Chapter Eleven

Quistis looked at Aurora’s horrified face then to the face of a boy she didn’t know beside her which was in a state of complete confusion. “We…. Already know.” Quistis said more calmly glancing over to Laguna who sat in an armchair holding an ice cube bag over the back of his head looking frustrated.

Quistis looked back at Aurora, she slumped over, in disbelief. Her mother was gone… taken away. “Aurora…. You must understand we did all that we could, Laguna here says that he was sitting in the dorm room and all of the sudden the door opened and two green soldiers came in and hit him, on the back of the head. He doesn’t remember anything after that, all he knows is that he woke up and saw Kiros and Ward standing over him looking worried.”

Quistis looked at Kiros and Ward after explaining that to Aurora, they both sat on the same couch not sure what to say. “How…. How did they get in?” Aurora said while staring at the ground. “Where’s my dad”

Quistis thought for a moment before responding. “We believe that when we stopped near the mountains for nearly a minute that they may have hopped on from beneath, there is still a opening on the bottom that we haven’t repaired. And your father, well he’s still gone in the Ragnarok, he should be back soon…”

“I…..saw them… they were looking through the training center for me… I had to run… I…I…….. I” Aurora muttered loudly. Quistis stared at her thoughtfully, knowing that she must have done something… something extraordinary.

“Of course they were looking for you, Aurora. Your lucky you weren’t still in that dorm room… we’ve got to protect you now so I don’t want you running off alone anymore. What were you doing in the training center anyway, its dangerous.” Quistis said more sternly.

“I was waiting for someone, I wasn’t alone, at first… I was…. Attacked then I…. I…. I……….” Aurora said still staring at the floor. “She used her power…” the boy next to Aurora said quietly.

Quistis stared at him, not knowing whether he knew… or he just figured it was an accident… “What do you mean… her power….” Quistis said slyly and watched as the boy raised his head. “Her power… you know….” The boy said but was interupted by the elevator door opening before he could say more.

Quistis took her attention of the unknown boy and onto the person who walked out of the elevator. Quistis watched as Squall walked across the room towards her, looking slightly happy, he seemed to have cooled off.

“Hello, Aurora” he said as he passed by her but she didn’t respond. He stopped dead in his tracks as he saw everyone around the room eyeing him sadly with worried expressions, and Laguna held a bag of ice over his head.

“What’s going on…. What’s wrong? Where’s Rinoa? ….. Where’s Ellone?” Squall whispered looking around the room and his eyes rested on a boy sitting on the floor next to Aurora. Quistis turned away and walked towards the window, she knew this would break his heart. They had no idea where she was, and where Ellone was. They were gone.

“Squall… something’s happened…. Rinoa and Ellone, they’re gone.” Quistis said quietly looking out the window. She turned around to see the disbelief on Squall’s face and shuddered, she knew his heart was broken.

“What… No… no, they’re here, you just can’t find them…. I’ll go look!” Squall said while beginning to walk away but Quistis spoke again and he stopped. “ Squall! There’s your evidence…. They’re gone, Squall.” She said louder while waving her hand towards Laguna who had his sad eyes on Squall.

Quistis began to walk over to Squall but he backed away. “NO… NO… I ONLY LEFT FOR A WHILE AND THEY”RE GONE!” he yelled while a few tears dropped onto his cheek but his face looked flushed with anger.

Quistis took one more step towards him but he backed away again, nearly falling over Aurora who looked startled but scared. Quistis watched as he turned and ran towards the elevator while muttering “I shouldn’t have left… I could have… protected them.”

Quistis looked at Laguna who stood up and ran after him still holding the ice bag over his badly hit head.

Kiros stood up and walked over to Aurora and gave her his hand and she stood up, still looking pretty scared. The boy next to her sat for a minute or two longer and then stood up too.

Kiros led Aurora to a nearby couch and let her sit down beside Selphie and Irvine; Zell had got up and began pacing like he always did while Ward sat still in his chair looking angry and worried.

“What’s your name? What are you doing here?” Kiros heard Quistis say quietly to the boy standing near the wall who was with Aurora when they came in. “Umm… I’m Sirus… Sirus Jules. I… am a student at….. Galbadia Garden and I’m visiting friends here.” Sirus said quietly, but looked somewhat suspicious, as if he was hiding something.

Kiros saw everyone look towards Quistis, who looked confused but kept asking questions of him. “Sirus… I believe you said that Aurora used her power… what did you mean by that?”

Kiros stared at Quistis, who looked at Sirus still confused. “I simply meant… umm… her magical power, you know… like everyone else does…” Sirus said, still looking suspicious.

“Hmm… I see…” Quistis said slowly. “What happened in the training center, Sirus, why were you with Aurora?” Kiros looked over at Aurora who was holding her knees and sort of rocking back and forth slowly.

