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batsutousaiTitle: Silver Wings
Fandom: Final Fantasy VIII
Author: Batsutousai
Pairing: Squall Leonhart/Seifer Almasy
Rating: Mature
Warnings: AU, canon violence, Sorceress!Squall, original character death, mind rape, mental torture
Summary: On that fateful day, when a child grown visited his childhood home and a dying sorceress passed on her powers, it wasn't another sorceress they found, but a young boy running lost.
Beau was not impressed to find out Squall had only just woken up before he left Garden.
Squall just rubbed tiredly at the bridge of his nose and decided it wasn't worth arguing about, so, as soon as he could get a word in, he asked, "How long ago did Matron leave?"
Beau pressed his lips together, letting them pale in a show of his irritation. "End of September," he said after a long silence, his voice tense.
Squall rubbed his thumb over the warmed metal of the scout ship's railing. "Did she complain of a headache before she left?"
Beau frowned. "A headache? No. But I remember thinking she looked a little strained, like she might have been in pain." His eyes sharpened. "Do you know what's going on?"
Squall swallowed and nodded. "I got attacked," he said before tapping his forehead. "Mentally." He looked out over the sea, towards the retreating form of the Alexander, which they'd left behind after a quick change of personal (and finding Squall some shoes). "It was the sorceress I got my powers from. She said something about destroying the world, and that she was looking for Sis. I managed to kick her out."
"But it left you in a coma for almost four months," Beau murmured before his arm wrapped around Squall's shoulders. "Come here, kid."
Squall turned towards the man and pressed his face against Beau's shoulder, accepting the offered comfort gratefully.
When he finally pulled away, rubbing at damp eyes, Beau asked, "Are you okay?"
"No," Squall admitted. "But I'll manage."
Beau sighed and squeezed his shoulder. "I wish you didn't have to."
Squall glanced up at that. "I'm Garden."
"You're SeeD," Beau replied, a tired smile playing about his mouth. "They passed you."
Squall blinked, surprised. A part of him had known he'd done perfectly – followed his directive, kept his squad in line, kept them alive and safe, went above and beyond to help another cadet who'd been hurt – but then he'd collapsed, and they can't have not taken that into account. Especially if he was in a coma for ten months.
"You did good, kid. Fainting from magical exhaustion after everyone was safe didn't change that."
"It wasn't magical exhaustion," Squall argued.
Beau sighed. "No. But they didn't realise that for almost a week." He glanced towards Squall. "After Seifer left."
Squall tensed. "Doc Kadowaki said no one could touch me."
"From what Cid said, you were fine for about a week, but then your magic went haywire. Edea had some pointed questions, and it turned out the change coincided with Seifer catching a train out." Beau sighed and shook his head. "I've got my people keeping an eye for him, but if he's half as smart as he'd have had to be to pass the written exam, he's going to be avoiding the coast."
Squall grabbed his necklace, holding it as tightly as Seifer had done while he'd healed him, trust in his eyes. "I don't even know why," he whispered, and it hurt anew, the reminder that Seifer had left him while he'd been struggling. That he'd laughed in Squall's face when he'd told the blond the truth.
His magic snarled, angry on his behalf that its chosen knight wasn't playing by the rules.
"You fucked this up yourself," Squall snapped at it. "Shut up and fucking sit down. I am done with you right now."
Beau ruffled his hair. "Who's being difficult this time?"
"My magic," Squall grumbled, tapping his chest.
Beau snatched his hand back, and he looked vaguely disturbed when Squall glanced over at him. "How difficult is it being?"
Squall eyed him for a minute, uncertain, before a thought occurred to him. "You tried touching me while I was unconscious, didn't you? After Seifer left."
Beau grimaced and hesitated for a second before carefully pulling up his sleeve to show a tightly packed line of scars that Squall had never seen on him before. "Cid thought someone you trusted should try, and I said I'd do it, rather than Edea or Elle. Glad I did."
Something like guilt churned in his stomach, and Squall closed his eyes against the wounds on the captain's arm. They looked like they would stretch unpleasantly every time they moved; uncomfortable for someone who's life didn't depend on using their sword to its fullest extent. "Can you fix it?" he demanded of his magic and it shrank back from his irritation. "You made a spell for Seifer, you can do it again."
His magic seemed to huff at him, asking why he thought it cared.
"Because it's your fault and I'm telling you to. You don't get to pick and choose who I care about!"
"I'm not sure if it's fascinating or disturbing when he starts talking to himself," Squall heard Wizzy say as he glared his magic into submission.
"Right now, I'm going with disturbing," Beau replied, words careful.
His magic finally gave in and twisted around itself the same way it had when it made that life spell for Seifer. This time, the spell it handed over was time magic, intended to fix aged damage – like Beau's scars – by simply returning the damaged area back to a time before it became damaged.
