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Changing times (16-21)

Chapter 16
Selphie moaned low in her throat. The lower half of her body had started to numb itself, which in a way was a blessing. If you live with pain for long enough your pain threshold had to increase or you'd continually be collapsing. But Selphie had never had to deal with this kind of anguish before and the fact that her body was adjusting to it frightened her more than the fear of death. She felt half out of her mind already, she begged some unknown deity for her friends to find her and make her safe so she could pass out until she was better. But while they remained in danger she couldn't give herself up to the peaceful oblivion that threatened her, because if she could have experienced something that had any kind of potential to save them and she missed it... she couldn't even let herself think of that. Bahumut swished around in her mind like some bad fever dream, his concern for her made her feel claustrophobic inside her own head. She slid her arms around her body and began to rock back and forth, there is only so long you can stand some pain for.

Her eyes followed Badier's every action without her even having to think about it. Selphie had never hated anybody in her life, it just wasn't in her nature. She hadn't even been able to bring herself to truely hate Ultimecia, she had only ever pitied her. But Badier, she couldn't seperate Bahumut's loathing from her own, it was so strong. She knew objectively that the pain was making her emotions stronger than they would otherwise have been, but her anger still raged. If she ever survived this experience her whole outlook on life would change, she had always made herself seem happier than she actually was, the whole 'I'm alright Jack' image she had projected to her friends was false. There would be no more of that, no more pretending she was okay when she was breaking on the inside. If she survived this... only if.

*

Rinoa frowned at Quistis. 'Me, why me?' She asked the blonde, who smiled apologetically. Rinoa took in her friends quietly, Squall and Seifer were conferring quietly at the computer, that in itself was a shock, both were serious and neither had made the slightest jibe at each other. Irvine had several shots of whisky in a single glass, the ice clinked against the rim as he took a swig.

'Before I was sent to Galbadia I was exploring status changes so I summoned Siren and Cerberus several times, my affinity with Shiva is no longer as high as yours... You know how fickle GF's can be.' Rinoa nodded, Squall looked over at her questioningly and she shrugged her assent, a small smile tugged his lips and pride shone in his eyes.

'Okay I'm ready.' She told them as she sat down. Closing her eyes she searched for that small place within herself where Guardian forces could be junctioned. She didn't know how it felt for everybody else, becuase everybody explained the junctioning process differently, but she reached out and caught the distinctive smell of Shiva, then the GF seemed to click into place.

*It is about time.* The normally sanguine Guardian Force snapped at her. *We all have been trying to get hold of you for the past three hours.* Rinoa swallowed hard, she flicked her eyes at Squall who was watching her intently. She shook herself, Rinoa had never liked the feeling of a GF talking to her, she felt dwarfed by them, but conversely, she and Shiva had always felt a bond. She could deal with this, if her friends believed she could.

*I'm sorry Shiva.* She said silently. *Can you tell me what the problem is?*

*I have been chosen, along with Diablos, to talk to you. This situation affects our kind as much as yours, if not more. We need to corporealise.* Rinoa blinked.

*I don't know how to help you with that.* She said honestly.

*Ice helps, I need it to come into your world, then you will need to concetrate on it.* Rinoa bit her lower lip and looked around.

'Irvine give me your drink.' She said to him, he handed it across with a curious look.

'I asked you if you wanted one.' He said admonishingly, she grinned flatly as she stuck her fingers in the brown liquid. 'Eww gross.' He cried as she fished an ice cube out.

'It's time you stop drinking anyway, how can you, it smells like paint stripper.' She flung the cube down on the table.

'Umm Rinoa what are you doing?' Squall asked her, she waved his question away and concentrated on the ice cube.

*Harder.* Shiva said and Rinoa responded. *Good girl* Rinoa felt the GF move within her and the cube of ice began to grow, Rinoa felt the water droplets in the air coalescing to form this giant structure. She felt the force transfer to the ice with a jolt and before she recovered Shiva was sitting cross legged on the table checking her body over, she nodded, obviously satisfied.

'Good God!' Seifer said, he turned his head to Rinoa. 'How did you do that?' She opened her mouth but Shiva got there first.

*She did not, I did. But now, Diablos requires entry in much the same way I did.* She turned her blue eyes onto Irvine. *Please repeat the process. We will need a heavy gravity object for it to corporialise.*

'It?' Squall asked as he began to fish about in his desk drawer. He slung out a metal orb onto the desk and shrugged in embaressment. 'I was using it as a paper weight.' He explained. Shiva reached out and inspected it.

*It is acceptable, Irvine would you please call Diablos forth.* She looked at Squall. *As for gender, have you ever known a female drop of water, or a male wind? Gender is a human failing, but we will use gender pronouns if it puts you at ease.* Seifer laughed.

'I knew a male wind, it was called hurricane Bob.' He told them and Shiva frowned at him.

'Seifer you aren't helping.' Quistis said softly.

'Hey just trying to lighten the atmosphere... besides, she's gonna help and it was my idea to junction her.' He said smugly.

'You never change do you?' Squall asked him, his voice hard. Seifer turned his face to him and shrugged.

'Depends on how far you go back.' He told Squall. It was then their ears all popped. 'Ow! Ow! What was that?' He yelled, Diablos stood next to Irvine.

*I am sorry.* Diablos told them.

*And so you should be* Shiva said smacking him upside the head. Everybodies mouths fell open.

*You said that there would be no fighting between us.* The Guardian Force growled accusingly.

*I am not fighting, your gravity field is attracting my hand to your head... like so.* She said hitting him again, it was then that Rinoa burst out laughing first.

'I never expected that GF's could be so petty.' She said, Shiva and Diablos reguarded her with blue and red eyes.

*We can argue and fight as much as humans do, Shiva assured me that we would put aside our differences for the duration. But she has never been one to keep a promise.* Shiva frowned at Diablos.

'This isn't helping our friends.' Irvine said.

*No, nor is it my father.* Diablos said and seeing the groups confused looks he explained. *Bahumut was part of the elemental essence that formed me, the only word that comes close to it is mother, but you consider Bahumut to be male, hence father.* Squall felt himself blink slightly. He signalled that everybody should take a seat around the table, Shiva sat down and her chair immediately froze beneath her. Diablos couldn't sit due to his impressive wingspan getting caught on the back of the chair. *You know what, let us not make these meetings a regular occurrance* Squall swore he heard Shiva laughing softly. That was how the wierdest meeting of their lives started.

*

Zell breathed deeply as he opened the hatchway to the store room, the rich spices lifted up through it and he could hear several hungry sighs amongst the children. He looked across at Roo, she was holding an injured SeeD around the waist, amongst sixty there had only been seven injuries. He looked across at Jill who was on her knees across the kitchen, her eyes were introspective, her injured arm had been caught up in a sling. At that moment she reminded him of Squall, her face was passive and her blue eyes glowed from beneath her black fringe. She had tried to give her crossbow to someone who could still use it but nobody apart from two other crossbow users could pull back the string, even then it was slow, nobody else had built up to the pull that was on hers. He indicated that Roo should head down into the store room, the injured children were handed down to her then every other able bodied person either jumped or climbed down. Zell looked around, there was absoloutely no way he could disguise this trapdoor, so he hoped the fact that they hadn't even tried to conceal it would make them think twice. He jumped and landed on the dark tin floor. He shut the door and looked around.

'Okay, we need to try and slow any pursuit.' He told them and grabbed hold of the shelves. 'Take anything heavy and slide it against the door and it's ladder.' A short flurry of activity followed and Zell caught Roo's eyes as she nodded in silent approval. He walked over to her as she tried to make the worst injured more comfortable. 'I think you and me should go on a scout before we lead the others out of here, the five healthy SeeDs can guard this place. Roo nodded and stood. It was the first time he noticed her whip, it had been tied around her waist loosely she snapped it off and cracked it in the air.The silence that followed was only slightly deafening.

'We are going to have a scout around, most of you know that Delta Wistanley should be out there with as many students as she could get, we're going to find her. You can all fight to a greater or lesser degree. You know what to do to defend yourselves.' She pointed at the five SeeDs. 'Tris, Manny and Alexa, you Guard the door to the Quad. Cetera and Lola, you guard the door we just came through.' She snapped off the orders like she was born to it. Roo looked at him.

'Okay then... let's mosy.' He said opening the door slightly and they both slid out into the darkness of the quad. The night was frigidly cold and Zell saw his breath turning white. He looked at Roo as she shivered, he nodded to her and mouthed silently. 'I'll meet you back here in five minutes.' They grinned at each other and ghosted silently away in opposite directions. As he moved mutely through the shrubbery of the quad his thoughts turned to Selphie, he didn't know quite what to think, didn't know if she was still alive, or if he could do anything to save her if she was. God he hoped Squall would turn up soon.

*They are on their way.* Ifrit muttered to him, Zell froze in surprise until he realised that he was the only one that could hear the GF. *Selphie still lives ofr the moment, Bahumut is making her a proposal.* Zell frowned.

