Disclaimer: Once again, they aren't mine. And I'm not sure I'd want to
own this version of Squall, anyway.
Author's Notes: Well, is this part finally worthy of an R-rating? I think it's better than the end to "When Darkness Falls," at any rate. I didn't have a Physics class that started five minutes ago when I wrote this part.
MOONBOUND
Part Three
The Greatest Gift
The party was wild, and showed no sign of stopping. The moon had only just come out, and already most of the marshmallows and hotdogs were gone. Rinoa sat in a pile of blankets, watching the students and SeeDs alike enjoying themselves. Rinoa smiled as she watched Selphie feed Irvine gooey marshmallows, giggling as he licked her fingers. Zell was the center of a group of youths who were watching him scarf down hotdogs and taking bets on how long it would take before he choked on them. Headmaster Cid, after warning them all to be responsible, had taken his wife for a moonlight walk.
The night was almost perfect. If only Squall could be here. Rinoa could see, from the wistful look on Laguna's face, that he was missing Raine as well.
She was considering going over to talk to him, when the dull ache she'd been feeling all night flared up. She gasped at the searing pain that blinded her, and she doubled over.
The beast! I have to get to Squall! I have to warn everyone! I have to. She couldn't complete the thought as the pain overwhelmed her and she slumped forward, unconscious.
* * *
Where was everybody? The creature roared in frustration. It lashed out furiously at a potted plant, shattering the ceramic vase. Then it waited in the shadows for someone to come and investigate the noise.
Nothing! Where was the prey? It tried to access the host's memories, but the consciousness just cringed away. If it hadn't been confined, its link with the host wouldn't have faded.
It trotted forward, the echoing of its claws on tile sounding loud in its sensitive ears. It didn't see the need for subtlety; there was no prey in the building.
Soft murmurs met its ears and it froze. Two people, a young male and female that smelled of desire, were creeping down a hall, their voices muted as they sought a private place. They were alert for prying eyes, but were unarmed by either weapons or magic.
Big mistake. The female didn't even have time to scream as it sprang out from behind the giant Christmas tree and tore her head off with one swipe of its paw. The male froze, jaw dropped in a silent scream, then whirled. Almost lazily, the creature lashed out a paw and hamstrung the male, who fell to the floor and clutched his leg, moaning.
The beast went over to the female and began to languidly tear the body to shreds, making certain the male had an excellent view. Fear added a spice to the flavor of flesh.
It opened the ribcage and tore the heart free, taking time to chew it and splattering blood on the terrified male student. Then it spilled the intestines, pushing them around like a cat with a mouse before casually flicking them toward the retching male. It needed to save room for the real feasting.
The boy began to whimper and pulled himself away with his hands, and the beast kept pace. It cocked its head, resembling a curious dog. Then it flashed a horrible toothy grin and slashed its claws through the boy's spine, effectively crippling him.
Now the boy screamed. The creature decided to end that, and, fitting its jaws neatly over the boy's face, tore it cleanly off.
* * *
In her room, Raine's eyes snapped open. She lifted her muzzle, sniffing the air.
1 Blood. And viscera. Something's been torn up. She uncurled her lithe, muscular body and crept over to her door. She couldn't hear anything, so she cautiously slid it open and crept out.
She followed the scent to a hallway just off the lobby, close to the Christmas tree. Two bodies, students, maybe fourteen or fifteen years old. They'd been shredded.
Squall. She could smell him all over the bodies. No!
He was heading outside. Raine cursed her inability to warn anyone. She was going to have to stop a larger, fiercer werewolf than herself. She just hoped her experience and control over her body would give her the advantage she needed to stop him before he killed again.
* * *
Rinoa struggled groggily into consciousness. Around her, the party was still going strong. No one seemed to have noticed her faint. She climbed wearily to her feet, scanning the bodies illuminated by the fire.
Everything looked all right; maybe her faint had been the result of too much excitement combined with the fact that she hadn't been feeling well.
She doubted that very much. She staggered around the fire, wearily pushing her way through the partiers, looking for Quistis or Xu.
She found Xu first, and quickly and quietly explained the situation.
"Damn," Xu hissed. "Have you told anyone else?"
"No."
"Find the others," meaning Irvine, Selphie, Zell, and Quistis, "let them know what's happening. I'm going to see if I can find the headmaster and Matron. Tell Quistis to organize teams to go inside Garden and take Squall down. We have to stop him before he finds his way outside."
