DEFYING DESTINY
By: Stiltzkin
Author's Note: The moment that I posted the third chapter of this series I instantly regretted destroying the reality created by the creators of Final Fantasy VIII. Oh well, que sera sera, as Dorris Day might say. I also apologize about uploading this chapter so late. I have to find out the reason why in most time travelling stories that I've read or watched on television, why meeting one's younger self is so dangerous. Mutual Inhalation is highly theoretical to physicists now so I thought I incorporate that idea to my story...any ways, I hope you enjoy this story.
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CHAPTER FOUR: THE RACE
Squall was awoken by the noon day sun and by the singing of birds. The storm has disappeared; all that was left was the calm. The world was surprisingly clean, like the storm never happened. He struggled and squinted at the sun. "How did I get outside?" He asked himself. He turned towards Balamb Garden to find it missing. It was replaced with a tower surrounded by an electric fence. "Where in the world am I?"
"Balamb Island."
"Vesper? What do you mean this is Balamb Island? Where's Garden?" Squall said focusing on his surroundings. He saw the six survivors standing around him. "What just happened?"
"It's called a temporal storm." Vesper sighed.
"Temporal storm?"
"It's a rare temporal phenomenon where an event changes reality, that is reality that we know it." Vesper explained.
"You mean we're in another reality?"
"Yes." Vesper smiled. "The question is how did this happened?"
"Mutual Inhalation." Aurora answered.
"Mutual what? I don't understand." Squall confessed.
"Dr. Odine would one day theorize that when two identical particles occupies the same space and time would mutually destroy each other wiping their existent from time. The byproduct of mutual inhalations results in a temporal storm." Aurora explained. "The bigger the inhalation, the bigger the storm."
"Wait a minute..." Squall interjected. "Are you saying if someone from the future travels to the past and meets themselves and...let say, touches them would wiped that person out of existence?" Squall asked.
"That is an accurate example, albeit simplistic." Aurora replied. Squall swore to himself. "Why? What do you know?" She probed.
"President Loire unilaterally decided to bring Ellone from my time to meet your Ellone in order to send someone from our timeline into your Ellone's past so we know what your mission would be." Squall explained.
"You mean..." Vesper gasped.
"...This is a world if Ellone never existed." Squall sighed. Silence blanket the seven individuals, it was damning silence. Someone needed to say something - Squall took the insinuative. "I do have one question though, why weren't we effective by this temporal storm?"
"By these." Vesper pointed to the bracelet.
"The cronobands?" Squall asked.
"Yeah." Vesper sighed. "They anchor us into time. This device let's us stay just outside of our present time frame. It also allows us to stay in the past when we come from the future." Vesper explained.
"Is that why you slapped this on me?" Squall asked.
"Yeah, when I saw the event horizon of the temporal storm heading our way I instinctively slapped it on you." Vesper sighed.
"And if these break?" Squall asked.
"You will be succumb into this reality and go back to your original timeline and forget what has happened." Vesper sighed.
"Ves, we must disable all the other cronobands of our dead crew." Aurora said.
"You're right, we can't allow the people of this reality to have this type of technology." Vesper ordered.
"There's just one thing I don't understand." Squall said. "If you knew that this mutual inhalation could happen why send someone like Ellone into the past that could make this happen?" Squall asked.
"According to our Temporal Directives we're not suppose to bring anyone that has an exact counterpart into any timeline, but only Ellone could work the time ship, because she is the only one with powers of bringing things into the past. Combine with magic and technology we could use Ellone's power to open a temporal vortex into any time that she remembers." Vesper explained.
"We're all done." Blaze reported. "What are we to do now?"
"I don't know." Vesper sighed.
"Can we go back in time and prevent this from happening? Go back and stop Ellone from meeting herself." Squall asked.
"We don't have the technology." Vesper sighed. "Only Ellone has the power to bring us back in time, now that she's doesn't exsist, we're trapped here." Vesper said ominously.
"There is a way." Aurora suggested. "It's risky though."
"What is it?" Squall asked.
"We have to find two particular Guardian Forces. We need the Cronos Guardian Force to travel back in time in this reality and then use the Atmos Guardian Force to take us to our original reality." Aurora explained.
"Guardian Forces has never been used like that before." Vesper gasped.
"That's why it's so risky." Aurora sighed.
"I think it's worth the risk." Blaze said.
"All right." Vesper sighed.
"How are we to find these two Guardian Forces?" Squall asked.
"I have Atmos." Hope announced showing her Guardian Force card.
The group cheered at the announcement. "Anyone has the Cronos Guardian Force?" Squall asked. Everybody looked at each other and the party went silent.
"I have an idea." Aurora sighed pulling out her hand held computer. "If I use this computer to detect for time distortions I could pinpoint the place where Cronos could be." Aurora explained punching a few commands in her computer. "According to my data the Cronos Guardian Force is located in a research center located in the south-west corner of the world."
"You mean the Deep Sea Research Center?" Squall asked.
"Yes, in our reality that's what it's called, but in this reality it's an Estharian Research Center dedicated in studying Guardian Forces." Aurora reported. "Unfortunately, the only way to get there is by airship." Aurora sighed.
"Who has this type of technology?" Squall asked.
Aurora typed the data into her computer and read her computer screen. "Only the Estharians." Aurora reported.
"So all we have to do is get an airship and infiltrate the Estharian Research base." Vesper said. "Sounds easy enough." Vesper sighed sarcastically.
"What are we doing standing around!" Blaze said with frustration. He pulled out his sword admiring it. "I'm tired of this planing, let's do something." Blaze protested.
"He's right." Squall sighed. "We have to do something." He said reassuring his son. "Aurora what do we know about this place?" Squall asked.
Aurora typed in Squall's request and looked at the information. "In this world there are five countries most of them are in a state of war. The countries are Esthar in the east, Centra to the south, Galbadia to the west, Trabia to the far north, and Harmony is what we called Fisherman's Horizon. Harmony is the only country that is neutral in all fighting and a great advocate for peace."