*What kind of proposal?* He asked, Ifrit didn't answer. Zell ducked down when he heard the footsteps, he saw two male figures walking around with weapons raised. The moonlight glinted off of a gunblade, he had to look twice to make sure it wasn't Badier, even though gunblades were now a popular choice of weapon... thank you Squall. The other man carried a metal chain. Rathi. Zell had promised himself that he would squeeze some truth out of the weasel at some point or another, if only Roo was with him, she was good enough to take the lad with the gunblade, he had seen her both teaching and practicing in the training room. He breathed softly, neither knew he was there, but then, they weren't expecting any kind of resistance, they felt safe. As far as they knew all the resistance was locked up in the cafeteria. They both paused right next to him and Zell nearly stopped breathing, he was surprised that they couldn't hear the beat of his heart. The walkie talkie Rathi was holding crackled into life.

'Rathi? How are things progressing?' It was Badier's voice, Zell felt the frown that curled on his face.

'Most of the resistance has been surpressed, only sections in the dorms, the cafeteria and in a few specified corridors remain. We'll move in on them in turn, the largest number is being kept at bay in the dorms. You can move back here at any time after that. Over.' Rathi's face held a grin.

'Any report on the people I ordered dealt with?' Badier asked, the reception going a tad fuzzy.

'Nobody has seen Delta for nearly an hour, let alone killed her, she was last seen with Zell but he led an attack on the people that were holding seige on the cafeteria. Some say it was him on his own, others say he had the company of one hundred students, somehow I get the feeling that they aren't being honest.' Rathi kept looking around, his eyes passing over the top of Zell's head, who was struggling to hear them over the frantic beating of his heart.

'And Roo?'

'Rupell was eating her dinner in the cafeteria when the trouble broke out. We assume she's still in there.' Rathi slung his metal chain around his neck.

'So let me get this straight... out of the three specific people I've ordered you to capture, you don't know where any of them are. What kind of operation are you trying to lead over there? I'll talk to you about this later... remember to keep Roo alive. Delta must die though. Hurry up, you've been trying to capture Trabia for an hour an a half, it was a relatively simple operation.' The anger that raged in Badier's voice made Zell go cold.

'Yes sir, how is the girl holding out?' He asked hesitantly.

'Don't worry about Selphie. She's incapacitated but stable.' Zell shut his eyes and thanked God that he had been around to hear that.

'Yeah, but death is stable.' Rathi pointed out. Zell could have happily punched his fist through Rathi's head right then.

'Don't presume so much Rathi.' Badier warned him.

'I'm sorry sir, it's just that, that weak little girl is our only insurence.' Zell fought down a smile, Selphie had always been anything but weak, if they under estimated her... maybe there was a still a chance for her.

'She's alive Rathi, she's watching me right now, get on with your job and leave me to mine.' Zell watched the two men walk away before he made a noiseless run for the door, he reached it in record time, he didn't even bother looking around before he emerged from the brush to wait for Roo. That proved to be his downfall.

'Going somewhere, Mr Dicht?' The lashing of Rathi's chain whip across his back made him cry out in pain and fall to his knees. He turned his head and looked into the triumphant dark eyes of one of his enemies.

Chapter 17

Badier watched Selphie as she whimpered in the middle of blankets that dwarfed the fragile girl, he had sent her to sleep ten minutes ago because the fact she never took her eyes off him was disconcerting. Now her panicked whimpers and soft cries made him wish he'd endured the staring. He didn't hate her, he didn't really feel anything for her, except a general distaste. She had helped kill a soceress, to him that made her lower than dirt. He had been ten when he had been gifted with his power, his face ticked in a smile, it hadn't really been a gift, he admitted to himself that he had stolen it. When people were sick or unconcious you always had more power over them, he knew what his father was even at that point, and he'd wanted it... thirsted for it. It had been a simple task to make his father believe he was dying, a small plague had been rife amongst his town then, he'd contracted simple flu and thought he was finished. Badier had no compunctions in taking what he believed was rightfully his. Since then he had been testing his limits, his boundaries and adapting his abilities around them. He remembered the first time he forcibly brought a guardian force across from the elemental plane the tiny, weak light elemental died shortly after but now more lived these days, not all... not by a long shot... but most. He's been a true soceresses knight for as long as Rinoa had been a soceress, but unlike her he didn't care what happened because of his powers. Power was given to be wielded, if power wasn't used it shrivelled like rotten fruit. That's what he was hoping for, that her powers were less than his, because if he could control her, he could control everything. He shook his head and sat back, monitering the situation from inside a few of his puppets heads.

He hadn't needed Rathi to tell him the situation, but he needed to know if Rathi was honest with him, he was one of five people in his army that he hadn't manipulated into being his supporters, they were his of their own free will. It was the first time he had incurred anything close to friendship in another human being, he'd always been able simulate feelings for others but he'd always stayed aloof, knowing he was better than everyone else. Except for Roo that is. He had met her for the first time when Delta brought her to become her second assistant. Her firey red hair, quick wits and honesty had instantly made him like her, not an emotion he generally felt for anyone. Over the two years they worked together they had become close, he had even thought about making her attracted to him by using spirit on the elemental plane, but he had decided that if she was worthy of him she would like him without that tweaking. That was why she was the only one he'd ordered survive.

He glanced at Selphie, he had not been able to get into her mind, nor Zell's. They were slightly protected in some way, he guessed it was being around a soceress for a long period of time. If he first turned a mind after he had known them for a year or more it was incredibly hard, people adapt to what they are surrounded by. He could have done it, could have forced his way in, but not before they knew what was happening, but by that time, they'd no longer care... But it had felt good to put his gunblade through her, a final revenge for the soceress they killed. That was worse than sacrilege.

*

Bahumut swirled around her as it had done since she'd been put to sleep. Bahumut was concerned for her, they both felt her strength ebbing away but every time that Badier healed her he slid her further back in the direction of health, it was a cumulative effect. Bahumut had took this interlude where they didn't have to worry about her body to explain to her what had been happening.

So my friends are actually coming for me?

*They are coming to do as you requested, save Trabia, but Shiva and Diablos are trying to discover what anybody can use to defeat Badier.* She sighed mentally, talking in her dreams was less colourful than excisting in the elemental plane. She was glad that her friends were coming to save Zell, she'd much rather he live than her.

So, they've given me up for dead? I can't say that I blame them... they must be hurting so bad.

*I do not believe they would just let you die, they value too much. As I do.* Selphie could feel her body smiling.

What other choice do they have? Nothing can save me.

*I said before that there might be another way.* She could feel the silence stretching out between them, a possible measure of hope that she would not let herself grasp.

What way would that be then?

*I would propose that you and I join our spirits, this means that we would become one being in your body. Baider could not control us because we would be excisting on the coporeal plane as a unit. I could also use my life force to sustain your body, something which I cannot do if I am merely junctioned, not without you summoning me, then I am as like to be forced to kill you as aid you.* The dragon spilled it out as if he could no longer hold this idea in any more. Selphie was taken aback and she asked him what it would mean. *It would mean you have a greater oppertunity to live... but if we joined our souls, then that would be it... no more of this junctioning nonsense, I would die when you did.* If she was awake she would have gasped.

But GF's live a thousand times longer than humans, I could not ask it of you.

*No, that is why I offer my life to you, you have said that you would give your life for your friends. Please allow me to do no less. If we lived through this we would be forever a unit and could join in your body on the corporeal plane or in mine on the elemental one, whenever we wished*

I don't believe that this is possible.

*It is a rare phenomenon, both parties have to consent and even then they both have to have a maximum affinity with each other as you and I do. It has been known, most joinings with humans are done by dog or wolf spirits. You would know of it as lycanthropy.*

Lycanthropy? You mean werewolves? They really do excist?

*It is rare, but they do happen, humans and wolf spirits are very close in form so the physical changes that are associated with it are easy*

So... what? I'd become a were dragon?

*No, our forms are too dissimilar, you would take on some permanant characteristics of my earthly form, they would become more pronounced if I was co-residing within you at any time. Lycanthropes become very hairy when their joined force is not with them. But they become wolves if they are.*

I never knew about this. Well live and learn huh? You are suggesting this so you can inhabit my body and put paid to Badier?

*I would not inhabit your body, our souls would conjoin, we would inhabit your body and we would... put... paid to Badier, it is a simple process to detangle souls, but we would be forever joined, reguardless of where our souls were. I would always be here for you.*

What if we had an arguement? We couldn't just make the other disappear.

*Look into my heart, if you truely love someone then any arguement can be overcome* Selphie smiled at the honest admission of love from the GF, if only men were so easy to comprehend.

I need to think about this, to see if this is the only way... and I will probably still die anyway.

*You say that as if you want to*

In a way I do, stop the pain... stop the hurt... in one fell swoop.

*Think about this little one, it is a great choice you have here. A chance of life and a chance of death. I would like to join my soul to yours... but both parties must be willing, it is not as intrusive as it sounds. We could not be controlled by the true knight as neither of us would be in his sphere of influence, the elemental plane. He is your enemy... and mine. We both have great affection for each other, it would not be a loss for me, but a gain. But the choice is yours, I only beg you to make one before the time for chosing is past.*

*

Rathi drew back his whip as Zell turned to face him, as he brought it down time seemed to slow and yet Zell could still do nothing. Pain exploded as he caught the brunt of the impact on his face. The metal spike on the end of the whip tore open his face from the corner of his eyes to his chin and blood exploded out in a stream. Zell knew he had nearly lost an eye then, this wasn't just about tormenting him for Rathi, he was going to make Zell suffer. His hand slid up to cover his cheek and it slipped on the slick blood. 'Oh this is going to be fun.' Rathi said as he drew back the chain to bring it back down on Zell's head again.

