*** Ghost from Christmas Past ***

Last time a portentous voice announced, "Wake up Squall..."

The Commander looked up and exclaimed, "Laguna? What are you doing in my office?"

"I am the ghost of Christmas Past," Explained the apparition, "And I am here to show you your mistakes…"

"Whatever."

"Listen, son. Don't make this more difficult than it has to be. I just took this as a part-time job to pay off my credit cards."

'I don't believe this.' Thought Squall, rolling his eyes.

Laguna took his hand and a bright portal appeared out of nowhere (StarGate also had a garage sale). Squall tried to resist, but the older man managed to pull him through.

They appeared besides a building where numerous children were playing and laughing. Through the window, Squall could see that the interior had been decorated in cheerful colors.

A tiny brunette in a yellow dress was working on a Christmas tree, and a little boy in a cowboy hat was helping her. A blond boy was painting his face with an ink-pen near a table with food, and a pretty blonde girl with glasses was reading a book – Squall saw that it was How The Dincht Stole Christmas, one of his all time favorites.

"Do you recognize this place?" Asked Laguna.

"Huh, yes." Answered the broody guy, "This is Matron's orphanage in Centra."

Mr.Loire continued, "Do you see that boy in the corner?"

"You mean the one dressed like Charlie Brown and sulking?" replied Squall, "Yeah, what's with him? He looks rather pathetic."

"That is you… in the past." Said the older man sadly.

"You 're kidding me!" Exclaimed the Commander.

"No, I am not," stated Laguna, "Now, do you see that little girl over there?"

"The one wearing a dress much too big for her, and red lines all over her face?"

"Yes, she wanted to make herself beautiful so you'd notice her." Continued Mr.Loire, "Of course, she had no knowledge of how to apply makeup. She still doesn't and it's all your fault."

"My fault?"

"Just look." Ordered Laguna.

The tiny girl went to kid-Squall and said in a small voice, "Hiya, Skuall, don't you like Khristmass?"

"Whatever." Replied the boy.

The girl smiled and put a ring in his hands, "Here, I have something for you, Skuall."

"Huh? What is it?" He replied. There was a semblance of a winged lion engraved on the ring.

"Dunno, I found it on the beach and thought you'd like it."

"Whatever."

"You know, Skuall, I am standing under the mistletoe." She said hopefully.

"So what?"

"Aren't you going to kiss me?" Asked the diminutive girl coquettishly.

"Ewwww, gross! I don't kiss pesky little girls, Ulti!"

The girl cried, "Skuall, you are so mean and kruel! Why kan't you be nice for once? Keep the kursed ring! And if one day you want to apologize, I will be waiting near here for you to kome!" – and with that she left, obviously flustered.

"Whatever." Mumbled the boy.

Laguna talked (ominously), "You see, your meanness made her bitter. She studied the black-arts, and vowed to destroy the world when you never kame – er - came back to apologize."

Squall put his face in his hand, 'Sweet Hyne, tell me I'm dreaming.'

"As time passed she forgot the reason for her fury," Continued Laguna, "But the anger and the resentment remained. Do you see the consequences of your actions now?"

"Are you implying that I am responsible for all the time compression ordeal?"

"If the shoe fits…" Answered Laguna.

"Whatever!"

In a flash of light, they were back in Balamb Garden. "You will have the visit of two more ghosts." Said Laguna, "Now, if you'll excuse me I have some shopping to do."

"You do know that it's Christmas Eve and that all the stores are closed." Remarked Squall.

"Ill just go into the past, my contract doesn't expire for another hour or so." Replied Mr.Loire and then he disappeared [kool – er – cool special effects, don't you think?].

Squall sat in his chair and remarked out loud, "There must be something in the eggnog!"

Going through some more expense reports, he sighed in annoyance when he found one filled by Seifer. "Mr.Almasy will have to explain how PowerPuff Girls' memorabilia is relevant to undercover operations!"

He drank some more eggnog and dozed off again.

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A/N: This was my theory of why Ultimecia is so mean and bent on destroying the world.

Squall and the gang had to travel in time to meet her in the future. There she obviously was a fully-grown woman (anybody has her email? Just asking. No special reason), it is consistent with her being a little girl when Squall was a kid.

My theory explains why she built her castle near the orphanage (that Rinoa & Squall were to met there, if separated, was pure coincidence), and had a bone to pick with our favorite broody-guy. As you see, it klearly – er - clearly disproves all those myths about Rinoa being aunty Ulti.

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