Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ FF8: Tales Of The Surly Knight ❯ Act IV: Causality, Part II ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: All FF8 characters are courtesy of Squaresoft Enix

 

Tales of the Surly Knight

 

“-why, they were never so truly turned over

and over as my poor self in love. Marry, I

cannot show it in rhyme. I have tried.

I can find out no rhyme to `lady' but `baby,'

an innocent rhyme; for `scorn,' `horn,'

a hard rhyme; for `school,' `fool,'

a babbling rhyme. Very ominous endings.

No, I was not born under a rhyming planet,

Nor I cannot woo in festival terms.”

 

-Much Ado, Act V.iv. -

 

 

ACT V (Part II)

Causality

 

 

Underground Balamb…

 

Seifer and Quistis charged into the large goblin infested chamber. Seifer rushed in first, brandishing Hyperion in a wide circular motion and shouting.

 

“Balamb! Balamb! Invictus Ignis Pectoris!”

 

Several goblin heads were severed in the wake of his sword's deadly blade. Quistis was right behind him, cracking her whip to keep the creatures away while she did her share.

 

“Float!”

 

Amidst the commotion and shrill cries created by their surprise entry, Rinoa started to levitate towards the high domed ceiling. Quistis cast another spell.

 

“Tornado!”

 

An unnatural swirling wind roared wildly around the chamber, picking up shrieking goblins, splintering chairs, and basically causing total havoc. It successfully snuffed off the torches, but the immense chamber was not plunged into absolute darkness as Quistis and Seifer had expected. Nevertheless, with the place being much darker than before, many details came into chiaroscuro relief. Faint beams of moonlight streamed inside from the thin slits that decorated the domed ceiling, dimly illuminating the chamber. They were no longer underground. The archway they've used to enter, had become barely visible in the shadow, but the one facing it cast a faint light into the room. It was probably connected to a better lit room or anteroom that would lead directly to the outside, hence the pale shafts of light…

 

“What da fuck!… Shit!… … Where's da princess? Stevens, where're ya go… … … Ugh!”

 

One of the two humans in the chamber, a tall skinny fellow, was desperately trying to squint his way around the darkness, but unfortunately his left cheek run into Seifer's fist. He slumped onto the floor. Seifer parried the thrust of a pointy goblin sword while he rolled the unconscious body under the table. `No point in letting the prick be trampled to death, we'll want to question the fucker later…' Also, knowing Quistis, she would get mad at him if he did nothing to save the little fuck. Seifer knew he was already in Lady Disdain's bad books for what he'd done earlier… `Humph! As if she wasn't the one who started it!…' Sea-green eyes narrowed dangerously when he spotted a bunch of goblins about to swarm Quistis. Disposing easily of the one who'd been trying to skewer him, he hacked himself a path to where his lady was holding fort…

 

“Tornado”

 

- Shriek! Screech! -

 

Sticking to the relative safety of the shadows cast by the huge columns, Stevens, the other human, had a much keener sense of survival than his hapless cohort. He didn't bother finding out who or what had plunged the place into darkness, and was causing such an incredible uproar. After all, the Boss had named Parsons second-in-command… Let him deal with the problem! He could always say that he escaped so he could get some help! He would come up with an excuse later! All Stevens could think about was getting the hell out! So with a sharp dagger clutched in each hand, he silently started to inch his way out of the darkened chamber, keeping himself concealed in the shadows. He looked back once, but when he saw the immense whirlwind consisting of goblins, and stray pieces of furniture swirling wildly around the centre of the chamber, he gulped down a surprised cry and sped up his escape…

 

Seifer felt rather aggravated upon reaching Quistis. He'd been all bent on saving her from the smelly little fuckers when she'd gone and swept them all away in a puff of wind! However, what irritated him the most was that casting such a powerful spell twice in a row had clearly exhausted her! One sweeping stroke of Hyperion sliced off two more goblins like they were no more than bite-bugs.

 

“Dammit, just look at you! Why do you have to be such a fucking show off?!”

