Okay, here's chap 2 -now with more Squall, lol- Enjoy!

As Zelda continued to fall down that dark well all she could think about was what had gone wrong? She was all set to be married and live out the rest of her life in splendid bliss with Prince Link and yet here she was surrounded by a dark abyss, falling towards Goddesses knows where.

Just as Zelda had given up all hope of ever returning to the realm of light she came to an abrupt stop. She had landed on something hard and rough, somewhat like a floor. There was a ring of light on the surface and curiously she pushed upon it, removing the section of floor, and entering a new world…

"Oh my…"

Zelda stood and stared in awe. This world was unlike any she had ever seen. Tall buildings reached up into the heavens, flashing lights illuminated the dark city, several people walked about busily, some of which gave her odd looks as they passed by. But what intrigued Zelda the most were the large creatures roaming the streets. They were box shaped and appeared to have people in them.

The young girl from Hyrule gasped, "Oh no! Those poor people are trapped inside those horrible creatures! I must do something!"

Zelda ran, in the middle of the street, straight toward a car.

"Hey lady, get outta the road!" yelled the driver as he narrowly avoided Zelda and sped off.

She turned left to get away and was nearly hit by another car. She backed away in fright just as that car got hit by one from behind.

"Move it!"

"Dumb blonde! Move yer ass!"

Scared and confused, Zelda quickly ran over towards the side walk where she bumped into several passersby. They all gave her mean looks and shoved her aside as they continued on their way.

"E-Excuse me! Can any of you please- Oh!" She was cut off as a rather rude passerby shoved her into one of the many side building's walls. "Oh ow… P-Please, can anyone direct me to the castle? I'm supposed to be getting married today and-"

"Get out of the way!"

Zelda frowned. "Please, if you'd only listen for a minute-"

No one was listening. They were too busy with their own lives to worry over a lost bride. Regrettably, Zelda turned away from the crowded streets and into a back alley. Perhaps if she could just find one person who would listen to her she could-

Zelda's face lit up as she spotted an old man sitting alone. "Excuse me, kind sir! Can you help me? You see, I'm lost and I don't know where I am… May I sit down?"

The old man simply stared at her in confusion. Not knowing what to say he simply nodded.

As she sat down she said, "Oh thank you, I have been walking for awhile... I'm just glad I was able to find you. You see, I had always heard you frequented the waterfall and I couldn't find any…"

If the old man wasn't confused before, he certainly was now.

"You see, I'm supposed to get married today to Prince Link but I…" But what? She was speaking with that strange woman when-

Suddenly the old man reached out and took her golden head piece. He cackled as he ran away towards town.

"Give that back!" yelled Zelda as she ran after him. "That's mine! I need it to- Stop!"

The lone bride to be slowed to a stop as she lost him in the crowd. She had lost her head piece. She had lost her home. Prince Link was gone. Minish… He shoulders slumped as she realized the weight of her situation. She was lost in a strange place with no one to turn to.

Zelda forced a smile, "At least it can't get any worse!"

Rain.

"It just got worse…"

X

Squall Leonhart stared dead ahead in complete and utter boredom. Ever since the Sorceress Ultimecia's defeat things had gone back to normal. No more wars, no more assignments, no more random things to do… In short, a completely normal boring life… The rain outside only added to his already bad mood.

Sitting in front of him, ready to rip each other's heads off, were Selphi and Irvine. The two had gotten together after Ultimecia fell but quickly had a falling out. The reason? A card. A simple little Triple Triad card. The two had nearly gone to war over it and Cid had tasked Squall with 'resolving' the situation before it got too out of hand.

Resolving? I don't even think Selphi knows what that is…

"Its mine!" yelled Selphi as she glared daggers at her ex-boyfriend. "Its mine and you know it!"

"You mean it used to be yours," replied Irvine. He leaned back casually in his chair as he said, "I won that card fair and square so ha!"

Selphi stood up quickly and stomped her foot causing Irvine to lose his balance. He stumbled backward onto the floor as Selphi yelled, "You cheated, you washed up cowboy! Now give it back or-"

"W-Washed up?-!" Irvine quickly jumped to his feet. "Who you call 'en 'washed up'?-!"

"You! You mush for brains!"

"Why you-"

Squall had had enough. Mission or no, he was done. Without even saying a word he stood up and left, closing the door behind him. He had better things to do than listen to Selphi and Irvine yell at each other.

"Squall? Done already?" Squall's longtime friend and instructor, Quistis, stood up from her desk to greet her friend. "Any luck?"

"What do you think?" he asked. Getting those two to cooperate is like teaching a chocobo to fly…

She sighed, "And they used to be so close too… It's a real shame…"

Whatever.

