Prolog
Squall
sat under the tree letting his mind wander. 17 years, to the day. The day his
life fell apart, the day lost his sister and wife in one horrible act of hate.
The terrible battle that had killed them and so many others, it shouldn't have
happened. Why? The Galbadian forces had been weak. How could he have
miscalculated and lost it all.
"I'm
sorry," Squall sighed, "I let you all down..."
Voices
filed into his mind, "You did your best, " Sephie was always there
for him, my best wasn't good enough.
"We'll
all miss Rinoa," Quistis would say sensibly, I'd wonder if you wouldn't.
"Hang
in there, man..." Zell tried to cheer him up, nice try man.
"We'll
get through this," Irvine was a lot more supportive, you got through it.
"Selfish
bastards, " Not once did they mention Ellone. She had died trying to
protect Rinoa and Squall. She was more of a hero then any other person in that
stupid war, "I could have done better..." a tear dripped down his
cheek.
"What
you did was just fine," Rinoa stood across the clearing.
"It's
been a long time, Rinoa..." Squall didn't look at her.
"Too
long."
"Why
are you here?"
"To
be with you," Rinoa walked over to the elderly Squall, "You never
left me once," She looked down, "I was the one who always left
you."
Squall
didn't say a word.
"I'm
sorry," Rinoa bent and looked into Squall's eyes, "I'll never leave
you again."
"Promise?"
Squall was young again looking back into Rinoa's eyes.
"Promise."
"...Rinoa...I-I,"
Squall stammered, but before he could finish Rinoa embraced him.
"I
love you too, Squall," She whispered, "We'll never be
separated."
"Never,"
Squall echoed.
*******
On
the other side of the world, in an unknown city, a baby was born. She was
terrible deformed and misshapen, but in some perverse way she was beautiful.
"I
want to see my baby..." The mother was very weak and could barely speak,
"Were is she?"
"Right
here," a nurse stepped forward caring a bundle, "Say hello to your
baby girl." The nurse placed the doll wrapped in a blanket in the woman's
arms.
"She's
so lovely," The mother relaxed and sighed, "I'm so tiered, I'm just
going to take a nap." She exhaled her last breath still holding the doll.
A
doctor walked in, "Is she dead?"
"Yes,"
The nurse sighed and pulled the doll from the dead woman's hands, "Some
how what I did feels wrong."
"She
died happy knowing her 'child' was healthy," the doctor looked away,
"It was the right thing to do."
"I
suppose your right, but what of her real child?"
"I'm
sending it to Esthar to be studied," he began to walk away, "They're
the ones that started all this."
The
nurse nodded and started to clean the room.
*******
Squall Leonhart's body was found five hours later, sitting
under a cherry tree. He had died of a stroke at the age of 75. He left behind
one child, many friends, and even more dreams; to be with the one he loved.
