Changing Faces

Changing Faces

By Valensia

[Disclaimer: All these characters and the Final Fantasy series belong to Squaresoft Inc. No infringement is intended and I'm not making a penny out of it.]

[Author's note: I'm really sorry if there are still grammar/spelling errors, as I have only Word spellcheck and my six years school-English to rely on. Yeah, I'm dutch, that's why. But I'm sure it's still understandble though. It is my first try on a fan fiction and or any kind of English fiction for that matter. I had this idea when I just finished the game, don't be that hard on me will ya.]

Of voices and silent dreams

Looking around to see if no one was there, he tried to make unnoticed his way out of the ballroom, relieved when he managed to reach the door, before anyone called him back. As he pulled the handle down, a familiar tune held him still. The noise of the people behind him faded, leaving only the melodious tunes of the waltz floating into his ears, bringing back images he was trying to forget. He turned, expecting to see her any minute trough crowd on the dancefloor, standing across the room with a smile on her face. But soon after he came to his senses, he shook his head and turned , ready to leave the room, when suddenly he felt a hand resting on his shoulder.

"Where're you going, the party just started," he heard a voice soft speak behind him. As he turned he gazed into two friendly blue eyes, belonging to a face named Quistis. With her hand still resting on his shoulder, she repeated her question, after he remained silent.

"Since when am I not allowed to do something without your permission," he inquired harsh. Brushing her hand of his shoulder.

Quistis merely chuckled. "You know this party is also for you."

"It's a SeeD graduation party, I'm already a SeeD. What I'm I suppose to do here."

"You know you're a role-model for these kids. They look up to you, you symbolize the true meaning of SeeD for them, the least you can do is, give them a word of advice or just a little thank you for their support, back then in the Garden war. Anything, to keep them going. It's a responsibility, you know."

Did he ask for this? Did he want all these kids to admire him like some kind of a misplaced God or something? Did he ever ask for anything that has happened? What kind of advice would they want to hear from him? Make sure you don't get yourself killed? Remember to junction everything? Give everything to die in a war that isn't yours? Dammnit, what did they want from him?

"It's a responsibility I didn't ask for. I've got nothing to offer them, just leave me," with those words he left her standing, as he walked towards his room.

The hallway to the dormitories was quiet, except for his footsteps and the sound of the crickets, who came out at night. Unwilling to go his empty room, he leant against the railing. Lately he avoided his room as much as possible, the walls of his room seemed to enclose him in emptiness, an endless void filled with memories.

Gazing over at the garden surrounding him, his mind wandered back to when he first got here. He was in awe when he saw how immense this place was. A sardonic smile escaped him, a lot had happened since the day he had come here as a complete lost little kid. Wars were fought, a world was saved, countries were gained and lost, sorceresses defeated and people disappeared.

If he could do it all over again, he wouldn't have been in Garden at all. He would have refused to take over the responsibility people gave to him. When it was needed the most, everybody decided that it was better for him to take care of everything and flee to somewhere safe. Leaving everything for him to bare and expect a 17 year old who had just become SeeD to take care of the world, while they gathered in the local bars to twiddle their thumbs in expectation for what was to come. Even though he knew deep inside that it wasn't completely true, he felt the need to be really pissed at everybody. Didn't even leaders need to bitch on things once in a while, he felt as if he was imprisoned in a sense of sarcasm and anger, and it felt felt both terrible and good.

But if he never became a SeeD, then he wouldn't have got to experience a lot of things. He wouldn't have seen so much of the world, he wouldn't have got to meet his teammates, he wouldn't have had a home, he wouldn't have got to meet . . . . He blocked his mind from finishing that thought. That was something he was trying to forget. But his mind didn't seem to be so cooperative and images came into his mind. Memories of her . . .

Stop it.

"I can't," he muttered.

"What?' said a soft voice behind him. He turned his head around and saw Quistis again with a worried look in her eyes. What was wrong with her? Couldn't she just take a hint, he wanted to be left alone.

