Amor Vincit Omnia - Meeky - Changing Times 11-15

Changing times (11-15)

Chapter 11
Selphie was sat in Delta's office looking through all the headmasters papers with tough scrutiny, she thought she almost had the reason why Trabia students seemed to lag a little behind Balambs'. She stopped and sighed, looking out the window. Zell was down in the quad putting a group of young fist fighters through their paces, twelve in one year group, even for a Garden with an intake the size of Trabia's that was good going, there were even more shinobu kids in the class she had offered to take this afternoon. Delta had been so grateful to her it had been ridiculous, that was part of Trabia's problem, they didn't have enough teachers to go around the kids, the student to teacher ratio was too high. Especially in the weapons training classes, Balamb had found the optimum class size was six students in that, but Trabia sometimes had classes of upto thirty. She shook her head and moved to the window to watch Zell demonstrating his moves. It had been two weeks since she had kissed him and they hadn't brought it up again. Neither of them had quite been able to go back to the way it was before, every time she saw him Selphie saw the look in his eyes and it brought her up short. Their conversation had been stilted and they had only managed to talk about work... and Rathi Makeri. She knew that he was a danger but she and Zell disagreed on the way to handle him, he wanted to go in with guns blazing, figuratively speaking, and she just wanted to bide her time, see what he would do next. Selphie was deathly frightened by him, the thought of doing anything to provoke him made her mouth go dry. So she and Zell argued, they had never really argued before and it wasn't really an argument now, it was just a means of communicating that wouldn't involve their feelings.

She gazed down at him, even though he had rejected her, she couldn't make what she was feeling go away and every time he wasn't looking at her she stared at him. Just as she was doing now. He was dismissing the class and he stretched with cat-like grace, he looked up and saw her standing by the window. He obviously paused and then waved to her, it was a good job he couldn't see the red shooting up her neck and onto her cheeks. She felt like she was a naughty school girl that had been caught eavesdropping... she gave him a small wave back and moved away from the window. She sat down and closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind, she had decided it was her time to look for Bahumat again, she had made it a thrice daily ritual and yet she was always disappointed when she couldn't find him. She looked at her watch, she was supposed to be accompanying a student through the ice caves today, Roo was coming with her as a guide because she hadn't been there in a while. Zell had gone through about three days before and he had passed the student with flying colours. The test now Shiva had disappeared was to find and fight a snow lion, she thought it was a little tough, she herself had, had a pop at Shiva when she was a weak GF, it had been a month later that someone had caught her and it had really niggled until the boy was caught by a blue dragon and had been killed. Shiva had then been taken to Balamb and assigned to Squall, as all unused GF's eventually were.

Delta poked her head around the door. 'How's it going?' She asked with genuine interest.

'Slowly, very slowly...' She smiled at her. 'What time am I supposed to be taking a student through the cavern?'

'In about half an hour, you up to it?' She asked with a grin.

'I've fought snow lions before.' Selphie said tartly. 'Not the easiest of battles but far from the hardest. I really should go and get my shinobu and find Roo.' Delta nodded.

Zell gazed up at Delta's window where Selphie had been looking down at him. It had surprised him when he had seen her doing it but it had brought a small thrill as well. He did sometimes wonder if they would ever stop being awkward around each other again. He looked at his disbanding class with a smile, all were enthusiastic and focused, if a little off with him, he had never met a class before where he hadn't at least gotten one grin off of any student. He was usually such a good teacher as well, he shrugged. He strolled across the quad and saw the large group of students that were getting ready to go on their field course with Rathi and Badier, he stayed clear of Rathi and strolled across to Badier who was organising everybody.

'Hey man.' Zell said with a grin and the Delta's assistant looked at him with a faint smile.

'Hey, I'm a bit busy right now. Can I talk to you later?' He asked, Zell looked at him and noticed he did look a little pale and green around the edges.

'Man are you okay? You're working yourself too hard.' Badier smiled and looked him in the eye.

'I can honestly tell you mate that I love what I'm doing and in a few days this training scheme will have run it's course after that I'll be fine.' Zell smiled and nodded.

'Anyway man I'd better jet, I told Selphie I'd check the books while she takes a student through the caves.' Badier's head came up and he looked at him.

'Is she going on her own? Certain sections like Shiva's old haunt have been sectioned off because the roof is unstable, I don't want her to be hurt.' Zell grinned at his concern.

'Don't worry man, Roo is going with her.' Zell took a look at Rathi, he was pulling his chain whip absently through his hands. 'Be careful yourself, keep your gunblade to hand 'kay?' Badier nodded and smiled. Zell waved at him as he jogged off. Rathi trundled over to him and looked at him questioningly.

'I think we should make our move tonight instead of waiting. We have enough people on our side.' Rathi nodded quietly.

Selphie looked at the young student that was waiting with Roo, she looked half scared and half defiant and she reminded her a little of Squall. She had read this students profile, Jillina Pride, one teachers comment had made Selphie laugh. 'Pride by named stiff-necked, bloody-minded, stubbornly proud by nature.' Her hair was jet black and she had bright blue eyes, she had refused to wear the female student uniform and had used the boys instead, which Selphie thought was entirely practical in this weather. Her test scores were excellent and she had chosen a fire elemental GF named Surami to take with her into the the ice caverns, she saluted Selphie when she arrived.

'At ease cadet.' She said snapping off a salute of her own at the young girl, she was only just fourteen and her instructors were reluctant to send anyone that young into a field exam situation, but they had sent her because they could not hold her back any longer, Selphie looked at the weapon in the girls hand and the quiver at her hip, the crossbow was extremely difficult to master and difficult to load but she had developed enough muscle tone to pull back a thirty pound load on the bow string in under a second. She was impressed with the girl and gave her a quick smile. Jillina gave her a shy smile. 'Are we ready to go?' She asked Roo who nodded quickly. So they set off to the south, towards the Ice caves.

The two garden instructors were standing at the entrance of the ice cavern as they would be most of the day. They stopped the trio. 'Who is trying to pass their field test today?' One asked Roo in a bored voice.

'I am, Jillina Pride.' They looked down their notes and asked for her student ID. '4854390' She said without hesitation.

'Pick your time limit please, you can have anything from 30 minutes to an hour.' The other said and paused to write something down.

'Twenty minutes.' She said without pausing. Roo went to talk to her but Selphie stopped her.

'Let the girl chose, she has the right to pick a challenging time doesn't she?' Roo stared at Selphie they both knew that their knowledge of their own skills was partially tested on the time limit they set themselves, if she completed the task she would get 100%.

When all the paperwork was done the three of the stepped inside the caves. The walls shimmered with a beautiful blue light, the caves glittered like crystal and Selphie smiled, some things never changed as she looked on the walls. Every student of Trabia who had ever took this test had carved their name on the side of the cavern as the departed. She remembered doing it herself and began searching for her own, but the other two were already way ahead of her, she would do it on the way back. These caves had never melted in the twenty five years that Trabia had been a garden and she doubted they ever would in her lifetime. Jillina strode confidently into the cave whistling, hoping to cause a snow lion to attack. Her weapon was raised and she had attached it to her wrist and at that moment she looked as she would have imagined Rinoa to look at this age, she had also chosen a projectile weapon. Selphie looked at the stopwatch she had been given to record Jillina's time. They were nearing Shiva's old cave already, Selphie remembered her own journey taking a lot longer than this but Roo whispered to her that Jill had been studying the maps of this caves for the past two weeks, god the girl was dedicated. When they reached the tunnel that led off to Shiva's cave it had a 'no entry' sign on it and Selphie looked at Roo questioningly.

