Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Body Switch ❯ Zell´s inner conflict ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: I'm tired of writing that down, so just look on the first chapter. Ok. Rico and Modo are mine. (sort of mine)

Author's note: Yay, Me getting fan-mail. ^____^ I was so happy. ^^ I know, I let you readers down, but I´m so sorry. I wanted to write a Beyblade-fanfic. for my friend as long as my beta-reader was busy. .....And she was busy for a long time, ¬_¬ ....ne, CC-chan? No I don´t blame her, She has a life and I wish I could have my own private life, but there is almost no time to write anything. I got also mails with one and the same question. What is the meaning of the whole story? Let me tell you so much. Did you ever thought of the consequences if you live in another person´s body???

Me sorry. -___-" I know, I didn't do anything at all, but you as you can see, I've made also a prequel just for you. ^^ So please don't hit me. Ok? You should read the prequel first, so you can follow. Got it? First prequel then chapter. Then I have a request for all readers: Please don't spoil any fanfics with questions. Ok? If you have really urgent questions, then please send an e-mail. Not only for my fanfics, but for all fanfics in general. The authors will appreciate it. No hard feelings Hellcat, ok? ^_~

Warning: yaoi. Seifer and Zell

My replies to all the reviews of the last chapter. I know I didn´t update for months and I´m sorry, but I didn´t had so much time and I also worked on the prequel. I´d appreciate it if you would read the prequel as well. Because I put much time and effort in it and also my beta CC-chan. By the way, Thanks CC-chan, great work like always. (I didn´t expect anything else. ^^)

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@Cristalys: Thank you for the many reviews. I´m really speechless. And I did hurry to update the story only for loyal readers like you are. Arigato again and enjoy chapter 6.

@ rxcspideyb: Yes I know and I enjoy it. ^^ And you wanna know what happens next? ….Why don´t you read it??? ^_~ (Just a joke) Enjoy the next chapter.

@Angie: Thank you for loving my story. *bows* I know id didn´t update for so long. -_-" Gomen. I was busy with the prequel. Forgive me??? I update now and I won´t drop the story.

@Karen McCoy: Ah, I see you changed your name. Don´t know why but if you like. *shrugges* Anyways, if you want to know everything about my OC then you should read the prequel. And please for the future and the sake of every fanfic. author, please don´t go and spoil any fanfics. with these kind of questions. You are always free to send me a mail, ok? ^^

@calikocat: I do now. Enjoy the chapter and review soon. ^_^

@Jade Babe1: A Rico-fan?! Well that´s certainly new. ^^ But I like it. Rico has fans, wow that´s really great. ^o^ I hope you´ll enjoy the prequel and the part about him. Well about the cliffhangers, you´ll have to deal with them. That´s just the way I am. Gomen Nasai. ^_^U

@Renn: I do, I do update. Here chapter 6. ^_^

@Rasberry Jam: You did the prequel well, CC-chan. And there is no need to hide your excitement. (sounds kinky. =^^=)

@Caska Almasy: All the sugar you have? Is that much??? I hope so. ^^ And thanks for loving my story and also for the compliment. ^_~ Here is the next chappie.

@Holy Malfoy: I continue, I continue. Thanks for the compliment. And you don´t need to send me chocolate. Though I wouldn´t mind. ^^

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Fanfiction notes:

"Words"

~Thoughts~

Chapter 6

By Little Leila

Seifer could only stare at the spot, from where Zell and the huge robot had fallen into the sea. Why? Why did that happen? Rico shook him out of his thoughts.

"C'mon, the current here flows from east to west. We'll go and look for him there on the beach."

It was a small chance, but it was all what Seifer had to hold onto. Zell had to be alive. He just had to! What would he do if he was really dead? Seifer banished those thoughts immediately out of his mind. This was a mission. This was a test! He had to stay sane! And Zell's death had to be proved first.

So they ran down the path as fast as they could. Rico was smaller than Seifer, but surprisingly fast. Seifer had problems keeping up with him. When they reached the beach, Rico turned around. Seifer had enough time to stop in his tracks, before he bumped into him.

"Seifer, run to the ship! I'll look for Zell."

He pointed to ship, which was only a few hundred yards away. Seifer hadn't noticed the ship until then. He had been too worried about Zell to notice anything else. The world could've fallen apart and he wouldn't have noticed it. When Seifer didn't move, Rico got impatient.

