A/N: Well, I thought I had this chapter ready, but decided to go in a different direction, so didn't really get a chance to keep up with my promise to post more frequently. Regardless, here it is, we're building up the mystery. Thanks for sticking with me on this journey! :) Almost finished with the next chapter, so stay tuned!

I write because I love to write, but if you stop by, please R&R.

Keys and Locks

Lina rested on a bench in the middle of the quad, flipping through a small novel she'd picked up from the library the day before. The afternoon sunlight washed over her face, giving rise to a pleasant rosy tone in her cheeks as she read the same sentence over twice to engrain its meaning in her head. Taking a deep breath, she set the open book in her lap and brushed an affectionate finger across the page. Beautiful, she thought.

Then she bound her arms into the air in a wide stretch.

Man, this was boring.

Bait. Like fishing, she immediately thought. She half smiled to herself at the thought, but fishing can be calm and relaxing, even without a catch. The image flashed across her eyes: a lake at sunup—the water calm and blue, surrounded by fresh greenery, and a fisherman's boat anchored by a single line cast into the horizon as a golden sun lazily crawled into the sky.

But Lina didn't have the patience of a fisherman.

And it'd already been two hours now.

As hard as Lina tried to imagine she was alone—and it appeared so—her mind wouldn't let her because she knew. The secret of the hour- her friends were all around, hiding, sitting in wait.

Lina's eyes darted towards the aged oak tree rooted directly across the quad, her lips curved up in a curve—Zell was perched somewhere atop the branches. She dared not peek at the gentleman flipping through today's newspaper on the bench to her right, lest she laugh and expose Irvine, disguised as an old man—fake gray mustache, circular spectacles, hair tucked into a black bowl hat.

Lina gazed down at her feet, a line of ants were scrambled amongst in the cracks of the cobblestone—ordered chaos. She grinned. Such is life—and their plan was proof: an organized ambush.

From his perch, Zell was silently preparing an angry speech about the stupidity of this whole thing. It didn't help that his legs were so numb he was convinced they'd already fallen off. But in the meantime, he watched Lina, miming funny gestures on the bench. He felt a warm feeling crawl over him as he gazed upon her, then quickly shook the feeling away. Concentrate. Bait. Seifer. Ultimecia, right.

Lina stretched again. Still boring. Temper edging on restive.

If Seifer planned on showing, he'd probably have already made an entrance. This stakeout was nonsense. Why hadn't Squall pulled the plug yet? Weren't they wasting precious time?

Suddenly, a rustle sounded from the bushes behind her. She shot up on her feet, alert. The SeeDs held their breaths.

Two seconds passed. Silence.

A small spherical object flew from the bush into the middle of the quad, and exploded, covering the area with a thick smoke. Through it—movement—a hulking figure in a familiar white jacket dashed into the cloud and towards the far end of the quad, a signature red emblem of crossed swords on the sleeve. Before Lina could register what had happened, the SeeDs had bolted from their hiding spots, giving chase to the man down the far corridor.

Lina stood in her place, watching them go.

But she was still not alone.

There he was, the devil himself.

Seifer. Not a puff of smoke, not a distraction in a white coat. Seifer Almasy, the Sorceress's Knight. Traitor, murderer, a dark treacherous leer all attached to his name. But there he stood, arms folded across his chest, in his usual indigo button-up and dark jeans, a smug look on his face and not remotely threatening. Still, Lina felt her legs tremble, rooted to the ground as he approached. Should she run? Scream out for the others?

"Relax," he commanded as he strolled to her nonchalantly, one slick footstep after the other. "Why are you so scared of me? I haven't done any harm."

"Says the man who lead the missile launch on Trabia," Lina retorted. The remark amused him, as did her wit, and he threw his head back and chuckled.

"Touché. I see you've done your research," he smiled wryly.

"Know your enemies, right?" she said in a calm tone.

He pulled a smirk across his lips. "You know nothing."

"I know you're trouble. That's enough for me."

"Feisty, aren't you?" He stopped his approach and shot her a sharp look and a sinister grin. "That's real cute."

"Enough chit-chat. What do you want from me, Seifer?" It wouldn't be long before the SeeDs came trudging back, spirits dampened by the distraction. Surely, Seifer would disappear then—avoid another confrontation with his old dear friends, who had now marked him as treacherous and flung a target over his back. He sauntered in front of her, arms still crossed. As tall as she was, he was almost a head taller, silhouetted by the sunlight.

