. I tried so hard to protect his body from harm that I forgot about his emotions.". She pressed her hand against her mouth and looked down, weeping. Rinoa watched her with sympathy. She reached out a hand to the blond SeeD beside her.

"You don't understand." Quistis suddenly began again. "He never wanted Garden. I nearly destroyed Garden trying to keep his place for but all along was projecting my idea of what was best onto him. He never wanted Garden . . . he just wanted you."

"Quistis," Rinoa whispered but was ignored. Quistis threw Rinoa's hand aside and sniffed. She dragged her smooth gloved hand over her wet eyes.

"He died for you. He happily impaled himself on his gunblade because you were in danger. Tell me Rinoa, did he do it because he wanted to be together with you in death? Surely you of all of us would know what was going on in his mind when he committed that act."

Rinoa sighed. She looked away and her demeanor changed. She grew very serious suddenly. "Quistis, if only you knew . . . .what she told him when they were alone. He didn't die for me. He . . . is no martyr."

Quistis did not reply as Rinoa got up. Rinoa looked at Quistis sadly.

"Don't grieve too much over Squall's passing. It's not as tragic as you may think."

* *

Seifer walked into the ballroom where he was showered with a handful of glitter. He scowled as he dusted it off himself. Looking up, he saw the faces of a his new fans. Raijin was standing in front with a grin on his face.

"Congratulations Seifer, I knew you could do it, ya know. Squall and the sorceress were no match for you."

One of the younger students spoke up. "Seifer, how does it feel to be the best warrior of SeeD?"

Seifer stood there for a moment looking at their smiling faces. He had a puzzled expression on his face, one which emitted no sarcasm, no cockiness, no joy.

"Seifer, say something," Raijin said gesturing to the small gathering. "We all want to hear the story from your point of view. Let's all drink and be merry. You can tell them all about how we knew all along that Squall was a traitor."

Seifer stood there and clenched his jaw. For a moment he scanned one happy face to another. He felt frozen in place. There was something he was supposed to say. Something about how Squall was the black knight. That in the end good always triumphs against evil. Yet he remembered Squall standing there that night, with his shirt stained wet with blood, leaning against his gunblade for support, spitting out a mouth full of blood onto the floor. Despite all that Squall had continued to defend his beloved.

Seifer felt a measure of sympathy. It was the weakness of every hero, Seifer realized. When evil appears in the guise of a brother, a friend, a human. In the end you just want to believe that they are secretly good inside. Squall didn't have a measure of goodness in him. He was evil to the core. Seifer wanted so badly to believe that.

Seifer reached out a hand and shoved Raijin aside. He ignored the tabled stacked with wine and foods and made his way to the balcony. Behind him, he heard whispers of confusion. He shoved his way past the crowd of people, glancing absently at their baffled faces.

"Seifer? We're having this party for you, ya know?" Raijin said helplessly as Seifer left the room.

Seifer stood there leaning against the stone railing feeling the wind against his face. Underneath the Garden, the miles of emerald sea stretched to the horizon. It was strange to be alive now that Squall was dead. All his life he had made his personal duty to be better than Squall. That was simply a standard he had set for himself. Now that standard was dead. He never believed that such a day would come, when Squall would cease to exist. It was like a part of him had died.

"Seifer, what are you doing?" Fujin asked.

Seifer turned to see her standing there. The wind was blowing her gray hair away from her oval face. She gave him a faint half smile as she moved closer to him. Her brown eye was large with concern as she studied him.

"It's Squall isn't it? His death troubles you."

Seifer shrugged.

"I don't care about Squall. He means nothing to me."

Fujin pressed her lips together in a look of irritation. "No Seifer, I mean Squall was a symbol to you. The reason you are so agitated is that symbols aren't supposed to die."

Seifer ignored her.

"Seifer, you grew up with Squall. He was always there, a part of all your memories. In a way, he stood before you to the grave. You are afraid that since he died you are next."

