'Hey, me and Kiros have been through worse than this' he thought trying to calm his mind. The chocobo beneath him didn't fight the centuries of gut instinct. When the two heard the howl of the grendel, it was all about survival. The chocobo dashed forward deeper into the darkness of the woods. "Whoa! Stop! Hey!" yelled Laguna. The sounds of pursuit, growls and thuds on the ground, made him look back. Five grendels followed behind them, their fangs and claws reaching as close as possible to their prey. "Run! Run!"
A grendel snapped it's jaws resulting in the large bag of high potions and phoenix downs that made up Laguna's cargo to be ripped to the ground. Only one of the Grendels stopped running after them to investigate. That still left Laguna to fight four by himself. He chose to put his trust in his chocobo campanion's speed.
The chocobo was fast enough to escape from the grendels, but only once it had dislodged Laguna from it's back. He yelled all the curses in his vocabulary as he hit the ground in a roll. He felt his body bounce and then fall further down the side of a cliff. All he could see in front of him were more branches to snap his head against.
Once he came to a stop at the bottom of the large and unimaginably wood laden hill, he jumped to his feet. The grendels were working their way down the hill. Luckily for him though, they weren't coming down with the speed he had. He just headed in the opposite direction of the carniverous monsters. He looked back to check their progress and was knocked backwards. Looking up, he saw the giant black metal fence that he had run into. A fence? And behind that, a castle. What was a castle doing out here?
"Grararararrrr!"
No time to worry about the stupid castle right now. He grabbed hold of the fence and pulled as hard as he could. "Dammit! Let me in!" The grendels were nearly to him. He took a deep breath and just pushed. It was as if the gate were opening itself for him suddenly, because he fell through with such force that he was on the ground again. He aimed with his foot, kicking the gate closed just before the monsters ran into it.
Laguna stood up and tossed his long dark hair back with a cock of his head. "Nobody eats Laguna Loire!" They looked very pissed off though, and he wasn't quite sure how easy that gate could be opened by a pack of grendels, but he wasn't wanting to find out. Time to see why there was a castle in the middle of a vast forest and if he could use their phone.
"But, I'm SOOOOO bored!"
"So? Who cares about you? I'm a clock!"
Zell as a candle wasn't nearly as yummy as Zell used to be. But, he still seemed Zellish. The flames on the top of his head were always in odd erratic spikes. And he was always in motion, even though the high speeds blew out his fire, he couldn't help it. "But Rinoa, it's been so many years since we've been outside the castle!"
Rinoa rolled her eyes and her alarm bells. "All you ever think about is yourself. What about me? That damned Sorceress turned me into a clock!" She twisted her number pointing hands downwards in a frown. "And we are still NOT going out into that snow!"
Zell was feeling a little short tempered tonight and opened his mouth to say something rude when the door to the castle opened. "...Hello?"
The two castle knick-knacks stopped talking and stared at the man. He was the first visitor in 20 years. And he hadn't even knocked. "Man, are you seeing this?" asked Zell in a whisper.
"I'm lost. My chocobo ran off. Is there anyone here that can help me?"
"Oh, that's so sad. Let's help him!" Zell was so eager to have contact with someone other than the people in the castle.
Rinoa rolled her eyes. "Do whatever you want." She waddled away from him. As she did he heard her mumbling something about wanting her father or something.
Zell eagerly followed as quickly as his holder would allow him after Laguna who appeared to be casing the joint. "Hey Dude!" he yelled.
Laguna was feeling very weird about being in someone else's castle without being invited. And now he had the weird feeling that he was being followed. He heard a small voice say "hey dude". Turning quickly he saw a small lit candleabra on the floor. Now that wasn't there a moment ago, he was sure of it. But, not too worried, Laguna went on. Then he heard a voice behind him again. It seemed that the candle was closer this time. He reached down and picked it up. "Hello?"
"Hey," said the candle.
Laguna screamed like a girl and dropped Zell to the ground.
"Shit! That hurt!" squeaked out Zell, his candle-hand massaging his backside. "Why'd you drop me?"
Laguna bent down. "You are talking!"
"Yeah."
"But you're a candle."
"Yeah."
"And you can talk?"
"Yes."
"Wait. You can talk."
Zell looked at Laguna strangely. He just wasn't getting it. "Would you like some food?"
Laguna's stomach growled at that moment. Zell smiled happily. "Come on, we'll get you some food."
