The purple spiral was barely visible from Timber. The people there were blind to the incident occurring in Esthar and they were living in blissful ignorance, as was Squall and Rinoa.
Married for just a little over a week now and the romance hadn't died down for a moment. Squall took Rinoa to fancy restaurants, where they served wine and great food. He would take her back to their house and smother her with kisses. Squall's mind was free and at ease and Rinoa hoped it would stay that way.
Timber was the perfect place for them, not the bright lights of Galbadia nor the grandness of Esthar, nor the quiet tediousness of Winhill, but just right. It fitted them beautifully and it was Rinoa's hometown, they were now like celebrities there. Everyone knew who they were since they destroyed Ultimecia. Zone made sure to tell every living soul about it. Now, it seemed they weren't getting any peace at all, but they weren't complaining.
Xu was often in the neighbourhood and would come round and visit, she was thrilled that Squall had made something of himself and hoped that Quistis would do the same. She didn't receive the same adulation as Squall and Rinoa, not many people knew her, but she liked it better that way. She was just happy to be starting a new life with some of her friends in Timber. But in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but worry about Quistis. What would happen to her?
Squall and Rinoa sat on their bed gazing into each others' eyes. They were content to just sit there and do nothing else until Squall lowered his head and thought for a moment. He looked at his gunblade hanging up on the wall, it had been through so many wars, but it still hadn't lost its shine.
"What are we going to do now?" he asked.
"Love each other and live happily ever after."
"I mean, job wise. Neither of us have a job and we can't retire for the rest of our lives. We're only 17, how are we going to be able to afford to live happily ever after."
Rinoa laughed. "Oh, Squall, you're so narrow-minded," she said. "I thought I taught you better than that. Squall, you can't spend your whole life thinking, otherwise you'll have no time for living and sometimes you've just gotta go on instinct without thinking things through. Life's more exciting that way."
"S'pose so," said Squall. "I guess you're right, I guess you're always right."
"Now you're catching on."
Rinoa moved herself and sat on Squall's lap. Squall slid his arms around her waist as Rinoa put her arms around his neck. She laid her head down against his chest.
"See," Rinoa said. "This is much better, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it sure is,"
"Thinking not good, this is good."
"I'm sorry, Rinoa, it'll never happen again."
Squall moved his head down and kissed Rinoa while gently caressing her long soft hair with his hands. He shut his eyes and was in a dream world, except it wasn't a dream world, it was reality.
Rinoa's eyes suddenly jerked open. She threw herself off out of Squall's tender grip and onto the floor. Squall stared at her, befuddled.
"Rinoa, what's wrong?"
Rinoa didn't answer. She stood up and started swaying from side to side very slowly. She put her hand to her head, she felt tired and faint. Squall got up and rushed to her side taking her by the arms and leading her towards the bed. Rinoa pushed him away and she started to concentrate harder.
"Rinoa, what's happening?"
There was a gush of wind coming in from the window and then suddenly to Squall's amazement, Squall's gunblade came off the wall, flew across the room and impaled itself on the wall opposite. Squall was still sitting with his arms over his head for protection. He then looked back at Rinoa.
She stood perfectly still for a few moments. The whole world seemed to stand still. Squall was paralysed, he couldn't get any closer to Rinoa. She outstretched her arms and took a deep breath and before Squall could react in time, Rinoa fainted to the floor.
Squall looked at her, unconscious on the floor, incredulous to what had just happened. He then quickly rushed to Rinoa's side. He lifted her head up gently off the floor and cradled it in his arms. Tears were flowing down his face, it was the time he had cried since he was a child looking for his sister.
He stroked her hair, just as he had done a few moments earlier, but it didn't feel the same. Her face was cold, Squall remembered this feeling, it ate away inside of him. He remembered Rinoa lying unconscious in the Infirmary just a few weeks earlier. He was alone then and he felt as if he was alone now. He checked her pulse, she was still alive. That was one relief.
Squall slid his hand down Rinoa's back, placed an arm underneath her legs and lifted her up slowly, turning and placing her gently on the bed. He sat beside, holding her hand and waited for her to wake up.
It was the next day when she finally woke. Her eyes slowly fluttered open and she looked around, confused. She saw Squall, a huge relief. She raised her head, a throbbing pain echoed around her skull like a bolt of lightening. She laid her head back down again, the pain was eased somewhat.
"What happened?" she asked.
"I was hoping you could tell me that,"
"What do you mean?"
Squall moved over to the cracked wall where the gunblade had landed. He put his hands on the handle and pulled as hard as he could and managed to get the gunblade out. He held it in his hands, it was warm.
"This," Squall said.
"What about that?" said Rinoa, confused.
"You made this move across the room. You must have used your sorceress powers or something."
"But I never use them, you know that," she paused for a moment thinking of what would happen if anyone was to find out about this. "Please, don't tell anyone, Squall. If they find me out they'll send me back to the Sorceress Memorial. Please say that you won't tell anyone, Squall."