Seifer looked over at her finally. "It's strange, Danielle, to be without a rival." He and I were the opposite sides of the same coin, Seifer though to himself. He contemplated her words and he realized that they were true. As long as Squall was alive his world was complete. Every hero needs a villain. Now that the black knight was dead, Seifer felt a horrible sense of loneliness as though he had lost the purpose of his life. No, Seifer thought to himself, I'm not that weak. I'll make it somehow. There will be new journeys to embark on, new foes to fight, new legends to make. Squall Leonhart was dead. One story had been finished, the tale of his childhood had ended in victory. But this was just the first one, the white knight had just began slaying his dragons.

Seifer turned to Fujin and smiled sarcastically. It wasn't quite a smirk but it will do for now. "Come Danielle," Seifer said, putting his arm around her narrow shoulders."Let's go back."

Fujin nodded happily. She placed her head against him momentarily and placed her hand against the one draped over her shoulder.

"Are you better now, Seifer?" she asked him.

He nodded at the silver haired damsel in his arms although he still couldn't shake the feeling of loss that plagued him. It left a bad taste in his mouth that no amount of talk could extinguish. When he looked upon Squall's corpse he had felt as though he had swallowed death its self. Maybe Fujin was right, he had seen Squall as a partner to the grave.

But maybe in the end he had lost more than an enemy . . .but a friend.

* * *

Quistis Trepe stood up and began to walk to the podium. She watched the nonchalant faces of the audience and felt that familiar anger boil up in her chest. It was the same anger she had felt toward Drew. For on simple mistake Squall will now have his name forever clouded by infamy. The sorceress's knight. Is that what the history class will remember him as? Perhaps places him on the same list as Adel, Ultimecia. . Seifer Almasy. It frightened her to think that this was one thing she could not protect him from - the jaws of notoriety that had consumed his good name.

Quistis frowned more deeply than she had ever done so before as she walked up the stairs to the microphone beside the opened casket. From where she was standing she could see Rinoa Heartilly sitting in the back staring into space lost in a quiet reverie. She was not crying.

Zell and Fifi were sitting together and so were Selphie and Irvine. Zell had a frown on his face as Fifi wiped her eyes with a tissue. Selphie looked grave but shed no tears. Irvine had his face concealed under his hat. Quistis cleared her throat, preparing to deliver the eulogy to the crowd of half hearted listeners. She felt tears welling up in her eyes but she refused to let them fall. Why aren't you crying Rinoa? Quistis wondered. These are your tears that are in my eyes. Take them back, they don't belong to me.

Quistis allowed her eyes to travel over the crowd once more before she began speaking.

"The body that lies here today is that of our commander, friend and mentor but for me he was also a student. Over the years I tried my best to teach him facts, number and patriotism but now I see that he has learned something more valuable which cannot be taught in a class room."

Quistis felt herself begin to choke on her words as she watched the blank faces in the audience. She paused a moment to recollect herself. Her voice when it came out next was more accusing then she had meant for it to be.

"While the people of this world spoke in the language of power, of ambition, of revenge and of selfishness, Squall spoke in that of love. That is why none of you understand what he was trying to say."

Quistis glared at Rinoa then as she saw the black haired girl turn her face toward her right as though she was staring at someone who was beside her. No, Quistis though, she would not let herself believe that Rinoa was on the verge of choosing a new man to love. Such a thought could not enter her mind.

"Today," Quistis continued, keeping her eyes on Rinoa, "we bid farewell to Squall as he enters the stone forest. The baggage he takes with him is loyalty, strength, righteousness and pride. I can only hope that without him we will be able to find these traits amidst ourselves and somehow try to make up for that which we have lost."

Quistis felt her lip tremble as she saw Rinoa attempting to keep her focus on the stage. Rinoa was sporadically glancing to her side as though there was something hopelessly important here. The young student who was sitting two empty seats to her right was glancing at her nervously, as though he was afraid that the commander's old flame was making passes at him.

Quistis ground her teeth in anger.

"And Squall .. . Squall . . . " Quistis trailed off feeling her tears slipping down her cheeks. And Squall gave up his life for love, love that was amorous and adulterous. What tragic joke of destiny was this.

