Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Until the End of Eternity, and Longer ❯ Chapter Twenty-Nine ( Chapter 30 )

Okey dokey, I've reevalutaed the rest of this story a bit, and think it's going to go slightly differently than I initially planned, partially because two of my three reviewers have expressed something of an interest in Jynx, who, for all intents and purposes, was supposed to be a very minor character, showing up when I needed her. So, although her story wasn't actually intended to be part of this story, I think, having used her much more than I anticipated, it's almost necessary to continue with her at this point, which I guess is okay, since this story is full of Ocs anyway, so if it was gonna be any story, it might as well be this one. So, once again, this story is going in a direction other than the one I'd planned. I don't believe I'll tell Jynx's ENTIRE story through "Until the End of Eternity, and Longer", but I think some small amount of explanation is required for her actions after the last chapter, so, we'll see what I decide in the end. Anyway, I guess, fact is, once again, I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing, but I think the story will flow better this way, so I'm going for it.

Aison this ought to make you pretty happy, though I still don't envision a Seifer/Jynx in the near future. Maybe eventually, as a separate story? I dunno, but I don't envision that as being something that happens in this story. It's not really a romance, or anything like that, after all. Uhm, so, yeah, but I guess that isn't set in stone, or whatever.

Lunatic Pandora1, all I can really say without ruining the story is that Jynx DOES have her reasons for her behavior, and right, wrong, or indifferent…well, that hasn't got much to do with it, I'm afraid. Sufficed to say, she hates Ultimecia as much as anyone, possibly even more, in her Jynx sorta way. *smirks mischievously* Stick with me though, and I might just surprise you. ;-)

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"Until the End of Eternity, and Longer"

by: Banshee Puppet

Chapter Twenty-Nine

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Seifer found himself on the roof, again. It was snowing, but he didn't mind, not really. He had a lot to think about. It was Christmas, but the holiday season wasn't turning out to be as happy as it was supposed to be, which didn't bode well for the new year ahead. He scowled at the cigarette between calloused fingers, at aforementioned fingers, and then back at the cigarette. He placed the slim stick between his lips and pulled his zippo out of his pocket to light it. 'I'll quit some other time. Heh. Guess I found a use for Laguna's gift after all. Well, that's just fine. I'll nurse this habit for as long as I need to.'

He took a long drag and exhaled the bitter air when footsteps behind him alerted him to the presence of another. At first, he thought, 'it must be Laguna.' But their usual rooftop greetings were foregone. There was no "I thought I'd find you up here." No "that's a nasty habit, you know." He would have liked to entertain the thought that it was Jynx, who would stand there staring at him until he deemed it time to turn around. Then, and only then, would she speak, and it was usually to say something inconsequential, like "if you're quite finished, Mr. Almsay, we have a lot of work to do." Or even, simply, "Time to go." But it wasn't Jynx, and it never would be again. A slight clinking of metal as the person walked told him all he needed to know about his visitor, as a shaggy-haired brunette leaned against the cold railing beside him. Squall was wrapped tightly in the layers of his jacket. He hated the cold and they both knew it. He was putting himself out to be here now. That thought pulled at the corner of Seifer's lips for a moment, a bittersweet smirk of acknowledgement.

It was after a few long moments of silence that Squall spoke. "What was she to you?" he asked. Seifer's jaw worked slightly. Squall was talking about Jynx in the past tense, as if she was already dead…and then green eyes widened marginally as Seifer realized, that, just maybe, once again, Squall had figured out something that no one else had realized. Talking about her in the past tense was exactly the right thing. He knew, because Squall would never do something like that without thinking about it. 'Don't talk about me in the past tense! Don't ever talk about me like that!' Squall had demanded of Seifer once, many years ago, during one of his explosions. They were rare, but they did occur from time to time. No, Squall knew exactly what he was saying. And it bit into Seifer that he was exactly right to do so.

The question though, it was one he'd never even asked himself, not really. But the answer bubbled right up to the surface, like it had been waiting for someone to ask it for a very long time. So Seifer answered.

"She was my friend," he told the other man. "And she was in pain." A long silence passed between them, long enough for Seifer to finish his cigarette at leisure. "Jynx…accepted me, no questions asked, when no one else would. I guess, knowing what I know now, the reasons for that are obvious. After all, who was she to judge? And it's not really as if she cared. She looks at everyone the same way she looked at me, back then. But at that place, in that time… … it meant a lot, that's all. Ya know, puberty boy, I don't think I can go back to Garden just yet. I want to, but there's something else I have to do first. Just…wish I knew what that something was."

Squall rolled his eyes. Yeah, he understood. All the same, Seifer could be such a drama queen. "Well, I guess the offer stands, as long as you don't get yourself into too much trouble in the interim," he said in bored tones.

"Don't worry about me! I'm resilient!" Seifer smirked. "Just tell Fujin and Raijin to stay put, alright. I'm coming home."

"…Whatever."

Another considerable silence passed between them, almost companionable…almost. Old habits are hard to break, after all.

