Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 8 or any related characters; SquareSoft does. I'm making no money off publishing this story, so please don't sue.
Author's note: I've revised this chapter because, after looking at it again, I felt I could have done a lot better with it. I will probably revise the next few chapters as well.
Prologue
Scene: Balamb Garden Ballroom
The heroes of the world had just returned from Time Compression that afternoon. After such a mind-bending experience, it was difficult for them to accept that the world, indeed time itself, had been restored to normal. Such an experience would have caused weaker minds to break. Yet these two teenagers, who had seen more battles than most living adults, had returned with more mental strength then they'd ever thought they possessed.
As they stood on the balcony, they decided to embrace this moment with each other and to make every second count. They didn't know when the next sorceress from the future, mad dictator, or omnipotent monster would appear and threaten their existence again. And being soldiers, it was their job to fight.
More precisely, it was his job. Squall Leonhart, newly appointed SeeD and Commander of Balamb Garden, leaned on the balcony rail and smiled at his companion, Rinoa Heartilly. He felt so refreshed, being able to smile once again. His half-foot-long brown hair blew slightly in the breeze as Garden flew off into night.
Rinoa smiled back at him and pointed upward toward a shooting star. Her soft, feminine features seemed incapable of hate, anger, or bitterness. Her innocent smile did not betray the immense power held within her body.
As Rinoa gazed upon the SeeD, she felt everything was right with the world. All her worries, fears, and doubts melted away into the night. For the short time she'd known Squall, she found he'd brought out the best in her, mostly because she had to try so hard to get him out of his shell.
Squall remembered the night they'd first met, at the ball celebrating his group's graduation into SeeD. She'd caught his eye and pointed out a shooting star she'd seen through the ballroom's glass dome ceiling. At the time, Squall just looked at her, trying to understand why a perfect stranger was smiling at him, the only one at the party acting like he didn't want to be there.
I've sure changed since then, he thought.
He took Rinoa's arm and drew her to him, holding her in a gentle embrace. "Thank you," he said in his rarely-heard voice.
Rinoa, her eyes closed peacefully, asked, "What for?"
"For everything," replied Squall. "For coming up to that stoic guy in the corner and making him dance with you."
Rinoa chuckled a little.
Squall continued, "For believing in me even when I didn't. For depending on me and making me be dependable. And especially for saving my life. I wouldn't have made it out of Time Compression without you."
Rinoa sighed, and turned around in Squall's arms. She held his arms around her, holding her back against his chest. "You jumped out into space to save me, without even knowing if you'd survive. I wasn't going to let a little thing like the space-time continuum keep us apart."
They both chuckled for a second. Then, with a sigh, Rinoa said, "Squall, there's something I have to ask you. Something that kind of bothers me about what happened in Time Compression."
Squall mumbled an "Mm hmmm," his eyes closed with contentment. He dreaded any thought about Time Compression, but tried to soothe his discomfort through his embrace with her.
"Why did you get lost after we beat Ultimecia?" asked Rinoa. "Everyone else told me they just kind of wandered around, and found themselves at the orphanage. But you ended up in some desert and nearly died."
Squall sighed. "It's kind of hard to explain. I guess I was hoping I wouldn't have to explain it."
Rinoa loosened her grip on Squall's arms slightly. She felt her heart drop in her chest. He's going to say he doesn't really love me. That's it. He's just trying to soften the blow. Her head hung down. "You promised you'd meet me in the flower field. You didn't come."
Squall, feeling her trepidation, said in a soothing tone, "I wanted to be with you, with all of you. But there was something I had to do first. And I knew I wouldn't get another chance.
"I went back to meet Edea at the orphanage, at the time she accepted Ultimecia's powers. I tried to stop her from accepting them, but she wouldn't listen to me. But..." you can tell her, Squall..."that wasn't the real reason I went back there, because I knew I couldn't change the past. I...needed to go back and look at myself as I was before Sis left, before I shut everyone out. I couldn't remember it, so I had to see something with my own eyes, to let me know that I wasn't some machine, you know?"
Rinoa perked up when he said that. Squall, admitting that he's not a machine? That was something she didn't expect to hear. She pulled his arms in tight again.
Squall continued, "What I saw was a vulnerable little kid, crying because he didn't know how to deal with his feelings. Then I realized that was still what I was, just hiding behind an adamantine wall. And I never thought I'd admit that to anyone, even myself. I just don't know what it is about you, Rinoa, but you've brought out something in me I don't ever remember having."
