Final Fantasy VIII Return
Chapter Ten-To the King of cards and beyond
Seifer looked up at the podium; he was just selected to be the Commander of SeeD. He was supposed to lead them all, all the SeeDs to fight against Ultimecia. This is what he had always wanted and he had always lusted for power. Not that he planned to abuse or misuse it, nothing like that of course. He had known this was coming for along time, Cid's health and age slowed him down quite a bit and Garden needed someone strong to lead them into the future. Somebody to go against Ultimecia and her knight. What had happened to that boy to make him go down such a dark path and himself such a noble, true path, he thought. Must have been some bad beginnings. Oh well he was a rotten seed to begin with, always so detached and his head up in the clouds reaching for something beyond his grasp. What was his name again? Squall, that was it, or something like it. His days were numbered for oppressing the all mighty SeeD. Cid looked at him with all his hopes and dreams, leaving the small office to him. They were all here for him. Seifer stepped up to make his grand acceptance speech.
"Thank you Headmaster Cid. This truly an honor and I'm sorry you couldn't continue on with us as Commander, but I won't fail you. So now is the time when you hear all those empty promises, but I don't make promises that stupid desperate leaders make when they know they have nothing left, because I already know that you know I'm good. That I will fight in till the last man against Ultamecia. That I will not allow some Sorceress from the future to mess up are world!" Seifer finished his triumphant speech satisfied with his glory. A new era had begun, he thought. Quistis was standing on his side, frowning she knew this wasn't a good thing if only there was someone else, who wasn't so cocky and had such a big ego. Seifer turned to her; she was his archenemy more like his rival. "I know what you're going to ask, yes I'm that brilliant and you may now call me Commander. You know you're a good girl Quistis, too bad girls can't make it in the big leagues." Quistis felt like she was about to burst, but she couldn't let Seifer get to her. She was at his mercy, surprising that he had any. Rinoa came running up to him, in her jaunty way as usual bypassing and ignoring the people around her. She kissed him gently on the lips, but instead he pulled her close not letting her withdraw from his grasp and kissed her with something more than lip. They stood there for a moment much to Quistis dismay.
"Umm, excuse me Commander," Quistis said to him.
"Can't you see I'm busy. Write this down Ranjin, anyone who disrupts the Commander and his girl gets one day of suspension, starting now!" Seifer shouted out.
"Ok, ya know. Good goin' Seifer! You're really lucky, ya got yourself a girl, Commander of all of Garden ya know." Ranjin said.
"AFFIRMATIVE," Fujin complied.
"Dose that mean startin' with her, ya know," Ranjin asked looking at Quistis.
"Of course, wouldn't want to send a bad example to the rest of the SeeDs that were like soupier and all, right Quistis?" Seifer said.
"No of course not Commander, your not soupier to anyone, your like everyone else, but just a little more special and gifted, am I right?" Quistis said trying to control her anger.
"You know your just full of resentment and jealously, but guess what at least my Seifer isn't a Sorceress' lap dog," Rinoa said coldly.
"Aww, don't let her bother you Rinoa, she's not worth the trouble. You know she's actually a Sorceress, she's really lucky I don't throw her out or something," Seifer said turning Rinoa's face towards his. "Rajin, Fujin, take her away to her dorm, keep a close eye on are little Sorceress." He said nodding at the two. They grabbed Quistis by her arms, but she struggled free and started walking off by herself
"What should we do, ya know?" Ranjin asked.
"Let her go, what harm can she do?" Seifer said assured. She was weak, falling for a Sorceress' knight of all guys, he thought. Wait what am I talking about? This wasn't reality he though, this was something else. What was this about, Rinoa and he together, he the Commander of Garden, Quistis a sorceress and his rival, Squall the Sorceress' knight. He could laugh out loud. Any other kind of person would take advantage of this kind of opportunity, with Rinoa and such. He didn't want her, but it was a good way of getting back at Squall, he though. I mean that C'mon she was all over him. This was low though, so what if Squall and he wear rivals this was low any way you looked at it. Maybe he would just mess a round, he thought as he remembered that one summer he had with Rinoa. She had been so annoying, asking him all these questions about SeeD and his dreams, then expecting him to listen to hers. Then if he tried to make any move on her, she was oblivious to what was going on, like she hadn't even noticed. If that didn't get old really fast, he thought. Then when he finally did leave Timber she gave him only a kiss on the cheek.
