Mercanaries and Assassins

Disclaimers: I do not own the Final Fantasy VIII (Squaresoft) or
Weiss Kreuz characters though I wished I did especially the blondes.

Warning: Some language and suggested male/male feelings

Eventual pairings: Squall x Zell, Aya x Youji, Quistis x Rinoa

Rating: R

Mercenaries and Assassins

Part Two – Arrival of Squall and Team

The lone figure sat on the ground his head between his knees, he felt queasy,
his body was shaking and his ears were echoing and to top it of he was
disorientated his surroundings spinning around him.

Doctor Odine had warned them that this would happen. But he had not
expected it to be this bad; it reminded him of Time Compression. He felt he
had left some part of himself behind.

Odine had been honest enough by saying that he was not sure of the outcome
of his latest project, Gateway X. He believed that there existed, Gateway’s to
different worlds, moments, times, existence, places and people which moved
in synchronisation with their world. A gateway being the portal to these
existences. Dr Odine being the true scientist he was, discovered a way to tap
into the portal, threshold…the Gateway!

Squall shuddered as his body tried to adjust. Swallowing hard he searched
his bag for the Elixir GX that would give him the balance he desperately
needed now. He held his breath as electricity shot all around him, static
sounds reverberating and bouncing of the walls then a loud WHOOSH!!

Exhaling slowly he watched as a dark opening appeared, shimmering and
swirling, a petite figure being pushed through as if it was slow motion. A
small smile tugged at his lips. Zell.

Squall knew that it would be a few more minutes before Zell realised that he
was here. He tipped his head back and drank from the small vial. Tieryiery and bringing him the balance he needed.

Irvine was the next to be pushed through then Quistis. Their gear and equipment
all around them. They had no idea how long they would be here for, but they
were not leaving without Rinoa. Squall knew this for a certainty. Rinoa was
a friend and part of their team.

He stood up rather weakly, using his gunblade Lionheart to lean on, his fingers
unconsciously caressing the handle. “Drink the GX Elixir, it will help balance
you.” He wanted to secure the area from prying eyes straight away. Dr Odine
marked this area as the destination from there own world, but in this world it
was the point of origin. In plain English, there only way home.

With nimble quickness Zell stood up and began to bounce on the heel of his
feet, his fiery energy glowing all around him. Bouncing towards Irvine he
could see the cowboy looked a bit green. Zell flashed him a canine grin, “Hey
man, feeling a bit queasy are ya?”

Giving him a filthy look Irvine winced his voice slightly hoarse, “Can’t you
keep still for five minutes?” The look of disgust saying it all.

“Nothing keeps me down baby.” And to prove it he did a couple of forward
flips ending with a somersault.

Irvine grunted, “Sometimes I hate you Zell.”

Zell grinned looking towards Squall who shook his head. “Because you are
full of energy Zell you can begin by securing the place. No one leaves this
area until it is fully operational. Understood?”

They all nodded, remembering why they were here in the first place. Why
each one of them was chosen. Quistis had her own secret reason why she
pulled rank so she could come on this mission. This was no ordinary mission,
this was personal!

Grabbing a silver case full of high tech equipment, Zell walked towards the
dark end of the building and stopped as Squall called out to him. Zell turned
cocking a golden eyebrow, “??”

“Irvine will help you while Head mistress and I determine what our next move
is going to be…Oh and Zell…”

Stopping once again Zell looked at their commander waiting for his next round
of orders.

“Be careful.” Squall then turned his attention to Quistis, his face showing no
emotion of any kind.

Stunned Zell just nodded and looked at Irvine. Squall has never shown
concern for him before. He felt his face burning as a pink blush suffused his face.

Irvine leaned closer to his ear saying with a smirk on his face, “What am
I…chopped liver?”

“Ah shut the hell up man!” Zell then flashed his white teeth, “You’re just jealous!”
Thrusting the silver case at Irvine’s chest he walked into the darkness
disappearing, as if it swallowed him up.

