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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.
A/N: I haven't made it to Esthar again yet during my current replay of the game, so I'm not even going to try capturing Odine's ridiculous accent. I know, I know. Everyone's upset.
LJ-only: My auntie let my sister and I know that she needed us at her place starting tomorrow night. To make my life a little easier, I'm going to be posting the last two chapters of this fic here sometime today. I'm sure all, like, two of you exceedingly quiet readers will appreciate that and bloody well keep it to yourselves. XP
With Seifer's help, Squall was able to coax his magic out of the wings and back under his skin in the morning, which vanished the wings. His magic wasn't happy about it and, honestly, neither was Squall; he hadn't really noticed the ache of containing his magic under his skin until it was gone, too used to it.
He didn't want to think about how much more it would ache if he wasn't expending some of his magic keeping Shiva and Tonberry in the physical world.
When he crept into his and Elle's room after he'd got dressed and grabbed his things, he found her sitting on the couch. She gave him a considering look, then turned her attention back to her book and asked, "So, is Seifer moving in here, or are you moving in with him?"
"What?" was the only response Squall could manage.
Elle glanced back up, a secretive smile playing around her lips. "Squally, I know what someone looks like when they're creeping back into their room for a change of clothing after a night with their lover."
"I'm not– That's–"
"I'm happy for you," she promised, and Squall couldn't hide the way he relaxed. "And I'm not surprised; from what I've read, no true Knight Bond has ever remained one of friendship. There's just too much trust involved. Or...well, not that you can't trust your best friend, but–"
"I expect it would be hard to remain just friends when you're half stuck in each other's heads," Squall remarked drily as he started for his room. "I'm getting a change of clothing and taking a shower."
Elle waited until he was in the bathroom before calling, "Who topped?"
Squall slammed the door on her laughter and made a mental note to discuss their rooming situation with Seifer the next time they were alone.
"Headmaster, Commander," a cadet said, poking her head into the conference room. "Lookout just spotted a large white boat approaching from ahead."
'We see them,' Shiva agreed. 'It is Alexander, and she is headed for Balamb.'
"First floor," Squall decided, as he stood, figuring that was about the right height for Alexander to match up to Garden. It wouldn't be perfect, but it would be the closest match.
"Thank you, Cadet Garnett," Cid offered as he joined Squall in heading for the door.
Seifer beat them, and was leaning against the safety wall with an easy smirk as Beau stared at him, unimpressed. "What did you say?" Squall asked as he and Cid joined him at the safety wall and the six SeeDs on the ship, behind Beau, saluted.
"I said hello, he glared," Seifer insisted as he straightened.
'...close enough,' Bahamut decided, while Diablos cackled.
Squall rolled his eyes and focussed on the SeeDs in front of him. "At ease. Captain Owens, always good to see you."
Beau raised an eyebrow. "It's Captain Owens, now?"
"You're glaring at my knight like you want to stick your sword in him," Squall returned drily. "A little less hostility, if you please, Beau."
Beau snorted. "I heard back from a scout crew that came across him back in November. He stripped them naked before wrapping them in sheets from their ship and tying them to the backs of chocobos. By the time they made it back to where they'd found him, he'd taken off with the scout ship, leaving behind their uniforms and a note saying, 'Better luck next time, kids'."
Squall ducked his head and covered his mouth, trying to contain his laughter.
"They tried to accost me!" Seifer complained. "And the one called me 'kid'."
"Did you at least return the ship?" Squall asked, glancing sideways at his grinning knight.
"Left it at FH in time for the winter holidays. Figured you lot would pick it up." He deflated slightly, though it was clear, from the sense of him at the back of Squall's mind, that the adventure had been a highlight of his travels. "I didn't know you were in a coma."
Squall shrugged and glanced back at Beau. The captain tilted his head slightly in question and Squall nodded; he'd forgiven Seifer for his disappearance. "We finally found the scout when we dropped by FH to let them know to expect a couple Gardens." Beau looked at Seifer. "The fishermen kept an eye on it, so we were able to send it right back out. Good call picking that as a dock."
"Squally, having secret conversations about me while I'm standing right here isn't nice," Seifer complained.
"Neither is tying SeeDs doing their jobs to the back of chocobos," Squall returned evenly before stepping back and motioning for Beau. "You and your men have permission to dock with Balamb Garden and come aboard, Captain."
"Much obliged, Commander," Beau replied before turning to the crew on deck and shouting orders to dock alongside Garden.
Seifer stepped back to stand at Squall's shoulder, close enough to be considered impolite, and murmured, "You thought it was clever."
"I think you really need to get over that issue you have with superiors calling you names like 'kid'," Squall replied and Seifer scoffed. Squall glanced up at him, allowing a smile to curl his lips. "It was clever, though. And I'm sure it served as a lesson to those SeeDs about the follies of underestimating Garden cadets, even ones that dropped out."