Squall raised his eyebrows, torn between disbelieving and impressed. "Holy fuck," he whispered.
'Your magic likes making the impossible possible,' Bahamut commented, entertained.
'It is truly the soul of the lonely one,' Eden offered, intrigued.
Squall shook his head and opened his eyes. The two SeeDs both took a step back, and he was reminded of the way Seifer's eyes had widened. "What?"
Beau cleared his throat. "Sorry. Your eyes were black."
"All of them," Wizzy added, waving at his own eyes. "Even the white part. But they're back to normal now."
'Likely a reaction to you creating magic that doesn't exist,' Diablos suggested. 'You reach into nothingness to make something; a physical show of the impossible is to be expected.'
"Thank you for that explanation," Squall muttered before focussing on Beau. "I can fix your arm, if you want."
Beau frowned. "I thought we determined life magic wasn't something your magic did."
Squall offered him a helpless smile. "It's not life magic." He sighed and shook his head. "I can't promise it won't hurt, because I have no idea, but it'll get rid of the scarring."
Beau considered that for a moment before very decisively pulling off his white jacket, under which was a light blue undershirt and the proof that he'd only shown Squall part of the scars; they went all the way up to his shoulder.
"Hyne," Squall breathed, horrified.
Beau glanced down at the scars, curling tightly around his arm like someone had wrapped it with a rope, then cut it all off with enough force to leave a long, straight line through the length. "A lesson to all of us: your magic is overprotective."
"My magic is in time-out," Squall deadpanned before stepping forward and gently placing his hands over the marks. He reached for the magic needed to cast the new spell and it trickled forward, petulant. "Stop it," he ordered, and the flow increased enough that he could see the scars darkening back to their wounds, before vanishing.
"That was...a little weird," Beau decided, staring down at his arm as Squall stepped back.
"It looked like you were...reversing time, almost," Wizzy helpfully offered, handing back the jacket he'd taken when Beau had removed it.
Squall shrugged. "Essentially."
Beau pointed at him. "Thank you for the reminder that your magic is terrifying."
Squall remembered claws in his head and gold eyes swirling with violent madness. "Yeah," he said past a block in his throat. "Danger of inheriting it from a crazy sorceress."
Beau reached forward and squeezed his shoulder, newly undamaged arm obvious between them. "Hey, the thing about your magic? It's yours." He touched Squall's chest. "It's difficult sometimes, but its heart is in the right place."
Squall didn't even realise he was moving until he'd already wrapped his arms around Beau, pressing his forehead against the gentle thud of the captain's heart. "Thank you," he got out, the words choked by the burn in his eyes.
Beau held him tight and whispered, "You're a good kid, Squall. And don't you ever forget that."
They docked at Balamb and locked down the cabin before Squall, Beau, Wizzy, and John Walker – the SeeD Beau had dragged with him from Alexander, since the rule was three SeeDs to a scout ship – all made their way into town. They weren't far from the car rental and the main gate when a familiar voice called, "Squall?!"
Squall turned to look and found Zell standing in the doorway of a house, eyes wide, but grinning. "Zell," he replied with a nod of his head.
"Fuck, man!" Zell shouted, bounding up the stairs to the residence and hurrying forward, apparently unbothered by running barefoot on the hot bricks. "It's so unbelievably good to see you out of the infirmary. I was so pissed off when Doc K banned visitors." He gave Squall a quick look-over and made a face. "What the hell are you wearing?"
Squall glanced down at the borrowed white SeeD uniform; his cadet uniform had desperately needed to be burnt, it was so far from salvageable, and he and Beau were close enough to the same size, any more, that he'd just borrowed the captain's spare. "SeeD uniform," he replied drily.
"It's white," Zell pointed out, then seemed to realise there were three others wearing the same uniform. "Not that white is a bad choice or anything, but–"
"They're a bitch to clean," Wizzy agreed, nodding.
"Something you want to say, SeeD Shores?" Beau asked drily, eyeing his SeeD in that manner he had that left whoever he was looking at unsure if he was amused or not.
Wizzy shrank back. "No, Captain."
Squall rolled his eyes and looked back at Zell. "Cadet Zell Dincht, may I introduce Captain Beau Owens of the SeeD ship Alexander, and two of his SeeDs, Wizzy Shores and John Walker."
Zell's eyes went wide. "We have a navy?"
Beau snorted. "We have a ship, run by a crew that never attended Garden."
Zell turned to Squall, expression falling. "Are you joining them?"
"No," Beau and Squall chorused.
"There are a number of reasons I can't," Squall continued with a careless shrug. "But I grew up on Alexander, and it's home. When I woke up, it was a good place to get back in the swing of things." He resisted the urge to reach for his missing gunblade. "Mostly."