"Nothing. Leave me alone Quistis, " he said. The last thing on his mind was talking to her or anybody about this.

"I know it has to do with her leaving," she said, "Ever since that day, you became so silent and you started to shut us off again."

Did he? He was sure he had acted as normal as possible. He thought he had done everything to let them believe everything was alright, that their lives were stable again. That nothing could ever harm them, except for a Ruby Dragon perhaps. But obviously he didn't make a very good job of it, people knew that everything wasn't normal. That he wasn't normal. Everything wasn't right, damnit! By far not.

"I can't believe it's coming back," he whispered to himself, already forgotten about Quistis who was still staring at him with a pensive look on her face.

"What is coming back?"

"Everything we've feared and much worse," he replied unconscious, gazing into space, his eyes seemed be somewhere far away from this safe and happy place, somewhere where danger ruled with an iron fist. Somewhere he was so afraid of.

A cold feeling struck Quistis, Squall was afraid? No, he was terrified. Terrified of what was coming. How come, Squall their valiant leader, he wasn't afraid. Fear was meant for those lower than him, for those who did not know what it was to have greater ideals, than fear could block. Fear was for the likes of her, the ones who counted on a stronger being to pull them trough everything. She knew it, and she was honest enough to admit it to herself. But it didn't make sense that Squall, her savior, would be afraid. And more importantly, afraid of what?

"Squall, you have to tell me if there's any danger," she said urgent. "If there's a treat to you or anybody else, it concerns us all, please."

The distant look in his eyes disappeared and it seemed as if he just returned from a dream, or perhaps a nightmare would be more fitting. He saw her blue eyes full of worry and the questioning look on her face.

No, I can't tell her. Not now, not before I've found a way to solve this. They'll try to stop me. They'll make me give it up. I can't, not for the sake of everybody and for the sake of . . . .

"There's nothing Quisty," he said in hope of calming her, but he saw the disbelieve in her eyes. "I've been having some nightmares, that's all." He wasn't even that far from the truth. Without saying a word he stood up and walked away towards the dormitory.

I know there's something, she thought as she gazed at his back walking farther away from her. What is going on? Squall isn't just afraid, nothing ever gets to him. Nothing except for Rinoa. What happened to Rinoa? Why did she leave? Why didn't Squall try to stop her?

Quistis knew she had to talk to Cid about this. She felt there had to be something major going on with Squall,

and somehow it effected everybody else. She turned, when another thought came into her disoriented mind without a connection to her earlier thoughts, as she turned back again and watched him turn around the corner to enter his room. It suddenly appeared to her that everytime they were alone, she was always the one ending up staring at his back.

*******

Behind his closed eyes played that melody, over and over again. Of all songs, why did they have play this. Didn't they know he was trying to forget it, for the sake of everyone. That he had to let it go, so that everyone could live in peace, without worrying.

What about yourself?

That didn't matter. As long as everyone was, he'd be ok. He was the one to put them in this spot. So it would be only fair if he took them out of it again. But there's was a limit to what he could take, and that melody reached and crossed it, leaving it behind the imaginary boundary as a little spot in the distance. Suddenly memories came, floating into his unwilling mind. Memories of things, of a life he had before all this happened. But one memory was able to force his way into his mind, having the force which his other thoughts didn't have, her. And she was his only clear memory.

Say it!

Say what?

Say her name!

No.

Say it!

Leave me alone!

I said say it!

No!

Say it!!

Rinoa!! Rinoa, damnit. There you have it. Rinoa, Rinoa, Rinoa. The very same Rinoa who left me, the Rinoa I chased away, Rinoa the most powerful sorceress, Rinoa the girl from the ball, the Rinoa I saw.

Memories of her came back all at once. Of her smiling at him, how her hand felt when she grabbed his hand to drag him to the dancefloor, the smell of her hair, the cute way she narrowed her eyes when she was angry, remembering her look when he made fun of her train models back then in Timber, her tears when he found her in space, her detriment attitude making him helplessly doing whatever she wished.

Dammnit!

