Sorrow bonds people more than happiness. Why is that? I wonder…

The Day Before Departure

Heeding Gentiana's warning, they decided to leave from Lestallum next day morning. All the preparation for their next day departure was complete and they still had some time on their hands.

"So, what do you want to do now?" Squall asked.

"Hmm, I don't know," Lunafreya said while tapping her index finger on her chin, wondering what to do next. "I guess we should walk through the whole town one last time. We should say goodbyes to everyone who has helped us. We might never come back here again."

'She does talk about things with a certain sense of finality. It's almost ominous. It feels as if she knows something terrible is going to happen and we would never be back here. I will have to ask her at a better time.'

"Hello? Earth to Squall," she waved her hand in from of him breaking his trance. "There you go again, lost in your own thoughts, not sharing anything."

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"Like I was saying since this would be our last night here let's have some fun. We'll stroll around the town, go to Pegglar Outlook and then have a nice dinner somewhere."

'Is she asking for a date?' The voice inside his head asked with excitement. 'Shut the hell up,' Squall squashed that annoying voice in his head.

After briefly thinking about what to do and where to eat, he said, "Okay, sounds good. I have to go pick up new elemental bullets and arrange for a car for tomorrow. I'll pick you up at 6."

"Going on a date, are we?" said a voice from a distance.

"Urgh, Dr. K just leave me alone," he said with a facepalm, as he recognized the voice.

As she came close, she looked at Squall's face, "From pale to blushing in three seconds. So close to my all-time record of 2 seconds."

Squall pretended she did not exist and walked out of there, all the while hearing Lunafreya's laughter in the background.

"Miss Oracle, there are a few things I would like to discuss before you go," she said in a serious tone.

"So, you knew," Lunafreya replied as her laughter died down quickly.

"Yes, but we have tried to preserve your secrecy as best as we could. Not many people know that the Oracle is among them, although people have started to notice. There was even a reporter who came here yesterday looking for you. I understand the peril you would be in if you are found here so I think you should move to a different location soon."

"Yes, I will do that. Thank you for all your help, Dr. K," she said gratefully.

"Mention not. Just doing my duty as a doctor and as a friend to Sylva," she said recollecting memories of her old friend.

"You knew my mother?" she asked instantly, wanted to learn more.

"Yes, my late husband was infected with the starscourge. We traveled a great distance to go see the Oracle. Sylva cursed him of the starscourge. I helped her out with few medicines and we quickly became friends. She was very easy to get along with. She used to love playing the piano and singing. There was never a dull moment with her," Dr. K reminisced as Lunafreya heard her fondly.

"Back then we were young, idealistic, and hopeful. We used to talk a lot about the future. One day we spoke of your future too. Which brings me to my main point. Your injuries were not normal. Ever since you got here the quakes from Titan has increased. It is not a coincidence, am I correct?"

"Yes"

"Did you form a covenant with Titan?"

"Yes"

"That explains a lot about your condition. In dealings with Astrals, the price is often your life. It must be the trauma of forging a covenant which made you unconscious for so long. It would be wise not to engage in another covenant. Next time, you might not be so lucky."

"I will do what I must. I have a duty as an Oracle to fulfill."

"I am not trying to discourage you from your duty. All I am saying is not to engage in another covenant until this one is subdued. Having two covenants at the same time would be catastrophic for your health. Also, the longer a covenant last, the more toll it would take on your body. The king would do well to subdue the Astral as soon as a covenant is formed to protect his Oracle."

"I am sure the king is doing all he can," defending Noctis.

After a long stretch of silence, Dr. K finally resumed the conversation, "Luna, you realize your fate if you continue down this path, right?"

"Yes, I am aware of it," she replied in a somber voice. "But, if I don't do this, who will?"

"You remind me so much of your mother, once she made up her mind nothing could change it. Squall is right in calling you stubborn."

"I am not stubborn, I am determined."

"By the way, who is he?"

