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One (Last) Chance	By : RotSeele Category: Final Fantasy VIII > Yaoi - Male/Male > Seifer/Squall Views: 3719 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
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Chapter List
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Twenty-Three - Squall POV

After a quick stop at the orphanage to reminisce about our childhood, I returned to Garden in a somber mood. I knew what was coming next, and I wasn’t sure how it would turn out this time. How many people would die today? How many people would be killed because I decided to change my choice of how things were going to play out? Seifer was no longer there to direct the Galbadian forces, but that didn’t mean Edea hadn’t found someone else to play the role of her knight. Anyone could direct the soldiers in the invasion. Anyone could control Lunatic Pandora once it awoke.
I headed up to the bridge to talk to Nida. I knew Galbadia Garden would be nearby sooner or later, and I was hoping for later. I wouldn’t mind having a few extra minutes to prepare Balamb Garden for the impending attack. But my luck had been rather bad lately, as it had been Before, and as soon as I approached Nida I could see the huge shadow in the distance. And it was closing fast.
“Squall,” said Nida, a hint of worry in his voice, “take a look.”
I took the binoculars from him and peered through them at the distant Garden.
“What do you think?”
“The battle is inevitable.” I replied. I lowered the binoculars and handed them back to Nida.
“The sorceress is with them, huh?” Nida asked. “So this is going to be the final battle?”
I wish. I kept quiet, letting him draw his own conclusions from my expression. I folded my arms across my chest and stared at the Garden quickly approaching. No matter how fast we worked, I knew there would still be casualties. I picked up the microphone and flicked it on. Before, my voice had a slight shake to it as I made my orders clear to the SeeD of Balamb Garden. Now, my voice was steady as I issued the last orders I would give to the people in this Garden before everything went to hell. Like Before, I focused on our defense and protecting the underclassmen. I stressed that no one was to play hero, though, and no one was to take unnecessary risks. Then I called for Quistis, Zell, and Selphie to join me on the bridge.
When I finished, I faintly heard Irvine’s voice from below and sighed. Even now, I knew what was about to happen. Even though I had done everything I could to prevent anyone from getting the wrong idea about Rinoa and I, they still were trying to get us together. I frowned to myself, though, wondering why Rinoa would still bother to ask Zell to make a ring for her that looked like mine. Before, I had figured it was because she wanted to have something of mine as a way of being closer to me. I had let it go at that, because so many other things were happening that it wasn’t important. But now, I was wondering if that had been the real reason. Why had she asked for a ring like mine in the first place? The only way to find out was to ask, I suppose, especially since now Rinoa knew the truth about me and Seifer. Filing that resolution in the back of my mind for later, I took the lift down and found Irvine standing there with Quistis and Selphie. I wasn’t surprised, but ignored him for the most part as I looked at Quistis.
She straightened. “What do you want us to do?”
“I want you guys to help me lead the others. We’re going to divide into two teams, once Zell finishes fooling around and gets here.”
Selphie’s eyes shifted to look at Quistis and I saw her bite her lower lip. I knew what she was wondering - did I know? I fought the smile that wanted to spread across my face. She looked back at me and seemed to puff up a bit. “Zell...? I think he’s actually taking a nap, not fooling around. Yeah, he said he hasn’t slept at all lately.”
Quistis started when Selphie looked at her again. “What...? Oh, yeah.”
“Whatever.” I sighed. I wondered how bad it would shock them if I called their bluff. It didn’t matter; I knew where to find Zell anyway. “I’m going to the quad. Selphie, you’re with me. Quistis, Irvine, you guys work together and lead the team at the front gate.”
“Alrighty!” Irvine said, a big grin splitting across his face.
Quistis smiled, almost looking relieved. “Alright.”
I headed toward the elevator with Selphie on my heels and the others behind her. Irvine stopped me before we reached it, and asked, “Hey, what about Rinoa?”
I looked back at him, then looked at Selphie and Quistis, who seemed to be far too interested in my answer. “Seifer will take care of her. If you see him, tell him that’s an order.” I didn’t wait for Irvine or Quistis to reply; I got in the elevator with Selphie and headed down to the ground floor, and from there to the quad.
I thought about chewing Zell a new one this time around. Not only did he disregard my order - and enlist everyone else to lie to me about it - but he continued to ignore my order in favor of preparing the SeeD assigned to the quad even though I knew he saw me coming toward him. He turned to face me, grinning nervously and hoping that I thought it was one of utter confidence.