Rinoa turned around in his embrace and looked deep into his eyes. No longer the cold, calculating eyes she'd looked into several times before, but inviting, vulnerable, almost naïve. She took his face into her hands and pressed her lips to his. She felt something wet touch her cheek, right where it met Squall's. She pulled back a little, touched the tear on his cheek, and looked at Squall with a slightly puzzled look. Squall's eyes were misty, and he was smiling.
"I'm just so happy to be with you," he said.
Without another word, Rinoa drew him in again and they kissed passionately.
*Ex-Instructor Quistis Trepe stood inside the ballroom, talking to Headmaster Cid Kramer and his wife, Edea. Even though Cid had demoted her to SeeD, she still saw him as a father to her. He hadn't told her it was a permanent demotion, but that he would give her a little more time to hone her skills, probably commanding actual SeeD missions. He didn't say it to her, but she knew he'd regretted having thrust her into the position of Instructor at such an early age.
Right now, though, her pain of being demoted was all but locked away. She and Cid were reminiscing on the past, about when Cid and Edea ran the orphanage where Quistis, Squall, Seifer, Zell, Selphie, and Irvine had grown. Because Quistis had been using Guardian Forces for several years now, she'd sacrificed her memories of her childhood, whether pleasant or not. Edea helped fill in what she could, also making sure to point out how proud she was of the children she'd seen as her own. As they talked, Quistis saw the video camera pointed right at them. All three of them waved at Selphie Tilmitt, who was excitedly waving back and telling them to smile. Selphie then moved on to record some of the other partygoers.
Cid stifled a yawn, and Edea smiled. "I guess his old bones have had enough excitement for one night," she said. Quistis noted how soft and motherly her voice was now, and found it hard to imagine that this was the same woman who had viciously killed Galbadian President Vinzer Deling, and then nearly terminated her and her friends.
No, Quistis corrected herself. That wasn't her. That was Ultimecia, living inside her like a parasite and using her for her own evil desires.
"Yes, I think maybe I should turn in, so I don't spoil the young people's fun," smiled Cid. With warm goodbyes, Edea and Cid strode, hand-in-hand, toward the exit.
Quistis sighed. They'd been together so many years, and even after all that had happened to both of them, they were still together, and still very much in love. She wished she had someone that loved her like that. She feared it wouldn't be anytime soon.
Trying to get her mind off her loneliness, she walked over to the table where Zell Dincht, not surprisingly, was stuffing his face with his beloved hot dogs. She chuckled. Since he's missed them every time the cafeteria made them, he was probably trying to build up his supply now. The girl sitting next to Zell, whom Quistis guessed was his girlfriend, seemed to be trying to enjoy herself as her date stuffed himself silly.
Suddenly, she saw him grab for his throat. Shit, she thought, he's choking! She ran over to him, getting ready to perform the Jovsky maneuver on him to clear his windpipe. Instead, he coughed hard enough and dislodged the piece of food from his windpipe, also spewing out half-chewed hot dog onto the table and his friends. His girlfriend patted him on the back and asked him if he was all right.
Irvine Kinneas, who now held the video camera for some reason, made some remark that included the word "wuss". Zell's eyes lit up like a Flare spell, and he overturned the table at which he'd been sitting.
"Irvine, I'm gonna kick your ass!" he shouted.
"Zell, calm down!" said his girlfriend.
"Yeah, c'mon, he was just joking, right, Irvy?" Selphie looked at Irvine dangerously.
Irvine, fearing the smaller girl's wrath, just said, "Uh, yeah, just joking, man."
Instead of attacking Irvine, Zell stormed off, his girlfriend in tow.
Selphie and Quistis both shook their heads. Then, Selphie said, "Hey, look over there!" Quistis and Irvine both turned to see what she was pointing at. One of the balcony double doors was open, and they could see Rinoa talking to someone.
There was no doubt in Quistis' mind who that someone was. She shook her head, trying to put him out of her mind. Too late, Trepe, she thought sadly. Maybe if you'd been more assertive...
What are you talking about? she asked herself. You helped get them together!
As she finished that thought, she saw Selphie and Irvine arguing about something. It seems the battery in the camcorder had died, and neither of them wanted to leave to get the spare.
Yeah, thought Quistis, they'll make the perfect couple.
She looked back to Rinoa out on the balcony. She walked slightly to the left, so she could see Squall. She then stopped suddenly when she saw him pull Rinoa into an embrace. Moments later, they were pressing their lips together. Oh, God, thought Quistis. They're kissing. She would be the first to admit that she knew very little about love, but if there were ever a kiss of true love, she was observing it at that moment.