"Ranjin and Fujin would you please excuse us." Seifer said.
"Ok, ya know. Be our pleasure ya know!" Ranjin said and left with Fujin.
"Now where were we?" Seifer asked at Rinoa, she smiled.
* * * * *
They had spent two awful months in this place. A place where evil reigned and where hope was only a dream. How everything seemed not as it was and nothing could make sense as it defied all reason. This place that ate away at ones very soul, to make it brake and suffer. A sullen place of nightmares that made you want to sink into the ground and never be found. The walls of ancient gray stones were falling in pieces letting the chilled air pierce through. There were pillars of dark columns that spread in a protective circle around a high up throne. A naked abyss were the ceiling should be, and the sky exposed showing of the dismal storms that were black and gray. This was no place for a heart this was no place for morals or anything decent this was a hell they had been sentenced to for eternity on end. Oh had they miserably lost, loosing more than the battle for the world, but themselves. She had sent them to a dimension beyond their imagining beyond their most feared nightmares indeed. And what would a Sorceress care for petty mortals, not just any mortals but the one's whom were the very guardians of the world, she would use them. Use them to betray each other just for her compassion, brake them of everything they had to live for and truly have someone to gloat over as she attained unimaginable power. Power, the word flowed off her lips effortlessly; something one could never have enough of, she thought. My, had the boy cried when his beloved was taken away, and the girl when she had seen him that way, she thought. Not just any girl, but the girl that inherited her very own powers in some backwards way. She had tried to take her on as an apprentice, but the foolish girl wouldn't listen to a word.
"You SeeD, what do you have to live for now, eh?" She whispered to the boy on her side that laid a platter at her feet.
"For your every wish, your every desire, for you Ultamecia," Zell said in a quivering voice, he tried not to think back to before. How he had been crammed in an obscure prison without a single light that he could not even stand up right in. How the cold dirt walls had pressed against his warm body forbiddingly, maybe to give in a moments notice. How he had nothing but water that dripped eerily from the cold walls. Zell got down on his bruised and tired knees, covering his body futilely.
"Get up! Go away you miserable lowlife. I have no need to breathe the same air as something as putrid as you do. Go now!" She chastised. She sat on her same golden throne, high above not to sink to there level of being. And as the boy ran away to the shadows, a girl dressed in a tattered long black dress came approaching slowly obviously to take her time. Her raven hair in tangles and dark circles under her eyes, her arms clutched with a stern look. Her soft appearance of innocence had faded. She looked scared and broken. Deep indents of red lashes, bruises littered her partly exposed flesh. Her feet were bare and scrapped as well.
"I don't care what you do to me anymore, I don't care because if I die or if Squall dies or if any of us die we all go to a better place. A place were your shadows do not touch and hope shines. This place you will not be and there for I will be free," Rinoa said with a cynical smile on her face and her eyes glassy from tears.
"You weak thing, how I could squash you in one blow, that I would have killed you long ago. Sorceress, I will never let you go. Nor that cursed SeeD. How you will face my wrath now. SeeD come here," she said triumphantly. Squall came obediently; her voice could be heard from everywhere. And no one dare defy her. "The insolent SeeD is already gone. This pathetic shell is all that is left. Who cares either way of his death or life he is nothing and the saddest part he believes that. But you Sorceress do not have to be like this. You can be strong." Her eyes narrowed as she spoke.
"How may I serve you?" He asked. Life also drained and eyes hollowed out. This was not her Squall this was a ghost. He was worn out and tired just like her, though for some reason it bothered her, like he had disappeared under all of that. He seemed lost, never to be Squall again never to protect her, she thought.
"See for yourself Sorceress. He no longer belongs to you," Ultamecia said with a smug expression.
"But he doesn't belong to you either, don't you see? People don't belong to other people they never could. I was never his Rinoa, all I could ever be was just me," she explained.