Xu walked off, trying to keep her pace steady so as not to alarm the students. Rinoa began to search for Quistis, praying to Hyne that they could stop Squall before he reached the party.
* * *
Xu sped up when she was out of sight of the fire. She hoped she was doing the right thing by keeping this quiet. With luck, they could safely contain Squall before any of the students realized anything was wrong.
If not. Well, Xu didn't want to think about that.
She knew where Cid and Edea were going, and she wanted them around in case all hell broke loose. Few people could keep a panicked mob under control like the headmaster and his wife. Plus, if Squall's killing urges really had returned, she wanted them in a protected area, not out here alone.
There was a rustle from a nearby bush, and Xu jumped as a Bite Bug flew out, its veined wings glittering in the moonlight as it beat a hasty retreat.
Odd. They weren't usually that timid -
Xu didn't even have time to react as a dark blur detached itself from the shadows with a frightening speed, lunging towards her. A searing pain tore through her chest, and she could only stare in astonishment as her intestines oozed from the gaping hole in her chest. She placed a hand over the hole as if to hold the rest of her internal organs in, then fell to her knees. She dropped forward onto her face, and only distantly felt when the creature plunged its hand through the back of her ribcage and ripped her slowing heart free.
* * *
"You shouldn't have let Xu go alone," Quistis said.
"I couldn't have stopped her," Rinoa bristled. "Besides, someone needed to tell Cid and Edea." They were huddled in a group off to the side with Selphie, while Zell and Irvine sought out the other SeeDs and put them on alert. Then, they would head to Garden.
"What's going on?" Laguna demanded, coming up behind them.
The SeeDs exchanged glances. "A small crisis," Quistis began, but Ellone suddenly gasped.
"It's Squall, isn't it? He looked ill during dinner. He's lost control, hasn't he?"
"Yes," Rinoa answered her, before Quistis could make up an excuse. "We're about to head towards Garden to stop him." Rinoa's face was pale; she was suddenly aware that there may be only one way to stop him. Please don't let it come to that!
"What about Raine?" Laguna said frantically. "She's in Garden alone!"
"We'll look for her," Quistis said as they were joined by Zell and Irvine.
"I'm coming too," Laguna said.
"And me," Ellone added.
"You can't!" Selphie protested.
"You'll get in the way," Quistis said bluntly. "There is no time - "
A howl interrupted their whispered conversation. Most of the partiers didn't hear, but a low murmuring started up from those who had, and things got quiet as the news passed around.
Suddenly, Zell went flying. He was thrown past them and landed awkwardly on the pile of firewood with an audible crack and lay still. Four parallel furrows glistened wetly on his back.
With a roar, the creature sprang for Zell's still form, only to be brought up short as Quistis brought the end of her whip down on the creature's muzzle. It shrieked as the chain drew blood, then, as Quistis flicked her hand for another lash, the creature ducked under the whip and sank its teeth into her wrist, yanking her hand off in a fountain of bone and blood.
All this happened in the space of a few heartbeats. Irvine had only just drawn his gun, and Selphie's Thundaga hit the werewolf only moments later.
Quistis backed away, screaming and clutching her stump, and Rinoa cast a Cure over it, thankful she could at least still cast one. Not that it did much good with a wound this severe...
The crowd was total chaos; students and SeeDs alike were running from the horrific sight they had just witnessed. The creature seemed confused by so much noise and movement, and Irvine chose that moment to fire a shot.
The creature seemed to sense the shot and ducked before the powerful AP ammo could hit it. It took the opportunity to bring down another student while Irvine prepared another shot.
"Try a Guardian Force," Rinoa hissed, as she tried to summon Quetzacotl. Even her summoning abilities were failing her...
Selphie just stared in shock, while Quistis knelt on the ground, fighting unconsciousness. Only Rinoa and Irvine stood ready to fight.
"Squall, stop it!" a voice rang out. Everyone started; they hadn't known Ellone was still there, Laguna behind her.
"Leave," Quistis hissed through clenched teeth.
"Remember me?" Ellone continued. "I'm your sis! I know you're there, Squall. Please, stop this before you hurt someone else."
Irvine raised his weapon to fire, but Rinoa held up her hand to stop him. "Just wait. This worked once before."
The creature crouched before Ellone, shutting its eyes and bowing its head as if chastised. Ellone took a step forward.