"My guardian angel, sent by the Astrals to protect me."

"Is that all? It certainly seems more than that to me," she teased.

She tried to say something, but no proper response formulated in her mind. All she could do was blush unknowingly.

"My my, I did not know that this works on you too. I thought only Squall was prone to this kind of teasing," she said with a laugh.

Once again, there was so much she wanted to say to defend herself, but the right words did not come out.

"Luna, the path you walk on is a dangerous one. The fate you have been handed seems unfair. But, not everything you do have to be about the future or doing what's best for the world. Sometimes it's okay to live for yourself and enjoy the present moment. Too often we get stuck in the regrets of our past or ambitions of our future, but what we miss in all that is the wonders of everyday life that happens around us. Slow down and savor the present and make the best out of it as you don't get a second chance at 'now.' I think Syvlya would have wanted the same from you."

"Thank you for your advice, Dr. K. I shall take your words to my heart."

After hearing that Dr. K left Lunafreya to her own thoughts.

'Enjoy my life a little, huh? That is an interesting proposition. I don't have prying eyes of Ravus or the Empire on me here so I guess I could try to be more instinctive once in a while.'

She contemplated deeply on what Dr. K had said before deciding to get ready.

Squall had finished his errands and had returned to Lunafreya's room. Much to his surprise, the door was locked. Since they shared a common room at the clinic, they usually left the door open so anyone can go in and out freely.

He knocked on the door and heard a voice from inside, "One minute please."

He could have sworn it was at least 10 minutes before the door finally opened. His jaw dropped, his heart almost stopped, as he stared at the ethereal beauty standing in front of him. She wore a knee-length pure white silk dress with a single lace sleeve. Around the lace sleeve was a black strap with an intricate design and studs. A metal patch of Tenebrae's insignia adorned her dress. She wore white high-heeled sandals to go with it. Her blond hair was styled in side-swept bangs with a double braid going across her crown and the rest twisted and pinned up.

Her blue innocent eyes peered back at Squall and after getting no reaction from him, she became self-conscious. She wondered if something was wrong in the way she dressed. Before her thoughts could proceed further, Squall finally spoke up, "Wow, you are beautiful. More beautiful than anyone I have ever seen."

She blushed instantly upon hearing his words. More quickly than any time Squall had ever blushed.

The gravity of his words just dawned on him and he too blushed in response. He broke the eye contact and looked away, not wanting to embarrass himself any further. What he said was something rather uncharacteristic of him. It was a case of his primal instincts taking over and blurting out the first thing that came to his mind, without giving his rational mind a chance to intervene. It was a rare moment of raw honesty which Lunafreya certainly appreciated.

It was so quiet that they could almost hear each other's heartbeat. Lunafreya took the initiative to break the silence.

"You are not coming in this, are you? Come on, go get changed," she instructed Squall, pointing at his slightly ragged clothes. Squall obliged, still a bit dazed as his prefrontal cortex was still trying to catch up with the reality.

He took a quick shower and shaved off his beard. His wardrobe was rather limited, so he wore a slightly modified version of what he usually wears.

He stepped out expecting Lunafreya to greet him, but she was not in the room. He peeked out in the corridor and saw her sitting on the floor with her legs crossed. She seemed to be lost in her thoughts. He quietly walked towards her and kneel next to her.

He fakes coughed to get her attention. She looked up, startled. She had seen him many times, but seeing him without a beard was a first. Without a beard, he looked a lot younger. His glasses framed his face perfectly. "You look, pulchritudinous," she said with a shy smile.

Squall had no idea what that meant, but he assumed it must be something good.

"Shall we go?" he asked, offering his hand. Lunafreya nodded and grabbed his hand as he pulled her up to her feet.

Just as they were about to exit, they ran into the last person Squall wanted to see, Dr. K. After poking some fun at Squall, Dr. K convinced them to take a picture. She served as a photographer as she took what she called 'the cutest couple's photo ever' on Squall's phone. She also set it as the default background on his phone before returning it.