"Seifer, this is a Seed test and you better get to the ship. Or do you want to fail? They'll kick you out of Garden if you fail, you know that!"

"Do you really think I care about the damn test now??? Zell needs help. Our help! And I'm not going anywhere until I know he's safe."

Seifer's feelings and his growing desperation got the better of him. He knew he'd be kicked out of Garden. But he didn't care. They had to find Zell and they were running out of time, because of a stupid argument. Seifer was desperate and angry at the same time.

"SCREW THE TEST, RICO!!! YOU HEAR ME?! SCREW IT! ZELL'S LIFE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE DAMN TEST."

Rico was quite impressed. He didn't expect such an outburst from Seifer, of all people. At first he was suspicious if he could really trust Seifer, but Zell had begged him to try and to forgive him. Now Rico was really convinced. After all those years, Seifer Almasy, the greatest jerk in Balamb Garden, had changed.

He couldn't convince Seifer to leave, even if he'd try it, so he gave in.

"Ok. But don't come to me crying over failing the *damn* test, as you put it so nicely." He smirked.

Rico took his radio set and contacted Modo. Seifer couldn't hear him, because Rico had moved away a few feet into the direction of the sea. Seifer stepped up next to him when he put the radio set away.

Rico trusted Seifer enough to know he would keep his mouth, so they only had to look after Becky. And that...was Modo's job now.

~~~

Oh, how he hated it. Why did he always get the dirty jobs? Modo put his radio set away when Becky entered the cabin.

"Hey.... great. I made it in time! I can still become a Seed!!! Oh, it's soooooo great, isn't it Modo." She cried happily.

"Ohhh, .....yes. Uhm sure, Becky. Whatever you say." Modo sweatdropped slightly.

Becky was hyper and excited again. She never imagined that a Seed test could be so exciting. So she babbled about what she would do, when she'd return to Trabia.

"Ohhhh. I must tell this to all my friends. Then they will want to make the Seed test too, as soon as possible. What do you think? Their jaws will drop for sure, when I tell them the things I've seen today. How the robot attacked and how you swung you sword, wuuush" She made a gesture, like swinging a sword.

"And how Rico jumped on your shoulder and, ...and oh yeah your buddy's arm, what was his name again, .... ahhh doesn't matter. ....And how we ran down the path, ...."

Modo sweatdropped some more. He knew Selphie, and how bubbly she could be. But compared to Becky, she was almost normal. It was time to end this. Rico gave him an order, which he had to follow. He stepped towards Becky, while taking something out of his pocket. He felt sorry for her, but it had to be done if they wanted to keep Zell and the whole incident a secret. With Seifer it was different. Modo trusted Seifer, because he was also from Balamb Garden. They could watch and control what he was doing. Besides, Seifer only had a few people to talk to, as sad as it was. And he knew that Zell's new body was half cybernetic, so he would keep quiet. Becky wouldn't tell anyone, anything about the Seed test. Not now and not ever!

When he stood next to her, he laid his right arm over her shoulder, pulling her close to him. Becky was shocked and shut up immediately when she was in Modo's strong arms. She was about to ask what he was doing. Looking up into his violet eyes, she was met with an intense glance. Becky was unable to form a sentence, she was lost in light, violet orbs. A color like the colorful sky at dawn in the summertime, when it shifted from black to blue and from blue to the mentioned violet. Becky blushed furiously. Modo whispered to her.

"I'm sorry."

Before she could ask him for what, she felt a pain in her neck, like electricity. Everything went black for Becky and she slumped against Modo's chest.

~~~

Rico reached out with his soul and his senses, feeling the different energies of life in the wide open sea. Every fish, every coral and every other living creature in this sea had their own aura and energy. Rico could feel everything and the amount of different auras was almost overwhelming. It was like seeing how multiple colors mixed together, creating a new color. And getting dizzy by staring at the amount of color for too long. Rico saw this, not with his eyes, not through his glasses but with his soul and his senses.

There was something. Three, stronger auras! Three lights, which were brighter than the rest of the small sparks of light around them. Two lights, which slowly died down and a flickering, familiar light, which was floating through the water, to the surface. It had to be Zell then. Rico spotted the source and ran into the sea, not even bothering to take his glasses off.

Seifer could only stare how Rico dived in. He had flinched when Rico suddenly ran and jumped into the water without telling him a single word. All he could do was wait. Wait for Rico to break trough the surface again, hopefully with Zell. He felt so helpless in that moment. Seifer's first thought was to follow him, but Rico was too fast. Then he didn't know exactly where Zell was. It would be a totally blind search. He had to trust Rico, that was all he could do.