Zell nodded. "I got you, totally. I always come back to Ma's when I get hurt." He waved towards the house he'd come from. "Been there the past couple weeks, actually. T-rexaur," he added when Squall cocked his head in question. "Healed up fine, but..." He wiggled his hand, suggesting he hadn't handled the experience well.
Squall nodded in understanding. "We're heading back up to Garden, if you wanted a ride back."
Zell thought about that for a moment, then let out a helpless laugh and rubbed at his hair. "Alright if I say goodbye to Ma first?"
"We'll wait for you at the car rental," Beau agreed, and returned the salute Zell shot him before the blond ran back towards his house. "From the orphanage, I take it?" Beau commented as they turned to continue their way to the car rental.
"Yes. Getting a family was good for him." Squall grimaced, recalling the way Seifer could still get under Zell's skin without even trying. "Mostly."
Beau chuckled and ruffled his hair.
Zell left them at the main hub, heading for the dorms, while the four SeeDs were headed for Cid's office. Squall had been made to promise he'd catch dinner with Zell if he wasn't immediately shipped out. (Squall hoped he would be; as chaotic as his magic was being, he wasn't sure sitting still in Garden was going to help anyone.)
They weren't far past the turn-off towards the library when Elle's voice rang out, "Squall!"
Squall turned and saw her down the path to the library, her green wrap hanging uselessly off one arm, like she'd grabbed for it because she always did, rather than because she'd had any intention in using it. He didn't think, just pelted around the corner and down the hallway to grab her in a hug, breathing a thousand times easier to find her safe; no matter what Wizzy and Beau had said, some things needed to be seen to be truly believed. "Thank Hyne."
She hugged him back just as tightly for a long moment, before tugging away and smacking his arm, looking irritated. "What were you thinking, running off like that? You'd just woken up!"
Beau chuckled from behind Squall and ruffled his hair. "He's been chewed out already, Elle."
She huffed. "I'll chew him out again if I feel like it," she informed them, and Squall rolled his eyes good-naturedly. Her expression softened and she brushed a lock of hair behind his ear in a motion that was achingly familiar. "I'm glad to see you looking better."
Squall managed a tight smile. "Sea air has that effect."
Elle smiled back, helpless and knowing. "It does. I miss it, just a little bit."
"I'm sorry, Elle," Beau murmured, stepping forward to touch her shoulder. "Regretfully, sometimes your safety has to be put above your wishes."
She shook her head. "It's fine. And Squall's here, now. Awake."
Squall swallowed and shook his head. "I need to find Seifer," he admitted, and his magic rumbled in agreement. He needed to know why Seifer had left, why he'd acted like he'd trusted Squall one moment, and then–
"You'll be stuck in Garden for a least a week, and you know it," Beau told him, tone stern. When Squall shot him a glare, the captain shook his head. "Don't even try, Squall. You were in a coma for ten months. SeeD policy is..."
Squall closed his eyes, resigning himself to the trapped feeling crawling over his skin. "If if it takes more than a week to heal, you can't be sent out on a mission for at least a week, to be lengthened at the discretion of a licensed healer."
"You ran off for almost two weeks," Beau added, unbending. "If you think that crazy doctor of yours is going to let you out of Garden any time before the end of the month, you need the grounding more than you want to admit."
Squall grit his teeth, but had to admit Beau was right; anyone else who had tried fleeing the infirmary after being in a coma for ten months would have been strapped to a bed and force-fed sleep powder until they couldn't resist any more. If he hadn't had Haste magic to make up for his weakened limbs and Bahamut to fly him off the quad, he'd never have made it out of Garden.
Speaking of... "SeeD Leonhart!" Kadowaki shouted across the hub.
Elle let out a quiet giggle while Squall groaned and dropped his head into his hands.
Beau ruffled his hair and called, "I'm taking him up to visit the headmaster, then I promise he's coming straight to you, Doc."
"I'm holding you to that, Captain Owens."
"I hate you," Squall muttered.
"You'll get over it," Beau promised before gently tugging on Squall's shoulder. "Come on. Let's go see Cid before she decides you don't actually need to go up there."
Squall sighed and turned to follow the three SeeDs towards the lift again, unsurprised when Elle linked their arms, clearly intent on coming with. "Have you read all the books in the library yet?"
Elle's eyes sparkled. "Would you be surprised if I said yes?"
Squall suppressed a smile. "Not even a little."
She laughed and let go of him long enough that they could step onto the lift. "No," she admitted once the doors had closed. "I've been helping Quisty. She became an instructor while you were in your coma."
"Hm. Sounds like her."
"She's having a hard time of it, though," Elle added, pressing her fingers against Squall's forearm. "You should talk to her. Be supportive."
"I will," Squall promised as they reached the top floor.
Beau led the way into Cid's office, Squall and Elle following behind. John and Wizzy stopped just inside the door, taking up loose stances to either side. "I've recovered your missing SeeD, sir," Beau announced as he stopped in front of Cid's desk, saluting.