"What ever gets you through the night, Sorceress. For you see either way he cannot love you anymore no matter how hard you try his love will escape you. Through time you will become bitter and begin to wither because no one can live that way," Ultamecia said with all her presence. She knew this girl, how weak she was.
"No, you don't understand. I don't need him to live. My chest will still draw the air, and my heart it will still beat without him. And if we are meant to be than there is nothing you can do to stop that, nothing. Then if that is so I will embrace every moment, every kiss from his lips like it was forever." She said without changing the calm in her voice.
"You, my Sorceress have crossed me for the last time. I see know that there is no hope for you to ever become like me. Oh, I will never be the one to end his pathetic existence, but you on the other hand may be forced to do so if do intend on breathing any longer or having your heart beat." The Sorceress of the future smiled as she thought she was finally to win. The girl may have possessed her powers, but she had no clue to use them or even how powerful her own abilities were. And this sorceress had the power of time and space at her disposal. This would be simple and over with in the blink of an eye, it was no contest was the girl so stupid not to see that, she thought? Ultimecia prepared to summon her knight against the girl, glaring down intensely at her opponent. She waved her hand up high in a grand gesture then letting it gently come down to her side in a half circle, as she did this she noticed what the girl was trying to do.
"Evolution," were the words uttered from the girl's mouth. And five broken figures looked onward with the Sorceress to see the fantastic site. "Survival of the fittest." And the girl herself began to change to become something different all together a force to be reconciled in its own right. First, fiery golden wings sprouted from her back. They were a virgin white and long feather's swept down from the high crowns. They spread completely and made her float in mid air seemingly without any help. Her arms remained crossed and her eyes closed in deep thought. Her dark torn-mattered dress changed into a flowing ivory colored dress that engulfed her completely. All the scars and bruises faded replaced by glow from within. All the darkness that had consumed seemed magically lifted and her eyes opened as she looked surprised at her own power. Squall stepped between them to coming to the aid of Ultimecia. His silver blade out in a challenging way prepared to fight her like she was just any other foe. She touched the cold ground again, she had been expecting this, but still didn't want to face it.
"I will fight you in till I no longer stand. This is what you get if you face the wrath of Ultimecia," he said flatly, like the words had been fed into his mouth. She sighed at the site of him.
"This is not between you me this is between her and I. don't do this Squall."
"I will fight in till I no longer stand." Rinoa bypassed his figure, she lightly tapped him on his shoulder and he moved out of her way with no resistance. This boy joined the other shadows that were against the wall.
"Now, this will be between only you and me," she said patiently.
"As you wish Sorceress. Hells judgement." Ultimecia yelled. She invoked a circle with the golden pattern, having it shatter to reduce the girl's life to almost nothing. But the light seemed not to struggle; it did not fall back in pain nor feel desperately weakened, about to collapse. Instead it stood there unwavering. Ultimecia gazed in shock and horror, as the girl was unaffected. Instead the light only grew in its presence and the force of its power increasing. "And where did this come from! I never taught this upon you!" Ultimecia screamed at her.
"Your right you never did teach me this, but I listened through all those pathetic lectures and examples. I learned some things on my own and I practiced." The girl was glowing from within, a beautiful light radiating off her that shielded her away from all the darkness. And Ultimecia stood up from her throne, pondering how to face the light. Her own dark wings sprouted out and she began to rise. She tried spell after spell of holy, of flare, then meteor and ultima, these things only had an adverse affect on the being, making it grow stronger.
"What is this!" She yelled.
"This is the end." Rinoa said satisfied.
"How dare you, I have tried to make you strong and yet you turn against your own. What do you see in these pitiful flawed creatures. They will only bring you down to their level and ruin you. You fool!" She cursed. She drew up all her strength in an attempt to do Apocalypse.
