In the dance hall at the SeeD graduation ceremony, a young man leant against one of the columns and excluded himself from the celebrations.
Dollet had survived the attack by Galbadia and four cadets – including himself – had shown incredible promise, earning themselves their promotion. True, the satellite array remained operational and in the hands of the Galbadian army, but the rest of the coastal town had been left alone. He knew it was a victory, but he didn't feel victorious.
He had taken a flute of champagne from one of the waiting staff, but even that was dry and tasteless to him. The other graduates came over to him, trying to make conversation, but he really wasn't interested in making friends. That was not for him. Not something he needed.
Meanwhile, Rinoa had travelled all the way from Timber to meet with Cid Kramer and discuss her plans to liberate her city from its Galbadian occupation. She didn't have much money left to hire SeeD, but she did have information she had gleaned from her father, Fury Caraway – one of Galbadia's more prominent generals. Of course, she didn't tell him that.
She was there following the advice of a cadet she had dated once and was still in contact with, having failed to get an appointment with the headmaster. Cid, it had turned out, was an incredibly disorganised and, therefore, busy man; he was constantly chasing his own tail, and being told by his personal assistants where he was meant to be and what he was meant to be doing.
Seifer had told her about the graduation ceremony: "Everyone will be there when I get promoted! You should come too, then you can meet Cid."
It had been a good plan: spur of the moment, right up her street. She had left Seifer disciplining some students for hitting the punch at the buffet too hard – which was kind of a relief, as he was in an incredibly bad mood for having not made it as a SeeD this time. Also, his new battle scar was terrifying to look at.
She had just started making a beeline for Cid when she was stopped in her tracks by a mysterious buzzing in her mind.
She couldn't place it, but she suddenly had a new appreciation for where and when she was. This was a special moment, wasn't it? Not just for the SeeD graduates, but for her, too. Why was that? Because she was finally going to get to speak with Cid?
No, that's not it.
She looked up at the moon, and took in its full, monstrous glory. When had something she had always seen as beautifully romantic suddenly become fearsome and foreboding to her?
She felt as though she shouldn't be taking something for granted, but wasn't sure what.
Maybe, she thought, it's because it's quite fancy here? The polished brass, the embroidery, the ambience, the music, the sheer pomp and classiness of it all? Everybody is happy here, unlike in Timber.
Are they?
The question was left hanging as Rinoa was caught off-guard by the ephemeral beauty of a shooting star as it danced across the cloudless and velvety black. There was a strange compulsion to look to her right. Something important was there, someone important was there, though she couldn't say how she knew.
She followed such a compulsion, as it was in her nature to do, and found one of the SeeD graduates staring at her. She had to admit, for someone who had just achieved what he had spent his childhood working towards, he didn't look very happy. She pointed at where the star had been – had he seen it? Didn't he think it was magical? Wasn't it something to smile with wonder about?
She had looked at him as though she had known he would be there. She had shared the same special moment that everyone else, all wrapped up in their own successes and failures, had failed to notice. That made her special – unlike the others. Interest piqued, Squall inclined his head as an invitation for her to come and break his solitude. She was not a cadet, not a SeeD. He wondered what she was doing here.
For some reason, despite the terrifying scar that was nearly identical to Seifer's, and the transparently obvious "I wish I was anywhere other than here" vibes, she felt herself drawn to him.
Little did she know that Ellone, a lady she hadn't met yet, had let go of an extra weight, somewhere along the way; it was a weight that was rapidly feeling lighter, though:
Are you kidding me? He's the best-looking guy here!
The ridiculousness of the thought made her giggle. Blonde men were more her type. Authoritative, not obscure. Outspoken and confident, not introverted and grave.
The scar was recent, he must have gotten it in Dollet.
Maybe he was just self-conscious?
The kind thing to do, the right thing to do, would be to try and boost his confidence!
"Dance with me?" she said.