'Stop.' They all looked round and saw Roo standing there full in the light of the lampost, one figure stood by her, her face covered in shadow. Zell grinned, he had recognised the voice of who had spoken, but then so had Rathi.

'Nice for you to drop in Delta, don't take this personally, but I'm going to kill you now.' She wandered into the light and smiled at him, her dark eyes glittered like a razors edge and her long brown hair was whipped up by the wind.

'I sincerely doubt it, I don't think that the two of you could beat all three of us.' She said simply and Rathi began to laugh.

'There aren't just two of us, you really think we are that stupid.' He put his fingers in his mouth and whistled, nearly twenty SeeDs and students sprang up from around the quad in different places, Zell's heart went into his mouth.

'I marvell that you believe I am though, Rathi. You think I am as stupid to come here and not bring reinforcements?' She laughed.

'You're bluffing.'

'Oh I really am not.' She lifted her head back and shouted. 'Rise and shine everybody.' From deeper in the brush rose students, several SeeDs hammered down both flights of stairs and the door behind them burst open revealing the sixty or so SeeDs that were to be found there. Rathi's mouth opened wide and began twirling his whip, Roo nearly gave the oder to fire on him but Zell stopped her.

'No please, this could be interesting.' His grin was malicious, the blood that ran down his face gave him a sinister look. Rathi sent another slash his way but Zell managed to dodge it. 'Is that the best you can do... god I pity your students, if you are the best and brightest that they have to offer.' This time Rathi sent his whip round in a body shot, Zell didn't move, several people cried out in shock before it even connected. It never did, Zell held out his hand and grimaced when the sharp end slammed into his palm. He closed his hand around it and jerked it towards him. Rathi never figured out that no weapon is better than being brought into the reach of your opponants', namely... Zell's fists. But he refrained from using them, as Rathi stumbled towards him he ducked under his arms and then twisted round to face his back. When Rathi realised what Zell was planning to do he tried to struggle, but Zell had already reached past him and grabbed the other end of the metal whip. Rathi's throat was a main target, as the metal coil slammed into it he took in a large gulp of air. Zell pulled the chain tighter. 'You see, I've always had this problem with whips, if you can get inside their sphere of influence and don't mind a little pain, they can be nigh on useless.' The chain bit hard into Rathi's neck. 'Are you afraid yet? Becuase every single one of the group standing here before you is. You know what it is like, to be plunged into a situation beyond your control. Because believe me you can't control this group.' He lent forward and whispered in Rathi's ear. 'And you will never, never control Trabia whilst I live.' Rathi's struggle for air was a losing battle, when he finally lost conciousness Zell let him slump to the floor. He looked out the corner of his eye and a young woman stood next to him.

'Is he dead?' Jill asked in a flat monotone, Zell shrugged.

'No, just unconcious.' He looked around, Rathi's group were staring at him in wild eyed horror, a couple were looking at the resistance to their cause that they had been told would never happen. Zell counted Delta's group quickly, well over seventy, which made their combined totals around one hundred and thirty. He nodded with a grin. 'Tie up the red bands and stuff them in the pantry, tie Rathi up and bring him with us, we're going to free the other people who remained loyal to Trabia.' He bent down and removed the walkie-talkie from Rathi's belt.

'What's that?' Delta asked him.

'Rathi's sole communication with Badier.' He flicked on the switch. 'Badier, can you hear me? I sure well hope you can, because this is Zell, we're taking control of Trabia back... And I'm coming to kill you. You got that shithead?'

Chapter 18

Squall looked out across to the continent of Trabia, it would take them only half an hour to reach Trabia garden and he swallowed. He had just been out in the corridors, everywhere he looked were people practising with weapons, it had occured to him just how young everybody was. He shook his head, it reminded him of that battle with Galbadia garden so much. He had caught a look of sorrow that passed breifly across Seifer's face, their eyes had locked and he had suddenly realised that someone else actually knew how he felt. If he and Seifer had not loathed each other he would have thought that they could have been good friends. The guy had changed, he admitted that much.

Squall shook his head and looked down at the hastily constructed battle plans, it was unfortunate that Trabia was in such a secure location between two mountain ridges, they couldn't flank it on either side, there was only one way in to attack. Through the front. He had agreed with Quistis and Xu that the only way was to have both gardens get as close to that entrance as they could, then have the best SeeDs and students spill out the front. He was certain they could overcome whatever resistance was there, Trabia had the highest student population but in this battle it was divided, and even at full capacity it couldn't outweigh both garden's. He tapped slightly on the map in the location of Shiva's cave. Bahumut had told the Guardian force where Selphie was being held, he was glad that she was conscious enough to have figured out where she was. That gave him some hope that they could save her. Why it had been decided that he and Seifer should go on this mission never really made sense to him, except that Quistis had insisted, when Rinoa had backed her up, he couldn't really argue. Their main reason was that Irvine wasn't up to it and that the pair of them could easily co-ordinate the battle. But both men had heard the 'you are both soceresses knights, you should be able to deal with him' undercurrent to the conversation, they had looked at each other with mutual distress, until they realised who it was they were staring at.

So he and Seifer would head off to the caves, Shiva had declined to go with them, but Diablos was all to eager. He claimed that he wanted to see 'the pokey little hole that Shiva had settled on calling home', the guardian forces arguements grated more on his nerves than anyone elses. Mainly because their voices couldn't be drowned out, they rang in everybodies heads clear as a bell, until Rinoa had complained of a headache. Seifer was busy sharpening his gunblade, they would slow down the gardens enough to drop them off at the trail to the caves, then speed up. 'Putting a lot of effort into that.' Squall observed and he blinked when Seifer gave him a rueful shrug.

'Haven't needed to keep it that sharp, the kids you're teaching tend not to like having huge cuts in their bodies.' He said wryly, Squall caught himself nearly smiling. 'What about you, keep it sharp?'

'Yeah, but only because of Rinoa.' He said and sat down opposite Seifer with his feet on the table. Seifer looked at him specutively.

'You know I never thought I'd get tired of fighting.' He told him, Squall raised his eyebrows.

'Is that with me or generally?' Seifer looked down at his blade and grinned.

'You made a joke, well done.' He said smoothing the whetstone up and down in even strokes. 'I think it's generally, I have too much of a talent for winding you up to let you get away with anything.' Squall blinked and tried to make sense of that, Seifer looked at him and sighed. 'I was joking Squall... and you said I was the one that hadn't changed. A sense of humour stands you in good stead.'

'Well let me know when you've said something moderately amusing and I'll remember to laugh, just to show that I can.' Seifer grinned at him slightly shocked.

'Things do change I guess.' He shook his head and stood. 'You think we should go? The garden's beginning to slow.' Squall stared at him.

'How can you tell?' Seifer shrugged.

'Just a talent, developed it about ten years back.' He winked at the stupified Squall. 'Remember, I'm not going to be saving your butt today, but maybe, we can save each others. Let's hope that this true knight isn't as powerful as Matron seems to believe he is.' As he walked out of the room he could feel Squall's stare at his back, he'd always had a talent for putting Squall into a state of unease, but why had he done it today, he had never meant to.

*

Selphie was watching Badier with a triumphant look on her face, he had let her wake up, but if he had known what was going to be transmitted on his radio he would have kept her under. He had shut his eyes and appeared to be concentrating on something he could barely hear. When he flicked open his eyes he stared at her, his eyes were burning hot, but somehow it no longer scared her, when someone has pushed you so far down that you have reached the bottom, what was the worst they could do to you. 'I wouldn't get your hopes up.' He told her and the bright, weak smile she gave him was totally involuntary.

'Why not face it, you aren't ever going to get one over on Zell.' She told him.

'Why, just because you couldn't? I'm not planning to get one over on him, I'm planning to kill him.' The coldness in his voice made Selphie pause with uncertainty. The bright grin that broke onto his face chilled her more than the block of ice she lay on. 'Don't worry I was going to kill you too, the fact that you killed a sorceress is completely disgusting.' Selphie cast her face down, when she figured out what he really wanted she lifted her eyes to him.

'Rinoa will never be yours you know.' She said and he laughed.

'We were meant to be together, I know a bit more about sorceresses than you do.'

'I know a bit more about Rinoa than you do.'

'Yes, but you don't know me... the very fact that you're the one lying on a block of ice proves that.' She couldn't refute that, she bit her lip.

'Roo told me that Squall was your hero... What are you going to do to him?'

'I'll kill him, he took what was mine. Reguardless of what you say the sorceress belongs to me. The fact that he is my hero doesn't mean that I have to spare his life.' He said it so matter of factly she nearly gagged.

'Yes it does, that's exactly what it means. Why did you tell them not to come, if all you really wanted was to have them near you?'

'Oh, god! Are you really that stupid? Why did I think I chose to capture you and not Zell? You inspire confidence and love in everybody you meet, you had me fooled for a bit. If I were to threaten his life yes they would be a bit upset but I doubt that they would form the same kind of resistance I'm getting for you. Also, I couldn't be sure if Rinoa would come for him... women stick together.' He laughed at her and turned back to the moniters.