"Squall," Cid breathed out, slumping back into his chair. "Thank Hyne. With Edea gone, I thought..."
Squall gently disentangled his arm from Elle's grip and stepped forward to make his own salute. "Sorry for running off, Uncle Cid, but I didn't really have a choice. Not the way my magic was behaving."
Cid sighed and waved for them to take the visitor chairs in front of his desk. "I understand," he admitted before offering a wry smile. "I expected something like that, honestly."
Squall shot Beau a 'See?' look, then offered, "I may have an idea what happened to Matron."
Cid straightened and, next to Squall, Elle let out a startled noise. "Please," the headmaster whispered, voice cracking, "anything you can tell me is more than I have."
Squall swallowed and shook his head. "You may wish otherwise, but... I was attacked. It was all mental, so there was nothing anyone could have done. But, it was the sorceress who gave me her powers. I think, after I pushed her out, that she went for Matron." He glanced away from Cid's crumpling face, towards Elle's teary gaze. "She wanted you, Sis. Said something about destroying the world."
Elle got up and looked between Squall's straight back and Cid's crumpled form, then walked over to hug the headmaster, whispering comfort to him while he tried to come to terms with the fact that his wife was very much not okay.
And there's really nothing, Squall realised with a pang, that he can do about it, besides send SeeDs out to look for her. He can't leave the school, can't make her his priority.
'Just as your health and the laws you have chosen to follow must come before finding Seifer,' Quezacotl murmured.
"I know," Squall replied quietly. "I get it. I need to stay in Garden for a while."
Cid shifted in his chair and cleared his throat. "I'm afraid so," he agreed quietly, meeting Squall's tired gaze with red eyes. "Dr Kadowaki understands why you had to leave, but she'd not pleased."
"We did get that impression," Beau offered, quietly amused.
Cid's mouth gave a faint twitch, like he knew he was supposed to smile there, but couldn't quite bring himself to do so. "Then I don't need to tell you to report to her as soon as you leave here."
"Not this time," Squall agreed.
Cid nodded and straightened, pulling down a mask of authority to hide behind. "If the sorceress who gave you your powers is involved, then I'll have to double our search for Edea, but caution the SeeDs to keep their distance." He turned a gaze filled with pain on Squall. "When we've found her, and Dr Kadowaki has released you, I'd like to send you after her; I'm not sure I trust anyone else to get through a battle alive."
Squall grimaced, admitting that was very true. "Of course."
"That means," Cid added regretfully, "that if Dr Kadowaki clears you and we still haven't heard anything about her, I need you to stay here, so I can find you."
Squall stiffened and closed his eyes. Inside him, his magic churned angrily, and he gave his GFs a moment to settle it before quietly saying, "I understand."
"I expect your SeeDs are keeping an eye out for Seifer, too," Beau commented and Squall shot him a grateful look.
"They've been told to," Cid agreed, "but he was not well liked, and I can't honestly say that I'd hear about it if they saw him." He sighed. "Especially as I can't give a clear reason why we need him back at Garden. I'm sorry, Squall."
"I'll manage," Squall said, keeping his tone firm. Trying to believe it himself.
Cid nodded. "Very well. Ah, one last thing, and then you can go." Squall raised an eyebrow. "Well, two things, really, but it sounds like you're already aware you were made a SeeD," he said as he leaned back to open a drawer.
"It was mentioned," he agreed.
"Good." Cid closed the drawer and leaned forward with a SeeD ID card, which Squall took. "I expect you know what to do with that. As for your things, they were put into storage when it became clear you wouldn't be waking up, but Elle talked me into giving her one of the guest suites when she came to stay, and your things are all in there. She can show you the way."
Squall blinked, then let out a snort and glanced over at his sister. "Do you have any idea how many times I tried to get Matron to let me room with you?"
Elle grinned at him, though it didn't quite meet her eyes, and admitted, "Probably as many as I did."
"I'm glad to hear the end of that argument," Beau declared as he stood. "Right, let's go. Infirmary, then you can check on your things."
"And get Sheer Trigger," Squall agreed, waving a hand behind him as he stood, feeling the empty air where his weapon usually rested.
As they reached the doors, a thought occurred to Squall, and he looked back at where Cid was leaning over some papers. "Uncle Cid?"
Cid glanced up. "Yes, Squall?"
"That sorceress, she said that SeeD would destroy me."
Beau sucked in a sharp breath at his side, while Cid sighed and gave a tired nod before explaining, "Edea made SeeD to fight and kill any sorceresses that lost control. Neither she, nor yourself, were to be exempt from that." He looked back down at his desk, looking as though the death sentence he'd just handed down to Squall rested as heavily on his own shoulders as it now did upon Squall's.
Squall smiled, feeling a little sick to his stomach. "Well," he managed, words strangled, "at least I can expect a quick death."