“I was walking through the training center and I saw this door so I went to go through it and I bumped into Aurora… I sat in there watching the stars when I heard a struggle outside and went out to see what was going on. Aurora was being attacked by a bunch of Grendels, dragon like creatures, there were at least 10 of them. I thought that maybe she could use magic so I told her to think of Ultima and she blasted them all to bits.” Sirus explained.

Kiros looked at him, beginning to think he wasn’t so suspicious but Quistis didn’t look to convinced. “I see… So why is it that you were wandering around the Training Center, it’s dangerous you know. It’s for SeeD and SeeD candidates only.”

Kiros saw Sirus’ face change into a panicky type frown but he replied quickly anyway. “I, I was looking for my friend, he’s a SeeD candidate and I couldn’t find him anywhere… I won’t go there again…”

“Well… I suppose that you should go and rejoin your friend then.” Quistis said while turning her back to him and looking at papers on her desk. Kiros saw Sirus glance over a Aurora and stare at her for a second then he left, looking back every few steps at Aurora, looking concerned.

Quistis looked and saw Sirus step into the elevator and go down. (There is definitely something peculiar about that boy…) she thought to herself then turned and looked at everyone.

“I know we have to deal with Rinoa and Ellone being taken, most likely right to Sorceress Adel but we do have other issues at hand…. Esthar has been taken.” Quistis said calmly, trying not to think about what was happening to Rinoa and Ellone.

Everyone looked at Quistis except for Aurora, her head stayed down. “The dummy president was murdered first, as we expected. Esthar is once again being ruled by the infamous Adel… but she is not there… there is a representative for her. He contacted me today.” Quistis said still looking at Aurora worriedly.

Everyone’s eyes widened but they remained silent except for Aurora. “Who’s the representative?” she said in a raspy voice. Quistis stared at her, then looked at the clock, it was nearly 10.

“The representative demanded to have Laguna taken back to Esthar, he seemed to be rather robotic. I think he’s been hypnotized.” Quistis said ignoring Aurora’s question. “Who’s the representative?” Aurora repeated taking her eyes off the floor, tears still wet on her cheeks, and looked at Quistis.

“Dr. Odine.” Quistis said quietly. Quistis watched Ward jump up and stamp his foot, and make a grunting noise. His voice still gone from many years earlier, Kiros being the only one who knew what he was saying translated. “He says, Trader. He joined Adel once again.” Quistis stared at Ward who sat back down still glaring.

“Like I said, Ward… Dr. Odine seemed rather hypnotized… he probably didn’t want to help Adel but Adel knew that he would know how to make her most powerful sorceress ever. That’s why Ellone was taken, so they could use her. She may be more important then Rinoa to them.” Quistis said quietly trying to calm Ward down but he still seemed furious.

Quistis looked back at Aurora who seemed confused. “What does Aunt Elle have to do with this, I thought Adel wanted only my mother and I…?” she said pointedly. Quistis thought for a moment and realized that Aurora was unaware of Ellone’s power.

“Aurora… Your aunt has a power, not like yours, she isn’t a sorceress. Her power is the power to bring a consciousness of someone she knows into the past mind of someone she knows or knew.” Quistis explained and noticed Aurora’s face change into confusion.

“I imagine that Adel wants to use Ellone to bring her to the past when you were born and into your head so that she could steal your power’s as a baby instead of waiting 15 years, she’d become almost instantly powerful then and could achieve her time compression faster.” Quistis said. “It would be easier for her that way, it wouldn’t make her temporarily weak when she was trying to steal your powers.

“Does that mean its already happening though? She has Ellone… and my mother, I don’t know why she has her but she does. I saw that light again tonight, earlier… it was so bright I could barely see… what does that mean, is she doing it now?” Aurora said with her eyes widening in fear. “We have to get to them!”

Quistis looked at everyone else; they all seemed to be tired and unsure of what the next move would be. Zell was the only one moving he paced back and forth. “You saw the light again…. You say it was so bright you couldn’t see?” Quistis said hastily while running over to her desk and picking up a piece of paper.

“Yes….” Aurora said slowly, her eyes narrowed. Quistis read the paper over a few times and hesitated. “We only have one day…. One day to get to them before Adel can use Ellone. When I did my research on sorceresses it says that when they’re coming back and the light is at its fullest that means the next night the sorceress can draw one last time from the sun to do whatever she wants. She can make her power normal again or preform one thing that would drain her power. The only way her power can come back is if there is another sorceress that would give up her power…” Quistis said explained but hesitated.

“Adel is going to hypnotize Rinoa and Ellone then use the sun’s power and get Ellone to transport her conscious to the past into Aurora and steal her power. She’ll bring it back to our time and then steal Rinoa’s power while using the Sun’s power so that she’ll be powerful again.” Quistis said with her eyes widening.