"You don't want to do this. I know you don't. Please, Squall, we love you. Let us help you. Fight this thing."
Rinoa waited, holding her breath. Had it worked? Squall seemed almost docile-
Then the creature bared its teeth in a sinister grin, and it lunged forward with claws extended.
Ellone seemed to explode from the force of the impact. Bone fragments and gore flew everywhere, soaking the dumbstruck Laguna. Rinoa released her breath in a whimper as Irvine prepared to fire another shot-
And a second wolf, not as large as the first, sprang into the beast with a flash of claws and fangs. The beast roared in surprise as Raine's claws bit into its flesh with unexpected ferocity.
With a cry, Raine broke away and vanished in the darkness. Enraged, the creature gave chase.
* * *
She had hurt it! The scratches that scored its flesh hurt in a way little else had hurt it before. Every bite, every scratch, had burned! The creature had been completely unaware of this vulnerability: Another werewolf could kill it.
Unless it killed her first... The female was smaller, weaker. Her attack had been swift, but she had been quick to retreat. She was frightened.
A part of the creature's mind realized the female's attack and retreat had been intended to distract it and draw it away from the prey, but it didn't care. The female had hurt it -HURT IT! - and now it wanted her dead.
It followed easily; the snow showed her tracks and splotches of blood clearly, and her scent was on the wind. It was only a matter of time before it found her, and then it would kill her.
It howled its fury and drew even closer to its prey.
* * *
Rinoa scrambled after them, as fast as her lame leg could take her. She was alone; Zell and Quistis wouldn't be fighting any time soon, if ever, Selphie had gone into shock, and Irvine was left trying to maintain order. She couldn't find any other SeeDs. Before she'd left, Irvine had given her his gun, one of the few weapons that could hurt the creature, loaded with one shot of his most powerful ammo. She didn't have the magic to load another...
This time, Rinoa intended to hurt the creature. She had to bring Squall down, no matter how she felt about him. She needed to hurt him badly enough that he would be unable to kill anyone else until she found a cure.
So she ran across the Balamb plains, following the two sets of tracks, ready to bring this to an end.
* * *
Raine panted, her tongue lolling, as she stopped to rest her aching muscles. She wasn't in any condition for a long distance sprint. Damn it, Squall was fast! She could hear his howls drawing closer, but if she didn't take a few moments to catch her breath, she knew she'd keel over from exertion.
She was trying not to think of Ellone; dear, sweet Ellone, who she had raised as her own so many years ago, who she had only just been reunited with earlier that day. Ellone, who had horribly died, killed by the person she'd thought of as a younger brother.
It wasn't his fault... Raine tried to believe that. But the cold look in the beast's eyes when it had slaughtered Ellone had been too much like the expression on Squall's face when he had been angry with her. How much of the beast was Squall?
If only I'd arrived a moment earlier... she thought as she forced her aching joints into motion again. Watching Ellone killed and being too far away to do anything had torn at Raine's heart. She wondered if she could restrain herself from killing Squall. He's my son... but he's a monster... I've killed before, too... but it was nothing like this...
The sound of waves crashing on rocks brought Raine up short. No! She'd known Balamb was an island, but she hadn't thought she would reach the end of the line so soon. Where could she run to now? She had come to the edge of a sheer cliff, which dropped away to the sea. Rocky outcroppings made the area around her nearly impassible. She'd have to double back before Squall-
Too late. The beast's rangy form flowed from the shadows of a boulder, its feet silent despite the snow and rubble. The moonlight reflected in its icy blue eyes, hiding the spark of red in their depths. It sat on its haunches, staring at her calculatingly. It knew she had reached the limits of her strength, while it was barely winded.
Its jaws gaped in that cruel smile, mocking her. It knew she had no place left to go. It was toying with her...
Then, without warning, the beast sprang.
* * *
Rinoa was gasping for breath by the time she reached the sea. She'd long ago ceased to be cautious, plunging through growth and shadows that could have hidden the creature. Weakly, she staggered onward, ignoring the pain in the scarred tissue of her thigh. She cast the sky a weary glance, realizing it was only midnight. Damn.
The sounds of battle reached her ears, echoing around her. She slowed, lifting Irvine's shotgun warily. Cautiously, she rounded the next turn.
Squall and Raine were locked in combat. Their claws had dug into each other, their teeth slashing at each other's jugulars. They broke apart and circled each other, panting as they gathered their strength for the next assault.
