Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Resurrection - Rebirth of a Foe ❯ Alone ( Chapter 14 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Chapter Fourteen - Alone
It had been a while since Squall last had time to be on his own, and quite a while since he had last slept on his own bed. He lay on his bed now, silently contemplating to himself. The briefing with Headmaster Cid had been shorted than Squall had anticipated - Cid was obviously taking the Odine/Ultimecia ordeal seriously. Their new mission was now clear: to prevent the repetition of a nightmare, to thwart the plans that Odine intended to fulfil.
One thing Laguna and the city of Esthar was able to achieve was the removal of the large number of monsters that had literally 'fallen' from the sky during the Lunar Cry. No doubt a few monsters still lurked here and there, but at least the Estharians could have the assurance that they were unlikely to be attacked by an Iron Giant or Imp.
Arms resting behind his dark coloured head, Squall Leonhart heaved a heavy sigh - not for Rinoa - but for himself this time. He sighed and blinked crystal blue eyes. What kind of life was he living by working as a mercenary to the world, and as a SeeD? Was this called 'living your life to the full'? For Squall, he wasn't so sure. Could he carry on living like this? He had his friends, he had Rinoa - or did have her, that was all that mattered didn't it? Just as long as I am happy, then I have no regrets. Squall told himself. And are you happy?... All the questions - which were what Squall, hated about himself. He thought too much, he asked too many questions, most of which he had no answers to and most of all he was tempting fate by interrogating himself. I do have control of my life, Squall told himself. I make my own choices and don't let other people's influence affect my decision... OK, so maybe he was kidding himself, but for the majority of his life, he never had a role model to look up to. Where was his so-called father when he really needed him?
For once in his life, Squall felt a general hatred for the loser-of-a-father who abandoned him since he was a baby. Some father... Squall did not even know the reason why his father left him. All Squall knew was that his mother died whilst he was still young, and his heart reached out for her, pleading for the love of a mother to make him feel secure, because that was what Squall was: insecure. Never getting too close to anyone he cared for, or taking interest at what happened around him, unless he was truly interested. That was what his life was like. A black and white chequered board. There were times in his teenage life when everything was going great, only to be plunged to the depths of hell, the next.
He wondered for a moment about Ellone and whether she had regained her strength and energy yet. Not only was Odine crazy, yet clever - he was also shrewd. For the sake of being inconspicuous, did Odine 'drain' the necessary power from the one person who was able to transcend time, rather than hold her hostage and harness Ellone's powers through force.
Instead of his mind drifting to despair for Rinoa and hatred for Odine, Squall's thoughts were directed towards the sleepy, quiet town of Winhill situated on the Winhill Bluffs, and not too far away from the town that was Timber. The woman only known as Raine had lived there once. She was the woman Squall had seen in the 'dream-world'. And the very same woman Squall swore he saw when he and his group had made a side trip to the town and helped the owner of the mansion there retrieve the various missing broken pieces of a vase. Zell said it was a ghost... perhaps I was hallucinating.
Raine was a very pretty woman, Squall had observed. She had a gentle smile and kind warm brown eyes. He wondered what it would be like to have known the woman, for she was well known in the town of Winhill. All the thinking about the mysterious woman Raine, who remained an enigma in Squall's mind eyes, reminded him of Laguna, which spoilt the picturesque image, Squall had. Laguna and Raine... had been lovers?? To the young reluctant hero, he did not know the full story, and would he ever find out? Even Raine admitted to a young Ellone long time ago that she did like Laguna, his presence at Winhill and in her heart - the three of them made her feel that she had her own family.
Laguna's a dunce; Squall decided and smiled faintly at this. Major dunce. What sort of person would a person be who had a crush on a lounge singer, have the opportunity to speak to her alone and ruin it all by gaining a cramp at the most opportune moment?! He practically drooled like Angelo when the lounge singer... Julia asked him to meet her in her room at the Deling City hotel. Then he goes and ruins it all by going off to war and leaving her waiting. Laguna, pretty women can't be expected to twiddle their thumbs and wait forever y'know! Squall groaned and squeezed his eyes shut. Zell was affecting his vocab in a seriously bad way! Whoa! Abruptly, Squall sat up in his bed, a frown on his face. A sudden thought occurred to him. He recalled that Julia had married a General, having waited for Laguna to return, and never did. Could it be that... No Squall, the probability of that idea it waay off the scales. Laguna had also mentioned that Julia and her husband - the General had had a child... OK Squall, stop thinking. You're brain is working over time. Still, Squall couldn't help but wonder.