Suddenly there was a sound a few feet away to his right and Rico broke through the surface. And he had Zell with him. They both collapsed on the beach. Zell was alive and conscious. Rico stood up again, panting heavily like Zell, who was on all fours trying to regain his senses. Zell's black fighting suit was shredded on some parts. The protecting armor was partly sliced and dented.

Seifer rushed to them and was about to kneel down next to Zell, when he heard a cry of pain. He looked down and Zell held his head with his left hand. Something was wrong. Zell shivered and cried out in pain again. Rico knelt next to him laying one arm over his shoulder to support him. Seifer felt a pang of jealousy running through his veins, like all the times before when Rico or Modo comforted his fallen angel. This wasn't the right moment nor situation for jealousy so he shook it off. Rico turned his head to Seifer.

"I'll look for Zell. You better go and get to the ship. Modo can't tell them to wait forever."

Seifer was reluctant to go. Rico saw this and tried to convince him.

"You can do nothing for him at the moment, maybe later but not now. Don't worry, he'll be fine. Better for you to pass the test, ....or Zell will smack you, if you don't." He joked half-hearted.

He hated to see Zell in pain and he was still reluctant to go, but what could he do? Rico seemed to always be right. Seifer didn't know why Zell was in pain, so he couldn't help him. The best thing to do was to go to the ship, but leaving them behind?

"Seifer, just go! We're only the back-up team; another ship will come and get us. Unlike you, we don't have a Seed test running."

Must he always mention it? Ok, Rico won this round. Seifer looked a last time at Zell, then he ran off into the direction of the ship. When he was at the entrance he could hear Zell, yelling in pain about something. Seifer was too far away to hear what Zell's words were. He walked through the entrance with a heavy heart, wishing he could do anything for Zell at all.

Since the last passenger had arrived, the captain of the ship gave the order to leave the beach and to head straight for Balamb. The door of the entrance went shut and the ship left, leaving two of the back-up behind.

~~~

Lightning's shot through his memory like a never-ending thunderstorm. After seeing the light, the memory switched, making the trail of memories look like frozen pictures. It hurt! It hurt so much, like always when he remembered his past.

After he collapsed on the sand, he tried to see straight again, blinking the salty water of the sea out of his eyes. When he saw the sand beneath him. Something shot through his mind.

A lightning.

Then sand and the sea. He was running. Running? Why? The sense of danger! He was running away! From what?

Another lightning.

Squall? He was running too! Why? The same source of the danger. Squall ran away from ....it.

Another lightning.

He had reached something. A ship? A feeling of safety. Yes, he was safe now. Selphie? Also in the ship! Someone was missing! Who? He turned around.

Another lightning.

Squall?! He was still running! The ship? It's leaving! And Squall? He jumped! Jumped away from ....it. Now he saw it! A robot! Similar to the one he'd fought before without the tail. The thing, it aimed at Squall. And then .....

A sharp pain.

Zell blinked a few times to clear his vision seeing Rico next to him. He still felt a sharp pain on his left cheek. Did Rico hit him? He looked down, seeing Rico's right fist. Yes, he had hit him. The train of memories still burning in his mind.

Whenever Zell remembered something, the pictures of his memories were connected with lightning and the pain he felt, whenever a light flashed. In this state he wasn't himself. He was in another world, a trancelike state. Sometimes he collapsed to the ground and later when he woke up he could remember something. But on rare occasions, the pain was unbearable. Someone had to hit him, so he could come back. It was like slapping someone, who was hysterical. But in Zell's case, they had to bring him back, before he would hurt himself.

Zell felt tired and exhausted. The memory-flash took all the remaining energy he had left after the fight. His indigo hair, was dripping with salty water. His fighter suit? Shredded and useless. He heard Rico and how he'd ordered another Seed ship to pick them up. But he couldn't follow his words anymore. So he slumped against Rico, unable to control his movements any longer. And welcomed the darkness, which surrounded him in his unconscious state.

~~~

Seifer entered the cabin and saw Modo, sitting in a chair and reading something, while Becky was on the couch seemingly asleep.

~Strange! Normally Becky is the always-hyper-Selphie-clone. And now she's asleep?~

For Seifer there was something wrong. He went to Becky's side and tried to shake her, but she didn't wake up nor did she stir.

