DEFYING DESTINY
By: Stiltzkin
Author's Note: Sorry for getting this up late. I was busy with school and writing my Parasite Eve fan fiction. Hope the wait was well worth it. Sorry about the length, I'll try to keep it shorter next time.
* * * * * * * * * *
CHAPTER THREE: TEMPORAL STORM
Laguna Loire was unpacking when he noticed an old photograph of himself and Raine before they were married. In the picture he was dressed in his old Galabadian uniform on his right hand was Raine, his future, now deceased wife was in her humble yellow sweater and blue jeans. 'She looked so beautiful.' Laguna sighed touching his wife's face with his fingers. He missed her very much. In the center of the photograph, in front of the couple dressed in her blue-green dress was Ellone with a big grin.
He felt a presence in his room and knew that it was Ward. "She was so happy, when I proposed." Laguna smiled showing the picture to Ward. He picked up the picture in his huge hands and smiled. "The night I proposed to her was the first and only night we spent together." Laguna sighed as Ward handed back the picture to him.
Ward looked into Laguna's eyes, the window to his soul and noticed that there was just sorrow, a deep unending sorrow. He placed his big hand on his shoulder. Laguna looked into his friend's eyes and sighed. "Just ghosts from the past, old friend, just old ghosts." Laguna sighed.
Ward typed something on his pad and handed it to Laguna. He read the text: TALK TO HIM. Laguna sighed and placed it gently on the bed.
"I can't." Laguna sighed. "It's been eighteen years. Perhaps it's better that he thinks that I'm dead." Laguna sighed. Ward counter-argued by putting his hand on his shoulder and giving Laguna a sympathetic look. "I know, I know." Laguna sighed. "He has to know." He sighed again. "How is it that I can never win an argument with you." Laguna teased. Ward returned his smile and reinforced his question by his silent gaze. He walked towards the bed and picked up the pad and waited for Laguna to answer. "I know, it's just not the right time." Laguna sighed.
Ward handed him the pad with another text for Laguna to read: IT'LL NEVER BE THE RIGHT TIME. Laguna read. He gazed into his friend's eyes.
"How did you get so wise?" Laguna smiled. Ward took back his pad and typed his response and handed it back to Laguna. "Ha, ha, very funny." Laguna replied sarcastically. "So why am I honoured by your visit, business or pleasure?" Laguna asked.
Ward handed him a folder with a report. "Business it is." Laguna sighed as he quickly delved into the report. "It's a report on the spatial vortex from Dr. Odine." He spoke to himself.
Ward watched Laguna reading the report. He saw Laguna's pupils dilated with interest seeing Dr. Odine's conclusion. "A temporal vortex?" Laguna said with awe. "Is Dr. Odine suggesting that the survivors and Ellone are from the future?" Laguna said in disbelief. Ward nod to his question. "Well at least it explains why Ellone looks like she's - well, my age." Laguna sighed. "Where does the time go?" Laguna sighed walking towards the window. He could hear Ward typing on his pad. Laguna smiled to himself. "It was a rhetorical question." Ward approached nevertheless and handed him the pad. "I told you the question was rhetorical." Ward pushed the pad to him and insisted that he read it.
"Survivor's Ramblings?" Laguna read. "What do you mean?" Laguna asked with confusion. Ward gave an earnest look to make him think. "All right. I'll deconstruct this note." Laguna sighed. "The survivor asked a lot of questions, like where am I?" Laguna thought out loud. Ward shook his head and motioned his hands. "Before that." Laguna sighed. Ward nod in response. "Before the survivor asked those questions he...he called Squall." Laguna looked into Ward's eyes with awe. "Father." He said above a whisper.
Ward grabbed the pad from his best friend and typed another note and hand it back to Laguna as he read it: TALK TO HIM.
* * * * * * * * * *
Xu walked into the cafeteria and ordered a coffee for breakfast, she wasn't feeling too well. Today was the first time in her recent memory that she missed a sunrise. It was her favourite time of day, it was her element, her mother told her long ago that her name meant rising sun and every since then she had never missed a sunrise - that is until today. She considered it a bad omen.
She brought her coffee to the dinning area to look for a solitary place to do some work. In her peripheral vision she saw three very sad, and very depressed women eating chocolate ice cream. She smiled to herself and walked toward the trio of women and thought that he work could wait. "Chocolate ice-cream for breakfast?" Xu smiled concernedly.
"Triple Chocolate ice-cream." Selphie joyfully corrected. "The cafeteria lady thought it was odd too."
"Let me guess, you're all depressed." Xu said.
"How very perspective." Quistis sighed taking another bite of her ice cream.
"Let me guess, men." Xu smiled.
"That's right." Rinoa sighed.
"Why are you depressed Selphie, you're usually happy?" Xu asked.
"Nothing." Selphie sighed. "Irvy and I haven't spend much time together." Selphie sighed.
"Irvy!?!" The rest of the girls said rather loudly, giggling.
"That's what I call him." Selphie protested.
Xu tried to contain her laughter and took another sip of coffee. "What about you Quistis, why are you so down?"
"No man." Quistis sighed.
"What about Zell?" Selphie playfully suggested.
"You're kidding!" Quistis chuckled to herself. "Zell is like a little brother to me." Quistis sighed with a big smile. "Besides he's involved with Rene Gisho."
"The girl with the brown pig tales in the library?" Rinoa smiled.
"Yeah, how did you know?" Quistis asked.
"I've frequent the library when I was here last and we talked on more than one occasion." Rinoa smiled.
"What about those guys over there?" Selphie pointed to a table of three men watching Quistis eating ice cream. They quickly return to their duties as Quistis looked over her shoulder.
"Oh, them." Quistis sighed. "They're just boys with crushes." Quistis quickly dismissed them as candidates.
"What about Squall?" Rinoa asked.
That question pained her, once upon a time she had feelings for Squall, but ever since Rinoa entered his life she backed off. "I find him unavailable." Quistis sighed. "And besides he and I are friends." Quistis quickly defended. "Besides the person he loves is you."
"I'm not so sure about that." Rinoa sighed.
"What did Squall do now?" Xu sighed.
"Why does everyone think that it's Squall's fault." Rinoa protested.
"Because it's usually the man's fault." Xu sighed.
"Well it's not." Rinoa sighed. "It's just that he's been distant lately that's all." Rinoa sighed.
"Don't worry." Xu sighed. "He's still madly in love with you."
"How do you know?"
"If you work closely with Squall as long as I have you know what he's thinking. Trust me, Squall has difficulty showing his feelings in public that's all." Xu said taking another sip of coffee.
"Really?" Rinoa smiled.
"Trust me, I won't be surprise if one day you two get married and have children." Xu smiled.
"Aren't you being a little presumptuous?" Rinoa smiled.
"Well just give some time." Xu smiled.
The general chime rang through out the Balamb Garden. The women stopped what they were doing to hear the announcement. "Commander Leonhart, please report to the infirmary, our visitors have awaken." Nida's voice came ringing through.
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Xu sighed. The girls said nothing and contemplated her statement as they finished their breakfast in silence.
* * * * * * * * * *
Dr. Kadowaki was checking the survivors to see if they were medically fit to return to duty. Only four of the six survivors woke up from their comas. "Where's the other one?" Dr. Kadowaki asked only noticing that there were five people in the room.
"Our commander is with Ellone." One of the survivors answered.
"I see." The doctor sighed. "I'll be back in a moment." She said walking into the next room where Ellone was being kept. She saw the black haired boy whom she had revived earlier kneeing by Ellone's side holding her hand.
"She must mean a lot to you." Dr. Kadowaki observed.
"She was like a second mother." The boy sighed.
"I'm sorry, she died before we could get to her." Dr. Kadowaki comforted.