Seifer rolled his eyes. "I liked you better when you weren't the commander. Now everything's about being a better SeeD."
Squall snorted, then reached back and grabbed the hand he could feel hovering over his arse. "Don't make me assign you infirmary duty, Almasy."
"You really need an office so I can come in and rav–"
Squall flicked a Stop at his knight. "Are you through?" he asked drily.
'Your Knight would like you to know he still wants to fuck you against your desk,' Diablos supplied. 'Also that you're cheating.'
"You like it when I cheat," Squall pointed out before stepping forward to let Beau hug him and ruffle his hair as the captain stepped onto the balcony.
"You're looking much better, kid," Beau offered fondly before glancing over Squall's shoulder at the unnaturally still knight. "Stop? Really?"
Squall flashed him a smile. "He's learned to protect himself against Silence."
"It's never dull around here," Cid offered with the air of a man becoming used to finding Seifer either frozen in the middle of a hallway, or pinning Squall against the nearest flat surface. He'd been no more surprised than Elle at the development, though he had suggested they conduct themselves with at least some level of professionalism while on the second floor.
"I'm going to enjoy the next few days," Beau decided.
"Free Seifer so we can have our meeting," Cid suggested as SeeDs started crossing over from Alexander.
Squall pointed at Beau. "If you have any records about your people, I'd appreciate them." He turned to one of the SeeDs he knew from his time aboard Alexander as Beau nodded and moved to return to Alexander. "Oliver, take the lift down to the ground floor, take a left at the bottom of the stairs, then the first right into the library. Sis should be in there and happy to show everyone around. If she's not, the librarian on duty should be able to tell you where she is and provide you with a guide."
Oliver snorted and saluted. "You got it, Commander."
"How's she doing anyway, Squally?" another SeeD asked as Oliver left to follow Squall's directions.
"She appears to appreciate the chance to stretch her legs," Squall returned drily, and a number of the crew laughed. He turned to Seifer and met the amused green gaze. "Are you going to behave yourself, or am I sending you down to the infirmary?"
Seifer's eyes rolled, but Quezacotl said, 'He's promised to behave for the day.'
"A whole day?" Squall repeated as he tossed an Esuna at his knight. "Surely Miss Heartilly's not that bad."
"You can only say that because you've never dated her," Seifer muttered, stretching just to prove he could.
"Yes. I'm simply not that easily swayed by a pretty face."
"Heartless, Leonhart," Seifer complained.
Squall snorted and looked over the watching SeeDs. "You're needlessly crowding the balcony. Get inside and wait in the hallway for Sis."
One SeeD stepped forward, expression nasty, and informed Squall, "I don't care what shiny title they give you, I don't take orders from sorceresses."
The SeeD made like he was going to spit at Squall, only to freeze as a gunblade kissed his throat, leaving behind a thin red calling card. Seifer's eyes were hard as he stared at the SeeD along Hyperion's blade. "I would reconsider my stance, were I you, SeeD–"
"Greg Addams," Squall supplied, familiar with the man's dislike for him and more than happy to let his knight have a go at the SeeD.
"Addams! You were ordered to stay on Alexander!" Beau shouted from the ship. "Get your ass back over here before I let Sir Almasy slit your throat!"
"Seifer," Squall murmured and the knight reluctantly sheathed Hyperion.
"I don't like him," Seifer snarled as Addams jumped back over to Alexander and the watching crowd started inside under Squall's blank stare.
"No," Squall agreed quietly, "I never much did either." He touched Seifer's chest. "Go in there and corral them for me. See if you can't grab a few gawking cadets to help Sis."
"Can I terrify them?" Seifer requested, eyes lighting with menace.
"Leave them in something approaching working order," Squall returned and allowed himself a small smile as Seifer stalked off with a whistle that any member of Balamb Garden knew to fear.
"Shall I collect a clean-up crew for this hallway?" Cid asked as Squall joined him against the safety wall again.
"Possibly. Though, I think we'd be better served by setting up a revolving door of people in the know, as it were, to sit this door and keep whatever SeeDs have been ordered on board out of Garden, and Seifer away from Alexander."
Cid sighed and patted Squall's arm as he pushed away from the wall. "I'll meet you in the conference room."
"Thank you, Uncle Cid!" Squall called after him before looking back towards where Beau was giving orders to the four SeeDs remaining on board Alexander. Three of them, Squall knew, had an issue with what he was. The last one was Margaret Pickett, something of a second-in-command for the Alexander. She and Squall had never been particularly friendly, but she'd never seemed to be friendly with anyone. And, if she'd had an issue with Squall's magic, she'd always kept it to herself.
Beau finally turned back towards Garden, accepting the hand Squall held down to him to help him cross the gap. "You cleared everyone right out, didn't you?"
"It got crowded," Squall replied with a shrug.