As Zell led Laguna through the hallways of the huge castle, he rambled on about food that he liked. Laguna was confused. He knew that he shouldn't be able to be following a talking candle through a deserted castle. But, that was pretty much what was going on. He just decided to go with it. 'Me and Kiros have been through stranger situations than this' he told himself.
"We have the BEST hot dogs!" exclaimed Zell as he motioned for Laguna to sit in a comfortable recliner. As soon as he sat down, a blanket was put on his lamp by a coat rack, which he figured must talk also. Then, a wriggly dog footstool wanted to be petted. He petted it.
Quistis, the sexiest and curviest tea pot ever, let out a squeak of surprise. "Zell! Who is this? And why is he sitting in the Master's chair?"
"He was lost in the woods! I got him a hot dog!" He flashed his proud smile.
She tisked. "You know that he's going to be pissed if he finds out! Think Zell, think!"
"He won't find out!" said Zell as the double doors to the room they were in burst open. All the lights in the room blew out, mostly from fear if not from the breeze. The air turned dangerous. It was as if Laguna was back out with the grendels again.
"WHY ARE YOU IN MY CHAIR?"
It was the scariest voice Laguna had ever heard. "Uh, uh, I was lost...in the woods..."
"WHAT CONCERN IS THAT TO ME? DID YOU THINK YOU COULD JUST STAY HERE?"
"Uh, I, I..." he was straining to see the thing. It was so dark though, it was nearly impossible. He could just see the massive shape of it.
"YOU WANT A PLACE TO STAY? I'LL GIVE YOU ONE!" With that terrifying threat, Laguna was lifted by a massive arm and carried from the room.
Zell pounded the floor angrily.
Squall just wanted out of rinky dink Winhill. He traveled through the town with his gunblade swinging. He dismissed the odd glances he got from the villagers. What did it matter to him what they thought? It didn't bother him. He wouldn't have wanted to make friends with them anyway. Friends leave just like family. All he had now that Ellone wasn't around was Laguna, his father that hadn't shown himself until Squall was nearly sixteen.
He was feeling particularly grumpy and just looking forward to going back to his and Laguna's cottage. That was why he was so annoyed when a familiar figure blocked his path.
"You know Squall, you shouldn't be waving that gunblade around unless you mean it." Irvine, the letch, stood in front of him winking. Then, an arm was around him, as Irvine decided to walk Squall back home. "You know, most people in Winhill think you are a little odd, but I know that you just need a little encouragement to come out of your shell."
Squall felt like using his gunblade on the disturbing cowboy. Instead, he just stayed silent, but he did knock the arm off his shoulder.
"I've got a surprise for you!" announced Irvine happily. When they arrived at the cottage, Squall was shocked to see all of Irvine's crowd sitting around in fancy dress outside. They had tables set up. Squall swallowed deeply. They were all in fancy dress and there was a minister. That was when it dawned on Squall that Irvine was dressed up rather fancy. What was going on?
"Surprise! Today is the first day of the rest of our life together!"
Squall was thinking plenty of things, but his small mouth just stayed closed. Though his eyes were expressive in sheer size, he kept walking towards his cottage. He sighed loudly as he opened the door. Irvine stood behind him awaiting an answer. All he got was a closed and then locked door.
Laguna's chocobo was about five times smarter than him. Which was the reason that the chocobo found it's way out of the forest, when Laguna himself had gotten lost. Squall was outside practicing gunblade techniques on a scarecrow which wore a cowboy hat when the chocobo ran up to him.
Squall grabbed the chocobo's reins. He looked earnestly around for his father. There was no sign of him. He must have gotten lost in the woods!
Squall...smiled. He tied the chocobo to the post and lay back in Laguna's recliner. He was almost asleep when it hit him. "Crap! He took my jacket!" He loved that jacket. The fur kept him warm while the daringly high cut displayed the confidence he had in his looks. 'All right,' he thought. 'I'll save you jacket...and Laguna.'
"Well, of course he flipped out! He's been trying to get AWAY from people, not invite them in!" Quistis was folding up her handle in an annoyed manner. "That was foolish of you! That poor man has been in there for days! He may die in there because you didn't think."
Zell's flame had fallen to a low blue color. "I just wanted to be nice to him."
"We know you did Zell." Selphie, wrapped a few feathers around his candle holder. "Quistis is just being a meanie."
"You try having boiling water inside you and see how calm you can be!" Quistis looked away irritatedly.
The door to the castle creaked open. They all looked at the opening doors. In stood a very cold very angry looking teenager. He was slim and gorgeous. His long brown bangs were soaked with rain onto his cheeks. He bravely called out in the dark room. "Laguna? Did you end up here?"