"I understand doctor." He sighed. "But it doesn't make it any easier." He paused. "How may I help you?"
"I'm here to do a check up." Dr. Kadowaki said.
"I assure you doctor, I'm fine."
"You commanders always think you're invincible." Dr. Kadowaki sighed.
"I'm hardly a leader, a commander." He sighed. "I'm just a lowly lieutenant."
"Great commanders usually come from lowly lieutenants."
"Commanders earn their greatness, not have greatness thrust upon them."
"Nevertheless, you are their commander, no matter the circumstances and you must live with that." Dr. Kadowaki sighed. "All done." She smiled finishing the medical examination. "I think I'll leave you alone with your memories." Dr. Kadowaki said leaving the room.
"Oh, Doctor." He said interrupting her flight. She turned around to see what he wanted. "Thanks." He smiled.
"No problem." She smiled back leaving him alone.
Dr. Kadowaki headed to her desk and started to file her reports for the medical records. Squall and Zell came staggering in interrupting her typing. Her jaw dropped at the sight of them and quickly got up. "Doctor, Where are our visitors?" Squall asked.
"What in the world happened to you two?" Dr. Kadowaki asked checking over them.
"Squall and I had a little mishap in the Training Center." Zell replied.
"You boys weren't fighting were you?" Dr. Kadowaki sighed.
"Squall and me, nahh." Zell said nonchalantly. "We're buds."
"Well, let's go into an examination room, just in case you've broken any bones." Dr. Kadowaki sighed.
"That can wait doctor, do you have a report?"
"Yes, four out of the six survivors are awake, their ready to leave the infirmary if they wish. Their commander is with Ellone waiting for you." Dr. Kadowaki reported.
"Thank you." Squall smiled.
"And Squall you're mine after the meeting."
"Yes ma'am." Squall sighed as he entered the room.
"As for you Zell, come into examination room three."
"Oh man."
* * * * * * * * * *
In his short life Squall had met several dignitaries and was never nervous about meeting them, but meeting his son was a different story. His stomach was in knots as he approached the black haired boy. "She's very special to me too." Squall smiled.
"I know." He sighed.
"Hello, my name is Commander Squall Leonhart."
"Lieutenant Vesper...Vesper."
"Leonhart." Squall finished. "My son."
"Yeah." He sighed. "I...I understand how difficult this my be to you, but I am from your future." Vesper explained.
"I know." Squall smiled.
"How?"
"Your uniforms, we saw them in the time compressed world."
"I see." Vesper sighed.
"How far in the future are you from?" Squall asked.
"Twenty-five years."
"Why did you come here?"
"I don't know if I should tell you." Vesper sighed. "Not yet, any ways." He sighed.
"Why not?"
"SeeD Temporal Directive." Vesper sighed. "I can't tell you anything just in case you change the future."
"Really?"
"Yeah." Vesper sighed. "That and I don't know why we came here. The captain and the first officer was killed in the attack and we suffering from amnesia all our short term memories has been forgotten." Vesper confessed. "There was only one other person that knew."
"Who?"
"Auntie Ellone." Vesper said looking at the dead body.
Squall looked at Ellone. "Could it be in your ship's computer?" Squall asked.
"It could, that is if we could break the code."
"Com'on, let's do it."
"Father, you can't go." Vesper sighed. "SeeD Temporal Directive. I can't allow you to see future technology..."
"I understand."
"Don't worry, my best engineer will take care of it. She claims to have an affinity towards machines." Vesper reassured. He led his father into the other room where his officers were waiting. 'Would they accept me as leader?' Vesper sighed.
The other three officers looked at Vesper Leonhart waiting on his next words. They knew that he was nervous, and he knew that they knew. Vesper took a deep breath and reminded himself that they were his friends. "As you may know, this is Commander Squall Leonhart and he would like to know why we came here from the future. Unfortunately the only three people that knew our mission are dead." Vesper sighed. "Since I'm the highest ranking SeeD officer alive I will take command." Vesper waited for a moment to see if any of his friends would challenge him.
"Chill, Ves we'll follow your commands." Aurora smiled. Vesper knew Aurora the longest - all his life. She knew everything about him. She had beautiful royal blue eyes and shoulder length blonde hair.
"Aurora's right, we respect your authority." Blazed reassured. Except for the golden blond hair, Blaze and Vesper were identical. They were about the same height and build. They met while training to be SeeD and instantly connected.
"Yeah, so just relax." Hope encouraged. She was tall, thin, and pale with long black hair. Vesper knew Hope as an acquaintance, he just met her on the Destiny when they were assigned to it.
"Thanks guys." Vesper sighed with relief. "Aurora, since you're good with mechanics. I'll like you to try to decipher the codes to our mission perimeters so we know what in the world we're doing here."
"Aye sir." Aurora acknowledged.
"For the rest of you, I know how tempting it is to tell people about their future, but remember you are still under the SeeD Temporal Directive."
"Aye sir." They answered in unison.
"I...I guess that's all, the rest of you can relax." Vesper sighed.
"I'll show you to your quarters." Squall said.
They were about to leave the infirmary when Dr. Kadowaki came out of one of the examination room to catch them in their flight. "Where do you think you're going?" Dr. Kadowaki said putting her hands on her waist.
"I'm showing our guest to their rooms."
"Oh, no you're not." Dr. Kadowaki warned. "I have to tend to your wounds." Dr. Kadowaki explained.
"Doctor..." Squall patronized.
"That's an order." Dr. Kadowaki insisted. "And I'm only one of three people aboard Balamb Garden that could give you one." Dr. Kadowaki smiled.
Squall sighed. "Who will show our guest to their rooms."
"Zell could." Dr. Kadowaki smiled.
"Sorry bro." Zell smiled. "She's got you."
"All right." Squall sighed in defeat. "Zell, Please escort our guest to their rooms." Squall said giving the order reluctantly.
"No prob." Zell said as he lead the group of future visitors out of the infirmary.
"Oh, Doctor please tell me when the rest of my crew wakes." Vesper said.
"Of course." Dr. Kadowaki smiled. "Now for you, please go into examination room one." She said to Squall.
"I assure you doctor, I'm fine."
"Why do you commanders think you're invincible?" Vesper smiled to himself as he heard Dr. Kadowaki's response and left the infirmary.
* * * * * * * * * *
Laguna sat on the window ledge and watched life pass him by thinking about the meaning of life. He tapped the pad Ward left in his room with his last message typed on it. TALK TO HIM was the advice that haunted his mind. He knew that this discussion was inevitable and that there would never be a right time to talk to him. "After the meeting." He said to himself. "Maybe." Laguna sighed.
The door chimed. Laguna put the pad down by the windowsill and got up to straighten up. "Come in." The door slide opened and the President saw Ellone standing. "Ellone." Laguna smiled running towards her giving her a big hug.
"What's wrong Uncle Laguna?" Ellone asked.
"Whatever do you mean?" Laguna asked innocently.
"You may be smiling, but your eyes tell a different story." Ellone explained.
Laguna smiled to himself. "Can't fool you can I?"
"What's wrong?"
"I had a debate with Ward over a overdue talk that I had to make."
"That same old fight." Ellone sighed.
"It is an old fight isn't?" Laguna realized how long Ward and he had been fighting the same old fight.
"Yeah." Ellone smiled. "What's this talk about?"
Laguna took in a deep sigh and looked at his ring. He quickly debated if it was the right time to tell her. He took another sigh, he didn't care anymore, he had to tell someone. "Many years ago Raine had a child that I've never seen, because..."
"Because, you went to Esthar to save me." Ellone completed his sentence. "I'm sorry that you've never seen your child."
"I found him." Laguna said above a whisper.
"What?"
"I found him years ago."
"Does he know?" Ellone asked.
"No." Laguna sighed. "I think it's better that he thinks I'm dead."