Then he turned and pushed past Elle's reaching hand and Beau's grim stare, and hit the call button for the lift.
Wizzy joined him as the lift doors opened, the others absent. "You're not surprised," he murmured, seeming surprised by that fact.
Squall shook his head. "Should I have been?"
Wizzy sighed. "No," he admitted, "I guess not."
The others caught up with them while Squall was being poked and prodded by Dr Kadowaki, forcing himself to be patient with her after running out before.
"You appear in good health," she finally allowed, stepping back. "Impossibly."
Squall shrugged and glanced towards the two cadets hanging out by the doctor's desk, Triple Triad cards spread out across it. "Sea air," he deadpanned. "It's the miracle cure that all the cool kids are raving about."
The cadets snickered and very pointedly looked away when Kadowaki raised her eyebrows at them.
"You're still grounded," she said to Squall. "I'll let you go back to your dorm, but you're not allowed to leave Garden. Not even for training on the plains," she added, apparently reading his mind.
Squall groaned and rubbed at his forehead. "How long?"
"At least until the end of the month," Kadowaki decided before pinning him with a glare. "Misbehave and you'll be stuck here until the new term starts."
"Yes'm."
Kadowaki snorted and started back towards her desk. "Get out of here, Leonhart."
Squall nodded and motioned for the others to precede him out. He'd have to come back later, when there weren't any cadets; now that he knew to look for it, he'd seen the stiff way Kadowaki moved her dominate arm, and he couldn't, in good conscience, let it go without at least offering to heal the damage his magic had caused.
Elle took the lead, then, showing them up to the guest suite she and Squall would be sharing. His things were all boxed up, from having been in storage, but he'd never had much, and it wasn't hard to find one of his usual outfits and strap Sheer Trigger on. Beau's extra uniform went into the new travel bag that all SeeD got – he still had his white one from when he'd left Alexander, and it was water-tight, which the normal bags weren't – and he handed it over while Elle informed him, "It's oddly reassuring to see you in that jacket."
Squall glanced down at the furry collar of his black jacket, remembering well the way Elle had made fun of it the first time he'd worn it to meet them. Matron had given it an uncertain look and been silently contemplative for a good hour, for reasons Squall couldn't even begin to guess at.
"How long until the cafeteria opens?" Wizzy complained, holding his stomach. "I'm starving."
Squall glanced towards the clock hung between the two bedroom doors of the suite and shrugged. "We can head down now. We should get there just about on time."
Wizzy was out the door like a shot, John not far behind.
"You'd think we never feed them," Beau muttered, rolling his eyes and slinging the bag over his shoulder. "I'm going to drop this in the car. Follow me, or go after them?"
Squall shrugged again. "It's early for me. Sis?"
"I can wait," she promised.
"Car it is," Beau declared and led the way out of the room.
Without classes, Garden should have been boring, but Squall had never had Elle at his side within the familiar walls, happy to fill his day with time in the library, fighting grats and the occasional suicidal t-rexaur in the Training Centre while she told him fairy tales (of all things), meals with her and Zell, and sitting with Quistis and listening while she complained about her students.
In the end, Squall didn't really notice time passing. Which was probably for the best for everyone.
Word on Matron's whereabouts didn't reach Balamb until during the SeeD exam. Even then, it was pure speculation.
"It's all we've got," Cid said while Squall read over the vague report of Matron being in Deling City. "If nothing else, I thought I could send you out to Galbadia Garden, see if Martine's got something he's not telling me. I know you're tired of sitting, and I expect you could use the chance to stretch your legs."
Squall nodded and tapped the report against his chin. "I'll have to warn Sis. Did you want me to leave now, of is it okay if I wait for Zell and Selph to get back from Dollet?"
Cid smiled, ever pleased to see Squall interacting with the other children he'd been at the orphanage with. "I'm sure you can wait until tomorrow afternoon. This is hardly a pressing matter."
"I'll leave once the SeeD announcements have been made, then," Squall decided, turning to leave.
"The last train for the night will almost certainly have left before you can get into town," Cid called after him.
Squall glanced back over his shoulder. "I think we both know I have no intention in travelling by train, Uncle Cid." He tapped his forehead, meaning his GFs – Leviathan was nearly going as stir-crazy as he was, and he could easily reach Galbadia Garden by sea serpent – and Cid chuckled as he stepped from the office.
Elle was sad, but it wasn't a surprise, by any means. "At least you got a little bit of time to relax," she said while Squall packed. She was sitting on his bed, hugging his pillow and looking a little pathetic.
"I don't do relaxation well, Sis," Squall pointed out drily.
She rolled her eyes. "As if I hadn't noticed. Who was it who called swinging a sword more relaxing than meditation?"
Squall snorted. "I didn't say it was more relaxing. More the same level of relaxing."
"Swinging a sword, Squally."