"Oh crap!" said Zell.
"He's so cute!" squealed Rinoa. She chimed the hour happily. "How do my cogs look?"
"HE is going to put this one in the dungeon too, if we don't stop him!" Quistis was the first to run towards the door. "Come on, we have to scare him away or something."
Squall stepped over the talking and running household items. Well, he did a little jump over the candlestick. He didn't know why these items were alive and talking, but he didn't really want to know. A lot of strange things happened to Squall, but he didn't question them for some reason. Once he had had this strange dream experience with some friends, but he kept putting off thinking about them. Perhaps down deep inside he was afraid of supernatural things.
"Laguna?"
"What is his problem? Why is he ignoring us?" asked Quistis.
"I think it's because he's in love with me but is just too introverted to show affection!" The other three stared at Rinoa.
"What is the weather like on your world Rinoa?" asked Zell. "I think he's just a jerk."
"Only one way to find out!" squealed Selphie. She swept her way up the stairs behind the beautiful brunette. "Hey you! I know where your friend is!"
That got Squall to stop. He turned around and looked down at the yellow feathered duster. He leaned down a little. "Laguna?"
Selphie shook her stick from side to side. "We don't know his name. He's dreamy with long brown slightly graying hair and thin feminine lips?"
"He's my father. I wouldn't describe that way, but it's close enough." Squall stood back to full stature, which wasn't very tall. "Where is he?"
"He's in the dungeon."
"Selphie! HE'S going to flip!" reminded Quistis.
"That spoiled recluse always gets what he wants! Well, I get what I want!" She paused on the step that she was on and folded her feathers to her hips. "Laguna is going to take me out of this godforsaken castle and I'm going to see how much he likes a little french tickle."
The whole forest couldn't have missed the sound of Squall breaking into the dungeon. The door was wood and it only took a few slashes of Squall's enormous blade to spliter it open. He saw Laguna beside great iron bars.
"Laguna." His voice had a lilt of relief to it. "Are you still wearing my jacket?"
Laguna was confused. It was amazing that his son had found him. But, his son was always surprising him. Squall had always been the best at whatever he put his mind to. Laguna should have known that his son would save him, even if their relationship could have been better.
"Nevermind, let's just get it...I mean you out."
At that moment, the atmosphere in the room changed with the presence of a huge angry beast. At almost the exact moment of it's arrival, Squall was ready for battle. His sword was held out in a threatening pose towards the doorway.
"Another intruder in my castle? Today must be my lucky day." The voice sounded dark, evil, and full of amused rage. It was so dark in the dungeon that Squall could only make out his shape. He looked to be nearly seven feet tall and and very wide. He saw the glint of extended claws.
"Release my father or die."
"Your father has trespassed upon my land. He is now my property."
The beast's claws came up just in time to reflect Squall's gunblade. He pulled the trigger but the beast was already behind him. Despite the thing's massive size, it was swift as a rabbit. Squall swung again, this time missing entirely as the Beast tried to grab his arm. But, the Beast wasn't the only one who was lithe. Squall tucked and rolled across the floor and kicked a loose piece of wood upwards. The wood flew past the Beast's enormous head.
"You aren't too bad Pretty Boy," taunted the Beast.
"That's Squall." He was hoping to distract the thing with conversation while he came in low with a jab towards the feet. He still managed to miss anyway, since the beast leaped to the side.
"I was Seifer, best gunblader in this land."
"And now you are just a giant dog. That must piss you off." Squall felt the blow like a moving wall. His body was thrown acroos the room. He landed just short of the cell in which his father was locked. "Did I hit a sore spot?"
"Let's see if I can cause you a few," growled Seifer. Squall only had time to hold up his blade, before he was picked up off the ground by the beast.
"Do you like having prisoners?" asked Squall.
"Only Pretty Boys like you and your father." Seifer wasn't sure what Squall's question meant. Of course he didn't like prisoners. He didn't like people invading his home either. Especially since he had been turned into the horrible monstrosity that he was.
"Would you settle for just me?" Squall was hoping his bluff would work. He would just get his dad out of the cell and turn right around and lop the creature's head off.
"Why would I want you?"
"Why would you want my dad?"
The teeth shined inches from his face. "Do you really want to know?"
Squall pushed hard against the giant furry chest. The beast moved slightly back. It was just enough space to allow Squall's gunblade to swing. It sliced across fur, but did not touch Seifer's chest. By the time it was to the other side of the beast's chest, it was caught within Seifer's powerful claws. He twisted the gun from Squall's hand. He held it far above Squall's head. "I accept. I will take your freedom instead of your father's."