"You don't mean that."
"Yes, I do."
"Uncle Laguna, you should talk to him. He needs to know."
"Ward has been telling me that for years." Laguna sighed.
"He's right." Ellone smiled.
"Listen, Ellone I called you here do me a favour." Laguna said changing the topic of the discussion.
"What is it?" Ellone asked.
"Come let's discuss this over coffee." Laguna sighed. "I need some."
* * * * * * * * * *
Headmaster Sterne was early for the noon meeting so he decided to do some paperwork while he waited for the rest of the people. It was not unusual for foreign dignitaries to request a conference meeting with Balamb Garden, but it was unusual to hide what the meeting was about. This single fact weighed heavy in his heart.
Cid passed the torched of head-mastership to Sterne about a year ago. The students at first were uncomfortable with the change of leadership, but in time they understood their new headmaster's way of dealing with things. Sterne hated surprises; he would rather know what this meeting was about.
A few minutes later Doctor Kadowaki walked in. "Good Afternoon Stephen." She said as she took her perspective seat.
"Afternoon Karen." He said not looking up from his work. The silence continued as the both of them consumed themselves with paperwork. Only sounds of paper being flipped over was present in the conference room. Moments later, Squall Leonhart, Xu Tseng, and Quistis Trepe walked in talking rather loudly about their reports. Everyone exchanges pleasantries as they took their seats.
"We will begin the meeting when the rest of our party is here." Headmaster Sterne announced as he put away his paper work.
"The rest of the party?" Squall asked.
"President Loire call this meeting to order."
"Laguna?" Squall was intrigued. "Why would he call a meeting?" Squall asked.
"You're guess is good as mine." The Headmaster sighed.
At that President Loire and Ellone entered the room. With respect everyone in the room stood up to greet the Presidential Party.
"Please sit down." Laguna entered. "I'm sorry for being late, matters of state." Laguna sighed. "Let me introduce Ellone, she would be sitting in with this meeting." Laguna smiled.
"A pleasure to meet you." Sterne smiled. "Let me introduce, Dr. Kadowaki, Lieutenant Commanders Quistis Trepe and Xu Tseng, and Commander Squall Leonhart." He introduced.
"I know we all met." Laguna smiled.
"If you don't mind, Mr. President, we'll have matters pertaining to Balamb Garden first." Headmaster Sterne said.
"No, please go ahead." Laguna said. "I understand the burdens of the state."
"Thank you." Headmaster Sterne smiled. "Dr. Kadowaki, how are our guests?" Sterne said looking at her.
"There's six survivors, the last two of them, Thor and Zephyr were awaken. All six are in perfect health however each has a short-term memory. There is something else..."
"What is it Karen?"
"They refused to give their last names. I'm not sure if the forgot it, but..." Dr. Kadowaki sighed.
"It's their temporal directive." Squall interrupt. Eyes darted towards Squall. "Given their last names may show their ancestral lineage and may change their past or our future." Squall said unconvincingly.
"You don't sound convinced." Headmaster Sterne noticed.
"I just don't believe that our future is written in stone." Squall replied.
"Don't we all." Sterne sighed. "Is that all doctor?"
"Yes." Dr. Kadowaki sighed.
"Thank you." Sterne smiled. He pivoted his chair to face Xu. "Executive Officer's report?" He asked.
Xu passed her report to the Headmaster. "Internal repairs are done, while external repairs would be done within the hour. There were seven fatalities during our skirmish with the black ships."
"What do we know about the black ships?" Headmaster Sterne asked.
"They don't remember." Squall sighed. "Part of their amnesia I guess. Presently our guests are trying to break into their computers to find any information." Squall reported.
"Do you really believe their claim of being from the future."
"Yes." Squall and Laguna said in unison.
Sterne was flabbergasted at their response that he lost his train of thought. "How can you be sure?" Headmaster Sterne cautiously.
Squall and Laguna looked at each other; they were surprised that the other answered Sterne's question. Laguna invited him to report first. "Their uniforms are identical to those found in the time compressed world when we faced Ultimecia a year ago." Squall reported.
"I see." Sterne sighed. "And you Mr. President."
"This is a report from our leading scientist regarding the nature of the vortex. As you can see it is in his belief that the vortex has temporal properties. He theorized that the other side of the vortex is somewhere in the future." Laguna reported.
"Do you know how far in the future?"
"Twenty-five years." Squall interrupted. "I've asked their leader." Squall said explaining his outburst.
"I see." Headmaster Sterne sighed. "How is crew morale over this situation?" He said looking at Quistis.
"The students are agitated and apprehensive over the recent skirmish." Quistis sighed looking over her notes. "There are a handful of students that were devastated from the deaths of their friends. I've told the other instructors to watch out for these particular students and report to me anything that may hinder the training process."
"Thank you."
"Do we know their reasons for coming to the past?"
"No." Squall said quickly. "Only three people knew about the mission and why they came, but they're dead. Their leader put his best man to find out their mission on the Destiny, that's their ship." Squall sighed.
"I think we could help in that department." Laguna smiled.
All the others looked at Laguna and Ellone with surprise. 'What could they know?' Squall sighed. 'What's their plan?'
"We're all ears, President Loire." Headmaster Sterne said.
"I have an idea." President Lore sighed. "Ellone had this ability to bring people's consciousness from the present in another person's past."
"I don't understand." Headmaster Sterne said.
"Trust him, headmaster." Squall said. "Head Instructor Trepe and I have experience the same thing."
"Is it safe?"
"Yes, to the person being sent into the past they suddenly feel very tired and faint when they awake they see through the subjects eyes. It just feels like a dream. To the person in the past it feels like..."
"Fairies." Laguna completed Squall's sentence. "It just feels like someone is watching over you." Laguna corrected very quickly. "People have considered it good luck."
"Okay...okay." Sterne said defensively. "I'm convinced."
"I have a question though." Squall sighed. "Can you transport people into dead subjects?" Squall sighed.
"I'm not sure." Ellone sighed. "But there's no harm in trying."
"She's right Squall." Quistis said.
"When can you begin?" Headmaster Sterne asked.
"Sometime this afternoon. I'm very tired." Ellone suggested.
"Sounds good." Headmaster Sterne said. "Is there any more business?" He asked. There was no reply. "All right, meeting dismissed."
Everyone started to leave. "Squall, Quistis, would you care to join Uncle Laguna and I for lunch?" Ellone asked.
"I love to." Quistis smiled.
"As would I, but I have things to do." Squall said.
"Are you sure?" Laguna asked.
"Yeah, thanks for the invitation though." Squall replied politely. "If you'll excuse me." Squall said as he left.
* * * * * * * * * *
Squall grabbed his gun blade from his room and quickly went into the Training Center. He hated the idea of not knowing everything about a situation. He liked to be in control of everything, but when he felt powerless there was nothing he could do but train.
He junction his Guardian Force before he went in. He carefully walked into the humid training room. He turned to the right making sure that he paid careful attention to his environment. He slowly walked across the bridge and suddenly a Grat jumped up behind him and hit him in the back.
Squall quickly turned around to face his enemy. He saw the Grat's arm waving in the air expecting an attack. It did and Squall was ready for it. He jumped away and smashed his blade into the heart of the Grat triggering his gun blade and tasting the residue powder of the Pulse Ammo in his mouth. The Grat scream in pain and died.
Squall hated the bridge in the training center there wasn't room to maneuver and it was where most of the student got hurt. He dismissed the thought out of his mind and walked into the room with the islands and bridges. He slowly, but carefully crossed them. He didn't see Card Magician Joker hanging around the solitary tree there 'What a strange fellow.' Squall sighed as he crossed onto the second bridge and walked toward the fallen tree.
