Still dedicated to Astraea (in advance for putting up with me for 8 days),
with many thanks to Race Ulfson and KNW
For what it's worth.
Chapter Five.
When I woke up, he was gone. He'd felt too trapped to sleep in my arms so I let him hold me instead. I think he enjoyed that. I know I did. Funny, I just want to comfort him and I end up being held. I could get used to that. Maybe.
I think he needs to be strong for someone. Whether it's Rin, me or a whole garden, he has to be strong for them. Wonder if that'll change. And there was this underlyin' need for someone to be strong for him too. So he was hard to get sometimes. All the time.
So, he was gone.
I panicked. Jumped up and started bangin' on the door, callin' for the guard. When the door opened I demanded to know where they'd taken my friend and when they wouldn't tell me, I jumped 'em, bein' the fool I am. One knocked me to the ground and kicked me in the ribs a few times. Then they dragged me here. Solitary.
It's pitch black. Can't even see my hand in front of my face. And it's hot. So damned hot it's hard to breathe.
Psh. Like a little heat'll affect a SeeD.
I just wanted to know where they'd taken my commander, my friend. Said it'd give me time alone ta think. Bastards.
Hope Squall's okay.
"Where did you take him?" Squall looked up at the guard as he was lead back into the cell.
"He attacked another guard so we stuck him in solitary to cool off."
Squall glanced around warily, only to have the guard push him in further. He stumbled and leant against the wall to right himself, glaring at the guard. He traced his thumb along the dull edge of the scalpel, hoping silently for a chance.
Squall's fingers tightened around the metal of the scalpel. He lifted his free hand to the bandage that now covered the wound at his hairline as the guard approached him. The cool metal warmed under his fingers as he restlessly rubbed the handle.
"Hurting you kid?" The guard leant towards him, the foul tang of his breath making Squall want to recoil in disgust. "What's up, can't take it without magic?" He lowered his head, silently begging for the man to move just a little closer, make it just a little easier on him. "You know I could be persuaded to give you a potion." The guard moved closer, answering the silent plea.
He was fast. Even without his junctions. The weaponless hand flying up to catch the guard's collar and haul him forward and releasing him quickly, slamming him against the wall hard enough to make him see stars. Squall slid back and spun, tilting his body and lifting his heel to crash into the man's lower back.
The guard cried out in pain, fumbling for spells that he couldn't reach. Squall caught his collar again and dragged him up, setting him on his feet insistently. He lifted the razor sharp blade to his throat and narrowed his eyes on the helmeted captor. "That was for striking me." He whispered softly. "Now, tell me where Irvine is, and the location of your weapons lockers. I want my gunblade."
"He's on the next floor up.. The.the weapons are stored two floors below."
"And my GF's?"
"Don't kill me."
"Tell me."
"They're on the next floor up too. Store room."
"Thank you." Squall almost smiled. Then he drew the blade slowly across the guard's throat, not savouring the sensation, more ensuring that the meagre cures the helmets stored would not be enough to heal him in the few remaining minutes of his life. The blood flowed thick and hot over his bare fingers and Squall repressed a shudder of disgust.
He set the guard down slowly, paying no heed to the wet choking sound of the man drowning in his own blood. Relieving the corpse of its keys and machine gun, he clicked off the safety and straightened.
Squall walked to the door and glanced out quickly. The guards rarely patrolled. He slipped quietly to the stairs, keeping to the shadows and out of the sight of the small windows of the cell doors. Sneaking up the stairs he cast his eyes around and proceeded to the first door marked "Solitary".
Once unlocked, the door swung open freely.
The room was tiny. Irvine was curled up in one corner, covering his eyes at the sudden flood of illumination from the door in the otherwise lightless room. Squall moved forward to check him.
"Don't fuckin' touch me." The Galbadian growled.
"Irvine, it's me."
"Squall?" Turquoise eyes blinked at him and a trembling hand reached up to grip his shoulder. "Hyne, ya scared me darlin'."
"Come on, we're getting out of here."
"I was kinda hopin' you'd say that." Irvine pulled Squall into a tight hug suddenly, without warning. He was almost surprised when Squall nuzzled against his throat and hugged him back just as tightly. "Hyne darlin' I thought they'd done somethin' to you."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah dar." Irvine released him and twisted the machine gun around, the strap wrenching Squall's shoulder and the force of the kick of the gun making the joint scream in protest. He glanced back to see the fallen bodies of two guards. "So, where's Exeter and Lionheart?"
"Few floors down. GF's are around here somewhere." Squall slipped the machine gun from his shoulder and offered it to Irvine.
"What happened to it's owner?" Irvine asked, nodding to the gun as he pulled it onto his shoulder.