"She won't wake up!" Modo said in a surprisingly calm voice and not even looking up from the book.

"What have you done?"

Seifer once more looked at Becky.

"Wait, ....don't tell me you ki ...."

"....Killed her?" Modo finished for him.

Seifer didn't like this. Modo was too calm for his own good. And he didn't even bother or react when Seifer practically accused him for murder. Modo looked up from his book for the first time since Seifer had entered the cabin. Well if Modo was a murderer, Seifer would give him a run for his money.

"Well did you....?" Seifer repeated while taking Hyperion.

"But of course, ......not! If you take a closer look you'll see she's breathing. Rule one for first aid! Check pulse and breathing. Guess you've never learned that."

Seifer looked at Becky and realised she was breathing but it was shallow. He put Hyperion down and sat next to Becky's sleeping form. He relaxed slightly and made himself comfortable.

"Ok, ....tell me Modo. What have you done, then? Did you tire the poor thing out? Well, I didn't know you had so much stamina. She is almost comatose and you still have the strength to read a book? I'm really impressed."

Seifer gave him a dirty smirk, while Modo was blushing. For Seifer it looked kinda funny. He had never seen Modo blush before, and now??? The great, mean, ruthless biker, Modo was blushing! Seifer was almost laughing out loud.

"I don't know what X-rated thoughts you have, El Stupido, but I certainly didn't do *that*."

"Then what are you waiting for? For an invitation?"

"No, I don't think you have to send me a card with golden edging. Ok, enough of the jokes. I hope you can follow my subject-estharien, that's what Rico calls it. ....We can't risk anyone to know about Zell. If we do, then Zell will count to the *Wonders of the World* in the next newspaper. The Garden and Esthar have to keep the incident a secret."

"I still don't get why."

"Think around the corner, Almasy. If you could switch your soul into another body. Wouldn't this mean you could also switch from a sixty years old body into one, which is only twenty?"

Seifer noticed what Modo was implying with it.

"Eternal life!?"

"Correct! Practically, you would grant yourself eternal life. If somebody ever heard of the whole incident, then I'm sure a few terrorists would make their presence known in Esthar, and this very soon. We can't risk terrorist assaults or even just a few lunatics to cause something like the next sorceress war only because of a single experiment."

"Ok, you have a point, but what makes you so sure that, right now at this moment, nobody was listening? And Becky?"

"One by one, Seifer. First, did you really think I would say this out loud, if I didn't know and check if the cabin is soundproof? It is, believe me. Second, with Becky it's another thing. She can promise me a hundred times, she won't tell and yet she'll let something slip sooner or later. We both know we have a second Selphie here and she is as bubbly as our hyper Garden-child, if not more. So my task was to delete her memory."

Seifer gave him an accusing look and raised an eyebrow. Modo saw what he meant.

"No. I didn't delete all, and no, ....I didn't take advantage of her. Now quit it!" Modo replied annoyed.

"I didn't say a single word, but if you say so. Then, I guess, I have to believe it." Seifer said mockingly.

"Anyways, I invented this here." Modo held up a small metallic thing looking like a pen with a needle in the front.

"I call it an STMS. Translated: A short-term memory shocker. A small amount of electricity is centered in the needle, which I stick through the skin right into the nerve. Uhmm, of course not a random nerve. Every human has a special nerve in his neck, which is directly connected with the short-term memory. The electricity in the pen is enough to delete the memory of one hour, not more."

Seifer gave him a questioning look and Modo sighed. He knew he would have to explain it much easier.

"In other words, Becky won't remember anything that happened in the time-line of the last hour. And she will soon wake up. I hope, this was easy enough."

"That's all I wanted to know." Seifer teased.

"You're still a jerk Seifer, but the difference between now and maybe two years ago is, you're bearable now."

Suddenly, Becky stirred and tried to open her eyes. Seifer looked at her, concerned over her reaction. If she really forgot it, wouldn't she freak out to be on a Seed ship, instead in the middle of a mission? Modo gave him a signal to keep quiet and let him do the talking. She sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes when she looked around.

"....Where ....am I? Seifer? What are you ....doing here?"

Suddenly she looked at Modo, who was again reading in his book.

"And who is he???"

It had worked. Becky didn't remember him, because she didn't meet Modo a hour ago. Modo looked up from his book directly to her.