Let him be, said Shiva. I could feel her and the other Guardian Forces at the edge of my consciousness, watching through my eyes. He thinks what he’s doing is beneficial to you. So do the others. Unless you want to tell them the truth?
Like hell. I snapped back at her. I didn’t need that distraction on top of everything else.
Then let it go, and play along.
I fought to keep from scowling, knowing that Zell wouldn’t understand that I wasn’t scowling at him. Shiva seemed to know my emotions anyway, and she gave me a sympathetic smile that had the dangerous razor sheen of ice to it. I followed her advice, though, and went along with Zell’s antics. When I handed him my Griever ring, I grabbed his wrist before he could withdraw and stared into his eyes long enough to make a few beads of sweat appear on Zell’s forehead. “Don’t you dare lose it. I will take it from your hide if you do.”
Zell gave a nervous laugh. “Uh, I won’t! I didn’t think you were actually gonna give it to me. Rinoa is going to be so happy!”
“Then you tell Rinoa what I told you. Don’t. Lose. That. Ring.”
Zell laughed again, and it was less nervous than the one before. “Alright, Squall! Leave this place up to me!”
Before I could head away from Zell and the quad, Rinoa and Seifer ran toward us. Judging by their expressions, they had both heard my announcement and knew what was coming. Seifer in particular looked a little haggard, as if he had tried to ignore the implications my orders had made. He wasn’t over at Galbadia Garden this time, but he knew that it had been his fault Before that Balamb Garden had come under attack. That people had been killed. He also sported a red cheek, which meant he had tried to stop Rinoa from coming and failed. I knew how that was. I gave him a sympathetic smile and he nodded in return, but it was a tight nod. He was prepared to fight, but he wasn’t prepared mentally for what we were going to face. Rinoa gave me a determined look as she stopped in front of me, her hands clenching at her sides in order to keep them from shaking.
“Guys, I’m gonna fight, too.” she said, looking me right in the eyes. “I don’t wanna just hide. I know I can fight. I want to fight alongside everyone.”
Zell blew out a breath. “I hope this is the last time we have to fight in our home.”
I started to leave, passing both Rinoa and Seifer. A shudder passed through Rinoa and she looked straight ahead as she said, “I have to fight. To prove to myself that I can do it... That I belong with you guys.”
I paused, reaching to grip Rinoa’s shoulder. “You don’t have to prove anything, Rinoa. You already belong with us. Be careful.” I looked at Seifer. “Take care of her.”
“Take care yourself.” Seifer said, his voice full of bravado and swagger.
“Squall!” Nida’s voice crackled over the loudspeaker suddenly, making everyone, including me, tense. “Get back to the bridge right away!”
“Zell,” I said, already moving, “I’m counting on you. Good luck, everyone.”
I brushed past Seifer, not saying anything to him. He didn’t say anything either. It wasn’t in our nature to begin a fight with sweet nothings. It wasn’t our way to tell each other not to worry, that we’d be just fine, and see you after this was over. We would fight and we would kill and we would survive because we were too stubborn to roll over and die. We would put our heads down and go to work, then lift our heads and breath easy when it was done.
I raced up to the bridge with Selphie just in time to see the Galbadia Garden picking up speed as it raced toward us. I could see someone standing where Seifer had stood Before, but it was no one I recognized.
Small miracles, Siren breathed.
I agreed with her, but kept my face neutral as Nida turned to look at me, a worried expression on his face. “They’re heading right for us!” he said.
“Just keep going.” I replied.
I saw the man signal the start of the attack and watched as the Galbadian soldiers launched themselves and their motorcycles into the air. Scant seconds later, they landed on Balamb Garden and began the assault on my home.
“We’re gonna crash!” Nida screamed.
“Go right!” I snapped, bracing myself for the impact. I snatched the microphone, flipped it on, and yelled, “The enemy Garden is right by us! Quad team! Watch out!”
The impact between the two Gardens did its best impression of an earthquake. It felt the same now as it did Before, and I heard all the same sounds of metal screeching against metal as the two behemoths came together violently. I knew, too, what was happening below in the quad now. Balamb Garden was crumbling from the impact, and Rinoa was hanging from the ruins, close to falling to her death. As much as I hated it, I had to leave her to Zell and Seifer. Even if I ran to her aid, there wasn’t anything I could do, not until later into the battle. I knew she wouldn’t fall to her death, but Zell and Seifer wouldn’t know that. I closed my eyes briefly as the tremors slowly subsided. Seifer was going to kill me for springing that little surprise on him, and even though he knew Rinoa would survive, seeing her hanging there would scratch at his temper worse than me allowing myself to be hit during our fight.