'Badier cordonned it off when a stalagtite, or is it a stalagmite? Fell off the roof and injured a student nearly six months ago.' She explained. Selphie nodded when the growl came rumbling down the corridor, Jill looked round at them, joyously and the three headed off into the open area that was down that way. Snow lions were not notoriously quick creatures but Selphie's heart started punding when it jumped out of the shadows and went for Roo who fended it off with a sharp crack of her whip. Jill spun round and took aim with her cross bow, the lion howled when the shaft embedded it deep into it's thigh, the girl didn't use obvious fletchings and the shaft buried itself under the lions skin. It turned on the girl and Selphie gave it a sharp crack on the head with her weapon. It growled viciously and launched itself at Jill. Without being at all phased, she sighted down her arm through the sights on her crossbow and let the bolt fly. The crunch Selphie heard as it passed through the lion's skull made her feel sick. But the lion dropped nearly half a foot away from the now jubilant young girl.

'I did it! I really did it... what's the time?' She asked and Selphie looked at the watch.

'Twelve minutes and thirty seven seconds.' The girl opened her mouth in surprise.

'Damn I should have gone for fifteen.' She said but grinned happily.

'Come on.' Roo said to her. 'Let's go home, you will have several people wanting to congratulate you now.' So they headed home. They all paused at the front entrance hall, Roo to supervise Jillina carving her name on the wall with one of her crossbow bolts and Selphie to try and find her name. She remembered standing up on the left hand side of the tunnel when she did it, she smiled when she saw it, it had two little stars surrounding it. When she saw what was written underneath it she felt a lump in her throat. Recently carved in careful letters directly underneath her name, there were four little letters... Zell.

Chapter 12

Selphie smiled when she saw Trabia in the distance, it's green and silver ring seemed to be beckoning her home. When they saw the students milling in the Quad Roo and Selphie gave each other a funny look. Roo stopped to ask one of them what was going on. 'Mr Festreli has organised a special night exercise for some of the best students and SeeDs for training purposes Ma'am.' One of the students said to her, Selphie frowned, it was an unusual thing to do especially at the last minute. Jillina watched the preperations in consternation, even the young girl saw that things were not right.

Selphie nodded. 'Lets go home, I say that this little party has the night off.' Jill bit her bottom lip.

'Excuse me Miss Tilmet, but I haven't been on one of Mr Festreli's training exercises, shouldn't I be going with them?' The girl was eager.

'No Jill, you're to stay at Trabia, that's an order, if they wanted you they would have notified you already.' She said sharply the girl hung her head and Selphie felt bad. 'But between you and me, you've earnt it, you came at the top of this years intake in the field exam ya know.' She saw Jill's shy little smile and felt happy again. 'Anyway girl, dismissed.' Jill threw her a quick salute and broke into a run towards the dorms. 'That girl is going to be a SeeD faster than even Quistis was.' She told Roo who smiled.

'See, some of students are good.' Selphie looked at her in surprise.

'That's not why we are here Roo, we already think they are good, we don't want to criticise you, the teachers here are doing the best that they can.' A small patch of red crawled up behind Roo's ears. Selphie grinned. 'Anyway, I'm beat, I'm going to my room.'

Selphie yawned as she reached her room stuck her shinobu down the side of her bed, then she slid out of her SeeD uniform and quickly into a pair of grey trousers, a red top and her boots, now she felt more comfortable. She noticed a few files on the table that Zell had obviously left there for her and sat down to read through them. The knock on her door surprised her, she wasn't expecting anyone, nobody knew she was back yet except the people in the quad. She answered it and smiled when she saw Badier. 'Hi, Selphie, I've got a favour to ask you can I come in?' He asked her.

'Sure.' She said opening the door wider and standing aside to let him through. He grinned at her as she shut the door. 'Now what can I do for you?' She asked turning round.

*RUN!* Shouted Bahumat in her head so loudly that she was immediatly dwarfed by his presence, she could see him flying, rearing back in panic. *Run away now! He's the one!* Bahumat was screaming at her so loudly that it was all she could do to turn around and look at Badier. She only just turned around in time to avoid the slash from a glinting gunblade. She threw herself to one side rolling and coming up on her feet. Badier was now between her and the door and she looked around wildly for something to protect herself with, her weapon was on the other side of the room, she had nothing else to fight with. She immediately thought of Zell and lowered into a fighting crouch, he had always insisted she learnt a little hand to hand combat in case she was ever disarmed. She had been a fool to only learn the basics.

'You aren't going to stop me doing what I'm doing you know, no one is going to come in and save you at the last minute.' He told her and she used his distraction to make a move behind the table, never talk during battle. Unless you have something that will incapacitate your opponant completely. He frowned at her, she looked at his eyes not at his shimmering gunblade. She grabbed the chair in front of her and when he made to move at her, she picked it and threw it at him, she could hear him snarling just over Bahumat's terrified wails. *Shut up I need to concentrate* She yelled at her GF. Badier used that breif distraction to throw an overhand slash across the table at her. She grabbed hold of the table edge and she slid onto her back underneath it. She gave a brief thought to his sloppy technique, Squall would never have done that, neither would Seifer. She kicked out at his ankles making him tip forward slightly, then she pull down on the table edge and slammed it forwards into his face. He cried out in pain as she rolled out from under the table and ran across to her bed to grab her shinobu. She had been fighting when he was eight years old, she refused to let herself be beaten by him.

She nearly did it... she nearly grabbed hold of her weapon but he caught her arm and dragged her around to face him. She hit out at him with her other fist, but she was no where near strong enough to cause him any kind of disabling pain. He took her wrists in one hand as she squirmed. She looked into his eyes and stopped dead, she began shaking, his eyes burned. 'You asked me what you could do for me... for me personally... you can die for me.' She watched his blade come from beside him, not that she would ever admit it later but she had every intention of screaming... not a scream for help as such... a scream of pure unbridled terror, the kind that cuts you with it's intensity. But, fortunately for her ego, she never got that chance. She only grunted as the blade slid through the wall of her abdomen, but when the bullet ripped through her back she threw her head to the sky and howled in pain. The blade was icy cold as it slid back out of her gut, her hands came up to cradle her ruptured body. Her knees gave out on her and she collapsed to the floor on her side, she was curled into the foetal position and the pain burned. Selphie whimpered as she lay there, her hair curling in gentle waves across the floor and her blood gushing from her like from a river. Badier knelt next to her down next to and pulled a lock of her brown hair off her face.

She looked up at him, her wide eyes staring into his brown ones that were burning from the inside. She felt her tears running down her face but she could barely breathe and was unable to sob. 'You know, I really couldn't care if you lived or died.' He told her. 'But we need you yet, you carry a small value, Trabia is mine... I'm using you to ensure it stays mine.' He placed his hand across her stomach and she tried to scream but it came out as a gurgle. 'Cure spell methinks, you aren't needed back at your full capacity, you just need to stay alive.' The white light of the spell slid inside her and began the large task of reworking her tissues into their original framework, she found the energy to howl, just once, before Badier knocked her out.