Squall felt a gentle fear boil in his stomach. He hadn't meant to actually be this creature's prisoner. Without his gunblade, he knew that he stood no chance against this thing. But he also didn't have a bargaining tool, for there was no reason for Seifer to let either of them go. "'Bout time you decided."
Seifer smiled. He hadn't had a conversation in years. And this Squall was so intelligent and argumentative. He glanced over at his original captive. "You'd better wake him up and tell him to go home."
Squall's head whipped to the cell. Sure enough, there was Laguna with a little nose bubble growing large and then small. Squall sighed loudly.
At first, Squall wouldn't come to dinner. But, since he was trained as a warrior, he realized the stupidity of not taking food when he could have it. He really needed the nutrients if he was going to beat that ten foot tall monstrocity. But, he snuck down to eat only in the middle of the night when he hoped that Seifer was sleeping.
Zell smiled. He sat in the middle of the huge diningroom table. He was burning brighter than any of the other candles. In one hand, he held a matchstick. "But, surely he needs some entertainment with dinner!"
"Zell, don't be stupid! Squall doesn't want HIM to find out that he's eating! Let's not announce it!"
"But this is France! We never do our meals half-assed!" He did a little bow as the chandeliers pointed their lights at him. "Be...our..."
"Zell!"
Zell look frustrated. "Come on Quistis, please!!!"
Rinoa looked confused. "I don't understand what he wants to do."
"Be...Our..."
"Zell!"
The candlestick threw his stick off the table and slammed down his little top hat. "Fine!" He then stormed off.
"Thanks Quistis," said Squall as he sat down in front of the food.
"Is that where he sleeps?" asked Squall. Until that moment, he had been casing the joint secretly. He didn't want Seifer's servants to know that he was plotting his death. They might have more loyalty than it seemed.
"That's where the rose..." Zell had just been happily chatting when Selphie had covered his mouth with layers of feathers.
"That's where the rose wallpaper is. It's very girly. Nothing to interesting. He sleeps in that other room next to that." Selphie glared at Zell. He was realizing his mistake and blushing.
"Wouldn't you rather see the battle room?" asked Quistis.
"He has a battle room?" Squall felt his stomach tingle excitedly. He had been so bored, he would have loved to see a battle room.
"Oh yeah! He has tons of weapons!!!" declared Zell. "Follow us!"
Squall had started after them, but he soon realized that they weren't paying attention to him. They were talking about how Seifer used to practically live in them. He took a look back at the room that Selphie hadn't wanted Zell to talk about. That must have been the key to either escaping the castle or destroying Seifer.
He watched as Zell's flicker left the room. He sprinted towards the stairs that led up to the room. It was the only room in the castle that the beast had told him not to go in. So, with a quick look around, Squall stepped inside. He saw a room completely shredded by claws. all except a beautiful glow in the center of the room. He walked towards it, but kept his eyes on the wall and the door behind him. Upon each wall were torn paintings and broken candleabras.
When he approached the glowing thing, he held his hand out to it. It was a beautiful sparkling rose. Most of it's petals were on the bottom of it's glass case, but the flower itself still looked freshly bloomed. He didn't understand how this could be the thing that Zell wasn't supposed to speak of. He took off the glass lid. He felt magic float around him. Perhaps this was the thing that powered all the magic in the castle. If he destroyed it, maybe the beast would become mortal again and Squall could beat him.
He reached out to touch it, but was thrown to the side of the room. "Get out!" Seifer was full of hatred that extended across every corner of the room. His claws went to the wall beside Squall's head. "Get out!"
Squall backed up on his hands towards the door. The beast was giving him no time to say anything, to explain his presence. "No!'
Seifer stood to his full height in the room. It was something that he rarely did, but Squall needed to be afraid of him. He was too brave for his own good. "I said GET OUT!" He roared at the same time.
Squall's eyes were large but he didn't move. "Was that you?" He aimed his finger at the painting directly above his head.
Seifer knew the picture and didn't have to take his gaze off Squall. It was the one right before the curse. It was what he had looked like so many years ago that he couldn't remember what it had looked like before the giant rip down the center. "What business of it is yours?"
Squall didn't know how to keep the monster from killing him. He was stalling. If only he had his gunblade. He might not have been able to win a hand to hand combat with the thing, but at least he would have some chance. "You were even uglier then than you are now!"
