Night maneuvers With a loud roar the Ragnarok's engines burst to life. Inside the ship it's passengers stowed the rest of their bags and settled in their seats. "I thought you were the pilot around here?" Archibald asked as while kicking his bag under the seat. "I usually am but I kinda got in trouble." Zell looked sheepishly. Squall glanced at him then banked the ship hard left to circle around and head towards Dollet. "For what?" Luccian asked even though he could really care less. "Just hit some trouble while picking up so folks." "You land on someone?" Archibald laughed, a sound, Luccian would compare a mules' braying. "Nothing so entertaining." Zell said, smiling like a goof. "Great I'm stuck on this trip with two idiots." Luccian sighed under his breath before adjusting his seat back to get some rest. It was already dark outside and Squall was actually welcoming the peace and quiet of the trip assuming of course Zell didn't annoy and pester him the whole way. "Wanna spar?" Zell offered Archibald who accepted eagerly. The two quickly made their way down to the holds and soon all was quiet on the bridge. Luccian and Squall both let out a sigh of relief and savored the quite solitude. ************ Quistis sat comfortably nestled between Fujin's legs, nearly lulled to sleep as Fujin brushed the golden waves of her hair. "VILLAIN." Fujin said quietly, referring to the day's earlier encounter with the Treppies. "Don't you start." Quistis giggled softly, running fingertips along Fujin's calf. "MOCKING." "I was not. I think it's a cute picture, besides we needed one of us." Fujin couldn't argue. "LOOK LIKE GHOUL." "Please." Quistis rolled her eyes. "Well if you do you're a cute ghoul." "TALKING ABOUT YOU." Fujin chuckled. "You..." Quistis hissed and pinched her. Fujin locked her legs around Quistis's waist and rolled from their perch on the edge of the bed. They hit the floor with a thud as Quistis yelped in surprise. Fujin sat atop Quistis who lay stunned and laughing as Fujin poked her on the tip of the nose. "I assume you're staying the night?" Quistis smiled, biting at the finger playfully. Fujin looked thoughtful for a moment. "Don't rush to answer." Quistis pouted. With a gentle smile Fujin let a kiss be her answer. "I wish we didn't have to creep around like this." Quistis said with a faint frown. Fujin titled her head and shrugged. "CAUSE TROUBLE." "I know but I really don't care." "PATIENCE." "Since when did you worry about what people think?" "WORRY FOR YOU." "You still think it would jeopardize my position. Why don't you let me worry about that." "NEGATIVE." Quistis hissed sourly at the word. Exasperated Fujin shook her head. "NO." She said correcting herself. "It's not fair." Quistis pouted sadly. Fujin nodded and stood while offering a hand to pull Quistis to her feet. "Time to hit the sack I guess. I don't want you falling asleep in class again." Quistis said with a healthy dose of sarcasm. "BORING." Fujin shot back. "I AM NOT." Quistis glared with open-mouthed shock. "MONOTONOUS." Fujin said while slipping under the bedspread and sheets. "Well I never!" Quistis scowled, putting her hands on her hips. "I KNOW OTHERWISE." Fujin chuckled with obviously lewd implications. Quistis gasped, snatched a pillow and used it to beat Fujin generously about the head. ************* Edea walked up the darkened halls of Balamb garden. Things were quiet and for the most part all was calm. Relations between her oldest children were strained but she was confident that things would work out. She drifted past the dorm rooms of the cadet students and smiled warmly. So many new faces, bright with the energy and hope that comes with youth. It worried her that some would not see all the joys that life could bring. No, for some had other, darker paths to walk. "If only I could save them all." She frowned sadly, her stoic, finely chiseled feathers softening. "Will this be the end of their nightmare?" Though the power she'd shared through Ultimecia gave her keen insight into probable events, nothing was ever fully clear. Such was the case in Ultimecia's downfall, she assumed to control time when instead she only became its slave. "Along with the rest of us..." "Well now, what's a beautiful woman doing walking alone on a night like this." A familiar country drawl sang out of the shadows that enveloped a near lounge. Edea turned to face the shadows. "Such charm may work on the young dear boy but are wasted effort on me." Edea responded with a coy smile. "You can't blame a guy for trying now." The voice chuckled as the glow of an ember danced in the darkness only to extinguish a moment later. Irvine stuffed the cigarette into a waiting ashtray