"Seifer!" Raijin called out as he and Fujin ran after the blond boy.
"What do you want?" Seifer asked, glaring viciously as he turned around. He threw his short hair back but it only served to sent a small sprinkle of dust from his blond locks. Dirt, it covered him all over.
"Don't do this Seifer," Raijin said. "It's over, ya know. This is just wrong."
"Shut up!" Seifer exclaimed as he slashed the air wildly. "Don't tell me what to do. I'm no one's slave!"
"Seifer," Fujin finally spoke up, and stepped forward despite being dangerously close to his zone of attack. "You are being her slave right now and you can't even see it. If you do this the world will end."
"This is my dream," Seifer replied. "This is it. What do you know about me?" he asked with wild fire in his eyes.
"You told me before Seifer that you wanted a posse," Fuijin continued undeterred. "Well I'm trying to do that for you now, you will regret this Seifer, the same way you regretted Rinoa Heartilly. Listen to me, please."
He laughed sarcastically.
"Squall Leonhart, I want his blood. That's my dream."
Fujin sighed and shook her head.
"What a petty dream for the likes of you."
"It's been fun," Seifer replied with a bitter wave of his hand as he left for Lunatic Pandora. Finally they would have Ellone. Finally, time compression will begin. Finally he will have revenge.
"It's no use," Raijin muttered as he tugged at Fujin's arm. "Let's go."
She shook him away and stood still, waiting, for a man who would never return.
ooooo
Rinoa woke up when she felt sunlight on her face. She smiled as she opened her eyes and pulled her cheek from its nook on the shoulder of the seat. Looking over she saw Squall piloting the Ragnarok. She placed her hands on her hips and stretched all while yawning. Drowsily she leaned toward Squall.
"It's nice waking up beside you," she remarked. She looked out the window and saw miles of glittering sea pass below. Somehow the ocean never looked so blue, so beautiful, so pure. The sunlight reflected off the window of the Ragnarok into a thousand colors glowing brilliantly like the shards of a rainbow. So many colors she had never seen before.
He frowned but she had grown so used to such that it almost looked like a grin.
"You should put your seat belt on," he said quietly. "We'll be there soon."
"You can't smile can you?" She asked playfully.
"What?" he asked as though he didn't hear her right.
"I dare you," she said leaning over and tugging him gingerly on his loose leather belt. "Just once, smile. I don't believe you are capable of it."
He shrugged. "I'm not."
Rinoa pouted and sat back into her seat in a gesture of frolicsome dejection.
"How about it Squall?" She asked, suddenly regaining some of her good humor. "I bet I can get you to smile . .someday."
"Whatever," he said without looking at her.
"And if I do, you have to kiss me."
"And if you fail?" he asked wearily playing along.
"Then I'll kiss you." She said mockingly.