"Don't worry, I won't. I was just concerned, that's all. It was freaky, you just passed out and I didn't know whether you were going to die or not, you've been out all night."
"I don't remember anything, nothing at all. The last thing I remember I was sitting on your lap kissing you and then I woke up here. I assumed I fell asleep in yours arms."
"You just went insane. I've never seen you like that before, you just lost it, what do you think it is?"
"I don't know, but whatever it is, I don't want it happening again."
"Don't worry, Rinoa, you're safe here. You should get some rest now."
Squall propped a pillow up for her and she laid her head down on it, shut her eyes and peacefully drifted off to sleep. Squall looked at her and smiled, if only to hide his concern.
*********************************************************************
Galbadia was just a few miles away but it seemed like an eternity. The train tracks leading underground seemed like a black hole and with every step she sinking further and further into the abyss.
Quistis didn't know whether she would be able to make it up the hill, it seemed too much. She wished she had caught the train but it was far too late for regret. Then, suddenly, a loud noise caught her attention. She turned to see what it was; a red sports car pulling up fast beside her, it stopped, she was shocked.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"You look pretty tired," the young man in the car said. "I thought you might need a ride."
"Thanks,"
Zell opened the door for her and she got in. They then headed straight into Galbadia, stopping just outside General Caraway's mansion, taking a brief glance round at all the wondrous spectacles that Squall and Rinoa had talked so much about on their honeymoon and went looking through the main residential area in hopes of finding them. But there was something on Quistis' mind that she couldn't help but wonder.
"What are you doing here, Zell?"
Zell shrugged his shoulders a little. "I guess I wanted a bit more out of life than my Ma's home cooking. I thought that'd be enough, but obviously I was wrong."
"But how did you know I was here?"
"I didn't. I was coming this way anyway since I thought that Squall and Rinoa would be here. So I caught the train and then rented a car from Dollet."
Quistis smacked the palm of her hand against her forehead and groaned in annoyance. "Ugghh, I wish I'd thought of that,"
Zell was silent for a moment. He thought about the situation and said: "You mean to tell me that you walked from wherever you were to here. Where did you walk from?"
"Winhill," she replied.
"Winhill?" Zell said, flabbergasted. "You walked all the way from Winhill? Are you insane?"
"Obviously I am, but I was just really desperate to see Squall and Rinoa again. It's no fun without them."
"You must have been really desperate."
"What are you talking about? You've done the same thing."
"Oh yeah,"
They walked round for hours but couldn't find Squall and Rinoa anywhere. They stopped by at General Caraway's mansion to ask him where they were.
"They said they were going up to Timber," he said in a sombre tone.
"Timber?"
"Yep, second honeymoon, I think. Anyway, Rinoa's used to living up there. I can hardly expect her to come home to me after all this, I mean she is old enough now to make her own decisions. I'll be sorry to see her go, but I guess she's not daddy's little girl anymore." He sighed. "Oh well, life goes on."
"How are we going to get to Timber?" Quistis asked. "We don't have any money."
"Well, that's never stopped you walking before," said Zell, laughing under his breath.
"Shut up, you, or I'll have the disciplinary committee put you on suspension. Then you'll lose your honour of being a SeeD."
Zell laughed hysterically. "You wish, Quistis," he said. "There is no Garden anymore, there is no disciplinary committee, there is no SeeD, and there definitely is no honour anymore, Quistis. It all went away when Cid closed the Garden."
Quistis fell silent and stared at the floor. General Caraway didn't say anything either, not wanting to make the situation worse.
Not another word was spoken for the rest of the day.
They met up by the car rental building the next morning. It was another beautiful day, almost too beautiful for autumn. Quistis gave a huge yawn as she leaned against the wall waiting for the car to come.
"Tired?" Zell asked.
"Yeah, didn't get much sleep, too much to think about."
Zell paused. "Was it about what I said?"
"You damn right," she said quietly, trying to contain her anger.
"I'm really sorry about that, but it's true, isn't it? There is no Garden anymore and you are no longer an instructor or a SeeD and have no authority over me or anyone else so I don't have to take your crap anymore. It serves you right for being so bossy all the time."
"But I don't mean to be," she said holding her head in her heads trying to prevent Zell from seeing that she was crying. "I'm a good person, I really am, it's just sometimes I have a tendency to get a bit stroppy, then adjatated and then moody and then aggressive and then who knows what."
"Sometimes?" said Zell. "You seem to do it a bit more than sometimes."
"I try, I really do. Please don't judge me too harshly, I just want something more than this and always have done. Whether it was to be the best instructor ever or to be Rinoa being rescued by Squall, I just want more than this. Do you understand?"
"Yeah, I guess. I guess I'm kinda the same in that way."
Quistis smiled. "Good, I'm glad you understand."