"Well, good morning sleeping beauty. We've been worried about you. You got a pretty good hit in the side by the enemy and you were unconscious for one or two hours. By the way, I'm Modo part of the back-up."

"Where is Allan?"

"I'm sorry to tell you this, but Allan didn't make it. We couldn't do anything for him."

"Oh, ...no." Becky whispered.

She didn't shed any tears, but she had a sad expression on her face for the rest of the journey back to Balamb Garden.

~~~

Seifer was pacing up and down in the hallway, near his classroom. He was worried. Worried if he had passed the test and worried about Zell's health. Becky leaned against the wall, she was upset. In her belief, she'd slept through the Seed test. Why should she pass? She had done nothing to pass the test. What would she tell her friends in Trabia Garden? That she'd failed, because she was out cold? No, she couldn't. This would be to embarrassing to bear for her.

"Seifer, stop it! You're walking a hole in the floor." Becky told him, annoyed by his pacing.

Seifer didn't listen. He was too busy with worrying; he didn't even notice the instructor, who came to call the new Seeds.

"Brian Granger, ....Becky Auron, ....Natsume Haibara, .....Seifer Almasy. This students have passed the Seed test. Everyone else, .....dismissed."

Becky jumped around almost doing a flip, when she noticed that Seifer had stopped pacing, but didn't move either. He just stood there, staring at nothing in particular.

"Hey, Seifer!" She tried.

He didn't move.

"Seifer?"

He still didn't move. Seifer seemed to be in lala land with his mind. That was enough for Becky, the others were already moving to the elevator and they were still standing on the same spot. She was so excited about passing, angry because Seifer didn't move and impatient. These feelings all mixed together changed Becky from the happy-go-lucky-state into the Pissed-of-like-hell-state. She took a deep breath and yelled at him angrily for the first time.

"SEIFER, YOU STUPID MORON!!! GET MOVING, OR DO I HAVE TO DRAG YOU TO THE HEADMASTER'S OFFICE????"

Seifer and all the students, who hadn't left already, flinched at the sound of Becky's voice. When Becky realized she'd lost her composure, she blushed and took Seifer by his sleeve and literally dragged him to the elevator. She had done it again and embarrassed herself in public. All she wanted to do now was to get away from them and into the headmaster's office.

~~~

He'd made it! Seifer Almasy was a Seed of Balamb Garden from now on. The news spread like wildfire in Garden. Seifer was on his way to the infirmary. He had a few hours left until the Seed party would start. On his way, he got many jealous looks from other students. And a few of them looked even disgusted. He couldn't care less. He was more concerned about Zell's health, than what others might think about him.

The tall blond went through the door of the infirmary, when Doctor Kadowaki came out of the room with the *No entry* sign. Zell was probably in this room, but since the Doctor was here, he couldn't enter the room without her permission.

"How is he?" Seifer asked.

The Doc presumed, that Seifer was talking about the only patient she had at the moment. She closed the door silently and went to her desk with Seifer following her.

"I'm surprised Mr. Almasy, I didn't think you were concerned about a student, named Shane Dranzer?"

"He knows it Doctor Kadowaki." Rico came in.

"Oh, ok. And since you're here I suppose you want to know too?!"

Seifer was silent the whole time, slightly annoyed he noticed that someone was missing.

"Hey Rico, where did you leave the big guy, ....better known as Modo?"

Rico gave him an amused smirk and made himself comfortable in one chair, which stood in front of Doctor Kadowaki's desk.

"Oh, You mean the *walking, talking, blueprint of Disaster*??? He is in his lab."

"His, ...what?"

"His dorm room!"

"Well boys, I thought you wanted to know how Zell was." Doctor Kadowaki smiled.

"Of course Doctor, I'm sorry. Please tell us." Rico apologized quickly.

"Well, ....he had lost much energy and blood through the fall. He was lucky, though. It could have been a lot worse. I patched him up and gave him a few cura spells and I've finished the recharge now. He should rest some more but I'm sure he'll be ok by evening."

"Did you check his brain, too?" Rico asked.

"Yes, and everything is ok. The memory rush didn't cause any damage."

"A memory rush?" Seifer repeated

"Yes, that's why you couldn't help Zell. His head hurts, when he remembers anything from his past. Things he shouldn't be able to remember. That's what Doctor Odine told us." Rico told him in a suspicious voice.

Seifer remembered the discussion with Squall and what he'd told him.