Suddenly there was rustling around the forest. Squall stopped in his tracks and tried to distinguish the sound. He heard three distinct tracks. Grats Squall thoughts, their movements were quick and stealthy unlike the T-Rexaurs. Squall was right three Grats jumped from the bushes and was ready to attack him.
Squall took the insinuative and hit the middle Grat tasting the powder of his Pulse Ammo in his mouth. The Grat instantly died. In response the Grat from the right hit him on the head with all four of his hands. Squall ignore the hit, it was inconsequential to him. Squall knew that the one on the left would attack next, which it did. Again Squall ignored the hit as he got ready to attack.
The Grat on the right died as the left one hit him on the head. He quickly counterattacked the Grat and it too died. The battle was won and he cast Cure on himself. He approached the fallen tree trunk and saw Vesper fighting ahead of him. Instead of running towards him he sat behind and watched his son fight.
Vesper welded a double-sided sword in his right hand. Squall saw him dodged the bite and hit the T-Rexaur with the right blade and again with the left blade. 'Interesting, two attacks at once.' Squall thought to himself being very impressed with his attack. The T-Rexaur swung his tale around and saw his son fall down. Vesper got up quickly and attacked again the first slice inflicted critical damage as the second one finished the dinosaur up.
Squall was elated. He was about to rush towards his son and congratulate him when he felt the ground rumble. 'T-Rexaurs and a lot of them.' He thought to himself. It was coming towards Vesper. Squall gasped as he rushed towards him. He saw that Vesper was not running away. 'He's going to kill himself.' Squall thought. He was too late four T-Rexaurs appeared before his son.
"Run Vesper!" Squall yelled.
He turned around and smiled at his father pulling out a card. He quickly turned around to confront the T-Rexaurs. One of the T-Rexaurs bit him, but the guardian force he was calling protected him. He didn't even flinch at the pain. Squall stood by and watched his son disappear in a shimmering of green light.
The ground started to rumble and the sky turned into a sunset hue. He heard a roar coming from all directions as a huge blue muscular bipedal demon came up. It had a lion's head and large leather bat like wings. "Grevier." Squall swore to himself. The only time he saw this Guardian Force was in Ultimecia's Castle, he remembered how difficult it was to defeat it.
Grevier swung his left hand and then the right hitting all four T-Rexaurs and then roared as four shimmering globes surrounded the enemies and rotated them towards the sky. "Shockwave Pulsar." Squall swore in awe. The four celestial globes orbited around a dark quantum singularity. Which exploded with dark energy draining the T-Rexaurs health. They were thrown to the ground with amazing power. Grevier roared again and disappeared as Vesper reappeared seeing all four T-Rexaurs roared with pain and died.
"Your monsters here are weak." Vesper gloated.
"Agreed." Squall smiled walking towards him. "Monsters in captivity always seemed to be weaker than in the wild." Squall sighed. "If you want a challenge I know a place where the monsters are the fiercest." Squall smiled.
"The Isles closest to Heaven and Hell?" Vesper smiled.
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"You took me there several times." Vesper smiled.
"I see." Squall sighed. "I noticed that you got out of your uniform." Squall observed. Vesper was wearing a tight black shirt tucked neatly under comfortable black leather jeans held together neatly with a black leather belt. On his shoulders were a long trench coat made from leather. His black hair was slicked back and his icy blue eyes glittered in contrast. Around his neck he wore a necklace of a star. On his right hand was a black bracelet that glow purple from time to time.
"Yeah, I like these threads better." Vesper smiled. "The uniforms are too formal for me. Looked like pajamas." He smiled.
"I agree." Squall smiled. "That Guardian Force, Grevier. It's awesome." Squall complemented.
"That's not what you said when I found it." Vesper smiled.
"Really?" Squall sighed dubiously.
"You don't believe me?"
"I don't believe that my future, my destiny is written on stone." Squall said.
Vesper smiled to himself. "Funny you said the same thing about the past about twenty-five years from now." Vesper smiled.
"Really?" Squall asked unconvincingly.
"Father, I know that you didn't come here for small talk." Vesper sighed.
"You're right." Squall sighed.
"Now if you're here about our mission, Aurora is still having difficulties trying to decipher the codes." Vesper sighed.
"No, that's not what I wanted to know." Squall sighed. "I wanted to ask you something."
"Father, you know I can't tell you about the future." Vesper sighed. "Telling you that I was your son was bad enough...."
"I just wanted to know if I was a good father." Squall interrupted.
"What?"
"Forget it." Squall sighed.
"Why?"
Squall stopped in his tracks and took a deep sigh. He turned around and looked at his son. "I just wanted to know if I was a good father, because I never had one." Squall sighed. "I was told my mother died shortly after my birth, crying my father's name, but..."
"And your father?"
"I was told that he left. I don't even know if he's alive or dead." Squall sighed. "I always thought if I ever had children would I acted the same way." Squall sighed.
Vesper sighed and against regulations decided to break them once more. "You were a wonderful father." Vesper said putting his hand on his father's shoulder. "You and mother were always there for me, always ready to help me. You were a good father and she a good mother. Something I've never told you, either of you." Vesper sighed.
"You just did." Squall smiled. "Thanks." Squall sighed. "What's that?" Squall pointed to the ground and saw a black bracelet on the ground that glow purple.
* * * * * * * * * *
Ellone walked with Laguna and Quistis left shortly after Squall exited the Conference room. They caught up on old times as they got to the elevator and went to down to the first floor. The three walked down the stairs and into the main foyer.
"Ellone, Quistis, if you don't mind I've lost my appetite." Laguna sighed. "Would it be an inconvenience, if I didn't join you for lunch?"
"No, not at all." Quistis smiled.
"Sure." Ellone smiled.
"Thanks." Laguna smiled turning left as the women turned the other direction. They went pass the infirmary where Ellone stopped in her tracks. She stared into the infirmary and lost track thought.
"Quistis would you mind if you have lunch alone?"
"No, go see her." Quistis said. "Do you want me to go with you?"
"No." Ellone sighed. "I rather go alone."
"If need to talk."
"I know where to look." Ellone smiled.
"Take care." Quistis said giving Ellone a hug and left her.
Ellone took a deep sigh for courage and walked towards the infirmary. Dr. Kadowaki had yet to return from the conference room and she was relived that she was alone. Ellone went into the first room and saw herself.
She was shocked to see herself. There was a saying: If one travels far enough one would find oneself. She never imagined that it would ever come true - that is in the corporal form. Ellone had seen dead people before, but she had never dreamed of seeing herself dead. She took a deep sigh and held her hand.
Suddenly, the two Ellones turned white and blurred. Ellone frantically watched around her, and saw the whole room doing the same. She was afraid and wanted to let go, but she couldn't her hand was like glued to her older counterpart. A moment later both Ellones disappeared into nothingness.
* * * * * * * * * *
"It's a chronoband." Vesper said as he watched his father observing the bracelet.
"What does it do?" Squall asked.
Vesper never had time to answer his father's question. Vesper and Squall saw the Training Room started to blur with a white glow. "Damn." Vesper swore as he fastened the chronoband on his father. Everything surrounding them was being blurred. Strong white hurricane like winds started to destroy everything that was enveloped in the faint white light. "We too late." Vesper sighed in defeat.
"What's happening?" Squall yelled, his voice lost in the winds of time.
Vesper turned around and saw that Squall was protected by a violet aura. He was relieved. He knew that he and his father were the only things in the Training Center that was not engulfed by the white light or being blown away by the temporal winds.
"What's happening?" Squall repeated.
"The world that we know it...is gone." Vesper said ominously.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to the Final Fantasy Genre (specifically Final Fantasy VIII (video game)) is not my invention and is the property of Square - no profit was made from the writing of this fan fiction. [2] This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination that is, those not mentioned in the previous clause, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
By: Stiltzkin
Author's Note: Sorry for getting this up late. I was busy with school and writing my Parasite Eve fan fiction. Hope the wait was well worth it. Sorry about the length, I'll try to keep it shorter next time.
