Quistis sat alone in her darkened room. Curtains pulled. She'd slept most of the morning – constantly tapping snooze every ten minutes on her alarm clock, whittling the morning hours away in a hazy cloud of interrupted dreams. By midday she slid from her bed, sitting bow legged on the floor in her pyjamas she fished a polaroid picture from a small box in her bedside locker. Catching a thin ray of light that forced itself through a thin gap between the wall and curtain she scanned the photo. Headmaster Cid was beaming, a toothy smile filling his face. By his side she stood, enveloped in his stocky frame with a cheeky, closed-lip smile on her face. One whole year…. One year since she'd made it to the rank of instructor. Instructor Trepe. The idea still seemed a little strange. But it was all that she had ever wanted; all that she had dreamed of. Ever since she had first set foot in Balamb Garden it was her sole goal to become an instructor. She achieved it. She'd become the youngest instructor in the history of Garden. But things had soured. The last time she talked to Cid his toothy smile was gone, replaced with a sorry frown. She'd told him she wanted to stand down, to relinquish her title. To revert back to being a SeeD.
He looked at her with sad eyes. Scanned her face. Sighed. She'd told him that she was struggling, that she couldn't handle the stress. That she felt that she lacked the leadership qualities, that she lacked the driving spark to inspire those she tutored. Cid had agreed that other instructors had confessed to him that they'd been second-guessing her. But he did not try to persuade her to stay. He did not try to persuade her to change her mind. He accepted her resignation. That's what hurt Quistis the most. She held no grudge. She looked ay Cid as a father of sorts. But his silent acceptance of her resignation spoke more than words could. Maybe she was too young…. She'd made it once, with more time, more training, more experience she could make it again. But not now. She was not a finished project, she was a work in progress and it was time for her metal to be put back in the fire to be re-tempered and hardened into something better. There was no shame in that. No shame in thinking that, no shame in admitting that, and no shame in walking away. The faces of the members of The Trepe fan club flashed in her mind. They believed in her. The news would break their hearts. But they were good people, caring – they'd understand. Squall's face came to mind next. Why Squall, she questioned, feeling her heart speed up. She pushed his image to the back of her mind. For all that had been done and said, and for all that was coming she knew that she had to be strong. She rose to her feet. Catching her leather boots in her hands she smiled as she clicked their heels together. Time to be strong. Time to walk proud. Time for a new start. A new chapter…. Time to give 'em all hell.
Rinoa pawed at the crumpled pile of notes in her hand. It was all the money the resistance had to spare. All they could scrape together for her trip. Her eyes rose to the window of the boutique. The svelte mannequin in the window mirrored her own slight frame – making the job of imagening the beautiful, egg-shell white dress that it was wearing on herself all the easier. She swallowed hard as she pushed the door open. A small bell jingled over the door frame. Several other girls already in the shop turned to look at Rinoa, dresses dangling from their arms they squinted at her. Rinoa walked to the counter and pointed at the mannequin in the window. She sat by the waterfront in front of the junk shop, feet dangling free from the edge, her new dress laying gently in its plastic cover by her side. The guilt was strong, overpowering. There were so many better uses for that money – she knew it. But she tried to tell herself that it was a necessary spend, vital, even. The party was to be tonight. The party to celebrate the ascension of the new SeeDs. Cid would be there, and that was where she would get him, corner him, convince him to help their cause. To be there she needed to look the part.
"Wow. I've never seen a girl who's just shopped till-she-dropped looked so damn glum!" A familiar voice rang out from behind Rinoa. Rinoa cocked her head back to find Ma Dincht standing on, her fists balled up and pushed into the hem of her apron. A fake scowl that hung on Ma's face soon melted away, replaced with a warm smile. "Why so sad, girl?" Ma continued. Before Rinoa could answer Ma caught Rinoa's arm and lifted her to her feet. "Nothing that tea can't fix, I suppose," Ma laughed, Rinoa struggled to form a single word as she was spirited away.
The sun was starting to set in the sky as Rinoa spun into the small sitting room. Ma and her friend Catherine dropped their teacups and clapped as Rinoa came to a *thud stop, throwing a cheeky bow to the two women *thudd.
"Just beautiful!" Ma cheered. "Fantastic," Catherine chimed in," as Rinoa hunkered down at the table. She lifted her own mug and took a sip. The tea was mild and refreshing, Rinoa sighed with happiness… *thudddd. "That face looks 1,000x times better with a smile on it," Ma quipped.
"So, Rinoa, was it?" Catherine questioned, "What brings you to Balamb? Are you looking to enrol in Garden?"
"I bet it was a boy that brought her here," Ma said with a wink. Headmaster Cid's face flashed in Rinoa's mind. Rinoa giggled. "Ah…. See, it is a boy!" Ma said, the three women laughed *Thuuuddddd.
"Let me see your tea leaves," Catherine said, taking Rinoa's mug before Rinoa had a chance to respond. The two women peered into the mug *thuuuddddd.
"Wow. What is that noise?" Rinoa questioned, she wrinkled her nose as she threw her gaze to the ceiling.
"Noise?" Ma questioned, rising her gaze from the interior of the mug, "Ohhhhhhh, that noise," Ma said with a chuckle, "That's just my boy practising his karate-jitsu or whatever the blazes he calls it upstairs… Lively boy, full of energy."
"Ohhhhh, I get it now," Catherine cut across Ma. "You're going to meet a tall, dark, handsome man!"
"Blonde-haired?" Ma questioned.