Zell watched Badier's night-time exit from the cafeteria with a slow grin on his face, he had been expecting Selphie to call on him and was a bit surprised that she hadn't by now. He watched Badier walk out of the garden with a cloth wrapped bundle in his arms, he threw it across an empty loading stretcher and strode to the head of the colomn making everybody fall into line. Rathi had been left behind on this outing, he wasn't officially assigned to do it so he didn't go, Zell thought that was incredibly selfish. He watched the line of SeeDs and students walk out of the gates, Badier had told him where he was heading, the snowplains to the west of Trabia. He smiled and turned back to Roo who was sitting at their table. She tossed her red hair over her shoulder and grinned, telling him all about this girl that she and Selphie had taken to the ice caves. Roo pointed her out to him, she was watching the Trabians leave with a frown on her face.

It was an hour later that Ifrit roared into his head. *Selphie is in danger, she's dieing, she's cold!* Zell stood up and felt his eyes bulging out of his head. He had never been on the receiving end of a guardian forces' full voice before. It took him a second before what he had said was actually processed by his brain. Ifrit roared again and Zell spirinted from the room, taking the stairs upto Selphie's bedroom three at a time. The door was locked, he knocked frantically and when she hadn't answered him he took a step back and kicked it open. What he saw made him stop and he felt the cold pain of terror enter his chest. The chair was overturned by the door and the table was tilted onto one side. But he couldn't take his eyes of the bright pool of red on the floor. The sheets had been ripped off her bed and used to mop up the best of the blood, there was a dark smear of it that had been brought across on someone's boots. He trembled as he put his hand to it... it was cold, but that didn't mean anything, everything in this damn place was cold. His eyebrows were drawn down as he turned and ran out of the door. He meant to see Rathi dead if he didn't tell him where Selphie was. She was still alive, she had to be.

Chapter 13

*You can wake to my world now little one.* He whispered to her gently, Selphie didn't open her eyes, she didn't need to. The background faded in and she went to smile, only then realising that she didn't have a body let alone a mouth to smile with, she moved and felt her heart being projected from inside herself. She was light, touched with fire, she tried to take a breath... and then she remembered.

*Where am I?* She asked as she turned her... head? A giant sweeping light crossed her vision and began to hover in front of her. Parts of it disassociated and turned to nothingness, but it stayed constant, shining all colours and no colours. It was all shapes and no shapes. It was everything...

*I brought your senses to the elemental plane* The shining light told her. *I would not have you feeling the pain of your body right now*

*Bahumut?* She asked quietly and the dragon emanated warmth. *How, I don't understand? This isn't possible*

*Child... we generally do not like humans intruding on our realm but it is possible... For a short while at any rate. I am keeping your body breathing and your heart warm right now, for the time being you are safe here. I do not wish for you to hurt.* Selphie watched the creature, it cared about what happened to her.

*For that I thank you Bahumat... am I dying?* The light went black for a moment.

*Yes, your body is injured* The light shone again. *But you are being kept alive, you have other uses for them... But we need you too, the Guardian Forces need your help. But the Creatures that live on this plane are afraid, they will not help you in return. The true knight has more power over me than you do. But it is to you I have given myself, I pledge myself to your cause. I will help my fellow Guardian Forces even if they refuse to help themselves. Only we few that faced Ultimecia are willing to stand against our eventual destruction.*

*Destruction?* Selphie asked him.

*He manipulates our world, he can manipulate us. Even when we give ourselves to you humans, we retain our own free will. He has taken many Guardian Forces forcibly from this world, some have never experienced corporeal form before.* The big dragon sighed. *If he is not ended and his power ended, sooner or later all Guardian Forces will become slaves to his will. We would rather end our existence than live in the earthly world under someone elses rule.* Selphie was shocked.

*Suicide?* She asked him the light glowed blue breifly. *I can't do anything for you... I can't even walk in my physical body.* Selphie watched the dragon and pictured him in corporeal form, he was more impressive now than he had ever been then.

*We are forming a plan, but now I must send you back to your body, your heart and brain are failing without you there. We will be with you as much as we can.* Selphie was being pushed back along a silver thread, she was dumped unceremoniously into her own body, her eyes flew open but she only had to feel the raging pain in her stomach for a second before she fainted.

Zell's eyes were shifting from side to side, everywhere he went he could see smug, hostile faces, but none of them were the smug, hostile face he wanted. He didn't know what to do, Ifrit was rumbling in his head about Selphie, and Zell already had trouble thinking. Something wasn't quite right here, his heart thrummed with fear for her but he couldn't help feeling that this was more than what it seemed. He needed help. The only people who he could think of that would help him were miles away in opposite directions. Zell was on his own, for the first time in his life and he was terrified. He breathed deeply the only person he could think of going to for help was Delta, he turned towards her office and began to run.

Rathi stood in the training room pacing in front of hundreds of Trabia students and SeeDs. This was it, the time was now, the war for Trabia had begun. These people were to capture and subdue Trabia from the inside, on the outside the elite troops were to deal with any threats that came during the battle from an outside source. 'Badier has entrusted this work to us, we all know how he feels about the enslavement of Trabia to Balamb. Everybody, this is our Trabia and we are here to take it back. Take as many hostages as you can, kill anyone you cannot subdue.' He held out his own arm. 'We will all be wearing a red armband, try not to kill each other.' Everyone saluted in unison and began to file out.

Jillina began to breathe hard, it had taken every ounce of courage to stick around when everyone had started to file into the training room. She looked at the red armband she had been given, best to keep it on for safeteys sake. She had to tell someone, she began to run, pushing past everyone as they filed out. Several jokey comments were made about her eagerness, especially by people she classed as friends. How in all hell's could nearly all Trabia be joined in this. Jill had to find the headmaster and she had to find her now!

Zell reached Delta's office in record time and opened the door without knocking, she looked up at him in surprise. 'Zell what on earth is the matter?' She asked him in her serious voice and it steadied him, at times she reminded him of Quistis, noticing that comparison made him feel less nervous.

'Selphie's gone, there's blood all over her room and Ifrit keeps on telling me she's dying. Something's wrong, seriously wrong, with Trabia.' He said in a quick voice.

'What do you mean?' She asked and they turned to a thundering hammer on the door and a high pitched quail of, 'Let me in. Let me in.' Zell opened the door and a slight black haired girl came barrelling through.

'Jill!' Delta exclaimed. 'What's the meaning of this?' The girl leaned forward over the woman's desk.

'They're going to kill people! Rathi said if they don't submit to kill them.' She blurted out and Delta stood up in surprise. Zell grabbed the girl by the shoulders and turned her to face him.

'What's the problem girl?' He asked and she blurted out the whole story, he looked up at Delta. 'Oh my god. Delta, don't you see what they've done. They're taking Trabia, by force.' He stood up and stared at her with a shocked look on his face. 'We have to get out of your office, it's the first place they'll look for you. Quickly, they'll be coming for you Delta, and Roo, and me. They seem to already have taken Selphie. Anybody even remotely connected to Balamb... wait. We have to warn everybody.' He clicked on the tannoy system and looked at Delta, she shook her head at him in shock. He looked at Jill, she stood to attention waiting for her orders.

