That's right, we're back. Well, actually it's just me (Alex). Dave never touches the stuff...what are we talking about here? Anywho...

Disclaimer: We never have and never will own anything Final Fantasy ever so I don't know why we all have to do the stupid disclaimer thingies every time we right a fic. Revolt!

Yeah, so here it is.

A touching moment between a brother and a sister...

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

I hardly ever get to see my brother. He lives halfway across the world in a flying school. I mean, it doesn't give me many options. The last time I saw him was a few months ago when Laguna paid him a visit and met with Headmaster Cid to see about building a Garden outside of Esthar.

Actually, he's not really my brother. I love him like a brother though, and we fight like brother and sister at times, too. Anyway, he's the closest thing I have to a brother and I'm the closest thing he has to a sister. He would always open up to me when we were little, and he still does, even if he doesn't do it to other people. Well, there's that Rinoa girl, but he opened up to me way before he did to her.

On the topic of Rinoa, I have my many opinions of her. I think she's too flirty, her clothes are weird, she's too physical with my brother, and she's a wee bit too cheery. It's almost as if she has some "extra-curricular activities" if you know what I mean. But she makes him happy, so I can handle her as long as I don't see too much of her in a year. She's also changed him, but I had no idea how much until my visit with him recently...

====---=======---=========----==========---=--=-=--=

I had arrived in Garden at about 3 PM and was looking around for my brother. I saw his friend Zell come out of the library.

"Hey! Ellone! It's good to see you again!" Zell smiled brightly. His teeth were a little off-colored...

"Hello Zell, would you happen to know where Squall is? I'd like to see him," I told him.

"Yeah, I saw him go up to his dorm with Rinoa. I'd, um, give them some time, if you know what I mean." Not only did I know what I meant, but I really didn't want to know. I shuddered at the thought of that ditz doing...that...with Squall...uck...

"Yeah, thanks. See you around Zell," I sighed. Now what? I hardly knew anyone in Garden, besides Squall's friends, and some of them were just too weird for me. I decided to find Quistis. She was the most normal one.

I turned back to Zell to ask him where she was, but he had disappeared. I sighed again and turned on my heel and headed toward the cafeteria. People usually hung out there, right?

Wrong. The cafeteria was dead. No one but the cafeteria ladies. The quad was also dead, as was the infirmary and the library. Where the hell was everyone? I wasn't up to going to the Training Center, not after what happened the last time I was there.

I knew I was taking a big chance, but I thought I'd try the parking lot. Lo and behold, there was Quistis.

"Quistis!"

"Ellone!" She ran up to me and gave me a giant hug.

"What are you doing the parking lot?" It seemed like a rather unusual place to be.

"Just needed some time to recuperate after seeing Squall and Rinoa together. They're just so...sickening..." Quistis visibly shuttered. "Especially with Squall's new look and attitude."

"...What new look and attitude?" I asked nervously.

Quistis sighed. "He's taken on a more...ghetto...personality."

"What do you mean?"

"It's hard to describe. You'll see when you talk to him."

"...Well...um...okay...is it...dramatically different?" I had no idea what to expect.

"Absolutely. Nothing really prepares you for it...it's like a slap in the face...over and over..." Quistis looked off distantly. She shook herself out of it and said, "Anyway, it'll shock you beyond belief."

"Ellone?" I turned around to see Zell at the entrance.

"Yes?"

"Squall's back. He's excited that you're here." A look passed over his face. I bet he thought I didn't see it. Apparently Squall's new personality wasn't something to look forward to.

"Okay, thanks Zell. Tell him I'll be there in a minute." I said my goodbyes to Quistis and stood up, brushing off my dress. I took a deep breath and prepared myself for what I was about to see.

Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw.

For when I got back out into the hallway, there stood Squall. He wore the baggiest jeans I've ever seen, dropped down to the middle of his thighs, his boxer shorts clearly visible. His shirt, which was short sleeved and black, displayed a shirtless black man saying something loudly and passionately into a microphone with no wires. He still wore his Griever necklace and his earring, which was accompanied by a few more. His hair was cut incredibly short, but was still there. It looked kind of like a crew cut. He wore a huge watch on his right hand that was way too loose and facing the wrong direction. His sneakers were barely visible under his pant legs, but I could still see the untied shoelaces. He wore a black baseball cap on his head, turned sideways. He chewed a huge wad of gum and the corner of his mouth was turned up slightly. Well, at least he was smiling...kind of...