Why was this happening? Wasn't it enough that he sent her away, what more would it take just to let it rest, as if he wasn't hurting already.

Images unwillingly appeared in his mind, of her tears, her disbelieve, the crushed look on her face. How she tried to convince him he was wrong. And images of himself trying to convince her, that she didn't belong here. That she wasn't the one, that they weren't suppose to be.

He opened his eyes. The peacefulness of his room compared to the turbulent stream of memories in his consciousness he was trapped in, made him feel a little disoriented.

He leaned back in his chair and placed his feet on the desk. He heard the party music from a distance. The evening was still young, it would probably go on until passed midnight. Knowing Zell and Irvine, they'd secretly continue partying in a basement, until they were caught again. Irvine who'd only been six months in Balamb Garden, was already a familiar face for the Disciplinary Committee, and he always dragged Zell in his crazy plans.

Squall noticed that Zell had been a little reserved towards him, ever since Rinoa disappeared. He knew that Zell blamed him for that, if only he knew how right he was. Zell had tried to match them since day one, he even tried to make a replica of his ring for Rinoa.

Squall glanced at his ringfinger, a dark thin shade circled around the bottom of his finger, where the Griever ring used to be. Even though it has been a while since he gave it to her, it still felt awkward not having the comforting weight of the ring. He caught himself sometimes unconsciously sliding with his thumb, around his ringfinger, still expecting to feel the delicate structure of the Griever engraving. But as soon he would always realize that even though he didn't have the comfort of his ring anymore, he had now the comfort of the thought that she was wearing his ring, comforting her the way it did him.

Not if she threw that thing out of the window, after the way you've treated her.

A firm knock on the door made him wake up from his musing. He stood up and walked to the door to open it, while wondering who it could be, because everyone was at the party.

"So what's up with our lone cowboy here?" Irvine said as he bursted in, without waiting for an invitation and jumped on the bed.

"Well, why don't you come in," Squall muttered sarcastically and turned around. He saw Irvine with questioning look on his face.

"Why aren't you on the party?" Irvine asked.

"I didn't feel like it, I was tired."

" Crap! Now, the real reason please."

"Leave me alone Irvine." Squall sat back on his chair with his back turned to Irvine, hoping he'd get the hint. But Irvine being as he was didn't move, instead he made himself comfortable on the bed and started to talk about the party and (his fantasy about) how all the girls there fell for him, jokes he heard, the cute dress Quistis was wearing, until Squall couldn't bear it. How on earth was he able to think with this chatty wacko around.

"Damnit, tell me what you want and leave me," cried Squall out. Irvine just smiled.

"Ok, I wanna know where Rinoa is and why she left."

Squall remained silent. Even though he had expected the question long before, he was suprised when someone actually asked him. But he couldn't tell. No matter how bad he wanted to tell someone, he couldn't. Besides, he didn't know himself where she was. He only knew the reason why she left.

"I . . ," Squall said, but Irvine interrupted him.

"Tell me the truth Squall, don't lie to me."

"Ok, I don't know where she is. I really don't." Squall replied with a sigh.

"But you could, if you tried, don't you?"

Squall paused. "Yes. I could, but there's no point in finding her. Let it rest."

"Fine," Irvine said, "Then tell me why she left, you know that, don't you?" Squall's face gave him the answer.

"Yes, I know."

"Then tell me, why?"

Squall turned around. Looking at the empty wall, he thought of how many times she told him to do something about this wall. She even suggested to put up a picture of the gang. But of course he refused, to keep a picture of someone, and putting it on wall for everyone to see how much he cared about some. No, he still wasn't ready to to expose his inner being for the world.

But now, now he did wish that he had a picture of her. A visible evidence that she'd been there, there in his life.

"I made her," he said finally. He could tell the disbelieve of Irvine in the way he held his breath, without turning around.

"How, . . I mean . . what are you talking about?" Irvine asked. "Why . .I don't understand."

"I told her to leave and never to come back," he said with a dull voice, all emotion drained out of his voice, leaving a robotic monotone sound, that gave Irvine the chills.