"What about Balamb Island?" Squall asked.
"Balamb Island was annexed by the Estharian Army and is now used as a strategic port in invading Galbadia." Aurora sighed. "On this island there is Balamb town to the east and an ancient cave to the west. Presently we are standing outside Balamb Prison." Aurora reported.
"Balamb Prison? What happened to Balamb Garden?"
"In this reality Garden never existed because without Ellone, Ultimecia doesn't have the power or technology to project her consciousness into the past and thus couldn't achieve time compression." Aurora reported.
"And since the main purpose for Garden was to defeat the sorceress, there was never a need for Garden or SeeDs." Squall sighed.
"Com'on, let's just get going." Blaze sighed with frustration.
"We can't go anywhere without a plan, Blaze." Vesper sighed.
"What plan? We're trapped on this damn island! Let's go to Balamb and see if we can get! Then come up with a plan!" Blaze exploded with rage.
"Blaze is right." Squall said reluctantly. "Let's go to Balamb City to see if we could find a way out of this island and get to the Estharian Research Center to get Cronos so we can prevent this thing from ever happening again." Squall sighed. "Are we in agreement?"
The whole party agreed. "Finally." Blaze said heading towards the town leading his friends. Vesper took a sigh and shook his head and was about to follow him when Squall stopped Vesper in his track.
"Is Blaze always like that?" Squall asked.
"Don't worry about Blaze, he's frustrated, and hates to be helpless." Vesper explained.
Squall sighed. He had an odd feeling about Blaze that didn't settle well with him. He dismissed the negative feeling and followed the rest of the party.
* * * * * * * * * *
Squall was amazed at the striking similarity of this Balamb Town to his own. There were slight differences, the main one being the Estharian Occupation. Estharian soldiers littered the streets of the humble town giving the town an unwelcoming aura.
"Is something wrong, commander?" Aurora asked.
"Nothing." Squall sighed. "I'm just admiring how similar this town is."
"It makes sense." Aurora smiled. "Ellone didn't have much input when Balamb Town was built. Come, let's join the rest of the group." Aurora said as she escorted the commander to the rest of the party.
Squall and Aurora walked pass the Gas Station and Car Rental place and into the town square where the rest of the group waited for them. "Where should we go?" Aurora asked.
"Let's go to the harbour to see if we can get a boat off this island." Vesper suggested. "That is, if there are any objections." The crowd was silent. "Okay, let's go."
The group turned to their left and headed down a ramp and circled around the Hotel. Squall looked out into the harbour and saw multiple Estharian Battleships in the background. He had a sinking feeling in his heart that they would not get out of the island by boat. They continued around the inn and walked towards the docks. Squalls feelings were confirmed. All the ships there were battleships; there were no commercial ships.
"Looks like we're not getting out of here by ship." Blaze sighed.
"Have faith, Blaze." Hope said.
"Faith? We trapped in this island and can't get off!"
"Don't be melodramatic Blaze." Vesper sighed. "There's probably alternative way to get out of here. If I remember correctly, there's a train station here? That is, in our reality there is one." Vesper sighed.
"It is a good possibility." Aurora said.
"Let's go find out." Squall said.
The group went back towards the main square and headed straight pass the Junk Shop and the tiny Item Shop on the outskirts of the train station. They entered heading to the train that rested on the tracks. They headed to the Commissioner who greeted them happily. Play it cool. Squall thought to himself.
"How may I help you?" The commissioner asked.
"My friends are I are young and like to see the world before we get old. Could we buy tickets to get out of here?" Squall asked playing a role very much out of his character - he hated it.
"Sure." The commissioner smiled. "I remember how it is to be young. How many tickets would you like?" The commissioner asked.
"There are seven of us."
"That would be seven thousand gil." Squall went to his waist and remembered that he left his gil pouch in his quarters, in his original reality. "What's wrong, friend?"
"Nothing, I'll be back soon." Squall lied.
"Be quick, this is the last train of the day. It leaves in fifteen minutes."
"Thank you." Squall smiled.
They quickly walked out of the station and into the courtyard where the Item shop was. Squall paced quickly with great anxiety.
"What's wrong?" Vesper said.
"I don't have my gil pouch with me." Squall said.
"What?" Blaze said with frustration. "Why didn't you bring it!"
"Blaze be reasonable." Squall said a little fed up with Blaze's attitude. "I wasn't planning on leaving Balamb Garden, and I wasn't certainly thinking that reality itself would change. So you will excuse me if I didn't bring any gil." Squall said with frustration.
"I'm sorry for being antagonistic." Blaze sighed.
"I understand." Squall sympathized. "I don't suppose you brought any money?" Squall asked knowing the answer.
"No." Vesper sighed.
"I have the money." A familiar voice came from behind them.
Squall looked behind him and saw Zell sitting on the stairs of the train station holding his hover board. "Zell?" Squall asked flabbergasted. "Is that you?"
"Do I know you?" Zell answered. "How do you know my name?"
Aurora came to Squall and whispered in his ear. "This is not our Zell, but an alternate Zell." Squall should have guessed that.
This Zell had a similar hairstyle but with red streaks in his blonde hair and there was no tattoo on the right side of his face. He wore a festive Hawaiian shirt over a white T-shirt and blue shorts with sandals.
Squall stalled for a moment. He didn't know what to say he was never good in improvising. He looked at his hover board and something clicked inside him. "Are you kidding, who doesn't know Zell. One of the best hover-board surfers this side of Balamb Island."
"Really?" Zell smiled walking up to Squall. "I haven't seen you around before."
"We just move here." Vesper said.
"Oh, in that case. Welcome." Zell smiled.
"About the money, do you have it?" Blaze asked rudely.
"You must forgive my friend, he's having a bad day." Vesper said trying to compensate for Blaze's rudeness. "Would you loan us the money, we'll pay it back."
"Dude, I don't loan money, but you can win it."
"How?"