Across the room Rinoa turned her eyes back to Quistis. She watched with the instructor with sympathy.

Let me tell her Squall, look how she grieves for you. I promised you that I would never tell but . . .

Rinoa felt tears in her eyes as she watched Quistis bury her eyes in the palm of her right hand. Rinoa got up then, she wanted to go up to the podium and comfort the instructor but from beside her she felt someone grab her by the arm.

She'll never believe you Rinoa.

Chapter 27. Face of Heaven

And when he shall die,

Take him and cut him out in little stars,

And he will make the face of heaven so fine,

That all the world will be in love with night,

And pay no worship to the garish sun.

-Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare)

Laguna stood there near the door trying to think of what he would say to her. Rinoa Heartilly, the girl his son had died for. He was never good with such things, such darkness. That sight of her on top of Squall, covered with blood still haunted him. What state she was in now he could hardly imagine. But he needed to talk to her. She was perhaps, the only living person who could bring him relief from his guilt.

Laguna walked over to the entrance to the balcony where she had gone, as a student told him, to watch the stars. He saw the most particular sight then. She had turned her left as though she saw someone there beside her. A thin smile curled on her face as she raised her index finger to the mysterious visitor. Laguna stood there with his mouth half open.

He coughed loudly to alert her to his presence. She jumped at the sight of him and turned around to greet him. Laguna stepped out onto the balcony.

"Hello Rinoa." He said as his eyes wandered over the edge of the stone rail. From here he could see the meadows behind Edea's Orphanage. The flowers were in bloom this time of year. The pink flowers were absolutely gorgeous during the day and as he understood, Squall grew up here. Garden was here to pick up Cid today. The old headmaster had recovered from his illness, as Laguna heard.

"Hello Laguna," Rinoa said as she turned her face upward toward the sky. Laguna watched her. It was strange she almost looked happy then as her eyes followed the path of a shooting star across the sky.

"I wanted to talk to you about Squall, Rinoa." Laguna said. "If it's not too painful for you.." he said, trailing off awkwardly.

"No," she said as she turned her large dark eyes over to him. "Yes?"

"I want you to know that I'll always be here for you, if you need someone to talk to. Do you have anywhere to stay? If you need anything at all, I'll be honored to . . you know." he said.

She paused and tossed some of her hair over her shoulder. "I'm going to stay with my father for a bit. I can't stay here anymore. I'm not too popular at Garden now." Rinoa chuckled sarcastically but immediately found her gravity again. "You have a question for me, Laguna."

Laguna cleared his throat. "What happened, Rinoa, between you and Squall when the two of you disappeared?"

Rinoa was silent for a moment as she pondered the question. "Laguna, Squall made a discovery. He realized that he loved me but in the end, by choosing to be with me he also choose death and therefore to be forever apart from me. That's the tragic irony of it. What happened in the few days in which we disappeared is of no consequence. It was just a lot of insanity which, perhaps would better be forgotten."

"I'm sorry Rinoa," Laguna said. "The witch Alexandra was truly evil. I just wish I didn't have to leave the two of you to deal with her."

Rinoa shrugged. She had a distant look in her eyes as though she was far away .

"Laguna, I don't know what you have heard in Garden or on television, I . . .I don't believe that Alexandra was evil. She said to me once that hate was love which was returned and I'm beginning to understand what she meant by that. In the end, I guess we will never know, if Squall and I tricked her and used Maniac Athena on her, or if she willingly allowed me to use the crystal on myself."

"Why?" Laguna asked perplexed.

"Love, Laguna. To bring back the dead one must have their love, so that they'll wait for you. Alexandra didn't have his love, he would never have come for her. Perhaps, in the end she wanted what was best for him instead of for herself, and so gave up her powers so that he might have another chance at life."

"I have no idea what you are talking about, Rinoa." Laguna said, throughly confused.

"Are you feeling okay?" Laguna asked.

Rinoa shrugged. She looked over at Laguna sadly, with sympathy in her eyes. "Don't be too hard on yourself Laguna. One day perhaps you and Quistis will understand what really happened on that night of passage. As for now, don't mourn too much for Squall's passing. He wouldn't want you to."