* * * * * * * * * *
CHAPTER THREE: TEMPORAL STORM
Laguna Loire was unpacking when he noticed an old photograph of himself and Raine before they were married. In the picture he was dressed in his old Galabadian uniform on his right hand was Raine, his future, now deceased wife was in her humble yellow sweater and blue jeans. 'She looked so beautiful.' Laguna sighed touching his wife's face with his fingers. He missed her very much. In the center of the photograph, in front of the couple dressed in her blue-green dress was Ellone with a big grin.
He felt a presence in his room and knew that it was Ward. "She was so happy, when I proposed." Laguna smiled showing the picture to Ward. He picked up the picture in his huge hands and smiled. "The night I proposed to her was the first and only night we spent together." Laguna sighed as Ward handed back the picture to him.
Ward looked into Laguna's eyes, the window to his soul and noticed that there was just sorrow, a deep unending sorrow. He placed his big hand on his shoulder. Laguna looked into his friend's eyes and sighed. "Just ghosts from the past, old friend, just old ghosts." Laguna sighed.
Ward typed something on his pad and handed it to Laguna. He read the text: TALK TO HIM. Laguna sighed and placed it gently on the bed.
"I can't." Laguna sighed. "It's been eighteen years. Perhaps it's better that he thinks that I'm dead." Laguna sighed. Ward counter-argued by putting his hand on his shoulder and giving Laguna a sympathetic look. "I know, I know." Laguna sighed. "He has to know." He sighed again. "How is it that I can never win an argument with you." Laguna teased. Ward returned his smile and reinforced his question by his silent gaze. He walked towards the bed and picked up the pad and waited for Laguna to answer. "I know, it's just not the right time." Laguna sighed.
Ward handed him the pad with another text for Laguna to read: IT'LL NEVER BE THE RIGHT TIME. Laguna read. He gazed into his friend's eyes.
"How did you get so wise?" Laguna smiled. Ward took back his pad and typed his response and handed it back to Laguna. "Ha, ha, very funny." Laguna replied sarcastically. "So why am I honoured by your visit, business or pleasure?" Laguna asked.
Ward handed him a folder with a report. "Business it is." Laguna sighed as he quickly delved into the report. "It's a report on the spatial vortex from Dr. Odine." He spoke to himself.
Ward watched Laguna reading the report. He saw Laguna's pupils dilated with interest seeing Dr. Odine's conclusion. "A temporal vortex?" Laguna said with awe. "Is Dr. Odine suggesting that the survivors and Ellone are from the future?" Laguna said in disbelief. Ward nod to his question. "Well at least it explains why Ellone looks like she's - well, my age." Laguna sighed. "Where does the time go?" Laguna sighed walking towards the window. He could hear Ward typing on his pad. Laguna smiled to himself. "It was a rhetorical question." Ward approached nevertheless and handed him the pad. "I told you the question was rhetorical." Ward pushed the pad to him and insisted that he read it.
"Survivor's Ramblings?" Laguna read. "What do you mean?" Laguna asked with confusion. Ward gave an earnest look to make him think. "All right. I'll deconstruct this note." Laguna sighed. "The survivor asked a lot of questions, like where am I?" Laguna thought out loud. Ward shook his head and motioned his hands. "Before that." Laguna sighed. Ward nod in response. "Before the survivor asked those questions he...he called Squall." Laguna looked into Ward's eyes with awe. "Father." He said above a whisper.
Ward grabbed the pad from his best friend and typed another note and hand it back to Laguna as he read it: TALK TO HIM.
* * * * * * * * * *
Xu walked into the cafeteria and ordered a coffee for breakfast, she wasn't feeling too well. Today was the first time in her recent memory that she missed a sunrise. It was her favourite time of day, it was her element, her mother told her long ago that her name meant rising sun and every since then she had never missed a sunrise - that is until today. She considered it a bad omen.
She brought her coffee to the dinning area to look for a solitary place to do some work. In her peripheral vision she saw three very sad, and very depressed women eating chocolate ice cream. She smiled to herself and walked toward the trio of women and thought that he work could wait. "Chocolate ice-cream for breakfast?" Xu smiled concernedly.
"Triple Chocolate ice-cream." Selphie joyfully corrected. "The cafeteria lady thought it was odd too."
"Let me guess, you're all depressed." Xu said.
"How very perspective." Quistis sighed taking another bite of her ice cream.
"Let me guess, men." Xu smiled.
"That's right." Rinoa sighed.
"Why are you depressed Selphie, you're usually happy?" Xu asked.
"Nothing." Selphie sighed. "Irvy and I haven't spend much time together." Selphie sighed.
"Irvy!?!" The rest of the girls said rather loudly, giggling.
"That's what I call him." Selphie protested.
Xu tried to contain her laughter and took another sip of coffee. "What about you Quistis, why are you so down?"
"No man." Quistis sighed.
"What about Zell?" Selphie playfully suggested.
"You're kidding!" Quistis chuckled to herself. "Zell is like a little brother to me." Quistis sighed with a big smile. "Besides he's involved with Rene Gisho."
"The girl with the brown pig tales in the library?" Rinoa smiled.
"Yeah, how did you know?" Quistis asked.
"I've frequent the library when I was here last and we talked on more than one occasion." Rinoa smiled.
"What about those guys over there?" Selphie pointed to a table of three men watching Quistis eating ice cream. They quickly return to their duties as Quistis looked over her shoulder.
"Oh, them." Quistis sighed. "They're just boys with crushes." Quistis quickly dismissed them as candidates.
"What about Squall?" Rinoa asked.
That question pained her, once upon a time she had feelings for Squall, but ever since Rinoa entered his life she backed off. "I find him unavailable." Quistis sighed. "And besides he and I are friends." Quistis quickly defended. "Besides the person he loves is you."
"I'm not so sure about that." Rinoa sighed.
"What did Squall do now?" Xu sighed.
"Why does everyone think that it's Squall's fault." Rinoa protested.
"Because it's usually the man's fault." Xu sighed.
"Well it's not." Rinoa sighed. "It's just that he's been distant lately that's all." Rinoa sighed.
"Don't worry." Xu sighed. "He's still madly in love with you."
"How do you know?"
"If you work closely with Squall as long as I have you know what he's thinking. Trust me, Squall has difficulty showing his feelings in public that's all." Xu said taking another sip of coffee.
"Really?" Rinoa smiled.
"Trust me, I won't be surprise if one day you two get married and have children." Xu smiled.
"Aren't you being a little presumptuous?" Rinoa smiled.
"Well just give some time." Xu smiled.
The general chime rang through out the Balamb Garden. The women stopped what they were doing to hear the announcement. "Commander Leonhart, please report to the infirmary, our visitors have awaken." Nida's voice came ringing through.
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Xu sighed. The girls said nothing and contemplated her statement as they finished their breakfast in silence.
* * * * * * * * * *
Dr. Kadowaki was checking the survivors to see if they were medically fit to return to duty. Only four of the six survivors woke up from their comas. "Where's the other one?" Dr. Kadowaki asked only noticing that there were five people in the room.
"Our commander is with Ellone." One of the survivors answered.
"I see." The doctor sighed. "I'll be back in a moment." She said walking into the next room where Ellone was being kept. She saw the black haired boy whom she had revived earlier kneeing by Ellone's side holding her hand.
"She must mean a lot to you." Dr. Kadowaki observed.
"She was like a second mother." The boy sighed.
"I'm sorry, she died before we could get to her." Dr. Kadowaki comforted.