"Dumb repetition, Sis," Squall shot right back, amused.
She got up as he tugged the bag closed. "At least promise you'll try to bring Matron back," she requested quietly.
Squall took a deep breath and gave her a sad look. "If she wants to, I'll bring her back," he promised.
"And if she doesn't?" Elle asked, but it was clear she knew.
"Then I'll bring back what's left."
She tossed his pillow back towards the head of his bed and stepped forward into the hug he didn't pause in offering, as much in need of the comfort as she was.
But, too, he knew what it was like to have that sorceress in his head; if Matron looked at him and asked him to end her suffering, he would do it, because it would be the kindest thing, at that point. And it would hurt – Hyne, he ached just considering it – but he also couldn't leave her death to someone else, someone who might draw it out because of what she was.
"You sure you won't at least stay for the ball?" Elle asked as she drew away. "You missed yours, and they're supposed to be a lot of fun."
"And spend the night standing in a stiff uniform, avoiding people?" Squall snorted and hefted his bag onto his shoulder. "I'd rather let Leviathan insult me all night while he swims across to Galbadia."
"You're going to be soaked," Elle complained, but she was smiling.
"I'll dry."
"If you get sick, I'll laugh."
Squall considered that for a moment, then shrugged. "I don't get sick." Which was true; even when a particularly nasty cold attacked the people aboard the Alexander and everyone at least got a cough, he was unbothered. So, admittedly, was Matron, so Squall had always assumed his immunity to illness was normal for sorceresses.
Elle huffed and linked their arms. "Where are they announcing who made SeeD?"
"First floor hallway."
"So we're headed there?"
"Of course."
Zell and Selphie both made SeeD, and Squall waited long enough for them to get out of Cid's office so he could wish them a proper farewell, then took a car to Balamb. From there – knowing how much the townspeople enjoyed Leviathan – he walked out to Raha Cape and called the sea serpent there. "Do I need to give you a minute?" he asked when his GF immediately started splashing about.
"I haven't been in the ocean for over a year!" Leviathan called back. "Ooh... Sweet freedom."
Squall chuckled and sat down against the drop down to the water, letting his legs hang over the edge. "It is nice to get out," he admitted, because even with Kadowaki releasing him to walk outside of Garden, he hadn't taken the chance more than once, as intent on following him around as Elle had been.
His magic, thankfully, had mostly resigned itself to the forced stillness by the end of the first week. Eden had helped a lot, once she'd settled in Squall's mind, and calling Tonberry out so Elle could hold him every day helped use up any magic that leaked past the army of GFs glowering at it.
But now, here, free from Garden at last, his magic had spread itself out, feeling along Balamb and watching out for any monsters that lingered on the plains. Honestly, it was sort of reassuring to feel the need to throw an Ultima at any monster that came within shouting distance; the quiet behaviour in Garden, knowing Seifer was nowhere near, had been unsettling, in some ways, even though Squall recognised it was his newest GF who made the difference.
'Not for much longer,' Eden offered sadly. 'It grows in strength and size even faster with this freedom.'
Squall closed his eyes, feeling impossibly tired. "Once this sorceress has be neutralised, there'll be nothing keeping us from finding Seifer."
'I only hope it is so simple,' Eden agreed.
'These things never are,' Diablos complained. 'We are dealing with time magic, recall.'
Squall touched his chest, magic humming under his skin hopefully. "How could I possibly forget?"
Leviathan leaned up far enough out of the water that he could nudge Squall's foot with his nose. "I am ready, Sorceress."
Squall nodded and checked that his pack and Sheer Trigger were both secure. "How far down do you need me to climb?"
"Not far," Leviathan decided before sinking about two hundred fifty centimetres further down the wall. "I can manage your weight here."
"You'd best not be calling me fat, Leviathan," Squall muttered as he turned and carefully began to scale his way down the cliff face, trusting his magic to tell him where steady foot and hand holds were.
He reached the sea dragon safely and carefully slipped back to hold on to his head frill with one hand while he pulled his field compass out of his pocket with the other. He checked their position against his mental map, had Leviathan turn slightly to the right, then nodded and slipped the compass away so he could hold on with both hands. "Let's go."
Leviathan moved at a steady pace, taking care to keep his head above water for Squall's sake. Even with the Haste Squall had let sink into the GF, they still didn't arrive at the mouth of Yaulny River until well after midnight.
"We'll rest here for the night," he announced after Leviathan had faded away.
'Have you need of one of us to watch you as you sleep?' Shiva asked.
Squall considered the way his magic was stretched out over the canyon, tracking the movements of every monster with any contact with the ground. "No," he decided. "I'd rather keep some magic in reserve, in case I need to call one of you tomorrow. And you," he added to his magic as he set up his small camp, "I don't need to know that much about my surroundings. Stop stretching your fingers and let me get some sleep."