"Hey, Squall. Something happened to Laguna last night, didn't it? He seems, I dunno, a little off, somehow."

"We ran into a GF. He'll survive." 'He always does.'

"Not EXACTLY what I asked, you know."

"Irvine and I are taking care of it," Squall said flatly.

"Is there…anything…I mean, fact is, Laguna helped me out a lot…it's not like I'm being sentimental, or anything," he qualified quickly. "I just owe him one, ya know?"

Squall's head dropped slightly, stormy eyes hidden beneath layers of hair. He really wasn't very good at concealing his emotions anymore, it seemed, thanks to Rinoa. "Just…it's sort of…a family thing. In a way…" This was too complicated, too much to explain, too much to understand. Seifer wanted to help? That was a joke, he didn't even know if there was anything he, himself, could do, or if he was supposed to. In spite of Irvine's adamant arguments, Squall still wasn't certain that they were doing the right thing.

Seifer let off another one of his deliberate sighs. "What in Hyne's name happened two years ago?" he complained.

***

"Uncle 'guni?" Irvine asked, sitting next to the other man, who had been sitting on the sofa, cursing under his breath for almost an hour. "Why don't you tell me about her. It'd make you feel better, right?"

"You keep calling me "uncle", Irvine," Laguna said softly. "I'm forgetting something important, aren't I? Something vital."

"Worry about that later, kay? One thing at a time."

"We found her out in the wild, outside of the city, sort of wandering, fighting off monsters along the way, but what struck me most was that she was carrying a man twice her size on her shoulders. He was unconscious, maybe dead. Where was she taking him-I didn't know. It wasn't until a while later, that we realized that it was Seifer. And the rest just fell into place. When I asked her why she chose to work for Ultimecia, all she said was "because, at that time, she was the only one strong enough to do it". Other than that, Irvine, I don't really know much more than you do. I never found out what "it" was, what she's trying to do. I just know that it's very important to her. But, her eyes, something happened, something that she can't get over. So even if she was a devil back then, I can forgive her everything, as a man. But as the President of Esthar, I…well, I can't really afford to. She's a dangerous woman. And Seifer, also, is a dangerous man. They won't be forgiven so easily, but they'll keep chasing their dreams, no matter what."

"Dreams? Or nightmares? I'm starting to wonder, to tell you the truth un…ah…Laguna."

"It's alright, Irvine. You can call me Uncle. In fact, I'd almost rather you did, in spite of everything. It just…feels right." Laguna sighed slightly, like he had so many times when he was telling Irvine about his mother what seemed like a lifetime ago now. "Jynx. She told me, the day I hired her. "You'd better keep a close eye on me, Mr. Loire. I'm bound to betray you eventually." I didn't believe her. I didn't believe she was capable of something like that. Do you think she is, Irvine? Do you think she's as bad as she thinks she is? As bad as she's proven herself to be?"

"I don't know, uncle 'guni. Things are just…complicated, right now."

***

"You did WHAT?!?" Irvine demanded, jaw working, but no sound coming out.

"I told him everything. Solaris, Jace, Bella Maure. All of it," Squall said flatly, keeping his distance from the cowboy, who was fuming, not because it was Seifer, really. It could have been anyone. But Jace was… … For Irvine, Jace was a family thing, a private issue-he just didn't want to share her with anyone else, not even the memory of her.

"Why in hell would you want to tell Seifer Almsay about all that?" Irvine was at a loss. What was going through Squall's mind. I mean, granted, Seifer wasn't as bad as he used to be but, it didn't make him any less…well…Seifer!

"Because he asked," Squall answered flatly. "He wanted to know."

"That's it?" Irvine raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Because he wanted to know?"

"My dad, he likes Seifer. Hyne knows why, so if Seifer wants to try and help, I guess that's okay, as strange as it all is. I want to do as much for Laguna as possible, Irvine. So just forget about it, okay. Maybe Seifer can think of something we haven't been able to. That's why I told him. Because I hope he can think of something. As much of a bastard as he can be, he's…resilient. He'll think of something, something we missed."

***

Kiros Seagill-a.k.a., the man who always takes care of everything. "I'd be lying if I didn't tell you that I think this all sucks, Jynx. But even so, you're pretty lucky it was Laguna, and not somebody else."

"Lucky? Is that really so true? He's made a mistake, Mr. Seagill. You should make him understand. If he doesn't kill me, someday, I'll probably get out of here, and I'll probably do something bad. Not that I'm planning it, really, but it's not my nature to sit still for very long. And I haven't changed. I haven't changed at all, since the war."

"Can I ask what it was about that pendant that set you off, Jynx?" Kiros asked evenly.

"It wasn't the pendant, not really. Although, this thing. Shin. He has me figured all wrong. I'm not the center of anything. Nothing will ever be born out of my actions. A world without people like me ought to exist, but it doesn't, and since that's true, it is totally fine that my every action leads me down the road of vengance. Revenge. Mr. Loire asked me once, what it was that I wanted. If it suits you to do so, you may tell him, my answer is…revenge. He's a good man, I suppose, by all the usual standards, but fact is, I saw something in his eyes today that I didn't like."

