The peaceful breeze of the now familiar flowers flirted between flowers, dodging and playing around. A gale blew by, ruffling up the flower petals. Squall stood alone, amidst the field, allowing the wind to soothe his thoughts. The gunblade hung lifelessly on Squall's left hip. It suddenly sprung into an energetic blue. Squall gripped the crystal white handle of the gunblade and spun round, in a combative position, but quickly relaxed.

"Matron." Squall almost choked.

Edea stood by the ruined marble steps. She smiled. Looking at Squall with a smile in the eyes, she walked towards him. Squall relaxed his shoulders.

"I guess that gunblade of yours still hates me?" Edea asked lovingly. It was hard to imagine, that a few weeks ago, he had wanted to strike her to her death, never quite realizing the peaceful and kind Matron was actually possessed by Queen Ultimecia. Only after beating Ultimecia's powers did she change back into her original self. Squall was almost thankful that he hadn't dealt that fatal blow.

Squall nodded weakly. The still shinning gunblade suddenly unsheathed itself, and flew towards Edea. Squall raised his right hand and gripped an imaginary rod. The gunblade stopped in its tracks, a mere inch from the deciding factor of life and death. Squall quickly summoned it back and sheathed it.

"I'm sorry Matron. I guess Lionheart still hasn't got over the battle I had with Edea." Squall frantically apologized. Edea merely shook her head and smiled.

"It's okay, my child." Edea lifted her hand to touch Squall's face. Sorrow filled her heart unexpectedly. One by one, all her little wards were leaving her. She remembered each and everyone of them fondly, regardless of actions they did as adults. The child in them she loved, nurtured and took care of all these years. Each and everyone of them.

"Such a short time and you are already a grown child." She said. Squall sensed a feeling of unexpected sadness.

"It's not like I'm not going to come back." Squall said. Edea shook her head.

"I've been in the other realms as Edea. Demons and spirits roam freely, with wild abandon. Rinoa wouldn't be able to hold out long enough for you." Edea explained. Squall nodded his head. She too wished it wasn't this way. But some things were unavoidable.

"But I have the power of a witch. I am going to make this happen, Matron." Squall said. Edea raised her eyebrows.

"Watch." Squall spoke. He spread his left palm open, and as if by instruction, a flame hung joyfully above his palm, close but not burning it. Closing his eyes, he let loose the flame. It instantly turned into a fireball and razed a clear path from the field to the Annihilator. Edea gasped.

"So you do have the power of a witch."

Squall nodded his head again.

"I shall be on my way now, Matron. I shall hand over the child for you to adopt. Will this be okay?" Squall wondered aloud. Edea nodded her head. Squall gestured at the sleeping, unconscious form.

"Rest assured I will take good care of Alexandria. Be on your way, my child." Edea turned to leave. Squall nodded his head, not caring whether Edea saw that.

"I shall" he whispered.
"This is Captain Quistis currently in charge of the Stargazer. I have invoked the Prime Directive as set out by the Council. At 1400 hours, we shall proceed on a course towards the South Portal. As many of you are familiar, the Captain of his ship will always give an opening speech to his crew. I have no intention of breaking this tradition. But this speech shall differ from normal speeches meted out to crews." Quistis swallowed.

"Admiral Squall Leonhart has secretly embarked on a personal mission to rescue a single person. This, although disapproved by the other Council Leaders, is worthy of our benevolence. The Admiral has contributed much to Garden, it's time we take things that matter to the Admiral seriously. Quistis out."

Quistis slumped back into the command chair. Number one jabbed the comms off button. Number one cleared his throat.

"Captain Quistis. It is precisely 1400 hours." He said.

"Roger that, Nida. Take us out." She said. As if her voice had a power of its own, the Stargazer started to shake and rumble, before it lifted clean off the huge Bay of Balamb Garden. Nearby the Bay 1, starships of size equal or larger of that to the Stargazer took off simultaneously. The combined impact of this huge fleet rocketed the earth beneath it, sending chills of shocks in a radius around.

"Helmsman. Impulse drives, full. Take us out of the planet." Quistis said evenly.

"Aye, Captain." Helmsman Mark replied. The Stargazer's rear ion propulsion drives shone a light pleasant yellow, before speeding off, its companion ships beside.