Beau chuckled and ruffled his hair before holding out a thick, waterproof case. "My files on everyone who has served on Alexander, as well as any civilians we've taken care of for more than a week."
Squall peeked inside and whistled. "If only Uncle Cid kept his records so neatly."
"How long did it take you to go through his?" Beau teased. "Or are you still trying?"
"A week, but I had Sis's help. And I didn't have to touch any cadet papers unless they were a part of their SeeD file. I expect previous military records are in here?" he asked, aware that most of the Alexander crew had been in the Galbadian or Estharian armies during the Sorceress War.
"Those I could get," Beau agreed as they started into Garden. "Some of them are highlighted because I suspected their records were partially falsified, but I have no proof either way."
Squall nodded in understanding. "I'll try to get these back to you by the time we reach FH."
"I'd appreciate that. Seifer," Beau added as Seifer stepped away from Fujin and Raijin to join them.
"Beau," Seifer replied cheerfully.
Squall stopped and pointed at the two cadets sent to guard the door. "If I find out that either of you let Seifer through that door without me, I'll have you cleaning grat guts off the Training Centre floor for a month. Am I clear?"
They both saluted, Raijin answering, "Understood, Commander!" for both of them.
Squall turned his stare on his knight. "Don't push me, Seifer."
"Calm down, Leonhart. I don't see the need to go dirtying Hyperion on those peons."
Squall snorted and started for the lift. "Peons? Have you actually been spending time with Quisty?"
Seifer huffed. "You banned me from the second floor."
"That didn't stop you the first three times."
"...Elle told me to stop being an ass and let you do your work in peace."
Beau laughed.
"Blessed is my sister, for she can actually control Seifer," Squall muttered, looking up towards the ceiling of the lift.
"Mostly," Seifer insisted.
Squall snorted. "Yes, well, she's not Hyne." He shoved Seifer as the lift opened on the second floor. "You have permission to be up here for this meeting. Move."
The meeting, such as it was, didn't take long. The SeeD who had been resting in Trabia's infirmary had been fairly well informed about the state of things before she'd returned to her ship, and she'd taken pains to ensure Beau had known everything. The first thing he'd done was exactly what Squall had wanted: Send out the nearest scout ships to pass on the word that they needed eyes on everything and to reach out to any and all Garden-trained SeeDs they knew the position and situation of. Any important information was to be relayed to Balamb Garden or Alexander, one of which would remain docked at or near FH until things calmed down.
Cid had been right about one thing: Squall was the only person in SeeD with the knowledge to effectively lead both sections of SeeD. Sorcerer or no.
"That was fun," Seifer remarked before he gave a loud yawn. Squall rolled his eyes while Cid laughed and Beau covered a smile. "I'm heading down to the cafeteria. Come on, Squally."
"I have all this paperwork–" Squall managed before Seifer pulled him up.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. It can wait an hour," his knight decided. "Come on. You have to walk me to the lift, anyway, or who knows what I might get up to."
"Fine, I'll come with you to lunch," Squall agreed, letting himself be led from the conference room. "Really?" he added once they were safely ensconced in the lift.
Seifer shrugged. "I didn't have to be at that meeting," he pointed out.
"No," Squall agreed, "but there are new people in Garden."
Seifer raised an eyebrow at him. "Protecting the Alexander's crew?"
Squall shrugged. "And showing a united front," he admitted before stepping out of the lift and starting down the stairs.
Seifer snorted, warm at Squall's side. "They're going to catch on that we both do our own things eventually, Leonhart."
"Our own things, maybe, but the important decisions at least appear to be a dual effort."
"Only when you let it be," Seifer muttered, but the sense of him in the back of Squall's mind was rolling with amusement.
He raised an eyebrow at his knight and Seifer smirked in response. Which was about as much as Squall had expected.
Beau had been happy to help Squall work on copying the Alexander crew's files over, and Seifer had sent Quistis up the second day, insisting she was getting on his nerves without Elle acting as a barrier between them, since she was off showing the new arrivals around. (Squall was pretty sure his knight was actually being nice, but he didn't question it, just rewarded Seifer by letting his knight fuck him in the common area of the room they were sharing with Elle, secure in the knowledge that she wouldn't be returning for a few hours.)
Between Quistis, Beau, and Squall himself, the files were copied by the time they reached FH.
They halted the Gardens within sight of FH and Squall, Seifer, Cid, and Fields got a ride on Alexander to dock ahead, both to figure out where to park the two mobile buildings for any repairs, and to make sure the locals hadn't changed their minds about helping.
The mayor clearly wasn't too pleased with letting the Gardens dock, but multiple promises to minimise their presence and move out of sight once their repairs were completed went a long way towards appeasing him. (Cid's usual humour may have also contributed, as well as the fact that Squall kept referring to the headmaster as 'Uncle Cid'; Squall couldn't tell if Mayor Dobe was more entertained or reassured at the show that a mercenary could consider someone family.)