But a light seemed to grow from Rinoa's clasped hands, something that couldn't be controlled any longer in her grasp that was finally released onto Ultimecia. This light was the purest form of all her hopes and manifested beyond the darkness. Something that drained all her own life out to supply that she would collapse from in a moment. It made Ultimecia's form twist then contort and retract involuntarily. It seemed to eat away at her very insides that were afflictive and callous, which this force disposed of. Ultimecia shrieked in pain, but more in hopeless defeat that she would obviously never recover from. Black feathers fell from the out stretched raven wings finally she began to fade and disappeared before their eyes. All that was left was a single feather and silence.
The castle began to wake from many ages of dormancy seeing touched by the rays of sun. The colors began to change from dull grays and harsh blacks to bright strawberry's and sun kissed yellows. The sun shined brightly for a clear cloudless day. The broken crumbling walls seemed renewed and stood strait and tall once more. Life was once again in abundance; tress and brilliant flowers returned making everything cherry. This was how things were meant to be, she thought. But she knew everything was going to be short lived. This force had come from within her was everything her life was worth, all her power all her breath, but she still didn't know one thing as she began to faint. She fell to the light cobbled stone floor, no energy left to give. But then from the light shadows stood an unforgettable figure. And in the brightness of the sun and warmth all around he came to her side. The wings disappeared and she was returned to her broken state. So he gently took her in his arms, bending down on his knees to cradle her, lifting her up carefully and resting her head against his arm. Her eyes remained closed and he wasn't sure if her heart still beat. He combed back her hair away from her eyes. Rinoa don't leave me. Don't go when we can finally be together. Why did you do this, why did you have to sacrifice yourself? He squeezed her tightly. Was she alive was she dead, he asked to no one? A smiled formed on her pale lips.
"I knew she was wrong Squall, I knew that you could never stop… See we are together again." Her voice was whimsical and it pulled him in. He couldn't lose her again, he just couldn't, he thought. I won't lose you. I will travel how ever far back to reach you again.
Chapter Eleven-The Final Return
Christine felt the changes coming, power of great destruction coursing through her veins and the feeling of taking over time no longer felt like a distant dream. The SeeDs were forever lost in time so nothing opposed her, nothing to stop her, but her own thoughts of mutiny. How the Sorceress had called out for him, screaming his name in rage hoping he would save her, but he never came. It was worth it because soon everything would be over and done with and she would not have to think one thought about this afterwards. Just a little further; take it one step at a time. All that was left was left was a bit of time, Laguna and Rinoa were losing life with each passing second, his head to the side and eyes closed. She tried not to stare at his face never to look back; it would distract her too much. Her heart raced with anticipation, this was the point of no return, she thought. The lights grew dim, but the moon still beamed. The music had stopped long ago and the silence was deafening, something she would normally welcome, but for now felt unsettling. And the plants grasp that spread across the walls seemed limp from trouble. She heard her heard a faint whisper of a familiar voice.
"Christine, why?" Laguna whispered weakly hoping his soft voice would carry to her ear.
"Shut up! I don't need this." Christine yelled back.
"How can you do this if you care for me?" Laguna questioned.
"You simple man. You don't get it, do you? I don't love you! I never did love you. You are just another pawn! Why can't you understand that!" She defended. She whipped her head back at him, at his soft eyes and his bent head, what was wrong with her; she couldn't do this to him. The very man who had taken her in and was with her so vainly not realizing anything that was going on. He needed her help, her support and she needed him. All the rage, the anger and struggle she felt inside he could only touch her and the veil that clouded her vision was no longer there. In him she could find comfort.
"I…don't believe you. All I can go on is, is what I feel and I know you love me," Laguna stuttered. He could barely gather enough energy to speak and his breathing grew slow as he was slipping away.
"How can you go by your emotions? They are warped and weak just like you. Emotions only get it the way. Besides it's nothing personal, I just have to set everything right. You'll see I just have to fix things, you understand." Christine's voice grew shaky as she started to not even believe her own words. Just get past this, everything will be all right. Just hold on. "No, I won't be so easily defeated by your weak attempts to feed off my sympathies. You will soon be gone and I will have everything I need. So there." But he could not rid the past or clear the future, she thought.
"But, everything can't be that simple. Things aren't just black and white or yes and no." Laguna managed to say.