Something else caught their attention. It was too people running towards them, one considerable taller than the other. As they got closer they could see their faces better. It was definitely a small world, they thought. It was Irvine and Selphie, huge smiles on their faces and big hugs to greet them. Selphie went a little insane as she jumped all over Zell.
"God, I've missed you guys so much," she said. "Where have you been? It's been way too long. We saw a couple of people up the end of the street and thought that it must be you, you stick out like a Moomba in a Chocobo Forest. God, I've missed you guys, even you, Zell."
"And I've missed you too," said Zell.
"Where are you headed now?" asked Irvine.
"We're going to Timber to find Squall and Rinoa," Quistis said.
"That's a good idea," said Irvine. "After all, there's no point staying here, it's absolute hell."
"Huh?"
"Oh yeah, I don't know what part Squall and Rinoa went to, but it's been absolutely atrocious here. It's like hell, only with florescent lighting and candy floss. If it weren't for Selphie being here, I think I would have gone insane."
"Yeah, we've been keeping each other company."
Quistis and Zell looked at each other and smiled obviously knowing what they meant. Selphie spotted them and stared at them angrily.
"No, it's nothing like that, thank you very much," she said sternly. "Irvine and I just happened to be really good friends that's all and if you can't understand that then that's your problem."
"Right," said Zell and Quistis in a hyperbolic tone. "Just as we thought."
"Anyway, we'd love to come with you and find Squall again. We can catch up on old times and reminisce. It'll be like that movie, I don't remember the title, but where all these people meet up in their thirties and hadn't seen each other in like fifteen years, since they left school in fact and they go and bring back the old days by rioting just as did when they were punk kids."
"That sounds like fun," said Selphie. "What happened to them? Did their lives end up fulfilled after living out their childhood dream and spending all their time with the people they loved."
Irvine paused. "No, towards the end, they all went insane and started killing each other. Only one made it out alive, but not even he made it to the end of the film. Loneliness got him."
The others fell silent. "Oh well, it's not like that's ever going to happen to us."
They all laugh.
"Let's go then," said Quistis, "Let's go and find Squall and Rinoa."
"Are you the leader then?" Zell asked.
"You damn right I'm the leader," Quistis said.
"Okay, just checking."
They then got in the rental car and headed off to Timber.
It was a long trip.
Cid took one more look back as he closed the front gate on the Garden. He stood their with his wife, Edea by his side and they looked at their creation, their hope for the future, crumble to the ground and being cast aside like dust being blown by a strong gale through the night air.
Cid got down on his knees and prayed to the Great Hyne that their would be a new hope, something new in their lives that they could build and work together to once again make the world a more peaceful place. They needed a new field to plough, but they all were full with half grown weeds sticking out and plaguing the land. Cid and Edea had to find a new home so they decided to go back to the place where it all began, in the old orphanage in Cetra.
Cid took the key out after locking the gate and threw it away, he didn't want anything to do with it. He was sick of looking at the Garden and never wanted to see it again, it brought back too many happy memories that made him cry. He didn't want his wife to see.
"Come on, darling," he said. "Let's go home."
"Yeah, okay, I think we all need a fresh start in life. SeeD was just the beginning, the beginning of a whole new future, for all of us."
"It sure is."
They went along merrily to Cetra. Not once did Cid or Edea think about the Garden. They didn't regret their decision to close for a moment, they were glad to get rid of it, for it was a burden.
They looked at their new home, the old, abandoned orphanage on the east coast of Cetra with the lighthouse just behind.
"Welcome home, Edea,"
"Welcome home, Cid,"
They brought their belongings inside, not that had many belongings, most were left at the Garden along with all the other memories. That was in the past and they didn't want to affiliate themselves with the past so all they had was a small bag with some food and clothes, just enough to get by. The only thing from the Garden that Cid did bring with him was the special plaque that read: 'We SeeDs must stand proud and tall for it is our duty to kill the Sorceress and protect the world from danger'. He rubbed it with his hand; it still hadn't lost its shine.
"What did you bring that old thing in for?" Edea asked looking curiously at her husband holding the plaque in his hands.
"I don't know," he replied. "I just thought it would be nice, you know, as a little reminder."
"But you said that you hated the Garden and you hated that plaque."
"Yeah, but it's just something that I like to hold. I just want something to hold on to, something from the past that can give me hope for the future, which I don't see a lot of nowadays. I know I said I hated it, but I was just enraged with everything, everything was just getting too much for me to handle and I wanted everything to stop and slow down. So I brought this plaque with me to remind us that we can perform miracles and we can do it again."
"Oh well, but don't get too emotional over it, okay. Remember that there is no Garden anymore."
"Yes, I know there's no Garden anymore." He looked around the orphanage and saw the decaying building practically lying waste. It was old and dull. The white walls were slowly turning grey and with winter only a few months away they were sure to turn black. Cid put his head in his hands and sobbed: "Yes, darling, I know there's no Garden anymore."