"By racing me with this." Zell said holding his hover board. "If you win, you get seven thousand gil, and if I win I want...your Lion Heart Gunblade." Zell smiled pointing to Squall's sword. "It's rather a good deal." Zell smiled.
"Why would you want my gunblade?" Squall asked defensively.
"I collect swords and blades." Zell smiled.
"I thought you collect guns?" Squall asked.
"No, I collect swords because my grandfather was a famous swordsman, why would I collect guns, they're dangerous?" Zell asked suspiciously.
Aurora quickly whispered into Squall's ear. "Just because our Zell collects guns, doesn't mean this one does."
"My mistake, it must be another Zell." Squall sighed.
"So what is it?" Zell annoyingly asked.
"Let me discuss it with my friends." Squall said.
"Don't take too long. I don't have all day." Zell said.
"Let's do it." Blaze said instantly. "It's our chance to get out."
"What do you say father?"
Squall sighed and looked at his weapon. He has been through a lot with this weapon and the thought of loosing it scared him. It made him feel naked without it. Then again they have to get off this island so they could get to the Estharian Research Center. "Who knows how to ride hover-boards?" Squall asked reluctantly. "I surly don't."
"I know." Vesper said. "I'm pretty good."
"But I'm better." Aurora gloated.
"No way, I beat you three out of four races."
"Actually, I held back." Aurora smiled.
"You let me win?"
"Yeah, I felt sorry for beating you all the time." Aurora smiled.
"You let me win?" Vesper said not believing this new revelation.
"Face it Ves, I'm better than you."
"I want a rematch!"
"Ves, this is not the time to be discussing this." Aurora smiled. "But that still doesn't change the fact that I'm better than you." Aurora teased.
"All right you two." Squall said harshly. He felt like a father disciplining two squabbling children. "Aurora you'll race Zell." Squall volunteered.
The party broke up and walked towards Zell sitting on the stairs. "So what say you?" Zell sighed.
"It's a deal." Squall smiled.
"So who would I be racing?" Zell smiled.
"Me." Aurora smiled.
"No way." Zell sighed. "I don't race girls."
"What?!?" Aurora said feeling indignant.
"How would it help my rep for beating a girl?"
"All right, how about if throw my friend's double-sided sword into the pot." Aurora smiled.
"Well...Okay." Zell sighed reluctantly.
Vesper grabbed Aurora back and spoke to her privately. "What are you doing?" He said angrily.
"You know you look cute when you're angry." Aurora mocked.
"Cut it out!" Vesper whispered angrily. "How can you do that? My father gave me this!" Vesper sighed.
"Ves, you're not thinking fourth dimensionally." Aurora sighed. "You'll get it back...eventually. Besides, it's the only way we can get out of this island. Plus I can't lose."
"I thought you said you couldn't beat your father?" Vesper asked.
"This is not my father." Aurora smiled. "Well, not in this reality any ways." Aurora smiled.
"Why don't I feel good about this?" Vesper sighed.
Aurora smiled holding his face with her hand. "Trust me." Aurora sighed using her puppy dog blue eyes.
"Please don't look at me like that." Vesper sighed.
"So does your boyfriend agree?" Zell sighed.
"I'm not her boyfriend." Vesper protested. "But it's a deal. My double-sided sword, his gunblade for seven thousand gil." Vesper said. "That is if you beat my friend."
"Finally." Zell sighed. "Let's get going."
"Where are we going?" Squall asked.
"To the beach." Zell smiled.
* * * * * * * * * *
The white sands of Balamb Beach glisten in the bright afternoon sun. The crystal blue water of the ocean and the sounds of distant gulls brought the sounds of a virtual paradise. Squall and Vesper's crew stood along the sidelines with Zell's gang awaiting the race to begin.
"All right." Zell sighed. "The race will consists of two lengths of the beach. First one to pass the finish line wins." Zell said.
"What about the monsters on the beach?" Aurora asked.
"Are you scared?" Zell teased.
"Don't be condescending. Do we fight the monsters or do we surf around them? It's a logical question."
"Chill girlfriend." Zell sighed. "We fight them. They're only Fastitocalon-F's here and relatively easy to fight." Zell said putting on his gloves. "That is if you're a good fighter."
"That's all I wanted to know." Aurora smiled putting her claws.
"Nice claws."
"Thanks." Aurora smiled. "My father gave them to me." She smiled enigmatically.
"The race will start by the sound of the gun."
"All right." Aurora smiled. "Let's get it on." She said standing on her board, hovering above the beach.
"I'm warning you, I'm the best surfer in all of Balamb." Zell said getting on his board.
"Well I have something to tell you."
"What?"
"I'm not from Balamb." Aurora smiled.
* * * * * * * * * *
Vesper was anxious. His double-sided sword was precious to him. He bit his lower lip and was trembling slightly. He tapped his right foot unconsciously. "Com'on Aurora." He sighed to himself. "You can do it."
"You sound nervous." Squall said making an observation.
"Yeah, Aurora never beat him before."
"Aurora and Zell challenged each other before."
"Yeah, in the future." Vesper sighed. "He actually taught her how to surf on his own board." Vesper smiled.
"Really?"
"You sound unconvinced."
"It's just that Zell is usually possessive with his personal things and space." Squall sighed.
"That's true, but this was an isolated incident."
"Why is that?"
"She's his daughter." Vesper simply answered.
"What?" Squall gasped. Vesper didn't have a chance to explain as the gunshot echoed throughout the air. The race has begun.
* * * * * * * * * *
Zell and Aurora dashed ahead, leaving a white, translucent dust behind them. They were neck to neck at the commencement of the race. Aurora could feel the wind brushing against her face, parting her golden hair flowing in the wind. The only thing she could hear was the sound of rushing wind and the distant sound of crowds cheering. They traded the lead, first Zell than Aurora and then Zell again. Aurora was about to take the lead the second time when two Fastitocalon-F's popped up in front up her.
"Eat my dust." Zell smiled surfing away.