 

He deftly wielded his sword with one hand while he reached out with the other to steady Quistis, who was standing a bit too wobbly for his liking. Ignoring his rebuke, she shook off his hand, and lashed out her whip at an approaching goblin, skilfully flipping the creature in the direction of Seifer's blade, which rose swiftly to deal it a deadly blow.

 

“You should be one to talk!” Quistis's voice rose to a higher pitch as she imitated the snobbish tones of Lady E-, “Oooh! Lord Almasy, you're sooo brave!...”

 

Titania's Wisp lashed into another goblin, which deftly evaded its lethal tendrils, only to be cut down by Hyperion.

 

“Does it bother you, Lady Disdain?”

 

Working in perfect synch with one another, they fought off another bunch of goblins who had coughed-up enough foolish bravado to swarm them.

 

“No! I'm… I'm just disgusted by the display!… And stop calling me that!”

 

A goblin's neck paid the price of Quistis's wrath. Seifer swiftly put the shrieking creature out of its misery.

 

“I will, when you stop being so fucking stuck-up!”

 

“Me? Stuck-up? You arrogant beast!… -Pant- …Have you looked… -Pant- at yourself in a mirror…?”

 

“Dammit, Quis! It's not about me! Look at you! … You're fucking worn-out!”

 

She ignored his comment, and skilfully flicked Titania's Wisp in the direction of another goblin. She had another issue with him.

 

“…And how was I showing off?”

 

“You may have some magic ability, Milady, but you're no sorceress! Casting Tornado twice clearly drained you!”

 

She was feeling a bit tired, but she was also determined to keep up with him. Quistis raised her whip to lash it at another goblin lunging in their direction, but the creature not only managed to evade her blow, it also continued coming at her with its pointy sword!

 

“You little fucker!…”

 

Suddenly Quistis found herself staring at Seifer's broad back, while the goblin's head rolled on the floor.

 

“See what I mean! You're becoming sluggish!”

 

Undeterred by his criticism, she pushed him aside to stand next to him.

 

“I'll have you know, Sir Surly, that casting Tornado was the most expedient way of dealing with that many!… Fire!”

 

Several goblins fell when Seifer swung his lethal blade in a wide arc. A shrieking goblin could be seen streaking across the large chamber, his head on fire. If they were not arguing in such earnest, they would've caught a glimpse of Stevens, who had his back to them, slowly making his way to the exit!

 

“Dammit! Fucking stop using magic!”

 

“Don't you dare order me around! You would never give-up in battle either!”

 

“I also don't get drained the way you do!… And I'm used to fighting!... YOU are NOT!”

 

With one of their human commanders out-cold and the other one `missing', the goblin crowd had diminished significantly. The more cowardly ones had escaped, and the remaining ones consisted of no more than a large handful. Sea-green eyes made a swift assessment of the situation, and came to a quick decision.

 

“Okay, Milady Disdain, get on the table! I can take over from here!”

 

He swung Hyperion slashing a goblin through its thick torso.

 

“No!”

 

Quistis whipped her weapon at another approaching goblin. Her stamina levels were getting a low, but if she could draw up her reserves…

 

“You get on it!… Fire!”

 

There was a very unpleasant smell of burnt goblin.

 

“Why can't you fucking do as told?”

 

One single powerful stroke from Hyperion, and another goblin hit the floor.

 

“I beg your pardon?”

 

Titania's Wisp caught an approaching goblin on the neck, but this one proved to be a very husky one, and damned strong! Grabbing the end of her weapon, it began to rope her to him, smiling lasciviously and displaying an impressive array of very sharp fanglike teeth. Quistis was drawing from her dwindling stock of energy to cast another fire spell, when a sleek black sword swung down on the creature and sliced it neatly in two!

 

“DAMMIT! I fucking said. Get. On. The. Table!”

 

Pure rage had turned the colour of Seifer's eyes into a glittering green. He approached her with a resolute look on his face.

 

“EEek!… Seifer!… … Ouch! Why are you such a barbarian!”