Shivering Irvine followed him. He had a bad feeling about this mission… a
very bad feeling. And just once he wished that his instincts were wrong…just
once!

Helping Quistis to stand Squall watched her intently. He knew she had pulled
rank, had used her Head mistress status to come with them. What he did not
know was why?

Quistis smiled with amusement she she had been anyone else, she would have
been disconcerted with his intense stare. “We will need to split up into
pairs Squall. It is not going to be easy, especially since we have no idea
where we are.” She bowed her head, something Quistis has never done.
Please let Rinoa be alright. I could not stand it if she was in pain. She bit
her lip as she felt a rush of emotions threatening to overtake her. Must not
let him see how I feel. Must not let any of them see what I am going through.

Uncomfortable with the silence Squall moved away from her, picking up his
bag. He could not handle the emotion he could feel radiating from Quistis,
he could not understand it either. “Zell is the only link we have with Rinoa…”
he paused, “and him.”

Squall smiled within, poor Zell. He had freaked out when she first contacted
him, speaking into his mind, but it was her fear that sobered him up. Her fear
and the feeling that she was so alone.

These were Zell’s exact words. “She is sad and lonely Squall…she has
nothing to live for anymore.”

Though he tried not to feel anything, Squall was overcome with guilt. He
had thought that she was fine; she had made him believe she was fine. Or
was it because he wanted to believe that she was alright, so he could leave
her with a clear conscious. He flinched as Quistis touched his arm.

“Squall what you did was right, she had to know the truth.” Her words
spoken softly but firmly.

He shrugged. He did not wish to discuss this with anyone; it was his business
alone, no one else’s. “We will search for the flower shop tomorrow. Zell
will be with me.”

“Yes of course, he is the only one who knows what the other blonde looks
like. Should be an interesting meeting, Zell said the other guy had panicked breaking the connection.”

Squall’s mouth twitched, “He was no better, he smashed the mirror.”

Quistis laughed softly, “It would not be Zell if he didn’t.” She looked slyly at
Squall, and could see him put his mask on, so fast and efficiently, just like the
man himself. Why won’t he admit how he feels for him? Who is she to talk;
she is no better, her mask now in place. “We better prepare ourselves for
the night, it is cold here.”

With an abrupt nod, Squall looked around, this building was small. It used
to be a warehouse of some kind, but no one has been here for awhile. Why?
Just once he wished that he had the answers. Especially the reason why Rinoa
was brought to this world. Was it because someone could feel her loneliness
and wished to take advantage of her? If he had been her Knight she would
not have been taken in the first place. Squall rubbed his scar gently; he was
getting a headache with all these unanswered questions. He wished that Zell
was here he would tell him to get his act together and get on with it.

Zell and Irvine had their full concentration on setting up the security system.
The technology of Esthar surpassed that of Balamb and anywhere else. It
still amazed Zell now. It was a complexed system yet simplicity in operating.
What made it even better was that it could not be detected by anyone or thing.
It reflected light that bounced of beams, using waves and energy, which it
extracted from the very air around them. It was way above Zell’s head of
course, but as Dr. Odine said, “Even zomeone with ze brain of ze chicken
wouldz be able to operate and zet up diz zyztem.” And as much as Zell hated
his analogy because of what Seifer used to call him, he was right. A chicken
wuss could operate it. He ched ted to himself.

“What are you so happy about?” Irvine then smirked, “Or need I ask.”

Zell gave Irvine the finger. “Bite me and ya wrong, I was thinking about Doc
Weirdo.”

It was Irvine’s turn to laugh. “Yes he is a bit of a weirdo, but a very
clever one.” Irvine frowned, “I am still having trouble believing that we are
in another world. You’d think I would be used to it after the Time Compression.”

“Yeah, I know what ya mean man. But Rin needs us Irvy.”

“Yea she does partner she does. Don’t worry your cute little head about it
Zell, Squall will do everything in his power to find her as we all will.” Yes
Irvine had faith in the commander, a lot of faith.