Laguna frowned. He bid her farewell and stepped out of balcony. Yet as he stood at the door he hesitated. For a moment he looked back. He could not believe what he saw. She was embracing something, embracing thin air.

What did the evil sorceress's power do to her? He wondered in amazement.

* *

As Rinoa heard Laguna's footsteps fade away she turned her eyes back to the meadow. She placed her elbows on the stone ledge and felt the nighttime breeze stroke her face. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew a mass of petals and feathers into her face. Rinoa smiled as she reached out and caught a one of them.

He came then, like a mist of perfume. Slowly and quietly he came up from behind her.

"What did he want?" the shade asked her. Rinoa turned her face around to her right. There he was, standing, her black angel. He looked so real then that she could almost see the moonlight reflecting off the leather of his jacket. It was hard to believe that she was looking at a shade. It seemed as though he had woken up from that coffin and had sneaked up here to find her.

"Nothing, Squall. He just wanted to ask about you, about what happened between us and Alexandra."

He frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "Don't tell them anything, Rinoa. Not about your powers nor about me."

She watched him fondly and smiled. "So you haven't changed. You will always be cold introverted loner Squall."

He smiled at her and reached over with one hand.

I don't care what they think, his eyes whispered as he took her into his arms. She watched him with surprise as he kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips up against his. He felt so real it was impossible to pretend that he wasn't

He drew back then, keeping his lips an inch from hers.

"Squall," she whispered. "You shouldn't have shown up so suddenly at your funeral. What would they think should they see me watching you?"

She could feel his warm breath against her skin.

"Hush," he whispered. "Nothing anyone thinks is of any consequence to me anymore. As long as I am with they can see me in whatever light they wish."

He raised his right hand and cupped her cheek in his palm. She felt him gently stroking her with his thumb, tenderly pulling strands of hair away from her face. His eyes were black in the shadows and his face unreadable in the darkness. She just felt the delicate touch of his lips as he kissed her lightly and slowly.

"Do you think, Squall," she asked. "That one day we may be together in life, once more?"

He sighed. He kissed her once more, his lips lingering on hers for a second longer as though he couldn't bear to leave her.

"Whatever you choose, Rinoa, it does not matter. Whether it be in life or in death, I will never leave you again."

She smiled through her tears of joy as she leaned over and hugged him fiercely.

And for you, Squall, I will cross the stars.

The End

_____________________________________________________________________

Author's note: Note how Rinoa is looking at both the night time sky and the meadow at once. This is ironic because in FF8 Squall promised to wait for her at the meadow, in this story he will be waiting for her from the stars. It's funny that she is watching both at the same time as he comes to her.

Author's Notes :Dueling for a Haunted Lady is actually the chapter in the Iliad where Paris and Helen's husband duel for her.

Author's notes: Notice that the only two people to fall in fighting Alexandra is Squall and Seifer. In a way, Seifer's defeat foreshadows Squall's. Seifer and Squall are like mirrors of each other. Should one thing happen to Seifer, the opposite usually happens to Squall.

Author's notes: On Squall's dream back in the chapter "Sorrow of Heaven." Those who interpreted it would see that the marble statue is Rinoa, the rain is Raine and the lightening is Squall. Pretty much that dream was a manifestation of Squall's guilt for what he had done and was about to do to Rinoa. Of course many of you were mislead in that you thought that all dreams predicted the future therefore Rinoa was going to die. No, no. There is no scientific proof that dreams do that, frankly I never had one that did. Dreams are just little movies of your private conflicts. Also note that in the dream the "garden" is struck by lightening but he doesn't even look. This is one a way of foreshadowing his eventual betrayal of Garden.

Author's Note: Stone Forest is poetic way of saying cemetery. I thought this was obvious but I guess it's not. So that's what Quistis was talking about.

