Clash of Worlds
Author's Note: Well, this is a re-write of a fic I wrote a long time ago. I liked the fic at the time, and I still love the general idea behind it (I'm such a romantic, harhar) but the writing is that of a fourteen year old (which I was at the time, explains a lot). The original is about thirty pages long but this will be longer than that, because much of the stuff that happens in the original goes by waaay too fast. So, here you are. –Josie
Prologue: Four years after the destruction of Meteor, the FFVII group are looking to settle down. Similarly, in a parallel universe, seven years after the demise of Ultimecia our heroes from FFVIII would give anything to have a normal life. When a mistake causes their worlds to collide, will they find more than they expected from each other?
Zell Dincht bounced around the laboratory, doing his bi-monthly check-up on the mysterious Dr. Odine. Zell loved volunteering for these visits, as he was a great fan of all the doctor's work. However, the check-ups had been ordered by Squall himself because at times in the past Odine had been up to no good. Laguna permitted the arrangement in order to stop further experiments like the one on Ellone.
On this occasion, Quistis Trepe, Squall Leonhart, Rinoa Heartilly, Irvine Kinneas and Selphie Tilmitt had all come with him. Usually only two of them came, but the girls made the excuse of going shopping. Selphie had flirted Irvine into submission and Rinoa had flat-out told Squall that he was coming if the rest of them were.
They all enjoyed positions at Balamb Garden. Selphie still organised the Garden Festival, and Squall was still Commander. Rinoa had refused to become a SeeD in case she had to fight for someone else's morals, but had agreed to be Cid's secretary. Quistis once again took general tutorials and Zell coached many cadets in the fighting arts.
Since it was Zell who most often came on these visits, it was only natural that he was the first to notice the newest arrival to the lab. A large silver machine dominated one corner – something that had the outward appearance of an elevator. Odine was delivering his usual "eet's all legal" diatribe to the crew before Zell's curiosity outweighed his politeness and he interrupted the doctor.
"What's the new thing over there?" Zell asked, pointing so that no one would miss what he was asking about. Not that it was particularly easy to miss, but Zell liked to be sure. Odine instantly reacted with an expression of delight as he usually did when asked about a new invention.
"Zat! Zat iz a new invention – much talked ov but only created by me!" Odine's eyes became distracted and soon he was fiddling with a spanner around the machine.
"Uh, what does it do?" Rinoa was the first to ask. She wasn't always the bubbly and vivacious girl she'd appeared when they first met her since the encounter with the Sorceresses, but she was still far from timid.
"Ah! Ov course, ov course. All in good time, my dear," Odine flipped a hand at her, fiddling some more with the wires at the back of the object. Sparks flew and he jumped back, but continued after a second of recovery.
"Odine…" Quistis said warningly.
"All right, zen, Miss Trepe, because you ask so nicely," he responded, "eet eez a time maschine. Ze first to be invented, and by me!"
She ignored the sarcasm in the beginning part of his sentence and was about to speak again when Selphie's eyes widened and she jumped up and down.
"That's so cool!" She and Zell jumped over next to it, staring in wonder. Rinoa walked over more calmly, a warning on her lips. Sparks flew once again behind the machine and before Quistis had time to blink the three had disappeared.
Once they got over the initial shock, Quistis, Squall and Irvine looked at one another, and then the doctor.
"But, ah, eet still needs a leetle bit of tweeking."