They moved the Gardens in to a couple of rough docks the FH people had put together after Beau had come through before, and Seifer and Squall spent one more night in Balamb before leaving before sunrise the next morning, before anyone could think to come out and see them off.
"So, how did you want to do this?" Seifer asked once they'd moved down the tracks a ways towards Esthar. Fisherman's Horizon was still in view behind them, just barely.
Squall shrugged. "Originally, I was just going to use some Haste magic to speed up the trip. But I suspect you have another thought?"
"You could fly us?" Seifer suggested, glancing towards Squall's back.
"No," Squall bit out, crossing his arms over his chest and trying to pretend his magic wasn't excited at the prospect. "There's too much a chance that someone might spot us."
"Someone who?" Seifer demanded, waving around at the surrounding empty ocean and tracks. "Leonhart, there's no one out here."
"There's Esthar," Squall replied, tightening his arms over his chest.
Seifer stared at him for a beat, then stepped forward and slipped a rough hand into Squall's hair before crashing their mouths together.
Squall let out a quiet noise of complaint into the blond's mouth before pushing into his knight, unfolding his arms so he could clutch at the other's coat.
He was only vaguely aware of Seifer's free hand tugging off Squall's bag and jacket, too busy with letting himself get lost in the other man. When Seifer pulled away and roughly yanked Squall's shirt over his head, though, it shocked him out of his distraction. "No," he snarled, grabbing for his shirt.
Seifer caught him easily and held the shirt out of his reach. "Squally," he murmured, voice gentle, "I don't care if you fly us, but you need to let your magic free. We've talked about this."
"In private," Squall replied, refusing to acknowledge the truth of the matter.
Seifer dropped his shirt to the rails and wrapped both arms around Squall's waist, trapping him against Seifer's chest. "Come on," he whispered, nudging Squall's head. "Don't think I won't strip you naked and fuck you right here to get what I want, Squall." Because Squall had tried, but he honestly couldn't keep his wings hidden when he came. Which Seifer had used against him twice before he got Squall to promise that he'd let his wings out once they were behind the closed door of their bedroom.
Squall closed his eyes and pressed tight against Seifer's chest as he let his magic loose. He felt the wings bloom from his back, never painful, but it always felt a little odd.
"There you are," Seifer murmured and let go of Squall to gently brush his hands over the feathers. He left them after a long moment and stepped back, cupping Squall's face and making him look up into the admiring green gaze. "You're stunning."
Squall tugged away with a scowl. "Shut up," he ordered before glancing over his shoulder at the grey wings, their metallic shine even more obvious in the light of the rising sun. He stretched them out, seeing the width of them for the first time, with no dorm walls in the way, and was unsurprised to find that each wing was easily twice as long as his arm.
Seifer was right, they were stunning.
He leaned down to collect his bag and jacket, secretly pleased at the way the large wings countered the change in his balance without a misstep. He'd noticed that about them, actually, that they were very good at doing exactly what he needed them to do, even when he wasn't quite sure what that might be. He knew it was his magic, reacting to both conscious and unconscious movements, rather than himself that directed his wings to move, which was for the best, really, because he had no idea how to manage wings.
"We're not flying," Squall said as he stuffed his jacket into his bag. "I'll Haste us."
"How fast is your Haste?" Seifer asked, handing over Squall's shirt.
Squall stuffed it in his bag and tugged it closed. "Oh, not much faster than the para-magic version," he said, uncaring.
"Helpful."
Squall allowed a mean little smile as he held his bag out towards his knight. "I can't carry that." He shifted his wings pointedly.
"So I'm the pack mule to your hawk?" Seifer joked as he fussed with the straps on Squall's pack so he could carry it with his own.
"Hawk?" Squall murmured, glancing back at his wings.
"Would you prefer seagull?" Seifer asked, amusement warm at the back of Squall's mind.
Squall snorted and stepped into Seifer's space, pressing one hand against the blue waistcoat, directly over his heart. Seifer watched him with a faint smile, unflinching in his trust. "I can stack Hastes," Squall murmured and smiled as Seifer's eyes went wide in understanding. "Do you think we can reach the far end of these tracks by sunset?"
Seifer chuckled and pressed his own hand against Squall's over his heart. "I think we're going to try."
"Yes," Squall agreed as his magic filled them both with multiple Hastes, "I think we are."
By all accounts, they should have been able to see Esthar at the western edge of the Great Salt Lake, but the only view was one of death and empty sky.
"Well, this is promising," Squall murmured while Seifer picked up a bone and threw it ahead of them. It bounced off a large tusk and fell to the ground with a silent clatter of shifting bones.
'There is a city,' Bahamut insisted. 'I saw it when I was looking for the scout ship. It's large, and very blue.'
Seifer waved at the sky above the salt lake. "I do see the blue."
'It shone in the light of the moon,' Bahamut added, apparently deciding not to rise to Seifer's bait.