"So you also think that Doctor Odine plays with marked cards?"

"What do you mean with *also*?"

"Squall thinks the same!" Seifer answered.

Rico became silent; he crossed his arms over his chest like always when he was thinking.

"You've heard what you wanted to hear and now, I think you should go. Both of you! Zell needs to rest, you can come in the evening again."

"Yes, Doctor Kadowaki." Seifer agreed.

Seifer turned to the door; he hadn't bothered to sit before. The door slid open but Rico was still sitting. With his glasses on, it looked more like he was sleeping.

"Rico? ...."

"Huh, .... I mean, yeah?"

Seifer raised an eyebrow at him.

"We should go."

Rico stood up, while Seifer went out of the door. He turned around to Doctor Kadowaki.

"Doc, if his state changes, please inform me or Modo."

"Don't worry Richard, I will. Now out!"

Seifer waited outside in the hallway for Rico. What was Rico thinking? Didn't he trust Doctor Odine either? But why?

Rico approached Seifer with a very slow pace, his gaze fixed to the floor. When he was next to Seifer he looked up, but didn´t face him and took a deep breath.

"Penny for you thoughts, ....Rico? Might wanna tell me, why you start thinking like Squall."

"I'm not sure, Seifer. I didn't want to say this front of Doctor Kadowaki. And I ...can't tell you, not until I'm totally sure, because I don't have a single evidence to prove my theory. ....Seifer?!."

"Yeah?"

"Congratulations."

Rico's dark sunglasses made it hard for Seifer to read his face. But since Rico was smiling a genuinely smile, he assumed Rico meant it in all honesty.

"Thanks, Rico."

"You should get ready. The Seed party starts in two hours. You don't want to miss it, do you?"

"Of course not. See you later?"

"Maybe, but first I have to look after Modo. Seeing if he'd blown up his room again." He chuckled.

Rico and Seifer parted when they reached the Dormitory. Seifer went into his dorm room to change for the Seed party and hoped to see Zell at the party, too.

~~~

"Thanks Doctor Kadowaki."

A young student with shoulder length, indigo hair was about to leave the infirmary, when Doctor Kadowaki held him back.

"Not so fast Mr. .....Shane Dranzer." The old woman said in a mocking voice.

The woman sighed and went to the young man.

"You're impossible, really. No matter in what form, you're still running away, when I need to take blood from you for further examinations. It will only take a minute, now sit down."

She was right. Zell always ran away when it came to things like that. He wasn't afraid of the needle, but he had bad experience from it. When he was a child at age six, he had to go to a Doctor in Balamb. After the man had taken blood from him and examined it, he wanted to keep Zell in a laboratory for some.... experiments. Of course, Zell's mother was against it and never visited the Doctor again. Zell never understood, why they wanted to do some experiments with him, he was a normal kid, nothing special. And he wasn't so sick, that they had to keep him in quarantine. Now he was afraid of the same situation. Afraid that some freaks wanted to do some experiments.

But now, he was practically grown up. And it was only Doctor Kadowaki and she surely wouldn't make any experiments with him, which weren't necessary. He agreed and she finished the job in a matter of five minutes.

"Ok, now you're done. You should rest some more and eat of course. I hope you don't do any more stunts like that."

"Sorry Doc, I can't promise anything. I don't know what exactly happened. All I remember is the fight and suddenly, I'm on the beach. And when I saw the sand, I had a memory rush."

"That's really strange. ....Maybe it was the fall, or maybe you'll remember it later, we'll see. You should go now, if you don't want to miss the Seed party."

Zell looked sadly towards the ground, then he got up and put his shirt on. He went silently to the door to get out of the recharge-room. Doctor Kadowaki held him back once more.

"Zell, what's the matter?" She asked in a low voice

There was a long pause until Zell could form a sentence, which explained his pain.

"Zell Dincht is an official Seed, but not ....Shane Dranzer."

Zell left without another word and went out of the infirmary.

~~~

Seifer waited in the in quad. He was dressed in the official Seed uniform and he waited for Zell to show up. A few girls asked him for a dance and also ....a few guys but he persistently refused. After a half an hour of waiting, he decided to search for his dark angel. He had made his appearance known at the party and now he could go, nobody would miss him anyway.

So he walked out of the quad into the hallway, thinking of what to do first. He wanted to see Zell, but he wasn't anywhere near the quad. Where to search???

