Remastered
Squall felt different.
Not uncomfortable, not in any pain. Just…different.
When he went to bed the night before, nothing was amiss. His day off had been uneventful, his night much the same. Lionheart was cleaned and stowed. Dinner leftovers in the fridge. Dishes washed, laundry in the dryer. The TV show he watched had been informative and entertaining. Something about grendels. He brushed his teeth, washed his face, put on pajama pants and a ratty t-shirt. Read a book for a while, started to doze off. Deciding to leave his bedroom window open, he had relished in the cool night breeze wisping over his body as he fell asleep. With Rinoa in Dollet spending all his money, he enjoyed the freedom of having the entire bed to himself. Well, almost to himself. Angelo kept his feet warm.
It wasn't until dawn, when the sun's light filtered in through the blinds, that he realized something was different.
Everything looked—clearer. More in focus. The edges of his nightstand were more angular than he remembered. The paint on the wall more vibrant. A framed photo of Winhill looked so real he thought for a moment he was staring out a window. The sunlight was brighter and more intense than he had ever experienced. Maybe it was the angle of the morning light? He tried to remember if perhaps the windows had been cleaned the day before. A quick look up and over his head revealed the same smudge of bird poop that had been there for a week.
Squall sighed contentedly. He wasn't about to argue with the universe for bestowing him with the gift of a perfect morning.
He stretched out, his feet bumping Angelo. She let out a yelp of annoyance.
And now she sounded different.
Louder, crisper. He sat up on his elbows to stare at the animal. Her fur looked more luxurious than normal.
Must be the new vitamin-enriched dog food…
Her tail wagged excitedly, and she leapt at him, licking his face. He immediately recoiled. Her breath stunk. Like, really stunk. It always smelled like dog breath, but this was different. More intense. He pushed her away and mentally reminded himself to brush her teeth before the week was out.
Sitting up, the blankets pooled around his waist before he pushed them aside and got up. The floor felt colder than usual on his bare feet. More slippery. As he made his way into the bathroom and flipped on the light, he was greeted with a surprise.
His reflection.
What in the actual hell?
His face was more angular, skin smoother. Morning stubble more pronounced. The blue of his eyes sparkled like never before. His hair was a deeper tone, strands of lighter brown woven in with the darker locks. Hyne, even his teeth looked whiter.
The SeeD commander stood awash with confusion. In the middle of his bathroom. In his pajamas.
Deciding he needed a hot shower to clear his head, he stripped off his clothes and turned on the faucet, stepping under the scalding spray. And of course, it felt hotter. Wetter, if that was even possible. His shampoo smelled stronger, the suds under his fingertips lighter and more abundant.
His towel felt softer. Looked cleaner, brighter. His razor sharper. Boxers looser, more comfortable. The leather of his jacket was more supple. The birds outside his window, peeping with exuberance the likes of which he had never heard before.
Sure, he'd enjoyed it at first, but now—now it was just freaking him the fuck out. He didn't want to admit to himself that maybe, just maybe, he was losing his mind. Were the GF's messing with him in some new, unforeseen way? Squall forced himself to take a few deep, cleansing breaths. He wasn't the type to get this flustered. Work would cure all. He'd drown himself in his work and try to forget this strange phenomenon.
Nothing looked right. Sounded right. Smelled right. Felt right. Suddenly he just wanted to go back to normal. Whatever that was. He didn't like being confused or feeling out of control.
His phone rang, louder and more melodic than ever. He jumped, then reluctantly answered.
Selphie.
Of course.
Her voice was chipper. Like always. But—easier to hear, and crisper. No crackles on the line. She wanted him to come quick, she had something important to show him and it couldn't wait. When he tried to decline, she just yelled at him and hung up.
So, out to the Quad he went. The stairs were whiter than ever. Shinier. Water bubbling in the reflecting pools, smelling clean. The trees swaying, the rustling of the leaves soothing. Triple Triad being played all around him, the sound of the cards slapping down more prevalent that it had ever been. The cards themselves—the images crystal clear, the numbers whiter than the Trabian snow fields.
And then there was the noise. Louder. It was like he could hear each distinct voice, distinguish every conversation from one another. Bees buzzing. The footsteps of each cadet. The sun was blazing overhead, the sky bluer than he had ever seen in his entire life. Clouds so fluffy and soft they looked as if they weren't even real.
Was this a dream?
Was this…the work of a sorceress?
Were they…in danger?
Was he…even real?
Was…?
He didn't even remember hitting the ground.
