"Haunted By The Past"
Chapter One: He was lonely
By: Nadir and Blue Wings
DISCLAIMER! This applies to the whole story saying it now so I won't have to repeat it later, I don't own Final Fantasy or any of its characters (I do own Mr. and Mrs. Hiragizawa here).
A/N: Sorry if I had to delete this, but I was confused then and had done something wrong with the plot. Now, I'm posting it back because I seemed to have remedied the problem, hope you'll still like it. And again, sorry.
As a kid, little Squall Leonhart lived in sleepy Balamb with his friend Selphie Tilmitt. They were very close to each other because they grew up in the same orphanage along with their other friends. But time came that they had to leave that orphanage and pursue the path of this lonely world, alone. Fortunately, for the two of them, they were adopted by two kind couples who were also good friends.
"Squallie, letsh phlay!" Little Selphie screeched as she tugged at his shirt, "I wike dolls!"
"Aww, Sefie," Little Squall would protest, "But thoose are for girlsh..."
"Huh!" Little Selphie would drop the doll in surprise, "Aren'tt yhou wan?"
So Squall would visit Selphie everyday and they would play all day until Squall's mom would come and fetch him.
"Ren, it's time to go. Supper is waiting," she would say.
And "Aww, ma, just a wittle bit looonger?" was always little Squall's reply. He was about 4 years old then and going to Balamb Preschool while Selphie was attending Trabia Preschool.
But supper couldn't wait (as Squall's adoptive mother said) so he'd just have to give up and go home, Selphie then would just cry.
"Come now dear," his mom smiled, "Your dad wouldn't want to eat a cold supper."
"I'll be back tomorrow, okay Sefie?" he'll comfort her before he leaves.
This continued for a few years, life in Balamb was never out-of-the-ordinary because it was just a little island far away from those big and warring countries. So Squall and Selphie pretty much kept their friendship (and their schedules).
"Squallie, let's play!" Selphie would screech, "I like house!"
"But Sefie," Squall would protest, "That's for babies,"
"Huh!" Selphie would drop the toy pan in surprise, "Aren't you one?"
(Oh Hyne, even they haven't changed.)
It would always be, morning till dusk: play with Selphie then at night he'd eat and go to sleep. Nothing much has changed; he hasn't got the chance to mingle with others. He was alone, and lonely. But still, this situation seemed normal for him; playing with Selphie till his body ached and he even thought it would stay that way forever...
"Come on Sefie," Squall pleaded once, "Stop riding on my back, I'm not a horse."
"No you aren't," Selphie would laugh, "You're a car!"
"Oh come on," Squall groaned.
"Heehee, vroom vroom," Selphie teased him, "I'll sit on your back forever and ever and ever and ever... till your bones break!"
...Until the unexpected happened (who thought it would?).
Laguna Loire, president of Esthar, found Squall's adoptive father to be a very honest and persevering person and rewarded him a rise in rank. But that would mean that they would have to leave Balamb and start again in Esthar. Squall's adoptive father was not too sure about that because it was a hard nation, always trapped in war and never experiencing peace.
"Mr. Hiragizawa," Laguna began, "We need more people like you, people who are industrious and honest. Would you like to serve me? I will promote you to Ambassador for Peace and Unity of Esthar..."
"Oh, I don't know Sir Laguna," Squall's adoptive father hesitantly said, "We were accustomed to the peaceful life that Balamb has to offer..."
"Please make a wise decision," Laguna said, "Whether or not you want to accept the position is okay with me, but it'll be a big help to Esthar."
But their money was a little tight and this would come as a big help so Squall's adoptive father reluctantly agreed.
"I'll talk it over with my wife, Sir Laguna," Squall's adoptive father finally said after a few moments of thinking, "But I think I'll want to accept your offer."
"Your words make me glad, Mr. Hiragizawa," Laguna said, chuckling a little to lighten the then-heavy atmosphere, "Thank you very much."
Squall was ten then and beginning to start his year as a fourth grader at the Balamb Intermediate Department. His adoptive parents already talked to him about Esthar and said that they'd leave in about five months. He would have to cope.
"Squall," his father said, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure dad," Squall beamed, "What is it?"
"Do you like it here, in Balamb," his father said, "Because I was thinking of moving to Esthar..."
"It's okay with me dad because," And Squall's happy composure began to change into a darker, sadder one, "I really don't like it here."
"Okay," his father comforted him, "Then it's settled, we'll be leaving for Esthar on November 5th, after I finish all my tasks in my office here."
"Okay," Squall smiled, "I can't wait."
As I've told you, Squall was an unhappy child. He was always the outcast at school and the only friend he has is Selphie but being at Trabia garden doesn't help one bit. She's only home during weekends.
The mean kids would pick on him for being too smart, too cute, too kind... in short, too perfect.
"You think you're better than us, huh? Just because you got A+ in our math quiz!" A blonde boy would punch him while his two companions would just stare.
"MATH," the female one would shudder.
"Yah, kick 'im boss, he deserves it, ya knooow!" the rather clueless one would say.
(A/N: Yeah, I kept Seifer still with, as you've guessed, Raijin and Fujin. I like their friendship. )
So Squall ended up hating school and hating Balamb, most of all, hating himself because he doesn't know what's wrong with him.
Why am I like this? Is there something wrong that I did?
He would always end up crying when he's thinking about it.
I hate myself because no one else loves me.
But starting class that day, he saw a student he never saw before. He was sure that this student was unlike the rest of them, them who makes his life terrible. No, she was different.
"Class," his adviser began, "She just transferred here, please be nice to her and show her around," and she continued further on to explain the lecture for today.
But still, she is human, and could probably hate him too. He just saw that blonde boy walk over to her.
"Hey, what's your name again?" the boy coolly said.
"Angel," the girl flashed him a big smile and didn't seem to be the least intimidated.
"Funny name, I know you know me since I'm the best around here," the boy said and started bragging.
"You're funny!" The girl laughed and continued listening to his droning speech about his favorite subject: himself
Yeah, yeah, continue bragging, Squall continued to stare at him from his seat, his head buried in his arms.
"Okay, but who is he?" The girl's reply startled Squall and when he stared at them, he realized in horror that she was pointing to... him.
"Him? Oh he's just garbage, he never does anything right and I hate him, you should hate him too... Blah, blah, blah." the boy shifted her attention from Squall to him and continued bragging (I mean, is that all he ever does?).
Squall now thought for sure that she would hate him so he just buried himself deeper in his desk. I was wrong, she was like them...
...But she did notice me.