"Scalpel. From the infirmary." Squall shrugged nonchalantly.
"That where they took you?" Irvine touched the bandage gently and glanced down at Squall. He responded with a nod. "Scared the hell out of me when you were gone darlin'. Thought somethin' had happened to you."
"I'm fine." Squall pulled away from him slowly and moved to the door. "Let's go."
He slipped out onto the gangway and glanced around. Only one other door on the floor was solid and, ensuring Irvine was following him, Squall made his way to it quickly. The door was locked but the key was on the ring he had removed from the guard.
"What are you looking for?" Irvine asked as Squall searched the stacked shelves of the small room.
"GF's. They should be here." His hand brushed against a frozen test tube, filled with a shimmering blue liquid. Squall lifted the vial and held it up to the light. ".Shiva."
"Thought GF's only came in one package: your head."
Squall frowned faintly and murmured "No. it's possible to force them into a physical form. Like Diablos' magic lamp."
"Thought you guys were jokin' when you told me that." Irvine blinked.
"No. I'm not sure how it happened, but he was trapped in the lamp. Odine must have found a way to do it."
"They just doin' this so guys like us won't find a way to use the gf's to escape? I mean, if they were plannin' somethin' surely they wouldn't have kept the gf's here?"
Squall nodded thoughtfully and glanced up at Irvine. "Whatever." He searched out the remaining gf's and handed Irvine's preferred junctions. "Perhaps we should wait until it's necessary to rejunction?"
"How come?"
Squall rubbed the edge of the Shiva vial absently. "We don't know what effect the removal had." He frowned at the blue liquid. The tube had reacted to his presence, the ice melting away and the substance crawling along the tube, seeking his warmth, pushing at the bung in the top.
"Sure darlin'." Irvine slid the two vials into a pocket. "So, you find out where they stored our weapons?"
"Three floors down." Squall tucked the tubes somewhere safe as well and motioned for Irvine to lead the way.
When the cowboy turned his back to start for the stairs, Squall thumbed off the cap of Shiva's tube. The cool, faintly oily feel to the super natural creature was almost comforting. Ecstatic to be reunited with her favourite, Shiva let herself be absorbed.
Squall shivered violently as her absolute zero presence filled his mind and body once again, and sighed. 'Do as I say not as I do Leonhart? Tch. Some commander.'
Authors notes:
Sorry it's been so long. Check out my bio for a competition announcement.
For what it's worth.
Chapter Five.
When I woke up, he was gone. He'd felt too trapped to sleep in my arms so I let him hold me instead. I think he enjoyed that. I know I did. Funny, I just want to comfort him and I end up being held. I could get used to that. Maybe.
I think he needs to be strong for someone. Whether it's Rin, me or a whole garden, he has to be strong for them. Wonder if that'll change. And there was this underlyin' need for someone to be strong for him too. So he was hard to get sometimes. All the time.
So, he was gone.
I panicked. Jumped up and started bangin' on the door, callin' for the guard. When the door opened I demanded to know where they'd taken my friend and when they wouldn't tell me, I jumped 'em, bein' the fool I am. One knocked me to the ground and kicked me in the ribs a few times. Then they dragged me here. Solitary.
It's pitch black. Can't even see my hand in front of my face. And it's hot. So damned hot it's hard to breathe.
Psh. Like a little heat'll affect a SeeD.
I just wanted to know where they'd taken my commander, my friend. Said it'd give me time alone ta think. Bastards.
Hope Squall's okay.
"Where did you take him?" Squall looked up at the guard as he was lead back into the cell.
"He attacked another guard so we stuck him in solitary to cool off."
Squall glanced around warily, only to have the guard push him in further. He stumbled and leant against the wall to right himself, glaring at the guard. He traced his thumb along the dull edge of the scalpel, hoping silently for a chance.
Squall's fingers tightened around the metal of the scalpel. He lifted his free hand to the bandage that now covered the wound at his hairline as the guard approached him. The cool metal warmed under his fingers as he restlessly rubbed the handle.
"Hurting you kid?" The guard leant towards him, the foul tang of his breath making Squall want to recoil in disgust. "What's up, can't take it without magic?" He lowered his head, silently begging for the man to move just a little closer, make it just a little easier on him. "You know I could be persuaded to give you a potion." The guard moved closer, answering the silent plea.
He was fast. Even without his junctions. The weaponless hand flying up to catch the guard's collar and haul him forward and releasing him quickly, slamming him against the wall hard enough to make him see stars. Squall slid back and spun, tilting his body and lifting his heel to crash into the man's lower back.