"Don't count me out yet!" She yelled at him.
The two fishes glistening reddish-yellow in the light of the sun. Their anterior dorsal fin stood sharp up, blazing a fiery orange-yellow in the light. They float in the air magically as they prepare for attack. Aurora stretched out her arms ready for the fight.
She jumped off her board slashing the Fastitocalon-F on the right. It fluttered in the air and fell down lifeless. The second Fastitocalon-F flew to her head and bit her doing a somersault in the air as it did it. The damage was insignificant to her and she ignored it. She attacked the remaining Fastitocalon-F with her claws and did a back flip and landed on her hover board witnessing the fish floating down in defeat.
Zell was fighting three Fastitocalon-Fs about two lengths in front of her. She pushed her board into full gear and thought that this was her chance to take the lead. She smiled as she passed him. "See you at the finish line."
"The race is not yet over!" Zell yelled killing the second Fastitocalon-F. Aurora smiled taking a whole length lead over her father. In her peripheral vision she could see Zell jumping back on his hover board and was in hot pursuit. Aurora was still a length ahead when they came to the midway point when three Fastitocalon-Fs jumped up. They danced magically in the air as they waited for her to attack.
Aurora took the insinuative and jumped off her board attacking the Fastitocalon-F to the far right, killing it instantly, before she even landed on the ground. The middle Fastitocalon-F tried to cast sleep on Aurora, but failed in its attempt. The third fish flew quickly toward her and bumped her on the head claiming insignificant damage.
Aurora ran towards the middle target and gave a palm uppercut using the serrated blades of her claws to deal maximum damage. The Fastitocalon-F floated slowly to the ground dead. Aurora heard Zell's hover board humming by as she closed her eyes keeping the dust out of her eyes. The remaining Fastitocalon-F bit Aurora on the head doing a beautiful somersault in midair, a victory dance for making contact.
She wasted no time in attacking the last Fastitocalon-F and slashed the fish with her left hand doing a back flip and landed on her board to continue the race. Zell was one length ahead of her. She leaned forward trying to make her body as aerodynamic as possible. Zell's lead was quickly reduced to a half a board. They were two lengths away from the finish line when a Fastitocalon-F jumped in front of Aurora.
"I don't have time for you." Aurora said jumping off her board quickly, slashing the fish, and jumped back on her hover board as the Fastitocalon-F died. Zell feeling assured of his victory turned around and surfed backwards watching his opponent. He was about half a length to the finish line when an Adamantoise popped up behind him.
"Zell look behind you!" Aurora yelled.
"I'm not falling for that." Zell smiled smugly.
"Stubborn fool." Aurora sighed to herself. "Was my father really this arrogant?" She asked rhetorically. Aurora leaned forward to build up speed. She saw Zell bumped into the gigantic tortoise and flipped forward. "Men." Aurora sighed as she pulled out a card.
* * * * * * * * * *
"What's she doing?" Squall asked.
"Calling her favourite summon." Vesper smiled seeing that she had a chance to win and more importantly a chance to keep his sword.
"If she miscalculate..."
"Aurora? Miscalculate? That's an oxymoron if I ever heard one." Vesper smiled. "There are many things that you can rely on, like the sun rising in the east and Aurora doing complicated computations in her head to perfection. Trust me, she timed it properly all right." Vesper smiled to himself.
* * * * * * * * * *
Aurora saw the giant tortoise coming quickly approaching her as she disappeared in a shimmering of green light. The surrounding sky darkens and the earth rumbled as muscular bipedal white lion with small lavender, pink wings appear in a loud roar.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Holy..." Squall gasped.
"That's right father." Vesper sighed. "That's Madeen, Aurora's favourite Guardian Force. Its Terra Homing attack has holy magic properties."
Squall composed himself. "I like it because it's a lion." Squall smiled.
"Me too." Vesper sighed. "I was reluctant to give it to when I found it, but Aurora liked it so much that I didn't have the heart not to give it to her." Vesper sighed reminiscently.
"No regrets?"
"Nah." Vesper sighed. "It fits her demeanor more than it fits me."
* * * * * * * * * *
Madeen roar swinging his left arm, than his right discharging holy magic from it claws. The shimmering white spheres headed towards the Adamantoise. Several bands of blinding, brilliant white spheres surrounded the turtle as it lifted the Adamantoise high in the air. The bands of spheres encompassed the giant turtle shrinking to a point where only one blinding holy light endured inflicting serious damage to the turtle as it fell on the beach. The turtle struggled and roared and died.
Aurora reappeared just in time to see the turtle die passing Zell. She grabbed his hand and pulled him up onto her board and crossed the finish. "I win!" She said in glee.
She could hear her party cheering for her, but quickly noticed that the rest of Zell's party left the beach. "What happened?" Aurora asked. The party looked around and saw that they were alone on the beach.
"Are you mad?" Zell gasped in fear.
"What do you mean?"
"Guardian Forces and magic is forbidden under Estharian Law. The punishment is death." Zell said slowly backing away.
"What about our money." Blaze demanded.
"Here. Take it and leave me alone." Zell said throwing some coins on the ground. He than hovered away with great fear.
"Great." Squall sighed. "For now on, we have to be careful when using our Guardian Forces." Squall said. In the corner of his eye he saw Blaze picking up the coins on the shore. "How much gil did he leave?"
"Just over a hundred gil." Blaze said with frustration. "He ripped us off!" Blaze exasperated. Squall could see steam coming out of Blaze's head when he discovered Zell's deception.
"What do we do now?" Vesper sighed.
"We hunt him down and get our money." Blaze adamantly suggested.
"No, forget it." Squall sighed. "It's been a long day and we're all tired. Let's just rent a couple of rooms in the inn and get some rest. We'll think of something in the morning." Squall sighed.