"I understand doctor." He sighed. "But it doesn't make it any easier." He paused. "How may I help you?"
"I'm here to do a check up." Dr. Kadowaki said.
"I assure you doctor, I'm fine."
"You commanders always think you're invincible." Dr. Kadowaki sighed.
"I'm hardly a leader, a commander." He sighed. "I'm just a lowly lieutenant."
"Great commanders usually come from lowly lieutenants."
"Commanders earn their greatness, not have greatness thrust upon them."
"Nevertheless, you are their commander, no matter the circumstances and you must live with that." Dr. Kadowaki sighed. "All done." She smiled finishing the medical examination. "I think I'll leave you alone with your memories." Dr. Kadowaki said leaving the room.
"Oh, Doctor." He said interrupting her flight. She turned around to see what he wanted. "Thanks." He smiled.
"No problem." She smiled back leaving him alone.
Dr. Kadowaki headed to her desk and started to file her reports for the medical records. Squall and Zell came staggering in interrupting her typing. Her jaw dropped at the sight of them and quickly got up. "Doctor, Where are our visitors?" Squall asked.
"What in the world happened to you two?" Dr. Kadowaki asked checking over them.
"Squall and I had a little mishap in the Training Center." Zell replied.
"You boys weren't fighting were you?" Dr. Kadowaki sighed.
"Squall and me, nahh." Zell said nonchalantly. "We're buds."
"Well, let's go into an examination room, just in case you've broken any bones." Dr. Kadowaki sighed.
"That can wait doctor, do you have a report?"
"Yes, four out of the six survivors are awake, their ready to leave the infirmary if they wish. Their commander is with Ellone waiting for you." Dr. Kadowaki reported.
"Thank you." Squall smiled.
"And Squall you're mine after the meeting."
"Yes ma'am." Squall sighed as he entered the room.
"As for you Zell, come into examination room three."
"Oh man."
* * * * * * * * * *
In his short life Squall had met several dignitaries and was never nervous about meeting them, but meeting his son was a different story. His stomach was in knots as he approached the black haired boy. "She's very special to me too." Squall smiled.
"I know." He sighed.
"Hello, my name is Commander Squall Leonhart."
"Lieutenant Vesper...Vesper."
"Leonhart." Squall finished. "My son."
"Yeah." He sighed. "I...I understand how difficult this my be to you, but I am from your future." Vesper explained.
"I know." Squall smiled.
"How?"
"Your uniforms, we saw them in the time compressed world."
"I see." Vesper sighed.
"How far in the future are you from?" Squall asked.
"Twenty-five years."
"Why did you come here?"
"I don't know if I should tell you." Vesper sighed. "Not yet, any ways." He sighed.
"Why not?"
"SeeD Temporal Directive." Vesper sighed. "I can't tell you anything just in case you change the future."
"Really?"
"Yeah." Vesper sighed. "That and I don't know why we came here. The captain and the first officer was killed in the attack and we suffering from amnesia all our short term memories has been forgotten." Vesper confessed. "There was only one other person that knew."
"Who?"
"Auntie Ellone." Vesper said looking at the dead body.
Squall looked at Ellone. "Could it be in your ship's computer?" Squall asked.
"It could, that is if we could break the code."
"Com'on, let's do it."
"Father, you can't go." Vesper sighed. "SeeD Temporal Directive. I can't allow you to see future technology..."
"I understand."
"Don't worry, my best engineer will take care of it. She claims to have an affinity towards machines." Vesper reassured. He led his father into the other room where his officers were waiting. 'Would they accept me as leader?' Vesper sighed.
The other three officers looked at Vesper Leonhart waiting on his next words. They knew that he was nervous, and he knew that they knew. Vesper took a deep breath and reminded himself that they were his friends. "As you may know, this is Commander Squall Leonhart and he would like to know why we came here from the future. Unfortunately the only three people that knew our mission are dead." Vesper sighed. "Since I'm the highest ranking SeeD officer alive I will take command." Vesper waited for a moment to see if any of his friends would challenge him.
"Chill, Ves we'll follow your commands." Aurora smiled. Vesper knew Aurora the longest - all his life. She knew everything about him. She had beautiful royal blue eyes and shoulder length blonde hair.
"Aurora's right, we respect your authority." Blazed reassured. Except for the golden blond hair, Blaze and Vesper were identical. They were about the same height and build. They met while training to be SeeD and instantly connected.
"Yeah, so just relax." Hope encouraged. She was tall, thin, and pale with long black hair. Vesper knew Hope as an acquaintance, he just met her on the Destiny when they were assigned to it.
"Thanks guys." Vesper sighed with relief. "Aurora, since you're good with mechanics. I'll like you to try to decipher the codes to our mission perimeters so we know what in the world we're doing here."
"Aye sir." Aurora acknowledged.
"For the rest of you, I know how tempting it is to tell people about their future, but remember you are still under the SeeD Temporal Directive."
"Aye sir." They answered in unison.
"I...I guess that's all, the rest of you can relax." Vesper sighed.
"I'll show you to your quarters." Squall said.
They were about to leave the infirmary when Dr. Kadowaki came out of one of the examination room to catch them in their flight. "Where do you think you're going?" Dr. Kadowaki said putting her hands on her waist.
"I'm showing our guest to their rooms."
"Oh, no you're not." Dr. Kadowaki warned. "I have to tend to your wounds." Dr. Kadowaki explained.
"Doctor..." Squall patronized.
"That's an order." Dr. Kadowaki insisted. "And I'm only one of three people aboard Balamb Garden that could give you one." Dr. Kadowaki smiled.
Squall sighed. "Who will show our guest to their rooms."
"Zell could." Dr. Kadowaki smiled.
"Sorry bro." Zell smiled. "She's got you."
"All right." Squall sighed in defeat. "Zell, Please escort our guest to their rooms." Squall said giving the order reluctantly.
"No prob." Zell said as he lead the group of future visitors out of the infirmary.
"Oh, Doctor please tell me when the rest of my crew wakes." Vesper said.
"Of course." Dr. Kadowaki smiled. "Now for you, please go into examination room one." She said to Squall.
"I assure you doctor, I'm fine."
"Why do you commanders think you're invincible?" Vesper smiled to himself as he heard Dr. Kadowaki's response and left the infirmary.
* * * * * * * * * *
Laguna sat on the window ledge and watched life pass him by thinking about the meaning of life. He tapped the pad Ward left in his room with his last message typed on it. TALK TO HIM was the advice that haunted his mind. He knew that this discussion was inevitable and that there would never be a right time to talk to him. "After the meeting." He said to himself. "Maybe." Laguna sighed.
The door chimed. Laguna put the pad down by the windowsill and got up to straighten up. "Come in." The door slide opened and the President saw Ellone standing. "Ellone." Laguna smiled running towards her giving her a big hug.
"What's wrong Uncle Laguna?" Ellone asked.
"Whatever do you mean?" Laguna asked innocently.
"You may be smiling, but your eyes tell a different story." Ellone explained.
Laguna smiled to himself. "Can't fool you can I?"
"What's wrong?"
"I had a debate with Ward over a overdue talk that I had to make."
"That same old fight." Ellone sighed.
"It is an old fight isn't?" Laguna realized how long Ward and he had been fighting the same old fight.
"Yeah." Ellone smiled. "What's this talk about?"
Laguna took in a deep sigh and looked at his ring. He quickly debated if it was the right time to tell her. He took another sigh, he didn't care anymore, he had to tell someone. "Many years ago Raine had a child that I've never seen, because..."
"Because, you went to Esthar to save me." Ellone completed his sentence. "I'm sorry that you've never seen your child."
"I found him." Laguna said above a whisper.
"What?"
"I found him years ago."
"Does he know?" Ellone asked.
"No." Laguna sighed. "I think it's better that he thinks I'm dead."