'We defeated a soceress, we can finish off you.' She exclaimed. He turned round to her with a sigh.

'Maybe, but you knew quite a lot about sorcesses, nobody knows what I can do. Not in any great detail. You can't lie to your soul for very long, once you see them kneel to me, you'll know.' She shook her head.

'After you know the truth, then I'll kill you. Everybody deserves to know the truth before she dies.'

'And what is the truth, if you're so all knowing tell me that.'

'The truth? What makes you think you deserve a truth you haven't worked for?' He knelt next to her and smiled obsiquieously into her face. 'You belong to me now, you know that.'

'I belong to myself.' He smiled knowingly and shook his head.

'Yes, carry on believeing that. We'll be leaving soon, I have to see the new people if I want to control them...' he glanced at her face. 'What? You thought I couldn't control Balamb and Galbadia's students as well as I could Trabia's?' He walked away and Selphie felt a gentle salty tear sliding down her face. Her insides were turning over in anxiety, suddenly her world had become so much darker, how can one man have that much power over her? Then she realised just what she was thinking... Zell had that power over her as well... Selphie would be damned before Badier could lay claim to anything she gave to Zell, she strengthened her resolve, she would survive.

'There's a storm brewing Badier, I think you are going to find it very hard not to get caught in the lightening.'

*

Zell grinned at Trabia's schematics, the run of the whole garden was his now. After joining his students to Delta's it had been an easy task to pick off the small groups of red bands that wandered confidantly around the corridors. He had ended up locking them in the gym, one or two SeeD guards to look after four hundred people that were tied all over the monkey bars in the gym. He grinned at Rathi, the guy had woken up a little while ago to find out about Zell's victory, the look of discust on his face had been the best present Zell had ever gotten. Jill bounced into his room, for some reason it had been her that people had come to for permission to talk to him, she'd slotted into the role of his second in command so easily that he had be loath to change her, besides, he liked her, since she had been patched up she said she was able to fight again. But her crossbow's pull would keep on breaking her wound open, so he had found a gun for her, it had amused him when she'd looked at it with distaste. 'One weapon of violence is much like any other.' He had told her.

'You wouldn't understand, you are your weapon, there is no skill in using a gun. Point and bang... yay.' The sarcasm in her tone made him laugh.

'I don't think anybody will understand someone elses choice of weapon.' He had replied with a shrug.

She saluted him sharply. 'Problems Sir.' She said simply.

'It's Zell. And what?'

'The people that Badier posted outside just seem to have figured out that the garden is yours now. They're trying to get in.' He raised his eyebrows. 'There are well over six hundred and garden's aren't exactly secure.'

'So a big fight at the front gate?' She nodded and he smiled. 'Well then, what's gonna happen next is going to terrify them, Galbadia and Balamb will be arriving in the next five minutes. You think we can survive that long.' A beautific smile lit her face.

'I think that with you here we can survive as long as we need to.' She looked into his eyes as she said it, not afraid of speaking her mind was this girl. he grinned back at her.

'Well let's go to the front gate. I have a penchant for welcoming some old friends.'

*

Melaya Corsair watched her fellow students try and batter down Trabia's defences. There just wasn't enough room for them to cast out a full on battle, which their superior numbers dictated that they would win. Trabia was the defensable position, and they didn't hold it. She watched her compatriots try and climb up the walls of the garden only to be knocked off by bullets and arrows from the upper levels of her home. She held her shinobu across her shoulders and sighed, nobody in this group had any battle sense, they weren't even supposed to be trying to get Trabia back, but everybody had panicked when they had realised that Rathi had failed. She trusted in Badier, she wasn't quite sure why she did but she did.

Melaya felt the thrumming through her legs before she consciously realised that something was wrong. She turned around in confusion and saw the two bright spots closing in from the horizon. She swallowed and fear clasped at her throat. 'Balamb garden!' She yelled, those near her turned to where she pointed and froze. The cry soon picked up, with the odd shout of 'Galbadia comes' mixed in for good measure. The two garden flew so close together, their downdraughts blowing up large clouds of snow. What could she do? She had to get to safety. She turned and plunged into the melee at the gate. They were no longer fighting to take back Trabia, they were fighting so that they didn't get ground up against the walls of it, they were fighting for safety. The gardens stopped around one hundred metres from the fighters, when SeeDs and students began pouring from the gates Melaya began to scream. They had to get back into Trabia, they just had to, it was her last thought as she was clipped on the back of her head, she went down like a tonne of bricks. Melaya didn't feel the panicked footfalls of her companions as they drove her helpless body into the mud.

*

Seifer looked at Squall as he drew alongside him to the entrance of the cave. Seifer wouldn't have admitted it to anyone, but he was terrified. Nobody knew what this Badier character could do... he had always known the ablities of whoever he fought beforehand. 'You ready?' He asked Squall who nodded shortly. 'Glad one of us is.' He muttered. He looked to Diablos, the guardian force stepped in front of them eagerly.

The cave glittered with a pale blue light, Seifer saw the names carved in the ice and smiled. Nice touch Trabia. Diablos stopped and sniffed the air. *I smell blood. This way.* He moved away down the corridor.

'You know I wish he hadn't said that.' Squall said quietly. 'What do you say, if we survive this, we don't fight any more?'

'I haven't fought with you in a long time, that was the reason I was at Galbadia remember? But yeah, deal.' They rounded the corner and saw Diablos finishing off some guards. They hadn't even heard the fight.

*Gravity can crush the throat enough to stop any sound escaping, it's a shame humans need to breathe.* Seifer felt himself go cold and not just from the fact he was surrounded by ice.

'We're nearly there.' Said Squall tightly, he pointed to the doorway in the cavern wall. Soft noises and a subdued light came from the doorway. 'That should be Shiva's cave.' They looked at each other and gave a quiet nod. With wordless shouts both men ran for the door, gunblades blazing in the dim light.

Chapter 19

Zell looked around at the amount of people around Trabia and shook his head in amazement, he knew that there were over three thousand training to be SeeDs in various gardens but seeing them all together in one place gave him pause. He looked across at Delta and smiled ruefully. 'I guess this is well over half of your students?' He asked and she shook her head as she stared at the rows of people wearing red bands, most were tied up, two or three were sobbing quietly. A few of the more serious cases who had been caught in the crush had been taken across to see Dr Kadowaki in Balamb garden. One poor girl had been trampled to death in their frantic rush to get into Trabia.

'They are over half of Trabia's population yes, but Trabia isn't mine anymore. I gave it up. I want to be a regular SeeD again.' Zell looked across at her and sighed with a nod.

'I guess it's up to you, who are planning to have replace you?' She glanced at him.

'Well, in the future I was planning on ceeding it to Roo. But I wouldn't give it to her right now, she can handle the clean up afterwards. Right now, you seem to be doing okay.' He stared at her with narrow eyes, she made every pretence of not seeing him.

'Oh please you aren't serious.' He said to her.

'Serious about what?' A playful voice came from behind him, he turned in shock and threw his arms around the woman behind him. 'Ow... Zell... Zell! I need air.' Rinoa cried out, when he let go she began surruptiously rubbing her ribs.

'What are you doing here?' He asked.

'What you think if you were in trouble we'd not come? We don't trust you enough to extricate yourself from a situation.' She said with a laugh and wink.

'Funny Rinoa... Where's Squall I really need to talk to him.' She bit her lip and then shrugged.

'Me and Quisty sent him and Seifer to go and retreive Selphie.' Zell didn't know which bit of that news he should deal with first, the fact that he was going to save Selphie or the fact that Seifer was with him. 'We figured that, them both being sorceress' knights at one point or another then it was probably the best combo.' Zell felt the colour drain from his cheeks.

'Rinoa, he's not that kind of soceresses knight. He has powers, he could control the minds of half of Trabia, over half! I thought you had a plan... He's in danger.' It was Rinoa's turn to go pale. 'Where are they?' She opened her mouth but she couldn't speak, Zell spotted Quistis and sprinted over to her. 'Squall, Seifer, where are they.... where did you send them?'

'Selphie was being held in Shiva's cave.' She said to him.

'Damn, you set minimal guard on the prisoners, then move everyone off towards the cave, I expect you to have everyone ready within the next ten minutes!' He looked around. 'Jill, you're with me. Move girl.' With that he was gone and Quistis stared at him and the willowy black haired girl that sprinted after him. He began harrying people to get ready to go into battle.

'And he thinks he's not fit to be a leader.' A dark haired woman said next to her. 'I'm Delta Wistanley.' Quistis could only nod in bemusement.

*

Squall skidded to a stop and Seifer beside him. The man sitting next to Selphie had his gunblade at her throat, she was looking at him and she smiled. He couldn't believe it, even at this juncture she trusted him to get her out of this mess. 'Let her go.' He said to the man who began to laugh.

'No.' He said with a grin. 'Why is it that you think I will listen to you? We haven't exchanged customary threats yet.'

'Oh god, Squall please kill him, I can't stand any more of his smart arse comments.' Selphie said with a groan, Badier slapped her round the head, being careful not to slit her throat by accident.

