Disclaimer: Final Fantasy belongs not to me, but to Squaresoft or Square enix, whatever they're called. Or Squeenix as some people like to say. If FF8 did, in fact, belong to me, it would be very different.
Squall gazed out over the balcony from his Garden quarters. The view was, as usual, breathtaking. The bleach white mountains in the distance, the fresh sea air tinted with salt that could cure any sickness. But not now. Five years ago, he was away, fighting alongside his friends against Ultemicia he could enjoy nature. Back then, he was free. A SeeD, true, but without his current daily burdens. Now, he was the esteemed leader of Balamb Garden's mercenary forces, and of course, what could go wrong? Nothing, as it seems. Apart from what mattered to him. Not only was there the lack of action inherent with authority, the paperwork, or the unending attention from the SeeDs new and young. Everything was the same as it had always been. His gunblade had been on the wall in his office as though a trophy for too long, and he hadn't been in any real danger since his promotion. He needed action, danger, a real threat to his life anything that would provide a dangerous challenge as was the life he had been living and yearned for. But he was Squall Leonheart. "More complex than you think" he had told Quistis. He was the person who kept his feeling dutifully locked inside, away from his life and work, not wanting to affect others with his mundane feelings, as though there were other, more important things in life.
He heard a soft clicking behind him as the door opened, but remained still. Who else would it be, but Rinoa?
"Squall honey, is everything alright?"
He turned around and embraced her, running his hands through her hair. She smelled of perfume. The same flowery smell of the past couple of years. She felt the same in his arms, and he knew that nothing would change. She was happy. That was all the mattered, not his aimless wanting. He didn't need everyone to change for him.
"Of course" he replied., and she believed him. "We haven't heard from Deling recently bu-"
"You look stressed, Squall, is something the matter?" She moved away to get a better view of his face. He smiled but unconvincingly, but she dismissed the idea as stress. He had a hard day was all. "Remember, me and Selphie are gong out tonight, so," she put on a mockingly serious face "don't stay up too late, or have any parties while I'm gone" All smiling again "I'll be careful, I promise."
He kissed her goodnight, and waited till she had closed the door. Squall looked over his balcony for a few minutes, and then went inside and turned on the T.V. The news reporter was talking about the weather, and there was nothing better on. He switched it off, and went over to his bed, where he lay down, thinking about his life. He could run away. It was perfectly within his ability to rent a car, and drive until the petrol ran out. It was deeply tempting, although quickly dismissed because "it wouldn't work" he told himself. He shouldn't just leave his friends either, and he couldn't forget his duty to them or the Garden. He lay down, hoping for relief. Fatigue gnawed at the edges of his vision, and sleep came easily.
He arose to see himself in a field. There was luscious untrained grass all around him, leading down to the moss covered rocks by the beach. The land was flat all around him, and he relished the freedom he felt on the plains. He had been here before, he knew it, but the whereabouts of "here" completely eluded him. Squall felt the ground shake, and whirled around to see a Malboro towering over him. Child's play. His gunblade was in his hand before he knew it, and he felt him self spinning and whirling into an elaborate attack. Fancy. Not his style. He pulled the trigger of his once abandoned weapon, and landed a powerful blow in the Creature's eye. It flew back, and Squall landed gracefully in the wake of the recoil as he saw it's corpse on the floor in front of him, the tentacles sprawling as it attempted to resist death.
As it came to rest, Squall wiped the blood off his gunblade, and let down his guard for a moment. He racked his brain for any memory of the island or how he got there, but none came to him. He gazed out over the rolling sea to the mainland, seeing giant cities, and the other way, into the clear blue of the horizon diving into the sea.
Squall saw a shadow fall in front of him, and turned just in time to see the great forearm of an Adamantoise smash into his back. He lay on the ground for a few seconds to realize what had happened, before seeking his vengeance. He launched himself at the mighty creature, putting all of his effort into his next strike, and heard a shallow "ding" as he was thrust sideways with the effort of his own strike. His attack was useless and hadn't even scratched it's shell. He rolled to the side to avoid further danger, but was too late, as the Adamantoise stamped down on him. Squall cried out in pain, but stood up again, readying himself, aiming the edge of his blade at the beast's face, and charged, pumping the trigger for all it was worth. Critical or nothing. There was no recoil as he was pushed aside midway through his jump. The gunblade had jammed. His gunblade had jammed. He fell to the floor without a chance of revival, and left himself to the mercy of nature. What little it seemed to have.
He sat up, breathing hard. Adrenaline was pulsing through his veins, as he tried to regain some awareness of his surroundings. He was back in his bed, Rinoa was breathing softly at his right, oblivious to Squall's dream. "What the hell have I been drinking?" he asked the shadows.
"Evidently too much" they replied, as Squall saw Seifer materialise from the direction of his door.
Squall glared at him in pure shock and disgust."Out!"he commanded, feeling the rage beneath him once more, relishing it.
"Tomorrow night, Squall, we meet" he said, motiong to where Squall's scar would be on his face. Squall recoiled instinctively. "Ahh, so you do remember, even now. Same time and place as it always was". With that, he vanished again, leaving Squall angry at everything that had happened that night, and his lack of action against Seifer. He turned over, facing Rinoa, and sank into a dreamless sleep.