His body flew down the stairs. Squall had time to regret saying those words as he flew towards the landing. He crashed and felt his bones jangle. He tested them all, hoping that they all worked. They did, suprisingly. The door that he had been thrown from was then slammed shut. That had been his only chance to destroy the rose. He knew that it would be heavily guarded from now on. He bit his lip to keep from crying. He had never felt so hopeless in all his life.
"What an arrogant prick." Hours later, Seifer was still prowling around his room. He hadn't felt like going into any rooms that could possibly contain Squall. He had given his hostage a bedroom and full reign of the castle. He didn't care. So long as his front doors remained loyal and stayed closed, Seifer knew that he didn't have to keep constant watch. He didn't know why he had believed that Squall would behave.
"Yeah, but he is pretty good looking," pointed out Quistis. "Do you feel anything when you look at him?"
Seifer bristled his neck fur. "Yeah, the urge to bite him."
"Sounds like love then," joked Zell.
Seifer was starting to get irritated by all these household items telling him what to do. "Look, I don't think that that little pretty boy pipsqueak is the type of 'love' that the enchantress was speaking about."
"Why not? He's yummy enough." Selphie was still picturing Laguna in her mind. She had tried to sneak away with Laguna, but the rumors about the enchanted wall around the castle had been true. It had knocked her off of laguna's coat as soon as they had reached the gate. "And he is a good match in a fight. I know that's important to you."
The beast stood by the window and looked out into all the white falling snow. He had been alone in his castle for so many years. He hadn't even been outside in years. He remembered how nice it had been to talk to Squall. Even if it had been just to taunt him during battle, it had been good. As for his looks, what did looks matter to him? He was a giant furry creature that lived in an enchanted castle deep in the woods. It wasn't like he needed someone in his life that was a supermodel.
The enchantress had cursed him to be like this until he fell in love. He didn't think that he could fall in love with anyone. Even when he had been beautiful, his heart had been rocky and cold. And he knew that it was impossible to fall in love with someone when you were trying. It was just something that happened. If he wanted it to happen, then it couldn't. It wasn't like gunblading, you couldn't just practice til you got it right. And his birthday was in only a few months.
"Forget it. All of you. No one is going to love me. I even think I am a prick. Why would he feel any different?"
Selphie smiled. "Oh that's easy! You just do like every girl does when they are trying to hook a guy!"
Seifer raised a furred eyebrow at her. "And what is that, feather duster?"
Selphie ignored his slight insult. After all, she was a feather duster. No use getting offended by something that she couldn't help. "You act perfect. You dress up nice and act a hell of a lot nicer than you are."
"Then what? You just drop the fact that you are a major bitch later on?" asked Quistis. Her and Selphie didn't get along because of little things like this.
Zell laughed. "All chicks do it Quistis. You would too if you found a guy that you liked."
"You mean a TEAPOT that I like don't you?" yelled Quistis. She walked out of the room angrily.
"Yes! You have to be super nice! You have to take a bath and trim your fur!"
Zell jumped up, his flame popping at the top. "Yeah! We can make you act like the perfect gentleman and then he won't know that you are a horrible person!"
Seifer glared down at the candlestick. Zell muttered an apology. "Why would I listen to you things?"
"Because we know more about being nice than you! Nida!" Selphie turned towards the coat rack. "It's time for you to be of use Nida. How are your fur-styling abilities?"
"I'm so bored."
"Well, would you like me to show you something exciting to do?" asked Seifer mischievously. Squall looked up in surprise. He had been moping on the steps of the main hallway hoping to convince the door to open for him. Now, Seifer was standing above him. He looked much different than he had the past few days. His fur was shorter and he smelled better.
"Makeover?"
"I haven't entertained in a while."
"When do you start?" Squall went back to moping. He didn't care if Seifer made an attempt to look or smell better, he wasn't going to start being friendly to his captor.
"What if I told you that I have something here that you would love?" asked Seifer. His temper was pushing him to insult, but he was taking the words of Zell and Selphie to heart.
"..."
"Great! Come on then. Maybe it will cheer you up a little."
Squall stood up but before he started to follow Seifer he added, "An eternity in the same dreary house with you? It's going to have to be pretty damned impressive."
The days prior to his reformation had been horrible. At dinner, no matter how much he tried, he just kept making Squall angry. He was really hoping for a chance to make Squall relax. This was it, he was sure. As he led Squall up to the doorway of the room they were heading to, he told Squall to close his eyes.
"So that you can eat me? No way."
"If I wanted to eat you, I already would have. Come on... please."
