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batsutousaiTitle: Sins of Our Young
Fandom: Final Fantasy VIII
Author: Batsutousai/![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
batsutousai
Betas: Shara Lunison/tsuki_no_suzu & Shivani/grazhir
Chapters: 5 of 10
Rating: T
Pairings: Seifer/Squall, Irvine/Selphie, hints of Quistis/Rinoa
Warnings: AU, minor canon-fuckery, Rinoa bashing, minor Quisty bashing
Summary: How the game could have gone if the writers weren't on crack and so set on everyone being straight.
-0-0-0-
Guilty By Association
-0-0-0-
"Can you find Quistis and Zell for me and send them to the meeting room?" Squall asked as they stepped back into Garden and pulled out their weapons from the locker.
"Sure thing. Where do you want me?" Selphie asked, expression serious to combat the fear churning her stomach.
"On the bridge," Squall decided. "I'm not sure how much they changed of the controls, but you and I are our only pilots right now. A couple of SeeDs were supposed to be trained on the new system as soon as it was hooked in, but that's clearly a pipe dream at this point."
"I'll meet you on the bridge, then," she promised before sprinting for the stairs down.
Squall took the lift up, using the emergency override code Cid had given him to make it move faster. On the third floor, he strode with measured steps to the meeting-room-turned-office and was almost relieved to find Angelica and Xu both in attendance with Cid, sharing breakfast. "We have a very large problem," he announced as he shut the door behind him.
"I don't like large problems," Cid muttered, pushing his plate away.
"Let me guess, Galbadia Garden is headed this way?" Angelica suggested grimly.
"We've got about three hours," Squall agreed, leaning against the back of a chair. "Balamb has another five hours or so of work, and Trabia hasn't even been looked at. This is, quite possibly, the worst case scenario."
"Not nearly as bad as it could be," Xu insisted. "You said we've got three hours?"
"Estimated, yeah. Now Edea knows where we are, she's probably booking it. I say as little as two hours."
Xu nodded and stood. "I'll see if the FH technicians can't speed things up a bit. Can you and Selphie give a quick-and-dirty to a couple replacement pilots?"
"We'll do our best. Selphie should be heading for the bridge as soon as..." A knock on the door interrupted him and he narrowed his eyes. "Excellent. I have an idiot to yell at. Xu, tell Selphie whatever you need. Angelica, I leave your Garden to you. Cid, could you put out the emergency call and start evacuating the non-combatants onshore?"
"Consider it done," Cid agreed as he and Angelica stood. The other three left the room, brushing past the two nervous SeeDs who stood outside.
"Come in," Squall said, glancing at the two of them from behind his bangs. He remained leaning on the back of the chair as they shuffled in and took the seats across from him. "Zell, I need your answer: Will you fight Matron?"
Zell swallowed and nodded. "Yeah. You can count on me."
Squall nodded. "In that case, please report to the main gate. We have an ETA of two hours for Galbadia Garden."
Zell paled and stood from his chair. He was halfway to the door when he realised Quistis was still seated, skin bleached white under the weight of Squall's cold stare. "What about–"
"The main gate, please," Squall said in a perfectly calm voice.
A shudder raced up Zell's spine and he quit the room with all due haste.
Squall simply remained leaning against the chair, watching Quistis grow progressively more terrified for a good five minutes before he said, "I told you not to message Rinoa."
"I was worried about her," Quistis breathed. "She was all alone, surrounded by enemies–"
"Allies," Squall corrected, voice distressingly calm. "She was surrounded by allies. She's Edea's new Knight."
Quistis shook her head. "No. No, Rinoa wouldn't–"
"What the fuck do you think you know about Rinoa?" Squall hissed, anger colouring his voice for a moment before he regained control of himself. "We knew her for less than a week, Quistis," he continued in that calm voice, an added note of friendship in it now that made her curl back against her chair. "Perhaps you were bosom buddies in another life? Perhaps you've simply developed a crush on her? Rinoa is quite pretty, in a spoiled princess sort of way."
Quistis felt anger coil in her stomach at Squall's pleasantly stated words and she grabbed it with a stranglehold to launch a response, "How dare you!"
Squall's friendly act vanished in a breath, true rage lurking behind quicksilver eyes. "Quistis Trepe, your refusal to listen to the better judgement of your peers has placed not only this entire Garden in danger, but also Trabia Garden and Fisherman's Horizon. If we survive this clash, I will deliver a proper sentence upon you. For now, I'm stripping you of your rank and title as SeeD. You will be evacuated with the junior classmen to Fisherman's Horizon, sans all weapons. The only concession I grant you is that I won't have you hobbled like a common farm animal." He pushed away from the chair. "Identifications and weapons on the table. And don't think I won't notice if you 'accidentally' forget to remove a knife."
That said, Squall stepped out into the hallway and waved down one of the many SeeDs dashing through the hall like a panicked chicken. The man stopped in front of him and shot off a quick salute. "Commander Leonhart."
"Are you in the process of something important?" Squall enquired evenly.
"Uh, no, sir. I'm free for whatever you need of me."
Squall nodded and stepped back into the meeting room, the SeeD following. He did a quick count of the knives on the table, took note of the handgun, whip and identifications, then nodded. "Please escort Miss Trepe down to the second floor deck. She will be going ashore with the junior classmen."
Quistis obediently stood and walked past Squall's cold gaze and out the door, refusing to look up. The SeeD blinked in confusion, but one glance at the icy eyes of the Commander had him hurrying after Quistis like the Sorceress herself was on his tail.
Squall took a deep breath and shoved his anger behind sturdy walls. He could deal with Quistis and her stupid, bull-headed mistakes after Garden was safe and Edea was dealt with. For now, he had an army to lead and pilots to teach.
-0-
The FH technicians managed an admirable job with the time limit they'd been set. They managed to completely hook up Garden's new steering control, which was possibly the most idiot-proof toy in the entire building – Squall figured there was probably a good reason for that – and dismantle most of the old controls. There were still bits and pieces strewn around, but with only Squall, Xu, and two pilots in attendance and standing in specific positions, that wasn't much of a problem. Xu stood by the far window, keeping an eye out for their enemy while Squall stood next to the comm, ready to give orders as soon as they were required.
The FH technicians had gone a step above getting Balamb Garden into top working shape: they'd managed, in twenty minutes, to boost Trabia Garden's reaction time, set up a Garden-to-Garden radio system, and teach both Gardens' pilots how to make the buildings list, giving the appearance that neither Garden was in complete working order. Trabia was even pressed tight against the crane, as if still in dock.
Something about Squall and Angelica's determination to keep Galbadia Garden away from FH had touched even the mayor's Garden-hating heart, spurring the entire city to assist in whatever way they could, be it assisting with repairs or offering shelter to those who'd been evacuated. Mayor Dobe had taken in Cid and Quistis, whom the Headmaster had promised to keep an eye on, and promised to treat them like kin.
"Ten o'clock!" Xu shouted.
Squall narrowed his eyes against the glare of the sun on the ocean and only just made out the flash of too-red that was Galbadia Garden. "ETA?" he asked.
Xu considered that for a moment, doing quick calculations in her head. "Ten to fifteen minutes."
Squall nodded and pressed the button to open both the Garden-wide intercom and the Garden-to-Garden radio. "Galbadia Garden has been spotted. Ten minutes to battle-ready."
The bridge remained tensely silent as they watched Galbadia speed ever closer.
Finally, about three minutes out, Squall snapped, "Front gate, prepare for incoming. Everyone brace for impact. Trabia, turn in five...four...three...two... NOW!"