"You're a complex woman."

"Why don't you say what you really mean, Mr. Seagill, what you thought all along. It's not as if it matters any longer. There's no longer any reason to keep up appearances, now that we aren't working together any longer," Jynx stated.

Kiros regarded her for a moment. She was right, in the end, there wasn't any reason any longer…to keep up appearances. "That day we found the two of you. Why were you carrying Seifer on your back like that? Why didn't you leave him?"

Softly, Jynx answered, "He would have died."

"Why do you care? A monster like you. Why did it matter at all?"

"Because, Kiros Seagill, at that time, I believed I'd found a kindred spirit. I was, unfortunately, mistaken. There simply isn't anyone else like me in this entire world. And I suppose it wouldn't really matter, even if there was."

Kiros shook his head. She didn't make any sense, when it came right down to it. Revenge. What could an automaton like Jynx possibly want revenge for? Didn't you have to have feelings to feel betrayed? He'd given up trying to understand. She wasn't really any of his concern any longer, at least, not on a personal level.

"Well, Jynx Arashi. Welcome to your new home. Better get comfortable. You'll be here for a while."

***

Jynx sat against the wall, letting the pendant dangling from her fingers swing back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Just staring at the tiny bit of starlight that twinkled off of the metal. It was too dark to really see much else.

She knew she wasn't alone, but couldn't locate the other party, who seemed content to mind their own business. At least, that is what she had thought, until he spoke.

"I know where you can get it, you know," he said.

"Oh. And which "it" would that be?"

"The power to kill GF. I know where you can get it."

That had gotten her attention. She cocked an eyebrow at him through the dark, just the barest hint of movement over her face, but it spoke volumes. She was listening.

"You'd only have to do one thing for me. Just a small favor."

"Small favors are often the ones that require the most effort," she stated blandly.

"Bring my son back to me. I want…she took him away from me. They stole him. I want him back. My son. My son, for the power to kill GF. You have nothing to lose, Jynx Arashi."

"Who are you? How do you know me?" Jynx demanded, though her tone remained level.

"My son for your sister. Little Ruvie, what's it going to be, Jynx?"

Jynx leveled her eyes on the man, wearing a slightly pained expression that looked suspiciously like a scowl. If looks could kill, it was obvious that she would have had him by the throat. "Never say that name," she sneered; it was more of a hiss escaping partially open lips, really.

She leaned her head against the wall where she sat, a few feet to his right. There was silence for a long few moments while thoughts echoed through her mind. 'Ruvie I…' The girl had always given her the stupidest looking puppy dog eyes to get what she wanted, and Jynx could never seem to refuse.

"What's your name?" she asked softly.

"My name? They've even taken that from me, you know, "to keep you safe" they said, from Him. Oh, that Kiros Seagill is a crafty man, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. But, just between us, once, a very long while ago, my name was Max Kinneas."

Jynx raised an eyebrow at the man. 'Kinneas?' Well, it didn't matter, not really. That had nothing to do with her. She leaned her head back against the wall and said, "alright. But I'll do it in my own way." When she sensed the man's body go slack, heard the heavy breathing of slumber, she whispered softly in the darkened cell. "Shin…I will destroy every GF, Ruvie. I swear it. This is how I will avenge you, little sister. This is how I will avenge you and your stolen memories." Jynx exhaled slightly, it was almost a sigh, but not really. "Ruvie, I promise. I won't give up. Not until the very end." 'Our memories make up who we are,' Jynx thought. 'I'll never forgive GF for stealing you away from me.'

Jynx stared at her left hand like something foreign. Without her claw, she felt strange. Even in the pale starlight, she could see that the skin there was a much paler shade, and smoother, the fingers uncalloused for lack of use. It looked like…'a woman's hand'-delicate, gentle, soft. And for those reasons, it was completely useless to her, but also, she knew that it was strong, she knew it because this was her left hand, the hand that bore her claw. The other hand still bore it's long black glove, but, the shape that she knew was underneath was far different from this apparition of skin she watched. She leaned her head back against the cold wall. 'These hands. My hands. The one thing I believed I could depend on, at that time. My hands. And yet, I've kept them covered for so long, that they're completely unfamiliar to me now… … …

But it doesn't matter, not really. There's only one thing that matters in this entire world.'

And the word escaped her lips once again, a false and broken litany whispered reverently. "Ruvie."

And in the dark, Max smiled. Things were going exactly according to plan.

***

hokay! Max is back! Gyah! Seifer gets a bigger role. Laguna seeks out lost memories. Once again, knowledge proves to be the key to everything, and what EXACTLY is Jynx planning to do?!? All this and more in the coming chapters of "Until the End of Eternity, and Longer"!

Well kits, this chapter definitely took us in a new direction, didn't it? All the same, I believe I am content. Thoughts, opinions, general rants, r&r. And until next time,

Happy Haunting,

~Banshee Puppet~