He couldn't also help but wonder about his parents again. He wanted to know who they were, and why did they leave him. The only clue he really had was what Kiros and Ward had told him when on board the Ragnorak. "You look very much like your mother." Kiros had told him. "Ward says, it's a good thing you don't look like your father." A compliment to my mother... so I look like her? There was a deep longing within Squall's heart, within his soul. They were all orphans: himself, Zell, Selphie, Quistis and Irvine. Bar Rinoa, it was only her who belonged - she had a mother and father. What made Squall different to the rest of his friends was that he knew he had mother. Somewhere out in their vast and mysterious world, his father existed.
His thoughts stopped right there and were interrupted by a knock followed by a holler. I never seem to get enough time to myself anymore, Squall mentally said to himself and got to his feet to answer the door: it was Zell.
"S'up Squall?!" he said enthusiastically, standing at the entrance to Squall's dorm and proceeding no further.
Where does he get all his energy, from? Squall wondered in admiration. Must be all those hotdogs he eats... "Something come up?" he asked, holstering his gun-blade and closing the door to his dorm.
"Yep. Oh before I go on, wanna hotdog?" the mohawkish blond boy offered.
Squall glanced at the offering in Zell's gloved hands, and decided against it. Then again, maybe I should... I haven't eaten for a while. "Thanks," he said, taking the hotdog from him and taking a bite.
"I was messin' around with the napkins at the cafeteria when-"
"By the way, how did you know I was in my room?" Squall interrupted with a curious face.
"I, uh, Quistis told me. Erm, she kinda asked me to check up on you," Zell said sheepishly and saw the resigned look Squall wore. Zell hastened to add, "But I was going to see you anyway. That code for the door to the lab, the one my scrambler worked out. I found out that if you turn it upside down, it spells Odine's name, see." Producing a scrunched up napkin with the code: 3N100 scrawled onto it with black ink.
"So it does," Squall agreed, studying the code and up-turning it.
"Cool, huh? Selphie's still at the Quad, Irvine's chatting up the girls of the Trepies. Instructor Quistis is at the training area, and Seifer's with Raijin and Fujin patrolling the corridors on the first and second floor. Looks like the disciplinary committee is back."
"Do you resent Seifer ever returning?" Squall asked, anticipating the answer he expected from Zell.
"I was an asshole I admit, OK. He screwed up big time when Ultimecia went on a rampage. He always took the piss outta me, but yeah I'm kinda glad he's back, it didn't feel right when he wasn't around. There always has to be someone who makes trouble around here. Hey, don't tell that to Seifer, Squall! The last thing I need is Seifer being a pain in the ass. It's ironic though isn't it?"
"What is?"
"Y'know, Seifer being in the disciplinary committee. It's him who needs the discipline,"
True, Squall conceded. I think we've gotta learn to accept Seifer for who he is. We cannot change the unchangeable can we?

Raijin sat in a secluded part of Balamb Garden's library - his mind set on the book he was reading in front of him. He received a library notice on the school's Intranet that the books he was seeking had arrived. Eagerly he read on, turning a page once in a while. He had managed to escape disciplinary duty when Seifer and Fujin were busy interrogating a fifth year student on his weapon. Quietly Raijin snuck away looking forward to reading the books. He was reading Pupurun's Vacation, at the moment. And the other book: Pupurun and Friends lay untouched to one side.
His moment of solitude was broken when Fujin's load shriek made him jump in his seat, the book falling to the floor. Seifer was with the girl who had an eye-patch over her left eye. He stooped to pick up the fallen book and turned it to look at the cover. Fujin snickered and folded her arms across her chest; she wanted to see what Seifer would say. The blond haired boy with a scar slash diagonally on his forehead pursed his lips and handed the book back to Raijin.
"C'mon, Raijin. Read your alien book later. We've got work to do," Seifer said, exiting.
Pocketing the two library books into the waistband of his baggy pants, Raijin hastily went in pursuit after Fujin and Seifer who had already disappeared out into the main area of the Garden. "Hey Seifer, something wrong. Ya didn't give me a hard time like ya usually do, ya know?" he said once he had caught up with them.