Balamb rocked with the force of Galbadia's ram. The red Garden had time to unload a wave of troops before it was rammed by the determined Trabia Garden.
"Back them towards the ocean," Angelica called, cold violence in her voice. "Keep the fuckers well away from FH. Quad, you've got flyers coming your way."
Squall nodded to Nida, their pilot, and the SeeD grimly pulled back from Galbadia, then jerked forward in a ramming motion, sending the red Garden back from Trabia.
In a complicated game of leap frog, warnings of attack flowing smoothly from the bridges of both Gardens, they managed to push Galbadia back far enough that they could no longer see FH in the distance. Because there were two of them, one Garden could take a brief break to fight off any Galbadians in their halls while the other engaged the red Garden, but Galbadia Garden never got that rest, for all that they almost certainly outnumbered the SeeDs and upper classmen in both Trabia and Balamb three to one, and it was starting to show in their sluggish movements and how they gave more and more ground.
"Ready, Squall?" Angelica asked, tone blood-thirsty. The last portion of their violent dance involved Squall, Angelica, Selphie, and Zell transporting over to Galbadia Garden to deal with Edea.
"I'll see you in hell," Squall agreed grimly. "Xu, you have the bridge."
"Good luck, Commander," Xu intoned, saluting. Nida and the second pilot, Warren, both saluted as well.
Squall returned the salute, then took the lift down to the office and hurried for the main lift. Over the intercom, he could hear Xu sounding out words of encouragement to their exhausted troops, something she was far better at than Squall.
On the main level, he hurried past wounded students and SeeDs alike, nodding briskly to their salutes. Trabia and Balamb had divided their resources, ensuring that they had an equal number of SeeDs and students on both Gardens before they started their attack, so it wasn't just the familiar faces of Balamb that he saw, but the tired grins of Trabia's brightest. He even saw a couple of Galbadian students or soldiers being disarmed and treated by Balamb's medical teams – Kadowaki had a strict policy that she helped anyone who was wounded, no matter whose side they were on; Squall hadn't seen the point in arguing it with her, but he did insist that anyone from Galbadia be disarmed before they were treated.
Selphie and Zell waited for him by the main entrance, both grim-faced and covered in blood – their own and that of others.
"Good luck!" someone from the surrounding defending forces called as the three SeeDs started towards where Balamb's edge rested half on Galbadia, pinning it.
"Teach that Sorceress why you don't mess with Garden!" someone else shouted. A roar of approval followed that declaration.
Just before they crossed over into enemy territory, Squall turned and saluted the tired and bloody group cheering them on, his way of saying 'thanks' and 'stay safe' and a million other things that he couldn't hope to articulate on his best day.
But they seemed to understand, all returning the salute with smiles and a couple waves.
"Let's go," Squall murmured to his two teammates and they jumped down onto Galbadian soil.
A lone form awaited them at the main entrance, hat tipped in a sign of greeting. "Howdy," Irvine called.
Squall strode forward and they clasped hands. "Thanks," the Commander said.
Irvine offered him a crooked smile. "I couldn't stand back and watch you die."
"I know."
Selphie wrapped her arms around Irvine's arm and leaned against him. "Irvy, I'm glad you're okay," she offered, shooting Squall a hopeful look under her lashes.
"I'm not stealing his hat for you, Selphie," Squall said drily. Next to him, Zell laughed.
Irvine grinned and dropped his hat onto the girl's head. "How's that, then?" he asked her.
Selphie grinned back, looking up at him with bright eyes from under the brim.
"Flirt later, kids," Angelica ordered as she walked up to join them, flicking blood off her long blade with a twitch of her wrist. "Squall," she said to the gunblader.
Squall inclined his head in greeting, then offered, "Irvine, Angelica Fields, Headmistress of Trabia Garden. Angelica, Irvine Kinneas, our foster brother and Galbadian agent."
Irvine's head jerked up in surprise at the admittance of relation, eyes shining.
Angelica held out a hand to the shooter. "I suppose we have you to thank for saving our asses, then."
Irvine coughed. "Guess so," he agreed, shaking his head as he returned the handshake.
"Can you lead us to Edea?" Squall requested.
"Yeah. She's in the Headmaster's office. Rinoa's probably there, too."
"Rinoa?" Zell repeated as they started inside, the main hall empty of enemies.
"She's Edea's new Knight," Irvine explained. "I only found out just before we left Dollet. She got a message or something that led us straight to you."
Zell grimaced and glanced up at Squall's impassive expression. Quistis having gone missing made more sense now.
"Where's Seifer, then?" Selphie wondered. "And why would Edea switch Knights?"
"I don't know," Irvine admitted. "I haven't seen Seifer since the float."
Angelica glanced at the stoic Commander at her side. "It looks like your 'suspicion' isn't so far off after all, Squall."
Squall's jaw clenched. "Don't think I'm happy about it. I'd rather he was off doing something devious in Edea's name."
"You know where Seifer is?" Selphie asked, looking back at him from where she walked at Irvine's side.
"I suspect Seifer was the one to blow up the missile base," Squall said.
"Fuck," Irvine breathed, glancing back over his shoulder. "If that's... Edea's had him for a week, Squall. We'll be lucky if he's still alive, let alone sane and in one piece."
Squall's cold gaze said more than words exactly what sort of shape he expected to find his rival in.
"No time to waste," Irvine declared, stepping up the pace.
They only came across a couple soldiers on their way up to the second floor lift, and both of them were swiftly dealt with, barely forcing the party to slow their pace.
When they stepped out of the lift into the Headmaster's office, Rinoa stood waiting for them with a grateful smile. "Squall! You've come to rescue me!" she called, eyes immediately picking the Commander out of the group.
Squall held out Revolver, keeping her a couple paces back. "If by 'rescue you', you mean kill Edea so you no longer have anyone to Knight for, then, yes, I'm here to 'rescue you'."
Rinoa pouted and her eyes picked out the auburn shooter. "So you were our mole."
Irvine flashed her a winning smile from under his returned hat in response.
Edea's laughter flowed over them and the Sorceress stepped through the drapes that hid most of the room. "Well, well. If it isn't my sweet children, come home at last. But, what's this? You seem to be missing one."
"Quistis is on probation," Squall bit out. "Where's Seifer?"
Edea smiled patronisingly. "My traitorous former Knight?" she wondered, voice sweet with poison. "Why, he's here to watch the show." She waved a hand and a gust of wind blew some curtains out of the way, revealing a glass container about Squall's height which held Seifer's battered form. It was barely wide enough for the large man to half-stoop, posture defeated as he rested against the glass, eyes closed. Above him, at the neck of the container, a cluster of ice pikes rested precariously, occasionally dripping water as they slowly melted.
"Hyne," Selphie breathed, horrified.
"Isn't it a work of art?" Edea asked, voice holding a note of pride. "If left to sit, the pikes will eventually fall and kill him. If you try to break the glass or pull the pikes out one at a time, they'll still fall." She laughed. "A fitting end for a traitor." Mad gold eyes looked over the tense forms standing before the lift. "Twice a traitor."
"Can you get him out of there?" Angelica asked Squall, considering their opponents. She'd already discovered the young Commander to have a quick mind and a tendency to see paths others ignored. Playing chess with him would have been a real challenge.
Squall glanced back at the glass container, possibilities flashing behind quicksilver eyes. "I don't know."
"If anyone can, it's you," Selphie said with certainty. "Just like last time: Leave the Sorceress to us and take care of Seifer."
"And Rinoa?" Squall asked, already turning his attention to getting Seifer out.
"I'll handle the Knight," Angelica said grimly.