Cid laid his head back on one of the beds and fell to sleep. His wife spent the night watching the stars in the lighthouse, hoping for so much more.
Esthar was growing cold, much colder than usual. The clear blue roads were covered in a thin layer of ice and the transportation pipes had got blocked up. All hell was breaking loose and people were angry, people were angry with Laguna.
He tried his best to calm the people down but they wanted an explanation and they wanted it now. Kiros, Ward, and Ellone could do nothing to help him because they had no idea what the problem was. Laguna get begging for them to help him, but they thought that he was crazy.
"Please, guys," he said. "You've gotta help me, after everything I've done for you. Ellone, I saved you from all those experiments; Kiros, Ward, I saved your lives back at the Cetra Excavation site."
"Oh yeah, I remember that," said Kiros.
Ward nodded his head.
"Well, all these people are after me and something's seriously wrong with Esthar. There's this huge purple thing in the sky and I think it's trying to destroy Esthar. Ever since it came, bad things have been happening and it uses these natural conditions as its arsenal so that no one will suspect it."
"Man, you've had way too much caffeine," Kiros said.
"I'm not lying. You believe m, don't you, Ellone?"
Ellone paused for a moment. "Well, kind of, but there's no purple thing in the sky. The sky is as clear as it always is except it's a little colder than usual. Things will clear up in a few days and then it'll by sunny again. That's the way the world works."
"I'm serious here, can no one else see it?"
"See what?"
Laguna pointed to the sky that the huge purple spiral filled. It was expanding all the time. It was almost a mile long already and growing everyday. Laguna turned back to the others who all looked bemused.
"That, see that, the huge purple thing in the sky that keeps expanding. I think that's what's causing the cold and you've gotta help me get rid of these people who keep bugging me and help me get rid of that thing."
"You're the president, Laguna," Kiros said. "Why don't you deal with it?"
Laguna sighed. "Fine,"
Laguna turned away and headed outside. There wasn't the panic he was expecting, more anger because he had closed off all the roads and pipes for no reason. Everyone was really pissed at him. Some had banners and signs outside the window protesting trying to bring him down. They were fed up of Laguna controlling Esthar like a dictator and closing off the city whenever he felt like it.
Laguna managed to escape them and sat down to have a think of a solution. He saw the purple spiral in the sky, it seemed to have eyes.
Ellone looked past the protestors looking for Laguna, she was worried that he was going to do something stupid. He had locked her inside the palace because he thought it was unsafe for her out on the streets. She looked out of the window and saw the sky as blue as long roads criss-crossing Esthar and the sun beating down its glorious warmth.
They arrived in Timber. Quistis, Zell, Irvine, and Selphie got out of the car and headed out to where they thought Squall and Rinoa might be.
"They shouldn't be too hard to find," said Zell. "They're like celebrities over here."
"I heard Xu's here as well," Quistis said. "If you see her, tell me, okay?"
"Why don't we check out Zone and Watts' house," Selphie said. "They're almost certainly going to be there."
"Great idea, Sefie," said Irvine. "Let's go."
They all headed off to Zone's house together. When they got there the house was quiet, they Selphie thought that nobody was in. She rang the doorbell twice anyway. Rinoa then opened the front door and to her surprise it was the old gang, she couldn't believe it.
"Squall, Squall,"
"What?"
"It's the old gang again,"
Squall rushed to the front door. "What are you guys doing here?"
"We missed you," said Quistis. "It's been lonely and no fun. We wanted to see you one more time and start a new life."
"That's great," said Squall. "Rinoa and I have started a new life as well and we're very happy."
"Very, very happy," Rinoa said.
Quistis looked down at the floor. "Oh, well, I guess it wasn't meant to be."
"What?"
"Oh, nothing,"
"C'mon, welcome back guys."
They all hugged each other with huge smiles on their faces and Squall and Rinoa invited them in.
"I can't believe it," said Squall. "So what have you been doing without me?"
They all hesitated to answer. "Um, not much," Zell said. "Just wandering around, usual stuff."
"Yeah," Selphie said. "Galbadia's so boring."
"I'll second that opinion," said Irvine sticking his hand in the air.
"Boring?" said Squall. "It's one of the most beautiful places in the world. There's nothing boring about Galbadia, isn't that right, Rinoa?"
No answer.
"Rinoa?"
Squall looked across and saw Rinoa standing as if she had been hypnotised again. She then outspread her arms and she lifted several inches off the ground where she stayed and floated.
"What's happening?" asked Quistis.
"This is bad," said Squall. "This is really bad."
Squall and Rinoa's wedding photo, sitting happily on the mantle piece suddenly flew across the room and smashed against the opposing wall. The air became thicker and denser, Squall was finding it hard to breathe. He tried to get to Rinoa, but something was holding him back. A gush of wind, furniture flying about all over the place. Then it all went silent as Rinoa fell to the ground.