They finally stepped out of the clinic when Squall noticed the time. "Come on, we've gotta hurry," he said looking at his watch.

"Where are we going?" she asked confused.

"Just follow me," he said, as he led the way.

Squall was rushing as if he had an important appointment to keep. Cutting through the crowd, they made their way to Pegglar Outlook. The place was packed with people.

"Can you tell me what's going on?" she inquired.

"I will, in a minute," he said as his eyes scouted the area. She could tell he was restless.

They made their way to the edge of the Pegglar Outlook, right where the binoculars are located. "I guess we still have a few minutes," he said, looking out at the horizon.

"Few minutes for what?" she asked once again, eliciting no response from him.

Suddenly, he jumped on the ledge which separates the Outlook and the cliff below. Her eyes widened and her heart almost leaped into her mouth.

"What are you doing?" It was more of a scolding than a question. He simply turned around, looking down at her. He gestured her to jump and get on the ledge as well.

She looked at him as if he had four heads and shook her head vehemently, not approving his suggestion to join him on the ledge.

"Come on, you'll be fine. Trust me," he said, extending his hand. She shook her head and refused again.

"As long as I breathe, I promise I won't let anything happen to you," he added.

His words pulled the strings of her hearts and she forgoes of her rational mind to follow him. She gave a big sigh of resignation and grab a hold of his hand. With one strong pull, she was lifted off her feet and landed on the ledge next to him. Even though the ledge was wide enough, it gave her no comfort when she looked down at the cliff below.

Squall sat down and leaned back with his hand supporting his weight. His hands were firmly placed on the ledge while his feet freely dangled over the cliff.

"Sit down and relax," he said in a tone which would make anyone think that he is sitting at the beach and not at the edge of a cliff.

"Relax?" she said, perplexed. "I am not sure if you are brave or crazy."

That elicited rare laughter from Squall. "I think I am both." After a few seconds, he added, "Maybe a bit more on the crazy side."

Against her better judgment, she sat down next to him mimicking his sitting posture. "What is this crazy man making me do?" she complains with a facepalm à la Squall.

"Look, over there," he pointed to the west. "I think this is the best place to look at the sunset in this whole town."

"Wow, this is an amazing view," she exclaimed as she absorbed the beauty around her. "From this angle, it looks like the meteor is on fire."

"Yes, this is my special place. After a long day of work, Umbra and I would sit here and watch the sunset. It is very peaceful," he concurred.

"Indeed. Thank you for sharing this wonderful place and site with me," she said as her eyes were still glued to the scenic sunset.

They sat there quietly admiring the marvel of nature, as a gentle wind ruffled their hair playfully.

They did not say much, but just being there with each other in this tranquility was enough for them.

"I'll be right back," he said out of a blue. He swung his leg over to the Outlook side and jumped off and soon disappeared in the crowd.

As she sat there alone, the words of Dr. K echoed in her head. 'Not everything you do have to be about the future or doing what's best for the world. Sometimes it's okay to live for yourself and enjoy the present moment.'

'Everything I did, and everything I am doing, is always for Noctis. All my actions are driven by my sense of duty towards this world. By always thinking about Noctis, am I just living in the past? Or by dreaming of a future with him, which I know I'll never have, am I just creating a fantasy for a false sense of comfort?'

"Noctis," she said in a whisper.

'What about me? Not the Oracle, but a person. Ravus always tells me to stop thinking like an Oracle and think like a normal human being. But, every time I think like that the only realization, I come to is that I am a slave to my destiny, I don't have the freedom to choose, I don't have a say in my own fate. I don't get to pick what makes me happy. I have to find happiness in what I get. Yet, I have to put up a brave face and carry on with a smile on my face. Isn't that just a façade? Am I just lying to myself?'