Irvine cocked his gun and fired a shot, which Edea blocked. That was enough of a signal, however, and the four melee fighters jumped into motion, Angelica heading for a startled Rinoa, Squall towards Seifer, and Zell and Selphie towards Edea.
Squall trusted the others to keep their enemies distracted and came to a stop next to the container, running through possibilities. 'Tipping the container might enable me to get the pikes out without them hurting Seifer, but they could also fall in the process. He also doesn't look like he'd do well being tipped on the side. Can't break the glass, can't pull the pikes out. Doubt I can melt the damn things fast enough...'
Squall's hold tightened around Revolver's hilt, then he paused and looked down at his blade, turning it on the side and considering the width of it. He glanced back up at the cluster of pikes, an idea forming. 'I think I can catch all of them on my blade,' he realised. 'It'll be tricky timing it right, but I think–'
The pikes jostled as one of them melted in just the right spot and they sunk another four centimetres or so closer to Seifer's bowed head. The blond didn't even look up, and Squall was suddenly struck with the fear that his rival was already dead.
He reached out and knocked lightly on the glass, relief washing over him when the blond's eyes fluttered open. The relief was short-lived, however, as he took note of the deadened tint in the green eyes.
Seifer stared for a minute, face blank, but then recognition flashed behind the dead eyes, followed closely by a sick horror and so much regret. He reached up one shaking hand and touched the glass on the other side from where Squall's own hand still rested against it. 'I'm sorry,' he mouthed.
Squall narrowed his eyes. "Shut up, Seifer," he hissed, pulling his hand back and pointing up at the pikes dripping down on the blond. "I'm getting you out," he said when Seifer looked back at him, uncomprehending.
Seifer smiled bitterly and shook his head. 'I'm going to die in here,' he mouthed. 'Take care of the Sorceress and leave me.'
"The fuck I will!" Squall spat. "Put your hands over your head." If he missed any pikes with his blade, he didn't want them having easy access to Seifer's head.
'It's not going to work,' Seifer mouthed, not moving.
"Then at least I'll have the pleasure of having been the one to kill you. Put your fucking hands over your fucking head, Seifer!"
Seifer let out a silent sigh, but moved his arms over his head, wincing when he moved his left arm. Squall spotted what looked like poorly-healed burns through what was left of Seifer's coat and he ground his teeth together against the fury that roared through him.
'No time for anger,' Squall reminded himself, circling the glass container so he was standing at Seifer's shoulder. If any pikes got past his blade, hopefully they'd only hit the blond's legs from this angle, rather than something vital. He took a deep breath, calming himself as best he could, then held his blade back. Another deep breath and he swung, eyes hard as he judged everything in the blink of an eye.
The ring of steel on glass rang through the room, followed by ice on steel. Then, silence fell over all of them as the fighters across the room turned to see what Squall had done.
Squall stepped back from Revolver, unable to suppress a smirk at the way his trusty blade had caught every single ice pike just above Seifer's head. Shocked green eyes stared up at him from under the steel, unharmed by Squall's actions.
"NO!!" Edea screamed, true rage in her voice. Her hands motioned to form new ice pikes, but the chain of Selphie's nunchakus wrapped around her wrists, stopping her.
"Not this time, Matron," the tiny SeeD spat.
"You're fighting us, not Squall," Zell agreed grimly, dancing in to deliver two punishing blows to the Sorceress' stomach.
"You did it," Seifer's voice rasped.
Squall pulled a knife out from his belt and started chipping away at the cracked glass, taking care not to disrupt the glass Revolver was balanced between. "You're not free yet, asshole."
Seifer was quiet for a long moment, the sounds of the battle in the distance and Squall carefully chipping away at the glass filling the silence between them. Finally, he whispered, "I tortured you."
Squall's sharp grey-blue eyes glanced up at him, then returned to their current duty.
"I was the Sorceress' Knight–"
"Was," Squall agreed, eyes glancing at Seifer again. "You were her Knight; you gave all that up and saved almost three hundred lives."
"...I tortured you."
"It was war." Squall shrugged.
"That doesn't make it right," Seifer hissed, then stopped to cough as his throat complained about all the abuse it had suffered.
Squall watched him with concern glinting deep in his eyes until the older teen stopped coughing. Then he returned to his work on the glass, offering, "No, it doesn't. But I'm not holding it against you."
"Why not?"
"Because I've known you practically all my life, Seifer, and in that torture room was the only time I've ever seen madness in your eyes." Squall met startled green eyes. "Maybe you joined Edea willingly, maybe you believe you were willing to torture me for your own sick amusement, I don't know and I honestly don't care. All I know was that there was something wrong with you in that room." He returned his attention to the glass, carefully removing a chunk the size of his hand.
Seifer's gaze flickered towards where Angelica had joined Selphie, Zell and Irvine in finishing off Edea. "They don't believe that," he stated.
"They don't know," Squall corrected. "I never told them you were there."
"What?"
Squall shrugged. "You're right, they would never accept you back if they knew you tortured me. There." He tugged on another large piece and stepped back. "Can you squeeze through that?"
Seifer stared at the slighter teen for a long moment, disbelieving, then shook his head. "I don't get you, Squall."
"Can you squeeze through that?" Squall repeated, deciding to ignore further discussion of how much Seifer deserved to die for his sins; as far as Squall was concerned, a week in Edea's grasp was penance enough for whatever Seifer may or may not have done.
Seifer considered the hole. "Maybe," he decided. "But I can't move my left leg."
Squall took note of the awkward angle of the mentioned limb and nodded, stepping forward to offer what assistance he could.
Together, Squall and Seifer were able to extract the ex-Knight from the glass container. Before Squall could even consider working on fixing Seifer's injuries, Edea let out a long scream and the room flashed with white light, blinding them all before the darkness of unconsciousness fell over them.
-0-
Squall woke to a gentle hand on his forehead.
"Squall?" a gentle woman's voice whispered. "Child, are you okay?"
Squall blinked his eyes open, confused for a moment to find concerned brown eyes peering down at him from behind Sorceress Edea's make-up. Then his mind caught up with him and he pulled out a knife, which he held to her throat. "Back," he ordered.
Edea obediently shuffled backwards, expression guilty and sick. "I'm sorry, Squall," she whispered as the teen sat up, keeping the knife to her throat. "I never meant to hurt any of you. I'm so sorry..."
Squall took a moment to orient himself, eyes flashing over the room. The others laid in a huddle where they'd fallen, still unconscious. Seifer lay on his back, some healthy colour back in his cheeks and his leg at a more natural angle. He hadn't healed the ex-Knight, and Edea was the only other one awake. That, more than his own retention of life, made him order, "Tell me."
Edea nodded. "There's a Sorceress in the future, Ultimecia, who has the ability to travel to her past and possess other Sorceresses. She's looking for Ellone so she can be sent further back and enact Time Compression. She wants to destroy the world, I think."
Squall narrowed his eyes as he considered all that. 'A Sorceress from the future possessing Matron? Sounds like a load of bull, but...' His gaze flickered towards Seifer again. 'That's a dramatic personality shift. She wanted Seifer dead. She wanted all of us dead.' He looked back towards the woman kneeling in front of him, an all-consuming regret raging in her brown eyes.
"...she suddenly started acting a little odd about three months ago..." Cid's voice echoed in Squall's mind, a memory from their meeting with Angelica.
'Possession,' Squall mused. 'I can believe that.' He drew his knife back. "Where's Ultimecia now?" he asked.
Edea shook her head. "I don't know. She's gone, but she could return at any moment. Squall..." She reached out a hand and set it over the healed ice pike wound on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry..."