Stop it, Squall. I chided myself. You can’t think about that right now. You need to keep moving forward. You’ll deal with it when you get there.
I picked myself up, pulled Selphie to her feet, and headed down to the front gate when Xu called. At the same time I arrived there, so did Zell and Seifer. I met Seifer’s gaze with an emotionless mask, seeing the fury in his emerald eyes. His lips were in a thin line, and he looked like he wanted to yell at me.
Zell beat him to it. “Squall! Rinoa’s in trouble!”
Before I could reply, Nida’s voice came over the loudspeaker. “Squall, listen up! The enemy is attacking the classroom. The junior classmen are there. We have to do something fast!”
Xu’s voice came next. “The enemy’s heading this way!”
“Squall,” Zell shouted, reaching for my shoulder, “DID YOU HEAR ME!?”
“I heard you!” I snapped back, slapping his hand away from me. Everyone went silent around me, staring at me with wide eyes. Except Seifer. He understood my dilemma and was keeping silent. I hated it, because I wished fervently that he, at least, would yell at me. “But she’s not the only one in danger!”
Irvine scowled. “Didn’t think you were so heartless, Squall. Rinoa is gonna die! Don’t you realize that?”
I turned an icy glare on him, and the step back he took was purely involuntary. “Rinoa,” I said, spacing out my words and filling each syllable with enough menace to make everyone pale, “is not going to die. I will save her. But right now, she is the lowest priority on my list. Seifer, Selphie, come with me. Irvine, Quistis, you go with Xu. Help her hold the front gate. Zell, you help Rinoa. Do whatever it takes, alright!?”
Zell swallowed hard. “Leave it to me!”
I took off at a flat run toward the elevator with Seifer and Selphie behind me. I entered the elevator and slammed my fist against the button for the second floor. Selphie jumped at that, but Seifer just regarded me with a blank expression. We reached the classroom in record time, and the soldiers that crashed through the classroom’s window barely had a chance to register they were in battle before Seifer and I cut them down.
Selphie whistled lowly. “You guys are pissed.”
Seifer and I looked at her at the same time and whatever she saw in our faces made her give a nervous little laugh. I looked at the SeeD charged with guarding the two kids. “Good work. Take them somewhere safe.”
She saluted me. “Yes, sir! Come on guys. Let’s go.” She herded the kids out of the room and into the hall.
“Squall!” came Nida’s voice. “Squall!”
“I’m going to punch that guy,” Seifer growled. I lifted my hand in a dismissive wave and got a curse for it.
“Squall, come up to the bridge. Dr. Kadowaki is here.”
“What does the doc want now?” Seifer asked, his tone hot. “She shouldn’t be wandering around an active battlefield.”
“You tell her that,” I replied, already heading for the door to the hall. “I’ll stand out of slapping distance.”
“Hn.”
“You really think she’d slap you?” Selphie asked, half a step behind Seifer, who was right on my heels. I didn’t hear Seifer’s reply, but Selphie let out a laugh that was quickly aborted and she dissolved into an uncontrolled series of coughs as she tried to recover.
“What’s the situation?” Dr. Kadowaki asked when I greeted her. Quistis and Irvine looked at me and offered strained smiles.
Don’t you already know? “We were able to stop the first two waves of the attack.” I said lowly. “But our forces aren’t looking good. Many are injured. If they send another wave, I don’t know if we can hold them.”
She nodded. “How’s your team?”
“Bad.” Selphie answered. “They’re barely holding them off.”
Dr. Kadowaki nodded. “So... looks like this is it.”
“Their Garden has more experienced fighters.” Quistis said, hugging herself. “On the other hand, most of our troops are students who are still in training. Like Squall said, one more wave and we might be finished.”
Dr. Kadowaki frowned deeply. “There’s no way we can run? No, of course not. Looks like it’s now or never! You’ve come this far already. What is there to think about? Squall, you’re not going to order a retreat, are you?”
I shook my head. “There’s no point in retreating. It’d just delay the inevitable. Attacking now is going to be our only chance. Nida can crash into their Garden. I’m sure their pilot’s been doing the same to us the entire time. The impact should ground both Gardens, giving us a chance to retaliate.”