~There are only two places left since the cafeteria is closed by now. His room and the trainings centre. I doubt that he would hang out with his friends this late.~

Seifer made a logical decision. He would first look in Zell's dorm room and if he wasn't there, he could still go to his own room, change into his every day clothes, take Hyperion and search in the trainings center. It would be suicide to enter the trainings center more or less unequipped. And if he was in the secret area? Seifer blushed slightly at the possibilities he had there and tried to stop his trail of thoughts. Luckily for him it was nobody in the hallways except him. People would give him suspicious glances, if they'd catch him blushing at nothing in particular.

Soon he stood in front of Zell's door and knocked. When nobody answered he tried it again.

"Zell?"

Again nothing!

~Ok so he isn't home. Let's check the trainings centre.~

After Seifer had changes into his usual attire, he took Hyperion and junctioned Diablos and Shiva. On his way to the trainings center, he felt slightly afraid. Not because of the monsters in the trainings center, but what he should tell his dark Angel when he'd found him.

He walked through the heavy doors and stood in the middle of a jungle. If he started with the left side or the right it didn't matter. In the end he would only walk in a circle when he followed the path, and end up where he started. Taking the right path, he'd hoped to find the martial artist soon.

He walked for fifteen minutes, when he heard the sound of a battle. Seifer ran into the direction where the sound came from. Soon he was near the battlefield and had found what he had searched for. Zell fought alone against two grats and didn't seem to have any problems. Seifer knew that Zell could take care of them by himself and also how the martial artist hated interruptions. So Seifer settled down into the high grass, watching the battle without being noticed. Since Zell was fighting, Modo must've fixed his arm totally.

Zell seemed to be pissed off, from the way he fought. Or was it just him? Zell's punches and kicks had more power and he fought more ....aggressive. With a final kick, the first grat wilted and died. The second grat tried to put her deadly opponent to sleep, which he didn't appreciate very much. Zell had his eyes closed and held his breath, until he was sure that nothing of the sleeping powder was in the air anymore.

Seifer knew, that if Zell was only angry before, now he was surely pissed off. Suddenly, Seifer felt a cold shiver of fear when Zell opened his eyes again. He had a terrifying scowl on his face. The same he had in his argument with Melissa. A scowl, which promised death and made everyone really shiver in fear, even Seifer. There wasn't a trace of Zell anymore, for Seifer, this seemed to be ....another person.

Zell scowl softened, but the evil glint in his unique, blue eyes was still there. He was mocking the grat, trying to provoke her.

"Is that all you have? Dust?" He chuckled maliciously.

The grat tried to escape, knowing her opponent was about to give her the final blow, but Zell was faster. He held her tendrils and put them down to the ground, and then he stepped on them to have his hands free. The poor plant pulled at the tendrils in vain, Zell was much too heavy. He stepped on the tendrils, like he was walking on a thin line on the street and approached the doomed monster on this way. After what seemed like forever, he stood in front of the grat, with every step he'd made, he'd caused a lot pain. The grat was screeching out in fear, sensing her cruel enemy so near to herself.

"You should thank me for ending you misery." Zell said in a cold voice, before ripping the two leaves in front of her mouth out.

The monster cried out, but Zell wasn't finished yet. Since the two leaves were missing, the mouth, of the grat, stood wide open. The plant couldn't close it. Zell made his final move. He sent his right fist through the open mouth, not even caring about the sharp teeth. The martial artist felt how his fist went through the walls of the grat's stomach, but it wasn't enough. With a movement of his wrist, the claws of his combat glove shot out, slicing the insides of the grat open. The monster was practically drowning in it's own green blood. Zell put his hand out of the grats mouth and cleaned his green stained hand on his pants, while watching the grat wilting with an obsessive fascination.

Seifer sat in the grass, not believing his eyes. This couldn't be Zell and yet he was. How could a person, with such angelic features, be the incarnation of cruelty?

After the grat had died, Zell shook his head and blinked a few times. He looked down at the death plant and shrugged. Seifer went out of his hiding place when he was sure that Zell was his old self again.

"Nice job." Seifer made his presence known.

Zell turned to his right, surprise written all over his face. Yes, Seifer was sure now. It was Zell, and no one else.

"Hey Seifer, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the party?"

"I could ask you the same, I wanted to know how you were, but since I saw you fighting, ...." Seifer pointed at the grat.

"....I guess you're ok. So there is only the first question left. Why didn't *you* attend to the party?"