"So am I," Squall agreed, flipping the knife in his hand. He slammed the hilt into her temple, reaching out and catching her as she slumped to the side. 'She's right, Ultimecia could return at any moment. We need to get her into isolation in Garden. Quickly.' He gently set her on the ground and climbed to his feet. After slipping his knife away, he walked over to the others and set about waking them.
"Where's Edea?" Angelica demanded as soon as she was awake.
Squall pointed behind him. "She healed Seifer and woke me," he offered, reading the murderous intent in her eyes. "She claims she was being possessed by another Sorceress." He reached down and shook Selphie's shoulder, Irvine already up and waking Zell.
"And you believed her?" Angelica hissed.
Squall sat back on his heels. "Angelica, she wanted us dead. She was up and aware before any of us, but we're still alive. She let me hold a knife to her throat without retaliation, and she didn't try defending herself when I knocked her out. I have no intention in leaving her free to walk around on her own, but I believe there may be some truth to her claims."
Angelica considered that while the others finished shaking off their brief nap. Selphie walked over and checked on Rinoa, expression troubled. "She's still out cold," she announced.
"Let's keep it that way," Squall decided. "Zell, could you carry Rinoa?"
"You got it," Zell agreed.
"I can probably get Seifer," Irvine offered.
Squall nodded. "I'll get Edea, then. Angelica, Selphie, we're leaving it you you two to protect us from anyone on our way out."
Selphie shot off a playful salute while Angelica nodded, putting aside her thoughts for the moment.
Squall paused long enough to free Revolver from the glass container, grim-faced when the action sent the left over ice pikes scattering to the bottom of the container in a parody of what might have happened if he hadn't freed Seifer. After holstering his gunblade, he gathered Edea into his arms and nodded for them to leave, Rinoa and Seifer already held by the other two young men.
They came across a couple Galbadians on their way out, but they let the party pass without any overtures of violence.
"Didn't expect them to give up that easy," Irvine murmured under his breath, walking close enough to Squall that their arms brushed occasionally.
"Perhaps Matron left them a message before waking me," Squall replied just as quietly.
Irvine nodded in agreement, then commented, "You remember."
"Cid told me," Squall explained. "I told the others."
Irvine nodded again, considering the three walking ahead of them. "Where's Quisty?"
"She's the one who messaged Rinoa." Squall sighed. "I understand that she was worried, but we told her it was too dangerous. And she did it anyway."
"What's going to happen to her?" Irvine wondered, worry in his voice. When Squall's eyes flashed with anger, Irvine hurried to add, "She's our sister, Squall. Maybe she did something stupid, but we can't just let them toss her in isolation."
"I don't know what I'm going to do with her," Squall admitted, voice tight. "She put all of us in danger, including the people in FH. But if she hadn't contacted Rinoa when she did, Seifer might be dead right now."
Irvine frowned. "You?" he asked. "You're to decide her punishment?"
Squall glanced up at him, eyes tired. "I'm the Commander of SeeD."
Irvine's eyes widened. "What? Since when?"
"About two days ago. Cid talked me into it." Squall shrugged. "Handling Quistis' punishment is my job. For now, she's stripped of her rank and weapons. Cid's keeping an eye on her in FH."
Any further discussion was left for later as they jumped over to Balamb Garden to loud cheers.
Squall immediately stepped forward to take charge. "Selphie, show Irvine to the infirmary and ask Kadowaki to send one of her medics down to solitary. Zell, we'll be taking these two down to the cells." He turned to the crowd that had welcomed them back as Selphie and Irvine started inside. "I need two teams to get together with some of Trabia's people and go in and round up anyone left in Galbadia. They seem to have surrendered, but I'd like them disarmed and under guard. Angelica, can you oversee that?"
"I'll make sure it's done. Get that Sorceress locked up."
Squall inclined his head and started in, motioning for a nearby cadet to walk in stride with him and Zell. "Go up to the bridge and let Xu know we're back and that she can let everyone stand down. I'll join her on the bridge as soon as our guests are taken care of."
"Sir!" The cadet snapped off a quick salute, then turned and jogged towards the lift while Zell and Squall peeled off and made for the staircase down to the solitary cells.
"You really think Matron was possessed?" Zell asked once their burdens had been placed in cells and the magic-suppressing setting had been turned on for both cells. Rinoa was also forcefully un-junctioned from any magic and GFs she had, just in case.
"I believe there's some credence to the idea," Squall replied.
The medic from Kadowaki arrived then and Squall explained the situation to him, cautioning against turning off the magic suppression on Edea's cell in particular, but insisting that they both be treated, in spite of their status as their enemies.
"I'll stay down here," Zell promised while the medic was seeing to Rinoa. "You should check in with Xu and be the Commander."
"Make sure you get looked over before the medic leaves," Squall ordered before starting up the stairs. On the main floor, he was joined by Irvine and Selphie, both of whom had gotten a quick healing at Kadowaki's hands, then sent off with the preliminary reports of injuries and casualties.
"It could have been worse," Selphie offered as they entered the lift and Squall grimly looked over the paper Kadowaki had scrawled the numbers on.
"I'm aware of that," Squall agreed, "but that doesn't make this any better. Trabia should have their preliminary reports by now, as well. We'll have to wait to see how Galbadia fared."
"What are you going to do with Galbadia, anyway?" Irvine asked as the lift let them out on the top floor and they started towards Cid's old office.
"I understand that many people were only siding with Edea because there wasn't another choice," Squall said. "The trouble will be sorting out those who were siding with her out of fear from those who did it for their own amusement."
"Never mind figuring out punishments for them," Xu interrupted, stepping forward with a dark glint in her eyes. "Xu Han, Head of Staff," she offered with her hand to Irvine.
"Irvine Kinneas," the sharpshooter replied with a twist of his usual flirty smile.
"We've got the preliminary casualty report," Squall offered, holding out the paper to the woman. "Have we heard from Trabia yet?"
Xu nodded, glancing over the sheet. "They suffered fewer casualties than we did, but many more injuries. Both Gardens also suffered some external damage from all the ramming. The cafeteria is a mess."
"Zell will be so upset," Squall returned drily, earning him tired smiles from both Xu and Selphie. "Both Sorceress Edea and her current Knight are in solitary, and the Galbadian forces seem content to lay down their arms without further problems. Once we've got them under watch, I'd like to get one of our pilots at their controls and move everyone back to FH. We all need repairs, and we left a number of Garden students in the presence of pacifists."
"Let's hope the city is still in one piece when we get back," Xu agreed with a smile. "Why don't we adjourn to the meeting room and eat something light while you catch me up on why the Sorceress is still alive?"
Squall nodded and glanced at the two teens who'd come up with him. "Irvine, could you see if you can lend a hand in rounding up the Galbadia Garden people? You know that Garden better than any of us."
"You got it."
"Selphie, see what sort of assistance you can give Doctor Kadowaki, please?"
Selphie nodded. "Sure thing. I'll let you know if anything changes with Seifer, too."
"Hm." Squall waved her off, turning to follow Xu to the meeting room.
-0-0-0-
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A/N: I'm only a little mean to Seifer, I suppose. XD
~Bats ^.^x
B/N: "If you wanna be with me, baby, there's a price to pay, I'm a Seifer in a bottle...you gotta rub me the right way~" You rub him, Squall. You rub him. ^_~
~Shara
Chapters:
1 - Hiding Betrayal ||| 2 - Trying to Please Them All
3 - Every Little Earthquake ||| 4 - Faraway Reflections
5 - Guilty By Association ||| 6 - Clouds Are the Future
7 - Sins of Our Tongue ||| 8 - Every Hero Has a Path, Every Sinner a Future
9 - Gather Your Strength ||| 10 - Forever's Never Too Long
..