'Well, you're looking decidedly more healthy than when we last saw you.' Seifer told her.

'Enough cure spells will do that to you.' She said weakly. 'But you know there's this little slice I have through my stomach, it's kind of a pain, but you know, no rush.' She narrowed her eyes. 'What are you doing here?' Squall saw the look on Badier's face.

'What do you want?' He asked Badier.

'Apart from you to die? I'll let you know at another point in time, it's more fun to let it play out and see what happens.'

'This is all a game to you.' Squall realised.

'Everything is a game, if you look at it the right way.' He stood and took his blade away from Selphie's throat. 'Besides I can beat you any time I want, where's the fun in just merely fighting?' It was at that point Seifer lunged for him, Badier held his hand out and Seifer screamed before flying to the floor in a heap. 'Now that was interesting. Care to join him?'

*Enough monster!* Diablos came from behind the archway to the cave, his impressive red and black hide glittering like oil in the light. Badier's face lit up and Selphie cried out in horror. Badier tilted his head slightly and Squall heard the GF grunt in surprise, Diablos took two slow shuddering steps towards the man and fell on his knees. Badier crossed the room to his computer and initiated a search.

'So, you're Diablos? You wouldn't know how long I've been looking for a gravity GF, you guys are rare you know?' He walked across to the kneeling Guardian Force and put his hand on his head, Squall was shocked that Diablos just didn't reach up and tear off the guys arm. Squall made a run for Selphie, jumping over Seifer's prone body in the process. He could feel Badier's eyes flick to him as reached her, Squall couldn't help himself when he turned to face him. He swallowed hard when he saw the flames dancing in the true knights eyes.

'I can't believe you brought a GF.' He heard Selphie choke out from behind him. Diablos stood and turned staring at Squall with bright dark eyes, the fires that burned in them made his breath catch in his throat.

'Diablos, would you deal with Mr. Leonhart please?' Squall couldn't move as Diablos pointed to him, the gravity centre that was gathering at the tip of his finger could be seen as well as felt and Squall grunted in pain as it barrelled into his chest. The crushing pain in his ribs sucked the air from his lungs and he could feel his face contorting in fear. He sucked in whistling breaths through gritted teeth and suddenly the pain was his whole world, nothing excisted apart from the excrutiating pain. When it stopped he fell to the floor in a groaning heap, his legs had turned to nothing and when he opened his eyes all he could see was blue. When the brown haired head poked into view he had to concentrate to remember the name that attached to it.

'Selphie?' No, that couldn't be right he was supposed to be saving her... wasn't he? He felt her soft hands on his forehead, he glanced away from her and to a large block of ice, a slick trail of red lead away from it. Blood, somehow it seemed important that he remember that... It was something to do with Selphie, he looked at her, she was talking in gentle words to him.

'Please be okay Squall.... Please.' Her face was incredibly pale and her eyes had a feverish cast to them. He watched as she was yanked up by her wrist, the confusion into which he was plunged was terrifying, he clawed his way to some understanding again. The kick in his ribs sent a wave of agony through his spine and sent his pain receptors jangling.

'Would you damn well stay confused!' An insistant voice snapped at him, it was important that he disreguard that voice for some reason. The pain awoke his mind more than anything else, he watched the situation helplessly, everytime he moved a piece of the confusion gained a foothold. The brown haired man bundled Selphie into blankets even though she was fighting him with all her might... granted her might wasn't that much and the more she struggled the more of that red stuff dripped onto the floor. Diablos was huddled in ball on the floor his wings erect. 'You can go back to the elemental plane, I'll call you when I need you.' He picked up Selphie in his arms, his face twitched in discust at the blood soaking the blankets then he moved away to the door of the cave. It was then Selphie began screaming.

'He wants Rinoa Squall! Please wake up, help her!' The name dragged at him through the waves of confusion. Rinoa, he knew that name, yet it still eluded him. When he finally grabbed hold of it, he screamed in rage, but when he tried to move he blacked out due to the pain.

*

Quistis glanced across at Zell, his face was caught up in a frown, dried blood still encrusted a large gash in his cheek and he moved with a purpose she hadn't seen from him before, they had moved towards the ice cavern before the ten minute time limit set by Zell, he had given her an approving nod and she surprised herself by feeling pleased. It was a large procession of students and SeeDs, possibly the largest gathering of them ever. They moved off towards the ice caverns with a purpose, Zell had insisted that they be aware of the danger and that they could have the choice to come with them or not. But all given the oppertunity came, none wanted to miss out on the oppertunity to say that they had been at the fight with a true sorceresses knight. As the procession moved away Zell had taken command, it had surprised her that she had let herself allow it, she had always liked responsibility but when Zell had ordered her she had obeyed. She looked at him specutively, maybe it had just taken conflict to bring the leadership qualitites out in him. Irvine and Rinoa walked beside her, Rinoa with a strained look on her face and Irvine quietly contemplating Zell. The obvious anxiety that was writ there made her worried and when he spoke what he said didn't make any sense to her.

'He really does care about her doesn't he?' he said quietly, almost under his breath.

'Wha?' She asked, fingering her save-the-queen absently.

'Zell, he cares about Selphie a lot... I'm a fool.' He shook his head and looked across at Zell with feeling in his eyes.

'I'm not getting you.' Quistis said.

'I am.' Said Rinoa and she slid her arm around Irvine's waist, he put his arm around her shoulder, hugged her slightly and planted a gentle kiss on the top of her head. 'Yes, he's does. But no you aren't a fool, things happen, things change.' He sighed.

'Why do I always lose something when they do?' He asked sliding the peak of his hat further over his face.

'Change is never a loss, it is change only.' Quistis remarked primly, then she saw the look Rinoa gave her. 'Sorry, probably not the right thing to say.' She said and Irvine smiled.

'No actually, you know, I think that helps, I'm not really into that metaphysical stuff, but... you know sometimes Quistis, you give better advice when you don't understand what's happening.' He flashed a grin at her. 'Excuse me.' He removed himself from their company.

'Did I miss something?' Quistis asked Rinoa who looked at her with a mysterious smile.

'All the time.' She replied and began to laugh. Chapter 20

Selphie shut her eyes against the tears that threatened her, she coughed and felt warm blood spatter across her lips, she could taste it's warm metallic flavour in her throat and in her mouth. She knew now that she was going to die, Badier wasn't stopping to cure her, she was now a means to an end, she didn't have to survive for him any more. It was now she began to look back at her life and regret, not the things she had done, but the things she had never had the courage to do. She regretted never telling Zell just how much she had loved him when she had the chance, she regretted never showing Quistis how much she appreiciated her friendship and loyalty, she regretted never making her peace with Seifer. Coughs grabbed at her throat making it ragged and hard to breath, if her friends only knew how much she loved them, then she could die peaceful.

*Please Selphie, join with me.* Bahumut said to her.

No, my friend. I won't bring your life into the balance as well as my own.

* '

Squall, wake up you hairy arse!' The voice was insistant, as was the shaking. Squall groaned, his chest felt like it had been stampeded over by a troop of Galbadian soldiers. 'I mean it! If you don't wake up I'll go by myself.' Squall's eyelids fluttered open.

'What hit me?' He asked.

'Good question but we've been out for about half an hour, so I think moving back towards Trabia would be a good option. Nobody can fight that guy.' It was Seifer, Squall tried to move but grunted as his chest protested. Seifer sighed and lay him back to have a look at it. 'Nice bruise.' He told him.

'It was Diablos.' Squall told him.

'Whatever it was broke at least four of your ribs.' Squall looked down at his purple torso, Seifer sighed and began tearing up strips of his coat using his gunblade.

'What are you doing?' He asked, it hurt to talk but he had never shown weakness in front of Seifer and he wasn't gonna start now.

'Getting some bandages, you won't be able to move until you've had your chest strapped up. And we have to get going as soon as possible.' A thought came into his head and he swallowed.

'Rinoa, Selphie said Badier wanted Rinoa.' Seifer paused and thought about it.

'Then we really do have to be getting back to Trabia.' He looked into Squall's face and saw the fear that was there. 'Don't worry, we'll save her...' Squall let himself be reassured by Seifer's words. When he had finally bandaged him up Seifer handed him his gunblade and helped him stand.

'It's a little tight.' Squall complained and Seifer raised an eyebrow.

'I could loosen it and have a rib puncture your lung if you want... You know I'm quite willing to do that...' Squall frowned at him and Seifer shrugged. Squall took the lead and they emerged into the bright white world of the Trabia continent, Squall pointed at the footprints leading away from the cave. 'Badier?' Seifer asked and Squall nodded.

'Now all we have to do is follow the footprints, as long as nothing obscures them... Let's pray it doesn't... snow.' Both men looked up as the first flakes began to fall. They then looked across at each other, then began to run towards Trabia.

*

Irvine walked beside Zell in companionable silence, the strained look on Zell's face made him realise the stress that he felt was nothing near what Zell was feeling. Irvine marvelled at their different approaches to the problem that Selphie was in trouble, Zell had organised this force and Irvine had hit the bottle, that in itself made him feel ashamed. He sighed and put his hand on Zell's shoulder and gave him a sympathetic look when he had turned around to look at him in surprise. The young girl, Jill ran up to them and gave Zell a quick little salute.