and stood to greet her. "Tisk." Edea shook her head disapprovingly. "Such a nasty habit, when did this begin." Irvine sighed humbly. "I used to smoke like a chimney years ago. I had quit, but with things being so hectic lately." He shrugged helplessly. "I was weak." "Shameful." Edea scolded lightly, she was somewhat accustomed to the smell, Cid's cigars on the other hand were another story. "Yeah, I know. So what brings you down to our little neck of the woods." "I could ask you the same thing, being this is the cadets lounge." Irvine laughed quietly and blushed. "Um well." He shuffled in his housecoat pocket and withdrew a gaudily wrapped and oddly shaped candy bar. "A processed chocolate treat?" Edea arched a delicate brow at him. "Their machine is the only one that has em." Irvine admitted with a chuckle. "Chocobo CoCo bars the bird shaped treat that’s good enough to eat." "How quaint." Edea said trying to hide her grin. "Want a piece? I consider it bad form to eat around a lady without sharing." Irvine offered politely as he removed the gold foil. "No thank you, It would only go to my hips." Edea said smoothly. Irvine blinked and was not sure what to say. "My apologies that was an attempt at humor." "No Ma'am that's okay. I was just surprised is all, in all honesty you never seemed the one to make jokes." Irvine plucked the head off the chocolate bird and offered it to Edea. "I am only human Mr Kinneas." She said evenly and took the piece. She studied it curiously before nibbling at it. "You never ate chocolate before?" Irvine asked, looking askew. "It never really occurred to me before." She looked thoughtful as she chewed. "I must say it's different." "Oh you've been missing one of Hyne's great creations then." "A bold statement." "Eat up and tell me if ya don't agree." Irvine prompted before taking a voracious bite out his piece." "It is interesting to say the least." The mysterious woman noted before regarding him seriously. "Why is it I get the impression you're not wanting to talk about chocolate birds." Irvine said with a knowing grin. "Very observant, come let us sit." Edea motioned him back to the lounge. "You knew I was hear I take it?" Irvine said bluntly as he pulled a chair for her. "Ever the gentleman." She smiled and tried to get comfortable in the plastic bucket seat. "Always." Irvine admitted with a hint of pride. "To answer your question, I had a feeling." "Fair enough. So what can I help you with?" "Nothing formal, I was merely worried about all of you." "Us, who me and Selphie?" "Yes and the others." "Well I guess we're all okay? Why what's going on?" Irvine looked worried, the line of questioning had caught him off guard. "I have just noticed tensions amongst you have grown high of late." "Yeah well things have been out of sorts lately, the girls have been trying their best to beat each other to a pulp." "Fujin." "No she's been fairly quiet except for knocking Rinoa cold the other day." "Oh dear." Edea was caught completely off guard at that bit of news. "Well from what I hear she had it coming. She'd been verbally berating her since she and Quistis been hanging out. We all know Fujin can't really defend herself verbally so she did what she felt needed to." Irvine said unabashedly. "Fighting should be avoided regardless." "We both know that’s not always possible. Anyway, the biggest stink was with my sister and Selphie now that was a fight and a half." "Yes I've heard I am disappointed in all of you for letting things get to that point." "Sorry ma'am I guess we've been cooped up to long with nothing to do." "The eagerness of youth never ceases to amaze me. Someday you will all relish the peaceful times." "I agree, I like nothing else but peace and quiet personally." Irvine protested, not wishing to be relegated into the lot of trouble seekers. "That’s why I wished to talk to you. You tend to keep things in perspective." Irvine smiled and chuckled lightly. "Well thank you Ma'am that means a lot." "Of course my child." They sat quietly in thought a moment as Edea nibbled the caramel filled chocobo. Irvine watched her curiously; she seemed haunted by something. "Probably a great many things considering what she's been through." He realized and frowned. "You ever miss the old days, ya know back at the orphanage?" He asked quietly. "Everyday." Edea answered simply. "Yeah me too." He sighed. More silence and Irvine thought long and hard. Out of all the original orphans he alone held a clear memory of her. Those precious memories of youth gave him the insight on how to read her mannerisms. "Something's coming isn't it." He said quietly, even though he already knew the answer. "Yes." She admitted solemnly. "How