Fandom: Final Fantasy VIII
Author: Batsutousai/
batsutousaiBetas: Shara Lunison/
tsuki_no_suzu & Shivani/grazhirChapters: 5 of 10
Rating: T
Pairings: Seifer/Squall, Irvine/Selphie, hints of Quistis/Rinoa
Warnings: AU, minor canon-fuckery, Rinoa bashing, minor Quisty bashing
Summary: How the game could have gone if the writers weren't on crack and so set on everyone being straight.
Guilty By Association
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"Can you find Quistis and Zell for me and send them to the meeting room?" Squall asked as they stepped back into Garden and pulled out their weapons from the locker.
"Sure thing. Where do you want me?" Selphie asked, expression serious to combat the fear churning her stomach.
"On the bridge," Squall decided. "I'm not sure how much they changed of the controls, but you and I are our only pilots right now. A couple of SeeDs were supposed to be trained on the new system as soon as it was hooked in, but that's clearly a pipe dream at this point."
"I'll meet you on the bridge, then," she promised before sprinting for the stairs down.
Squall took the lift up, using the emergency override code Cid had given him to make it move faster. On the third floor, he strode with measured steps to the meeting-room-turned-office and was almost relieved to find Angelica and Xu both in attendance with Cid, sharing breakfast. "We have a very large problem," he announced as he shut the door behind him.
"I don't like large problems," Cid muttered, pushing his plate away.
"Let me guess, Galbadia Garden is headed this way?" Angelica suggested grimly.
"We've got about three hours," Squall agreed, leaning against the back of a chair. "Balamb has another five hours or so of work, and Trabia hasn't even been looked at. This is, quite possibly, the worst case scenario."
"Not nearly as bad as it could be," Xu insisted. "You said we've got three hours?"
"Estimated, yeah. Now Edea knows where we are, she's probably booking it. I say as little as two hours."
Xu nodded and stood. "I'll see if the FH technicians can't speed things up a bit. Can you and Selphie give a quick-and-dirty to a couple replacement pilots?"
"We'll do our best. Selphie should be heading for the bridge as soon as..." A knock on the door interrupted him and he narrowed his eyes. "Excellent. I have an idiot to yell at. Xu, tell Selphie whatever you need. Angelica, I leave your Garden to you. Cid, could you put out the emergency call and start evacuating the non-combatants onshore?"
"Consider it done," Cid agreed as he and Angelica stood. The other three left the room, brushing past the two nervous SeeDs who stood outside.
"Come in," Squall said, glancing at the two of them from behind his bangs. He remained leaning on the back of the chair as they shuffled in and took the seats across from him. "Zell, I need your answer: Will you fight Matron?"
Zell swallowed and nodded. "Yeah. You can count on me."
Squall nodded. "In that case, please report to the main gate. We have an ETA of two hours for Galbadia Garden."
Zell paled and stood from his chair. He was halfway to the door when he realised Quistis was still seated, skin bleached white under the weight of Squall's cold stare. "What about–"
"The main gate, please," Squall said in a perfectly calm voice.
A shudder raced up Zell's spine and he quit the room with all due haste.
Squall simply remained leaning against the chair, watching Quistis grow progressively more terrified for a good five minutes before he said, "I told you not to message Rinoa."
"I was worried about her," Quistis breathed. "She was all alone, surrounded by enemies–"
"Allies," Squall corrected, voice distressingly calm. "She was surrounded by allies. She's Edea's new Knight."
Quistis shook her head. "No. No, Rinoa wouldn't–"
"What the fuck do you think you know about Rinoa?" Squall hissed, anger colouring his voice for a moment before he regained control of himself. "We knew her for less than a week, Quistis," he continued in that calm voice, an added note of friendship in it now that made her curl back against her chair. "Perhaps you were bosom buddies in another life? Perhaps you've simply developed a crush on her? Rinoa is quite pretty, in a spoiled princess sort of way."
Quistis felt anger coil in her stomach at Squall's pleasantly stated words and she grabbed it with a stranglehold to launch a response, "How dare you!"
Squall's friendly act vanished in a breath, true rage lurking behind quicksilver eyes. "Quistis Trepe, your refusal to listen to the better judgement of your peers has placed not only this entire Garden in danger, but also Trabia Garden and Fisherman's Horizon. If we survive this clash, I will deliver a proper sentence upon you. For now, I'm stripping you of your rank and title as SeeD. You will be evacuated with the junior classmen to Fisherman's Horizon, sans all weapons. The only concession I grant you is that I won't have you hobbled like a common farm animal." He pushed away from the chair. "Identifications and weapons on the table. And don't think I won't notice if you 'accidentally' forget to remove a knife."
That said, Squall stepped out into the hallway and waved down one of the many SeeDs dashing through the hall like a panicked chicken. The man stopped in front of him and shot off a quick salute. "Commander Leonhart."
"Are you in the process of something important?" Squall enquired evenly.
"Uh, no, sir. I'm free for whatever you need of me."
Squall nodded and stepped back into the meeting room, the SeeD following. He did a quick count of the knives on the table, took note of the handgun, whip and identifications, then nodded. "Please escort Miss Trepe down to the second floor deck. She will be going ashore with the junior classmen."
Quistis obediently stood and walked past Squall's cold gaze and out the door, refusing to look up. The SeeD blinked in confusion, but one glance at the icy eyes of the Commander had him hurrying after Quistis like the Sorceress herself was on his tail.
Squall took a deep breath and shoved his anger behind sturdy walls. He could deal with Quistis and her stupid, bull-headed mistakes after Garden was safe and Edea was dealt with. For now, he had an army to lead and pilots to teach.
The FH technicians managed an admirable job with the time limit they'd been set. They managed to completely hook up Garden's new steering control, which was possibly the most idiot-proof toy in the entire building – Squall figured there was probably a good reason for that – and dismantle most of the old controls. There were still bits and pieces strewn around, but with only Squall, Xu, and two pilots in attendance and standing in specific positions, that wasn't much of a problem. Xu stood by the far window, keeping an eye out for their enemy while Squall stood next to the comm, ready to give orders as soon as they were required.
The FH technicians had gone a step above getting Balamb Garden into top working shape: they'd managed, in twenty minutes, to boost Trabia Garden's reaction time, set up a Garden-to-Garden radio system, and teach both Gardens' pilots how to make the buildings list, giving the appearance that neither Garden was in complete working order. Trabia was even pressed tight against the crane, as if still in dock.
Something about Squall and Angelica's determination to keep Galbadia Garden away from FH had touched even the mayor's Garden-hating heart, spurring the entire city to assist in whatever way they could, be it assisting with repairs or offering shelter to those who'd been evacuated. Mayor Dobe had taken in Cid and Quistis, whom the Headmaster had promised to keep an eye on, and promised to treat them like kin.
"Ten o'clock!" Xu shouted.
Squall narrowed his eyes against the glare of the sun on the ocean and only just made out the flash of too-red that was Galbadia Garden. "ETA?" he asked.
Xu considered that for a moment, doing quick calculations in her head. "Ten to fifteen minutes."
Squall nodded and pressed the button to open both the Garden-wide intercom and the Garden-to-Garden radio. "Galbadia Garden has been spotted. Ten minutes to battle-ready."
The bridge remained tensely silent as they watched Galbadia speed ever closer.
Finally, about three minutes out, Squall snapped, "Front gate, prepare for incoming. Everyone brace for impact. Trabia, turn in five...four...three...two... NOW!"
