DISCLAIMER: Final Fantasy VIII and X does not belong to me. Therefore, suing is prohibited, unless you want a death sentence delivered by Hyperion.

Mysso: Enough with the disclaimer. On with the story.

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Chapter 1: Fate

         Dong…dong…dongdong…dong…dong…

         The ancient grandfather clock that stood in the dark hall chimed six times, its rings echoing loudly in the silent chamber, even to the top floor where a lady in a dark purple robe sat in an elegantly-wrought chair in her room. Her place was brightly-lit with a huge fire burning furiously in the fireplace. The huge window was opened, showing the beautiful sunset as it hides behind the mountains of the otherworldly realm. A gentle wind blew into the room, slightly lifting the thin sky-blue curtains as a bird of paradise shrieked its lonesome cry.

         In front of her, on her black marble table, lay a crystal ball in its black eagle-claw stand. In it, swirls of purple smoke danced about. At her feet, lay a huge lion-like creature, its black wings folded as it watched its mistress silently with its golden eyes.

         The lady slowly held out her hand at the purple globe. She closed her eyes and focused her power onto the ball.

         "Show me what you see…" her silvery voice floated, and the mass of purple smoke gradually dispersed. Shafts of shining bright light peeked through the smoke. She felt her creature stirred beneath her.

         "Chill, Griever…" said the lady as she opened back her eyes.

         "But, Miss…" the beast growled softly. Its fur ruffled slightly as it stretched its powerful body and stood up on all fours. At that height, its head stood level with the table, so it can see the ball clearly. It blinked curiously.

         "I can see you recognize him," said the lady.

         "Of course," said Griever. "We encountered each other in Ultimecia's Castle. He was the one who…eliminated me," it spat the last few words.

         "Oh…and who might this young man be?" asked the lady. Her globe showed a young brown-haired teenager, wearing a fur-collared black jacket and with several belts hanging around his black pants. He was seen standing at a balcony, and with a raven-haired lady in blue beside him. He gathered her in his arms, and drew her close. Just as more is to unfold, the purple smoke returned and covered the entire ball again.

         "Ah. I remember him now. He's Squall Leonhart…" the lady mused. A bright smile lit her features. "It is him, isn't he? He looked more charming than ever."

         "Yes, Miss…" came the answer of a growl. A bell-like laughter greeted him.

         "My, my…it seems you hate him a lot." Silence followed. She smiled as Griever eyed the man in the ball with much hate and contempt as it showed through its eyes. Its black tail swished back and forth with a slight hint of annoyance. The lady shook her head and laughed again.

         Just then, the ball started to glint again. This time, sparks of lightning came with it. The lady's eyebrow rose as she stared at her globe in surprise.

         "Hmm…it seems we have something in store for this person here…"

         This time, the crystal ball showed cloudy images of a certain blond in grey. It showed him and a blonde lady in peach battling some grey mass. Then, the scene changed and showed the blond again fighting, but this time with another woman, a kimono-clad lady with a staff. They were fighting against another blond guy with a golden sword, and behind him stood a red-headed guy robed in his purple robes. The blonde girl earlier was seen trapped in his arms as she struggled to break his hold. Then the scene dispersed again as the purple clouds returned.

         "Oh dear. This does not look good," murmured the lady in purple sadly.

         "Why, Miss?"

         "This I cannot say, but I sincerely hope he will get through it just fine…he'll need everything to survive this ultimate test. We shall just have to wait and see what happens…" Griever nodded.

         Then it suddenly froze. The entire room grew more silent than ever. The only sound heard was the occupant's breathing. Griever turned its leonine head to its mistress.

         "Lady Hyne…" said Griever gravely.

         "Yes, my dear Griever?" she asked. She eyed her creature tensed as it moved towards the window stealthily, its paws clicking on the cold marble floor. Griever would only call by her name if the matter was serious.

         "Some unknown force has entered Earth. I think it came from…" It sniffed the air, "the Farplane of Spira."

         Hyne paused and nodded. She stared out into the setting sun. Soon it'll be dark, then night. How fast things happened again, after the dust had settled a while ago. She stood up and walked towards where Griever stood, watching the beautiful fireball of a glorious sun setting behind the mystical mountains. The bird of paradise chirped loudly again within the faraway forests. Lady Hyne patted her Griever softly on the head.

         "So, it has begun…the wheels of fate had started turning again."