Luckily nobody was hurt seriously but they all stared at Rinoa lying on the ground unconscious and wondered what the hell just happened.
Married for just a little over a week now and the romance hadn't died down for a moment. Squall took Rinoa to fancy restaurants, where they served wine and great food. He would take her back to their house and smother her with kisses. Squall's mind was free and at ease and Rinoa hoped it would stay that way.
Timber was the perfect place for them, not the bright lights of Galbadia nor the grandness of Esthar, nor the quiet tediousness of Winhill, but just right. It fitted them beautifully and it was Rinoa's hometown, they were now like celebrities there. Everyone knew who they were since they destroyed Ultimecia. Zone made sure to tell every living soul about it. Now, it seemed they weren't getting any peace at all, but they weren't complaining.
Xu was often in the neighbourhood and would come round and visit, she was thrilled that Squall had made something of himself and hoped that Quistis would do the same. She didn't receive the same adulation as Squall and Rinoa, not many people knew her, but she liked it better that way. She was just happy to be starting a new life with some of her friends in Timber. But in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but worry about Quistis. What would happen to her?
Squall and Rinoa sat on their bed gazing into each others' eyes. They were content to just sit there and do nothing else until Squall lowered his head and thought for a moment. He looked at his gunblade hanging up on the wall, it had been through so many wars, but it still hadn't lost its shine.
"What are we going to do now?" he asked.
"Love each other and live happily ever after."
"I mean, job wise. Neither of us have a job and we can't retire for the rest of our lives. We're only 17, how are we going to be able to afford to live happily ever after."
Rinoa laughed. "Oh, Squall, you're so narrow-minded," she said. "I thought I taught you better than that. Squall, you can't spend your whole life thinking, otherwise you'll have no time for living and sometimes you've just gotta go on instinct without thinking things through. Life's more exciting that way."
"S'pose so," said Squall. "I guess you're right, I guess you're always right."
"Now you're catching on."
Rinoa moved herself and sat on Squall's lap. Squall slid his arms around her waist as Rinoa put her arms around his neck. She laid her head down against his chest.
"See," Rinoa said. "This is much better, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it sure is,"
"Thinking not good, this is good."
"I'm sorry, Rinoa, it'll never happen again."
Squall moved his head down and kissed Rinoa while gently caressing her long soft hair with his hands. He shut his eyes and was in a dream world, except it wasn't a dream world, it was reality.
Rinoa's eyes suddenly jerked open. She threw herself off out of Squall's tender grip and onto the floor. Squall stared at her, befuddled.
"Rinoa, what's wrong?"
Rinoa didn't answer. She stood up and started swaying from side to side very slowly. She put her hand to her head, she felt tired and faint. Squall got up and rushed to her side taking her by the arms and leading her towards the bed. Rinoa pushed him away and she started to concentrate harder.
"Rinoa, what's happening?"
There was a gush of wind coming in from the window and then suddenly to Squall's amazement, Squall's gunblade came off the wall, flew across the room and impaled itself on the wall opposite. Squall was still sitting with his arms over his head for protection. He then looked back at Rinoa.
She stood perfectly still for a few moments. The whole world seemed to stand still. Squall was paralysed, he couldn't get any closer to Rinoa. She outstretched her arms and took a deep breath and before Squall could react in time, Rinoa fainted to the floor.
Squall looked at her, unconscious on the floor, incredulous to what had just happened. He then quickly rushed to Rinoa's side. He lifted her head up gently off the floor and cradled it in his arms. Tears were flowing down his face, it was the time he had cried since he was a child looking for his sister.
He stroked her hair, just as he had done a few moments earlier, but it didn't feel the same. Her face was cold, Squall remembered this feeling, it ate away inside of him. He remembered Rinoa lying unconscious in the Infirmary just a few weeks earlier. He was alone then and he felt as if he was alone now. He checked her pulse, she was still alive. That was one relief.
Squall slid his hand down Rinoa's back, placed an arm underneath her legs and lifted her up slowly, turning and placing her gently on the bed. He sat beside, holding her hand and waited for her to wake up.
It was the next day when she finally woke. Her eyes slowly fluttered open and she looked around, confused. She saw Squall, a huge relief. She raised her head, a throbbing pain echoed around her skull like a bolt of lightening. She laid her head back down again, the pain was eased somewhat.
"What happened?" she asked.
"I was hoping you could tell me that,"
"What do you mean?"
Squall moved over to the cracked wall where the gunblade had landed. He put his hands on the handle and pulled as hard as he could and managed to get the gunblade out. He held it in his hands, it was warm.
"This," Squall said.
"What about that?" said Rinoa, confused.
"You made this move across the room. You must have used your sorceress powers or something."
"But I never use them, you know that," she paused for a moment thinking of what would happen if anyone was to find out about this. "Please, don't tell anyone, Squall. If they find me out they'll send me back to the Sorceress Memorial. Please say that you won't tell anyone, Squall."