“Quit calling me cute Irvy, ya know I hate being called that.” Grumbling Zell
went back to work giving Irvine the looks that would kill.

Irvine winked, “Now now Zell, if I was Squall you would love it.”

“Just shut the fuck up Irvine and get back ta work. Squall would never call
me anything but Zell, because we are mates, friend’s comrades and that’s it.”
Zell banged his fist down to knock a brace in place and to let go of some of
his frustrations. Squall knew that Zell had feelings for him but was not interested.
Zell respected that and would never step over the line. He knew his friend too
well, they all did.

“Well if you ask me, he is a fool.”

Zell stiffened then shook his head, “I am not asking ya…now give it a rest!
Geez!” Another thump on the brace, wishing it was Irvine’s head instead.

I

Irvine chuckled and let it drop. He did not want to upset his friend anymore.
But he was only telling the truth, Squall was a fool and if he was not careful he
would lose Zell to someone else. The Lion’s pride was hard to be penetrated
but it does not mean it was impossible. Oh yes Squall, you are going to find
out the hard way about this, and though you are my friend too, I hope I am
there when it happens. Zell has something, hell even Irvine was attracted to
the petite blonde, with the fiery personality.

Zell finished connecting the frame of one set and started on the next, looking
at Irvine flashing his teeth, “Which female are you thinking bout now?”

Grinning Irvine winked, “A cute petite blonde partner…very cute.” His>pre>predator eyes raking Zell’s face with slow appraisal.

His face beet red Zell frowned saying hotly, “What the hell are you looking
at me like that for ya bloody perv?!” He turned his back on him, Geez that
guy is the biggest flirt on two legs.

After a few moments silence, Zell stopped working, “Hey Irvy, you think this
thing will work?”

Irvine sat back on his heels, “Yeah it will work. The Gateway X worked so
I am beginning ave ave faith in Dr. Weirdo’s contraptions.”

Zell shrugged, “I suppose so. Well this ones finished.” He stood up and
began walking to the other corner of the building, Irvine following him.

Irvine frowned as he thought about why they were here. “Zell…”

“Mmmm…”

“This flowershop and guy we are looking for, do you think we will find them.
I mean we can’t be sure we are in the right place.”

Zell chuckled, “Man Irvy, ya asking me. How the hell would I know. All I
did was dream about Rin in a flowershop, and saw a blonde male reflected in
ma mirror. That’s it.”

Zell paused, his face serious, “The thing is Irvy I think we are in the right place.
For one thing Ellone helped us by going back to Rin’s last moments before
she disappeared. Secondly she was able to connect to the frequency or
whatever you call it that was needed for Dr. Odine to tap into so we could
find the right gateway to this world.” Zell winced and began to rub his forehead
as a sharp pain flashed across his head.

“You alright Zell?” Violet blue eyes watched him withcerncern.

Zell was not sure, his head was pounding again. “Y-Yea just a headache.
M-Maybe it was travelling through the Gateway.”

Ifrit whispered in his mind, //Do not be afraid Zell, there is a change happening
with me, which is causing your headache.//

//Wha…?!! What kind of change Ifrit?//

//I am not sure Zell…not sure at all.//

Zell did not know how to respond. He trusted his Guardian Force, trusted
him with his life. They were inseparable. Ifrit would not junction with anyone
else after Squall but Zell; they were one in the same at times. Maybe this
should have frightened Zell but it didn’t.

“Zell?”

He started, his bright blue eyes troubled, “I-I am fine Irvy. It is just a headache.”

Irvine did not believe him but he knew Zell would not say anything more
unless he wanted to. He had his stubborn moments and this was one of them.

“Right…let’s get moving, I am getting hungry and I am tired.”

“Yeah, I just wish we did not have to eat that crap food we brought with us.
I mean dried food my ass, it tastes like cardboard.” Zell’s face screwed up
with distaste.

“Heh, I know what you mean partner, I know what you mean.”