A careless shrug was Seifer's reply. Maybe I get fed up taking the piss outta you Raijin. Maybe I can't be bothered. Or maybe there was a certain somebody who was constantly on his mind since he received the slap to his face. It didn't hurt anymore, but the fact that Quistis had struck him across the face still left the blond boy in surprise, and possibly shock. He had never known Quistis to do such a thing. Only to me perhaps, I try her patience. I was beginning to wonder when she'd do something like this. Looks like I've clearly underestimated Instructor Trepe.
Fujin did not like the way Seifer had lapsed into a silence and the thoughtful look he wore on his face. She didn't know the source or the reason for which he was not behaving his usual way, nor did she appreciate the feeling in her gut that told her Seifer was holding back. The pupil of her right eye narrowed as they continued to walk around Garden on their patrol. She had noticed that Seifer had not stopped a single Balamb pupil except for the fifth year student. Before, Seifer would accuse or bully students over tedious things: playing cards out on the hallways, running the corridors and displaying weapons to fellow students, stupid things like that, not today though. Fujin was devoted to Seifer, and only Seifer. His enemies were her enemies, and Raijin's too. She understood what Seifer had been through, what with Ultimecia and all, and their loyalty to him was put to the test many times. They were the ones who had fought against Squall and company when the town of Balamb was under siege from Galbadia Garden, and it was them who fought against Squall at the Lunatic Pandora.
He has changed, Fujin thought decisively. The burning passion that was once in his eyes has been extinguished. Something has taken him over.
"You shouldn't have ducked out of sight, Raijin," Seifer added with a stern note that brought a faint smile to Fujin's usually pursed lips. "Go to the library after we've done our rounds,"
"Y-yes, Seifer," Raijin replied. It was like being told off like a seven-year-old child who had done something very naughty. This was definitely not the Seifer Raijin knew. The Seifer before him lacked the scornful tone in his voice and brash manner he always knew he had. What could have caused the change?
The elevator they had stepped into stopped onto the first floor, and that was where they remained. The door to the classroom on that particular floor opened, and out stepped Instructor Trepe dressed in her non-Garden attire, her brown boots padding softly on the linoleum and her face serene. (She had travelled to the classroom after a few minutes spent in the Training Centre.) The serenity was broken when she saw Seifer and his two lackeys dwindling at the far end of the corridor, the very direction where she was heading. Her eyes made contact with his which was soon quickly averted as with each step she drew nearer and nearer to where he stood.
Quistis refused to say a word to Seifer after how she had embarrassed her like that. He knew that she felt something for him, and he played with her feelings that resulted in her, slapping his grinning face! Quistis had not meant to strike him in such a way, it was not her nature to do so. It was only because he made her so mad by taunting her, and now Quistis regrettably wished she had not stayed inside the Ragnorak alone with him - perhaps then the incident with her and Seifer would have been avoided.
Arms by her side and her wavering gaze diverted well away from Seifer's absorbing blue stare, Quistis walked unsteadily at first down the hallway and then quickly rounded the corner to her left where the elevator awaited. She heard the faint murmuring of voices, which was then followed by the dull pound of boots. Her heart skipped a beat as the sound of footsteps grew nearer and nearer.
Come on come on! Quistis silently urged to the lift. She was not ready for another confrontation with Seifer yet. To be in close proximity with him, especially in an elevator was causing her anxiety, and the fact that the lift was taking its time to arrive sent her stomach churning. Thank you! The elevator finally came. Hurriedly stepping into the cable cart, Quistis jabbed a finger at the ground floor button, making the doors close. The elevator doors were not, however fast enough as Seifer had seen the lift about to depart to the next floor down and so had hurried over and jammed a boot in between the two doors so that the lift would not leave without him in it.
With a faint smirk, Seifer stepped in and then pressed ground floor button. For Quistis, the next few moments would be the slowest and most painful in her life. She wanted to crawl into a hole made by a Tonberry and just die. Quistis eyed Seifer nervously and kept as far as she was able to in the small confines of the cable cart. Seifer silently contemplated her with his patronising ice blue eyes and smiled inwardly. He was flattered really. Instructor Trepe fancied him?! Who would have guessed that the ever cool Ms. Trepe was attracted to the 'bad boy' of Balamb?
"Seifer, I-" she began
"Instructor, I'm-" they both stopped in mid-sentence. Seifer giving a short laugh and running a hand through his short blond hair, and Quistis tucking the long strands of her own hair behind her ears, and smoothing the front of her skirt. The elevator jolted to a stop between two floors - how perfectly convenient.