"Don't worry, I won't. I was just concerned, that's all. It was freaky, you just passed out and I didn't know whether you were going to die or not, you've been out all night."
"I don't remember anything, nothing at all. The last thing I remember I was sitting on your lap kissing you and then I woke up here. I assumed I fell asleep in yours arms."
"You just went insane. I've never seen you like that before, you just lost it, what do you think it is?"
"I don't know, but whatever it is, I don't want it happening again."
"Don't worry, Rinoa, you're safe here. You should get some rest now."
Squall propped a pillow up for her and she laid her head down on it, shut her eyes and peacefully drifted off to sleep. Squall looked at her and smiled, if only to hide his concern.
*********************************************************************
Galbadia was just a few miles away but it seemed like an eternity. The train tracks leading underground seemed like a black hole and with every step she sinking further and further into the abyss.
Quistis didn't know whether she would be able to make it up the hill, it seemed too much. She wished she had caught the train but it was far too late for regret. Then, suddenly, a loud noise caught her attention. She turned to see what it was; a red sports car pulling up fast beside her, it stopped, she was shocked.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"You look pretty tired," the young man in the car said. "I thought you might need a ride."
"Thanks,"
Zell opened the door for her and she got in. They then headed straight into Galbadia, stopping just outside General Caraway's mansion, taking a brief glance round at all the wondrous spectacles that Squall and Rinoa had talked so much about on their honeymoon and went looking through the main residential area in hopes of finding them. But there was something on Quistis' mind that she couldn't help but wonder.
"What are you doing here, Zell?"
Zell shrugged his shoulders a little. "I guess I wanted a bit more out of life than my Ma's home cooking. I thought that'd be enough, but obviously I was wrong."
"But how did you know I was here?"
"I didn't. I was coming this way anyway since I thought that Squall and Rinoa would be here. So I caught the train and then rented a car from Dollet."
Quistis smacked the palm of her hand against her forehead and groaned in annoyance. "Ugghh, I wish I'd thought of that,"
Zell was silent for a moment. He thought about the situation and said: "You mean to tell me that you walked from wherever you were to here. Where did you walk from?"
"Winhill," she replied.
"Winhill?" Zell said, flabbergasted. "You walked all the way from Winhill? Are you insane?"
"Obviously I am, but I was just really desperate to see Squall and Rinoa again. It's no fun without them."
"You must have been really desperate."
"What are you talking about? You've done the same thing."
"Oh yeah,"
They walked round for hours but couldn't find Squall and Rinoa anywhere. They stopped by at General Caraway's mansion to ask him where they were.
"They said they were going up to Timber," he said in a sombre tone.
"Timber?"
"Yep, second honeymoon, I think. Anyway, Rinoa's used to living up there. I can hardly expect her to come home to me after all this, I mean she is old enough now to make her own decisions. I'll be sorry to see her go, but I guess she's not daddy's little girl anymore." He sighed. "Oh well, life goes on."
"How are we going to get to Timber?" Quistis asked. "We don't have any money."
"Well, that's never stopped you walking before," said Zell, laughing under his breath.
"Shut up, you, or I'll have the disciplinary committee put you on suspension. Then you'll lose your honour of being a SeeD."
Zell laughed hysterically. "You wish, Quistis," he said. "There is no Garden anymore, there is no disciplinary committee, there is no SeeD, and there definitely is no honour anymore, Quistis. It all went away when Cid closed the Garden."
Quistis fell silent and stared at the floor. General Caraway didn't say anything either, not wanting to make the situation worse.
Not another word was spoken for the rest of the day.
They met up by the car rental building the next morning. It was another beautiful day, almost too beautiful for autumn. Quistis gave a huge yawn as she leaned against the wall waiting for the car to come.
"Tired?" Zell asked.
"Yeah, didn't get much sleep, too much to think about."
Zell paused. "Was it about what I said?"
"You damn right," she said quietly, trying to contain her anger.
"I'm really sorry about that, but it's true, isn't it? There is no Garden anymore and you are no longer an instructor or a SeeD and have no authority over me or anyone else so I don't have to take your crap anymore. It serves you right for being so bossy all the time."
"But I don't mean to be," she said holding her head in her heads trying to prevent Zell from seeing that she was crying. "I'm a good person, I really am, it's just sometimes I have a tendency to get a bit stroppy, then adjatated and then moody and then aggressive and then who knows what."
"Sometimes?" said Zell. "You seem to do it a bit more than sometimes."
"I try, I really do. Please don't judge me too harshly, I just want something more than this and always have done. Whether it was to be the best instructor ever or to be Rinoa being rescued by Squall, I just want more than this. Do you understand?"
"Yeah, I guess. I guess I'm kinda the same in that way."
Quistis smiled. "Good, I'm glad you understand."
Something else caught their attention. It was too people running towards them, one considerable taller than the other. As they got closer they could see their faces better. It was definitely a small world, they thought. It was Irvine and Selphie, huge smiles on their faces and big hugs to greet them. Selphie went a little insane as she jumped all over Zell.