“We’ve got to get to them… as soon as possible. We’ll have to formulate a plan… someone find Laguna and Squall! We have to talk to Esthar and make fake negotiations, we’ll send another fake president to them to buy time.” Quistis said while walking over to the microphone.

“Laguna Loire and Squall Leonhart please report to the headmistress’ office. It’s important.” She said and flicked off the microphone.

Everyone stared at Quistis in silence. Quistis walked over to Selphie and Irvine and asked them to escort Aurora back to her dorm room and stay with her until Squall arrived. She watched as the three left, Aurora glanced back at Quistis in a worried face.

“Kiros and Ward, will you contact Esthar and tell them were sending “Laguna”.” Quistis said quickly and they stood up without question and walked to the telephone and began dialing.

“Zell… go and see Nida, tell him to keep this Garden at full speed, no stops at all.” She said turning to Zell. “What about you Quistis…” he said while walking slowly towards the lift to the pilot’s platform.

“I’m going to run and find Laguna and Squall.” She said and Zell nodded. Quistis ran to the elevator. (My god…. I can’t let Squall lose them… he may lose one….)

Chapter Twelve

Rinoa woke up in a darkened room, only a top narrow window in the large room allowed in soon moonlight. She looked around and felt a sudden pain the back of her head then she remembered. Some men had come into the dorm room at the Garden… they hit Laguna then all Ellone and her…

She looked around the room and saw on the other side Ellone crumpled down on the floor. Rinoa got up and walked over to Ellone, who was still unconscious. “Ellone… Ellone?” she whispered and Ellone stirred.

Rinoa stared at her as Ellone opened her eyes slowly and lifted her arm and rubbed the back of her head. “Wha… happened?” she murmured. Rinoa looked at her for a second but before she could explain anything a sudden bang stopped her.

The wall on the other side of the room shook, a faint out line of light showed that there was a door and it opened.

Three soldiers walked into the room; they stopped on the inside of the door and stood like zombies. Rinoa looked at their eyes, it seemed like they weren’t really there, and they’re eyes had no life left in them.

One of the soldiers stepped forward and pointed at Ellone. “YOU… Come NOW.” He bellowed. Rinoa looked over to Ellone who looked horrified, to frightened to move so she sat in silence.

Once again the same soldier bellowed, “Come NOW!” and Ellone stood up helped by Rinoa. Two of the soldiers came and took Ellone and dragged her by her arms with her feet dragging along the ground out of the cell.

“Ellone! It’s going to be fine… they’re going to come… they’ll find us! I promise.” Rinoa cried as Ellone was dragged out of sight. Now only one soldier remained in the cell. “You, SHUT UP.” He bellowed at her.

Rinoa backed away and leaned against the far wall and watched as the zombie-type soldier walked out and shut the door once again leaving her in the darkness. She heard the door lock with many different clicks and the soldier stamped away.

She stood up again and walked to the wall with the window, her head still throbbing with pain and there were many scratches on her legs. She slumped down leaning against the wall; the moonlight slightly gleamed on her hair.

Rinoa looked around the cell, for anything, anything that could help her escape in the least way but there was nothing, nothing but a bare cold cement floor.

(They’ll come…. Squall will find us… he’ll find me.) She thought to herself as she closed her eyes.

About two seconds later she opened her eyes again, her face twisted into an expression of worry. (What if they’ve got Aurora!)? She thought frantically.

Squall ran down the steps and towards the front gate but stopped when he heard his name being called. He turned and watched as Laguna, still holding the ice bag to his head, ran down the steps as fast as he could and caught up with him near the end of the corridor.

“Squall… don’t run! Just… please… stop!” Laguna panted as he stopped in front of Squall. “Just leave me alone now… I don’t want to talk!” Squall said turning away.

He began to walk but Laguna held him back and Squall turned around again, impatiently. “Look Squall, we didn’t spend all that time getting you to open up years ago for you just to close up again, you know that you’ve got to get it out.” Laguna said seriously.

Squall stared at him, not happily, but agreed and walked to the nearest bench and sat down. He sighed and looked at Laguna. “I’m sorry… but you know what it’s like, to have someone be taken, from right under your nose! I’m going to get my revenge… Adel is not going to get away with this, I’m just thankful that Aurora’s safe.”

“You should be thankful, I’m sure those soldier’s searched everywhere for her, luckily they didn’t find her!” Laguna said. Squall looked up at the ceiling. “What happened?” he said.

“Well, Ellone and I had gone to your dorm room to see Rinoa and Aurora so we sat all afternoon talking. Aurora left to meet some people around 6 and nearly a half an hour after the dorm room door burst open. Two soldiers in green barged in and all I remember is being hit on the back of the head with his gun, I don’t know what happened after that.” Laguna explained.