'We should be in the caves in little under forty minutes.' She said to him and he smiled at her affectionately.

'Thanks, Jill. We're making good time. We just have to go up through the mountains a little way now.' Irvine looked around, they were in the foothills of the mountains surrounding Trabia. It was him that first saw the laden figure, he was carrying something in his arms.

'A friend of yours?' He asked Zell pointing. Zell stared in confusion and then his face seemed to harden involuntarily.

'I thought he was.' Was all he said and then called an all stop. Quistis and Rinoa walked across to him.

'Problem?' Asked Quistis.

'Nope... Badier.... and Selphie.' He looked across at Rinoa whose face had gone even whiter. 'Sorry Rinoa, I wish I could tell you what happened to Squall. It's probable that they missed him completely.' His face betrayed the unlikeliness of that situation. Rinoa looked close to tears but her face tightened and anger began to burn in her eyes.

'Then let's go and end this.' Badier began walking down the slope as Zell called out a squad to accompany them. No one would raise a white flag, this was not a parley, it was a kill or be killed scenario.

*

Selphie looked across at her friends as they broke off a small group to come and meet them. She recognised everyone in the main party, all her friends from Balamb as well as Roo, Delta and Jill, the backup was a goup of SeeDs and students that walked around them in a protective semi circle. Badier stopped and waited for them to come to him, they were perhaps twenty yards apart when Badier threw her to the ground and slid out his gunblade to threaten her. Her body was wracked with bloody coughs, she saw the blood speckle the snow in front of her, turning it a mottled red and white. She felt Bahumut howl with rage inside her. Zell stepped forwards.

'What do you want Badier?' He asked, his tone steely. Selphie gazed at him, eyes watering with the pain tearing her up from the inside, he looked down at her and their eyes locked. She saw him swallow, and it seemed to take him a lot of effort to wrench his gaze away from hers when Badier started to speak.

'Now it seems to me that I've been asked that question recently.' Badier's gunblade hovered over her head in a slight figure eight pattern. 'Oh yes, Squall asked me that question, I didn't answer him either.' Rinoa stepped forward with dispair blazing in her eyes, but she faced him bravely enough.

'What have you done with Squall?' She asked him, her voice nearly swallowing the words.

'Don't you worry, he's quite safe, for now. I figured that killing him wasn't the best way to go about gaining your acquiescence to my requests.' He smiled at her and grinned when she stiffened.

'You're scum Badier, I don't care how much better than us you think you are, but you aren't, you're much worse' Zell said, spitting out the words. 'What hope can you have of winning?' Zell asked and Badier grinned at him brightly.

'You think that your belief that I am worse than you makes it a fact? I'm immune to your semi adolescent ideas and your self delusion that you are unbeatable. Everyone can be beaten eventually.' He said to him.

'Even you?' Zell asked him, scoring his first point in that whole discussion, but Badier merely laughed.

'Everyone... But not today, let's see if I can tip the balance a little here... by the way nice army you have here.' Selphie tried to gurgle out a warning as Badier reached out his hand.

'What are you doing?' Zell asked.

'Umm Zell...' Jill whispered in faint horror, the squad that they had brought with them held their weapons threateningly, it took Zell a few moments to realise that they were pointed at them and not Badier.

'You understand now Zell?' Badier asked. 'You understand now why it is impossible for you to beat me... you could never beat me.' The grin on Badier's face made Selphie's head go light... or maybe it was the blood loss.

'But could I?' Rinoa asked him stepping forward, it gave Badier slight pause.

'Maybe... But even if I came out winning, I don't kill soceresses. Unlike some evil bastards.' He sneered at Zell, whose eyes fired.

'I killed a soceress, Badier.' Rinoa told him. 'Does that make me evil as well?' Badier smiled at her.

'No it makes you misguided.' He laughed. 'Soceresses have always fought between themselves, it's in their nature, but few killed their sisters.' He tilted his head to her. 'If I asked you to repent of it, you wouldn't listen to me would you? If you attacked me you would just be compounding your sins you know?' Rinoa's face betrayed the rage that was building within her... and without her, a bright bubble of sorcery glowed around her, colouring her skin a pale gold.

'How dare you! How dare you!' She screamed, Zell began backing away but Badier stepped over Selphie's body towards her. Selphie could feel some kind of force building within the knight... was this his power, how could she even begin to feel it?

*It is because you are junctioned to me, I am sensing through you.*

'You haven't used your powers for a long time have you?' He said calmly. 'Well I have... I've used them everyday since I was ten years old... you have no power over me.' It was said so calmly as he lifted his hand to her face, the golden sphere of sorcery began to mottle and turn black, Rinoa began to scream in agony and Badier's eyes fixed on her writhing form in fascination. 'Now you see Rinoa what I'm making you do it create a vortex, you didn't know you could do that did you?' His only response was her aguished wails. 'It hurts a bit and it will trap you until I make it let you go, you only have to do one thing for me.' The gunshot that rang out whistled from behind Badier and created a gouge in his cheek. The field on Rinoa dropped suddenly and she passed out. Badier turned in surprise and saw Seifer and Squall running down the side of the foothill, they were a long distance away but everybody could hear their faint arguement.

'I can't believe you missed.' Squall was yelling.

'Hey at least I have the power in my arms to actually lift my gunblade.' Seifer shouted back. Zell took that moment to make a move on Badier. The knight began to turn in surprise and Zell plowed into his side driving him into the snow. The wind picked up the snow that was forced into the air and it swirled around them in a mini tempest. All Selphie could hear was the sound of fists making contact with flesh, but she could feel the gathering of power within Badier and then saw on the edge of her vision the needle fine points of that power that he drove into Zell's mind. Zell staggered away from him holding his head, Badier increased the power of the needles and Zell cried out in pain, most other people would have collapsed by now. Selphie found the energy to cry out in pure panic, seeing Zell so completely in anguish broke her heart. She wanted to reach out to him... to save him. But what could she do, then it hit her.

*Bahumut I've made up my mind.*

*

Zell could feel his head screaming out in agony, he couldn't breathe enough to make a noise, everything around him was pain, it was fear and panic and horror. He could hear Quistis yelling something and Jill was shouting something back at her. He managed to look around, all of his friends had either been grabbed by SeeDs or were fighting them off in the case of Jill and Quistis.

'This is going to stop, right now.' He heard Selphie's voice ring out, the painful buzzing in his head lessened significantly, he turned his head towards Selphie, she was supporting herself on her knees, one hand across her abdomen where a thin stream of pale blood trickled out, she was staring at Badier. With a short gasp of pain she staggered barely keeping herself upright.

*

Selphie gasped as Bahumut filled her, tendrils of him slid inside her and locked there. It was a bright and glorious experience, she knew then that whilst she lived she would never be alone. They became one being, neither having dominance but both co-excisiting in one body. The pain in her stomach was an isolated glittering nusience so they began to slow the pain and put a seal across it so no more blood could leak out. The pain relief was done clinically and coldly much like the way the wound was inflicted, a means to an end, not the end itself. Now they were together they shared each other's strengths yet the weaknesses were halved instead of shared, together, they would always be stronger. Bahumut began to join her on the corporeal plane and they smiled.

*

'I should have killed you when I had the chance.' Badier snapped, picking up the gunblade he had dropped in the fight with Zell. Zell took some satisfaction in the fact that he was bleeding from several places, he nearly screamed when Badier held the blade above Selphie's head, execution style. She lifted her head and Zell nearly screamed anyway, from shock, Badier staggered back in surprise.

*I really wouldn't do that you know.* The voice echoed in their heads, it was Bahumut's voice lieing within Selphie's. Her glowing purple eyes, took Zell's breath away. He had always thought her bright green eyes were beautiful but these made him take stock. She shut her eyes and began to straighten up and a bright light glowed within her skin, a wisp of light exited her body and formed a seal over her wound. The light beneath her skin began to change and her skin changed with it, becoming pale lilac. Zell looked around at everyone and got to his knees and then staggered to his feet, they were all staring with open mouths. He moved towards Rinoa who was beginning to wake up, she stared at Selphie.

'What's happening to her?' She asked.

'Ifrit tells me that Selphie and Bahumut are joining souls.' He frowned . 'I don't understand myself.' Both watched the woman complete her transformation. At the base of her hairline faint sparkles began to glimmer and he heard Rinoa gag as the faint glistening dragon scales moved across her forehead and cheeks, the ecstatic look that grew on Selphie's face, because it was still hers reguardless of the fact that Bahumut was sharing it, was joyful to see. Zell felt his heart go out to her. Her head turned towards Badier who stretched out his hand to her, the film of power that he had leached off of the elemental plane exploded across her skin in a bright light. Zell shut his eyes against it, but when he opened them Selphie/Bahumut was standing there unscathed.

'What the hell?' Badier screamed.

*You said Badier that one day everybody would be beaten, we are bringing that day to you.* Badier stumbled backwards in fear, it had been the first time that Badier had ever expressed that emotion. *You have taken our friends from the elemental plane, you have stabbed us. You have inflicted yourself on so many innocents and you have caused indefinable pain to us. We do not wish you dead, mainly we need to see you neutralised. Pass to us your power.* Badier shrank back back from Selphie's glowing purple eyes.