The guard cried out in pain, fumbling for spells that he couldn't reach. Squall caught his collar again and dragged him up, setting him on his feet insistently. He lifted the razor sharp blade to his throat and narrowed his eyes on the helmeted captor. "That was for striking me." He whispered softly. "Now, tell me where Irvine is, and the location of your weapons lockers. I want my gunblade."
"He's on the next floor up.. The.the weapons are stored two floors below."
"And my GF's?"
"Don't kill me."
"Tell me."
"They're on the next floor up too. Store room."
"Thank you." Squall almost smiled. Then he drew the blade slowly across the guard's throat, not savouring the sensation, more ensuring that the meagre cures the helmets stored would not be enough to heal him in the few remaining minutes of his life. The blood flowed thick and hot over his bare fingers and Squall repressed a shudder of disgust.
He set the guard down slowly, paying no heed to the wet choking sound of the man drowning in his own blood. Relieving the corpse of its keys and machine gun, he clicked off the safety and straightened.
Squall walked to the door and glanced out quickly. The guards rarely patrolled. He slipped quietly to the stairs, keeping to the shadows and out of the sight of the small windows of the cell doors. Sneaking up the stairs he cast his eyes around and proceeded to the first door marked "Solitary".
Once unlocked, the door swung open freely.
The room was tiny. Irvine was curled up in one corner, covering his eyes at the sudden flood of illumination from the door in the otherwise lightless room. Squall moved forward to check him.
"Don't fuckin' touch me." The Galbadian growled.
"Irvine, it's me."
"Squall?" Turquoise eyes blinked at him and a trembling hand reached up to grip his shoulder. "Hyne, ya scared me darlin'."
"Come on, we're getting out of here."
"I was kinda hopin' you'd say that." Irvine pulled Squall into a tight hug suddenly, without warning. He was almost surprised when Squall nuzzled against his throat and hugged him back just as tightly. "Hyne darlin' I thought they'd done somethin' to you."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah dar." Irvine released him and twisted the machine gun around, the strap wrenching Squall's shoulder and the force of the kick of the gun making the joint scream in protest. He glanced back to see the fallen bodies of two guards. "So, where's Exeter and Lionheart?"
"Few floors down. GF's are around here somewhere." Squall slipped the machine gun from his shoulder and offered it to Irvine.
"What happened to it's owner?" Irvine asked, nodding to the gun as he pulled it onto his shoulder.
"Scalpel. From the infirmary." Squall shrugged nonchalantly.
"That where they took you?" Irvine touched the bandage gently and glanced down at Squall. He responded with a nod. "Scared the hell out of me when you were gone darlin'. Thought somethin' had happened to you."
"I'm fine." Squall pulled away from him slowly and moved to the door. "Let's go."
He slipped out onto the gangway and glanced around. Only one other door on the floor was solid and, ensuring Irvine was following him, Squall made his way to it quickly. The door was locked but the key was on the ring he had removed from the guard.
"What are you looking for?" Irvine asked as Squall searched the stacked shelves of the small room.
"GF's. They should be here." His hand brushed against a frozen test tube, filled with a shimmering blue liquid. Squall lifted the vial and held it up to the light. ".Shiva."
"Thought GF's only came in one package: your head."
Squall frowned faintly and murmured "No. it's possible to force them into a physical form. Like Diablos' magic lamp."
"Thought you guys were jokin' when you told me that." Irvine blinked.
"No. I'm not sure how it happened, but he was trapped in the lamp. Odine must have found a way to do it."
"They just doin' this so guys like us won't find a way to use the gf's to escape? I mean, if they were plannin' somethin' surely they wouldn't have kept the gf's here?"
Squall nodded thoughtfully and glanced up at Irvine. "Whatever." He searched out the remaining gf's and handed Irvine's preferred junctions. "Perhaps we should wait until it's necessary to rejunction?"
"How come?"
Squall rubbed the edge of the Shiva vial absently. "We don't know what effect the removal had." He frowned at the blue liquid. The tube had reacted to his presence, the ice melting away and the substance crawling along the tube, seeking his warmth, pushing at the bung in the top.
"Sure darlin'." Irvine slid the two vials into a pocket. "So, you find out where they stored our weapons?"
"Three floors down." Squall tucked the tubes somewhere safe as well and motioned for Irvine to lead the way.
When the cowboy turned his back to start for the stairs, Squall thumbed off the cap of Shiva's tube. The cool, faintly oily feel to the super natural creature was almost comforting. Ecstatic to be reunited with her favourite, Shiva let herself be absorbed.
Squall shivered violently as her absolute zero presence filled his mind and body once again, and sighed. 'Do as I say not as I do Leonhart? Tch. Some commander.'
Authors notes:
Sorry it's been so long. Check out my bio for a competition announcement.