They'd been at it for some time, Rinoa noticed. Blood glistened in the small clearing, and the snow had been scraped away during their efforts. Hunks of fur and flesh could also be seen.
Raine didn't look so good; blood clotted her fur from multiple scratches, and a chunk of one ear was missing. She moved slowly, and her body quivered with exhaustion. The was no way she could hold Squall until dawn.
In contrast, the beast still looked fresh. While it moved with a limp, its steps were still quick and eager. There were fewer wounds on its body.
Rinoa took aim, her finger on the trigger, when the creature closed with Raine again. It sprang forward, and Raine was knocked flat on her back. She kicked it savagely with her hind legs, hitting it in the abdomen. The creature wasn't down long; seconds later, it had locked its jaws around Raine's tail and was pulling her close.
Get away from her, Rinoa thought. She was using Irvine's most powerful ammo, and she wasn't the best of shots. She didn't want to accidentally hit Raine.
With a fierce growl that sent chills down Rinoa's spine, Raine whirled on the creature, catching it across the shoulder blades. The creature cried out and let go, and Raine backed off, eyes searching frantically for something that could end the battle.
Rinoa took the opportunity to fire. The shot hit the beast on the right flank, and it howled in shock and pain. Raine took the chance to move in and bring one clawed hand down on the beast's neck.
Blood spurted, and the creature screamed. Rinoa ran forward, the gun slipping from her fingers as the creature began to fall.
As it did, something strange happened: The fur along its backside began to fade, the legs warp and twist. The severe wound was forcing a reverse transformation!
Raine staggered forward, ready to catch her wounded son. But as she neared, one of the beast's changing claws tore through Raine's thigh, tearing muscle and tissue and scraping bone. As Rinoa reached the injured pair, Raine began to change back as well as blood poured from the major artery.
"No!" Rinoa cried. Both still lived, but they were badly wounded. She held her hands over the half-conscious Squall, casting a Cure that did little for the wound in his neck. Then she did the same for the groaning Raine.
"Go," Raine said softly. "Get help."
"You'll die if I leave you! And help is coming, as soon as Irvine can find someone!" Rinoa said frantically. She pulled off her jacket and used it as a tourniquet for Raine's leg. She didn't know what to do for Squall, except to keep his naked body warm until help arrived.
Rinoa searched for something she could use for a fire, but the rocky cliffs had nothing. She'd have to venture further and leave them... She went back to the clearing to tell them, and noticed Squall was fully awake. He had dragged himself towards the cliff's edge.
"Squall! Don't move! Everything's going to be okay!" she cried, going to him. She was going to drag him to Raine, so their body heat could keep each other warm...
Squall looked up at her, his eyes suddenly clear and determined. "No," his voice was a gurgle, and blood welled from his lips. "This has to stop now. You promised me once, Rinoa, remember?" He crept closer to the cliff's edge.
"No!" Rinoa sobbed. "You can't! We'll fight this somehow..." But how? So many people had died...
"You promised me," he repeated. "It's Christmas. There's only one gift I want."
The greatest gift... he wants to die! And I promised once I'd let him if he hurt anyone else...
Rinoa forced herself to turn away, to walk towards Raine. She couldn't look back. If she did, she knew she'd try to stop him. So she huddled over Raine, trying to keep the woman warm, trying to hold back her tears, trying not to look...
In the end, she did look, after she heard his soft "Good-bye," barely audible over the sound of the ocean below. When she turned, he was gone. Gone forever, with only a splash of blood on the rocks to show he'd ever been there.
Raine opened her eyes and stared up at Rinoa. "You let him kill himself," she said, her breath a soft sigh.
"My last gift to him," Rinoa said bitterly. "Merry Christmas."
THE END
You're all going to kill me for this, aren't you? Don't worry, I have a sequel planned out called "Dark Legacy." It could be awhile before I get it up, but it will answer those burning questions, like:
1) What happened to Zell? And Quistis? And Raine?
2) Just what is the deal with Rinoa's powers fading, anyway?
3) What about Cid and Edea? Did they survive? (um, actually, that's a good question... I haven't thought this one through. Did they? Or didn't they? I have something in mind for Edea later, but... I don't know)
4) What about Seifer? Is he ever gonna show up?
I'm sure there are more burning questions, I just can't think of any right now. So, be patient. Over Christmas break, I'm going to celebrate by writing a story that is kinda disturbing... Not violent in the way this or "When Darkness Falls" was, but... disturbing.