 

Quistis found herself being roughly scooped-up and deposited unceremoniously, bottoms down, on the smooth flat surface of the only piece of furniture left standing in the entire room. He'd done it with one hand, as if she weighted less than a feather! Clutching her whip, she scrambled to be on her knees, and rubbed her tender backside with her free hand. She was about to yell at him again for his high-handed manner, when she spotted a couple of goblins approaching Seifer from his blind side. Not wasting any time, she stood up to full height, and lashed out at them with her whip.

 

- Crack! -

- Swoosh!-

 

Both Hyperion and Titania's Wisp had reacted at the same time…The goblins didn't stand a chance! Quistis's whip lashed into one, making it shriek in pain; while Seifer's sword made a wide sweeping arc taking both of them, and a third one, down.

 

“So, I'm a barbarian now!”

 

“Yes! Yes, you are! You dumped me on the table like I were a sack of chocobo feed!”

 

He pointed Hyperion at a small group of goblins which had been cowing next to one of the soaring pillars in the vast chamber, undecided on whether to charge or not after witnessing so many of their number go down.

 

“Oh! Excuuuse me for trying to save that pretty little butt of yours, Milady!”

 

At the sight of his enraged expression, even creatures as stupid as goblins were reputed to be, were able to read signs of extreme danger. They decided to run away.

 

“You're also crude… …And arrogant beyond belief! … Float!”

 

Quistis interrupted her childish name-calling to recast the spell again on Rinoa-chan, who could be seen slowly floating down. Once she was satisfied that the princess was hovering high up, safely out of harm's way, she sank down on her knees, and resumed her little diatribe.

 

“As I was saying… Dammit, Seifer! You're not listening!”

 

Seifer had turned his back to her. Yes, he was majorly pissed, but he was also very aware that the danger was not over yet. With the last lot that ran away, the place seemed empty of the stinky creatures…but it was dark enough that some might still be lurking around, waiting for a chance to strike. Not that he believed them to be that clever…

 

“Listen? What's there to listen, Milady Disdain, except more insults?…”

 

He wasn't really paying any attention to what she was saying, too busy scanning the huge chamber. Keen eyes scouted the chiaroscuro for any signs of trouble. It bothered him greatly that of the two humans he'd counted, only one had been accounted for…

 

“You seem to take great pleasure in `dissecting' my so called character, babe… Pray do go on… …. Please. Don't stop on my account…”

 

But instead of Quistis's reply, a muffled sound reached his oversensitive ears. Scowling at the noise, he swiftly turned to face her… What he saw enraged him beyond reason!

 

- o0o -

 

Shrouded by the dimness of the vast room, and by the ongoing fight happening in the centre, Stevens had made his way slowly but surely to the exit. He cut down without compunction any goblin that stood in his way, and would've probably made it out of there too… had he not caught sight of Quistis standing full height on the table lashing out at a goblin with her whip. The faint light incoming from the exit archway, cast a golden halo on her long blonde tresses falling all the way past her waist. The velvet bit that held it together, long gone as she fought goblins…

 

“Holy fucking shit!”

 

From that moment onward, Stevens's brain ceased to function, and another organ took over… Had he been thinking properly he would've never dismissed Seifer as just another spoiled rich nob! He could see the ease with which he was hacking away at the little stinkers, but all that useful information was pushed to the very back of his brain… All he saw was a beautiful curvy body clad in a skimpy blue dress, and a shapely pair of long long legs encased in tall boots. Still, he was not completely lost to reason… His thieving instincts kicked into high alert! After long years of successfully robbing and intimidating the pampered rich, Stevens had every confidence that he would be able to accomplish his most spectacular heist yet! He would steal the girl from right under the pretty nob's nose!

