Disclaimer: All FF8 Belongs to SquareSoft, but plot belongs to Laramie Hope.
Author's Note : Welcome! Thanks for checking out my first story! I need to know if I should continue so anyone want to help out and review : ) That would be very helpful, I hope you like it : )It was just a normal day, students went about their daily lives, monsters stirred in their confined area and instructors muttered over piles of essays. Balamb garden was at peace for once in its seventeen years of life. Except for one person...
"What! Not again! This time I made sure I got here extra early!"
"I'm sorry Zell but we are all out, better luck next time." The cafeteria lady smiled before placing a closed sign in front of the now depressed martial artist.
"Oh man..." he sighed before sulking over to his friends at a nearby table.
"What's wrong Zell? You look like your life is over," smirked Irvine.
"It will be if I don't eat something. Man, I can't believe they ran out of hot dogs again." Zell complained as he slouched into a seat.
"Well some of us are more lucky than others," Selphie teased, waving a fresh hot dog in front of Zell, but stopped when she noticed drool was starting to fall from the young boy's mouth.
"Selphie please, I swear, if I don't eat something soon I'm gonna die, I will do anything," begged Zell.
"Really ANYTHING?!" The girl said as an evil grin spread across her face.
Zell snapped from his hypnotized state, doubt filling his mind, "umm..."
Noticing his change Selphie thrust the hot dog underneath his nose so he got a good whiff of the meat product.
"Anything," Zell sighed dreamily, transfixed by the hot dog in front of him.
"Good..." Evil thoughts plagued the young innocent mind of Selphie Tilmitt until a mischievous grin formed across her angel-like face. "For every person you tell that you are a chicken-wuss you get a bite of this hot dog."
Zell's face turned an angry red, "I'm not a chicken-wuss!"
"Zelly, you don't want a bite of this nice, juicy hot dog?" Selphie teased, waving the hot dog in front of his nose. Zell looked pleadingly at Irvine.
"Sorry pal, I'm not getting involved," Irvine shrugged, "Hey, look here comes Quistis."
Zell looked over his shoulder to see the tall blonde walking towards them, and then a small grin formed on Zell's lips. "I'm a genius."
"Hey guys," Quistis half sighed as she sat down. "You won't believe the paperwork I just had to do I-"
"Quistis! I'm a chicken-wuss!" Zell blurted out. "Now can I have a bite?" Selphie sighed and reluctantly handed the hot dog to Zell. With lighting reflexes, he grabbed the hot dog and shoved the entire thing into his mouth.
"Zell I said one bite!" Selphie exclaimed, lurching herself at him as he playfully jumped out of the way.
"U dufid haff oue bifft..." Zell managed.
"What?"
"He said 'I did have one bite," Irvine interpreted, "and I have to agree with him on that Selphie. He did take one bite."
"And a big one at that," Quistis giggled.
"You're dead." Selphie said in a low voice. Zell's eyes widened as he turned and ran as the very small, but very scary, Selphie chased him out of the cafeteria.
Irvine and Quistis looked at one another and busted out laughing.
"Hyne, Selphie is so cute when she is angry." Irvine said as they laughed again at the sight of Zell with a mouthful of Hot Dog and a very hot-tempered Selphie chasing after him.
Quistis' laughter was cut short when she caught sight of a dark figure. She had a rush of remorse as Squall Leonhart slowly walked towards them. Irvine quickly noticed Quistis sudden change of mood and looked at her questionably.
"It's Squall...it's been a year today," the instructor whispered. "Whatever you do, don't mention her name." Irvine nodded slowly, as past memories crept over him.
"Hey," Squall said in his usual monotone voice as he casually sat down, avoiding eye contact with them.
Quistis forced a smile. "Hey."
"Hey? Isn't that what horses eat?" Irvine joked, trying to lighten the mood; he got a few giggles from Quistis, but just got a shrug from Squall. "Man I hate it when he is like this I wish she was here, he always opened up to her."
Quistis made attempts at conversation a number of times, but failed miserably. She tried talking about everything, everything but her. She hated seeing him like this; since they defeated Ultimecia he had changed so much he became more open to them. Hell, he even cracked a few jokes now and then, but everyday Quistis saw him suffer, with every day passing, she saw him die a little. This sickened her to the heart because she knew she could never save him. No matter how hard she tried, she could never take her place. Just when she was going to give up, Zell made an entrance walking over to them proudly.
"Where's Selphie?" Irvine looked up.
"Don't know. I lost her somewhere round the Quad. Man, you should keep that girlfriend of yours on a leash."
"Mmm a leash...kinky," Irvine smirked.
Quistis playfully punched him in the arm. "You will never grow up, will you?"
Zell laughed at the thought of Selphie on a leash and then noticed Squall.
"Hey Squall what's up?"
"Nothing," The young commander murmured.
"Hey no need to act like someone died," Zell joked sitting down next to Squall. Quistis and Irvine eyes widened staring at him with disbelief. With that comment, Squall stood up with his fist clenched tightly.