______________________________________________________________________

Endnote.-

Squall& Rinoa's Relationship

I dislike stories that have Rinoa and Squall professing their eternal love for each other every two and half paragraphs. I think Squall's actions are more important than the words that he speaks. If you study the Rinoa in this story you would see that she and Squall share an intimate relationship with each other. In the end, I don't believe in having characters love each other by saying those cliched three words "I love you." They were never said in the game and they will never be said here or any sequels that should follow, unless I think of innovative place to put it.

In this story Squall questions his love for Rinoa however, in the end he finds his reasons for loving her. The bond Squall and Rinoa share at the beginning of the story metamorphosizes into the one in which they share at the end, which is a far more intimate one.

Alexandra's Significance and metaphor

Alexandra is not just your average villain. She represents something that is evident in almost every gamer that fell in love with a video game. Alexandra leaves her world of reality in attempt to escape into this fantasy world. However, in entering this world she treats all those whom she meets as puppets. They are not real people to her, just characters in a story or figures in a video game.

In writing about Alexandra I was bringing up the issue of fanfiction in general. When you write a fanfic you change fate. And some authors like to insert themselves into these stories as well. Therefore, this presents the other side of the story in terms of those who like to fiddle around with fate. Remember the next time an author tries to pair together characters in s creative way, or when they try to rewrite the game. I'm not condemning or commending such a thing. Stories are to raise questions not to give answers.

Difference between Squall and Seifer-

In this story Squall and Seifer are a reflection of each other. Notice that as Seifer is elevated higher in his quest for glory and power, Squall slowly slips from his position of the same. If you accept the premise of this story than FF8 would have had a very ironic ending. Seifer, whose dream has always been to have the love of many, has only the friendship of his posse. The loyalty of one, which is in fact Squall's dream. However, Squall on the other hand, becomes the commander of Garden and defeats Ultimecia. He has glory and power but not the love of one since he's confused about his feelings for Rinoa. It's interesting and tragic in a way how they achieved each other's dreams instead of their own.

In this story Squall comes to the realization that he had been after the wrong goal all along. However, his love for Rinoa leads him to betray SeeD. Because of this decision, we can never be sure if Squall us really the hero or the villain of this story.

Laguna and Squall's relationship- I don't hate Laguna. Maybe this story gives the impression that Laguna is an awful guy but that's pretty much just setting the stage for the sequel which is about Laguna's past, his motives and such.

Why Cid is not in the story - probably a lot of you wondered why I choose to do away with all the adults at Garden. Well, the thought that a bunch of adults would send a army of seventeen year olds out to fight a war disgusts me. That's why I needed to eliminate the adults. Had the adults been there, the choice would not have been up to Quistis to fight. Anyway, I'm sorry I had to kick Cid out. I don't really see his significance to the story anyway.

Significance of all the Crossing the stars stuff -

okay this is for everyone who didn't understand why Squall had to die. Remember at the end of Chapter 16 where Squall said "Destiny will never allow me to love you. Tragedy awaits those that cross the stars, Alex." Well that is very important. The irony of course is that the chapter is entitled "crossing the stars" and here Squall is talking about the consequences of doing so. In chapter 24 Alex says "I can give you this, the world, the moon, the sea. It will all belong to you and all I ask in return is that you cross the stars." What she means then is that if he agreed to forget Rinoa and love her she will give him everything. He was never meant to love her, you see. Fate says that he and Rinoa are to be together. In chapter 25 Squall says"It's too late for me to cross the stars." This is very interesting. I was trying to pull a Henry James here. While Alexandra thinks that what Squall means is that he wants to change destiny and love her, what he really means is that it's too late for him to save himself. Squall then says "Alexandra, I'm sorry." She thinks that he is trying to apologize for loving Rinoa when what he really means is that he sorry for what he is about to do. Then of course, he says "Destiny can be rewritten," which means that Rinoa will change destiny by resurrecting him. The reader's first impulse would be to take it to mean that he is changing Rinoa's fated death by killing himself. However after 27, the reader realizes that what he really meant was that Rinoa can change destiny and undo his death. That's why Squall's last words to Rinoa are "I promise you will find me, do you understand?" What he means is that he will wait here for her. That he will not pass on. That if she loved him enough she can pass the tests and bring him back to life. In the end Rinoa says "and for you I will cross the stars," she does not mean go against fate here. Here she means, I will do what Alex told you and I will travel past the stars to bring you back to me.