As much as she wanted to turn away, she continued watching, hoping they wouldn't see her. She saw Rinoa pull back from Squall and wipe a tear away from his cheek with her finger. A tear. Squall never cries. Dear God in Eden, Quistis lamented, he loves her. He trusts her. What have I done? I let him slip away from me, and pushed him into her arms!
She listened intently as Squall said, "I'm just so happy to be with you." Her heart shattered as she watched them kiss even more passionately than before.
Quistis turned away. She'd seen enough. Trying to maintain her public guise of confidence, she strode quickly out of the ballroom. Once she was clear, she broke into a run toward the elevator. She hoped she would make it back to her room before she started crying her eyes out.
I took the one man I've ever loved, and literally pushed him into the arms of another woman. Am I insane? When she reached the elevator, she had a moment to remember the chain of events that had led to this pain.
I told them all that my feelings for him were those of a sister, that I was trying to take Ellone's place. I almost had myself believing it.
She stepped in the elevator when it arrived, and rode it down. I practically had to force him to rescue her, not once, but twice! How can he love her all of a sudden?
When the elevator arrived at the bottom floor, she started running again toward the dorms. Because I gave up on him. He treated everyone like dirt, even Rinoa. I gave up on him, but she kept pushing. How could I have been so stupid to miss it?
"Dammit!" she shouted, getting a strange look from the Garden faculty member blocking the entrance to the Quad.
She tried not to think anymore until she reached her dorm. When she finally made it there, she locked the door behind her, kicked off her boots, and flopped down on the bed, face down.
I love you Squall. Why did you never even like me? She buried her face in her pillow and sobbed openly. Eventually, she cried herself to sleep.
*Squall and Rinoa finally returned to the ballroom from the balcony, to find many fewer people than they'd expected to be there.
"Huh, it must be late," said Squall
"I didn't notice," said Rinoa, clinging to Squall's arm.
He smiled. "Me neither."
They both saw Irvine and Selphie in a corner. Irvine was whispering something in Selphie's ear, and she was giggling.
"Irvy, stop it!" she said. "Hey, guys! Where have you been?"
Squall and Rinoa both just looked away shyly. "Nowhere," said Squall, finally.
"Yeah, right," said Irvine. "We saw you both out there, you crazy kids."
"So what?" said Squall.
"Hey, easy big guy," said Irvine. "We're just glad you two finally hooked up for real, right, Sefie?"
"Yeah, it's so exciting!" squealed Selphie. "Squall and Rinoa, together forever!"
Squall looked away again and scratched the back of his head. Rinoa smiled at Squall's shyness, and hugged him closer. "Aw, guys, you're embarrassing him."
"Exactly!" said Selphie, giggling.
Squall put his hand back down and grasped Rinoa's. "So...this place has really cleared out, huh?"
"Yeah," said Irvine. "Too much partying after too much fighting. Guess that's the way of SeeD, isn't it?"
Squall shrugged. "I wouldn't know. Haven't been a SeeD long enough."
Selphie slugged Squall in the ribs playfully. "Not that Mister Statue ever liked going to parties anyway." Squall placed his hand on the spot Selphie had slugged him. It was still sore from their battle with Ultimecia's GF, Griever.
"Even Zell and Quisty are gone already," said Rinoa.
"Yeah, Zell was a little pissed," said Irvine. "Quisty just kinda left in a hurry right afterward."
Squall nodded slowly. "She's probably still taking her demotion from Instructor a bit hard."
"She told me about that," said Rinoa. "She sounded really sad about it."
"Well," said Squall, "I'm sure she'll be able to get it back someday. The Headmaster really likes her, and maybe now that NORG is gone, he'll have a better chance of running the place the way he wants to."
Selphie sighed. "Listen to us, talking business when there's a pahhh-tay going on!"
Irvine, Squall, and Rinoa looked around. "Looks pretty dead to me," said Irvine. "Maybe it's time we all turned in."
As if in agreement, Rinoa barely stifled a yawn. Squall placed his hand on the back of her head and stroked her silken black hair lightly. "C'mon, Rin, I'll take you to your dorm."
"Whoa, tiger! You sure move fast, don't ya?" Irvine winked at him. Squall just glared back.
Rinoa giggled. "You've never called me anything but Rinoa before. Guess you do like me!" She cleared her throat. "I would very much appreciate an escort from the Commander of SeeD to my quarters."
Squall put his hand to his forehead in defeat. "See you two later," he said as he and Rinoa walked, arm-in-arm, out of the ballroom.