For Love and Honour
Squall looked across the crowded ballroom, not believing how lucky he was. Staring back at him was the love of his life, his whole world, Rinoa Heartilly. She was surrounded by countless people, caterers, musicians, florists, preparing for the wedding reception taking place in that very room the next day. Her wedding. Her wedding to Squall. His life was perfect.
He strode across the room, putting his arm around her shoulder and kissing her gently on the cheek.
"I don't suppose you have time to break do you?"
"Sure. What did you have planned?"
"I thought we could take a quick walk. You don't mind do you?"
"Not at all. I'll just go and grab my coat."
Squall took a deep breath and looked out at the sunset, over the horizon of the ocean. Before he met her, he never noticed the beauty in life, the beauty in the world around him. She had opened his eyes…and his heart. He smiled down at her, drowning in her deep, chocolate brown eyes.
"You're everything to me, you know." She smiled back.
"You mean that?" He nodded.
"I do." Checking her watch, she sighed.
"I suppose I'd better get back." She motioned towards Balamb Garden, just outside the town.
"Can't you stay a little longer? I like it here, with you."
"We've got the whole of our lives to spend together. I'm sure a few minutes wouldn't make a difference."
"I don't know about that," he smiled jokingly, offering her his arm. "I guess I'll walk you back then." She took up his offer, linking her arm with his, resting her head against his chest.
They walked through the town of Balamb, not saying a word. They didn't have to. They both knew what the other was thinking.
They were only a few minutes from Balamb Garden, when storm clouds began to gather and loom ominously in the sky.
"Is that natural?" asked Rinoa, her voice shaking slightly.
"I don't think so." As soon as Squall uttered those words, a bright flash of light appeared above Garden.
"What…what was that?"
"I'm not sure. Stay close to me, okay." He set off towards Garden at a run, drawing his gunblade as he went.
They weren't prepared for the sight that met their eyes when they reached the front gate. Death, everywhere.
"Squall. What happened?"
"I don't know." He stared in disbelief at the damage done to Garden, his home. A faint sound could be heard in the distance, almost like a stampede. The sound grew to a crescendo, until a group of black, shadowy creatures ran around the corner, heading straight for them. "Rinoa, stay behind me."
As soon as the creatures were upon them, Squall swung his gunblade around, cutting a horde of them in two. He leapt after the survivors, plunging the blade, deep within them, causing them to fall dead to the ground. Soon, none were left.
"Rinoa, are you alright?" No reply. He spun round, panicked. "Rinoa?"
"Squall," she managed to utter weakly. She was lying on the ground, blood flowing from her chest, where one of the creatures was clawing at her skin. Squall swiftly killed it and fell to his knees beside her, examining her wound. One look was all he needed.
It was too deep.
She couldn't survive.
The reality hit Squall like a bullet.
"Rinoa. I…I'm so sorry. I…I should have been there. I should have saved you. This is my fault."
"Squall. It…it's not your fault. I don't blame you. I need you to know this. I…I love you."
Squall did something he hadn't done since he was a child.
He cried.
"Rinoa. I love you too."
"Promise me this. You won't forget." She took off the necklace she wore, and placed it in Squall's hand.
"I promise I won't forget. And I promise I'll find whoever is responsible for this and…" She put one finger over his mouth, silencing him. With the last of her strength, she pulled his head downwards and brushed his lips with hers. That was the last thing she ever did.
Squall wept even more openly. "When I find the person who did this to you, and I have my revenge, I'll come back for you, okay. I'll see you again." Looking down at his hands, he saw they were stained with Rinoa's blood. Taking off his jacket, he ran his hands over the back of it, tracing the shape of the angel wings from the back of Rinoa's coat, tracing it in her blood.
"I'll never forget."
It was then that he began to feel the pull at his heart. Something was pulling him away from this place. Looking up at the sky, he noticed the light appear again. But this time, it didn't disappear. The light surrounded him, hurting his eyes. He couldn't see anything anymore. He didn't know where he was. The light was too intense. He closed his eyes, and then…nothing.
"Hey, do you think he's alright?"
"I'm not sure."
Squall could hear voices very faintly. He slowly opened his eyes, to find two young women stood in front of him. Both had dark hair. One was wearing a long, pink dress, the other was wearing yellow shorts and a yellow and green t-shirt.
"Where am I?"
"You mean you don't know? Have been drinking or something?"
"Yuffie! He doesn't look like the usual drunks around here. Maybe he's new."
"You mean, maybe he's from another world?"
"Yes. It's how we got here isn't it?"
"So, where are you from?" she asked Squall.
"Balamb," he replied, rubbing his head to try and clear the groggy feeling that he had.
"Hmmm. I guess he must be. Well, I'm Yuffie, and this is Aeris." She motioned towards the girl in pink.
"What's your name?" Aeris asked. Squall didn't reply.
I don't want to be known as Squall. Squall was brave, he would have protected Rinoa. He would have protected everyone at Garden. I don't want that name anymore.
"The name's Leon." He stood up and began to walk off.
"Hey, don't leave," Yuffie shouted after him. He glanced back but didn't stop walking.
"Yuffie. There are Heartless behind you," Aeris warned. Yuffie drew a shuriken from the belt at her waist, throwing it at the nearest creature she had called a Heartless. It embedded itself in the creature's leg, but it kept walking towards her.
"Damnit." Just as she thought there was no way out, the creature was split in two. Its companions soon met the same fate. "Leon?"
"What are these creatures?" he asked, not checking to see if she was alright.
"We call them the Heartless," informed Aeris. "We don't know what they are, exactly. They destroyed our world, and we ended up here, in Traverse Town. We try to fight against them, but there's just so many."
"These were the creatures that attacked my home. Where do they come from?"
"We don't know, but we want to find out. We need to stop all this killing. Will you help us?"
This is my chance. I can prove myself again. I can avenge her death, everyone's death. I can end all this.
He nodded.
"Oh, and Leon, you must always remember where you came from. Remember what you're fighting for, who you're fighting for. You must never lose sight of your goals. Never forget." He clasped the necklace that Rinoa used to wear, running his fingers over the two rings, Rinoa's, and the Griever ring that Squall had given her.
"I'll never forget."