'To every loyal student still left at Trabia, this is Zell Dicht. We are about to enter a battle situation, this is not a drill! Where ever you are go and get your weapons and form groups. The people that will attack you are wearing red armbands, they want to take over Trabia, to have it for themselves, this is not a drill, they outnumber us. You are fighting for your lives people.' Zell's heart was beating fast and Ifrit had just stopped screaming in his head. There was no way that the small number of students and SeeDs could hold off the group that Jill had described for long, he needed backup. 'Don't engage the enemy unless you have to, keep yourselves safe. Backup is on it's way, just defend youselves.' He turned to the girls behind him. Delta stood to attention now along with Jill, both adopting their SeeD training. 'We need to contact Squall. We need the backup of all Balamb garden. Where can I do that?' Delta pointed to her phone. 'No good, they know we are in your office Del, we need to get out and get help.'

'The cafeteria has computers with phone link ups.' Jill said to him and he stared down at the child, her crossbow was tied tight at her wrist and he nodded.

'Then that's where we go. Come on SeeDs, move... follow me.' He said, they followed him out of the door and down the corridor.

'Mr Dicht, I'm not a SeeD.' Jill whispered to him and he looked down at her and swore.

'You are now, I'll clear it with Squall at a later date, consider this your field exam, all you have to do is get out of it alive.' She stared at him with shining eyes and then raised her crossbow. He heard the shaft whistle by his ear and he froze. The scream that was uttered made him turn, a man with a red armband had his hand across a leg wound that was pumping blood. He nodded. 'Where there is one there will be others. We have to make contact with our backup.' He said and all three broke into a run.

Selphie swam through her muggy world to conciousness as someone let go a cure spell. It immediately replenished her energy enough to scream, her body tried to force her back into unconciousness. She had to know where she was, she had to. She struggled through the shattering pain that tried to rip her apart and opened her eyes. She knew this place, this was where she had fought Shiva. She tried not to laugh, Badier had cordoned off this area months ago, just so he would have some kind of secret base. Selphie had been curled up on her side in the foetal position and wrapped in her quilt and blankets.

'Back in the world of the living again are you?' She heard Badier's voice ask her, she flicked her eyes up to him in defiance. 'Well don't get to used to it you won't be here for long.' She couldn't talk so she merely stared at him. 'I'm surprised that you managed to save the world if all you can do is glare at me. But then, you know what I am don't you?' Again silence from her, she really didn't have much choice in the matter, if she tried to breathe deep enough to talk the pain was excruciating... mind you, it was excruciating anyway. 'I'd tell you my plans but your reputation is legendary and I've seen too many movies. As far as you're concerned, I'm using you as a hostage.' Selphie resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his melodrama. 'Right now, you're only here to make sure other people aren't.' Then she knew, she saw it in his eyes, he was keeping Rinoa away, he could fight anyone, but not a soceress. She couldn't keep the pained smile that spread across her face to herself, Badier frowned at her and that was the image she took with her as she fell into oblivion.

Zell shifted his movements into immediate stillness when he saw the three figures down the hallway. They saw him at the same time and froze into a fighting stance, two held shinobu's slightly less modified than Selphie's, and one held a shotgun. None wore the red armbands, but now he had let all of Trabia know about them, he still couldn't be sure if they had taken them off. Jill and Delta saw him pause and immediately took up positions behind him, at the sight of their headmaster the three immediately relaxed. They had just had to fight their way out of the pool room just off the dorms, they told them in obvious relief. They had been trying to make their way to the quad and get out of Trabia, Delta shook her head and groaned. 'Oh no, I forgot that people would try and leave. If I know Badier he has people posted out there to make sure they don't leave or that this operation isn't interferred with. You three follow me, we'll gather up as many loyal students and SeeDs on the way and try and stop people leaving into a massacre, Zell this is all up to you now, get us all help. You save my garden for me.' She stretched her fingers. 'It's time for me to give up my desk job, Trabia is yours.'

'What?' He exclaimed.

'I quit... don't worry being a headmaster isn't that hard.' She ran off down to the main gates and away from his protests with glee. He turned to look at Jill.

'I guess it's up to us then kid.' He told her, she grinned with bright eyes and saluted. They headed for the cafeteria, it was slow going. Zell knocked out several kids wearing red armbands, Jill shot even more, they picked up about ten more strays as they made their way across the campus. The fighting was intense in every quarter, SeeDs matched up to SeeDs, the amount of blood being shed made him think that Trabia would never be clean again. His mind kept going back to Selphie, was she dead? What had happened to her? God, he prayed silently, if you have to take one of us, please make it me. I don't want to live if she doesn't. It was then he admitted to himself that neither of them may make it out alive, perhaps she was already gone. He shut his eyes briefly and then looked around at the kids following him, only one of them was a SeeD, most were younger than thirteen and Jill was the only one who wasn't terrified and that included him. These kids he would get out, they, at least, would get out of this battle alive, he swore it.

They heard the cafeteria before they saw it, it was a aural barrage of screams, shrieks and yelling. He swallowed when he saw it, nearly thirty people in red armbands tried to cram through the small corridor and reach a yelling mob on the other side. Those still loyal had barricaded themselved into the cafeteria and someone who had a pistol was taking potshots at their attackers from behind it. He ordered the people with long range weapons in their group, of which there were four, to start disabling them. He shut his eyes as he gave them the order to shoot and only opened them as they began to scream, he'd expected the kids to kill somebody by accident. But they were surprisingly good, when the red bands realised they were being shot at from both sides they began to run, dragging their injured companions with them. He turned to them triumphant and signalled them to run towards the cafeteria which had just started to lift its baricade for them. He turned to Jill and the grin fell off his face, her eyes were brimming with unshed tears. 'Hey what's wrong?' He asked and she shook her head before telling him.

'I just shot my room mate, she's my best friend. How is that right?' She asked and Zell put his arm around her.

'As a SeeD, all I can tell you is that hurting a friend is the worse thing you can be asked to do. I had to fight Rinoa once when she was junctioned to Adel. But be thankful, your room mate will survive and you know it.' He moved her quickly across the hall past the blood that she had been guilty of spilling and into the cafeteria.

'God Zell, you took your bloody time!' Roo yelled at him in relief. He smiled at her and she looked into his eyes. The smile slid off her face. 'Where's Selphie?' He silently shook his head.

'Later, right now, I need to contact Squall.' He strode over to the console in the corner of the room, he couldn't help noticing how many SeeDs and students were in this room, they moved in pairs or on their own, their faces were etched in terror. They seemed to be shadows of what they normally were. He swallowed as he punched in the number to Squall's office. His irritated face clicked up in seconds. Behind him Xu and Rinoa were sat with lesson plans strewn across the table, he'd interrupted their staff meeting.

'Zell, is this important?' He asked impatiently. Zell began to laugh, he could hear the near hysteria in it and hated himself for it.

'It depends... Is Trabia rebelling against Balamb and students killing each other in the halls important? Oh yeah and I nearly forgot, Selphie's dying too, so Ifrit tells me and her room is covered in blood... should I come back at a better time?' Zell shut his eyes and breathed deeply, his legs shaking. He rubbed his face and swept his hands through his blonde hair. When he looked back at the screen Xu and Rinoa were staring at him in alarm. Squall cleared his throat.

'What?' He asked. Zell began to tell them the story. He just got to where Delta had run off when Roo yelled at him.

'Zell, they're trying to get back in!' Zell turned and started barking orders, without realising where they come from.