"Anyway," Quistis put on a smile as she asked, "Guess who just called?" When he didn't answer she said happily, "Rinoa!"

"Rinoa?"

She nodded, "She just finished putting the final touches on her Timber Restoration Act and should be back tomorrow morning. Isn't that wonderful?"

Squall folded his arms as he stared out the rainy window in thought. "I suppose…"

"You suppose?-! Squall Leonhart!" Quistis marched up to him and with her instructor voice said, "Squall Leonhart, what is wrong with you? This is what you've been waiting for isn't it? A chance to propose to her? You said that when she got back-"

"I know what I said. Its just…"

"Having second thoughts?"

Second thoughts? No, its not that. Its just- "How am I supposed to tell Zell?"

Quistis backed off. Zell was completely oblivious when it came to things like this. "Well, um… You could always… Huh…"

I suppose I'll just have to be blunt with him. As usual… Squall turned to leave, "Make sure Selphi and Irvine haven't killed each other. I haven't heard any arguing coming from the other side of the door…"

"Alright. Good luck, Squall."

I'm going to need it…

X

"Yo! Yo, Squall! Hold up! Squall- Ow…" Zell flinched in pain as the taxi door slammed on his foot. Forcing a smile, he got in the taxi and closed the door. "Few! Man, am I glad I caught up to ya! You said you would wait for me!"

I did. For fifteen minutes…

"Boy, its pouring out there, huh?" He laughed as he shook the rain out of his hair, getting Squall wet in the process. "Say Squall, have-" he paused as he noticed his friend's glare. "Heh heh, oops… Sorry Squall…"

He sighed. Though they were roommates, Squall still hadn't quite gotten used to Zell's antics. Like how he always had to have a hotdog at all hours of the day and night. His strange obsession with randomly punching at nothing. And how exactly did he get his hair to do that? Hair glue?

"So, guess what I heard?" asked Zell as the taxi started to move.

Squall frowned, "What?"

"Rinoa's coming back!" he said happily.

So Zell knows? But how much does he know exactly? "Zell-"

"Aren't you excited? You haven't seen her in how long?" He snickered, "I bet she'll be happy to see you!"

"Zell-"

"You have to totally invite her over!" he continued, totally ignoring Squall. "It'll be like old times! Just without tons of monsters and evil sorceresses trying to kill us…eh heh…"

"Zell, I-"

"Course we'll have to get more hotdogs and-"

"ZELL!"

He paused, "Er… Yeah, Squall?"

"I'm going to ask Rinoa to marry me."

Silence.

"SAY WHAT?-!"

How did I know he would react like this…?

"But Squall, if you get-get…you know, and Rinoa yeah then-then…" He paused, "Do I have to give up my room?"

Squall sweat-dropped. To think this is one of the guys responsible for saving the world… "No, Zell, you don't have to give up your room. You have to-"

"You're not kicking me out are you?" he asked sadly. He gave him a pout face as he awaited an answer.

Squall sighed. "No, Zell, I'm not-"

"Good!" He let out a relieved sigh as he smiled, "I knew you weren't as cold hearted as everyone said."

Cold hearted? "Zell, you don't under-"

"Oh, I understand perfectly! It'll be like before: Me, you, and Rinoa, having fun hang 'en out!"

He still doesn't get it… Done with the conversation, he turned to stare out the window.

The rain had let up some so he could easily make out the several shops lining the now empty streets. The clock tower glowed brightly in the distance as they passed General Caraway's mansion. It seemed only yesterday they had grouped there to discuss how to bring about Sorceress Edea's assassination. In the end, he was glad they had not succeeded…

"Hey, Squall, check out that weird chick…"

Squall came out of his thoughts as the taxi came to a stop. A strange girl in a white wedding gown was stuck up in a tree. The hell…?

"Hey! How's it going?" greeted Zell as he got out of the car and approached her.

Zell… After paying the fare, he too got out and approached the girl. It looked like she was chasing something. An…owl?

Zelda held on to a branch to support herself as she called out to the owl. "Excuse me, Mr. Gaebora… Please, can you direct me towards the castle? Do you know where Prince Link is?"

"Dude, she's talking to an owl…"

"I can see that…" Squall looked up at her curiously. A wedding dress and…pointy ears? Just who is this girl?

"Hello? Kaepora, do you- Oh!" Zelda gasped as she lost her footing and nearly fell. She held on to a top branch for dear life. "Help!"

"Squall, you have to do something!"

Why me?

"Squall!"

"Aaaahhh!"

Dammit. Squall rushed forward and caught Zelda just as the branch broke. It would have been a graceful rescue if they both hadn't collapsed under the weight of the dress.