"You don't mean that."
"Yes, I do."
"Uncle Laguna, you should talk to him. He needs to know."
"Ward has been telling me that for years." Laguna sighed.
"He's right." Ellone smiled.
"Listen, Ellone I called you here do me a favour." Laguna said changing the topic of the discussion.
"What is it?" Ellone asked.
"Come let's discuss this over coffee." Laguna sighed. "I need some."
* * * * * * * * * *
Headmaster Sterne was early for the noon meeting so he decided to do some paperwork while he waited for the rest of the people. It was not unusual for foreign dignitaries to request a conference meeting with Balamb Garden, but it was unusual to hide what the meeting was about. This single fact weighed heavy in his heart.
Cid passed the torched of head-mastership to Sterne about a year ago. The students at first were uncomfortable with the change of leadership, but in time they understood their new headmaster's way of dealing with things. Sterne hated surprises; he would rather know what this meeting was about.
A few minutes later Doctor Kadowaki walked in. "Good Afternoon Stephen." She said as she took her perspective seat.
"Afternoon Karen." He said not looking up from his work. The silence continued as the both of them consumed themselves with paperwork. Only sounds of paper being flipped over was present in the conference room. Moments later, Squall Leonhart, Xu Tseng, and Quistis Trepe walked in talking rather loudly about their reports. Everyone exchanges pleasantries as they took their seats.
"We will begin the meeting when the rest of our party is here." Headmaster Sterne announced as he put away his paper work.
"The rest of the party?" Squall asked.
"President Loire call this meeting to order."
"Laguna?" Squall was intrigued. "Why would he call a meeting?" Squall asked.
"You're guess is good as mine." The Headmaster sighed.
At that President Loire and Ellone entered the room. With respect everyone in the room stood up to greet the Presidential Party.
"Please sit down." Laguna entered. "I'm sorry for being late, matters of state." Laguna sighed. "Let me introduce Ellone, she would be sitting in with this meeting." Laguna smiled.
"A pleasure to meet you." Sterne smiled. "Let me introduce, Dr. Kadowaki, Lieutenant Commanders Quistis Trepe and Xu Tseng, and Commander Squall Leonhart." He introduced.
"I know we all met." Laguna smiled.
"If you don't mind, Mr. President, we'll have matters pertaining to Balamb Garden first." Headmaster Sterne said.
"No, please go ahead." Laguna said. "I understand the burdens of the state."
"Thank you." Headmaster Sterne smiled. "Dr. Kadowaki, how are our guests?" Sterne said looking at her.
"There's six survivors, the last two of them, Thor and Zephyr were awaken. All six are in perfect health however each has a short-term memory. There is something else..."
"What is it Karen?"
"They refused to give their last names. I'm not sure if the forgot it, but..." Dr. Kadowaki sighed.
"It's their temporal directive." Squall interrupt. Eyes darted towards Squall. "Given their last names may show their ancestral lineage and may change their past or our future." Squall said unconvincingly.
"You don't sound convinced." Headmaster Sterne noticed.
"I just don't believe that our future is written in stone." Squall replied.
"Don't we all." Sterne sighed. "Is that all doctor?"
"Yes." Dr. Kadowaki sighed.
"Thank you." Sterne smiled. He pivoted his chair to face Xu. "Executive Officer's report?" He asked.
Xu passed her report to the Headmaster. "Internal repairs are done, while external repairs would be done within the hour. There were seven fatalities during our skirmish with the black ships."
"What do we know about the black ships?" Headmaster Sterne asked.
"They don't remember." Squall sighed. "Part of their amnesia I guess. Presently our guests are trying to break into their computers to find any information." Squall reported.
"Do you really believe their claim of being from the future."
"Yes." Squall and Laguna said in unison.
Sterne was flabbergasted at their response that he lost his train of thought. "How can you be sure?" Headmaster Sterne cautiously.
Squall and Laguna looked at each other; they were surprised that the other answered Sterne's question. Laguna invited him to report first. "Their uniforms are identical to those found in the time compressed world when we faced Ultimecia a year ago." Squall reported.
"I see." Sterne sighed. "And you Mr. President."
"This is a report from our leading scientist regarding the nature of the vortex. As you can see it is in his belief that the vortex has temporal properties. He theorized that the other side of the vortex is somewhere in the future." Laguna reported.
"Do you know how far in the future?"
"Twenty-five years." Squall interrupted. "I've asked their leader." Squall said explaining his outburst.
"I see." Headmaster Sterne sighed. "How is crew morale over this situation?" He said looking at Quistis.
"The students are agitated and apprehensive over the recent skirmish." Quistis sighed looking over her notes. "There are a handful of students that were devastated from the deaths of their friends. I've told the other instructors to watch out for these particular students and report to me anything that may hinder the training process."
"Thank you."
"Do we know their reasons for coming to the past?"
"No." Squall said quickly. "Only three people knew about the mission and why they came, but they're dead. Their leader put his best man to find out their mission on the Destiny, that's their ship." Squall sighed.
"I think we could help in that department." Laguna smiled.
All the others looked at Laguna and Ellone with surprise. 'What could they know?' Squall sighed. 'What's their plan?'
"We're all ears, President Loire." Headmaster Sterne said.
"I have an idea." President Lore sighed. "Ellone had this ability to bring people's consciousness from the present in another person's past."
"I don't understand." Headmaster Sterne said.
"Trust him, headmaster." Squall said. "Head Instructor Trepe and I have experience the same thing."
"Is it safe?"
"Yes, to the person being sent into the past they suddenly feel very tired and faint when they awake they see through the subjects eyes. It just feels like a dream. To the person in the past it feels like..."
"Fairies." Laguna completed Squall's sentence. "It just feels like someone is watching over you." Laguna corrected very quickly. "People have considered it good luck."
"Okay...okay." Sterne said defensively. "I'm convinced."
"I have a question though." Squall sighed. "Can you transport people into dead subjects?" Squall sighed.
"I'm not sure." Ellone sighed. "But there's no harm in trying."
"She's right Squall." Quistis said.
"When can you begin?" Headmaster Sterne asked.
"Sometime this afternoon. I'm very tired." Ellone suggested.
"Sounds good." Headmaster Sterne said. "Is there any more business?" He asked. There was no reply. "All right, meeting dismissed."
Everyone started to leave. "Squall, Quistis, would you care to join Uncle Laguna and I for lunch?" Ellone asked.
"I love to." Quistis smiled.
"As would I, but I have things to do." Squall said.
"Are you sure?" Laguna asked.
"Yeah, thanks for the invitation though." Squall replied politely. "If you'll excuse me." Squall said as he left.
* * * * * * * * * *
Squall grabbed his gun blade from his room and quickly went into the Training Center. He hated the idea of not knowing everything about a situation. He liked to be in control of everything, but when he felt powerless there was nothing he could do but train.
He junction his Guardian Force before he went in. He carefully walked into the humid training room. He turned to the right making sure that he paid careful attention to his environment. He slowly walked across the bridge and suddenly a Grat jumped up behind him and hit him in the back.
Squall quickly turned around to face his enemy. He saw the Grat's arm waving in the air expecting an attack. It did and Squall was ready for it. He jumped away and smashed his blade into the heart of the Grat triggering his gun blade and tasting the residue powder of the Pulse Ammo in his mouth. The Grat scream in pain and died.
Squall hated the bridge in the training center there wasn't room to maneuver and it was where most of the student got hurt. He dismissed the thought out of his mind and walked into the room with the islands and bridges. He slowly, but carefully crossed them. He didn't see Card Magician Joker hanging around the solitary tree there 'What a strange fellow.' Squall sighed as he crossed onto the second bridge and walked toward the fallen tree.