Squall had to die in this story because he questioned his love for Rinoa. You see in the world they live in, a perfect world, there should be perfect love. However, Squall goes against that when he begins to wonder if he really loves Rinoa that is the beginning of his demise. That is the underlying reason why Squall died. It is also the reason why Alexandra loves him. He is able to see the gray between the good and the evil. In the end of the story however, Rinoa reveals that she too can see the gray when she talks about how Alex wasn't really evil. Alex said to Rinoa in chapter 20 that "hate is when love is not returned." what Alex meant was that she loved Rinoa too, but unlike Squall, Alex didn't believe that Rinoa can ever return her love. It's funny to me in a way when people ask me how I can kill Squall. I wonder if they realize that this is a story testing the bond between Rinoa and Squall. Such a story is by its very nature forbidden. If one thing Final Fantasy 8 stated clearly was that Rinoa and Squall belong together. How can a lowly author like me try to break what is unbreakable? Well, that's why Squall had to die for contemplating breaking the bond between him and Rinoa. There is no other possible ending. Had Rinoa been the one to question her love for Squall, she would have been punished with death as well. However she never did.

Of course now the question is did Squall ever love Alexandra? Well as long as she is in a position of power and inside Rinoa's body, the answer is no. However, should she have shown up in her rightful body without powers of destruction, the scenario might just be very interesting. In the third installment of The Orphan Trilogy I planned to deal with that. However, I seriously doubt if The Orphan will ever be a trilogy simply because I'm rapidly losing my enthusiasm for writing.

What exactly happened at the end - Okay, at the end, Rinoa inherits Alexandra's power. If you read chapter 9 carefully or even chapter 25, you would see that. Yes now Rinoa can read minds, posses others, see ghosts - all of it. Alexandra had all her power sucked out of her. She is trapped in the future as a simple helpless child. There will never be anymore of a threat from her despite the fact that she is still alive.

Possibility for a sequel - Of course the chapter called crossing the stars hints at the possibility of a sequel. I don't know. If I do make a sequel it will be about Laguna sorting out his past, Rinoa going to get Squall back and some exploring of the Cetra Ruins by Squall's friends. But you see, I seem to have lost my enthusiasm for the characters of FF8. I'm not sure if I can go under for another twenty chapters. I'm afraid that my story is going too far from the true story of FF8. So don't count on a sequel, really don't count on it. In the end, I want to ensure you that sequel or no, The Orphan is a complete work and it stands alone fine without a sequel.

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank first and foremost my editor Christina. Thank you for encouraging me week after week to write. Without you this fanfic would never have gotten past chapter 3. It was primarily for you that I wrote this story. Thank you for your friendship and patience with everything especially my Laguna rantings. You are truly the one most responsible for the completion of this fanfic. This story is dedicated to you. Thank you, I truly mean this, thank you Christina. I haven't met too many stars that shine as brightly in the sky as you do.

Secondly I would like to thank Fifi. You always told me what was good in my stories and pointed out what needed to have more work. I awaited eagerly, perhaps more often than I should, on the Internet for your enthusiastic letters. While Christina was the one I discussed the outcome of my stories with, you were always the one who I tried to surprise with each twist of the plot. Thank you Fifi, I am truly blessed to have two such wonderful friends.

Thirdly I would like to thank Sarah, or better know as the author of the miraculous Forgotten Destinies to which my fanfic can't compare. It was you that told me that late night in November that I should start a fanfic. Had you not been there The Orphan would have never come into being. Thank you Sarah.

Finally I would like to thank all those who took the time to read this story. I know it was long and at many times boring. I tried my best to make it as true to game as I could. I hope at some point you recaptured the same pleasure you experienced playing FF8. So for now goodbye. No matter if you read the next installment or not or even if I choose to write one, you have really made my day for staying with me to the very end of this story. I know that wherever I am right now, I would feel a little less lonely, thanks to your good graces. So until next time, adieu.