"I have nothing in this world left living for. Why should I give up my only chance to set things right, why?" For him, no this was her only savoir, she would not be subdued by simple emotions, she thought.
"Because it's wrong what you're doing. And if I cared for you at all I wouldn't want you to suffer. Please, I don't want to lose you. You know my past you know I can't stand to be alone again," Laguna pleaded.
"I guess you will not have to worry about that if your are dead, now will you? Who cares about wrong and right anyway, as long as it's my way, as long as I get what I want I will be happy," she reassured herself.
"You can't honestly believe that?" Laguna felt all the feeling in his weakened body grow faint, everything in his body felt removed like it wasn't his own. His long hair fell over his sagging eyes.
"Why am I listening to your insufferable ramblings. Just let me be. Damn you!" She screamed. She wanted him to go away, to leave her alone, she wanted it all to go away, those feelings those emotions it was not she.
"Are you afraid to face your feelings…I can't speak. Christine, don't go…" Laguna moved his head around trying to struggle to keep a hold on his life. Christine saw this and felt something inside of her she hadn't felt for along time, remorse. She turned her attention away from Laguna and looked back at the motionless bodies, bodies that included the SeeDs and various heads of state. They appeared only to be in a light slumber not the real deadly peril. She thought for a second that she saw one of them stir, the dark headed boy. So he had crossed time and space for her, she thought. It was not possible he should be lost forever just like she planned, but yet he was here standing in front of her. For what ever reason he was here and she had to deal with it. She ignored his presence at first as she walked over to Laguna's lifeless body. He lied slumped over in chair and eyes closed. She lifted his dropping head with her delicate hand and kissed him gently on the forehead. "I love you." She whispered in his ear. She grew more concern such things were not possible. She paused, she had to think fast or have everything fall to ruin all her hopes all her dreams that she had fought desperately for and had sacrificed so much for. They could not be in vain. She saw him rise up from the ground to stand and face her. So this is what it comes down to, just you and me boy?
"So you have crossed time and space for this girl? How? How can you surrender yourself to a force so unpredictable? How could you bare to lose her if she had perished? How could you live without her?" She asked him curiously wondering more her own behalf.
"Do you think I had a choice?" The boy responded.
"Yes, I think you did. Look at what she has done to you, all that she has put you through, all that you have lost. You always have a choice. You never had to be with her that is not how it works. You cannot just deserve someone as much as you may think so. So do you love her or not?" She said.
"You're just stalling. I know that you know you're beaten. Besides, I don't have to answer to you how I feel. I don't know if I can love someone yet, but I think you have the same problem." Squall answered.
"I will never give up, never. I will fight in till I no longer stand. No. I am not beaten. I could never be. So let us stop all this childish nonsense, lives and the fabric of time are hanging in the balance after all. See I know that you would not dare fight me, after all I am defenseless and I still have her." Christine grabbed the weary Rinoa by the arm jerking her cuffed hand up by force.
"Don't do this, you're right I don't want to fight you. But I will if I have to. Just let her go. Stop all of this now, you don't have to continue this." But as he said his words he gazed upon the girl. Her eyes almost opened, they were fluttering. In till finally they fell on to Squall.
"What is this? What is happening, what are you?" Christine asked to no one. "This is not happening, it's not possible! I am in control, not you!" Christine yelled angrily. Everything was braking down all her plans she was loosing quickly. But what could she possibly do, she thought?
"Your own feelings are what are subduing you." Rinoa said.
"No! I have no feelings, no emotions anymore, I couldn't!" She demanded everything was futile though, everything only prevented a second more to her unavoidable demise, she thought. And one by one the rest of the fallen group began to open their eyes, the spell broken. Seifer straitened himself out. What had happened, he asked himself? He was back and alive. He looked around spotting Quistis and the others. They too had similar curious expressions. What is he doing? Squall, was just standing there waiting around. Maybe Seifer still had a shot at redeeming himself, maybe people wouldn't just refer to him as the sorceress' lapdog, maybe he could have something to live for, he thought. That he could be the hero, and be praised. With this in mind he took his gunblade out and stepped forward in between Christine and Squall. Seifer looked at him with defiance, not caring anymore. She was unarmed, a part of his conscience thought.