"All right." Blaze exasperated reluctantly. "The sooner we can get off this island the better." He said heading back towards the town leaving his friends behind.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to the Final Fantasy Genre (specifically Final Fantasy VIII & IX (video games)) 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: The moment that I posted the third chapter of this series I instantly regretted destroying the reality created by the creators of Final Fantasy VIII. Oh well, que sera sera, as Dorris Day might say. I also apologize about uploading this chapter so late. I have to find out the reason why in most time travelling stories that I've read or watched on television, why meeting one's younger self is so dangerous. Mutual Inhalation is highly theoretical to physicists now so I thought I incorporate that idea to my story...any ways, I hope you enjoy this story.
* * * * * * * * * *
CHAPTER FOUR: THE RACE
Squall was awoken by the noon day sun and by the singing of birds. The storm has disappeared; all that was left was the calm. The world was surprisingly clean, like the storm never happened. He struggled and squinted at the sun. "How did I get outside?" He asked himself. He turned towards Balamb Garden to find it missing. It was replaced with a tower surrounded by an electric fence. "Where in the world am I?"
"Balamb Island."
"Vesper? What do you mean this is Balamb Island? Where's Garden?" Squall said focusing on his surroundings. He saw the six survivors standing around him. "What just happened?"
"It's called a temporal storm." Vesper sighed.
"Temporal storm?"
"It's a rare temporal phenomenon where an event changes reality, that is reality that we know it." Vesper explained.
"You mean we're in another reality?"
"Yes." Vesper smiled. "The question is how did this happened?"
"Mutual Inhalation." Aurora answered.
"Mutual what? I don't understand." Squall confessed.
"Dr. Odine would one day theorize that when two identical particles occupies the same space and time would mutually destroy each other wiping their existent from time. The byproduct of mutual inhalations results in a temporal storm." Aurora explained. "The bigger the inhalation, the bigger the storm."
"Wait a minute..." Squall interjected. "Are you saying if someone from the future travels to the past and meets themselves and...let say, touches them would wiped that person out of existence?" Squall asked.
"That is an accurate example, albeit simplistic." Aurora replied. Squall swore to himself. "Why? What do you know?" She probed.
"President Loire unilaterally decided to bring Ellone from my time to meet your Ellone in order to send someone from our timeline into your Ellone's past so we know what your mission would be." Squall explained.
"You mean..." Vesper gasped.
"...This is a world if Ellone never existed." Squall sighed. Silence blanket the seven individuals, it was damning silence. Someone needed to say something - Squall took the insinuative. "I do have one question though, why weren't we effective by this temporal storm?"
"By these." Vesper pointed to the bracelet.
"The cronobands?" Squall asked.
"Yeah." Vesper sighed. "They anchor us into time. This device let's us stay just outside of our present time frame. It also allows us to stay in the past when we come from the future." Vesper explained.
"Is that why you slapped this on me?" Squall asked.
"Yeah, when I saw the event horizon of the temporal storm heading our way I instinctively slapped it on you." Vesper sighed.
"And if these break?" Squall asked.
"You will be succumb into this reality and go back to your original timeline and forget what has happened." Vesper sighed.
"Ves, we must disable all the other cronobands of our dead crew." Aurora said.
"You're right, we can't allow the people of this reality to have this type of technology." Vesper ordered.
"There's just one thing I don't understand." Squall said. "If you knew that this mutual inhalation could happen why send someone like Ellone into the past that could make this happen?" Squall asked.
"According to our Temporal Directives we're not suppose to bring anyone that has an exact counterpart into any timeline, but only Ellone could work the time ship, because she is the only one with powers of bringing things into the past. Combine with magic and technology we could use Ellone's power to open a temporal vortex into any time that she remembers." Vesper explained.
"We're all done." Blaze reported. "What are we to do now?"
"I don't know." Vesper sighed.
"Can we go back in time and prevent this from happening? Go back and stop Ellone from meeting herself." Squall asked.
"We don't have the technology." Vesper sighed. "Only Ellone has the power to bring us back in time, now that she's doesn't exsist, we're trapped here." Vesper said ominously.
"There is a way." Aurora suggested. "It's risky though."
"What is it?" Squall asked.
"We have to find two particular Guardian Forces. We need the Cronos Guardian Force to travel back in time in this reality and then use the Atmos Guardian Force to take us to our original reality." Aurora explained.
"Guardian Forces has never been used like that before." Vesper gasped.
"That's why it's so risky." Aurora sighed.
"I think it's worth the risk." Blaze said.
"All right." Vesper sighed.
"How are we to find these two Guardian Forces?" Squall asked.
"I have Atmos." Hope announced showing her Guardian Force card.
The group cheered at the announcement. "Anyone has the Cronos Guardian Force?" Squall asked. Everybody looked at each other and the party went silent.
"I have an idea." Aurora sighed pulling out her hand held computer. "If I use this computer to detect for time distortions I could pinpoint the place where Cronos could be." Aurora explained punching a few commands in her computer. "According to my data the Cronos Guardian Force is located in a research center located in the south-west corner of the world."
"You mean the Deep Sea Research Center?" Squall asked.
"Yes, in our reality that's what it's called, but in this reality it's an Estharian Research Center dedicated in studying Guardian Forces." Aurora reported. "Unfortunately, the only way to get there is by airship." Aurora sighed.
"Who has this type of technology?" Squall asked.
Aurora typed the data into her computer and read her computer screen. "Only the Estharians." Aurora reported.
"So all we have to do is get an airship and infiltrate the Estharian Research base." Vesper said. "Sounds easy enough." Vesper sighed sarcastically.
"What are we doing standing around!" Blaze said with frustration. He pulled out his sword admiring it. "I'm tired of this planing, let's do something." Blaze protested.
"He's right." Squall sighed. "We have to do something." He said reassuring his son. "Aurora what do we know about this place?" Squall asked.
Aurora typed in Squall's request and looked at the information. "In this world there are five countries most of them are in a state of war. The countries are Esthar in the east, Centra to the south, Galbadia to the west, Trabia to the far north, and Harmony is what we called Fisherman's Horizon. Harmony is the only country that is neutral in all fighting and a great advocate for peace."