'The youngest kids get back, short range weapons in the front, long range at the back, fire over the short range squads' heads, try to deter them, young kids start grabbing things to support the barricade, now!' It was short and bloody, but only a few managed to leap over the barricade where the first squad dealt with them efficiently. He turned to the screen, Squall was still there, he could wait for the moment. 'Get some tables down to hide behind and all of you can bloody well stay down unless you are doing something specific, they ain't gonna get us that easy.' Roo started doing as he said and he marched back to the screen. 'Squall I can't do this on my own, I need help.' Squall nodded, Rinoa stood by his side, leaning down looking into the screen.

'Are you okay?' She asked him and he stared at her.

'Please tell me that wasn't a serious question?' She blushed faintly. 'Nah, Rinoa I'm about ready to fly apart, I'm not a leader, I'm a SeeD, I take orders.' He tried to calm his breathing. 'Please, something is going on with the GF's, as well, Ifrit knows Selphie is in pain, he... he says she's dying. I need some kind of backup here.' He stared at his friends pleadingly.

'Is this soceress's true knight involved with this?' Squall asked him reluctantly and Zell saw Rinoa's eyes widen slightly, he hadn't told her about that. 'This Rathi character?'

'It isn't Rathi man. I mean, yes he's involved but the knight isn't him, it's Badier, Rathi takes orders from him.' Jill came up next to him and looked at him mutely. He glanced at her and the sadness on her face, he realised that she was pitying him right now. He muttered something, he had to be strong, these kids would get out alive, he reminded himself. 'Squall, all I have to say is that I need reinforcements, we can't get out as Badier has us surrounded, the halls are crawling with those under his influence and I have to save these kids... Selphie may die but at least I can save these kids, but only if you help me with some outside assistance.'

'Don't use Selphie aginst me Zell, we know what she means to you.' Rinoa glanced at him with a frown, she didn't think he had taken that in when she told him. 'The point being how the hell are we to get reinforcements to you, it would take days we don't have the Ragnorak, you do.'

'Squall, you know that big building you are sitting in... it moves, so does Galbadia. I need another garden and I need it an hour ago.' Squall frowned and nodded with a sigh, he turned to Xu.

'Start making preperations to remove the young kids please Xu, Balamb is going to war again. Zell hold on for two hours, we're coming for you.' Then he signed off, Zell turned and looked at the children huddling down behind overturned tables and wondered if he could hold on for an hour, let alone two. His thoughts turned to Selphie as he took Jill and sat down behind a table, at least if he died in the next fight, he would die with a picture of the woman he loved in his mind.

Chapter 14

Seifer strode along the grey corridors of Galbadia Garden, it was his home now. After the Ultimecia incident he and Squall had reached a mutual understanding, if Seifer disappeared Squall wouldn't kill him. Seifer was under no illusions that he could now, Squall had far outstripped his ablities in a short sapce of time. So Seifer had gone away. It was two years before Squall had eventually tracked him down to a small hamlet called Follifoot where he had taking to whiling away his days drinking. Seifer had never quite figured out if it was Squall's idea or if Rinoa had forced him into it, but he had offered to make him a SeeD if he came back and took up a teaching position at Galbadia. He had changed in those two years, his dreams had changed. He had never pretended that he was a well adjusted man, or even a particularly nice one, but he had searched himself and realised just how deep those characteristics went. The shock of realising how low he had come had pushed him into changing. His arrogence had lessened, as had his general truculance.

He'd looked at Squall with new eyes, a man that was able to forgive an enemy as bad as the one Seifer had been was rare. The sudden blossoming of respect had caught him off guard but to him it was an indicator of how much he had changed, in the past he would have told Squall to stuff his pity, but he looked at the man and considered how much this proposal had cost him. He had nodded, they would always be rivals, they would never get on, they would always argue, but maybe respecting each other was enough to let the hostility rest at important times. So Seifer had come to Galbadia, it was Squall's one concession, he would not be allowed to teach at Balamb, he wasn't welcome at what had become Squall's home and over time Seifer had seen that for the smart move it was. The less they fought the better all round.

It had been a real shock when he had recognised Quistis down the corridor. He hadn't been told that she and Irvine were coming here on a mission. They had never really been his friends but they were part of the closest thing he had to a past and they acknowledged that mutual bond. Quistis with quiet companionship and Irvine with a laid back attitude. He remembered less about the orpahnage than they did, but he remembered Edea and Ellone. It was enough that they remembered for him. He had heard all about Irvine's trouble with Selphie, at great length, from Quistis, whose anger had taken nearly a week to cool. He couldn't blame the girl for finishing things with him, he had behaved like an idiot, but he really wished that she would at least forgive him, she hadn't called since they had arrived and Irvine's mood was still deteriorating everyday. By comparison Seifer was starting to think of himself as cheerful.

His position at Galbadia had increased as the years had gone by, from a simple teacher to his current status, which was similar to the rank Xu held at Balamb. Many people at the garden had recognised him when he first began and it had taken nearly three years for people to begin to trust him, except for his students, they had been his from the start. He took pride in being a good teacher. The tannoy system sung out and he heard the headmasters voice call for him to go up to his office. He shrugged and turned to the lifts.

He looked around once he entered the headmasters office and frowned at the scene. Irvine was leant forward in his chair and Quistis was leaning across the desk over-shadowing the headmaster. Her face was angry, her delicate eyebrows pulled low and her posture was threatening in her SeeD uniform. 'Is there a problem?' He asked with a tilt to his head and smirk on his face. Quistis turned to him and opened her mouth angrily, but headmaster Dameri got in first.

'Things are fine Seifer... although Balamb has given us a rather strange order.' He said leaning back in his chair, Dameri had been appointed headmaster a year ago and was still learning the ropes, he had used Seifer's guidance wisely and now trusted him implicitly. Quistis handed him a piece of paper, he looked down at it. Quistis. Trabia has gone to war because of a very powerful person, I'll explain later. Get Seifer to uproot your Garden and meet Balamb at 21-34-76, 75-26-98 in an hour. Squall. Seifer frowned at the co-ordinates and nodded.

'Sorry Dameri, I don't see the problem.' He told him. 'Squall has given you a specific order.' Dameri looked at him, slightly taken aback.

'I see, but it came from these two.' Seifer looked at them, Irvine watched him with half lidded eyes and Quistis had her temper up very obviously, they were both waiting for him to call them liers.

'Okay... I see your point, but even if you don't agree with them on what should be done, and I can't see you disobeying a direct order, they outrank you, they're considered heros by all the people at this Garden. If they wish they could take Galbadia garden from your hands and push you down to SeeD instead of headmaster, only a small amount of people would gain say that right.' He crossed his arms and turned to Quistis. 'You want me to go?' He asked him and she nodded mutely, almost unable to believe that he was supporting them. 'Okay, getting this place going should only take twenty minutes.' He began to move out of the door.

'Seifer...' Quistis called out to him and he turned to look at her questioningly. 'Need a hand?' She asked and he felt himself grin, unusual for him. He nodded.

'If you're offering.' He said and turned to Irvine. 'When I get this place moving you'll need to get it going in a hurry if we are to make that rendevous with Balamb. Dameri, you get the kids under 12 out of the building, you got that, if this is war we shouldn't take them.' Seifer turned on his heal and stalked out. He knew where he was going, it had been him that got Galdbadia moving in the first place. The lower decks of the ungainly airship had been made more accessible over the years in case this happened again, he heard Dameri's voice call out over the tannoy to get the kids off the ship. As he and Quistis descended down into the bowels of the ship he heard her cough.