*     *     *

         It was a hot day as the sun peeked behind a stray wasp of a cloud. The deep cerulean sea casted its foamy waves upon the beach of a small island, situated in the middle of the four great continents of Earth. In the skies, a seabird squawked loudly at its mate as its silver fish was snatched away. A warm sea breeze breathed onto the land, cooling the sun's merciless heat that beat down onto the earth below.

         A stray white feather played in the wind's embrace. It floated here and there, before coming to land in the gloved hand of a familiar blond in his trademark grey trench coat. He stared at the feather that lay innocently in his open palm, and his jade-green eyes blinked curiously.

         "Seifer!"

         He looked up to see who was calling him, and the feather flew off from his hand into the air. Seifer watched it danced about in the wind before being carried away into the big blue sky above him. He could not help but feel a sense of relief overcome him as he watched the feather fly away, as if it was taking all his guilt and depression together away from his life.

         His ex-Sorceress Knight's life.

         "Seifer! Did you hear me call you?" He turned to look at his blonde instructor, her cheeks slightly red from running. She steadied her breath and looked back into him. He stared back at her, smiling.

         "What is with that smile? Who won the lottery?" teased Quistis. She laughed as Seifer broke into a smirk.

         "Nobody won some lottery. I just…felt glad being back here again," he said as he stared out into the ocean. The wind ruffled his blond strands as he brushed apart a stray hair away from his eyes. Then he looked down upon his beautiful angel standing next to him. He saw her smiled happily as she pointed at the gulls that flew above them.

         This is the life…mused Seifer as he watched Quistis smiled back up at him. He'd returned to Balamb Garden just recently, as he figured he could not go anywhere else. It was his old home, anyway. He felt great that they were happy to take him back in, despite what he had done to them. They were willing to forgive him, only because of Matron's order.

         He brushed that annoying thought aside.

         Who cares? As long as I'm back, I'm back. Besides the constant picking on the same irritating people, nothing much really changed. It was as if everything was returned back to normal, like the good old days before all this Sorceress mess.

         "Hello, my dear Seifer," Quistis voice broke into his thoughts. He looked down at her and saw her smiling up at him wistfully. "You're becoming a bit like Squall. Being silent and always thinking about something."

         "Don't put in the same level as him," Seifer retorted. Quistis laughed.

         "What are you thinking about?" she asked.

         "About…life." Quistis' azure eyes widened in mock surprise.

         "Oh…Since when have you become so-"

         "Philosophical like the great Quistis Trepe?" Seifer finished for her.

         "Seifer!" Quistis hit him on his arm playfully.

         "Hey, watch it!" He laughed as he avoided Quistis' next incoming blow. He stopped as his feet neared the edge of the jetty. "You really don't want to push me down the sea now, do you?"

         "Oh yes I will." A determined gleam played in her eyes.

         "Then I shall just have to drag you down too." Without warning, he grabbed her arms.

         Before Quistis knew it, she was leaning out onto the water's edge, with Seifer behind her trying to make her fall into the ocean below. He grinned as he watched her shout.

         "Seifer!" Quistis shouted at him as he tried to push her down. She struggled to break free from Seifer's firm grip. "Let go of me!"

         "Yes, my dear Instructor. Whatever you say." He released her and she glared back at him. He broke into his famous smirk and said, "Sorry I didn't get to do it."

         She gazed at her knight and shook her head, her long locks swishing back and forth. "You mean you really had the heart to push me down into the sea?"

         Seifer grinned. "Next time you may not be so lucky. I might just grab you and throw you into the sea without warning."

         "Like you even dare," answered Quistis.

         Seifer laughed. "I dare."

         Suddenly they heard people behind them screaming.

         "What happened?" Quistis asked. The two looked back at the docks.

         "How am I supposed to know?" They could see people running away from the docks. More specifically, the jetty.

         "Seifer! Look!" Quistis pointed at something huge in front of them. He turned and looked into where, or what, Quistis was pointing at.

         And boy he didn't like the look of this.

         "Hyne…" Quistis beside him mumbled the words.

         "Holy crap…" Seifer swore. His jade green eyes stared at the thing, whatever it is, in front of them.

          Just when things are about to settle down, this has to happened. Seifer did the only thing he had to do. He brandished out his Hyperion. Gripping it firmly, he pointed at the thing and his Gunblade glowed with red fiery energy as it crackled powerfully in the air.

         "Locked and loaded," Seifer muttered under his breath.