Squall hadn't heard the beast say please before. He eyed Seifer suspiciously. But, he looked utterly sincerely excited. With reluctance, he shut his eyes. He almost jumped as he felt the huge paws take his hands. Instead he let Seifer lead him into the room. It was strange holding a hand that was that much bigger than your own. It wasn't as if he had had a father to lead him around by the hand. He felt another shot of anger towards Laguna. Laguna had even left the castle with Squall's jacket on. He was going to kill his father once he got out of this stupid castle.
"Pretty, but no brains. Squall will realize his mistake soon enough." Irvine kept telling the same story to people. They knew better. He had been rejected so totally. It wasn't fair. Of all the people in the town, Irvine was the most attracted to Squall Leonhart. So, he deserved to have him. He was so upset about the rejection, that when Laguna burst in to the bar, his brain began thinking evil things.
"Squall! A beast has taken Squall! Please help me!" The people in the bar room cleared a path around the psychotic looking man. He was wearing his son's coat. His lips were blue and his eyes were wide and crazy. "I need your help. They kicked me out of the castle, but I need to go back and get Squall. I just can't...find it."
"Squall is locked up by a beast? Laguna, have you been drinking?"
"Please Irvine, you care about my son. He's been taken by a horrible beast!" The crazy older man grabbed Irvine by the front of his trenchcoat. "I'll do anything!"
"Anything?" asked Irvine. He felt the sweet rush of power and fortune. He had lived a good life. He was the best rifleman in the world and the best...well, he was good at lots of things. He was used to be looked up to, but this was a chance for him to prove one more thing he was good at. If Squall really had been taken by a beast, then if Irvine rescued him, he would be grateful. He would want to marry Irvine and raise his lovechildren. It would be beautiful. Squall could be the trophy damsel in his hero collection. "I want his hand in marriage."
Laguna smiled. "I'm sure Squall wouldn't mind that!" Laguna didn't pay much attention to his son...
"We ride to this castle! Who is with me?" Irvine stood up. Even if there was no beast, Laguna had agreed. Squall would be his.
"So, you liked the battle room?"
"It was crazy! When you were human, you must have been a homicidal maniac!" Squall nearly laughed. Just being in a training room that cool had made him feel girlishly happy. Seifer had like every weapon Squall had ever seen and some that he hadn't. He had played with all of them until he was tired. It was the first exercise he had gotten in the long weeks of his captivity.
"No, I wasn't a homicidal maniac. I like being...capable of defending myself." Seifer leaned back against the wall. He surveyed all his fighting tools that he hadn't seen since he had transformed. With his claws, he wouldn't have been able to lift any of the weapons, he was sure.
"Against what? An army?" Squall did laugh this time, his breath was coming out ragged from the exertion. "You have to spar with me after a nap. Claws or not, human or not, I want to fight you."
"For your freedom?" Seifer spoke softly. He was just beginning to enjoy Squall. He didn't want to release him.
Squall shrugged, closing up. "No, for fun." He looked around the room. He was voraciously hungry.
"Come on, let's go eat," suggested seifer. It was like he could read Squall's mind. It freaked him out so much, that he looked carefully at the beast. "What?"
"Can you read my mind?"
"Only if you want me too."
The two looked carefully at each other. They had both surprised the other. Beast was being nice and beauty wasn't afraid. "Will you come with me to dinner tomorrow night. Something fancy?"
Squall hesitated. He looked deeply into the oceanlike eyes of the furred creature. "Is it a command?"
Seifer got irritated. "Do what you like!" His arms folded up and he looked away.
"I'll be there."
That morning, Seifer was more excited than he would have believed possible. He had almost broke Squall in half last night and now he was excited about their date together. He was heading down to the wine cellar to get some for that night, when he came across Squall sitting in the foyer.
"Sleep good after all the exercise?" asked Seifer.
"Do you care?"
Seifer thought about it. He did, but he didn't want to give Squall the satisfaction of knowing that. He looked over at Zell, who had just cleared his throat. Zell was making a wilting gesture in an imitation of the rose. Seifer knew when he was beaten. "Yeah, so what?"
Squall shook his head. "What is that rose?"
Seifer sat down next to his prisoner. "It's all tied up with the enchantment. I don't know how it all works. Look, you wanna go outside?"
"It's freezing and stupid ass Laguna took my coat." Squall didnt' know why the thing was being so nice to him or why he had been nice to him the previous day. But, he had to admit that he didn't feel quite so spiteful today.
"I'll let you borrow one. Come on, let's wander through the snow."
"How long has it been for you?"
'Since I've done anything...' thought Seifer. He was so melancholy in one of the happiest moments he had had in years. "Five years maybe."