 

When he'd first seen the princess, he'd thought her real pretty!… That was the thing with pampered ladies; they kept themselves looking and smelling real nice-like… But the blonde on the table! She was a prize worthy of capture! This one he wouldn't sell! This one he'd keep for his own exclusive use… The sound of goblins shrieking so close to him, shook Stevens off his daydreaming! Since he'd not been paying attention, he didn't know what had terrified the little stinkers enough to ran outside and risk the Boss's temper. He didn't care. He stood his ground in the nearby shadows, patiently waiting for the right moment…

 

Stevens opportunity came when both the nob and the girl turned their back to him. They seemed to be engaged in some sort of argument. He paid no attention to it. He was completely focused on nabbing the girl. Stealthily, with a swiftness that had earned him a name amongst fellow ruffians, he navigated the floor strewn with smelly goblin bodies until he reached the table where his prize was kneeling at the moment. It was obvious she wanted to get off the table. Seizing the opportunity that the little beauty was within easy reach, he quickly covered her mouth with a rough hand backing her head against a massive shoulder. With his other arm, he grabbed her by the hips and let his hand go downward, boldly inserting it beneath her shortened skirt to caress a slender thigh. Ah…! He had never felt anything so smooth!…

 

- o0o -

 

Quistis wanted to get off the table, but irritated and distracted by her ongoing argument with Seifer, instead of jumping down as she normally would, she did it the long way… Sinking down to a kneeling position, she'd opened her mouth to give a scathing retort to his sarcastic rejoinder, when she felt a hand cover her mouth and a hairy arm encircle her hips. Recoiling in absolute disgust, she realized that even with the whip clutched in her hand, she wouldn't be able to do any damage! The brute had also entrapped her arms, and was standing behind her!

 

For Quistis, Seifer's sarcastic voice going on about `dissecting his character' became background noise. She desperately tried to calm herself in the hopes that the brute holding her so tightly to his sour body, would slacken his grip. If she could get him to ease off the hand he'd plastered on her lips, she could zap him with a spell! `Quiet… I need to get this situation under control before Seifer turns around, or I'll never hear the end of it…' However, she was unable to suppress a cry when she felt a coarse hand grab her thigh from right under her skirts! After the brute's mumbled “…so smooth…,” his hold on her mouth slackened slightly. Now was her chance! She was about to cast a Sleep spell on him, when unfortunately Seifer turned around and saw everything!

 

“WHAT THE FUCK!”

 

Fast as a striking snake, Hyperion's lethal blade was pointed right between the ruffian's eyes.

 

“Fucking get your paws off her, or you're a dead man!”

 

Seifer pricked the little fuck between the brows until a small rivulet of blood flowed out to insure that he meant business. His first impulse had been to cut the asshole down!... But those blue eyes glaring at him helped him regain a measure of control. Somehow he knew Quistis would not be happy with him if he killed the fucker…

 

Stevens had almost shit his pants. The width of the table was not enough to serve as a barrier. One quick lunge and that would be the end of him!…Never in his entire brutish life had he expected someone who looked like Seifer did, to react this way. People were usually intimidated by his size… In his experience, most pampered nobs fainted at the mere sight of blood. If they needed to get rid of people, they would hire someone like him to do it, never dirtying up their white little hands. But this nob here… He handled the deadly looking sword in his grasp like it was an extension of his arm!

 

“He-hey…! N-no need to git mad, yer lordship!”

 

The blade dug a bit deeper into his forehead… He promptly released the girl, feeling his own blood trickling down to his nose… And took an involuntary step backwards when he saw the expression on Seifer's eyes. The imprint of Steven's coarse hand was clearly visible on Quistis's thigh.

 

“Now, you little shit…”

 

Seifer lowered Hyperion to point at the sheathed daggers on either side of Stevens. That's how confident he'd been at his ability to nab Quistis…

 

“Arm yourself, and prepare to have your arms cut off!”

 

“That won't be necessary…”

 

The instant she was released, Quistis scrambled off the table, and went to grab Seifer's right arm, the one holding Hyperion. He ignored her and shook off her hand. Advancing towards the villain, he cut down the table which stood in his direct path with one powerful downward stroke. The sheer force of the blow neatly split the table in half. Quistis, looked-on in extreme displeasure thinking indignantly, `And he dares to call mea show-off!' Stevens's reaction was not so sangfroid. His eyes widened in fear when he witnessed what Seifer was capable of doing with one single stroke of his sword, and turned to dread when the split table revealed Parson's recumbent figure lying scarcely a foot away from him!