"I think we both know the reason." Zell said in a bitter voice.

Seifer started to panic for a minute. Was he the reason? Didn't Zell want to see him? He calmed down, he would never know the truth, if he jumped to conclusions.

"Maybe you do, but I certainly don't. Care to tell me?" Seifer asked with faked confusion.

The dark haired fighter sighed and raised his eyebrows in a you-have-to-be-kidding-me-manner. When Zell spoke again, he sounded like he would talk to a little child instead of Seifer Almasy, who was older than Zell himself.

"You are a Seed. I'm not! ....And the Seed party is only for Seeds. Ok?"

Right, Seifer had forgotten it. Not the rule with the Seed party. He was so used to Zell's new body, that he'd forgotten what everyone else thought. For him, it was Zell. For everyone else it was Shane Dranzer. Seifer assumed it pissed Zell off, ...so much that he let his anger out on some unlucky grats, which were stupid enough to cross his path.

This would be an explanation.

"Sorry, I always forget that. You look different for others, ...but not for me."

Zell smiled and took it as a compliment. Seifer had a strange way to make him feel better with tiny gestures or a few words.

"Thanks Seifer, I know yo ......DUCK!"

Seifer didn't ask why or turned around. He ducked like Zell had told him, he would have his reasons. When he got up, he quickly turned around. A grat had snuck up behind him, while they had talked and Zell saw it, before it could hit Seifer with a tendril. Seifer unsheathed Hyperion and charged at the grat. He cut the tendrils and skewered the grat on the tip of his gunblade. That was enough for the grat to wilt and die.

Suddenly there was a scream. For Seifer, a familiar scream of pain and agony. He spun around only to see, how Zell held his head in indescribable pain.

~~~

Seifer had skewered the grat, but why did he felt like knowing what the grat went through. Why did he feel like knowing all of this??? He stood on the spot unmoving and suddenly. Extreme pain.

A lightning.

A Fight? He wasn't alone! Squall and Rinoa? These were their names! And the opponent?

Another lightning.

A GF on a horse! Odin? He's blocking the view! Was he the enemy? ...No! But, ...who is it?

Another lightning.

The GF attacks! The enemy? Yes...! Is he successful? ....No! Why? ....He splits into two!

Another lightning.

The face of the enemy! Seifer?! A feeling of betrayal! Why?

Another lightning.

Seifer charges! At whom? ....at him! The feeling? Surprise, sadness, ....pain! The destiny? .....Death!

A final lightning

Zell could hear words of concern, but he didn't care. He was afraid. Afraid of more pain, of more agony. He didn't know where he was or what he was doing anymore. He knew a person came into his direction, he could feel their presence. He held a hand out to stop them, whoever it was, in fear of hurting them in this state. His head was still spinning and it hurt, but Zell dared to open his eyes. And what he saw was a familiar figure. His friends and ..... also a bully. A person he held very dearly and ....his enemy.

"You, .....you...." Zell didn't know he'd spoken the words out loud.

~~~

Seifer was desperate, Zell was screaming in pain and he was again helpless. Why didn't Rico tell him what to do, in case it would happen again? The screaming didn't last for long.

"Zell ? .... Zell, please let me help you."

He tried to reach Zell's side when the dark-haired Angel held a hand out, giving Seifer a sign to stay where he was.

Zell still held his head, but slowly he opened his eyes. Seifer would never forget the look in Zell's unusual blue orbs. A look which held fear, betrayal and hurt. Zell was in a trancelike state. Seifer made one step, but Zell backed away. Zell tried to speak.

"You, .....you...." He started in normal tone.

Seifer stood on his place waiting for Zell to finish what he wanted to say. He didn't know, that the following words would shatter his world.

"You, ...killed me!"

~~~

Tbc.

Uh oh, Zell starts remembering bad day for good ol´ Seifer. *snickers* That´s what my dear Seifer-muse gets, when he annoys me. Mean punishment, don´t you think?

Let me guess, you think I let Seifer suffer so much because I hate him?! No, in fact, it´s quiet the opposite. I love him to death. (Literally. ^^U) Oh, please don´t kill me, I´ll fix that, I promise. ^_~

I really must get sugar high some day. …..In near future maybe. Maybe I should bring the sentence in TV as a running gag, but I just have to say it again.

Please read the prequel, there are months of effort in every little chapter. ^^

Review please.

(And please, don´t be mad at me for the delay. ^_^)