"Wow, nice landing…" joked Zell. "You guys okay?"

I think…

"I believe so…" Zelda fixed her dress as she gave Squall a bow, "Thank you for rescuing me. It was most kind of you."

"…yeah…"

"What were you doing up in that tree?" asked Zell.

"Oh! I was asking the wise old owl if he knew where the castle was. You see, I was supposed to marry Prince Link today and live happily ever after but something went terribly wrong… Do you know where I am?"

Zell and Squall stared at her in confusion. Prince? There were no princes in this era and the only castle they knew of was Ultimecia's, but that was in the future. So what was this girl talking about?

"This is Deling City," said Squall finally. "Where are you from?"

"From the fantastical Kingdom of Hyrule."

Zell laughed, "Yeah right… For real though, where are you from?"

Before she could answer, a bolt of lightning flashed through the sky followed by a clap of thunder. It seemed as if it were going to rain again…

"Perhaps we should continue this conversation inside?"

X

On their way to Squall's apartment Zelda had begun explaining her tale to them. Of how she was saved by Prince Link and of their wedding. They had just made it to their floor when she got to the part about the mysterious stranger.

"Wait. So you just followed some stranger you didn't even know?"

"Well, yes… She told me to look into the well and wish for all my dreams to come true but I must have looked very far because I fell down, down, down… And then I climbed out of this big round hole and I got very lost… Until I fell out of the tree and now here I am with you!" She gave them a great big smile to show her appreciation.

"Right… Is that a habbit of yours? Falling out of stuff?" asked Squall.

He meant it as a sarcastic remark but Zelda took it seriously.

"Well no… Usually I get kidnapped or turned to stone. I remember this one time I was put under a sleeping spell."

"Sleeping spell?"

"Oh yes, but not to worry. I'm certain that Link is already searching for me."

"He's uh, that Prince guy, right?" asked Zell.

"Yes, no doubt by morning he'll come and rescue me from this strange land…"

Strange? You're the only one whose strange here…

"And when he does rescue me he'll take me home and the two of us can share in true love's kiss…" She sighed as she thought of Prince Link holding her in his arms. "Oh Link…"

Squall paused outside his door. "True love's kiss?"

She gave him a nod, "It's the most powerful thing in the world…"

Whatever.

As Squall opened the door, Zell rushed in mumbling something about hotdogs. Zelda entered the apartment in awe. It was unlike anything she'd ever seen. All these places and people were so different to her, but deep down she knew everything would be alright. Prince Link would come to rescue her and they would all live happily ever after.

"So, um, do you have any place to stay?" asked Squall as he closed the door.

"I don't believe so… Perhaps I could find an underground grotto or a hollowed tree to stay in…"

Grotto? Tree? She cant be serious… "Listen, I'll call you a taxi and you can go back to…whatever, okay?"

She tilted her head in confusion, "Taxi?"

Squall resisted the urge to roll his eyes, "Just…stay on the couch until I get back, got it?"

Zelda did as Squall said and sat down on the couch. Squall had gone off into a side room to find his cell when Zell walked out of the kitchen, a hotdog in his hand.

"So are you some kind of princess or something?" he asked.

"Not yet. But I will be soon…" She yawned as she leaned down to rest her head, "Once Prince Link comes and rescues me…"

"Once he rescues you what?"

No answer.

"Um, hello? Uh-oh…" Zell left Zelda's sleeping from and approached Squall who had just found his cell phone. "Um, Squall? That weird chick just passed out on your couch…"

"What?" Squall rushed into the living room to see for himself. "Oh no. She cant stay here."

"But Squall-"

"Wake her up."

"No."

He turned to face Zell. Usually when he asked for something Zell would do it, no questions asked. For him to refuse like this… "Zell-"

"I'm not just going to throw some girl out in the rain! And neither should you!"

"Zell, we don't even know who she is and its obvious she has some serious mental problems... I have enough to deal with as it is."

"So you're just going to kick her out?"

He wanted to say yes. He had no obligations towards this woman. Heck, he didn't even know her name. Why should he care what happened to her?
He looked down at her sleeping peacefully on the couch. There was something about her… Something…magical that made him unable to refuse her. After a moment, he sighed.

"Fine, she can stay-"

"Alright!"

"But just for tonight."

"See? You do care!" Zell shoveled down his hotdog. "Now if you'll excuse, I have to go work this off…"

As Zell left, Squall turned his gaze back to Zelda. Its not that I care… I just… Just what? He shook his head, "I think too much…"

Thus ends chap 2! I decided to base them in Deling City cuz it seemed like the most appropriate FF8 city to use. And if you're confused over the Ultimecia thing don't be. It all gets explained later.

Till next chap!