"Seifer what are you doing?" Squall asked his rival.
"Even for you this is low," Irvine agreed.
"Seriously," Zell said wiping the exhaustion from his eyes.
"Don't do this Seifer," Quistis ordered. Selphie nodded her head in agreement. This was low even for Seifer, she thought.
"This is my way of redemption, she is evil," Seifer said in defense. Christine did not even flinch, and stood there. She knew hope was lost all her plans had fallen, there was nothing more to do. If she couldn't live in the world she wanted, then she didn't want to live in any other. She could not return. This life would be over. So she would not have to face her crimes, she would not have to endure any more punishment. She would never have to struggle again, that is what she wanted in the first place is it not? To be free, she thought. Who cared whichever way she got it, as long as she got what she wanted? Seifer raised his blade, like he had so many times and would do so many more times. Laguna began to realize what was going to happen. He remembered Raine, how he had just let her go and how he just gone on to Esthar with nothing to keep him behind. This wasn't right and this wasn't going to happen, he thought. He slowly got out of his chair, struggling to keep his balance. Christine was no more than a few feet away from him, but everything came so slow. His legs were weak as was his body and felt like they were going to buckle under him at any moment. He steeped towards her in front of the eyes of everyone.
"Don't do this it isn't her fault," Laguna said.
"Not even you can save me, this what I deserve." She said.
"No, nobody deserves this. Besides don't you remember I could never stand losing you, you don't understand."
"You couldn't love me, I'm too dirty to love." Christine was in tears, for the first time in forever she was crying. He put his arms around her, shielding her from the world's eye. He held her gently and swayed her back in forth comforting her. He loved her. That was all to be said, and she loved him. Could love brake down coarse barriers and make you a better person, maybe she thought. This isn't what she wanted, this isn't what she planned, but somehow this felt better. She looked up into his eyes and put her own arms around him. This she could get use to, she thought, very use to.
Seifer looked back at Quistis, this girl that was once his bossy instructor, but now what? It just made you think about things, or at least it made Seifer think. He saw Squall walk past Christine and Laguna, back to Rinoa who still sat bound in her seat. Squall whispered something to her as he undid her cuffs. He lifted her arms up carefully and scooped her into his hold. Her legs dangled off the end of his arm and her head laid nuzzled into his jacket. She would be fine, he thought. So this is how everything was to end? Everything would return to normal soon, like nothing had been wrong to begin with. This was it; the world would once again be at peace. Be boring, there would be nothing left for him to seek, no challenges anymore. The knight was left without anything to protect no point. He hated the future he would hate the return, the return to Garden and a return to reality, the fantasy was over. The dream was over and the boy was waking. Seifer just stood there aloof as friends hugged and people recovered. This isn't happening. This couldn't be happening! He looked around to see all them smiling in relief as the arduous battle was concluded, and everyone beginning to awaken. This was it and he even saw Squall and Rinoa kiss; he looked longingly at Quistis. Maybe someday she could be his, and someday he would be great and someday the world would embrace him too. Someday he could return.
* * * *
Squall felt the cool breeze blow past him, the salty smell of the ocean near by permeating. The blue waves of the ocean splashed up against and made a pleasing sound. He heard birds far off and a hawk swooned by. The cliff was jagged and high up. It was rocky and the dust kicked up trying to get into his eyes. There was a lighthouse near by that was old and its white paint was chipping. Besides the light house was an aged stone building, once used for an orphanage but could no longer keep the very winds away that had broken it down with time. The land was mostly barren, siting only a few yellow shrubs and overrun with weeds. Except for the one flowery meadow that he knew so well. It was a clear night and the sun would brake through at any moment. The silver moon still lied high up in the sky but it was going to fade soon, along with the fiery stars. The others knew when to leave him alone and this was one of those moments. The rest of them were probably at Garden, which for now was located near Edea's house. Selphie had decided that they should pay a visit to Edea to see how she was doing and all, funny how she refused to leave that aged old house. It must give her some kind of comfort, he thought. Laguna had stood by Christine to the end, probably a first for him to commit to any women, but he had. Christine had reached beyond the past and was now trying to embrace a future. So Galabadia and Esthar would still be allied. In fact Esthar was going to help repair the damage done to Galabadia with FH.
