Chapter 6: Reunion

Squaresoft own lots of the people and stuff in this fic. Blah blah blah, I'm sure you all have the message now.

I've had some interesting feedback for the last chapter. I know it wasn't as good as the one before it, and Best is infuriating, but she'll become less so (but still a bit, because she's more fun when she's driving you nuts!) And now you can finally stop going crazy and discover who it is that Ellone had just met. You will be suprised to find that it isn't Kelli Almasy (unless you're used to my warped imagination that is) Now read on!

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"Are you alright?" Asked the woman. The girl was barely younger than herself, and she looked like somebody she knew. The badges on her arms were both of the SeeD symbol, but she couldn't have been from Balamb, otherwise she would have known who it was. But the girl looked like she knew her, although she also looked like she'd seen a ghost. "Please, I won't hurt you."

"What are you doing here!?"

"I'm sorry, I don't think I know you."

"You- You don't? You don't remember me?"

"I'm very sorry, my memory isn't very good, the GF cause me to forget things."

('GF that cause you to forget? So she is from the past...and she doesn't remember me then, because for her I'm not born yet.')

The woman folded her arms. She was around average height, slender and well toned. Her eyes were bright blue and her hair long and blonde with a touch of red to it. She was dressed in an orange vest and matching skirt, the vest being zipped in a way to expose a small portion of tight stomach, and tall leather boots.

Ellone was shocked. She had barely ever seen Instructor Trepe out of her SeeD uniform, and had never even considered that at any point she would have worn clothes like that.

"I wish I could remember you, please don't be offended."

"No, of course not. It doesn't matter anyway. You are Instructor Quistis Trepe aren't you?"

"I'm not an istructor any more, though I used to be. But yes, I am definitely Quistis Trepe."

"Hey Ella! Where are you!?" Sylvie's voice came from behind.

"Sylvie! Come and see who I just found! You won't believe it!"

"There you- Oh my god! Th-th-that's-" Sylvie's eyes widened.

"Sylvie, meet Quistis Trepe. Quistis, this is Sylvie."

"You all seem very suprised to see me, I didn't think I was that famous." The younger Quistis laughed.

"Ah, she doesn't remember does she."

" I don't think she's the Quistis from our time."

"From your time? I'm sorry? Are you from the future?"

"Yes." ('There's no point in lying to her. Even if she is alot younger, she's still Instructor Trepe, she'd figure it out pretty quickly anyway.')

"You said your name was Sylvie. I didn't catch yours..."

"Ellone."

"Oh! Named after Sis. Are you Squall's daughter?"

"...Yes."

"Hmm, you look like him. Especially when you scowl like that. But you have Rinoa's moody little pout."

('Moody little wha- I do not pout! Pouting is not what I do! Just because when I frown my lip sticks out a bit...gah! I don't pout!')

"Instr- Er, Quistis? Do you have any idea how you got here?"

"None at all. I went to sleep after the party to celebrate Ultimicia's defeat, and I woke up here. Is this the future?"

"No, this is compressed time, at least, I think so."

"The fact that we're older than we should be and suddenly we get an Instructor Trepe from about twenty years into the past goes in favour of that theory."

"Do you think that the others will be here? My mother and father but younger?"

"You're from twenty years into the future!?" It had taken Quistis a couple of seconds for the statement to sink in, suddenly she felt very worried.

"Ah. This is where it gets complicated."

"It isn't complicated now? I'm talking to my friend's daughter, who, I hope, isn't even concieved yet, in compressed time!"

"It can get more complicated and it will. Okay. We are in the bodies of ourselves from three years into our future, but our minds seem not to have changed. So mentally we're both fourteen."

"Actually that's wrong Ella. Our memories are from when we were fourteen. Haven't you found yourself thinking differently?"

"...No, not really."

"Oh. Well I have...So anyway. Perhaps there's something that needs doing so they got Squall's group and Your group to do it."

"My group? I thought I said I wasn't the leader?"

"Yeah, but you've hardly been acting like you're not the leader have you." Said Best.

"How long have you been listening in?"

"Long enough. I am better than you at espionage it seems." She smiled smugly. "So, the legendary Quistis Trepe in her fighting prime. I am very honoured to meet you."

('Huh? Best sounds almost like she thinks Quistis is an equal. There's somebody Best doesn't feel superior to!')

"I'm pleased to meet you too whoever you are."