"God, I've missed you guys so much," she said. "Where have you been? It's been way too long. We saw a couple of people up the end of the street and thought that it must be you, you stick out like a Moomba in a Chocobo Forest. God, I've missed you guys, even you, Zell."
"And I've missed you too," said Zell.
"Where are you headed now?" asked Irvine.
"We're going to Timber to find Squall and Rinoa," Quistis said.
"That's a good idea," said Irvine. "After all, there's no point staying here, it's absolute hell."
"Huh?"
"Oh yeah, I don't know what part Squall and Rinoa went to, but it's been absolutely atrocious here. It's like hell, only with florescent lighting and candy floss. If it weren't for Selphie being here, I think I would have gone insane."
"Yeah, we've been keeping each other company."
Quistis and Zell looked at each other and smiled obviously knowing what they meant. Selphie spotted them and stared at them angrily.
"No, it's nothing like that, thank you very much," she said sternly. "Irvine and I just happened to be really good friends that's all and if you can't understand that then that's your problem."
"Right," said Zell and Quistis in a hyperbolic tone. "Just as we thought."
"Anyway, we'd love to come with you and find Squall again. We can catch up on old times and reminisce. It'll be like that movie, I don't remember the title, but where all these people meet up in their thirties and hadn't seen each other in like fifteen years, since they left school in fact and they go and bring back the old days by rioting just as did when they were punk kids."
"That sounds like fun," said Selphie. "What happened to them? Did their lives end up fulfilled after living out their childhood dream and spending all their time with the people they loved."
Irvine paused. "No, towards the end, they all went insane and started killing each other. Only one made it out alive, but not even he made it to the end of the film. Loneliness got him."
The others fell silent. "Oh well, it's not like that's ever going to happen to us."
They all laugh.
"Let's go then," said Quistis, "Let's go and find Squall and Rinoa."
"Are you the leader then?" Zell asked.
"You damn right I'm the leader," Quistis said.
"Okay, just checking."
They then got in the rental car and headed off to Timber.
It was a long trip.
Cid took one more look back as he closed the front gate on the Garden. He stood their with his wife, Edea by his side and they looked at their creation, their hope for the future, crumble to the ground and being cast aside like dust being blown by a strong gale through the night air.
Cid got down on his knees and prayed to the Great Hyne that their would be a new hope, something new in their lives that they could build and work together to once again make the world a more peaceful place. They needed a new field to plough, but they all were full with half grown weeds sticking out and plaguing the land. Cid and Edea had to find a new home so they decided to go back to the place where it all began, in the old orphanage in Cetra.
Cid took the key out after locking the gate and threw it away, he didn't want anything to do with it. He was sick of looking at the Garden and never wanted to see it again, it brought back too many happy memories that made him cry. He didn't want his wife to see.
"Come on, darling," he said. "Let's go home."
"Yeah, okay, I think we all need a fresh start in life. SeeD was just the beginning, the beginning of a whole new future, for all of us."
"It sure is."
They went along merrily to Cetra. Not once did Cid or Edea think about the Garden. They didn't regret their decision to close for a moment, they were glad to get rid of it, for it was a burden.
They looked at their new home, the old, abandoned orphanage on the east coast of Cetra with the lighthouse just behind.
"Welcome home, Edea,"
"Welcome home, Cid,"
They brought their belongings inside, not that had many belongings, most were left at the Garden along with all the other memories. That was in the past and they didn't want to affiliate themselves with the past so all they had was a small bag with some food and clothes, just enough to get by. The only thing from the Garden that Cid did bring with him was the special plaque that read: 'We SeeDs must stand proud and tall for it is our duty to kill the Sorceress and protect the world from danger'. He rubbed it with his hand; it still hadn't lost its shine.
"What did you bring that old thing in for?" Edea asked looking curiously at her husband holding the plaque in his hands.
"I don't know," he replied. "I just thought it would be nice, you know, as a little reminder."
"But you said that you hated the Garden and you hated that plaque."
"Yeah, but it's just something that I like to hold. I just want something to hold on to, something from the past that can give me hope for the future, which I don't see a lot of nowadays. I know I said I hated it, but I was just enraged with everything, everything was just getting too much for me to handle and I wanted everything to stop and slow down. So I brought this plaque with me to remind us that we can perform miracles and we can do it again."
"Oh well, but don't get too emotional over it, okay. Remember that there is no Garden anymore."
"Yes, I know there's no Garden anymore." He looked around the orphanage and saw the decaying building practically lying waste. It was old and dull. The white walls were slowly turning grey and with winter only a few months away they were sure to turn black. Cid put his head in his hands and sobbed: "Yes, darling, I know there's no Garden anymore."
Cid laid his head back on one of the beds and fell to sleep. His wife spent the night watching the stars in the lighthouse, hoping for so much more.