'Thank you Seifer.' He turned to her with a frown.

'What exactly for? I did my job.' He said and she bit her lip in amusement. 'What's funny?'

'Nothing, you won't appreiciate it, you sounded a little like Squall then that's all.' Seifer rolled his eyes and shrugged.

'You were right, that's all, I occasionally do the right thing you know. I'm not a teenager anymore.' She raised her eyebrows. 'Okay I know that's not an excuse for what happened, but I've spent the past seven odd years here trying to make up for it.' He shook his head. 'Why am I telling you this, it's not as if you actually give a damn anyway.' He snapped and the lift stopped, he switched on the lights and turned to her. She was staring at him with either pity or compassion.

'You know I was one of the more vocal people that called for your public lynching, it turned out that me, Selphie and Rinoa are far more bloodthirsty than the lads. Squall and Zell told us to leave you alone.' He snorted in disbelief. 'It's the truth.'

'Oh great just what I need for my reputation, I have Zell sticking up for me, thanks I'd rather be alone.' He moved away from her with quick strides she had to hurry to keep up with him.

'You know you don't always have to be the bastard you like people to think you are.' He stopped and turned on her.

'No, I do always have to, what other choice do I have, all I have here is respect, I'm a good teacher but no matter what I'll always be that person who stood against Squall and his posse. Have you read about me in the history books? No matter what I cannot redeem what I did and I am trying. Everyday, I give my best to this Garden, pass a little piece of me on to every student that I can. You know, they have me teaching history next term, for you it's easy... blah blah, I saved the world, I have to recount that episode to them with them knowing who I am. I'm trying to deal with it...' He suddenly realised he was shouting. 'I'm sorry.' He said quietly and turned away from her, red burning his ears.

'No, I'm sorry.'

'What for, you were only trying to help.' He shook his head and frowned. 'I think.'

'When you disappeared I hoped that, where ever you were, that you were in a lot of pain... Now I can see that you were and I'm sorry.' He looked at her downcast eyes and burst into laughter. Her offended face came up and she stared at him with incredulous eyes, she shook herself and went past him with her boot heals clicking against the concrete angrily. He reached out and grabbed her hand, but when she turned to him, her face made him go into peals of laughter again, but he held onto her as he got himself under control.

'Sorry... I'm sorry.' He said trying to get his breath back. 'I appreciate it, I really do. But you know, when I wasn't around you lot or fighting with you, I never gave much thought to you at all. My hell was of my own making, I just find it funny that someone can hate me so much these days to be bothered enough to wish that on me, I'm not used to it anymore. I didn't mean to offend you... But I guess that's one of the things I've always been able to do.' She was staring at him open mouthed which made his mouth tick in amusement. 'Bit of a shock huh?' He asked and she nodded slightly. He indicated that they should hurry.

'Can I ask you an honest question?' She asked as they reached the engine room.

'If you like, don't expect an honest answer... or any answer if I don't want to give it.' And he felt her nod rather than saw it.

'Why did you do it?' He frowned and turned his head to her as he opened the door and switched on the light.

'You know, nobody has ever asked me that before.' He shrugged as he began flipping switches. 'If I say it was something to do, you'll hit me won't you...? I wanted to feel right in my own skin, I never had that... even Squall had that. He knew himself the way I didn't. My walls were even higher than his. I'd searched for that peace of mind for years before Ultimecia came for me. I thought that, that was it. If I served her then she could make me who I was meant to be.' He stopped for a moment and closed his eyes. He swept his hand through his hair. 'I saw everyone watching Squall when we came to Balamb, he was the one meant for great things not me, I thought if I was important or special the way he was then maybe I'd be who I was meant to be.' He looked at her with a small smile and then began going through the final launch procedure.

'You know it feels good to finally forgive you.' She smiled as he slowed down his actions to a stop.

'Woah, I never thought anyone would ever say those words.' She heard him swallow. 'Thank you.' He looked at the screen above him as it flickered to life. 'Here goes nothing, so off to Trabia then.' He hit the switch that would kick off everything.'

Selphie watched Badier with hard eyes as he wandered around the cave, he had used a number of cure spells on her, keeping her on the brink of death but never actually crossing over. The cure spells had begun to knit her tissues together, the gunblade wound still bled slightly everytime he used the spell but it wasn't exactly getting better. He had just been using it to restore her energy levels not her body. He had posted a guard on her once she had begun to maintain conciousness for more than ten minutes. He had wanted to post another when she had begun to be able to talk and it was then she realised that he was as scared of her as he was of Rinoa.

*Are you surviving?* Bahumut asked her and she could feel the warmth resonating in his voice.

*I'm alive, for how much longer I don't know...* She had acknowledged hours ago that she might not live through this. *Can you do me a favour Bahumut?* She licked her lips nervously and she heard the dragon rumble his assent. *If I don't make it out... could you... could you let Zell know that I really did fall for him... As for Irvine, could you tell him... I don't know, make up something wise and sage and apologetic and tell him I said it* She closed her eyes breifly taking her eyes off Badier for a moment.

*This is not needed child, I said I would protect you.* Bahumut muttered at her darkly.

*Badier has more control over you than even yourself, I can't summon you, he'd just turn you against me. Please, just promise me that you'll tell my friends how much I love them.* Bahumut growled loudly but promised none the less.

*There is another way, I only wish your friends were junctioned so I could get we Guardian Forces to materialise and discuss this situation. The only person junctioned is Zell, Ifrit is not the clamest of the forces, he is still young. Besides Zell is in a more desperate situation than you.* Selphie felt the tears slide down her cheeks, she had known that was the case, known it without admitting it to herself. Zell would have come for her already if he wasn't in trouble, she believed that.

'Selphie, you might want to stop crying, we are just about to put on a live performance.' Badier was angling a video camera towards her.

'Go to hell.' She said to him and then laughed shallowly. 'I forgot, you're... already going there.' He raised his eyebrows at her and laughed, there wasn't any use, she couldn't bait him. 'Smile Selphie, lights, camera, action.' He punched a number into the console.

Zell risked a volley of fire and sprinted over to the table that Roo was hiding behind. One SeeD with a machine gun covered his movements. Jill poked her head out after him and he motioned her to get back as an arrow moved past where her head would have been. They had been holding out for forty-five minutes now. Roo was tending to a lad who had caught a bullet in his arm, she looked up at Zell as he skidded to safety behind her table. The barrier wasn't holding out so well, even though they had caught up most of the kitchen equipment into it.

'We're losing this battle Zell.' She said quietly.

'This isn't a battle this is a massacre.' He said sharply. 'A battle I could handle. Here we're cornered.' He looked up over the table. 'We need to get out of here. Anyway we can.' He looked around.

'I'm sorry I don't know of one, the only people who got to know this area well enough to find an escape route were the kitchen staff, or their favourite pupils.' Zell groaned.

'I could almost wish this place was Balamb, I'd know how to get out into the quad.' He looked at the kitchen, at Balamb there had been a hatchway into the stores that had a doorway out into the quad where deliverys were made by truck. He'd come up that way several times in his quest for hotdogs, only to be shooed away by the lunch ladies.

'This place is Balamb.' She said absently tying the pupils wounds. He frowned at her.