"I just wanted to say that, I uh, I'm sorry for what I did back then at the ship. I kinda acted like a jerk, huh? I'm sorry for that." Seifer managed to say with some difficulty.
Seifer admitting that he was in the wrong? That was a change! Or so Quistis thought.
"I just didn't want another confrontation, Seifer, that's all," she said looking up into his face and the scar across his forehead. "I wanted to apologise also. I had no right to slap you like I did. I'm sorry."
"I was outta line. You put me back in my place," said Seifer, leaning back against one of the sides of the elevator that made no attempt of moving any time soon. "You're pretty good at pulling your own jokes y'know, Instructor."
"A dry sense of humour," Quistis said nodding. "Have you and Squall resolved your differences yet?" she asked changing the subject.
"Awe, you had to mention his name. Squall, Puberty boy? Nah, no time to, he's probably in his room thinking again." Seifer said, returning to his old self.
"He is, as a matter of fact," Quistis informed. "I sent Zell to his dorm to go check on him."
"Typical Quisty isn't it? Always the bossy one, giving orders and looking out for others." He mocked mildly.
"Typical Seifer. Mr. Ego always the one who made fun out of others, the naughty boy of the bunch."
Another rough jolt and the elevator began moving towards the ground floor once more.
"I'll promise to be a good boy, if you ask real nice." He said, pushing away from the elevator wall to come and stand in front of her, leaning slightly forward, a glint in his eyes and a sly smile on his mouth. Further objections were held at bay by the 'pinging' sound of the elevator door opening, a loud exclamation from a voice that could only be Zell's.
"Whoa, man!! Dare I let my eyes deceive me?! Try getting' it on somewhere more private, y'know!" he said.
"I think discreet is the word you're looking for, Zell," Squall said who was standing next to him, with a strangely amused face.
"Shut it," Seifer warned striding out of the elevator. Quistis followed shortly behind him, her face slightly pink and flushed. She though Seifer toying with her feelings were bad, humiliation in front of two fellow SeeDs and closest friends was the ultimate form of embarrassment! Zell was never going to let Quistis forget this day.
"Sooo, something we ought to know?" Zell asked innocently but with a wicked smile playing at his face.
"Yes, that if you open your big mouth and spread piggy little lies about what you saw, you're gonna get a very BIG surprise from the tooth faerie." Seifer said ruthlessly.
"Ah, but it isn't lies," Zell pointed out.
"Yeah, and the rumour that you're going out with the girl with the pigtails at the library is no lie either." Seifer added. That shut Zell up, but did not shut the wide grin plastered across his face.
Having composed herself, Quistis turned to Squall and inquired on what was happening. Squall filled her on the details. "Zell was explaining to me that he set up this tracking device on the Ragnorak whilst I was in my room. It's able to analyse residue and radiation, and give co-ordinates of where similar radiation or residue is found. When the Ragnorak rammed into Lunatic Pandora, a lot of energy and radiation was emitted. The Ragnorak is processing the information Zell managed to obtain from the exterior of the ship right now, and hopefully we should get a reply."
"Cool huh?" Zell said beaming.
"An ingenious idea!" Quistis said approvingly.
Seifer allowed himself a slight shrug to acknowledge Zell's idea. "Pretty good, Zell. I'm impressed,"
The blond haired boy with the tattoo on the side of his face glared at the other blond boy with a perplexed look. He wasn't sure whether Seifer was taking the piss, or he really was being sincere. Did he just hear him call him by his name? Or maybe he was insulting his intelligence, that he was incapable of coming up with ideas. Shrugging to himself, Zell brushed the comment away and continued to grin to himself. Seifer and the Instructor in the lift together - the image of that; he would not be able to forget.
A beeping sound coming from the pockets of Zell's blue shorts caught everybody's attention. Digging out the hand held device; Zell raised his eyebrows in surprise as a red light emitting diode flashed rapidly from the device. He extended the antenna and looked at his comrades with a pleased look. "Alright!! We got results, man!! The Ragnorak's traced something, uh, the co-ordinates say that Lunatic Pandora should be located around the Centra continent."
"C'mon, what are we waiting for?! Get cow boy and messenger girl, and let's go!" Seifer ordered getting into action. The waiting was over, Odine's hiding place was found. It was the final showdown.