Balamb rocked with the force of Galbadia's ram. The red Garden had time to unload a wave of troops before it was rammed by the determined Trabia Garden.
"Back them towards the ocean," Angelica called, cold violence in her voice. "Keep the fuckers well away from FH. Quad, you've got flyers coming your way."
Squall nodded to Nida, their pilot, and the SeeD grimly pulled back from Galbadia, then jerked forward in a ramming motion, sending the red Garden back from Trabia.
In a complicated game of leap frog, warnings of attack flowing smoothly from the bridges of both Gardens, they managed to push Galbadia back far enough that they could no longer see FH in the distance. Because there were two of them, one Garden could take a brief break to fight off any Galbadians in their halls while the other engaged the red Garden, but Galbadia Garden never got that rest, for all that they almost certainly outnumbered the SeeDs and upper classmen in both Trabia and Balamb three to one, and it was starting to show in their sluggish movements and how they gave more and more ground.
"Ready, Squall?" Angelica asked, tone blood-thirsty. The last portion of their violent dance involved Squall, Angelica, Selphie, and Zell transporting over to Galbadia Garden to deal with Edea.
"I'll see you in hell," Squall agreed grimly. "Xu, you have the bridge."
"Good luck, Commander," Xu intoned, saluting. Nida and the second pilot, Warren, both saluted as well.
Squall returned the salute, then took the lift down to the office and hurried for the main lift. Over the intercom, he could hear Xu sounding out words of encouragement to their exhausted troops, something she was far better at than Squall.
On the main level, he hurried past wounded students and SeeDs alike, nodding briskly to their salutes. Trabia and Balamb had divided their resources, ensuring that they had an equal number of SeeDs and students on both Gardens before they started their attack, so it wasn't just the familiar faces of Balamb that he saw, but the tired grins of Trabia's brightest. He even saw a couple of Galbadian students or soldiers being disarmed and treated by Balamb's medical teams – Kadowaki had a strict policy that she helped anyone who was wounded, no matter whose side they were on; Squall hadn't seen the point in arguing it with her, but he did insist that anyone from Galbadia be disarmed before they were treated.
Selphie and Zell waited for him by the main entrance, both grim-faced and covered in blood – their own and that of others.
"Good luck!" someone from the surrounding defending forces called as the three SeeDs started towards where Balamb's edge rested half on Galbadia, pinning it.
"Teach that Sorceress why you don't mess with Garden!" someone else shouted. A roar of approval followed that declaration.
Just before they crossed over into enemy territory, Squall turned and saluted the tired and bloody group cheering them on, his way of saying 'thanks' and 'stay safe' and a million other things that he couldn't hope to articulate on his best day.
But they seemed to understand, all returning the salute with smiles and a couple waves.
"Let's go," Squall murmured to his two teammates and they jumped down onto Galbadian soil.
A lone form awaited them at the main entrance, hat tipped in a sign of greeting. "Howdy," Irvine called.
Squall strode forward and they clasped hands. "Thanks," the Commander said.
Irvine offered him a crooked smile. "I couldn't stand back and watch you die."
"I know."
Selphie wrapped her arms around Irvine's arm and leaned against him. "Irvy, I'm glad you're okay," she offered, shooting Squall a hopeful look under her lashes.
"I'm not stealing his hat for you, Selphie," Squall said drily. Next to him, Zell laughed.
Irvine grinned and dropped his hat onto the girl's head. "How's that, then?" he asked her.
Selphie grinned back, looking up at him with bright eyes from under the brim.
"Flirt later, kids," Angelica ordered as she walked up to join them, flicking blood off her long blade with a twitch of her wrist. "Squall," she said to the gunblader.
Squall inclined his head in greeting, then offered, "Irvine, Angelica Fields, Headmistress of Trabia Garden. Angelica, Irvine Kinneas, our foster brother and Galbadian agent."
Irvine's head jerked up in surprise at the admittance of relation, eyes shining.
Angelica held out a hand to the shooter. "I suppose we have you to thank for saving our asses, then."
Irvine coughed. "Guess so," he agreed, shaking his head as he returned the handshake.
"Can you lead us to Edea?" Squall requested.
"Yeah. She's in the Headmaster's office. Rinoa's probably there, too."
"Rinoa?" Zell repeated as they started inside, the main hall empty of enemies.
"She's Edea's new Knight," Irvine explained. "I only found out just before we left Dollet. She got a message or something that led us straight to you."
Zell grimaced and glanced up at Squall's impassive expression. Quistis having gone missing made more sense now.
"Where's Seifer, then?" Selphie wondered. "And why would Edea switch Knights?"
"I don't know," Irvine admitted. "I haven't seen Seifer since the float."
Angelica glanced at the stoic Commander at her side. "It looks like your 'suspicion' isn't so far off after all, Squall."
Squall's jaw clenched. "Don't think I'm happy about it. I'd rather he was off doing something devious in Edea's name."
"You know where Seifer is?" Selphie asked, looking back at him from where she walked at Irvine's side.
"I suspect Seifer was the one to blow up the missile base," Squall said.
"Fuck," Irvine breathed, glancing back over his shoulder. "If that's... Edea's had him for a week, Squall. We'll be lucky if he's still alive, let alone sane and in one piece."
Squall's cold gaze said more than words exactly what sort of shape he expected to find his rival in.
"No time to waste," Irvine declared, stepping up the pace.
They only came across a couple soldiers on their way up to the second floor lift, and both of them were swiftly dealt with, barely forcing the party to slow their pace.
When they stepped out of the lift into the Headmaster's office, Rinoa stood waiting for them with a grateful smile. "Squall! You've come to rescue me!" she called, eyes immediately picking the Commander out of the group.
Squall held out Revolver, keeping her a couple paces back. "If by 'rescue you', you mean kill Edea so you no longer have anyone to Knight for, then, yes, I'm here to 'rescue you'."
Rinoa pouted and her eyes picked out the auburn shooter. "So you were our mole."
Irvine flashed her a winning smile from under his returned hat in response.
Edea's laughter flowed over them and the Sorceress stepped through the drapes that hid most of the room. "Well, well. If it isn't my sweet children, come home at last. But, what's this? You seem to be missing one."
"Quistis is on probation," Squall bit out. "Where's Seifer?"
Edea smiled patronisingly. "My traitorous former Knight?" she wondered, voice sweet with poison. "Why, he's here to watch the show." She waved a hand and a gust of wind blew some curtains out of the way, revealing a glass container about Squall's height which held Seifer's battered form. It was barely wide enough for the large man to half-stoop, posture defeated as he rested against the glass, eyes closed. Above him, at the neck of the container, a cluster of ice pikes rested precariously, occasionally dripping water as they slowly melted.
"Hyne," Selphie breathed, horrified.
"Isn't it a work of art?" Edea asked, voice holding a note of pride. "If left to sit, the pikes will eventually fall and kill him. If you try to break the glass or pull the pikes out one at a time, they'll still fall." She laughed. "A fitting end for a traitor." Mad gold eyes looked over the tense forms standing before the lift. "Twice a traitor."
"Can you get him out of there?" Angelica asked Squall, considering their opponents. She'd already discovered the young Commander to have a quick mind and a tendency to see paths others ignored. Playing chess with him would have been a real challenge.
Squall glanced back at the glass container, possibilities flashing behind quicksilver eyes. "I don't know."
"If anyone can, it's you," Selphie said with certainty. "Just like last time: Leave the Sorceress to us and take care of Seifer."
"And Rinoa?" Squall asked, already turning his attention to getting Seifer out.
"I'll handle the Knight," Angelica said grimly.
