Back to the Start (I)

It's been 3 years since Ultimecia's death. Everyone still wonders if something wrong happened to the present though time compression. In what kind of person in what generation did Ultimecia gave her powers? Everyone was afraid that wasn't over, even they didn't admit that.

All these years, our heroes secured peace around the world. Actually, the last military action was them going after Ultimecia! Squall was the Balamb Garden leader. While having that place, he took one of the greatest, if not the greatest, decisions in his life. He decided to quit.

When he announced it, everyone worried. They didn't want him to leave the Garden under another command since Cid was out. Squall had considered about everything, including leadership. He contacted Cid and Edea and they agreed to live in the Garden while taking his duties.

Everyone in the Garden wanted him to remember them, so they planned events about him. Selphie was the person in charge about the "Squall Festival" as she had named it. They wanted to thank him because he made them give their best and never give up.

But what lead him to that decision? Of course it was Rinoa! They planned to get married and celebrate their love.

The day of the festival had arrived and gone like DoomTrain! Everyone had a great time. Actually when everyone went to sleep, six friends headed for the balcony with some chairs and had a sit. The Garden was heading to Balamb and it was great outside with the view of the sea. They reminded their past adventures. Deling City, Timbers Resistance, Desert Prison and so many other places. They shared their plans for the future.

At some point they left too. They went to their rooms. "Are you sure you want to do this? SeeD is your life." Rinoa said. "You, are my life" Squall replied and kissed her. Then they laid down and tried to have some sleep. Squall kept thinking his friends, his SeeDs, the Garden and every single moment he had in this 10 years that had past. He knew he needed to rest for the emotional farewell he was going to face the next morning. But his thoughts didn't allow him to sleep. He kept thinking and thinking and thinking….'Stop it!' he said in his mind. He managed to stop thinking and slept.

The next morning, the Garden had sad news. As soon as they reached Balamb and Cid along with Edea came on, Selphie, Quistis, Irvine and Zell decided to quit too from being a SeeD. They loved it so much, but they needed to try some other things around the world. Irvine got to work as a bodyguard at the Presidential Palace in Esthar. Zell lived with his mother at Balamb and helped the town. Quistis and Selphie wished to stay in the Garden but only as instructors. Selphie wanted to teach magic and organize the Garden Festival. Rinoa and Squall headed for timber. They found a place there and decided to live. Actually Selphie was the only one that was felling horrible for the separation of their Gang. She wanted to do anything with them. Anything! Every one of them was feeling sad but none admit it.

Some days have past and the invitations for the marriage arrived at their mail boxes. It was going to be only them and their friends at a church near the cliffs of the sea. It was a great place. But only Selphie appeared there. She was off the Garden to visit her friend at Trabia Garden and she arrived just in time for the marriage. Squall was furious with everyone else. "We are going to remind them they have friends. ", Squall said. And so they did. They took the train to Balamb. Selphie knew that the Garden was returning there and Zell lived at Balamb.

They got in the train. Selphie really liked trains and had finally written a song about them. She didn't sing though this time. She wanted a new adventure to come. They sat down at a cabin and waited as they went underwater. They kept silence for a while. Rinoa wanted to speak and so she did. "What about Seifer? I haven't seen him for a while. ", she said. "I heard he became the new headmaster of the Desert Prison. ", Squall said. Suddenly the door opened. Everyone looked at its direction. It was Laguna! "I heard your voices and came to find you! ", he said. Everyone smiled when they saw him.

Actually it's been a long time since they saw him again. Squall wanted some time to understand some things he told him. It wasn't easy to find out that he was his father. Rinoa helped him a lot.

They shared with Laguna their thoughts about this "Reunion Trip ", and he was pleased. "If I can help in any way, it would be my pleasure. ", he said. "Thanks dad. What business do you have in Balamb? ", Squall said. "Actually I have some business with the Garden and they told me it was going back to Balamb today, so I took the train. ", he replied. "Oh great. I… ", Selphie said and she was interrupted by the train control. "Final stop at Balamb. Everyone get ready."

When they got out, they experienced something really strange. It was Lunatic Pandora just outside of Balamb! It was demolished 3 years ago, but it seems like it's been rebuild. Before someone tried to talk, a door opened and there was a really familiar person. "Seifer! ", Squall said. He came close to our friends really quick. 'Where did he got this power? ', Squall thought. "Leading Ultimecia to Time Compression was a huge mistake. ", he said and really quick he took Rinoa and Laguna and he flew to Lunatic Pandora. Then he casted a spell to Squall making him faint. "What an extraordinary power! ", Squall said as he fainted.

Seifer had won this time by taking two of Squall's beloved persons. He found a source of great power? He said about Time Compression, plus Ultimecia. But Ultimecia is dead. Or not?