"Why . . .?" But Squall didn't let him finish and continued, as if he wasn't aware of the other man standing in the room.

"She didn't believe me, she thought it was a joke. And I . .I . . yelled at her," he said. He felt something harsh striking him within, it felt as if a burning claw has reached within him, and was now trying to rip all the life out of him, was this what they called pain? Heartbreak? No, it couldn't be, this was far more viscous to have a cliched label.

"And still, she wouldn't believe me. I told her that it wasn't meant to happen. That she had to leave, that she didn't belong here, in Garden . ." He paused.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Listen, I mean it. This never meant to happen."

"Damnit Squall, be honest with me, it's so unlike you. What is it, why are you saying these things."

"Rinoa . . . ."

"Don't you Rinoa me, tell me, what's wrong, the truth."

"I don't need you here, you've been a burden on me from the first day that I met you. At first I thought that things could turn out alright, but it didn't, at least not for me."

"And you just realized it now? If I was such a burden on your delicate shoulders, then why wasn't it a burden when we dance, when we're alone, when I make you smile. Why is it a burden, now??"

"I just realized something?"

"What? What did you realize?"

"T-that there is something, someone else, I lo- care for."

" . . . . . "

"Rinoa, I . . . "

"Who is it?"

"That doesn't matter, what matters is . . . "

"Don't tell me what I matter for me, tell me, who is it?"

"It's . . . . . Q-Quistis."

"No."

"Yes."

"I still don't believe you."

"It's true Rinoa, I've always loved Quistis. She and I are alike. We grew up together, we both struggled for our lives. We're the same, but you . . you are different, different from me, us. Your and our perspectives are an ocean of difference, and nothing is stable and steady enough to cross it. It's a fact, not even I can change that."

"What?"

"It's for the best Rinoa. You wouldn't have been happy here. You don't belong here, everyone here is trained to survive and to live only for our common goal. You can't share that."

"What's your common goal then? Fighting blindly against demons of your past and pushing away those that surround you in affection. Is that really the most terrible thing you can image? To have someone there who would just love you. Well I never asked for your love, in fact I never asked anything from you. Just know that from my side I do love you, or did, or . . . . I don't know. All I know is that all that you have said tonight changed everything, spinning the wheel the way it wasn't suppose to. And you're right then, I can't share that.

"I just . . ."

" . . .wanted to tell we're different?"

" . . .yes. You're different than everyone else here. You've never known what loneliness was, . . you've never known what trouble was, what hurting was like."

"Well, you sure have taught me now. You know what Squall? You're in fact the best teacher I've ever had."

He felt the familiar yet detestful burning in his eyes. When was the last time he felt something like this. This clear evidence of his hurt. But he didn't cry, it wouldn't help anything nor undo things that had already been done. If there was one thing he had learnt from his young life as a SeeD, it would be that the past was the past and no force in the world could ever change that.

"How could you?" he heard a voice say behind him. It wasn't Irvine's. He turned around and saw Quistis with a chrushed look on her face. He read anger and disgust in her blue eyes. As she stood there, frozen in shock, staring bewildered at him. But Quistis wasn't the only one there, he saw Zell and Selphie behind her, both looked at him as if he was a horrible creature. And Squall couldn't agree more.

"Quisty, I . . . ."

Without saying a word she slapped him in the face. It hurt, but he didn't care. She slapped him again on the other cheek. It hurted more this time, the familiar taste of blood caressed his hurt lips, but he wished that she did it again. There was something inside him, that he needed to kill, even if it would mean that he himself would die along. Quistis raised her hand again, but Irvine grabbed it before it reached his cheek.

"You bastard, you miserable bastard," she cried. "How could you do this to me, to her. I trusted you, how could you use that against her."

He felt how the open wound inside him increased, as he saw Quistis' tears, her anger, her hurt. She reminded him of Rinoa, the last time he saw her.

"Quistis, I'm so very sorry. You can't imagine how much." He reached out for her hand, but she rolled back.