'I always thought I needed Noctis to be happy, but the truth is that the past few days have been among the happiest days of my life. Without the prying eyes of the Empire and Ravus, I finally experienced what freedom feels like. I had people who took care of me, I made friends with whom I could gossip, I even found someone who always had my back and did things to make me happy even when I have nothing to offer in return. After a long time, I felt genuinely happy.'

'But now I have to leave all that behind because my duty requires me to. How is this even fair? What's the point of being a hero if you are not even happy?'

"This doesn't suit you," Squall said, jarring her out of her thoughts. She just gave him a confused look, so he continued, "You were pouting, it doesn't suit you. Leave brooding to professionals." He said, pointing at himself with a sly grin.

"Sorry, I was zoned out. I did not even notice you were back," she admitted, quickly putting a fake smile on her face hiding her true internal conflict.

"Actually, I've been back for a few minutes now," he replied, showing her what he got.

He handed over corn on the cob to her and grabbed one for himself. She took a bite out of it and savored its taste. "This is so sweet," she said in appreciation.

"Glad you liked it," he said, as he continued eating his corn on the cob.

"You said frown doesn't suit me. So, what suits me then?" she asked, taking a break from eating.

"Smile and laughter," he replied instantly, bringing an unconscious smile to her face. "I don't know if you have noticed, but you do have a certain charm about you. Your happiness spread to those around you and your sadness bring those around you down."

"But, there is no one around me right now, except you."

"I am not immune to your charms either," he surprisingly admitted honestly with a nonchalant shrug.

"I am glad I have that effect on you. Maybe someday I can use my superpower to tame a wild lion," she said playfully.

"Whatever. Less talking, more eating," he instructed, as he continued eating his corn.

The sun had already set by now and town lights slowly started turning on. The wind had also picked up slightly. Squall noticed her shivering and offered his jacket and she gladly accepted it.

"Feeling cold?" He asked with a hint of concern in his voice.

"No, I just like wearing your jacket," she playfully avoided the subject.

After enjoying a few more serene moments, Squall proposed, "It's getting dark, we can go now if you want."

"No, let's just stay for a few more minutes please," she said gazing out at the endless horizon.

As the darkness spread its blanket, the streetlights turned on first. Soon, the whole town was lit up by the lights. The noise of street vendor trying to sell was heard all the way till Pegglar Outlook. The sound of cars traveling through the main road added to the ambient noise. The aroma of food lingered in the air as food stalls prepared for the dinner time rush hour.

"Squall?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you"

"For what?"

"For everything."

He just nodded in response.

"Every time I look at you, I get happy and I get sad," she confessed.

"How come?" he asked with curiosity.

"I get happy that you are part of life. I thank the gods every day that after giving me such a cruel fate they gave me you; it almost makes it all worth it. Then I get sad thinking that I will never be able to repay for your kindness, no matter how much I try."

"You don't owe me anything so there is nothing to repay for," he said downplaying his role in all this.

"Stop being so modest. You fought my battles for me. You cared for me when I was hurt, even though you were hurt as well. You went out of your way to make me comfortable and happy. That is more than anything anyone has ever done for me and I can't thank you enough for it."

"Just doing my duty. My mission is to protect you and everything I did was to advance my mission."

It actually hurt her to hear him say that. Even though deep down in her heart she knew that all of Squall's actions were driven by his care for her, and this was just his way of deflecting, her mind decided to take the rational route and analyze his words.

'And here I thought he did all that because he cared for me. Did he do all this because someone told him to? Did he just care for me because it was his duty?'

While complaining about Squall, a thought struck her, which shook her to the core. 'How is my caring for Noctis anything different than this? Do I care for him because a divine messenger told me to? Do I care for him because it's my duty?'

It was a rabbit hole she did not want to explore. At least not at this moment. She shook off her thoughts and carried on with the conversation. "Tell me more about your mission. Tell me more about yourself."

"Why?"

"Because I know you, but I know nothing about you," she pleaded.