"Brunette, I'm sure!" Catherine quipped back. A faint smile on Ma's face vanished as she sighed. "Yes," Catherine continued, "I see it as clear as day. He's brunette, moody, serious, but kind at heart. I see….. I see also a journey. Yes, a journey! You'll go on a great journey."
"Wow," Rinoa said, bemused. She leaned over the table, throwing a glance down into the soggy mass of congealed tea leaves at the bottom of the little white mug. "You can tell all of that from just tea leaves?" Catherine nodded in agreement, throwing a wry smile at Rinoa.
"That's not even the best part, though….." Catherine said.
"Oh?" Ma and Rinoa called out together in one voice.
"Oh yes. There's darkness on your road too, Rinoa. But all will end well. You just need to stand strong and believe in yourself."
"Oh what a load of rubbish," A male voice called out. Rinoa pitched around to find a young man standing in the doorway. Ma bounded from her seat by the table and lashed out playfully, striking the young man with a tea towel several times.
"I'll tell you what I see in your future, Zell!" Ma exclaimed.
"Oh yeah, a tall, dark, handsome woman I hope!" Zell quipped back.
"Oh no, even better!" Ma scoffed, gesturing for Zell to come closer. "I see an important mission, yes, an escort mission. A mission of vital importance! You have to escort this lovely girl to Garden, she has a big party to attend, as do you, mister!"
Man, I sure have changed…
I…. sure have changed…..
The words came to Squall crisp and clear. Rising from the darkness and falling about his ears from all directions, echoing into the void. The voice uttering the words was cold, monotone, but familiar – it was his own voice. The silence soon gave way to a sound very familiar to Squall - both from murky, dormant memories of childhood and from his current life spent on the island of Balamb - the gentle lapping of the sea and the cries of seagulls.
"Quistis!?" Squall bellowed into the darkness, taking a step forward "Zell!?… Selphie!?" He continued, taking another step forward. With that step, like the spark, the great bang that created the universe from nothing, an image both distant but familiar appeared before Squall. A bridge, flat and level for its entire length continued off into the horizon as far as the eye can see, and then some. The rail tracks that lined its surface were rusted, warped and rendered useless by time and the elements. The relics of a bygone industrial age. Every few feet or so an ornate lamp stood, festooned on either side of the bridge in pairs. Though the day was bright and the sun high in the sky a number of the lamps were already lighting. Further in the distance the famous solar panels of Fisherman's Horizon could be seen glinting like a giant, bristling hedgehog. This has to be a dream, Squall thought as he pushed the palm of his left hand into the scar that slithered from his forehead and skirted the brow of his nose; it has to be a dream.
It's…. It's pretty far
Didn't think It'd be this far…
The voice came once more. This time not all-encompassing, not coming from all directions, but from one – from behind of Squall. He pivoted about, swiftly, only to come face-to-face with himself. Not the man that he was now, but the man that he would, or could be. A confused man, battling his emotions. Battling his beliefs. Battling his inner demons. So many forces, so many feelings, beliefs, all at war for ownership of his heart and soul. This Squall, the alternate Squall, was breathless, shaky. His brow was lined with sweat, his lip trembling, his feet shaking. On his back a girl lay limp and lifeless. Her face peeking out from above his right shoulder. Her once ebony-white skin now darkened slightly by the overbearing sun, her scarlet lips dried and cracked. Her face was familiar. The girl from his previous dream. Rinoa. Coming to a stop the alternate Squall lay Rinoa gently against a particularly high section of curbing, before lowering himself down, his feet dangling off the bridge..
To tell you the truth, I worry too much about what others think of me….
Squall took a step towards Rinoa for a better look as alternate Squall fixed his gaze on the sun. Squall's heart raced, his stomach pitched and turned, knotting itself with anticipation and nervousness. He edged forward. Fixed on her gentle face. She was so beautiful, irresistible, magnetic.
I hate that side of me…..
Squall was close enough now, despite just being a dream he was close enough to smell her rose-scented perfume.
That's why I didn't want anyone to get to know me…..
Alternate Squall continued to talk, still gazing at the sun as Squall lowered himself down onto his knees beside Rinoa. He removed the glove from his left hand, and in one swift motion ran the exposed back of his left hand across Rinoa's right cheek. With that one touch his mind exploded, a rapid slide show of images, thoughts and feelings. Music, fireworks, dancing, tender hugs, fear, hope, love. A tear formed in the corner of his right eye and traced its way down Squall's right cheek. He slumped back, mouth agape struggling to come to terms with the massive mental and spiritual awakening that he had just been subject to.
Alternate Squall turned briskly. He leaned forward, face-to-face with Squall.
"The time is about to come," Alternate Squall said. His voice now different, deeper, more menacing. His lips failing to move in unison with the words that he was speaking. "A time for war," He continued, "A time for battle. Remember yourself, what you are and what you must become. Remember her also," Alternate Squall gestured to Rinoa, "Be brave, be strong, be willing to believe. When the time comes I will tell you what to do. But it is you that must act. The age of the dual sorceresses is coming. The final showdown, the final battle. You must be strong…."
A gentle tapping woke Squall, he stumbled from his bed awkwardly. He'd drifted off to sleep in his clothes again, they clung to his body, bunched in great creases and clinging to his form with sweat. He stumbled toward the door; Selphie was waiting outside in her full SeeD uniform. She greeted Squall with a twirl and a wry smile.
"Come on, big guy… We have a party to go to!"