My jaw honestly dropped to the floor. Rinoa, of course, was attached to his arm, waist, and neck. She giggled and Squall smirked and said, "S'up Sis?"

I merely stared with my mouth hung open. I blinked in disbelief. This was NOT the Squall I'd grown up with. What had Rinoa done to him? I made a few disgruntled noises and Squall replied with, "Deep."

My poor, poor brother. I gathered myself together and spoke to him. "Well, Squall...I see you've been up to...um...stuff."

He shook his hand, with his index and middle finger pointing out in front of his chest and said, "Straight up."

I decided to talk to Rinoa. "So Rinoa, what's new?"

She giggled incessantly and buried her face in Squall's arm. What was she, two? "Do you mind if I talk to Squall privately?"

Rinoa turned to Squall and whispered in his ear. Squall smiled and nodded his head. "Word." Although, he pronounced it more like 'werd.' He then proceeded to make out with Rinoa for probably three or four minutes before parting with her to come talk with me. I wanted to see exactly what had gotten into him.

As we walked, I noticed that he walked with some unheard beat, almost as if he were listening to music. He nodded in greeting to random people as we walked. I suddenly realized I had no idea where we were going. "Where should we go?"

Squall replied with, "Yo, we be chillin' in ma crib."

"You mean your dorm?" I asked, just to clear things up.

"Werd," he said while nodding and smiling. I smiled back at him, but turned to look the other way so I could make a face of disgust. We headed to his dorm, him still walking to the beat I couldn't hear.

When we got to his room, he swung the door open, walked over to his bed and plopped down. He then spread his legs further than necessary. I sighed and looked away.

"So Squall, I see you've changed." I really didn't know what to expect as an answer.

He laughed and did that thing with his hand again and said "Werd!"

I scratched my head and sniffed. I didn't know what to say to this Squall. "What made you change?"

And so ended the coherent part of our conversation, if you could call it that.

"My girl, she be all, 'Squall, you got ta change yo'self.' So I'm all, 'What you talkin' bout be-atch?' and she's all, 'You's being all up in ma face.' so I'm all, "Whut up, bitch." and she's all, 'We headed to the east coast, git you some drabs hun.' and I'm all, 'Werrrrd.'"

What do you say something like that? I honestly didn't know. "So, um...she made you change?"

"Werd."

"Is that a yes?" I was assuming it was, but I wanted to be sure...but then again...with Squall nothing was very clear.

"Yo, why you be all up in ma face? Ya go questionin' ev'rtin' I sayin'. You changed, sista."

At that point he just pissed me off. I mean there's annoying, and then there's violently annoying.

"I've changed? I've changed?!? Look at you! Just a few months ago you were the guy who never said anything and was shy around everyone. You'd wear the same thing everyday, that black leather stuff with the belts! Now look at you! Look at the way you dress, the way you talk. You're barely coherent! I've never seen a person change so much!" I glared at him, my fists clenched.

He put his hands up in defense and stared at me for a moment. After a moment, Squall sighed and put his hands down, grabbing his cap and yanking it off. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's gotten into me these past few months."

"I've got a pretty good idea," I said, overjoyed that he was back to normal. Well, his personality at least...

"Rinoa?" I nodded. "Yeah me too. How the hell did she manage to do that? It's like I've been in a trance. I...I don't even like her. The last thing I remember was breaking up with her..." His face suddenly lit up, obviously realizing something. "She's a sorceress! I bet she put some sort of magic crap on me to make me her puppet! Ooh that bitch..." His eyes wandered off.

"Well, Squall, why don't you come back with me? To Esthar?" I grasped his hands, hopeful he'd realize the evil that is Rinoa.

"Wait!" He grabbed my arms. "I've got a better idea!" He whispered the most brilliant plan into my ear...

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Ha! I'm gonna make you wait! Actually I'm just lazy and didn't feel like finishing the chapter. Meh...

Look for stuff later and stuff. Yeah.