Irvine cocked his gun and fired a shot, which Edea blocked. That was enough of a signal, however, and the four melee fighters jumped into motion, Angelica heading for a startled Rinoa, Squall towards Seifer, and Zell and Selphie towards Edea.
Squall trusted the others to keep their enemies distracted and came to a stop next to the container, running through possibilities. 'Tipping the container might enable me to get the pikes out without them hurting Seifer, but they could also fall in the process. He also doesn't look like he'd do well being tipped on the side. Can't break the glass, can't pull the pikes out. Doubt I can melt the damn things fast enough...'
Squall's hold tightened around Revolver's hilt, then he paused and looked down at his blade, turning it on the side and considering the width of it. He glanced back up at the cluster of pikes, an idea forming. 'I think I can catch all of them on my blade,' he realised. 'It'll be tricky timing it right, but I think–'
The pikes jostled as one of them melted in just the right spot and they sunk another four centimetres or so closer to Seifer's bowed head. The blond didn't even look up, and Squall was suddenly struck with the fear that his rival was already dead.
He reached out and knocked lightly on the glass, relief washing over him when the blond's eyes fluttered open. The relief was short-lived, however, as he took note of the deadened tint in the green eyes.
Seifer stared for a minute, face blank, but then recognition flashed behind the dead eyes, followed closely by a sick horror and so much regret. He reached up one shaking hand and touched the glass on the other side from where Squall's own hand still rested against it. 'I'm sorry,' he mouthed.
Squall narrowed his eyes. "Shut up, Seifer," he hissed, pulling his hand back and pointing up at the pikes dripping down on the blond. "I'm getting you out," he said when Seifer looked back at him, uncomprehending.
Seifer smiled bitterly and shook his head. 'I'm going to die in here,' he mouthed. 'Take care of the Sorceress and leave me.'
"The fuck I will!" Squall spat. "Put your hands over your head." If he missed any pikes with his blade, he didn't want them having easy access to Seifer's head.
'It's not going to work,' Seifer mouthed, not moving.
"Then at least I'll have the pleasure of having been the one to kill you. Put your fucking hands over your fucking head, Seifer!"
Seifer let out a silent sigh, but moved his arms over his head, wincing when he moved his left arm. Squall spotted what looked like poorly-healed burns through what was left of Seifer's coat and he ground his teeth together against the fury that roared through him.
'No time for anger,' Squall reminded himself, circling the glass container so he was standing at Seifer's shoulder. If any pikes got past his blade, hopefully they'd only hit the blond's legs from this angle, rather than something vital. He took a deep breath, calming himself as best he could, then held his blade back. Another deep breath and he swung, eyes hard as he judged everything in the blink of an eye.
The ring of steel on glass rang through the room, followed by ice on steel. Then, silence fell over all of them as the fighters across the room turned to see what Squall had done.
Squall stepped back from Revolver, unable to suppress a smirk at the way his trusty blade had caught every single ice pike just above Seifer's head. Shocked green eyes stared up at him from under the steel, unharmed by Squall's actions.
"NO!!" Edea screamed, true rage in her voice. Her hands motioned to form new ice pikes, but the chain of Selphie's nunchakus wrapped around her wrists, stopping her.
"Not this time, Matron," the tiny SeeD spat.
"You're fighting us, not Squall," Zell agreed grimly, dancing in to deliver two punishing blows to the Sorceress' stomach.
"You did it," Seifer's voice rasped.
Squall pulled a knife out from his belt and started chipping away at the cracked glass, taking care not to disrupt the glass Revolver was balanced between. "You're not free yet, asshole."
Seifer was quiet for a long moment, the sounds of the battle in the distance and Squall carefully chipping away at the glass filling the silence between them. Finally, he whispered, "I tortured you."
Squall's sharp grey-blue eyes glanced up at him, then returned to their current duty.
"I was the Sorceress' Knight–"
"Was," Squall agreed, eyes glancing at Seifer again. "You were her Knight; you gave all that up and saved almost three hundred lives."
"...I tortured you."
"It was war." Squall shrugged.
"That doesn't make it right," Seifer hissed, then stopped to cough as his throat complained about all the abuse it had suffered.
Squall watched him with concern glinting deep in his eyes until the older teen stopped coughing. Then he returned to his work on the glass, offering, "No, it doesn't. But I'm not holding it against you."
"Why not?"
"Because I've known you practically all my life, Seifer, and in that torture room was the only time I've ever seen madness in your eyes." Squall met startled green eyes. "Maybe you joined Edea willingly, maybe you believe you were willing to torture me for your own sick amusement, I don't know and I honestly don't care. All I know was that there was something wrong with you in that room." He returned his attention to the glass, carefully removing a chunk the size of his hand.
Seifer's gaze flickered towards where Angelica had joined Selphie, Zell and Irvine in finishing off Edea. "They don't believe that," he stated.
"They don't know," Squall corrected. "I never told them you were there."
"What?"
Squall shrugged. "You're right, they would never accept you back if they knew you tortured me. There." He tugged on another large piece and stepped back. "Can you squeeze through that?"
Seifer stared at the slighter teen for a long moment, disbelieving, then shook his head. "I don't get you, Squall."
"Can you squeeze through that?" Squall repeated, deciding to ignore further discussion of how much Seifer deserved to die for his sins; as far as Squall was concerned, a week in Edea's grasp was penance enough for whatever Seifer may or may not have done.
Seifer considered the hole. "Maybe," he decided. "But I can't move my left leg."
Squall took note of the awkward angle of the mentioned limb and nodded, stepping forward to offer what assistance he could.
Together, Squall and Seifer were able to extract the ex-Knight from the glass container. Before Squall could even consider working on fixing Seifer's injuries, Edea let out a long scream and the room flashed with white light, blinding them all before the darkness of unconsciousness fell over them.
Squall woke to a gentle hand on his forehead.
"Squall?" a gentle woman's voice whispered. "Child, are you okay?"
Squall blinked his eyes open, confused for a moment to find concerned brown eyes peering down at him from behind Sorceress Edea's make-up. Then his mind caught up with him and he pulled out a knife, which he held to her throat. "Back," he ordered.
Edea obediently shuffled backwards, expression guilty and sick. "I'm sorry, Squall," she whispered as the teen sat up, keeping the knife to her throat. "I never meant to hurt any of you. I'm so sorry..."
Squall took a moment to orient himself, eyes flashing over the room. The others laid in a huddle where they'd fallen, still unconscious. Seifer lay on his back, some healthy colour back in his cheeks and his leg at a more natural angle. He hadn't healed the ex-Knight, and Edea was the only other one awake. That, more than his own retention of life, made him order, "Tell me."
Edea nodded. "There's a Sorceress in the future, Ultimecia, who has the ability to travel to her past and possess other Sorceresses. She's looking for Ellone so she can be sent further back and enact Time Compression. She wants to destroy the world, I think."
Squall narrowed his eyes as he considered all that. 'A Sorceress from the future possessing Matron? Sounds like a load of bull, but...' His gaze flickered towards Seifer again. 'That's a dramatic personality shift. She wanted Seifer dead. She wanted all of us dead.' He looked back towards the woman kneeling in front of him, an all-consuming regret raging in her brown eyes.
"...she suddenly started acting a little odd about three months ago..." Cid's voice echoed in Squall's mind, a memory from their meeting with Angelica.
'Possession,' Squall mused. 'I can believe that.' He drew his knife back. "Where's Ultimecia now?" he asked.
Edea shook her head. "I don't know. She's gone, but she could return at any moment. Squall..." She reached out a hand and set it over the healed ice pike wound on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry..."