Author's Notes: Well, is this part finally worthy of an R-rating? I think it's better than the end to "When Darkness Falls," at any rate. I didn't have a Physics class that started five minutes ago when I wrote this part.
MOONBOUND
Part Three
The Greatest Gift
The party was wild, and showed no sign of stopping. The moon had only just come out, and already most of the marshmallows and hotdogs were gone. Rinoa sat in a pile of blankets, watching the students and SeeDs alike enjoying themselves. Rinoa smiled as she watched Selphie feed Irvine gooey marshmallows, giggling as he licked her fingers. Zell was the center of a group of youths who were watching him scarf down hotdogs and taking bets on how long it would take before he choked on them. Headmaster Cid, after warning them all to be responsible, had taken his wife for a moonlight walk.
The night was almost perfect. If only Squall could be here. Rinoa could see, from the wistful look on Laguna's face, that he was missing Raine as well.
She was considering going over to talk to him, when the dull ache she'd been feeling all night flared up. She gasped at the searing pain that blinded her, and she doubled over.
The beast! I have to get to Squall! I have to warn everyone! I have to. She couldn't complete the thought as the pain overwhelmed her and she slumped forward, unconscious.
* * *
Where was everybody? The creature roared in frustration. It lashed out furiously at a potted plant, shattering the ceramic vase. Then it waited in the shadows for someone to come and investigate the noise.
Nothing! Where was the prey? It tried to access the host's memories, but the consciousness just cringed away. If it hadn't been confined, its link with the host wouldn't have faded.
It trotted forward, the echoing of its claws on tile sounding loud in its sensitive ears. It didn't see the need for subtlety; there was no prey in the building.
Soft murmurs met its ears and it froze. Two people, a young male and female that smelled of desire, were creeping down a hall, their voices muted as they sought a private place. They were alert for prying eyes, but were unarmed by either weapons or magic.
Big mistake. The female didn't even have time to scream as it sprang out from behind the giant Christmas tree and tore her head off with one swipe of its paw. The male froze, jaw dropped in a silent scream, then whirled. Almost lazily, the creature lashed out a paw and hamstrung the male, who fell to the floor and clutched his leg, moaning.
The beast went over to the female and began to languidly tear the body to shreds, making certain the male had an excellent view. Fear added a spice to the flavor of flesh.
It opened the ribcage and tore the heart free, taking time to chew it and splattering blood on the terrified male student. Then it spilled the intestines, pushing them around like a cat with a mouse before casually flicking them toward the retching male. It needed to save room for the real feasting.
The boy began to whimper and pulled himself away with his hands, and the beast kept pace. It cocked its head, resembling a curious dog. Then it flashed a horrible toothy grin and slashed its claws through the boy's spine, effectively crippling him.
Now the boy screamed. The creature decided to end that, and, fitting its jaws neatly over the boy's face, tore it cleanly off.
* * *
In her room, Raine's eyes snapped open. She lifted her muzzle, sniffing the air.
1 Blood. And viscera. Something's been torn up. She uncurled her lithe, muscular body and crept over to her door. She couldn't hear anything, so she cautiously slid it open and crept out.
She followed the scent to a hallway just off the lobby, close to the Christmas tree. Two bodies, students, maybe fourteen or fifteen years old. They'd been shredded.
Squall. She could smell him all over the bodies. No!
He was heading outside. Raine cursed her inability to warn anyone. She was going to have to stop a larger, fiercer werewolf than herself. She just hoped her experience and control over her body would give her the advantage she needed to stop him before he killed again.
* * *
Rinoa struggled groggily into consciousness. Around her, the party was still going strong. No one seemed to have noticed her faint. She climbed wearily to her feet, scanning the bodies illuminated by the fire.
Everything looked all right; maybe her faint had been the result of too much excitement combined with the fact that she hadn't been feeling well.
She doubted that very much. She staggered around the fire, wearily pushing her way through the partiers, looking for Quistis or Xu.
She found Xu first, and quickly and quietly explained the situation.
"Damn," Xu hissed. "Have you told anyone else?"
"No."
"Find the others," meaning Irvine, Selphie, Zell, and Quistis, "let them know what's happening. I'm going to see if I can find the headmaster and Matron. Tell Quistis to organize teams to go inside Garden and take Squall down. We have to stop him before he finds his way outside."