"What about Balamb Island?" Squall asked.
"Balamb Island was annexed by the Estharian Army and is now used as a strategic port in invading Galbadia." Aurora sighed. "On this island there is Balamb town to the east and an ancient cave to the west. Presently we are standing outside Balamb Prison." Aurora reported.
"Balamb Prison? What happened to Balamb Garden?"
"In this reality Garden never existed because without Ellone, Ultimecia doesn't have the power or technology to project her consciousness into the past and thus couldn't achieve time compression." Aurora reported.
"And since the main purpose for Garden was to defeat the sorceress, there was never a need for Garden or SeeDs." Squall sighed.
"Com'on, let's just get going." Blaze sighed with frustration.
"We can't go anywhere without a plan, Blaze." Vesper sighed.
"What plan? We're trapped on this damn island! Let's go to Balamb and see if we can get! Then come up with a plan!" Blaze exploded with rage.
"Blaze is right." Squall said reluctantly. "Let's go to Balamb City to see if we could find a way out of this island and get to the Estharian Research Center to get Cronos so we can prevent this thing from ever happening again." Squall sighed. "Are we in agreement?"
The whole party agreed. "Finally." Blaze said heading towards the town leading his friends. Vesper took a sigh and shook his head and was about to follow him when Squall stopped Vesper in his track.
"Is Blaze always like that?" Squall asked.
"Don't worry about Blaze, he's frustrated, and hates to be helpless." Vesper explained.
Squall sighed. He had an odd feeling about Blaze that didn't settle well with him. He dismissed the negative feeling and followed the rest of the party.
* * * * * * * * * *
Squall was amazed at the striking similarity of this Balamb Town to his own. There were slight differences, the main one being the Estharian Occupation. Estharian soldiers littered the streets of the humble town giving the town an unwelcoming aura.
"Is something wrong, commander?" Aurora asked.
"Nothing." Squall sighed. "I'm just admiring how similar this town is."
"It makes sense." Aurora smiled. "Ellone didn't have much input when Balamb Town was built. Come, let's join the rest of the group." Aurora said as she escorted the commander to the rest of the party.
Squall and Aurora walked pass the Gas Station and Car Rental place and into the town square where the rest of the group waited for them. "Where should we go?" Aurora asked.
"Let's go to the harbour to see if we can get a boat off this island." Vesper suggested. "That is, if there are any objections." The crowd was silent. "Okay, let's go."
The group turned to their left and headed down a ramp and circled around the Hotel. Squall looked out into the harbour and saw multiple Estharian Battleships in the background. He had a sinking feeling in his heart that they would not get out of the island by boat. They continued around the inn and walked towards the docks. Squalls feelings were confirmed. All the ships there were battleships; there were no commercial ships.
"Looks like we're not getting out of here by ship." Blaze sighed.
"Have faith, Blaze." Hope said.
"Faith? We trapped in this island and can't get off!"
"Don't be melodramatic Blaze." Vesper sighed. "There's probably alternative way to get out of here. If I remember correctly, there's a train station here? That is, in our reality there is one." Vesper sighed.
"It is a good possibility." Aurora said.
"Let's go find out." Squall said.
The group went back towards the main square and headed straight pass the Junk Shop and the tiny Item Shop on the outskirts of the train station. They entered heading to the train that rested on the tracks. They headed to the Commissioner who greeted them happily. Play it cool. Squall thought to himself.
"How may I help you?" The commissioner asked.
"My friends are I are young and like to see the world before we get old. Could we buy tickets to get out of here?" Squall asked playing a role very much out of his character - he hated it.
"Sure." The commissioner smiled. "I remember how it is to be young. How many tickets would you like?" The commissioner asked.
"There are seven of us."
"That would be seven thousand gil." Squall went to his waist and remembered that he left his gil pouch in his quarters, in his original reality. "What's wrong, friend?"
"Nothing, I'll be back soon." Squall lied.
"Be quick, this is the last train of the day. It leaves in fifteen minutes."
"Thank you." Squall smiled.
They quickly walked out of the station and into the courtyard where the Item shop was. Squall paced quickly with great anxiety.
"What's wrong?" Vesper said.
"I don't have my gil pouch with me." Squall said.
"What?" Blaze said with frustration. "Why didn't you bring it!"
"Blaze be reasonable." Squall said a little fed up with Blaze's attitude. "I wasn't planning on leaving Balamb Garden, and I wasn't certainly thinking that reality itself would change. So you will excuse me if I didn't bring any gil." Squall said with frustration.
"I'm sorry for being antagonistic." Blaze sighed.
"I understand." Squall sympathized. "I don't suppose you brought any money?" Squall asked knowing the answer.
"No." Vesper sighed.
"I have the money." A familiar voice came from behind them.
Squall looked behind him and saw Zell sitting on the stairs of the train station holding his hover board. "Zell?" Squall asked flabbergasted. "Is that you?"
"Do I know you?" Zell answered. "How do you know my name?"
Aurora came to Squall and whispered in his ear. "This is not our Zell, but an alternate Zell." Squall should have guessed that.
This Zell had a similar hairstyle but with red streaks in his blonde hair and there was no tattoo on the right side of his face. He wore a festive Hawaiian shirt over a white T-shirt and blue shorts with sandals.
Squall stalled for a moment. He didn't know what to say he was never good in improvising. He looked at his hover board and something clicked inside him. "Are you kidding, who doesn't know Zell. One of the best hover-board surfers this side of Balamb Island."
"Really?" Zell smiled walking up to Squall. "I haven't seen you around before."
"We just move here." Vesper said.
"Oh, in that case. Welcome." Zell smiled.
"About the money, do you have it?" Blaze asked rudely.
"You must forgive my friend, he's having a bad day." Vesper said trying to compensate for Blaze's rudeness. "Would you loan us the money, we'll pay it back."
"Dude, I don't loan money, but you can win it."
"How?"