 

“-Sob- I-I'se done as wut told, y-yer Worship! -Sob- Pl-please, do-don't hurt me!”

 

Stevens was a massive man, used to bullying other people, but he had never been so afraid in his life. Finally the blood had began to flow back into his brain, instead of to his nether parts. He could now see the feral glint in Seifer's eyes directed at him…

 

“That you did… That you did! And that's why you're still alive… Now, equip your weapons, you little fuck!”

 

For every step Seifer took, the terrified Stevens retreated one. His survival instincts told him that the moment he armed himself, he would be a dead man!

 

“Dammit, Seifer! If you kill him, we won't be able to find out who's behind Rinoa's kidnapping!”

 

“It's jes likes the purty lady says... I-I'll tell ya e-ever'think I knows!”

 

“I never said I was gonna kill him, Quis… `sides, I'm waitin' for him to equip his weapons, so the little shit can defend himself… Then, I'm just gonna slice off the arms… Specially the left one!”

 

Seifer sounded calm enough, but there was a deep rage underlying his voice. Stevens gulped. That was the hand that had felt the beauty's thigh. Holding them up high above him, he tried again to save himself. He was hoping that the screeching bunch of goblins he saw escape, had reached the Boss. The Boss would send in help…

 

“Can you please be reasonable about this?”

 

“I'm being very reasonable, babe… Okay, you little shit, fucking equip your weapons! I'm quickly losing patience here!”

 

“Ho-honest, yer lairdship -Sob- I-I'se didn't knows the purty lady w-was yer woman!”

 

“That's beside the point!”

 

“No, baby… That's precisely the point!”

 

Quistis started to get annoyed. She didn't like where the conversation was going! And trying to instil some sense into that… that big lout, Seifer, was like trying to talk to a very dense wall! And if she didn't do something soon, she knew that Seifer would violate the very tenet of being a Knight in the service of Queen Edea: `Not to take life needlessly'… `Of course, Seifer would say that he was justified… … What am I thinking!' She stepped between the cowing ruffian and Seifer, using herself as a barrier.

 

“Seifer! I said, STOP! This is not the way to do things!”

 

Seifer stared at her from top to bottom, his furious gaze going inevitably to where that little fuck had left the imprint of his hand. The marks were slowly fading away, but every time he looked at them, they only served to refuel his rage. Maybe he was behaving like the barbarian she accused him of being, but no one, absolutely NO ONE was allowed to touch her! He could exercise self-control when those shitheads at court drooled at her, although he disliked their ogling intensely, but this fuck… this little fuck had had the temerity of touching her!… He'd seen the disgust clearly written in her eyes… He was going to make the little prick pay! He reached out his left hand, and got Quistis out of the way by the simple expediency of jerking her to him, and out of the ruffian's reach. Without taking his eyes off the little sobbing wimp, he remonstrated with her.

 

“What the fuck d'you think you're doing? …Putting yourself within reach!”

 

Quistis glared at his stubborn profile, and wished in that moment to be much bigger and much stronger than the lout! He was holding her so tightly that she could scarcely breathe! She was also getting rather tired of being manhandled! Wiggling, she managed to free a hand, and pointed it at the brute.

 

“Sleep!”

 

Stevens fell into deep slumber to join Parsons on the floor. Quistis stared at the kidnapper's prone figure with great satisfaction…

 

“Dammit! What was that for?”

 

Quistis heard Seifer slam Hyperion back into its scabbard, and gasped when he forced her chin up to make her look into his angry face. Totally unrepentant for what she did, and matching his glare with one of her own, Quistis replied.

 

“You were not listening to reason!”

 

“I thought it quite reasonable to cut off the little shit's arms…”

 

“Really? And how it that being reasonable?”