'Never.' He said. 'It's mine, it was passed to me from my father.'

*It was not passed to you, you stole it. And it is our choice to steal it back from you, the only other way for it to be passed is for you to die. We will bring that occaision forward if you do not gift us with the power.* He shook his head and slid another wave of bright light towards them. It, again, did nothing.

'Why won't you succumb.' Badier screamed in frustration.

*We are no longer attached to the elemental plane, your power has no affect on us.* Badier shook his head.

'I'd rather die than give you my power.' He said to them stubbornly.

*As you so wish.* They said to him, Selphie lifted up her hands and a brilliant white light gathered in them, it was Bahumut's power, so bright and beautiful because they were sharing it and Zell's heart grew with it. For the first time he allowed himself to hope that she would be okay, as long as she was okay nothing else mattered. It sheared itself away from their hands and into Badier's body, he staggered backwards. *Last chance.* Zell was certain it was Selphie that had vocalised that last comment.

'Never.' The gun shot wound that appeared in Badier's head made everybody jump, including Selphie/Bahumut. Zell turned his head to Jill as she put the gun away. She looked at him. Her face completely oblivious to the fact that she had ended another mans life in a single heartbeat.

'No sense in dragging it out... besides... point and bang... what skill was there in that?' She said with a small grin.

'Damn girl, that was one of the best shots I've ever seen.' Irvine yelled. Zell wasn't listening, he was watching the dragonlike motions that Selphie's body was making. She walked over to Badier's body and tilted her head elegently. A diffuse yellow light began to emanate from the man and Selphie walked into it and it began to envelop her. It took him a moment to realise it was the power of the true knight that slid into her body and began trying to find a foothold. He could almost sense the battle it was making within her as it tried to find itself a place within a male host. But Selphie was not male, and neither was Bahumut, the light slowly began to disapate and then it winked out.

*It is over.* They said and all around Zell students realised that they were holding their teachers against their will, Squall and Seifer reached them at that moment, Squall went immediately over to Rinoa and hugged her, stroking her hair. Seifer walked over to Quistis and began talking in a low voice to her and pointing at Selphie... Presumably to try and make sense of what had just happened. Zell just stood and watched Selphie who was smiling at everyone.

He couldn't stand it anymore, he didn't care that Bahumut was inside her, he didn't care that she was covered in scales, all he cared about was that she was alive. He walked over to her and threw his arms around her, Selphie was shocked and then a bright smile lit their face. *We love you.* The woman and the guardian force said in unison, it seemed that one couldn't talk without the other but Zell knew what they meant and he began to grin. A grin that faltered when those purple eyes began look worried, then alarmed. Selphie's body faltered and then it's knees gave out and Zell caught them and lowered them to the floor.

'Selphie?' He said in a panic. 'Selphie?' When the eyes looked at him he knew that they were Bahumut's alone that looked up at him, there was no bright, intelligent Selphie within those purple depths.

*It wasn't enough. She died.* Zell felt his heart seize up. Final chapter

Zell couldn't breathe, he shook his head trying to deny the truth that lay before him a small huddle, not only was Selphie gone but the Guardian Force that inhabited her body was waning too. He felt at her neck for a heartbeat that wasn't there. Heavy lids began to close on bright purple eyes. He turned to his friends who had heard the prophetic announcement as the voice of a GF echoed in their minds. They stared at him, Quistis looked at him numbly, Squall's face was a mask and Rinoa had bright tears running down her cheeks. 'Help her.' He said to them quietly. 'Please.' It was Irvine that came and knelt beside him. The guardian force coughed and dark congealed blood clots came to Selphie's lips.

*Heal this body.* The guardian force commanded. *I will try to... try to...* The voice of the GF trailed off into nothingness, the profound silence made Zell tremble. He couldn't take it in, the silence in his mind echoed the less substantial silence around him. There was nothing he could think of to make this better, he couldn't even think enough to cry. As Bahumut lost his control on Selphie the shimmering scales that covered her face began to recede leaving a thin line around her hairline.

'Zell, he said to heal her. We can at least try.' Irvine whispered to him and he looked at him in confusion.

'I don't... have anything... I haven't anything to heal her with.' A tight fist clamped around his throat, was he going to lose her because he hadn't brought a phoenix down with him?

'I do.' Squall said and put a hand into his jacket pocket. The long white feather he brought out made Zell frown.

'What is it?' He asked, and then he realised. A phoenix pinion. Squall walked over to the two men and held it out between them. Irvine looked at Zell through the feather, emotions raged painfully across the cowboys' face. Zell closed his eyes, if Selphie lived he would have to give her up anyway.

*

It was the singing that wakened her first she looked around at the bright light that surrounded her. *What's going on... did I... didn't I... die?* Selphie asked, she knew where she was, the elemental plane.

*Quiet, I'm trying to hold us here whilst they restore your flesh.* She looked through the light at a host of brightly coloured lights and flames and sparkles that surrounded them. *They are keeping us from crossing over, it is taking all their energy, these are the guardian forces that survive on the elemental plane, they are thaking us for saving them, they are hoping to do the same for you* If Selphie had a head she would have shaken it. The longing to move away from her body was indescribable.

*No, please Bahumut I want to go, remember, get rid of the hurt and the pain, I died. Please just let me go.*

*Not whilst you have people who love you that much still alive, and if you die, I die remember, I have family that loves me just as much as yours do.* Selphie felt her entire heart keening to be let go, to be set free.

*Please Bahumut, all I've found in my life is pain and suffering. I don't know who I am anymore. Sometimes the pain is less, sometimes it is great, but there is always suffering.*

*Girl you have never been depressed in your life, why do you have to start now* The GF said gruffly, but affectionately. *What about Zell and your other friends? Are you just going to abandon them now?*

*They are safe. What else can I do?*

*You can do the courageous thing and have the will to live that has kept humans alive for so long.* Selphie thought about it for the longest time. *I will keep you safe... I will always love you... Only please don't give up.* It was the hardest thing Selphie had ever had to do, to turn away from that feeling that pushed her away from her body and try and grab the strand of life that was still connected to her mind.

*

Zell and Irvine stared at each other for the longest moment in Zell's life. Then without warning Irvine stood. 'Well are you gonna do it then? They aren't getting any aliver.' Zell nodded his thanks to Irvine, it had been a struggle for him, but he, in that one single gesture, had given Zell his blessing for him to be with Selphie. Taking hold of the feather, he lovingly held it flat in his open palm to let the wind carry it into the sky. He watched the feather become intermingled with the falling snow. Please Phoenix. He prayed silently, when he heard the cry of the bird he knew that his prayer had been answered. The gorgeous bird blazed from across the horizon trailing a myriad of rainbow colours in it's wake, it was Selphie that the giant fire bird noticed... and blessed with life. Zell stared down at the beautiful girl whose chest began to take in air, her eyes fluttered open and then closed again. He felt at her neck for a pulse, it was there, but it was so faint he couldn't be sure if it was his own that he was mistaking for hers. 'Curaga.' The spell was centred on Selphie, he turned to look at Rinoa gratefully, Selphie's breathing got a little stronger. Quistis knelt next to him and exposed the wound on her friends abdomen.

'I don't think all the curaga spells in the world are going help, she's going to need surgery. We need to get her to a garden... fast.' She looked at Squall. 'Radio Balamb to come over this way, hopefully we can get her out of the mountains before she...' She stopped and looked at Zell, who shook his head.

'She's not going to die... not again.' He cradled her in his arms and lifted her up, her head rested comfortably on his chest and one arm hung down limply. 'Let's move.' He set off at a brisk pace, not quite running but not far off. 'Please Selphie, don't die, I love you.' Zell whispered in her ear. He didn't know if it was just his wishful thinking or did her breathing ease slightly and a smile touch her lips.

*

One week later

Selphie heard the soft talking outside her bedroom door and quickly turned on her side to feign sleep, she carefully but quickly rearranged her hair to cover the scales around her hairline. The door opened softly and she regulated her breathing into the steady, easy rhythm of sleep... she hadn't really talked to anybody since she had been here, she had spent the first three days too confused to say anything to anyone and she had been asleep most of the time anyway. The fourth day she had decided that she really didn't want to face any questions so she had continued the symptoms as an act. When people came in she either pretended to be asleep or too drowsy to talk... she was quickly left alone. Whoever it was sat down in a chair that had been placed next to her bed.

'You aren't fooling anybody you know.' Irvine said quietly in an amused tone of voice. 'Well... you aren't fooling me.' Selphie couldn't help the frown that flickered on her face so she opened her eyes. He grinned at her in the darkened room.

'How did you know?' She asked him sharply.

'You aren't that peaceful when you sleep... I should know... Remember?' A guilty flush rose up across her cheeks. Irvine ignored it. 'The question is... why don't you want to speak to anyone?' He tilted his head at her and took off his hat. She shook her head and turned over onto her other side, facing away from him. 'Come on Sefie... I've never seen you like this before... well maybe once before.' He sighed and moved to sit on the edge of her bed. She took in a shuddering breath and Irvine realised she was crying, he stroked her shoulder. 'Do you want to talk about it?' She shook her head vigorously and buried her face into her pillow. 'Look I'll go... but you have to talk to someone... You not talking is eating a particular someone up inside. For his sake you have to try and form the words... and I'm here... you might not want me to be, but I'll always be your best friend.' When she didn't answer he stood and made his way across to the door. He paused as if wondering whether she would call out to him as he left, when she didn't he left.