Esthar was growing cold, much colder than usual. The clear blue roads were covered in a thin layer of ice and the transportation pipes had got blocked up. All hell was breaking loose and people were angry, people were angry with Laguna.
He tried his best to calm the people down but they wanted an explanation and they wanted it now. Kiros, Ward, and Ellone could do nothing to help him because they had no idea what the problem was. Laguna get begging for them to help him, but they thought that he was crazy.
"Please, guys," he said. "You've gotta help me, after everything I've done for you. Ellone, I saved you from all those experiments; Kiros, Ward, I saved your lives back at the Cetra Excavation site."
"Oh yeah, I remember that," said Kiros.
Ward nodded his head.
"Well, all these people are after me and something's seriously wrong with Esthar. There's this huge purple thing in the sky and I think it's trying to destroy Esthar. Ever since it came, bad things have been happening and it uses these natural conditions as its arsenal so that no one will suspect it."
"Man, you've had way too much caffeine," Kiros said.
"I'm not lying. You believe m, don't you, Ellone?"
Ellone paused for a moment. "Well, kind of, but there's no purple thing in the sky. The sky is as clear as it always is except it's a little colder than usual. Things will clear up in a few days and then it'll by sunny again. That's the way the world works."
"I'm serious here, can no one else see it?"
"See what?"
Laguna pointed to the sky that the huge purple spiral filled. It was expanding all the time. It was almost a mile long already and growing everyday. Laguna turned back to the others who all looked bemused.
"That, see that, the huge purple thing in the sky that keeps expanding. I think that's what's causing the cold and you've gotta help me get rid of these people who keep bugging me and help me get rid of that thing."
"You're the president, Laguna," Kiros said. "Why don't you deal with it?"
Laguna sighed. "Fine,"
Laguna turned away and headed outside. There wasn't the panic he was expecting, more anger because he had closed off all the roads and pipes for no reason. Everyone was really pissed at him. Some had banners and signs outside the window protesting trying to bring him down. They were fed up of Laguna controlling Esthar like a dictator and closing off the city whenever he felt like it.
Laguna managed to escape them and sat down to have a think of a solution. He saw the purple spiral in the sky, it seemed to have eyes.
Ellone looked past the protestors looking for Laguna, she was worried that he was going to do something stupid. He had locked her inside the palace because he thought it was unsafe for her out on the streets. She looked out of the window and saw the sky as blue as long roads criss-crossing Esthar and the sun beating down its glorious warmth.
They arrived in Timber. Quistis, Zell, Irvine, and Selphie got out of the car and headed out to where they thought Squall and Rinoa might be.
"They shouldn't be too hard to find," said Zell. "They're like celebrities over here."
"I heard Xu's here as well," Quistis said. "If you see her, tell me, okay?"
"Why don't we check out Zone and Watts' house," Selphie said. "They're almost certainly going to be there."
"Great idea, Sefie," said Irvine. "Let's go."
They all headed off to Zone's house together. When they got there the house was quiet, they Selphie thought that nobody was in. She rang the doorbell twice anyway. Rinoa then opened the front door and to her surprise it was the old gang, she couldn't believe it.
"Squall, Squall,"
"What?"
"It's the old gang again,"
Squall rushed to the front door. "What are you guys doing here?"
"We missed you," said Quistis. "It's been lonely and no fun. We wanted to see you one more time and start a new life."
"That's great," said Squall. "Rinoa and I have started a new life as well and we're very happy."
"Very, very happy," Rinoa said.
Quistis looked down at the floor. "Oh, well, I guess it wasn't meant to be."
"What?"
"Oh, nothing,"
"C'mon, welcome back guys."
They all hugged each other with huge smiles on their faces and Squall and Rinoa invited them in.
"I can't believe it," said Squall. "So what have you been doing without me?"
They all hesitated to answer. "Um, not much," Zell said. "Just wandering around, usual stuff."
"Yeah," Selphie said. "Galbadia's so boring."
"I'll second that opinion," said Irvine sticking his hand in the air.
"Boring?" said Squall. "It's one of the most beautiful places in the world. There's nothing boring about Galbadia, isn't that right, Rinoa?"
No answer.
"Rinoa?"
Squall looked across and saw Rinoa standing as if she had been hypnotised again. She then outspread her arms and she lifted several inches off the ground where she stayed and floated.
"What's happening?" asked Quistis.
"This is bad," said Squall. "This is really bad."
Squall and Rinoa's wedding photo, sitting happily on the mantle piece suddenly flew across the room and smashed against the opposing wall. The air became thicker and denser, Squall was finding it hard to breathe. He tried to get to Rinoa, but something was holding him back. A gush of wind, furniture flying about all over the place. Then it all went silent as Rinoa fell to the ground.
Luckily nobody was hurt seriously but they all stared at Rinoa lying on the ground unconscious and wondered what the hell just happened.