"By racing me with this." Zell said holding his hover board. "If you win, you get seven thousand gil, and if I win I want...your Lion Heart Gunblade." Zell smiled pointing to Squall's sword. "It's rather a good deal." Zell smiled.
"Why would you want my gunblade?" Squall asked defensively.
"I collect swords and blades." Zell smiled.
"I thought you collect guns?" Squall asked.
"No, I collect swords because my grandfather was a famous swordsman, why would I collect guns, they're dangerous?" Zell asked suspiciously.
Aurora quickly whispered into Squall's ear. "Just because our Zell collects guns, doesn't mean this one does."
"My mistake, it must be another Zell." Squall sighed.
"So what is it?" Zell annoyingly asked.
"Let me discuss it with my friends." Squall said.
"Don't take too long. I don't have all day." Zell said.
"Let's do it." Blaze said instantly. "It's our chance to get out."
"What do you say father?"
Squall sighed and looked at his weapon. He has been through a lot with this weapon and the thought of loosing it scared him. It made him feel naked without it. Then again they have to get off this island so they could get to the Estharian Research Center. "Who knows how to ride hover-boards?" Squall asked reluctantly. "I surly don't."
"I know." Vesper said. "I'm pretty good."
"But I'm better." Aurora gloated.
"No way, I beat you three out of four races."
"Actually, I held back." Aurora smiled.
"You let me win?"
"Yeah, I felt sorry for beating you all the time." Aurora smiled.
"You let me win?" Vesper said not believing this new revelation.
"Face it Ves, I'm better than you."
"I want a rematch!"
"Ves, this is not the time to be discussing this." Aurora smiled. "But that still doesn't change the fact that I'm better than you." Aurora teased.
"All right you two." Squall said harshly. He felt like a father disciplining two squabbling children. "Aurora you'll race Zell." Squall volunteered.
The party broke up and walked towards Zell sitting on the stairs. "So what say you?" Zell sighed.
"It's a deal." Squall smiled.
"So who would I be racing?" Zell smiled.
"Me." Aurora smiled.
"No way." Zell sighed. "I don't race girls."
"What?!?" Aurora said feeling indignant.
"How would it help my rep for beating a girl?"
"All right, how about if throw my friend's double-sided sword into the pot." Aurora smiled.
"Well...Okay." Zell sighed reluctantly.
Vesper grabbed Aurora back and spoke to her privately. "What are you doing?" He said angrily.
"You know you look cute when you're angry." Aurora mocked.
"Cut it out!" Vesper whispered angrily. "How can you do that? My father gave me this!" Vesper sighed.
"Ves, you're not thinking fourth dimensionally." Aurora sighed. "You'll get it back...eventually. Besides, it's the only way we can get out of this island. Plus I can't lose."
"I thought you said you couldn't beat your father?" Vesper asked.
"This is not my father." Aurora smiled. "Well, not in this reality any ways." Aurora smiled.
"Why don't I feel good about this?" Vesper sighed.
Aurora smiled holding his face with her hand. "Trust me." Aurora sighed using her puppy dog blue eyes.
"Please don't look at me like that." Vesper sighed.
"So does your boyfriend agree?" Zell sighed.
"I'm not her boyfriend." Vesper protested. "But it's a deal. My double-sided sword, his gunblade for seven thousand gil." Vesper said. "That is if you beat my friend."
"Finally." Zell sighed. "Let's get going."
"Where are we going?" Squall asked.
"To the beach." Zell smiled.
* * * * * * * * * *
The white sands of Balamb Beach glisten in the bright afternoon sun. The crystal blue water of the ocean and the sounds of distant gulls brought the sounds of a virtual paradise. Squall and Vesper's crew stood along the sidelines with Zell's gang awaiting the race to begin.
"All right." Zell sighed. "The race will consists of two lengths of the beach. First one to pass the finish line wins." Zell said.
"What about the monsters on the beach?" Aurora asked.
"Are you scared?" Zell teased.
"Don't be condescending. Do we fight the monsters or do we surf around them? It's a logical question."
"Chill girlfriend." Zell sighed. "We fight them. They're only Fastitocalon-F's here and relatively easy to fight." Zell said putting on his gloves. "That is if you're a good fighter."
"That's all I wanted to know." Aurora smiled putting her claws.
"Nice claws."
"Thanks." Aurora smiled. "My father gave them to me." She smiled enigmatically.
"The race will start by the sound of the gun."
"All right." Aurora smiled. "Let's get it on." She said standing on her board, hovering above the beach.
"I'm warning you, I'm the best surfer in all of Balamb." Zell said getting on his board.
"Well I have something to tell you."
"What?"
"I'm not from Balamb." Aurora smiled.
* * * * * * * * * *
Vesper was anxious. His double-sided sword was precious to him. He bit his lower lip and was trembling slightly. He tapped his right foot unconsciously. "Com'on Aurora." He sighed to himself. "You can do it."
"You sound nervous." Squall said making an observation.
"Yeah, Aurora never beat him before."
"Aurora and Zell challenged each other before."
"Yeah, in the future." Vesper sighed. "He actually taught her how to surf on his own board." Vesper smiled.
"Really?"
"You sound unconvinced."
"It's just that Zell is usually possessive with his personal things and space." Squall sighed.
"That's true, but this was an isolated incident."
"Why is that?"
"She's his daughter." Vesper simply answered.
"What?" Squall gasped. Vesper didn't have a chance to explain as the gunshot echoed throughout the air. The race has begun.
* * * * * * * * * *
Zell and Aurora dashed ahead, leaving a white, translucent dust behind them. They were neck to neck at the commencement of the race. Aurora could feel the wind brushing against her face, parting her golden hair flowing in the wind. The only thing she could hear was the sound of rushing wind and the distant sound of crowds cheering. They traded the lead, first Zell than Aurora and then Zell again. Aurora was about to take the lead the second time when two Fastitocalon-F's popped up in front up her.
"Eat my dust." Zell smiled surfing away.
"Don't count me out yet!" She yelled at him.