 

Seifer lowered his face to hers. Pure reflex made Quistis place both her hands on his chest to hold him off. In response, he brought her body hard against the full length of his, making her gasp again.

 

“You think he would prefer I kill him?… That's my first choice, baby…”

 

She fisted one of her hands and thumped him on the shoulder. Hard.

 

“Ouch!”

 

“Oh, like I'm supposed to believe that hurt!”

 

“Why do you always take someone else's side?”

 

“When have you ever needed someone to speak-out on your behalf?” Her voice was clearly incredulous, “And I wasn't taking any sides! You were about to cut down someone who had already surrendered!”

 

“I gave him time to equip his daggers.”

 

They were both so engrossed with each other that they completely missed what was happening above them. Rinoa's hovering body was emitting a very faint incandescent glow…

 

“Oh, yeah! As if that would make it right!”

 

“The prick dared to touch you!”

 

“Why?”

 

“Why what, Milady?”

 

“Why should you care?”

 

She whispered the question without heat, suddenly feeling the need to hear from his lips the promise she'd read earlier in his sea-green eyes…

 

“I care, Milady… I care…”

 

A tentative hand was lifted to caress his squarish chin. It felt a bit rough. Slowly, the same slender hand moved to delicately trace the contour of his lips.

 

“Why?”

 

Blue eyes darkened to the colour of the night sky gazed at him solemnly. Seifer's hands had not been idle. One strong arm anchored her securely to him. The other slowly meandered down, from chin to neck, and down her shoulder. A large hand gently enclosed her slender wrist, and brought its open palm to his mouth.

 

“Why this, why that… Are we playing… -Hmnm- …at being children…?”

 

“Why do you care, Lord Almasy?”

 

“Because no one can touch you, Milady...” He kissed the palm of her hand again, “I reserve… that privilege for myself…”

 

“Oh… Since when?”

 

Her eyes had involuntarily strayed to the lips that were placing such butterfly soft kisses on the palm of her hand…

 

Seifer replied huskily, “Since now … Since always…”

 

His eyes had darkened to a deep forest green when they'd followed the path taken by hers. Unable… or more likely, unwilling to resist the temptation she presented, Seifer bent his head and fastened his lips to hers. When he felt her mouth open to welcome his, and her arms cross behind his neck to hug him closer, his entire being was seared by a jolt of intense heat. Unable to help himself, he slanted his head to deepen the kiss.

 

Drowning in a sea of pleasure, Quistis lost notion of where she was, and what she was supposed to be doing there… She could feel his hands gently caressing her waist, her hips, the back of her thighs, erasing with their touch the unpleasant contact of those other set of unwelcome hands. They couldn't get enough of each other! Completely oblivious of their surroundings, they retreated into a world of their own, ruled by the empire of the senses…and that other feeling that both seemed still reluctant to voice, but that was proclaimed loudly by their lips, hands, bodies…

 

“Ugh…”

 

He left her mouth to trace a burning path from cheek to throat to neck. She moved her head so he could have better access… They missed the slight movement happening on the floor beside them.

 

“…Ooow! …”

 

The loud groan managed to catch Quistis's attention. Seifer heard it too, but chose to ignore it, covering her mouth with his again.

 

“Sei... Hmnm... … …Seifer!”

 

He lifted his mouth ever so slightly from hers to whisper, “Ignore it, baby...” Before gluing his lips to hers again. But she was having none of it! Cheeks on fire, Quistis placed a firm hand on his chest to push him away, and pried her lips from his.

 

“Sei…FER!”

 

Lifting his head, he resisted the pressure exerted by her hands for a full second, then sighed. The mood was definitely broken. At the sight of her familiar glower, he silently acknowledged that a smelly chamber strewn with slain goblins, with an unconscious Rinoa hovering above them... was maybe... not the most romantic setting he could come up with to woo his lady... Let alone the one and only person he'd ever been truly serious about!

 

“Alright! Alright! The fuss you make!”