Suddenly there was rustling around the forest. Squall stopped in his tracks and tried to distinguish the sound. He heard three distinct tracks. Grats Squall thoughts, their movements were quick and stealthy unlike the T-Rexaurs. Squall was right three Grats jumped from the bushes and was ready to attack him.
Squall took the insinuative and hit the middle Grat tasting the powder of his Pulse Ammo in his mouth. The Grat instantly died. In response the Grat from the right hit him on the head with all four of his hands. Squall ignore the hit, it was inconsequential to him. Squall knew that the one on the left would attack next, which it did. Again Squall ignored the hit as he got ready to attack.
The Grat on the right died as the left one hit him on the head. He quickly counterattacked the Grat and it too died. The battle was won and he cast Cure on himself. He approached the fallen tree trunk and saw Vesper fighting ahead of him. Instead of running towards him he sat behind and watched his son fight.
Vesper welded a double-sided sword in his right hand. Squall saw him dodged the bite and hit the T-Rexaur with the right blade and again with the left blade. 'Interesting, two attacks at once.' Squall thought to himself being very impressed with his attack. The T-Rexaur swung his tale around and saw his son fall down. Vesper got up quickly and attacked again the first slice inflicted critical damage as the second one finished the dinosaur up.
Squall was elated. He was about to rush towards his son and congratulate him when he felt the ground rumble. 'T-Rexaurs and a lot of them.' He thought to himself. It was coming towards Vesper. Squall gasped as he rushed towards him. He saw that Vesper was not running away. 'He's going to kill himself.' Squall thought. He was too late four T-Rexaurs appeared before his son.
"Run Vesper!" Squall yelled.
He turned around and smiled at his father pulling out a card. He quickly turned around to confront the T-Rexaurs. One of the T-Rexaurs bit him, but the guardian force he was calling protected him. He didn't even flinch at the pain. Squall stood by and watched his son disappear in a shimmering of green light.
The ground started to rumble and the sky turned into a sunset hue. He heard a roar coming from all directions as a huge blue muscular bipedal demon came up. It had a lion's head and large leather bat like wings. "Grevier." Squall swore to himself. The only time he saw this Guardian Force was in Ultimecia's Castle, he remembered how difficult it was to defeat it.
Grevier swung his left hand and then the right hitting all four T-Rexaurs and then roared as four shimmering globes surrounded the enemies and rotated them towards the sky. "Shockwave Pulsar." Squall swore in awe. The four celestial globes orbited around a dark quantum singularity. Which exploded with dark energy draining the T-Rexaurs health. They were thrown to the ground with amazing power. Grevier roared again and disappeared as Vesper reappeared seeing all four T-Rexaurs roared with pain and died.
"Your monsters here are weak." Vesper gloated.
"Agreed." Squall smiled walking towards him. "Monsters in captivity always seemed to be weaker than in the wild." Squall sighed. "If you want a challenge I know a place where the monsters are the fiercest." Squall smiled.
"The Isles closest to Heaven and Hell?" Vesper smiled.
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"You took me there several times." Vesper smiled.
"I see." Squall sighed. "I noticed that you got out of your uniform." Squall observed. Vesper was wearing a tight black shirt tucked neatly under comfortable black leather jeans held together neatly with a black leather belt. On his shoulders were a long trench coat made from leather. His black hair was slicked back and his icy blue eyes glittered in contrast. Around his neck he wore a necklace of a star. On his right hand was a black bracelet that glow purple from time to time.
"Yeah, I like these threads better." Vesper smiled. "The uniforms are too formal for me. Looked like pajamas." He smiled.
"I agree." Squall smiled. "That Guardian Force, Grevier. It's awesome." Squall complemented.
"That's not what you said when I found it." Vesper smiled.
"Really?" Squall sighed dubiously.
"You don't believe me?"
"I don't believe that my future, my destiny is written on stone." Squall said.
Vesper smiled to himself. "Funny you said the same thing about the past about twenty-five years from now." Vesper smiled.
"Really?" Squall asked unconvincingly.
"Father, I know that you didn't come here for small talk." Vesper sighed.
"You're right." Squall sighed.
"Now if you're here about our mission, Aurora is still having difficulties trying to decipher the codes." Vesper sighed.
"No, that's not what I wanted to know." Squall sighed. "I wanted to ask you something."
"Father, you know I can't tell you about the future." Vesper sighed. "Telling you that I was your son was bad enough...."
"I just wanted to know if I was a good father." Squall interrupted.
"What?"
"Forget it." Squall sighed.
"Why?"
Squall stopped in his tracks and took a deep sigh. He turned around and looked at his son. "I just wanted to know if I was a good father, because I never had one." Squall sighed. "I was told my mother died shortly after my birth, crying my father's name, but..."
"And your father?"
"I was told that he left. I don't even know if he's alive or dead." Squall sighed. "I always thought if I ever had children would I acted the same way." Squall sighed.
Vesper sighed and against regulations decided to break them once more. "You were a wonderful father." Vesper said putting his hand on his father's shoulder. "You and mother were always there for me, always ready to help me. You were a good father and she a good mother. Something I've never told you, either of you." Vesper sighed.
"You just did." Squall smiled. "Thanks." Squall sighed. "What's that?" Squall pointed to the ground and saw a black bracelet on the ground that glow purple.
* * * * * * * * * *
Ellone walked with Laguna and Quistis left shortly after Squall exited the Conference room. They caught up on old times as they got to the elevator and went to down to the first floor. The three walked down the stairs and into the main foyer.
"Ellone, Quistis, if you don't mind I've lost my appetite." Laguna sighed. "Would it be an inconvenience, if I didn't join you for lunch?"
"No, not at all." Quistis smiled.
"Sure." Ellone smiled.
"Thanks." Laguna smiled turning left as the women turned the other direction. They went pass the infirmary where Ellone stopped in her tracks. She stared into the infirmary and lost track thought.
"Quistis would you mind if you have lunch alone?"
"No, go see her." Quistis said. "Do you want me to go with you?"
"No." Ellone sighed. "I rather go alone."
"If need to talk."
"I know where to look." Ellone smiled.
"Take care." Quistis said giving Ellone a hug and left her.
Ellone took a deep sigh for courage and walked towards the infirmary. Dr. Kadowaki had yet to return from the conference room and she was relived that she was alone. Ellone went into the first room and saw herself.
She was shocked to see herself. There was a saying: If one travels far enough one would find oneself. She never imagined that it would ever come true - that is in the corporal form. Ellone had seen dead people before, but she had never dreamed of seeing herself dead. She took a deep sigh and held her hand.
Suddenly, the two Ellones turned white and blurred. Ellone frantically watched around her, and saw the whole room doing the same. She was afraid and wanted to let go, but she couldn't her hand was like glued to her older counterpart. A moment later both Ellones disappeared into nothingness.
* * * * * * * * * *
"It's a chronoband." Vesper said as he watched his father observing the bracelet.
"What does it do?" Squall asked.
Vesper never had time to answer his father's question. Vesper and Squall saw the Training Room started to blur with a white glow. "Damn." Vesper swore as he fastened the chronoband on his father. Everything surrounding them was being blurred. Strong white hurricane like winds started to destroy everything that was enveloped in the faint white light. "We too late." Vesper sighed in defeat.
"What's happening?" Squall yelled, his voice lost in the winds of time.
Vesper turned around and saw that Squall was protected by a violet aura. He was relieved. He knew that he and his father were the only things in the Training Center that was not engulfed by the white light or being blown away by the temporal winds.
"What's happening?" Squall repeated.
"The world that we know it...is gone." Vesper said ominously.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to the Final Fantasy Genre (specifically Final Fantasy VIII (video game)) is not my invention and is the property of Square - no profit was made from the writing of this fan fiction. [2] This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination that is, those not mentioned in the previous clause, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.