"There's no excuse for what I've done Quistis. I hope that one day, you're able to forgive me." He continued.

"Why are you always so selfish, thinking of nobody but yourself. I was a fool for admiring you, wishing I just had some of your qualities. Be a fraction of what you are. And how everyone wished you'd throw off that indifference and show your true self. Now, we know what's beneath there. What was there all along, nothing but a worthless heart of stone."

"That's enough Quistis," said Irvine calmly. "Let's hear what Squall has to say. Squall go on, tell us what happened before, that made you do that."

He flinched at her words, even though he knew very well she was right. Yes, inside there was nothing but filth, but hearing it said out loud, from her mouth, was something he wasn't prepared for. It actually hurt, despite the fact she was true and had every reason to hate, he didn't expect it from her. Did he really become that horrible, that he could have hurt her, Quistis, the one who always saw something good in him, his older sister.

Squall sighed. Should he tell? Try to change her opinion of him. Try to restore her respect for him. They wouldn't be able to rest anyway, and there was no way he could either. But there was stil something holding back, what if they made him get Rinoa back?

"There is something really wrong . And it involves Rinoa, she had to go away." He paused. Thinking how to put it, he didn't even know himself what was going on, he knew just enough to know that she was in danger if she stayed here with him.

"Oh my God," cried Selphie out, "what do you mean she's in danger. How could you let her go by her own, if she was in danger?"

"I had to. That was her only salvation."

Before he even could start explaining, they heard a familiar voice over the intercom. "Will Squall Leonheart please report at the headmaster's office immediately, I repeat, will Squall Leonheart report at the headmaster's office immediately, thank you," sounded Xu's voice.

What was going on?

"It sounds urgent," said Irvine.

Squall nodded and left the room, thankful for the interruption. He made his way to the elevator who'd take him to the third floor, where the headmaster's office was located. He wondered what was going on, there was suppose to be a party going on in the squad and it was near midnight, why was he called to the headmaster?

He started to increase his pace. The sound of his footsteps resounded loudly in his mind, there was nobody there. Everyone was at the party or in the dorms, as the other facilities were closed, except for the trainingcentre which was open 24/7.

He walked up the stairs to the elevator and pressed the button. The display above showed that the elevator was at the floor above and very soon sounded the bell to announce that the elevator had arrived. He pressed the button for the third floor and leaned back, until the doors opened.

He knocked on the closed door of the office and waited till he heard Cid's voice ordering him to come in.

Cid sat behind his behind his desk and next to him stood his loyal Xu. Both looked serious. Squall raised his hand in a salute.

"Squall Leonheart reporting sir." Squall said. Cid nodded as an acceptance.

"Squall, I've called you because I needed some answers to a few questions I have."

"What questions?" asked Squall.

"Well Quistis came to me and she told me this vague thing about a danger threatening you. I'd be very pleased if you'd clear this out for me."

Squall opened his mouth to answer, but he changed his mind. Should he tell, what if they took the wrong decision.

"Sir, I'm not sure what you are talking about." Squall said in a flat tone.

Cid sighed. "Well, would you tell me then where miss Rinoa Heartilly is located and why she left the Garden so sudden, without notifying anyone about it?"

Squall let out a sigh. Why couldn't they just leave him alone. He was the one who had to deal with this, everything would be just fine if they let him handle it.

"I do not know where R . ., miss Heartilly is located sir," he said in truth, hoping that Cid wouldn't repeat the second part of his question.

But Cid calmly asked the other question again. "And do you know why she left?"

Squall paused. He'd tell, he had to say it, nobody would rest until they knew what was wrong. Maybe things wouldn't be that bad, maybe they'd understand his reasons and accept the situation as it was.

"Sir, it's a long story and . . ."

"We have all the time," interrupted Cid.

". . . . . and before I can proceed, I would like that Quistis, Zell, Irvine and Selphie could listen to what I have to say too." Squall continued.