"Shut up," Squall ordered before Seifer could reply. He closed his eyes and ordered his magic back into his body – whether they could see Esthar or not hardly mattered; they were close enough that Squall needed to hide his wings, then they could hunt the city down.
Seifer caught him when he swayed, body aching from forcing his magic back into too small a space. "Are you sure–?"
"Yes." Squall opened his eyes and looked up into the worried green eyes. "Give me my things," he ordered and pulled open his pack to pull out a shirt and his jacket once Seifer had handed it over. "There has to be some sort of access to the city at ground level, because Estharians have left Esthar as recently as two months ago."
Seifer sighed and looked back towards the missing city; he'd been there when Squall had been told that information by the FH mechanics working on Balamb. "And if it's only one-way?" he asked.
"I'll no longer feel bad about having Bahamut fly us there."
'I think you should call Eden, instead,' Diablos suggested, voice low and mean. 'She would make far more of an impression.'
'Are you suggesting I'm not scary enough?' Bahamut snarled.
"Shut up," Seifer snapped.
Squall rolled his eyes and started into the Great Salt Lake. He hadn't bothered reapplying the Haste on either of them after they'd woken in the station at the end of the tracks, and, considering the uncertainty of the footing ahead, it was probably best if they moved at a more normal speed through the piles of bones and cliffs of white sediment.
Seifer caught up to him quickly enough, wordlessly taking point. Squall didn't bother complaining, resigning himself to playing support to his knight's protective nature.
It took them probably about two hours to make their way through the white corridors, fighting off monsters that were unwise enough to think two humans would be easy prey.
At the far end of the lake, they found a sheer drop, with flat plains far below.
'This is wrong,' Bahamut insisted.
Seifer thrust Hyperion forward and it rang out against some sort of solid barrier. "A wall putting out an illusion," he realised, glancing back at Squall. "Impressive technology."
"It is," Squall agreed, looking up towards where he could see clouds moving in the sky, no break in their movement to suggest where the wall ended. "How far up does it go, though?"
"And is there a way past it?" Seifer agreed, pressing his hand against the wall and looking along it with a frown. "I'm not sure I want to play tourist long enough to find out."
Squall snorted and backed up. "Time is not something we have an infinite amount of. Let's just hope they're slightly less trigger happy than your average city. Bahamut?"
"I'm pretty sure Esthar is not an 'average city'," Seifer muttered as the dragon GF appeared above them.
"Come," Bahamut said, holding down his claws to Squall and Seifer. "If they choose to react with violence, we are capable of responding with the same."
"I'd rather not start a second war when we're in the middle of the first one," Squall complained as he stepped into Bahamut's hold. Seifer was far more cautious about approaching the sharp claws, but did so all the same.
"Let's try dodging before we shoot back," Seifer suggested. "At least at first."
Squall sighed and opened his mouth to insist there was no 'at first' involved, but then they cleared the top of the illusion wall and a sparkling city of blue stretched out under them. "Hyne," he whispered, awed.
"Okay," Seifer said, voice carefully modulated, "I'll give you that it's blue."
"Do not give me cause to drop you, Knight," Bahamut threatened.
"Over there," Squall called, pointing towards what appeared to be some sort of landing platform just slightly south of them.
Bahamut banked obediently and landed lightly on the platform. It was definitely a landing platform of some kind, judging by the abandoned fuelling system and what he thought were landing clamps, though Squall couldn't begin to guess what sort of craft would require such.
"Thank you, Bahamut," Squall murmured as the dragon set him and Seifer on the ground.
Bahamut inclined his head and vanished back into Squall's mind.
Almost as soon as Bahamut vanished, figures in silver and purple armour hurried out of a set of large doors just ahead, pickaxe-shaped weapons held in their hands. Squall glanced at Seifer, feeling his irritation, and shook his head, slowly raising his hands in a show of surrender. "We're looking for Dr Odine," Squall announced. "We have some questions for him about some work he did seventeen years ago."
One of the figures stopped in front of Squall and lowered their weapon. "Who are you?" they demanded, voice sounding almost mechanical through the speakers of the armour.
"SeeD Commander Squall Leonhart. That's SeeD Seifer Almasy."
The figure didn't move for a long moment, then it holstered its weapon and held out its hands. "You must surrender your weapons before you will be escorted through the city to Dr Odine's laboratory."
"The hell–"
"Seifer!" Squall snapped, shooting his knight a warning look. "We're not here to start a fight."
Seifer held his gaze for a long breath, fury raging in green eyes, even as a helpless feeling curled against the back of Squall's mind. Finally, Seifer looked away and smoothly unbuckled Hyperion's sheath before holding it out to the nearest soldier.
Squall unbuckled Sheer Trigger and held it out to the soldier in front of him, who took it with a stiff nod before turning and starting towards the doors. "Follow," they ordered without looking back.