Xu walked off, trying to keep her pace steady so as not to alarm the students. Rinoa began to search for Quistis, praying to Hyne that they could stop Squall before he reached the party.
* * *
Xu sped up when she was out of sight of the fire. She hoped she was doing the right thing by keeping this quiet. With luck, they could safely contain Squall before any of the students realized anything was wrong.
If not. Well, Xu didn't want to think about that.
She knew where Cid and Edea were going, and she wanted them around in case all hell broke loose. Few people could keep a panicked mob under control like the headmaster and his wife. Plus, if Squall's killing urges really had returned, she wanted them in a protected area, not out here alone.
There was a rustle from a nearby bush, and Xu jumped as a Bite Bug flew out, its veined wings glittering in the moonlight as it beat a hasty retreat.
Odd. They weren't usually that timid -
Xu didn't even have time to react as a dark blur detached itself from the shadows with a frightening speed, lunging towards her. A searing pain tore through her chest, and she could only stare in astonishment as her intestines oozed from the gaping hole in her chest. She placed a hand over the hole as if to hold the rest of her internal organs in, then fell to her knees. She dropped forward onto her face, and only distantly felt when the creature plunged its hand through the back of her ribcage and ripped her slowing heart free.
* * *
"You shouldn't have let Xu go alone," Quistis said.
"I couldn't have stopped her," Rinoa bristled. "Besides, someone needed to tell Cid and Edea." They were huddled in a group off to the side with Selphie, while Zell and Irvine sought out the other SeeDs and put them on alert. Then, they would head to Garden.
"What's going on?" Laguna demanded, coming up behind them.
The SeeDs exchanged glances. "A small crisis," Quistis began, but Ellone suddenly gasped.
"It's Squall, isn't it? He looked ill during dinner. He's lost control, hasn't he?"
"Yes," Rinoa answered her, before Quistis could make up an excuse. "We're about to head towards Garden to stop him." Rinoa's face was pale; she was suddenly aware that there may be only one way to stop him. Please don't let it come to that!
"What about Raine?" Laguna said frantically. "She's in Garden alone!"
"We'll look for her," Quistis said as they were joined by Zell and Irvine.
"I'm coming too," Laguna said.
"And me," Ellone added.
"You can't!" Selphie protested.
"You'll get in the way," Quistis said bluntly. "There is no time - "
A howl interrupted their whispered conversation. Most of the partiers didn't hear, but a low murmuring started up from those who had, and things got quiet as the news passed around.
Suddenly, Zell went flying. He was thrown past them and landed awkwardly on the pile of firewood with an audible crack and lay still. Four parallel furrows glistened wetly on his back.
With a roar, the creature sprang for Zell's still form, only to be brought up short as Quistis brought the end of her whip down on the creature's muzzle. It shrieked as the chain drew blood, then, as Quistis flicked her hand for another lash, the creature ducked under the whip and sank its teeth into her wrist, yanking her hand off in a fountain of bone and blood.
All this happened in the space of a few heartbeats. Irvine had only just drawn his gun, and Selphie's Thundaga hit the werewolf only moments later.
Quistis backed away, screaming and clutching her stump, and Rinoa cast a Cure over it, thankful she could at least still cast one. Not that it did much good with a wound this severe...
The crowd was total chaos; students and SeeDs alike were running from the horrific sight they had just witnessed. The creature seemed confused by so much noise and movement, and Irvine chose that moment to fire a shot.
The creature seemed to sense the shot and ducked before the powerful AP ammo could hit it. It took the opportunity to bring down another student while Irvine prepared another shot.
"Try a Guardian Force," Rinoa hissed, as she tried to summon Quetzacotl. Even her summoning abilities were failing her...
Selphie just stared in shock, while Quistis knelt on the ground, fighting unconsciousness. Only Rinoa and Irvine stood ready to fight.
"Squall, stop it!" a voice rang out. Everyone started; they hadn't known Ellone was still there, Laguna behind her.
"Leave," Quistis hissed through clenched teeth.
"Remember me?" Ellone continued. "I'm your sis! I know you're there, Squall. Please, stop this before you hurt someone else."
Irvine raised his weapon to fire, but Rinoa held up her hand to stop him. "Just wait. This worked once before."
The creature crouched before Ellone, shutting its eyes and bowing its head as if chastised. Ellone took a step forward.
"You don't want to do this. I know you don't. Please, Squall, we love you. Let us help you. Fight this thing."