Cid told Xu to call them. Xu nodded and turned around to grab the mic on Cid's desk. "Will the following SeeDs report at the headmaster's office, Quistis Trepe, Irvine Kinneas, Selphie Tilmett and Zell Dincht, I repeat will these SeeDs report at the headmaster's office immediately."

It took ten minutes before they all were present in the office. They'd been waiting in Squall's room for him to come back, and explain everything that was going on with him, when they suddenly heard Xu's voice ordering them to come to the headmaster's office. They saluted and stood there waiting for someone to tell what was going on. Cid greeted them and told them to sit down on the floor (due to the fact that there weren't any chairs, besides Cid's, in the room).

"You may continue Squall," Cid said with a friendly voice.

Squall sighed. "Rinoa left three months ago. I really don't know where she is. But you're right, I know why she left."

Squall paused, his mind wandered back to the night when they were celebrating their victory, the night he first kissed her. He closed his eyes to get that memory out of his mind, that was too much now. A week before that night they'd defeated Ultimecia and somehow they've found their way back to their time. But before that, Squall remembered how he saw himself as a little kid, and matron who was looking for him. And then how Ultimecia rose from the ground, weakly and heavily injured, and how she passed her powers onto Matron.

And suddenly the Matron and the Orphanage faded, and he stood in a deserted plain. He remembered thinking that he had to go the flower field, where he had promised Rinoa that he'd be there, whenever she was looking for him. Everything after remained slightly vague to him.

The next thing he remembered was that he fell on the floor and dreamt that he was in Rinoa's arms, lying in a field full of flowers, before he woke up at the infirmary.

That's when he heard the voice. It was a cold lifeless voice that lacked any emotion, he shivered when the voice pierced into his mind, filling his body with ice.

You know I'll be back.

You know I'll be back for her.

I shall return, to take what is rightfully mine.

He took his head between his hands hoping that the voice would disappear. This hurted more than all the injuries he had. It was like someone was trying to tear his mind up with a flaming sword. Everything turned red trough his eyes. He vaguely felt how he dropped from the bed on the floor.

Lead me back, this will be the last time.

You shall lead me to her.

It's you who holds the key to her mind and my property.

He suddenly froze when the words settled in his consciousness. It wants Rinoa? I have to bring it to Rinoa?

As if the voice knew he understood it now, he felt how the coldness slowly disappeared out of him. He fell back to the floor, his head hurting as if it was filled with Jumbo's thousand needles.

Rinoa found him lying on the floor. He'd experienced it like some sort of déja vu, as if she held him like that before. She'd called dr. Kadowaki who examined him, but she couldn't find anything serious, she thought that maybe he'd been dreaming.

After a few hours he was released and was allowed to go back to his room. While he was changing his clothes, he heard Xu announce that there would be a huge party that night, to celebrate the defeat of Ultimecia, Garden's ultimate goal and to honor the five SeeDs and Rinoa who accomplished that.

He'd never forget that night. It all turned out very well for everyone. He was filled with pride when everyone congratulated him, instead of being indifferent to the compliments, like he used to. He knew that it was really something to be able to defeat the greatest treat to humanity ever, but he wasn't aware of all the things he'd accomplished until that night, he had everything he ever wished for, he was a SeeD, he was someone everyone looked up to, he had his friends who stood by him till the very end and he had somebody again, someone who cared for him, someone who would miss him if he was gone.

The shooting star, remembered him of the night he first saw her, the way she smiled at him, she smiled the same way this night. He wondered what he was thinking for letting her wait so long, he'd almost lost her because of his doubts, doubts on what his feelings were towards her. For the first time in his life, he felt secure. He felt as if he could handle anything as long as she kept smiling. He felt secure enough to do what he desired to do for so long but couldn't make himself do before, he pulled her closer and kissed her.

Squall shook his head, forcing the memory to leave his mind. This wasn't the time to get sentimental. There were other things to clear out.