"Friendly place," Seifer hissed as he stepped up to Squall's side.
"We would do the same thing if someone found a way into Garden and said they needed to speak to Uncle Cid," Squall pointed out quietly.
Seifer grunted. "It was the dragon that did it. Fucking Bahamut."
'More likely it was your general bearing,' Bahamut shot back.
'No, no, he's not that scary,' Diablos commented cheerfully. 'It was absolutely you.'
Seifer ground his teeth and Squall bit his cheek to keep from smiling; it was clear his knight wanted to reply, but didn't want to be caught talking to himself by the soldiers around them. He sent a general sense of disapproval towards his GFs on Seifer's behalf.
'Apologies, Sorcerer,' Bahamut offered. 'We will behave.'
'You'll behave,' Diablos insisted. 'I, on the other hand–'
'Will behave,' Eden suggested pleasantly.
Diablos shrank down behind Sacred and Minotaur and kept his mouth shut.
It didn't take them particularly long to get to the laboratory. People walking through the city – all wearing long robes, Squall noticed – stopped to stare as the group passed. From the number of looks the soldiers got, it appeared that it wasn't common to see them in the city, which was an interesting comment on the state of things in Esthar.
Most of the soldiers remained outside when they reached the squat building that was labelled 'Odine's Laboratory' on the walkway, including both soldiers holding their gunblades. Seifer tensed next to Squall as they were ushered away from the weapons, and it took a great deal of control for Squall to not do the same; it was hardly the first time Sheer Trigger had been out of his sight, but that didn't mean he had to like it.
A short man wearing a large red and white collar awaited them. "You have asked to see me?" he demanded, stepping around the soldier who was in the lead and stopping directly in front of Squall, staring up at him through beady eyes. "I am very busy. Be quick!"
Squall raised an eyebrow at the man, but obediently summarised, "There is a sorceress from the future possessing a current sorceress via a means which my sister, Ellone, likens to an ability she was born with. We hoped you might know of a way to reverse the possessing sorceress' control, if not stop it entirely from our end."
Odine blinked at him a couple times before declaring, "I would have more tests to run on Ellone–"
"No tests," Squall snapped, feeling Seifer tense just behind his left shoulder. "We need an answer based on what you know now, or for you to tell us there isn't a way."
"Ah, but I would have an answer for you, if only–"
"Maybe Squall wasn't clear," Seifer snarled, only remaining where he was because Squall had held out an arm to block him. "Elle isn't coming anywhere near you or your fucking lab. She's not some fucking rat."
"Well said," a voice called from behind them, and Squall sensed two new people coming up behind them, steps different from the mechanical stride of the soldiers. Seifer turned to look, but Squall remained staring down at Odine, certain the newcomers would come into his view soon enough and trusting his knight to let him know if they looked like trouble. "As I've told you before, Odine, I cannot condone human experimentation, and I absolutely won't let you run any more tests on Elle."
The man who stopped just to Squall's right was a few centimetres taller than him, with long dark hair that was tied back in a loose ponytail. He wasn't wearing a robe like most of the Estharians they seen, but rather a white button-up shirt and tan slacks. The other man stopped just beyond the first, dark skin marking him as someone from central Galbadia. He easily topped Seifer in height, and while the robes he wore hid it, Squall could tell from the way he walked that he was more than capable of holding his own in a fight.
"You must be Laguna Loire," Squall assumed, looking at the first man.
He looked surprised, then offered a sheepish smile. "I guess Elle mentioned me."
"Eventually," Squall agreed drily. "I promised to let you know, on her behalf, that she's happy and safe."
"Not that safe, if there's another sorceress running around," Laguna pointed out.
Seifer snorted. "I don't think even that bitch is stupid enough to take on half of SeeD."
Squall shot his knight a look. "Depending on what she intends to do with Sis once she's got her, she might just consider it worth the risk. We don't know enough about her plans to expect anything one way or the other, Almasy."
"And you need to learn to trust your people, Commander," Seifer shot back, unbothered, before he snorted and shook his head. "Squall, it's not like she can throw Ultimas around."
"Yet. And Matron's ice is plenty dangerous."
"Matron's ice doesn't explode," Seifer insisted. "And she's had Matron for how long now? Six months?"
Squall closed his eyes and nodded, seeing where Seifer was going.
"She managed a Stop, Leonhart. I think we'll be fine."
"Leonhart?" Laguna repeated, and when Squall spun back to look at the man, he found himself being studied by both Laguna and the dark-skinned man he'd come in with. "Hyne," Laguna whispered, realisation filling his eyes. "Raine had a son?"
And then he squatted on the ground and hugged his right leg, moaning pitifully.
Seifer, who Squall had told about Elle's confession as to his parentage and was an asshole, burst out laughing.