When Squall awoke, a dozen or so cadets gazed down at him. Something was under his back and neck. Soft fabric, a warm body. The scent of Estharian perfume, pungent.
"C'mon, I said get outta here!" Selphie pointed at the students. "Commander Leonhart's fine. Just needs a drink of water."
The cadets reluctantly dispersed. They'd have one hell of a story to tell later. It'd be all over the Garden message boards. Squall couldn't wait to explain this one to Cid.
"You okay?" Selphie peered down at him, shifting her knees under his body to make him more comfortable.
"What happened?"
"You tell me." She helped him sit up.
Squall put his hands palm-down on the ground to steady himself. Of course, the path felt different. The rocks were sharper.
"I guess I fainted." He tried to shake the grogginess from his brain.
"Get the vapors or something?" She smirked as she pried one of his eyelids down to scrutinize his pupils.
"Whatever. Just help me up." He shooed her hands away with an irritated growl.
The tiny SeeD grunted as she yanked on Squall's arm, pulling him into a standing position. His head spun, and he brought his palm up to his forehead. It took him a moment to gain his bearings.
Selphie dusted off the back of Squall's jacket. "Want to go sit down under the tree? There's an open bench."
Squall didn't answer as he made his way to the bench and sat. Selphie joined him, swinging her legs happily. They were silent for a long moment, Squall concentrating on evening out his breathing—which, of course, sounded louder and stronger. After he calmed himself, he finally spoke.
"Selphie…?" He hesitated. He didn't like appearing weak or unsure to others, but truth be told—he was confused. Really confused. At least he knew he could trust her not to blab to Kadowaki. Or Cid. And she knew he'd kill her if what he was about to say ended up on the message board. "…do you…notice anything strange about today?" He couldn't believe he was confiding in her. In anyone.
"You mean how beautiful everything is?" She smiled broadly. "Isn't it great?"
"I wouldn't exactly classify it as 'great'." He hung his head, massaging the back of his neck. A knot had formed. A painful one.
"Why not?" Her tone was practically giddy. "It's not like it's a surprise, or anything."
"What are you talking about?"
"What, you didn't get the memo?" Selphie seemed genuinely shocked.
"What memo?" Squall regarded her with suspicion.
"Laguna sent it yesterday. To, like, everyone on the planet."
Laguna. Figures.
"I wasn't in my office yesterday."
"Sucks to be you, then." She shrugged her shoulders. "Some sort of energy ray. Zzzt, zzzt! Supposed to enhance the environment."
"Enhance the…what?"
"Dunno exactly. All the memo said was there might be some slight adjustments to the sky. And ground. And…well…everything else. For the better, though." She stared up at the sky and inhaled deeply, the sun's rays making her skin appear to glow. "I don't know about you, but I love it. Everything is so much prettier!"
What the hell were Laguna and his scientists thinking? He could have destroyed the planet!
He felt his skin bristle; his shoulders tighten with rage. Obviously, Selphie had known him long enough to sense it.
"Squall…please don't be mad at Sir Laguna."
"I told you not to call him that." The Commander scowled.
"He doesn't mind! He said so himself!" She crossed her arms over her chest in defiance.
"His scientists could have done real damage!"
"But they didn't." Selphie gestured in front of them. "Look around! Everything's more beautiful than ever! I've never heard birds sing so melodically! The sky is bluer, the grass greener! My skin even cleared up overnight! No more zits, Squall! It's a miracle!"
The commander stared at her. How could she be so excited when the world had been changed? How did they know this wouldn't cause a catastrophe in the weeks to come? Squall was practically waiting for the sky to unzip and the universe to come crashing in on itself. This could have had drastic consequences.
Could have.
But it didn't.
Squall paused mid-thought. What was he doing? Nothing bad happened. Everything was still the same…only better. He was so used to being the skeptic. The level-headed one. Just for once, maybe he should take something at face-value and stop overthinking it.
Looking over at his tiny friend, smiling broader than he had ever seen her—and that was saying a lot—he suddenly realized he needed to stop and enjoy too.
Channel his inner-Selphie. Scary thought.
And so, Squall Leonhart sat with his friend and enjoyed a new, crisper world.
That didn't mean he still wouldn't give Laguna an earful next time he saw him. Those scientists had better have all their permits in order.
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A/N: Well, I'm back for a hot second. The remaster announcement sparked a little flame under Auntie Bebedora, and I couldn't help myself. Now back to my original books…until the remaster comes out and I play the hell out of it again. Which will more than likely mean more fic.