The two fishes glistening reddish-yellow in the light of the sun. Their anterior dorsal fin stood sharp up, blazing a fiery orange-yellow in the light. They float in the air magically as they prepare for attack. Aurora stretched out her arms ready for the fight.
She jumped off her board slashing the Fastitocalon-F on the right. It fluttered in the air and fell down lifeless. The second Fastitocalon-F flew to her head and bit her doing a somersault in the air as it did it. The damage was insignificant to her and she ignored it. She attacked the remaining Fastitocalon-F with her claws and did a back flip and landed on her hover board witnessing the fish floating down in defeat.
Zell was fighting three Fastitocalon-Fs about two lengths in front of her. She pushed her board into full gear and thought that this was her chance to take the lead. She smiled as she passed him. "See you at the finish line."
"The race is not yet over!" Zell yelled killing the second Fastitocalon-F. Aurora smiled taking a whole length lead over her father. In her peripheral vision she could see Zell jumping back on his hover board and was in hot pursuit. Aurora was still a length ahead when they came to the midway point when three Fastitocalon-Fs jumped up. They danced magically in the air as they waited for her to attack.
Aurora took the insinuative and jumped off her board attacking the Fastitocalon-F to the far right, killing it instantly, before she even landed on the ground. The middle Fastitocalon-F tried to cast sleep on Aurora, but failed in its attempt. The third fish flew quickly toward her and bumped her on the head claiming insignificant damage.
Aurora ran towards the middle target and gave a palm uppercut using the serrated blades of her claws to deal maximum damage. The Fastitocalon-F floated slowly to the ground dead. Aurora heard Zell's hover board humming by as she closed her eyes keeping the dust out of her eyes. The remaining Fastitocalon-F bit Aurora on the head doing a beautiful somersault in midair, a victory dance for making contact.
She wasted no time in attacking the last Fastitocalon-F and slashed the fish with her left hand doing a back flip and landed on her board to continue the race. Zell was one length ahead of her. She leaned forward trying to make her body as aerodynamic as possible. Zell's lead was quickly reduced to a half a board. They were two lengths away from the finish line when a Fastitocalon-F jumped in front of Aurora.
"I don't have time for you." Aurora said jumping off her board quickly, slashing the fish, and jumped back on her hover board as the Fastitocalon-F died. Zell feeling assured of his victory turned around and surfed backwards watching his opponent. He was about half a length to the finish line when an Adamantoise popped up behind him.
"Zell look behind you!" Aurora yelled.
"I'm not falling for that." Zell smiled smugly.
"Stubborn fool." Aurora sighed to herself. "Was my father really this arrogant?" She asked rhetorically. Aurora leaned forward to build up speed. She saw Zell bumped into the gigantic tortoise and flipped forward. "Men." Aurora sighed as she pulled out a card.
* * * * * * * * * *
"What's she doing?" Squall asked.
"Calling her favourite summon." Vesper smiled seeing that she had a chance to win and more importantly a chance to keep his sword.
"If she miscalculate..."
"Aurora? Miscalculate? That's an oxymoron if I ever heard one." Vesper smiled. "There are many things that you can rely on, like the sun rising in the east and Aurora doing complicated computations in her head to perfection. Trust me, she timed it properly all right." Vesper smiled to himself.
* * * * * * * * * *
Aurora saw the giant tortoise coming quickly approaching her as she disappeared in a shimmering of green light. The surrounding sky darkens and the earth rumbled as muscular bipedal white lion with small lavender, pink wings appear in a loud roar.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Holy..." Squall gasped.
"That's right father." Vesper sighed. "That's Madeen, Aurora's favourite Guardian Force. Its Terra Homing attack has holy magic properties."
Squall composed himself. "I like it because it's a lion." Squall smiled.
"Me too." Vesper sighed. "I was reluctant to give it to when I found it, but Aurora liked it so much that I didn't have the heart not to give it to her." Vesper sighed reminiscently.
"No regrets?"
"Nah." Vesper sighed. "It fits her demeanor more than it fits me."
* * * * * * * * * *
Madeen roar swinging his left arm, than his right discharging holy magic from it claws. The shimmering white spheres headed towards the Adamantoise. Several bands of blinding, brilliant white spheres surrounded the turtle as it lifted the Adamantoise high in the air. The bands of spheres encompassed the giant turtle shrinking to a point where only one blinding holy light endured inflicting serious damage to the turtle as it fell on the beach. The turtle struggled and roared and died.
Aurora reappeared just in time to see the turtle die passing Zell. She grabbed his hand and pulled him up onto her board and crossed the finish. "I win!" She said in glee.
She could hear her party cheering for her, but quickly noticed that the rest of Zell's party left the beach. "What happened?" Aurora asked. The party looked around and saw that they were alone on the beach.
"Are you mad?" Zell gasped in fear.
"What do you mean?"
"Guardian Forces and magic is forbidden under Estharian Law. The punishment is death." Zell said slowly backing away.
"What about our money." Blaze demanded.
"Here. Take it and leave me alone." Zell said throwing some coins on the ground. He than hovered away with great fear.
"Great." Squall sighed. "For now on, we have to be careful when using our Guardian Forces." Squall said. In the corner of his eye he saw Blaze picking up the coins on the shore. "How much gil did he leave?"
"Just over a hundred gil." Blaze said with frustration. "He ripped us off!" Blaze exasperated. Squall could see steam coming out of Blaze's head when he discovered Zell's deception.
"What do we do now?" Vesper sighed.
"We hunt him down and get our money." Blaze adamantly suggested.
"No, forget it." Squall sighed. "It's been a long day and we're all tired. Let's just rent a couple of rooms in the inn and get some rest. We'll think of something in the morning." Squall sighed.
"All right." Blaze exasperated reluctantly. "The sooner we can get off this island the better." He said heading back towards the town leaving his friends behind.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to the Final Fantasy Genre (specifically Final Fantasy VIII & IX (video games)) 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.