"I'm not here because of the Ultimecia. She's not involved in this. Not that you'd understand the bond between the Sorceress and her Knight—do research on that one too, Miss SeeD-to-be?" he scoffed.

The power struggle was evident. Controlling information was vital in this little tete-a-tete.

"Don't change the subject." Lina's eyes narrowed—how did he know about her application to SeeD?

Slowly, he began to circle her in slow, stalking movements, like a shark its prey. And she felt helpless to the current he stirred. Time had passed, but he hadn't changed from their last encounter—emerald eyes still cast in shadow, mischievous smirk creeping on a set of handsome lips.

"I'm just trying to help," he stopped his circling and shrugged theatrically, the smug look never leaving his face. "The others won't understand."

"You're not giving me much to go on," she strained to keep her voice relaxed. "Sounds like you've got nothing to offer."

He stopped his circling, a step away—the heat of his breath tingled against her face. "Lina, Ultimecia is the first step," he leaned in lazily towards her, lowering his voice. He examined her just as much as she did him, eyes tracing the mixed determination and perplexity written on her face—sharp eyes, perked ears, pursed lips. "There's much more to come."

"No more talking in riddle, Seifer," she sighed, exasperated. "What the hell do you know?" Lina glanced in the direction of the others, the tips of their shoes just barely visible at the top of the stairs leading into the quad. Her sense of urgency increased. When they came, Seifer would be gone, and he'd done it—he'd successfully enraptured her in the mystery.

Sure, Lina had played bait today, but it was now Seifer reeling her in.

"You're the key," he said. "To seal them all away and lock the door. You're the key." With that, he'd already begun to slink backwards into the shadows from whence he came.

"No, wait, wait!" Lina called in desperation. What did it mean? What about keys and locks and doors, she didn't understand—what nonsense! "You can't just...say something like that and then leave!"

"Tough luck, doll, maybe next time," he shrugged, shrinking in behind the bushes. Lina thought to follow him, but it was too late. With a blink, he was gone.

A chill suddenly fell onto her, frozen in her place, as her memories, heavy and lethargic with slumber, began to swirl. A tempest brewed violently within the shell of her being, their volume, uncontrollable noise in her ears. Her vision decayed into a blur, body flooded with a searing pain her muscles met with innate familiarity as her mind being to stir with awoken memories.

That day. The rain plummeted from the skies. She'd awoken to this life.

Arms heavy, a prickling pain resonating from deep in her bones. She was burning, feverish.

What had happened..?

She glanced down; the rain poured mercilessly down from the sky's endless faucet in all directions, blurring her vision—but she could still see it: the outline of her arms, her skin, emanating a soft, unnatural white glow. Mesmerizing. Jaw slightly ajar, raindrops leaking into her mouth, she lifted her hands to her face. Every cell in her tingled with the light.

..before that day..?

Her wrists were heavy, as if weights strung to each.

Bracelets.

The word flashed across her mind's eye and with it an image to which she was familiar, an image that haunted her nights in the form of heavy, but hollow dreams: thin platinum bracelets, gold runic symbols etched neatly across its surface.

Locked around her wrists, they began to spin, slowly at first, then increasing in speed. Quicker and quicker until the speed seemed to cast a radiated circular ring of energy, glistening in a dimlit atmosphere. The brighter their energy, the heavier the weight on her arms. She cried in pain as it grew and grew, rattling her bones.

Only a second had passed. The SeeDs filed in next to her one by one, mumbling amongst themselves with disappointment. The context of these vague images, she'd have to mull over some other time.

"Whatcha doin' Lina?" Selphie asked as she wandered to her side. Lina, whose expression had been blank, blinked, looked up at Sephie, then at the others—at Zell—and pushed a smile onto her lips.

"Nothing," she said. "Did you guys get him?" They shook their heads, and Squall sighed.

"Holy Bahamut, what a waste of an afternoon!" Selphie kicked loose dirt on the cobblestones into a mini dust cloud in exasperation.

"It turned out to be Raijin masquerading in Seifer's coat, chanting some mockery about being the 'one and only sorceress's knight.' He dashed after we finally caught up with him," Quistis explained with a frustrated sigh.

"Caught the wrong fish," Lina grinned. "Maybe I should dress more worm-like next time." Zell chuckled, and the others grinned meekly. At least someone still had a sense of humor.