"Do you have any fur coats?" asked Squall.
"You are kidding right?" asked Seifer. He looked down at his hairy body. He looked up with a toothy grin. Squall exhaled a little in the closest he ever got to a laugh.
"You pelted me too hard!!!"
"Shutup. You are three feet taller than me. And remember who threw who down the stairs!" They were warming up by the fireplace. Now instead of being cold, they were just damp.
"Hey Squall, I'm sorry about that."
Squall was suprised. "You are?"
Seifer tilted his head to the side. "I may look like this and be a former homicidal maniac, but I don't usually hurt people."
"Just imprison them."
Seifer felt his eyes moisten slightly. "It was your idea. I was just embarrassed about your father seeing me."
Squall's astonishment forced him to look at Seifer carefully. Was it all an act? Or was this how Seifer really felt. "Yeah well, I'd better get cleaned up for dinner."
Seifer smiled. "Yeah me too. It takes a long time to dry this much hair..."
"I don't know where it is! I got lost!"
"Laguna, do you have any more sons? For all the time this trip is taking, I'm going to demand a harem!"
**The part everyone has been waiting for**
Seifer stood on one side of the grand stair case. His fur was covered in a red vest with black sword symbol buttons. His pants were black and he even wore boots. The only fur visible on his body was his face. But it had been trimmed short and his eyes shone brightly at his date.
Squall was a vision on the opposite side. He was wearing a long gown mixed of fur and belts. It was grey and black and went down to the floor. When he took a step forward, his garter belts flashed beneath the holes in the belts. His hair had a purple streak died into the back of it. Many necklaces adorned his chest.
"You look...stunning," said Seifer when he reached out for Squall's hand. He was nearly breathless.
Squall felt his cheeks turn red at Seifer's compliment. He wasn't sure why he was so happy that he had said that. He followed Seifer into the dining hall.
They didn't have small talk when they ate. They talked soulfully. More so than Squall or Seifer had talked to anyone in their lives. Seifer still couldn't tell Squall the truth about the curse. Squall didn't tell Seifer about how wonderful the evening was making them feel. But they talked about Laguna and Squall's childhood. They talked about Seifer's mother and father who had passed away just before he had been cursed to be a giant lonely beast. It was the most pleasant dinner ever for both of them.
When Squall was led by Seifer into the battle room, he felt his heart rise like it was on the champagne bubbles they had been drinking. Seifer handed him his gunblade. With a feeling of awkwardness, Seifer lifted his own old gunblade.
Squall smiled as Seifer faced him. The sound of their blades chiming together was musical and the steps that they took were like a dance.
Seifer took three stabs towards Squall's head knowing confidently that his beauty would avoid them all. And Squall did. He bounced them off his blade with ease and then dropped down as Seifer took a wide swoop.
He managed to get to Seifer side and the beast barely managed to avoid it. He smiled a big grin at Squall who smiled back.
When Squall came close to him, they each held their swords close to their chest and circled each other. Their eyes never stopped looking for an opening and their hearts were never happier. With every clash of the swords, it was like they were speaking more secrets to each other. Seifer had never been in love.
They were winding down. They both felt the change in pace of their fighting. The stabs and parries were becoming less frequent. Squall was breathing hard. He had never been in love either. He stopped for a split second to look into Seifer's eyes. In that time, Seifer's hand had taken Squall's gunblade. With both in hand, he wrapped his big furry arms around Squall.
Squall never stopped looking into those eyes as he leaned up and let Seifer kiss him. Seifer tried to pucker his animal lips without letting his teeth show. It must have worked because Squall was kissing him back. He dropped he weapons and hugged Squall tightly to his chest.
"Squall..." he sighed.
Squall didn't know what was going on his head. He just hugged Seifer trusting him to understand what was going on.
Irvine's crew burst down the front door with a giant tree. Irvine ran ahead of all of them. Laguna had been right apparently. This was perfect! He would just kill the Beast and save his darling! It couldn't have worked out better. He climbed the huge stairs as his crew was attacked by possessed household items.
"Who are these freaks?" demanded Zell. He burned another random invader. "Where is Seifer?"
"I don't know!!!" screamed Quistis as she poured hot tea over another one. "You'd think he'd hear all this noise!"
There were about a thousand different things injuring these bad burglars. Forks, candles, dressers; they were all trying their hardest to kick these people out, but none had been able to stop Irvine from getting up the stairs to where Squall and Seifer were.