I turned at the same time as the others did and watched Zell come puffing up to us. He gave me an apologetic smile that looked like he wanted to just stop and cry. Had he had that expression Before? I hadn’t noticed.
“Sorry, man.” Zell said as he came close. “There’s nothin’ I can do! There’s no way to get to the quad! Those bastards have the area barricaded. Man! The only way we can get to Rinoa is by going over the roof or flying there.”
I nodded. I had expected a miracle, I suppose, but things were going along exactly as they had Before. I glanced at Seifer, noting his blank face. I couldn’t figure out what was going through his mind now, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to. To everyone else, it was like I was giving up on Rinoa, letting Fate take her. Seifer knew better, of course, but it was still hard. Even doing it a second time, it was hard on me.
Irvine reached to grab my shoulder. I avoided him, and his face twisted in a hateful scowl. “Wait a minute. You just gave up on Rinoa, didn’t you? Listen... Do me a favor. You... go help Rinoa. It may be too late, but don’t give up until you’re certain there’s nothing more you can do!”
I looked at him, keeping my face icy. He flinched and stepped back away from me. “I will rescue Rinoa. Don’t doubt that. So all of you shut the hell up and let me do things my way!” I pinned each of them with a glower. Quistis, Selphie, and Zell each flinched at whatever expression I had on my face. Seifer’s emerald eyes flashed, but he only folded his arms over his chest and canted his head to one side. “Until we stop Galbadia Garden’s movement, there’s nothing I, or anyone else, can do for her. That’s the first thing we have to do. Irvine, I want you to lead everyone inside. Find somewhere safe and wait for us there. Seifer, you go with them.”
“Sure, Ice Prince.” Seifer’s deep voice rolled through the room, a soft thunder in itself.
Irvine nodded. “Don’t worry. I know the place like the back of my hand.”
Quistis stepped forward, her arms moving like she wanted to embrace me but thought better of it. “We’ll clear a path. Once you arrive, we’ll move in.”
I headed to the elevator then, my steps heavy. I wasn’t surprised when Dr. Kadowaki joined me. I kept my silence, letting the doctor gather the courage to deal with me. “Squall,” she started, “I know you’re trying so hard to keep that cold facade, but you can’t treat your comrades like that.”
I glanced at her. “Exactly how do you want me to treat them? You heard Zell. There’s nothing I can do right now, and I’m working with the situation as best I can.”
“You’re different, somehow.” Dr. Kadowaki said suddenly, startling me somewhat. I looked at her, one eyebrow raised. “I’m not sure how, but it’s... it’s as if you’re a different person.”
“Maybe I am.” I said honestly. “This is war. It changes people.”
The doctor nodded. I could tell that I hadn’t convinced her, though. But like everyone else, there were other things that needed her attention. The elevator locked into position on the pilot’s deck, and I stepped up beside Nida. I grasped the microphone and hesitated. Before, I had made a speech that had far-reaching implications. My words would get good people hurt, even killed. I closed my eyes tightly. I could feel both Nida and Dr. Kadowaki watching my back, preparing to say something. I preempted them by thumbing on the microphone and lifting it to my lips.
“....Everybody, this is Squall. I know you’re all exhausted. You’re all probably too tired to even stand up after all this fighting. But... listen to me, everyone. We still have a chance to win, and I need your help to do it. This is going to be our final battle. We’re going to attack them before they can come in again. To do that, we’re going to head straight into their Garden. So I want everyone to prepare for a major collision. Take care of the junior classmen. Irvine, Quistis, Zell, Selphie, and Seifer will lead the attack into their Garden. As for everyone else, please support them if you can. SeeD was formed to fight sorceresses who turned away from the light, who turned away from everything that’s good. Garden was created to train SeeDs. So this battle is Garden’s destiny as much as it’s ours. It’s been a grueling battle already, but I need you to keep fighting. I need you to get up and protect the person to your left and to your right. You need to watch the back of the person in front of you. I don’t want to have any regrets. I don’t want anyone to look back and regret this day. So just this once, give everything you’ve got. Don’t do it just for me, but for yourselves, for your friends, and for the people you care about.”
I thumbed off the microphone and pressed it gently down onto the console. I took a step back and looked at both Nida and Dr. Kadowaki. Nida looked ready to cry and he was almost beaming. Even the doctor looked proud of me, a broad smile upon her face.
“You did great.” Dr. Kadowaki said, her voice soft. “That was wonderful. Okay! Let’s bash into them!”
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One (Last) Chance