Rinoa waited, holding her breath. Had it worked? Squall seemed almost docile-
Then the creature bared its teeth in a sinister grin, and it lunged forward with claws extended.
Ellone seemed to explode from the force of the impact. Bone fragments and gore flew everywhere, soaking the dumbstruck Laguna. Rinoa released her breath in a whimper as Irvine prepared to fire another shot-
And a second wolf, not as large as the first, sprang into the beast with a flash of claws and fangs. The beast roared in surprise as Raine's claws bit into its flesh with unexpected ferocity.
With a cry, Raine broke away and vanished in the darkness. Enraged, the creature gave chase.
* * *
She had hurt it! The scratches that scored its flesh hurt in a way little else had hurt it before. Every bite, every scratch, had burned! The creature had been completely unaware of this vulnerability: Another werewolf could kill it.
Unless it killed her first... The female was smaller, weaker. Her attack had been swift, but she had been quick to retreat. She was frightened.
A part of the creature's mind realized the female's attack and retreat had been intended to distract it and draw it away from the prey, but it didn't care. The female had hurt it -HURT IT! - and now it wanted her dead.
It followed easily; the snow showed her tracks and splotches of blood clearly, and her scent was on the wind. It was only a matter of time before it found her, and then it would kill her.
It howled its fury and drew even closer to its prey.
* * *
Rinoa scrambled after them, as fast as her lame leg could take her. She was alone; Zell and Quistis wouldn't be fighting any time soon, if ever, Selphie had gone into shock, and Irvine was left trying to maintain order. She couldn't find any other SeeDs. Before she'd left, Irvine had given her his gun, one of the few weapons that could hurt the creature, loaded with one shot of his most powerful ammo. She didn't have the magic to load another...
This time, Rinoa intended to hurt the creature. She had to bring Squall down, no matter how she felt about him. She needed to hurt him badly enough that he would be unable to kill anyone else until she found a cure.
So she ran across the Balamb plains, following the two sets of tracks, ready to bring this to an end.
* * *
Raine panted, her tongue lolling, as she stopped to rest her aching muscles. She wasn't in any condition for a long distance sprint. Damn it, Squall was fast! She could hear his howls drawing closer, but if she didn't take a few moments to catch her breath, she knew she'd keel over from exertion.
She was trying not to think of Ellone; dear, sweet Ellone, who she had raised as her own so many years ago, who she had only just been reunited with earlier that day. Ellone, who had horribly died, killed by the person she'd thought of as a younger brother.
It wasn't his fault... Raine tried to believe that. But the cold look in the beast's eyes when it had slaughtered Ellone had been too much like the expression on Squall's face when he had been angry with her. How much of the beast was Squall?
If only I'd arrived a moment earlier... she thought as she forced her aching joints into motion again. Watching Ellone killed and being too far away to do anything had torn at Raine's heart. She wondered if she could restrain herself from killing Squall. He's my son... but he's a monster... I've killed before, too... but it was nothing like this...
The sound of waves crashing on rocks brought Raine up short. No! She'd known Balamb was an island, but she hadn't thought she would reach the end of the line so soon. Where could she run to now? She had come to the edge of a sheer cliff, which dropped away to the sea. Rocky outcroppings made the area around her nearly impassible. She'd have to double back before Squall-
Too late. The beast's rangy form flowed from the shadows of a boulder, its feet silent despite the snow and rubble. The moonlight reflected in its icy blue eyes, hiding the spark of red in their depths. It sat on its haunches, staring at her calculatingly. It knew she had reached the limits of her strength, while it was barely winded.
Its jaws gaped in that cruel smile, mocking her. It knew she had no place left to go. It was toying with her...
Then, without warning, the beast sprang.
* * *
Rinoa was gasping for breath by the time she reached the sea. She'd long ago ceased to be cautious, plunging through growth and shadows that could have hidden the creature. Weakly, she staggered onward, ignoring the pain in the scarred tissue of her thigh. She cast the sky a weary glance, realizing it was only midnight. Damn.
The sounds of battle reached her ears, echoing around her. She slowed, lifting Irvine's shotgun warily. Cautiously, she rounded the next turn.
Squall and Raine were locked in combat. Their claws had dug into each other, their teeth slashing at each other's jugulars. They broke apart and circled each other, panting as they gathered their strength for the next assault.