His magic grumbled, but obediently returned to a distance that would give Squall time to react if something came at him, but not so far out that he'd be aware of every monster's shift.
"Thank you." He settled down under the light blanket he'd pulled out, using his pack as a pillow. "Good night."
'I smell a rat,' Bahamut rumbled.
"Blackmail, more likely," Squall murmured as he wandered around Galbadia Garden, getting his bearings. He'd only ever been to Balamb, but he'd seen floor schematics of the other two Gardens, so he had a general idea of where everything was.
'I'd prefer it if he was a rat,' Diablos complained. 'If it's blackmail, you'll expect us to feel sorry for him.'
"What could possibly make you think I expect common decency from you?" Squall wondered, amused. "I'm not that naïve."
"Squall?" someone called from just ahead.
Squall glanced up, half expecting to see a Balamb transfer – though few people from his home Garden actually used his first name – but instead found a young man with long auburn hair and a familiar face that was filled with hope and trepidation. He blinked, honestly shocked to find someone from the orphanage who remembered him. "Irvine?"
Irvine's whole face lit up and he strode forward, the motion easy. "Damn, it's good to see you." He paused in front of Squall, clearly uncertain about how the reunion should go.
"Likewise," Squall agreed, holding out a hand awkwardly; four meetings with his childhood friends when they didn't remember did nothing to prepare him for meeting with one who did.
Irvine accepted it with a relieved sigh. "Shit. Didn't expect to see you again, after you got so sick." He frowned, releasing Squall's hand. "After I got older, I thought you might have died, and Matron told us she sent you away to keep from scaring us."
Squall shook his head. "No. I ended up on the same ship Sis was on."
Irvine chuckled. "So it worked out for you, huh?"
Squall tried a smile back, but he knew it was pained. "Maybe, maybe not. The funny thing about getting what you want, is that it never turns out quite as well as you'd dreamed."
"Sometimes it does," Irvine insisted quietly.
"Not in my experience." Squall rubbed a hand at his eyes. "I'm sorry, Irvine. I've never been much for uplifting conversation."
Irvine forced out a snort. "Yeah, I remember that about you."
Squall tilted his head to one side and considered the other young man. "Galbadia doesn't use GFs," he recalled.
Irvine blinked and gave a cautious nod. "That's right. Just Balamb."
"Hm." Squall shrugged. "Doesn't explain why Selph doesn't remember anything, but it's good to know I'm not the only one who remembers." He offered a faint smile to Irvine's widening eyes. "Zell, Quisty, and Seifer all ended up at Balamb, where Uncle Cid is the headmaster. Selph was in Trabia until a couple days ago, when she came down to take the SeeD exam."
"And Matron?" Irvine asked, clearly curious.
Squall paused, reminded of the reason he was in Galbadia. "She joined Sis and me on the Alexander, the ship we were on. Recently, though, she...disappeared. I'm here looking for her."
"Are you...?"
"A SeeD?" Squall suggested drily. "Yes. I passed last year. Quisty's been a SeeD for three years now, and Zell and Selph passed yesterday."
"Y'all are leavin' me completely in the dust," Irvine complained good-naturedly. "What about Seifer?"
Squall couldn't keep his expression from shuttering, hiding irritation and pain.
Irvine whistled. "That bad, is he?"
"He's failed twice," Squall bit out. "Last year he ran away."
"Ashamed?" Irvine suggested.
"I have no idea, but I intend to ask him next time I see him. Right after I finish reintroducing him to Sheer Trigger's pointy end."
Irvine let out a startled laugh and moved to wrap an arm around Squall's shoulders, all hint of awkwardness between them fading. "You look like you could use a tour guide. And maybe a good meal."
"Ah, now you sound like Matron."
Irvine grinned as he started dragging Squall along the hall. "I am going to take that as a compliment."
"I figured you would."
Reconnaissance was surprisingly easy with Irvine helping him out. The sharpshooter – Squall had been a little surprised to find the other had specialised in guns, though he supposed it made sense; Irvine had never enjoyed hitting things with sticks the way the rest of them had – was familiar with Deling, and the sight of a friendly Galbadia Garden student wandering the city sent off none of the alarm bells that Squall's presence would have.
For his part, Squall asked around at Garden and took a couple days to wander the Monterosa Plateau looking for the handful of small towns a helpful cadet had marked on a map for him.
When he returned from his travels with no new information about Matron, but word that Seifer had been seen in the area back in December, he was surprised by the line-up he found standing in the exhaust of Martine's car. "Irvine," he called after a brief pause in his stride, "Zell, Quisty, Selph. This is surprising."
"Squall?" Zell replied, frowning. "What are you doing here?"
Squall raised an eyebrow at the martial artist as he came to a stop next to Irvine. "Where did I say I was headed when I left last week?"
"Galbadia Garden!" Selphie declared.