'What do you mean?' He asked her and she looked up at him with a shrug.

'Nothing, all I was saying was that this place was built on Balamb's schematics. It's built the exact same way.' It was a few seconds later that she realised what she was saying. 'Hey does that mean...?' He closed his eyes, hope written all over his face.

'Let's keep our fingers crossed that they haven't figured that there might be another way out to this place... They generally don't, most of our kids think that the lunch ladies live there.' He looked across at Jill and gave her the okay sign. 'Cover me.' He whispered and she nodded as she locked an arrow onto her crossbow one handed. She twisted around and poked her head slightly above the table, bringing out her weapon. Zell sprinted for the cafeteria with a yell and he dived over the counter tops. Bullets richocheted off the pans hung up above him and he cowered behind the counter with his hands over his head waiting for the barrage to stop. His heart thundered in his chest as he crawled around into the kitchen. When he was out of sight of the barricade he began searching for the hatchway that had lead to the storeroom. It was hidden under two bags of flour and he grinned when he felt the rings to pull it up under his hands. Now for the other door.

He slid down the hatch, completely ignoring the metal ladder set into the side wall. He looked around at all the food and he could feel himself drooling. He shook himself but couldn't help all the great smells that were wafting to him. He saw the light around the door before he found the door itself. Slowly he crept forwards, making certain not to knock anything over. The door crack was beckoning him, he looked out into the quad. His heart flipped over in relief, it was now a matter of getting the kids down here and meeting up with Delta out there... then finding Selphie, his head

reminded him, but he wasn't to be cowed, at least now he had a chance to find her. 'Booya!'

Chapter 15

Rinoa shut her eyes and bit her lower lip. She heard Squall flick of the monitor and take out the disc he had recorded the message onto, then she heard him sigh. She breathed deeply, calming herself. 'What do we do?' She asked him and he looked up at her with a frown.

'I don't know... I really don't know.' He said fatalistically.

'I mean do we turn back... or do we risk...?' Rinoa couldn't finish, her throat had closed up behind her words.

'Risk what? It's not a risk, if we go there, we kill her... It's not a risk, it's a certainty.' He frowned at the floor. 'It's what people use hostages for.' He stood and looked at Xu who shrugged.

'She said he was going to kill her reguardless.' She reminded him with clam equamity. Squall turned to the window and watched the scenery rushing by.

'I know, I'm not sure about this... Mind you, when have I ever been certain about anything.' Rinoa slowly moved over to him and slid her small hand into his. He looked down at their joined hands and gave hers a small squeeze, he reached up to stroke her face gently. His eyes told her that he was sure about one thing. He nodded. 'I think Selphie is right... he will kill her, but if we don't intervene, he will kill Zell as well, and have Trabia under his control, I think that's the worst thing we can let him do. Because he wants the power having Trabia will give him.' He looked back out of the window.

'I don't know what the others will think of this.' Xu said to him.

'I don't have any choice, whatever happens Selphie may die, I don't want that to happen, I can't let it be the only way. But you saw what was happening to Zell, he's frantic... I'm not too sure he can beat that situation on his own, the odds are too great...' He looked at Rinoa and nodded.

'Even for the king of Luck.' She said miserably, she had started calling him that when his reckless behaviour had begun to pay off.

'I need to talk to Quistis and Irvine about the situation.' He looked down at the disc. 'They need to see this... Seifer too.' Rinoa glanced at him questioningly. 'He was a more active Sorceresses knight than I've needed to be, he might know a little more... I can't leave anything to chance that is beyond my ability to control.' Rinoa nodded and put her arms around him, he had probably made the hardest desicion of his life. He had to sacrifice one of his few friends to the greater good.

Zell blinked as he came out of the darkness of the cellar into the light of the kitchen. He heard the rattle of gunfire a short distance away. He avoided the pans scattered across the floor as he crawled on his hands and knees towards the cafeteria. He looked around one of the stainless steel counters and nodded to Roo with gleaming eyes. He saw her catch her breath delicately, her red hair made her face seem more drawn and pale than it should be, but the hope that glittered suddenly in her eyes made him smile. He looked around and crawled over to Jill behind her table and winked at her, she raised her eyebrows at him. 'We're gonna push this table across to Roo's...' He looked at her and the other kids that hid there. 'Can you manage that and keeping yourselves behind it as well?' He whispered, Jill nodded and the two lads behind her grinned their assent. They took up positions and pushed when he nodded at them. The squeal of metal grating against metal brought another volley of gunfire from their attackers, Zell heard one of his group return it instantly, probably not good battle sense, if you save your ammunition where they waste theirs, you may be able to defend yourselves for longer. But that kid had probably never been in a real battle situation before so he guessed it was forgivable.

Roo grinned at them when they finally reached her. 'There's a way out?' She asked him and he nodded.

'Yup, there is... it's only out into the quad, but that was where Delta was heading. She risked herself to go and save those people that would try and escape. If she managed to do it... then, by now, there should be a small army around there. Everyone who isn't here would have tried to leave, Badier isn't expecting us to become a big group, he's split up his main unit to tackle us where ever he can find us.' Roo stared at him and went quite pale.

'Badier? Are you saying he's responsible for this?' She whispered in surprise. 'I didn't know.' She shook her head softly. 'He wouldn't...' Zell stared at her, she really hadn't known.

'I didn't tell you?' He asked and she shook her head. He shut his eyes against her devestated face.

'Why would he? I don't understand...' Zell gripped her arm tightly.

'He's a true soceresses knight... at least according to Edea.' She frowned.

'I don't understand I thought that was...'

'Squall, yes I know... Suffice it to say, a long time ago soceresses could give power to their knights but it all screwed up, Badier contracted that power, he's very dangerous... I don't know if being a nut has anything to do with the power or if that's just all him.' Her head was bowed he shook her arm slightly. 'Roo, I need to know if I can trust you to fight against him, are you able to?' She turned her face up towards him and swallowed.

'Yes, I'm a SeeD, we fight soceresses and their knights, hey it's what we do... I don't understand... but that has never been a requirement for a mission.' She nodded desicively. Zell smiled.

'We need to get these kids out, the only way is round the counters or over. If we can get the kids from table to table and then round the side... then we have unhindered access to the quad. We'll need to set up some cover fire, but it should be easy.' Jill winced.

'Never speak too soon.' She told him and he laughed at her with a quiet nod. 'It'll be a miracle if we can all get out.' He grinned.

'Don't you know, miracles are what I do...' It got her smiling.

Quistis had run across to hug Rinoa when the two Gardens had finally docked, her responding hug was more intense than it should have been. She looked down at her friends face, it was pale and slightly sickly. She turned and looked at Squall and got a slow sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach... his face was like a stone, something was badly wrong. She saluted him a little stiffly, and he responded with a flat stare. He indicated that the three from Galbadia should follow him to his office... now the bridge. As he walked he filled them in on the situation at Trabia, or what he knew of it anyway. Quistis saw Seifer's face frown at the mention of Badier being a true soceresses knight, then he shook his head and began paying rapt attention to Squall's words. The whole concept made Quistis frown, it also gave her a slight headache. When they reached his office she waved to Nida who was standing at the Garden's controls and took a seat next to Xu's. Irvine sat next to Rinoa, the only seats left were Squall's and the chair to it's right. Squall and Seifer looked at each other for a moment, each contemplating being within throttling distance. To her surprise it was Seifer that shrugged first, flinging himself down into the chair, Squall's eyes narrowed fractionally, if that was his reaction, most other people would have gasped in surprise. He sat down and cleared his throat.