Squall looked at him sadly, “Are you okay” he said and Laguna nodded solemnly. “I’m sorry.” He said sadly. “There was nothing you could have done, even if I was there, in your position there is nothing I could have done either. Its okay.” Squall said looking at Laguna who looked up gratefully.

“So… what do you think is going to happen now?” he said looking at Laguna who looked around deep in thought. “Well I imagine Quistis has already got some sort of plan worked out by now… you know her.” Laguna said.

Squall looked away and down the corridor at some students who were standing in a circle talking, one of the boys looked like that boy who gave Aurora a tour on the first day they arrived. His face seemed to be in fear and he was saying something to the students who had their hands over their mouths.

Squall’s attention directed itself back to Laguna. “You know, I’m not sure… I think she’ll plan to go to the Deep-Sea Research Center…” he said while looking at Laguna who was still in thought. “I want to fight… I’m going to fight with you, Squall.” Laguna said sternly. “No arguing, I am not going to change my mind.”

Squall nodded and didn’t question, he knew that once Laguna said something like that it was final. He turned to see the elevator door opening and Quistis came running out in a hurry.

“Squall! Laguna!” She yelled and Squall was surprised to see that she could still run so fast in her age, there was no way he could still do that. “Listen… I’m sorry if I’m interrupting anything here but I have a plan.” She continued.

“Told you” Laguna whispered in Squall’s ear. Squall listened as Quistis began explaining after ignoring Laguna’s comment.

She explained that the next day they would train for the entire day because it was needed. The old SeeD’s would be rusty in their age and would need to refresh them selves, it was a necessary thing in order to defeat Sorceress Adel.

Around 5’o’clock they would take off in the Ragnarok and fly to the Deep-Sea Research Center and sneak in. They would split off into two groups. One group would be her and Zell; they would secure the perimeter. The next would be him, Irvine and Selphie. They would go in and rescue Rinoa and Ellone and bring them to safety.

At that Laguna interrupted and told Quistis he’d be fighting too so Quistis remade the groups. The group that would secure the perimeter would be Zell, Selphie and Irvine and the rescue team would be Laguna, him and her.

She continued explaining that once Rinoa and Ellone were brought to safety then they would all move in together and find Adel before she draw’s her power from the sun again which Quistis had approximated around 8’o’clock.

They would have to kill her before then in case she got too much power and became too strong. She continued with telling them that they sent another dummy president to Esthar to buy some time… so that Adel wouldn’t come after the Garden right away.

Squall sat silently until Quistis finished and he stood up, Laguna also did and they began walking with Quistis walking behind them, they reached the elevator and pressed the button waiting for it to arrive.

“Quistis? Who was that boy with Aurora earlier?” he said and Quistis’s face flickered into a scowl then back to a straight face. “I’m not sure… he seems odd to me…” she said.

Squall looked at her, wondering why she seemed so untrusting of the boy… she barely every was like that.

He looked down at his watch and saw how late it was getting and knew that he should go and see his daughter, she was probably in as much pain as he was.

“Look, I know that you guys need me now, but we can sort this out in the morning… Aurora needs me now…” he said as he began walking away. “Oh... Sure, we understand totally, just be at my office by 7 tomorrow, I’ll send Kiros and Ward to the dorm room so that you can leave Aurora asleep. “ Quistis said.

Squall looked at her thankfully then ran off towards the dormitory. He arrived in the dark corridor to the dormitory and stopped dead. A tall boy was prowling around their dorm room, the boy who took Aurora on that tour.

He walked over and tapped the boy on the back, “What do you think your doing?” Squall whispered as the boy turned around frightened and fell over, he crawled backwards and got up near the wall.

“I said what do you think your doing?” Squall hissed at the boy who was now backing away slowly, his eyes narrowing. “I know… I know the secret….” He said fretfully.

Squall stared at him, “What are you talking about?” he said to the boy. “I saw the beams, the energy come out of her hands, I saw. Her hair, black, her eye’s black. She’s evil… EVIL SORCERESS!” the boy shouted then ran down the hall, into the darkness.

Squall stood in the middle of the hallway, bewildered at what he had seen and heard. (Beams of energy… black eyes and hair?) He thought. (What on Earth is going on?)

He quickly put the thoughts out of his head when he saw his dorm room open. Kiros and Ward stepped out obviously they had heard the commotion. “She’s asleep now, Squall. Are you ok?” Kiros said quietly, not bothering to ask about the commotion.

Squall nodded and told them they could go, Ward gave him a pat on the back and Squall stepped into the dorm room and shut the door, locking all the locks and shutting off the light. He slipped into bed and felt the side where Rinoa normally lay.

(Oh… why couldn’t I protect you…? Rinoa… Why. I’m so sorry!) He thought to himself. He turned over and looked out the window, staring at the starry, starry night.

A shooting star streaked across the sky and Squall watched it. (Too bad wishes don’t come true…)