"I think I'm falling in love with you Seifer. Even if you are butt ugly." Squall was grinning at him to show that he wasn't serious about the insult.
"Squall... I..."
"Squall! I've come to rescue you!" Irvine stood at the entrance to the battle room. He was posing. His teeth twinkled with his hero smile.
"What?" asked Squall.
Irvine got annoyed. "I'm saving you from him!"
"I don't want to be 'saved'. I like him a hell of a lot more than you."
Irvine lowered his gun. "Too damn bad."
As Irvine pulled the trigger, Squall pushed Seifer aside taking the bullet himself. Squall let out a small cry as the bullet entered his back. "Seif...er."
Seifer looked down at his beautiful boyfriend. He stared up at irvine with the shock and horror turning into pure unbridled hatred. He sped towards irvine and pinned him to the wall with his hand. "You die now."
Irvine cried out as Seifer took him to the balcony. "Please!" he croaked out. But Seifer just tightened his grip around Irvine's neck. Without a thought, Seifer flung him off the balcony towards the castle's moat. Even if he survived the insane drop, he would have to contend with the creatures that lived in the water below.
By the time that the knick knacks got up to the rose room where Seifer had carried Squall, the brunette was nearly dead. They covered their mouths in shock. They had driven away the townspeople, but that one arrogant leader had gotten through.
"Squall, can you hear me?" asked Seifer softly.
"Seifer?"
"I'm here." He could tell that Squall couldn't see him. The tears were falling down his vest. How could he have let this happen? Not the one person that he loved!
"Seifer?"
"I'm right here!" he yelled. His heart burned as did his eyes.
"Seif...er?" With one last breath, Squall went completely still. Seifer roared out in his terrible pain.
"Squall!" His big hands shook the smaller man. Zell, Quistis, and Rinoa began to cry. They each huddled together in shock and sadness. They watched their master repeatedly jostle Squall to no avail.
"Please Squall! I love you!"
Zell nudged Quistis. She looked up at the rose just in time to see the rose petal fall. It wasn't fair. Just as he had finally fallen in love, it didn't matter. His time had run out. The room grew silent.
One of Seifer's tears rolled onto Squall's face before he collapsed atop him. His sobs shook his body. That's what he thought the strange vibrating sensation was. But fortunately it wasn't.
Squall and Seifer began to float. Pastel beams shot around them and they were engulfed in a white light. Seifer wasn't afraid. If Squall was dead, he didn't care what happened to him. But he felt his body changing around him. He felt the fur crawl back down into his skin. He felt his feet and hands shrink down to the size they had been when he was human. That was it! He was becomine Human again! He had broken the curse!
The bright light set him back down to the floor. Squall laid only feet from him. He crawled towards Squall. "Please be alive."
"Seifer?" asked Squall, his eyes flickered open and closed. He stared up into the beautiful green eyes of his loved one. "You are a butt ugly human after all."
Seifer laughed so deep, he could feel it in his toes. He wrapped his arms around Squall happily. "I'm so glad that you are alive. I love you."
Squall grabbed Seifer's head and kissed him in response. They lay making out as Laguna finally came into the room. He was confused, but it wasn't a new thing, so he waited until they were done to ask what was going on.
"Hurry up Irvine!" yelled Rinoa. "I don't want to miss the wedding!"
"It's hard to walk in crutches." He groaned as he hobbled along after her. She was a bossy but she was a major babe. In fact, almost all the little doo-dads in the castle had turned out to be sexy. But, he knew hot when he saw it. Besides, she had helped him out of the moat. He owed her his life for pulling him away from the horrible sea monster in the bottom of Seifer's moat.
"Well, it's your own fault. You shouldn't have shot Squall!" yelled Zell. He was going to hold a grudge about that for as long as he could manage.
"Yeah, I hope you trip and break something else!" snapped Quistis. Now that she wasn't a teacup, she had no excuse to be cranky. She just was.
The wedding was gorgeous. The best that a King could afford. Seifer and Squall were dressed in the same clothes they had battled and fell in love in. Laguna was Squall's best man. His fiancee, Selphie, was Seifer's perky best woman. When they said "I do" the whole kingdom exploded with happiness and applause.
"So, where are you going?" asked Laguna.
"Where aren't we going?" Squall squealed and hugged Seifer. "We are going to every place I've only dreamed of seeing."
"So you are going to live happily ever after?" asked Selphie. She was even more sparkly now that she was in love.
"Well, until we have a really jenky straight to video sequel made in which none of our voices are the same and they get animators from elementary schools," said Squall.
And they lived happily ever after...mostly.