For three months life had been okay, besides being on a occasional mission, he was busy helping Cid with recovery of Balamb Garden. Cid told him that it was for the best that Rinoa came to live in Balamb Garden, being the powerful sorceress she was, it was for the best if they could keep an eye on her. Help her with her newgained powers and support her. Squall had thought it kinda strange, having a sorceress live in Garden who was training kids to kill them. Checking if Rinoa wouldn't become evil would make more sense.

Everyone treated them as a couple, what they weren't at all. He needed time to figure out his feelings, a lot had happened. He was forced in situations he didn't want to be in. Often had he questioned himself, if he would act the way he did, if he wasn't in a worldtreatning situation. Now it was the time to figure this out, that was the reason why he was opposed to the idea of her living in Garden. He didn't want to act out everyone's gossip fantasies of them two together. Of course he cared for her, and it was a feeling like he had never felt. It scared him, but comforted him at the same time. While he was still lingering in confusion, he couldn't possibly have a relationship of any kind.

But they had been happy. Rinoa loved it to live in Balamb Garden, she felt at home the minute she came here. Even though she wasn't a SeeD, she was treated like one by everybody. She had the same rights and obligations as everyone else. He never saw her so happy as she was in Garden.

Every once in a while she went back to Timber to sort out things out with Galbadia, who finally agreed with the Timber's independence (with a little pressure from Garden). The chief of the Forest Owls became president, with everyone's approval. Rinoa was offered to be president in the first place, but she refused, not wanting to leave Garden for so long, so she agreed to go back once in a while, to rebuild Timber's government. Everything turned out to be ok.

But Squall never forgot the voice he heard, that day in the infirmary. He wondered if his nightmares were coming back again. He didn't really understand what it meant. I have to bring it to Rinoa?

He refused to think about it, even though it slipped trough his mind everytime he saw Rinoa, but her smile and all the stories she had to tell, pushed the shadow that occupied his mind, to the back.

One day as he was training with Rinoa and Zell in the trainingcentre, a T-Rexaur appeared. While he was summoning a GF, Rinoa just simply raised her hand and blew him away with a single spell. Even though he tried to act normal, in order not to discomfort her. Her magical powers had increased drastically. That thought didn't let go of his mind, and he couldn't understand why. It wasn't like it was something incredible or anything, it wasn't more than a logical result, after obtaining the powers of two sorceresses, Edea's and Ultimecia's. But how come, he couldn't let go of the thought? At first he didn't bother to think about it, but the more he saw her use sorcery, the more interested he became. No, the right word was obsessed.

That's when he started to think about the voice more often. He never heard it again since that day, but he somehow felt that to whoever it belonged, was near, maybe closer than he thought.

Squall started to change, not much from the exterior, but more and more from in the inside. He changed too much and too fast, for him not to notice. He had this feeling inside whenever he saw Rinoa, it didn't have anything with to do with love or desire as before, but more with. . .hate. Hate? Yes, he felt this burning anger inside him, he never felt, not even towards Seifer, his ultimate rival.

He started to invite her more to go to the trainingcentre, just to watch her use her magical powers. He could be so fascinated by it, that he forgot to attack when it was his turn. He never slept, instead he spent the entire night thinking about Rinoa's powers. He forgot about this angry feeling when Rinoa was out of his sight. And it seemed like nothing happened at all. But when she was around him, and that was quite often, it all began.

Three months after he heard the voice speak to him, Squall attended a meeting that Cid had called to talk about the future of Balamb Garden. Rinoa wasn't invited, as she was in Timber at the moment. But the other five SeeDs were there. Cid talked about how they had to send out more SeeDs as mercenaries, to raise some money, as the Garden was low on funds. No matter how coldhearted Norg was, he'd been right about the financial part.

Garden had been about defeating the sorceress, the true goal of Garden. Now that was accomplished, they had to set a new goal.

How dare he talk so arrogantly about unfinished matters.

And their goal now was to maintain peace throughout the world, and to become more and more involved in conflicts. Cid thought of Garden to take role of peacemaker between nations. One of the reasons why Ultimecia managed to take a hold of this world was that the world was divided in parts, nations, distinguishing themselves from others, maintaining only their interests. They had to prevent the world from a division like that ever to happen and to give one force all the power over their world.