All had seemed to work out for the best the world was finally in some peace, Seifer thought. The bed he was sitting on was well worn from time, picked away at slowly from the elements. It didn't matter to him though, he was deep in thought and not even the frigid air that blew through disrupted him. For once he was glad to be alone, especially because he didn't want to deal with that messenger girl or that cowboy guy, or even Squall. He knew he had messed up again, and it seemed to him he was getting into a long spiral of mess-ups.
You're nothing Seifer, just a piece of crap nobody wanted, not even your own parents.His parents when he start thinking of them, he thought? He had failed miserably at anything he had tried, SeeD, a Sorceress' knight and even now when he was going to kill that bitch. And what made everything harder was seeing Squall have everything he didn't. He heard footsteps on the old broken tiles, but the figure said nothing, all he could make out were the black boots and the slim leggings. He looked up to see her blue eyes starring back at him.
"What do you want?" He asked her coldly.
"Seifer, my favorite student," she said with a smile.
"What's that suppose to mean?" She sat down besides him.
"Look, I don't know I'm just so confused right now. I mean what exactly went on between us?" She asked nervously.
"I don't know maybe we were caught in the moment?" He responded.
"Maybe." She offered.
"Why does it matter now?" He asked.
"I'm cold, can I have your jacket?" She asked changing the subject.
"Then what will I use?"
"Just forget I said anything at all," Quistis said dismissing him, she began to get up, but was stopped when he grabbed onto her arm.
"Wait, here." She sat down on the bed again. He took off his long gray trench coat, and put it over her quivering body. She pulled it closer, and smiled.
"Thank you Seifer," their eyes meet again. This was a moment when even Seifer's pompous ways and Quistis' self-control could not get in the way; this was a moment when a girl and a boy kissed.
So across the world a similar site could be seen in the town of Winhill. As the sun shined on the green grass that blew in waves like the crystal blue seas. They made their way through the quite old country town, the birds singing their lulling songs in the background. The thatched cottage's, and the stone cobbled paths made the town an ideal escape from the hectic problems of the world. It was comforting to visit the one place that hadn't been overrun with new advances and wasn't so sterile, cold. He had his arm around her, holding her close. And she walked with a carefree smile, her head against his chest her hand around his shoulder too. And he smiled at her too. She didn't know how he could forgive her, the very women who had threatened his life. But when she asked him about that he had stated simply that he didn't want to lose her again. Then he suggested they go to some town called Winhill, which she had only heard of.
"You were right, this town is quaint," she said. They stopped at a familiar building with the same red overhang. It was tired and unkempt, but it brought tears in his eyes. The same smell of food and kind homely feeling all around. Christine saw the look of pain on Laguna's face and stopped in mid-step. "You really loved her didn't you?"
"Just like I love you too," he said looking into her eyes. She wiped the tears away from his flushed cheeks.
"No, you love me. But it's not the same, and it shouldn't be. Maybe we should take all of this a bit slower," she offered. The truth was she didn't want to slow down one bit, in fact she couldn't stand being without him. But she saw how much just being in the town affected him he wasn't ready, she thought.
"It's been seventeen years, I think I'm ready," he said with a snide laugh. He didn't want be alone, but was he ready, he thought?
"Don't worry about it, we'll take things nice and slow," he grinned and pulled her close. "Nice and slow," she whispered as she kissed him on the cheek, then on his forehead, and then on his lips.