'Well I've kind of filled you in on the most of it. Basically Zell's in trouble and needs some help, as does all Trabia... But,' He held up a golden disc. 'We received this about half an hour ago... you should watch it.' Squall stood up and fed the disc into his computer.

A bright blue square flashed up and it focused into a tall brown haired man sitting on a blanket-covered block of ice. His grin was insolent, he wore black combats and a blue t-shirt, he held a gunblade in his hand. 'Hi.' the image said with a wave. 'You'd be Squall. I'm wondering if you know who I am...? No? Playing the strong silent type are you? Or the silent stupid type?' Quistis saw his face tighten out of the corner of her eye.

'I know who you are... I think I do at least, you'd be Badier am I right?' Squall's voice was quiet on the recording. Badier clapped joyfully.

'Oh you can talk, I knew you could... Yup you guessed right. I suppose there's a first time for everything.' The man on screen started playing with his gunblade. 'So, I guess you know what is happening at Trabia then? Your eyes tell me you do, God you really hate me don't you? I'll have to do something about that when we meet up, because we will...' He smiled.

'I'll kill you...' Rinoa's voice said flatly, Badier's eyes flicked to something on the screen before him.

'Ah. So you're Rinoa then... my lady... you know I was meant to be with you? I'm your true knight.' He asked and smiled. 'You find that idea repellant? You won't kill me, he might though... If he got the chance, one that I am not going to give him of course. Y'see... I have something here you care about very much.' He stripped the blankets off a prone figure.

'Selphie!' They heard Rinoa's voice cry out and the surprise that was in her voice was well placed. Blood soaked white blankets underneath Selphie and trickled in a little stream from a vicious open wound in her stomach. It stained the ice underneath her crimson. She seemed to be conscious, but her face had a sheen of sweat that gave her a slightly fevered look, Quistis watched Selphie's chest move up and down very slowly. Her eyes were glazed from the pain. Irvine slammed his chair back and stood up. Seifer reached up his hand and took hold of Irvine's wrist, a silent communication passed between them and he sat again.

'I see you recognise her, that's good, because I barely do. Consider her something for your good behaviour.'

'If you mean a hostage say she's a hostage, at least have the courage to do that.' Squall's voice stated flatly. At that point Seifer leaned forwards and stared at the video, Quistis had her own eyes rivited on Badier.

'Okay, she's a hostage... let's see if she has something to say to you.' Quistis watched Selphie's eyes move to Badier and then the camera very slowly, almost as if she was drugged. 'Selphie?'

'Yes... I guess.. I do.' Her breathing was laboured and she had to take in big gulps of air to get out a short string of words. 'Squall... He'll kill me anyway...' Badier turned round in surprise. 'Save Trabia.' She screamed as he grabbed a handful of her hair and slammed her head against the block of ice. A splash of blood rose up on her forehead and she seemed to be losing the fight to stay conscious.

'I guess that was the wrong thing to say.' Selphie closed her eyes and it shocked Quistis when she realised that Selphie was laughing.

'If... you... you say so.' He was staring at her chuckling with his back to the camera.

'You hurt her and I'll kill you.' Squall said and Badier laughed.

'I already have hurt her... but it's nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you. Or Zell. Selphie will be kept safe if you co-operate. Leave Trabia alone, it's mine, any other Garden comes visiting and I'm gonna slit her right up the middle...' The smirk on his face was too much for Quistis and she turned away. The recording finished. The three Galbadians blinked and looked at each other with consternation.

'So what do we do?' Irvine asked. 'Go in there with barrels blazing?'

'We don't know where he's keeping her Irvine.' Squall said softly and Irvine nodded quietly.

'So, what do we do, just turn around, I can't leave her in trouble Squall, Zell needs our help too.' Squall looked at his friend.

'Irvine, you know what we have to do, don't make this harder on Squall than it already is.' Quistis said quietly, looking down at her hands. She held her icy cool exterior but inside she was raging. Irvine looked at her.

'No, you can't... you can't just let him kill her.' Irvine yelled, his gun was in his hand, it made his posture seem more threatening than it already was.

'I'm sorry Irvine, but I have to save those that can be saved, I know nothing about Selphie's situation, I can't help. I wish I could but I can't. I can save Zell, I can save Trabia. You heard what she said...' He hung his head and continued in a whisper. 'Selphie knows her duty.'

'Stuff her duty man. Selphie doesn't deserve to die.'

'Neither does anyone else at Trabia. Are you willing to sacrifice their lives for Selphie's?' Seifer asked him.

'I'd sacrifice everyone's life for hers.' Irvine shouted at him, his eyes filling up with unshed tears. He shook his head and slumped down into his chair. The silence was deafening, until Seifer broke it.

'Can you go back a little on the disk for me?' He asked Squall and walked over to him and his computer.

'Don't be so morbid, Seifer.' Quistis said with venom in her voice. He turned to her and crossed his arms over his chest.

'I'm sorry, I'm actually trying to help her, you arse.' Quistis stared at him with a shocked look on her face. 'It's better than beating yourselves up over something you can't help.' He shrugged and looked down at the screen trying to find the exact spot on the video tape. 'There... Before he got her to talk to us, she's actually mouthing some words... Anyone else think that she might be trying to help us?' Squall frowned and everybody gathered round quietly. He replayed the bit Seifer was talking about and nodded.

'Well done.' Squall said absently and Seifer shrugged and walked away from the huddle. Squall magnified the image and played it back. Quistis looked at the video tape.

'She's saying Shiva.'

Zell looked at his group with a small grin and began to count down using his fingers. They had arranged for some to go over the top of the counters and some to run for the side. it had taken a lot of bullet dodging but they had managed to let everyone know the plan. The longe range weapons had already headed behind the counter quietly first, moving table to table. They were there to cover the larger amount of students that were studying the close range weapons.

In ten seconds they would try and make their escape.

In five seconds the loud clattering was bound to bring a thousand shots their way.

In one second they would risk everyones life at a last ditch escape attempt. He swallowed, it was 'Now.' He yelled, he grabbed one kid, threw him over the counter and dived over himself as their long range people rose up from behind it to take potshots at the students behind the barricade. There were a few screams but he could not tell if they were from terror or if they were really injured. The projectiles that flew their way made his heart beat in his ears and adrenaline pump round his veins in a way it never had before. It took all of half a minute and their cover team ducked down as well, he tried to take in everyone's faces. A few were in tears, most held their hands to their heads to try and drown out the noise the other side made. Several were stricken with fear.

'Sir? Sir!' He heard one boy shouting, he made his way over to him. He cradled a young girl in his arms, blood pumped out of her arm where an arrow had struck her. Jill stared up at him with terrified blue eyes, he swallowed.

'Remember, all you have to do is survive.' He told her, she nodded. He glanced over at Roo. 'Do I take it out?' She shook her head.

'It may put her into shock... just tie a tourniquet around the top of her arm and snap off most of the arrow. Hurry up there are a couple of others wounded... we need to move before they discover what just happened.' Zell glanced at her, angry fire burnt in her eyes, he had never been scared of her before, but perhaps now was a good time to start.

(Chapters 16-21)