Squall let out a sigh and ran his hand through his hair. "I am Squall Leonhart, a prisoner of time."

She silently urged him to go on.

"In my world, I was a leader of an elite mercenary group called SeeD. As a SeeD, our prime objective was to fight against sorceresses. One such sorceress was Ultimecia. She wanted to cast time magic called Time compression, a state where past, present, and future collide. After defeating her I got lost in a time-compressed world, unable to return to my original timeline. I was stuck on a deserted floating island when Umbra found me. Shiva offered me that if I protect you in your journey to forge a covenant with the Astrals, then she will return me to my world. I don't know for how long I was stuck in that time compressed world. I don't remember much about my world and of the people I left behind. All I know is that I don't belong here, I am trying to find a place called home. That is my story."

She wasn't sure how to react to his story. She would need more time to process all of that.

"Tell me about yourself," he asked.

After contemplating for a bit, she started, "I am Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, a prisoner of fate and destiny. From a very young age, I was identified as a chosen Oracle who would guide the true king to his destiny. My duty is to waken the Astral so the king may use his power to purge the world of the looming darkness."

She took a deep breath before carrying on, "I lost my mother when I was 12 in an attack by the Empire. Since the fall of Tenebrae my brother, Ravus, sided with the Empire and is currently serving as their High Commander. Thanks to Empire, I became a prisoner in my own castle. Even when I traveled the world to heal people, the Empire always shadowed me closely. Healing people, helping them and bringing a smile on their faces makes me forget about my own problems. However, magic always comes with a price, in this case, the price will be my li-"

She paused mid-sentence when she saw something glowing in the sky. Squall followed her gaze and saw the object of her attention. In the dark night sky, it was a bright shooting star.

She pointed at the shooting star in the sky and followed its path with her finger. "Quick, make a wish," she said with childlike innocence as her eyes glittered with joy.

"Why? It is just a space rock burning in the atmosphere," Squall replied monotonously.

"Thank you, for that science lesson, Professor Fun-Kill."

"Sorry," he apologized, realizing that he should have respected her sentiment in that moment.

"Here, I'll make a wish." She pondered for a second before quickly joined her hands as if praying. "I wish that Squall's heart finds a place to call home."

"I wish Lunafreya gets to be with the one she loves and finds happiness," Squall followed it up immediately.

"I thought you didn't believe in falling rocks from the sky," she said looking at him.

"I don't. But I do believe in wishes," he said with a half-smile.

"That was very sweet of you," she said. Thanks to darkness, her blush was hard to see.

"Wishing for someone else; I learned that from you," he said, giving her the credit.

They sat there for a while making small talks. It was mostly her talking and Squall responding in infrequently. After a while, they decided to go around the town and meet all the people. She returned Squall's jacket and swung her legs over to the Outlook side and jumped off the ledge. Squall stood up on the ledge and while turning around he lost his footing. He flailed his hands trying to balance himself.

Lunafreya's eyes widened and her heart almost jumped out of her mouth. She wanted to scream, but words seem to get stuck in her throat. Suddenly, Squall perfectly balanced himself and jumped off casually, as if nothing had ever happened.

Her fist curled up in rage and she slammed her fist on his chest. "You idiot. You think that was funny?" She said with her voice roaring and eyes glaring at him.

"Remind me to teach you how to punch properly," he said jokingly, earning him another punch, this time in the stomach.

"Hahaha, I am sorry. I didn't you know would react like this," he said, with a half-smile.

"How else did you expect I would react, you moron?" she said, still enraged as his last stunt.

"I am sorry, I am sorry," he said, putting his arm around her and then playfully pushing her away from him. It wasn't until she turned around that he noticed the two angle wings embroidered on the back of her dress. Somehow, these angel wings seemed very familiar to him.

Author's notes:

Sorry, no Easter eggs in this chapter.

If you journeyed with me till chapter 8, at least say 'hi.' Please :)