"I am Maxina Best. A friend. Now Ellone, I believe that it is time for us to continue our travels. Here comes Master Dincht."

"Yo guys! You left me with no clue where you all were! ...Woah! Who's this?"

"You're not a relative of Zell Dincht by any chance?"

"Yeah! I'm Genji! Son of the one and only legendary SeeD sorceress killer Zell Dincht!"

"You certainly have his energy. I'm Quistis Trepe."

"Hey, I never knew Instructor Trepe had a daughter. Guess you're older like us then!"

"Er...Genji?"

"Yeah?"

"That...IS Instructor Trepe."

"Pfff...Yeah, whatever, I'm not that gullible Syl."

('He can believe that we're evil sirens, but he can't believe this?')

"Genji, she's being serious. We're older versions of ourselves and this is a younger version of Instructor Trepe."

"WHAT THE HELL!?"

"I really do feel awkward." Said Quistis.

"Don't worry. We all do. We'll just get going, you can't be just on your own in this place right?"

"Guys! You're totally screwin' my head here!"

"Shut up Genji."

"Huh? .....Hey! Wait up!"

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Squall leaned against a rock, deep in thought.

"Hey Squall, so, like, where are we?"

"I don't know."

"You must know something."

"No Irvine I don't know anything. What makes you think I should know where or what this stupid castle is?"

"Geez, okay. You not even got an educated guess you can give me?"

"...No."

"Aren't you worried about Rinoa?"

Squall didn't say anything. He covered his forehead with a hand and scowled.

"Sorry, guess that's not a good topic....Besides Rinoa can take care of herself right? But I sure hope my darlin' little Selphie's okay."

"Selphie has more survival training than you do, I think she can take care of herself."

"But it's cold here! And she's only got that little dress!"

"....Irvine, she's from Trabia. I've seen her in knee deep snow in that dress."

"Good point. Man, she's something."

Squall sniggered.

"What!?" Exclaimed Irvine.

"You've been tamed man. The old Irvine would have forgotten a girl after five minutes out of sight of her."

"Huh! Not this girl! My Selphie is always on my mind."

"...Whatever."

Irvine paced a little, his hands behind his back. He looked up and stared at the horizon. Then he caught sight of somebody. It was a young man, walking in a weary looking way, a look of agony on his face.

"Hey!" Shouted Irvine.

The boy's head turned towards him, but his expression remained the same. His features moved in no way to suggest he acknowledged that the sniper was there. He paused for a moment, muttered to himself and walked on.

"Hey! You!" Repeated the gunman, walking cautiously over to the stranger.

He was smaller than Irvine, marginally taller than Squall, and finely built with a face that was well defined and more beautiful than handsome. His eyes were grey and sorrowful and his sandy brown hair was short and stuck up in erratic spikes. His clothes were simple, blue jeans with patched knees and a black t-shirt with a long white waistcoat. He stared hard at Irvine. Then looked up slowly.

"I- I can't find....I've lost..."

"What? What have you lost? Are you okay?"

Squall tilted his head curiously and stepped away from the wall. He spoke to the young man clearly and firmly.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"I am....I...am..." The Spiky haired boy looked at Squall, and then slowly put his index finger up and pointed to the diagonal scar that ran across the SeeD's forehead. "You are Leonhart...I have lost...Leonhart...lost."

"You've lost Squall?" Asked Irvine.

"Leonhart. My sorceress....I've lost her...It hurts here." He put a hand to his heart. "This knight has failed." The boy's eyes rolled up into his head and he promptly fell unconcious onto the floor.

"Man. What was that about?"

"We'll ask him when he wakes up. Let him sleep for now, he looks like he needs it."

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Best was happy. She had hardly ever been happy before. She didn't have to be the best. Not here. Quistis Trepe. Not even the best could be better than a legend right? And besides that, her parents weren't here. Her teachers weren't here. And the two girls and boy didn't care about 'making her realise her potential,' they didn't ask her to 'do her best' they didn't tell her to 'strive' she wasn't being watched, she was free to mess up a little, not that she would of course, she was still the best. But it was nice to know that if she stopped being the best for a second, nobody would really care.

"My friends."

"Huh? You say something?" Asked Sylvie.

"Nothing."

"Oh. Okay. You alright Best? I mean, you can tell us if anything's wrong, I'm sure you don't often have problems, but still..."

"I am...happy."