bad, how soon?" "I do not know." Irvine frowned and nodded. "Just one of those things huh?" He said with a faint smirk. "Yes." She paused and looked up sadly at him. "Just one of those things." **************************************** The explosions' of light and sound where the most disquieting effects of the storm, to be in the face of such fury was terrifying. Squall did his best to bring the Ragnarok above the storm as another bolt hit its armored hull. He could have sworn he heard the craft roar as if enraged, but dismissed it to the thunder. Archibald and Zell ran up on the bridge while being tossed about like drunks trying to walk. Luccian meanwhile sat bored and getting impatient. "Yo Boss you okay up there?" Zell called worriedly to Squall as another bolt lit up the interior of the ship. "Nothing to bad, the storms all bark." Squall said smoothly and as if on cue the clouds parted as the great ship burst into the star filled sky above the storm. "How much longer." Luccian asked, growing impatient. "Almost there." Squall answered with equal irritation. The youth reminded him too much of Seifer. "Good, cause I'm about to puke." Archibald said with an unsettling gurgle in his voice. "You disgust me." Luccian sneered at his rotund companion. "Blow me ya twink." Archibald snapped, then belched nosily. Zell looked at the exchange and rolled his eyes. "Are you sure you two are friends?" He said with a frown and buckled himself into a seat. Squall tuned the trio out and focused on the flight as the storm roiled and churned beneath them like waves of an angry ocean. A red light on the control panel lit up and started beeping steadily. "Their beacon picked us up get ready to land." Squall announced as he switched off the blinking light. The Ragnarok banked and headed towards a fair sized mountain atop which was a massive Satellite Dish. He and Zell hadn't been here since the war and he was none to eager to spend much time reminiscing. They circled the city as Squall turned to regard Luccian. "Where am I setting you down at?" "Over by the Czar Industries Complex." Luccian pointed to the sprawling group of buildings that sat along Dollet's harbor. "Fine." Squall said with a nod. The Ragnarok's maneuvering jets flared to life slowing the craft. Never one given to being to gentle Squall set the ship down with a heavy thud that shook the entire craft. "Hey man be careful with the hardware!" Zell shouted angrily. Squall said nothing and propped his feet up on the control panel. "Feh." Zell snorted and turned to face Luccian who'd already vanished. Archibald shrugged and gave a halfhearted salute as he too headed out. "See ya teach." "You two stay out of trouble." Zell smirked. "And for Hyne's sake talk to your friend and tell him to chill out. He's gonna end up like our fearless leader over there." Zell whispered loudly and thumbed towards Squall. "I doubt it." Archibald mumbled and trudged off. Zell jumped up and plopped into the copilot's seat. "You know you're not supposed to be up here." Squall eyed him suspiciously. "So sue me and get your feet off the panel man." Zell swatted at Squall like a mother chasing off annoying children. Squall pushed him away but put his feet back down. "Common let me fly, she hates you." Zell pleaded. "No, you know the rules, you're grounded." "Your breaking my heart here man, first you fly her into a storm to get hit by lightning and then drop her like a sack of bricks." "What are you going on about." "The ship man!" "What about it." "Be gentle with her, I'm the one that has to repair anything you bust up flying like a goof." "You're exaggerating." "Lemmi fly." "No." "Please?" "No." "I'll be your best friend." "I don't want any friends." "That’s cold dude." "Just sit down and be quiet I'm getting a headache over here." "Really!? Well go lay down I'll cover for you." "Zell." "But." Squall looked at him sternly, he'd seen Zell work himself into a tantrum before and was not about to endure one now. Catching the hint Zell huffed and settled into his seat but not without a show of professional, Grade-A sulking. Squall ignored all of it and focused on the task at hand. He checked the camera's of the holds to make sure Luccian and Archibald where clear. They were no where to be seen. He angled the ship's head to scan the grounds around the ship. "They must have already made it inside." He reasoned. "Nice of them to let us know." He thumbed the engines on and they came to life with a roar. Zell looked at him sourly as the ship rose into the air. Squall glanced over at him and sighed heavily. "This is going to be a long trip." He told himself wearily.
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