Even though Ultimecia was gone, there wasn't world peace. There was still a hostile Galbadia to look out for, who was now in middle of elections for the presidency.

Everything seemed to pass Squall by, except for the rage that increased within him, when he saw the pleased faces of everyone, at the thought of how they've defeated Ultimecia.

"Rinoa is now the only sorceresses of this time, and she's on our side, there's no treat from the future nor the past anymore, not to her or anybody. But we do have to keep an eye out for her, to help her with her new developed powers," Cid said.

Squall suddenly froze. That was it! The rage inside him disappeared. Why didn't he think of this before.

You shall lead me to her.

It's you who holds the key to her mind.

These feelings, this unexplained fascination of Rinoa's newgained powers, this burning rage, it all made sense. There was no doubt to whom the voice belonged.

She's back! And I've been helping her all along. I've brought her to Rinoa. That day, when he heard the voice, it was Ultimecia's. She could see through his eyes, and he could feel what she felt.

His second thought, came almost as sudden as his first. RI'm Rinoa's only treat. She and the world are in danger again, whenever she's around me. I have to get her away from me.

***************************

"Why you?" he heard Selphie's soft voice ask. Squall opened his eyes, he was in Cid's office. He saw seven pairs of eyes staring at him. Everyone sat there gazing at him with amazement. Their, what they thought safe world, was turned around again,

"I don't know, she said I had to lead her to Rinoa."Squall said, He was tired, tired but relieved that he had it off his chest. That he didn't have to deal with it alone.

"You hold the key to her heart," muttered Quistis.

"What?" Cid asked.

"Squall is the only one Rinoa loves, if anyone is able to access her mind, than it has to be Squall," Quistis replied.

Rinoa loves me? No way, even if she did, he'd destroyed the smallest loving part of hers forever. Besides, love isn't a issue now. There are more important things to look out for.

"Why didn't Ultimecia just took over Rinoa, like she did before," Zell asked, "why wait all this time and use Squall. It doesn't make sense ya know."

"No, it makes perfectly sense," Quistis replied with a thoughtful look on her face. "We've defeated her. She thought she'd die, when she passed her powers unto Matron. But no one really saw her die, now did we? Maybe she survived somehow and without her abilities nor the machine she couldn't start a timecompression and take over Rinoa. Maybe this is the only way she's able to take over Rinoa's powers and regain her strength. She's stuck in our time."

"If she isn't capable of taking over Rinoa, how come she took over Squall?" Selphie asked.

"But she didn't take over Squall." Quistis replied. "He said she could see trough his eyes, she was in his mind and he felt what she felt. But he was still capable of making his own decisions, right Squall?" Everyone turned around to Squall, who seemed to be somewhere else with his mind again.

"Huh?" Squall looked up absent-mindly.

"Ultimecia didn't take you over, right, you were making your own choices?" Cid repeated Quistis question patiently.

Was he? He did became more interested in Rinoa's powers and he did provoke her once in a while, to use her magic. That wasn't solely his own decision, in fact it wasn't his decision at all.

"I . .don't know," he said uncertain, "I think I could feel what she felt, and sometimes her feelings became so intense that they dominated my own. I've sometimes acted in a way I wouldn't, I think that's when her feelings became stronger. But it didn't feel like someone was in me, it seemed like these new feelings of anger were my own."

Irvine sat there all the time listening, without saying a word. Something was wrong here, there was something suspicious about Squall's story, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He'd figure it out. Irvine was sure that there was something Squall didn't see, or didn't mention, something important.

"And how do we get that witch outta his head then?" Zell asked.

Cid gazed into space, he didn't know, but maybe there was someone else who knew a solution. "You'll have to go to Esthar to see doctor Odine, he might have a theory on this."

"Shall I notify Esthar of our arrival tomorrow then?" Xu asked.

Cid nodded slowly. "And for everyone here, go get some rest, make sure you're ready at 7.00 am sharp."

****