Selphie swallowed hard and tried to get her tears under control, she was expecting a visit from the doctor soon, she felt like a freak. She stood and walked across to the shower, turning the hot water on full, since she had joined with Bahumut heat and cold had stopped bothering her, in fact she enjoyed the sensation of boiling heat now. She moved carefully into the stream of water and sighed as it sluiced across her skin. She put her hand to the scar that had formed on her abdomen, it had taken eight curaga spells as well as the operation for it to form. An inescapable reminder as to what she had suffered, she looked down at her forearms and took the wash cloth and began scrubbing them clear of dead skin. The faint spattering of scales that had sprung up were extremely pale shining lilac, they had grown on the bottom part of her legs as well. Bahumut had apologised profusely when he realised that they bothered her, she had just shrugged and said that she'd get used to them. She stood in the hot water for a while before getting out and walking to the mirror. She wiped the steam off the mirror and stared at her reflection for just a moment... this was the part she couldn't get used to. The small string of glimmering dragon scales that were visible around her hairline, she began to explore the crown of her head, the scales formed a cap through her hair she finally figured out. They were very soft to the touch, softer than skin but much, much harder, Bahumut had explained those scales as a natural protection dragons had for their brains. He had fallen silent when she had pointed out that she wasn't a dragon.

She got dressed, clothes that covered up the extent of her scaling. She knew that she had to face up to her friends sooner or later, but the thought churned her stomach. She arranged her hair and fringe so that it covered her marking fully. She sat on her bed forlornly, waiting for the knock of the doctor on her door, she called for her to enter when it came, but it wasn't the doctor... it was Quistis.

'Doctor Kadowaki said she couldn't come so I was to take you down to the cafeteria for some 'real' food... if you could count hotdogs etcetera as real food.' She grinned and Selphie fought to press down the wave of panic that threatened her.

'I'm not hungry.' She said to her friend, wishing that she could just go back and hide in bed. Her stomach at that point named her for a lier by growling loudly, Quistis raised an eyebrow. 'I'm coming.' She sighed and pulled on a pair of trainers. As they walked around the corridors to the cafeteria Quistis tried to encourage her to talk but all Selphie could feel was the eyes that were on her. She even heard one boy whisper the words Dragon Lady. She came over light headed at that point and felt as thought she was going to have a panic attack. 'Quistis.' She said alarmed.

'It's okay.' Her friend said and led her to a nearby bench. She sat next to her in silence as she got herself under control, she smiled her thanks to Quistis but still saw her wince at the purple cast to her eyes.

'Problem?' A voice asked them, Selphie looked up into Squall's face, which was creased in concern. If she had felt like her normal self she would have laughed at that reaction. 'You feeling okay?' He asked her.

'I'm fine.' She said as she felt the embaressment stain her cheeks. Squall nodded.

'Going to lunch?' He asked Quistis who nodded. 'Well I'll join you, the whole gang should be there.' He caught the wide eyes that Selphie flashed quickly. 'Or were you two going to eat on your own?' He amended hastily.

'Uh no.' Selphie said, Irvine said she was going to have to talk to them sooner or later... or something like that, and he was right. 'It's okay.'

*

Zell stared miserabley at his plate as Rinoa and Irvine slid in across the table from him. He gave a fleeting glance to them and a quick smile, he poked his fork into the gelatinous gloop.

'Why the long face?' Rinoa asked. 'They run out of hotdogs?'

'Ha ha... no.' He replied woodenly.

'He's trying to figure out what actually died to make that.' Irvine said with a grin and Rinoa laughed, he glowered at him. 'Oh lighten up Zell, I was only making a joke.' He turned to Rinoa but she wasn't listening, she was squinting across to the line at the checkout.

'Isn't that... Hey Selphie!' She yelled, Zell felt his head snap around and stare, she looked across at them uncertainly and Zell nearly got up to go and give her a hug. Squall and Quistis formed a phalanx on either side of her and by the look on her face, nearly frog marched her over to the table. All three squeezed into the unoccupied chairs with their trays. 'Hey Sel it's good to see you up and about.' Rinoa said, Selphie gazed at her momentarily with those purple eyes and gave a slight nod before concentrating on her food. Zell couldn't help but watch her, Irvine and Rinoa kept the conversation going in the way that he and Selphie normally did, even Squall and Quistis joined in and Zell felt certain he saw Selphie relax slightly. That was until Jill came bounding up to them... in a SeeD uniform.

'Ta Da!' She exclaimed brightly at him he half stood in surprise.

'How did you... I mean... wha?' He looked across at Squall, who smiled.

'You explained, I did what you asked.' Was all the explanation he got.

'Oh my god... well done.' He gave the young girl a hug. So what you gonna do next? You gonna go into instructor training? Rival Quistis here for the youngest instructor ever title?' The girl shook her head in distaste.

'Nope, I'm training to learn a new weapon... think I'll train to be a weapons master actually.' Zell gave her curious look.

'What new weapon?' She blushed.

'The gun...' She looked across at Irvine who shrugged.

'She's good.'

'After all your complaining... oh sod it... I give up.' He said sitting down and then Jill seemed to notice Selphie.

'Hey... how you doing?' She asked her, Selphie shrugged.

'I'm okay.' She said and the young girl smiled happily and held out her hand for Selphie to shake.

'I want to thank you for my field exam.' Selphie frowned at her and then reached out her hand. The long sleeved jumper rode up a fraction to reveal the bright scales that glittered on her forearm, it was only just noticeable but Selphie withdrew her hand like it had touched a viper. Jill looked at her curiously for a moment, along with her friends. 'You know, you shouldn't be ashamed of those scales. I mean, I realise why you would want to cover them, but they aren't ugly and you should treat them as a badge of honour. Everyone else at Garden does. You saved everyone here, you know.' Zell watched the emotions fly across Selphie's face. Jill took her leave of them and still everyone stared at Selphie. She lifted her head and looked at them all. Zell took a look at them all and saw the pity that stood in their eyes, he knew she had seen it too. She shook her head and stood up, without saying anything she made a run for the door.

*

Self pitying tears slithered out of the corner of her eyes as she ran at full tilt for her room. She had seen the pity in her friends eyes and known at that point she was undeniably ugly. The exertion combined with the pain in her heart dragged at her lungs and they began to burn. She reached her room and pounded the door into the wall as she went through it. She slammed it with a thud and she stood in the middle of her room not knowing what to do. Helplessly she sunk to her knees next to her bed and began to sob, gut-wrenching, heart felt sobs that shook her body. The knock on her door made her bury her face into her arms and cry harder.

'Selphie? Please... can I come in?' It was Zell, he had followed her.

'No go away.' She yelled. She heard the door click open and felt him come in. 'Don't you ever listen to anyone?' She asked through gritted teeth.

'No. Nobody.' He told her, he came and sat on the bed next to where she was. 'You going to talk to me?'

'No!'

'Please Selphie, I don't know much but, I do care about you. There's too many people that let what happens to them affect them for the rest of their life. You can either let the past trap you, or you can change with it, you can own it, make it yours... then nobody can ever hurt you with it.' He stroked her hair as he talked, trying to calm her. She turned her face up to him.

'Nobody can ever hurt you with it? What if it stares at you in the mirror everyday? What if it leaves a scar across your whole body... tell me what do you do then?' She asked breathing hard... angrily. He stared at her wordlessly and put his hand over hers. The compassion in his eyes made her want to cry again. She lifted her fringe and showed him the scales. 'Look at these... what do I look like now? Please tell me.' Her chin trembled with the force of holding back tears, he put his hand on her cheek and smiled.

'To me? You look like Selphie.' He tilted his head and his blue eyes crinkled gently at the corners. 'And reguardless of what you think you look like... to me you're beautiful.' She stared at him for a moment and shook her head. Then she stood.

'Don't lie to me Zell... I'm hideous.' His mouth opened in surprise. He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him.

'No... You aren't. And even if you were, you'd still be the same Selphie that I've fallen in love with. You really want to know what I think of the scales? I think they're gorgeous, and not for the reason that Jill gave, they're gorgeous because they are part of you.' She looked up at him with her mouth slightly parted, he took that opportunity to kiss her. She didn't respond at first but she slowly put one hand up to his face and he felt salty tears drip down her cheeks as she snaked her arms around his neck. He felt himself panting as they broke apart. He looked down into her face. 'Are you aware how long I've wanted to do that.' He held her close to him and he felt her heart thumping along with his. She whispered in his ear something that made his heart nearly break with pure ecstasy.

'I love you too.'

She felt so right with her head leant into his chest, he was content to just hold her as he breathed in the scent of her. She moved her head to look up at him and smiled gently. 'I've missed you.' She told him simply, honestly. And he grinned.

'Let's hope you don't want to get rid of me in a few days, because I don't want to ever go away from you again.' She laughed joyfully and bent her head up to his and they sealed their new found happiness with a kiss. Of course, times would change, but that doesn't mean that things can't stay the same.

~The end~