 

“The fuss I make! Do I need to remind you what we're here for? The others might be coming back here anytime! And, we haven't even decided what to do with our two prisoners!”

 

“You know how I'm gonna deal with one of them as soon as the prick wakes up…”

 

“Oooh, you're impossible!”

 

Seifer stared down at her lovely face... Did she know how tempting she looked with her flushed cheeks, and her pouting lips still rosy from their last bout of kissing? And that glare of hers... It really turned him on!

 

- Groan! -

 

However, this was not the place nor the time to indulge... Anyway, her attention had already turned to the skinny looking fellow who was groaning on the floor. If he was not mistaken, the one coming awake was the wimpy prick he'd sent to sleep with a little tap on the face...

 

“Ooouch!...”

 

“What did you do to him?”

 

“Ignore the asshole, babe...”

 

“ -Humph- We should gag and tie up both of them… …so we can take them… back to the castle…”

 

Quistis was speaking distractedly. She was looking around the chamber for something she could use as a rope, but found nothing that could be of use... In the back of her mind, she noticed that there was more light filtering through the slits

 

“How about I give him another tap?”

 

Although he thought the worst of the danger was past, Seifer had unsheathed Hyperion. Alert eyes watched Quistis's every move. He didn't want a repeat of earlier. He was cutting down any fuck emerging from the shadows before they could get to her.

 

“Hmn?”

 

Quistis wasn't paying attention to Seifer. Looking down at her hacked-off dress, she'd come up with a great idea! She decided to act on it quickly, before she changed her mind! She reached inside her boot and drew out her dagger, hoping that this time around it would not let her down...

 

“What in the name of seven hells are you doing?”

 

“What does it look like?”

 

Her biggest mistake was to turn her attention away from him...

 

“... And please don't take that tone with me... ... Hey!”

 

He'd plucked the dagger from right off her hand!

 

“Damn you , Seifer! Give it back!”

 

- Groan! -

 

The man on the floor was slowly regaining consciousness...

 

“Why are you hacking off your sleeves?”

 

“Isn't it obvious? Give. It. Back!”

 

Her tone of voice implied that even the most challenged of intellects would've understood her reasons for doing what she was doing... She made a lunge for the dagger, but he evaded her action by simply holding the small blade above his head and therefore completely out of her reach. Seifer looked down at her scowling face with a frown of his own.

 

“The only thing I'm findin' obvious is that you wanna show more skin than what you're already showing!”

 

She was immediately incensed by his unfair remark. Fisting her hands over her hips she matched the ferocity of his frown.

 

“And whose fault is that?”

 

“... -Groan- Ouch...”

 

“Sleep!”

 

Poor Parsons slumped on the floor again... Quistis turned to face Seifer again.

 

“In case you didn't notice, I was aiming to cut at mid-calf, but you just went right ahead and hack...”

 

“My, my... What have you done to make my future Queen so angry, lordling?

 

“Who the FUCK are you?”

 

 

- o0o -

 

(RINOA!)

 

Sensei?

 

(I did the best I could to stop him...

But to no avail... Be ready child!

He's teleported out of here!)

 

Wh-what?

 

(I'm afraid he's headed towards you!
There's really no other way…)

 

How about Quistis and Seifer?

I think they've succeeded in routing

the kidnappers...

 

(They are very resilient children, but

they will certainly need our help...
Rinoa, are you ready?)

 

Y-yea... Yes.
Yes, I am.

 

(... I'm needed! Please keep calm... )

 

…

 

…

 

...

 

o

|

o - o0o - o

|

o

 

Smuggler's Cove...

 

“Boss! There's not enuf fishin' boats for all of `em littl' stinkers!”

 

“Jes git this lot outta here! `Sides, we've got to wait for the nob to show!”

 

“Boss…How `bout we takes the gurl an' ask fer ransom, eh?”

 

-Whack! -

 

“OUCH!”

 

“I tol' ya once, McKay, I'm fucking tellin' ya again! She ain't not fer the likes of us!”