Squall gave a slow nod, refusing to react when Irvine leaned on his shoulder in an overly familiar manner. "And where are we?"
"We didn't have a choice," Quistis said tiredly. "Things got messed up in Timber and we had to flee here with our client." She waved a hand towards the starry-eyed young woman at her side, who Squall had decided wasn't important after not recognising her. "Rinoa Heartilly, this is SeeD Squall Leonhart."
She stepped forward with a bright smile, holding out a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you!"
"Likewise," Squall returned drily before looking up at Irvine. "Anything?"
Irvine frowned. "Not from me, but they saw her in Timber." He nodded towards the party in front of them, the client stepping back with a wounded expression. "She's Deling's new ambassador or something. There's a parade for her in a couple days in the city, and we're being sent to assassinate her. Uncle Cid's orders."
Squall raised both eyebrows and pulled away from Irvine to step forward, holding his hand out for the orders he could see Quistis holding. "Let me see."
"No!" she snapped holding them out of his reach. "This isn't your mission, Squall."
"This is my mission," Squall snapped. "Headmaster Cid sent me here to find Edea and either kill her or bring her home in one piece, if I could. And he told me that he wasn't going to be putting any other SeeDs on it. So, I say again: Let. Me. See."
Quistis handed the folder over with shaking hands and no further fight.
"Squall," Irvine said, stepping forward as Squall opened the folder, "what the hell's going on? Matron's a sorceress?"
"She's been one since she was a kid," Squall replied absently as he looked over the plans. "She specialises in ice magic, but she can also cast some mid-range healing spells." He snapped the folder closed and looked over the shocked faces staring at him. "Edea raised me," he explained, voice gone tight. "She ran away from the SeeDs protecting her at the end of September, insisting she was going to become a danger to them. Headmaster Cid wants me to try and drag her back to Garden so we can figure out what happened."
"So the headmaster doesn't want her dead?" Selphie whispered.
Squall shook his head. "Not unless there's no other choice." He held up the folder and met Quistis's eyes. "I need to ask you to ignore these orders."
Quistis swallowed and gave a slow nod. "Okay."
"I'm coming with you," Irvine decided. When Squall shot him a glare, he snapped, "She's my mother too, Squall!"
Squall clenched his jaw and bit out, "I cannot, in good conscience, ask you to come with me and be forced to fight her."
"You're not asking, I'm coming."
"We all are," Zell interrupted. "You'd do the same for us if it was our mother!" he insisted when Squall turned to glare at him.
'You cannot protect them from their own choices,' Shiva soothed.
'They're old enough to make their own bad choices,' Bahamut added drily.
"You two are not helping," Squall hissed at them.
"Oh boy," Zell moaned. "Here we go again."
'If they die, they die,' Diablos pointed out. 'It'll suck, but–'
"He's talking to his GFs," Quistis added.
'Hold your tongue!' Quezacotl ordered. 'You know not of what you speak!'
"Shut. Up!" Squall snapped. "All of you!" He took a moment to glare around at the humans, then closed his eyes, letting his hand curl around his lion's head.
'You cannot save everyone, Sorcerer,' Eden offered quietly.
'They aren't defenceless, not like Gee,' Bahamut agreed. 'And Irvine is correct; she is their mother too. They deserve to help.'
'Give them all the facts and let them make their own choices,' Shiva suggested. 'If they know what they are facing, they'll have a better chance of surviving.'
Squall swallowed and opened his eyes again. Four faces from his childhood were staring back at him, expressions ranging from concerned to uncertain. He sighed and squeezed his necklace before letting his hand drop. "This mission is not what it seems. If you're coming with, I need to explain everything. We'll take the train to Deling, and if you don't want to continue on after that, you can catch a transfer back to Balamb. Come on."
Irvine joined him first, expression a thundercloud. "I thought you didn't have GFs."
Squall glanced at him, feeling tired and beaten down. "I never said that," he pointed out before looking towards Far East Station, which was still too far off to be seen. "They've never taken my memories from me, for some reason." He smiled sadly.
"Lucky," Irvine murmured.
Squall laughed, but it came out brittle and a little too close to the tears he refused to admit he was holding back. Through his magic, he could feel the rest of the group's steps falter behind them at the sound. "I'm really not."
Irvine tried a smile. "You really are bad at uplifting, aren't you?"
Squall managed something that almost felt like a smile back. "You have no idea."
1 - Water in My Eyes ||| 2 - Delusional Sunset ||| 3 - Reach For Your Metal
4 - Carry This Burden Alone ||| 5 - Somewhere Worse Than Here |||
7 - Clouds of Sulphur ||| 8 - I Will Be With You ||| 9 - Every Story I Have Told is a Part of Me & You
10 - Burning in the Skies ||| 11 - Colour of Your Soul ||| 12 - Beneath My Wings
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