Squall rubbed tiredly at the scar between his eyes and turned back to Odine, who was watching the drama with wide eyes. "Anything you know about my sister's abilities, Dr Odine, if you please. We're in the middle of a war and don't have time for this childish behaviour." The last was aimed at Seifer who clapped a hand over his mouth, eyes dancing with amusement.
Odine sighed and turned away, twitching a finger over one shoulder in a request for Squall to follow. "This way, then. I will show you my findings, but they will be not of much use to you."
"Perhaps," Squall replied as he followed the scientist. Seifer followed after, leaving Laguna and his companion to sort themselves out.
Odine's notes were, admittedly, a bit more complicated than Squall had the time to sort through right then. He almost convinced himself that the possession magic their current sorceress was using wasn't Elle's, but then he saw the note that Elle hadn't been able to use her gift to send Adel back to anyone.
"Is it possible," he asked, half musing aloud, half to Odine, "that Sis's ability didn't work on Adel because Sis didn't know any other sorceresses?"
"What brings you to that conclusion?" Odine asked even as Seifer's eyes widened in understanding.
Squall turned to Odine, fingers wrapping thoughtlessly in the chain of his necklace. "There were plenty of people who would have been a better choice to try possessing than Matron, but that's who she picked. And it would make sense that a sorceress couldn't possess someone who couldn't manage their powers, though, right? I mean, it takes ages to learn to use para-magic; if you don't have Sorceress Magic of your own, you won't know how to use it, or how to keep it from using you."
"But, then, why not a potential sorceress?" Laguna asked from the doorway, frowning.
Squall shook his head. "It's not about potential, though, it's about training. Everyone has potential to use para-magic, but that doesn't mean they won't blow themselves up the first time you let them cast Fire."
"Ellone could send someone equipped with para-magic back to someone who had never used it before," Odine informed them. "This is same."
"It's really not," Seifer disagreed. "Sorceress Magic is a living thing, like a Guardian Force. It takes up space in the host's head, is a part of them, like, uh...a third arm!"
Squall rolled his eyes. "Like their wings," he suggested and Seifer flashed him a grin. "She can't use her ability to possess animals, you found. You hypothesised it was because animals don't have the mental capacity to contain a human brain; I hypothesise that your average human isn't advanced enough to be possessed by a sorceress."
"This is a fascinating idea!" Odine declared. "I must bring a sorceress here to test it!"
"Here?" Seifer demanded, voice sharp. "Why 'here', Odine? Why not to Elle?"
Odine waved him off. "I have created a machine to be as Ellone."
Seifer had Odine shoved up against the nearest wall, a knife at his throat, before Squall realised he was going to react. "This is your fault?" the knight snarled. "Squall was tortured because of you?!"
"Seifer!" Squall barked, himself and his GFs straining against his furious magic. Given, he wasn't too pleased by this discovery, but there wasn't anything that could be done about it now, and he needed Seifer to calm down before either the knight or Squall's magic did something they'd all regret.
Seifer snarled wordlessly and let Odine go. Then he stormed back over to Squall and wrapped him in his arms, pressing his nose into Squall's hair.
Squall sighed and returned the tight hug as his magic calmed back down, relieved. The sense of Seifer at the back of his mind was still rumbling with fury, but it was tempered by concern.
'Sorry to interrupt, Sorceress, Knight, but I know you would wish to be informed,' Shiva announced and both Squall and Seifer tensed at the serious note to her voice. 'A contingent of Galbadian soldiers just came through FH. They were looking for Sis, and threatened to burn down the town if she wasn't handed over immediately. They were subdued with no damage to FH, but the ones we captured said one of them started back towards the mainland before they made themselves known, to report that the Gardens are here. SeeDs were sent after him, but there's no guarantee they'll catch him before he can pass on the news.'
"We need to get back to FH," Seifer realised, pulling back and looking down at Squall.
"Quickly," Squall agreed before pulling out of his knight's hold and turning to where Odine was leaning against the wall, rubbing his throat. "I would appreciate a mobile copy of all your findings so I can finish looking them over back at Garden, Dr Odine. Preferably paper, since that's easier to keep out of the hands of curious cadets."
"I am not sure–" Odine started before flinching back when Seifer spun and snarled at him.
"Dr Odine would be happy to print you a copy of his findings," Laguna announced with a bright smile under watchful eyes. "In the meantime, how about some lunch?"
"We don't really have time for lunch," Squall replied, trying to sound apologetic. "But the offer is appreciated."
Laguna sighed. "It wasn't, actually, a request."
"And that wasn't an idle refusal," Squall returned, rubbing at the scar between his eyes. "We just received word that one of the sorceress' agents is aware that my people are stationed at FH. She will very likely know within three days."
"In other words," Seifer said, voice honeyed poison, "we don't have the time for polite chit-chat over whatever counts for lunch around here."
Laguna stared at them for a minute, disbelieving, before he looked at Odine, who appeared equally perturbed. "I want an update on the Tomb," he ordered.