 

“Oi thinks we don't git enuf pay for takin' the littl' stinkers across!”

 

“Yeah! Like Harper says…we don't git enuf pay!

 

“Shut yer traps n' fucking do yer jobs! We'll git paid good enuf! `Side… That nob's real narsty-like… We don't wanna git in trouble with…”

 

The Boss didn't finish what he was about to say, because a flaming arrow was shot into one of the fishing boats carrying the goblins back to Trabia. And another. And another. Goblins were not very fond of water, but the Boss had instilled enough fear in the creature to make them obey him grudgingly. That compliance disappeared when a barrage of flaming arrow hit them, taking a few goblins down! Harper was cut down by the pointy swords of terrified goblins desperately charging at anything they could find!

 

“Galbadia! Galbadia!”

 

“For Esthar!”

 

King Caraway led the attack against his daughter's kidnappers. Everyone was on foot. The narrow path to the port did not accommodate Chocobos. Lord Seagill followed the King, charging the enemy equipped with his deadly Katal Blades. Lady Xu rushed into the battle, right behind Kiros, making a path by showering the terrified goblins with a rain of Shruriken.

 

“Balamb! Balamb!”

 

A sleek “C” shaped blade swooshed its way to a hapless goblin, and neatly sawed off its sword wielding arm making the creature shriek in pain!

 

“Booyaka! It works!”

 

“Darlin' you're the best… Just stay behind me, okay?”

 

But the archer was speaking to thin air… Swearing loudly, he unsheathed Exeter and rushed to follow his lady, who had jumped into the fray! Zell's arms and legs were a blur of movement, already busy fighting off the enemy. The unexpected attack had wreaked havoc in the little port. Goblins trying to escape by running back into the huge chamber that led to the underground caves, were intercepted by a bunch of their own number emerging from it. Goblins enjoyed fighting when they were in vast numbers, but they became very cowardly creatures in small groups. They started to fight each other! The ones wanting desperately to go inside cut into the ones desperately trying to leave!

 

“What …the hell? Are these things fighting each other?”

 

“Lady Xu! No time for that now!”

 

Kiros used the ornate pommel of his Katal blade to knock-out one of the ruffians who fell with a grunt to the floor. The man had crept behind Xu's back and was about to attack her when Kiros intercepted the blow and sent the man to sleep…He wondered if the bandit waking up with a massive headache, would thank him for saving his life. Xu's mastery of the legendary Cerberus blade was impressive…and she took no prisoners.

 

“Why did you do that, Sir Kiros? I knew he was behind!”

 

“We need him to be alive…”

 

“Aw! Alright!”

 

Cerberus sliced into another shrieking goblin. `What is it about the ladies of Balamb's Royal Household? … Do we hapless knights even know what we're getting into?' Eyes the colour of liquid chocolate, were tinged with a certain degree of amusement in spite of the present situation. They darted a quick look in Sir Kinneas direction. The archer was desperately trying to scold and shield his lady at the same time as he fought off a barrage of goblins…but Lady Selphie was having none of it! Those clever flying discs of hers flashed in the emerging sunlight as she wielded them with a scary proficiency! `I wonder how Almasy is doing with his lady?' It had been obvious to him that beneath all their bickering, they had a thing for each other! ` -Hmn-I'll bet anything that Lady Quistis is quite a handful…' Without meaning to, Kiros eyes strayed to Lady Xu, who was rounding up a couple of cowering goblins.

 

-Shriek!-

 

One of the Katals parried a blow, and the other pierced into the attacker's arm. A kick on the jaw and the goblin fell noisily to the floor… `Of course, dealing with Almasy is no walk in the rose garden… I'd say those two are evenly matched…'

 

“Sir Kiros! Are you paying attention? I need your help!”

 

`Oh-oh! Xu sounds very annoyed…' Raising his voice, he replied.

 

“I'll be right over, My Lady!”

 

The fight was over. Kiros went to help Xu round-up the prisoners while the others charged into the cave's entrance…

 

 

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