They'd been at it for some time, Rinoa noticed. Blood glistened in the small clearing, and the snow had been scraped away during their efforts. Hunks of fur and flesh could also be seen.
Raine didn't look so good; blood clotted her fur from multiple scratches, and a chunk of one ear was missing. She moved slowly, and her body quivered with exhaustion. The was no way she could hold Squall until dawn.
In contrast, the beast still looked fresh. While it moved with a limp, its steps were still quick and eager. There were fewer wounds on its body.
Rinoa took aim, her finger on the trigger, when the creature closed with Raine again. It sprang forward, and Raine was knocked flat on her back. She kicked it savagely with her hind legs, hitting it in the abdomen. The creature wasn't down long; seconds later, it had locked its jaws around Raine's tail and was pulling her close.
Get away from her, Rinoa thought. She was using Irvine's most powerful ammo, and she wasn't the best of shots. She didn't want to accidentally hit Raine.
With a fierce growl that sent chills down Rinoa's spine, Raine whirled on the creature, catching it across the shoulder blades. The creature cried out and let go, and Raine backed off, eyes searching frantically for something that could end the battle.
Rinoa took the opportunity to fire. The shot hit the beast on the right flank, and it howled in shock and pain. Raine took the chance to move in and bring one clawed hand down on the beast's neck.
Blood spurted, and the creature screamed. Rinoa ran forward, the gun slipping from her fingers as the creature began to fall.
As it did, something strange happened: The fur along its backside began to fade, the legs warp and twist. The severe wound was forcing a reverse transformation!
Raine staggered forward, ready to catch her wounded son. But as she neared, one of the beast's changing claws tore through Raine's thigh, tearing muscle and tissue and scraping bone. As Rinoa reached the injured pair, Raine began to change back as well as blood poured from the major artery.
"No!" Rinoa cried. Both still lived, but they were badly wounded. She held her hands over the half-conscious Squall, casting a Cure that did little for the wound in his neck. Then she did the same for the groaning Raine.
"Go," Raine said softly. "Get help."
"You'll die if I leave you! And help is coming, as soon as Irvine can find someone!" Rinoa said frantically. She pulled off her jacket and used it as a tourniquet for Raine's leg. She didn't know what to do for Squall, except to keep his naked body warm until help arrived.
Rinoa searched for something she could use for a fire, but the rocky cliffs had nothing. She'd have to venture further and leave them... She went back to the clearing to tell them, and noticed Squall was fully awake. He had dragged himself towards the cliff's edge.
"Squall! Don't move! Everything's going to be okay!" she cried, going to him. She was going to drag him to Raine, so their body heat could keep each other warm...
Squall looked up at her, his eyes suddenly clear and determined. "No," his voice was a gurgle, and blood welled from his lips. "This has to stop now. You promised me once, Rinoa, remember?" He crept closer to the cliff's edge.
"No!" Rinoa sobbed. "You can't! We'll fight this somehow..." But how? So many people had died...
"You promised me," he repeated. "It's Christmas. There's only one gift I want."
The greatest gift... he wants to die! And I promised once I'd let him if he hurt anyone else...
Rinoa forced herself to turn away, to walk towards Raine. She couldn't look back. If she did, she knew she'd try to stop him. So she huddled over Raine, trying to keep the woman warm, trying to hold back her tears, trying not to look...
In the end, she did look, after she heard his soft "Good-bye," barely audible over the sound of the ocean below. When she turned, he was gone. Gone forever, with only a splash of blood on the rocks to show he'd ever been there.
Raine opened her eyes and stared up at Rinoa. "You let him kill himself," she said, her breath a soft sigh.
"My last gift to him," Rinoa said bitterly. "Merry Christmas."
THE END
You're all going to kill me for this, aren't you? Don't worry, I have a sequel planned out called "Dark Legacy." It could be awhile before I get it up, but it will answer those burning questions, like:
1) What happened to Zell? And Quistis? And Raine?
2) Just what is the deal with Rinoa's powers fading, anyway?
3) What about Cid and Edea? Did they survive? (um, actually, that's a good question... I haven't thought this one through. Did they? Or didn't they? I have something in mind for Edea later, but... I don't know)
4) What about Seifer? Is he ever gonna show up?
I'm sure there are more burning questions, I just can't think of any right now. So, be patient. Over Christmas break, I'm going to celebrate by writing a story that is kinda disturbing... Not violent in the way this or "When Darkness Falls" was, but... disturbing.