Seifer and Squall traded confused looks as Odine typed a quick message. "There is something wrong with these people," Seifer muttered.
"The Lunar Gate reports no sign of problems. They will send enquiry to the base, but we will not hear back for some time yet," Odine reported before looking at Squall. "You have a way to communicate with others that is not through ground wires or affected by the interference?"
"That's what's got you squawking?" Seifer demanded.
Squall cocked his head to the side. "I'll trade my answer for your files, quickly." He glanced at Laguna. "No lunch."
Laguna looked torn. It was the dark-skinned man who replied, "We agree, Commander. Dr Odine, if you would." He turned dark eyes on Squall and Seifer. "Your answer."
Squall tapped his head. "I have an unusual connection with my GFs; Shiva is currently stationed at FH with my people, acting as a go-between for information."
Odine looked over, eyes greedy, and Seifer stepped between Squall and the scientist, practically seething with protective fury. "Over my dead body," he promised.
"I wasn't aware such could be possible," the dark-skinned man said to Squall, frowning.
Squall shrugged. "I have no explanation for the ability, it's simply something I've always been able to do. It's serving us well at the moment."
"I can imagine," Laguna murmured.
"Squally," Seifer called, realisation and concern dancing over the sense of him at the back of Squall's mind.
Squall shot him a questioning look.
"If she's sending soldiers to FH, it's likely she's doing the same to other towns, threatening to burn them down if they don't give up Elle."
Squall closed his eyes; he hadn't even thought of that. "Shiva, tell Cid and Beau we need to start deploying SeeDs along the coastal towns; they'll be her first targets. Make sure everyone is well-stocked with Water magic."
'I will see it done. What are your orders if they are too late?'
"Search for survivors and get them back to Garden."
"Doc K is going to love you for that one," Seifer teased.
Squall shook his head. "She'll make do. And Trabia's doctor can take part of the burden."
'They will be away before you return,' Shiva promised.
"Thank you." Squall sighed and tugged on his necklace. "We'll take Bahamut back. If we get out of here quickly enough, we may be able to catch that Galbadian before he reaches the mainland."
'And then I can eat him,' Bahamut agreed.
Squall shrugged. "If that's really what you want to do, I won't stop you."
"Mmm, crunchy Galbadian. I bet he'd taste better with a little char–" Seifer started before snapping his mouth shut when Squall pinned him with an unimpressed look. "Hey, I am not the one saying I want to eat people," he pointed out.
"You're also not a dragon."
"You know, if you start letting him eat people–"
"Shut up, Almasy, or you're on infirmary duty."
"In Trabia?"
"In Balamb. With Miss Heartilly."
"It is done!" Odine called, walking over with a stack of loose paper. "Take these, make him–" he pointed at Seifer, who offered a wide smile with too much teeth in response "–leave."
Squall nodded and rolled the stack as he easily swung his pack off one shoulder and caught it with the other hand to pull open. "Much obliged, Dr Odine. Seifer, let's go."
The dark-skinned man caught them up before they reached the exit of the laboratory, Laguna not far behind. "I expect you're returning to the Airstation?"
Squall blinked. "Where we arrived?" he asked and the man nodded. "Yes. I see no reason to call Bahamut on the walkway and terrify your people."
"We appreciate that," the man replied. Once they were outside, he called to the soldiers waiting there, "Return their weapons. President Laguna and I will see them back to the Airstation so they can leave."
Squall paused to accept Sheer Trigger back and took the chance to look back at Laguna, vaguely surprised. He'd expected that his father had some pull in the city, since he'd come to meet them at the lab and Odine had allowed himself to be ordered around by him, but he hadn't expected him to be the president.
The walk back to the Airstation was quiet, Seifer and Squall setting a quick pace, with Laguna and his companion taking pains to keep up.
On the landing pad, Squall called, "Bahamut," and the dragon appeared.
"Squall," Laguna said behind him, voice quiet and uncertain.
Squall resisted the urge to sigh and turned to look at his father. "President Loire," he replied, keeping his tone bland.
Laguna slumped slightly. "Was your mother called Raine? Of Winhill?"
Squall shrugged and nodded. "That's what Sis – Elle – told me."
Laguna closed his eyes, and Squall started back towards Bahamut. "Did she say who your father was?" Laguna called after him as Bahamut picked him up.
Squall offered his father a faint smile. "You are," he replied before ordering his GF, "Let's go."
Bahamut took off, leaving Laguna's shocked stare behind.
1 - Water in My Eyes ||| 2 - Delusional Sunset ||| 3 - Reach For Your Metal
4 - Carry This Burden Alone ||| 5 - Somewhere Worse Than Here ||| 6 - Bound and Breakin'
7 - Clouds of Sulphur ||| 8 - I Will Be With You ||| 9 - Every Story I Have Told is a Part of Me & You
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