"So am I," Squall agreed, flipping the knife in his hand. He slammed the hilt into her temple, reaching out and catching her as she slumped to the side. 'She's right, Ultimecia could return at any moment. We need to get her into isolation in Garden. Quickly.' He gently set her on the ground and climbed to his feet. After slipping his knife away, he walked over to the others and set about waking them.
"Where's Edea?" Angelica demanded as soon as she was awake.
Squall pointed behind him. "She healed Seifer and woke me," he offered, reading the murderous intent in her eyes. "She claims she was being possessed by another Sorceress." He reached down and shook Selphie's shoulder, Irvine already up and waking Zell.
"And you believed her?" Angelica hissed.
Squall sat back on his heels. "Angelica, she wanted us dead. She was up and aware before any of us, but we're still alive. She let me hold a knife to her throat without retaliation, and she didn't try defending herself when I knocked her out. I have no intention in leaving her free to walk around on her own, but I believe there may be some truth to her claims."
Angelica considered that while the others finished shaking off their brief nap. Selphie walked over and checked on Rinoa, expression troubled. "She's still out cold," she announced.
"Let's keep it that way," Squall decided. "Zell, could you carry Rinoa?"
"You got it," Zell agreed.
"I can probably get Seifer," Irvine offered.
Squall nodded. "I'll get Edea, then. Angelica, Selphie, we're leaving it you you two to protect us from anyone on our way out."
Selphie shot off a playful salute while Angelica nodded, putting aside her thoughts for the moment.
Squall paused long enough to free Revolver from the glass container, grim-faced when the action sent the left over ice pikes scattering to the bottom of the container in a parody of what might have happened if he hadn't freed Seifer. After holstering his gunblade, he gathered Edea into his arms and nodded for them to leave, Rinoa and Seifer already held by the other two young men.
They came across a couple Galbadians on their way out, but they let the party pass without any overtures of violence.
"Didn't expect them to give up that easy," Irvine murmured under his breath, walking close enough to Squall that their arms brushed occasionally.
"Perhaps Matron left them a message before waking me," Squall replied just as quietly.
Irvine nodded in agreement, then commented, "You remember."
"Cid told me," Squall explained. "I told the others."
Irvine nodded again, considering the three walking ahead of them. "Where's Quisty?"
"She's the one who messaged Rinoa." Squall sighed. "I understand that she was worried, but we told her it was too dangerous. And she did it anyway."
"What's going to happen to her?" Irvine wondered, worry in his voice. When Squall's eyes flashed with anger, Irvine hurried to add, "She's our sister, Squall. Maybe she did something stupid, but we can't just let them toss her in isolation."
"I don't know what I'm going to do with her," Squall admitted, voice tight. "She put all of us in danger, including the people in FH. But if she hadn't contacted Rinoa when she did, Seifer might be dead right now."
Irvine frowned. "You?" he asked. "You're to decide her punishment?"
Squall glanced up at him, eyes tired. "I'm the Commander of SeeD."
Irvine's eyes widened. "What? Since when?"
"About two days ago. Cid talked me into it." Squall shrugged. "Handling Quistis' punishment is my job. For now, she's stripped of her rank and weapons. Cid's keeping an eye on her in FH."
Any further discussion was left for later as they jumped over to Balamb Garden to loud cheers.
Squall immediately stepped forward to take charge. "Selphie, show Irvine to the infirmary and ask Kadowaki to send one of her medics down to solitary. Zell, we'll be taking these two down to the cells." He turned to the crowd that had welcomed them back as Selphie and Irvine started inside. "I need two teams to get together with some of Trabia's people and go in and round up anyone left in Galbadia. They seem to have surrendered, but I'd like them disarmed and under guard. Angelica, can you oversee that?"
"I'll make sure it's done. Get that Sorceress locked up."
Squall inclined his head and started in, motioning for a nearby cadet to walk in stride with him and Zell. "Go up to the bridge and let Xu know we're back and that she can let everyone stand down. I'll join her on the bridge as soon as our guests are taken care of."
"Sir!" The cadet snapped off a quick salute, then turned and jogged towards the lift while Zell and Squall peeled off and made for the staircase down to the solitary cells.
"You really think Matron was possessed?" Zell asked once their burdens had been placed in cells and the magic-suppressing setting had been turned on for both cells. Rinoa was also forcefully un-junctioned from any magic and GFs she had, just in case.
"I believe there's some credence to the idea," Squall replied.
The medic from Kadowaki arrived then and Squall explained the situation to him, cautioning against turning off the magic suppression on Edea's cell in particular, but insisting that they both be treated, in spite of their status as their enemies.
"I'll stay down here," Zell promised while the medic was seeing to Rinoa. "You should check in with Xu and be the Commander."
"Make sure you get looked over before the medic leaves," Squall ordered before starting up the stairs. On the main floor, he was joined by Irvine and Selphie, both of whom had gotten a quick healing at Kadowaki's hands, then sent off with the preliminary reports of injuries and casualties.
"It could have been worse," Selphie offered as they entered the lift and Squall grimly looked over the paper Kadowaki had scrawled the numbers on.
"I'm aware of that," Squall agreed, "but that doesn't make this any better. Trabia should have their preliminary reports by now, as well. We'll have to wait to see how Galbadia fared."
"What are you going to do with Galbadia, anyway?" Irvine asked as the lift let them out on the top floor and they started towards Cid's old office.
"I understand that many people were only siding with Edea because there wasn't another choice," Squall said. "The trouble will be sorting out those who were siding with her out of fear from those who did it for their own amusement."
"Never mind figuring out punishments for them," Xu interrupted, stepping forward with a dark glint in her eyes. "Xu Han, Head of Staff," she offered with her hand to Irvine.
"Irvine Kinneas," the sharpshooter replied with a twist of his usual flirty smile.
"We've got the preliminary casualty report," Squall offered, holding out the paper to the woman. "Have we heard from Trabia yet?"
Xu nodded, glancing over the sheet. "They suffered fewer casualties than we did, but many more injuries. Both Gardens also suffered some external damage from all the ramming. The cafeteria is a mess."
"Zell will be so upset," Squall returned drily, earning him tired smiles from both Xu and Selphie. "Both Sorceress Edea and her current Knight are in solitary, and the Galbadian forces seem content to lay down their arms without further problems. Once we've got them under watch, I'd like to get one of our pilots at their controls and move everyone back to FH. We all need repairs, and we left a number of Garden students in the presence of pacifists."
"Let's hope the city is still in one piece when we get back," Xu agreed with a smile. "Why don't we adjourn to the meeting room and eat something light while you catch me up on why the Sorceress is still alive?"
Squall nodded and glanced at the two teens who'd come up with him. "Irvine, could you see if you can lend a hand in rounding up the Galbadia Garden people? You know that Garden better than any of us."
"You got it."
"Selphie, see what sort of assistance you can give Doctor Kadowaki, please?"
Selphie nodded. "Sure thing. I'll let you know if anything changes with Seifer, too."
"Hm." Squall waved her off, turning to follow Xu to the meeting room.
-0-0-0-
A/N: I'm only a little mean to Seifer, I suppose. XD
~Bats ^.^x
B/N: "If you wanna be with me, baby, there's a price to pay, I'm a Seifer in a bottle...you gotta rub me the right way~" You rub him, Squall. You rub him. ^_~
~Shara
1 - Hiding Betrayal ||| 2 - Trying to Please Them All
3 - Every Little Earthquake ||| 4 - Faraway Reflections
7 - Sins of Our Tongue ||| 8 - Every Hero Has a Path, Every Sinner a Future
9 - Gather Your Strength ||| 10 - Forever's Never Too Long
..