Irvine chased after Selphie futilely. She had run away when he had tried to talk to her. He could here her footsteps upon the old stone squares. She refused to talk to him after the ball and he had been wildly chasing her about. But maybe it was for the best after all he wasn't ready for any kind of commitment. That is what she had wanted, commitment? He stopped in mid-step as he saw Quistis and Seifer. They were both sitting on a tired out aged bed. His long trench coat was over her shoulders and her eyes were peacefully closed. Seifer's arm was wrapped cozily around Quistis, he decided to let it go. He stepped out of the musty orphanage not having a clue to her whereabouts and sighed. This wasn't working, he thought. He starred out to the horizon; the sun was already beginning to peak through the dark sky. The braking of a new day, a day that offered new chances, new experiences, new hope with Selphie, he thought. The light reached up from the nothingness and invaded the calm night to banish the troublesome moon and bright piercing stars along with it. Pink and gold touched the quite countryside, but the night still controlled the sky. This is what he was seeing without her, all alone. His gaze shifted from the sunrise to a girl that stood leaning against the building starring out to the distance.
"Come here often?" He asked her, a hopeful smile on his face.
"No, not when meanies like you are lying around," she continued to stare out into the horizon.
"Selphie, I'm really sorry, okay," he pleaded.
"How Irvine, how can I believe that? What's to stop you from going off with someone else, what do I have to keep you here why not Quistis?" She looked at him questioningly.
"Because I don't care about Quistis or anyone else that way," he paused. "Only you." He opened his arms out ready for her embrace, but she stood there instead with her arms folded and a look of contempt.
"Maybe someday Irvine." She said. But right in the middle of the moment Zell came running out of the building. They could hear yelling behind him.
"I'll get you Chicken-Wuss!" Seifer yelled at Zell his arm shaking in the air after the young boy. He stood in the doorway as Zell ran away. Quistis came up from behind to join him. Selphie and Irvine starred at them curiously. Quistis was still wearing his trench coat.
"I knew it! I knew it!" Zell shouted back excitedly. He sprinted behind the orphanage where he could no longer be seen.
"What was that all about?" Irvine asked Seifer.
"Aww, nothing. Nothing at all, just get back to doin' whatever you were doing with the Messenger girl," he laughed.
"Seifer!" Selphie looked at him with anger.
"Sheesh, I'm sorry didn't know you were so touchy about that sort of thing," he waved his arms around mockingly.
"Yeah then so why is Quistis wearing your jacket?" Irvine questioned.
"Well the lady was cold so like the gentleman I am I offered her my jacket," Seifer offered. Quistis smiled at him, Selphie and Irvine couldn't help but laugh. And it seemed like they were old friends, they were, he thought. They started walking to find and ketch up with Zell.
Edea looked at the group and smiled, her tired out eyes lightened up for a moments contempt. These were her children all grown up, all with there very own lives. And they had saved the world again, Cid would be proud, she thought. Even Seifer the wild child had settled and found someone. She looked back at the glowing Garden that lied at port; it hovered effortlessly off the beach. They are finally happy. But she saw one figure far away that carefully walked to the cliff to join what she could only make out a shadow. The girl came running up from afar, seeing him alone. She passed over the coarse land almost losing her balance and falling into him. He pulled her up and she laughed like she had done the stunt on purpose.
"For a princess you've got no grace," he played around.
"And for a SeeD you've got some nerve to fall in love with a Sorceress, besides other things. So what's wrong with you?" she added. The silence between them continued. "You can tell me, come on Squall. You'll just bottle it up for a really long time in till finally you'll burst into pieces and then where will I be without a knight?" She pressed.
"That's right you still are a Sorceress," he starred into her dark eyes.
"Yeah, but you know what?" She stopped.
"What?" He asked.
"I don't care," she smiled.
"Finally." She laughed again and put her arms around him.
"Shut up and watch the sunrise with me," she ordered. He pulled her close against him, so she could hear his heart beating. And together they starred out into the forever seeing the golden sun, rise above like it was the first one of a New World. A world filled with love.
"Love is all you need"-John Lennon
The End
Author's Note: Is this case yes love did conquer all so there. Oh my it's finally over, sigh. Heheh hope you enjoyed this little trip into fantasy but now my dear reader it is time to wake up and return to reality, sigh again. This was really hard for me to write considering I like dark fics and well this story isn't exactly dark, oh well it's finally over. I'd like to thank my friend FuFu Deville and as lamely as this sound my mom for putting up with me and there help for getting me through this. Oh and Kate, hi! Hehehe and I would really like some feed back too!