"I'm going to go train. I need to be alone for a while." Squall's voice was shaky as he left the cafeteria without making eye contact with anyone.
"Way to go Zell, now I'm sure he won't be talking to us for awhile" Irvine eyed Zell.
"What? All I said-"
"You do remember what day it is today?" Quistis spoke in her strict Instructor tone.
"Oh shit, I forgot man. I should have known, should I go apologize?" Zell asked realizing the seriousness of the situation.
"No, I think he just needs to be alone, no one can comfort him, this he needs to work out on his own." Quistis said as she watched out the window as a lone figure walked out of Garden.
The sun burned down on the young commander. Now he wasn't just emotionally uncomfortable, he was physically uncomfortable in his leather clothes. It had been at least an hour since he had left Garden to train. "Train? ...Yeah good one Leonhart, you're just weak, I'm sure they will all look up to their weak commander." It was a quiet day, he hadn't found any monsters to take out some of his anger, finding it too hard to face his sympathetic friends he decided to go sit in the shade. Finding a comfortable spot against a tree, he took in his surroundings, the sweet smell of the plant life and the soft music a nature slowly drifted him off to sleep.
"Am I alone again?"
"Rinoa, Zell, Selphie, Quistis, Irvine, Rinoa!"
"Where are you?!"
"I want you to call my name Rinoa?! Where are you?!"
"I am alone again."
"Squall?" Her voice sent chills down his back.
"Rinoa?!" Squall pleaded, "Where are you?" Darkness engulfed him. He was falling into nothing, then a light, he felt the ground beneath him, a breath on his neck and then the sweet smell of her tingling his senses. Slowly he opened his eyes to see... Her... Rinoa... His angel leaning over him.
"Rinoa," He smiled.
"It's over Squall, it's all over. We can finally live in peace." She pulled him into an embrace and he returned it feverishly.
He was happy, he finally found someone to trust, finally someone to...love. His emotions were so high he felt hot tears threatening to spill from his eyes. Then a red vortex formed behind her... Ultimecia slowly emerged, smiling wickedly at the couple. Squall saw her first; the sorceress raised a finger paralyzing him. He tried to move, but his body wouldn't listen. Slowly, Ultimecia walked over to Rinoa. He wanted to warn her, but his vocal cords disobeyed, all he could do was watch in terror as the evil sorceress came closer to his one true love. Rinoa finally realized, only seeing terror mirrored in Squall's eyes.
"What's the matter?" She followed his gaze, finding the twisted smile of sorceress of the future, "We killed you!" Rinoa stated in fear "Squall, help me!"
"He won't be going anywhere very fast." snared Ultimecia.
"What have you done?" Realizing Squall's condition.
"It is time I take my revenge on you kursed SeeDs." Ultimecia said, evil soaked in each word.
"But we killed you!" Screamed Rinoa.
"Yes, but can't I have a dying wish?" Laughed the sorceress as her long spinney fingers warped around Rinoa's small wrist. "Come my pretty, where you are going not even your knight can find you."
"NO! Let me go! Squall!" Looking back at the horrified and defenseless Squall. "Remember our promise," she whispered fear consuming her deep brown eyes. With that, Ultimecia dragged Rinoa into the Vortex and disappeared leaving Squall with mobility and alone.
"RINOA!" Squall woke up in a cold sweat looking around and breathing harshly. He was still underneath the tree outside of Garden, it was getting late. "Not again," he sighed remembering the dream, the past. He forced himself to his feet, struggling against the sickening feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. He still saw her face and he felt sick with guilt seeing the horror plastered across her usually peaceful face.
For a year now, he had been trying everything to get her back. He had made regular visits to Ellone even though she couldn't sense anything. He still went back to her in case anything had changed but nothing, "Sorry Squall, but I can't send you to her past if she isn't...alive." Her words still haunted him. Rinoa dead? Never! Her funeral was held a week after the celebration of their victory over the sorceress. Squall didn't attend either. He had nothing to celebrate and he wasn't ready to morn over someone he didn't believe was dead, someone he loved. Over the year his friends had become very concerned over his obsession to find Rinoa. They even at one stage convinced him to take counseling with Dr. Kadowaki. That didn't last long, after Squall was seen storming out of the infirmary, fist clenched and his face an angry red. Squall tried everything he could. He begged Edea if she could do anything, hell he even took up a religion hoping that would work.
With a heavy heart the lone commander made his way back to Garden. Glancing up the sky, he saw the first couple of stars emerge across the darkened night sky. "I will find you Rin, don't you worry, I won't stop looking," he whispered. Luck would have it a fateful star streaked across the sky. A small smile spread across the young boy's face at the ironic symbol.
"You know it's been a year?" The former sorceress whispered facing out the window as she watched the young commander wander inside the safety of Garden.
"Yeah I know," sighed Cid looking up from his paperwork with a concerned frown on his face.
"He still believes, he still hasn't given up." Edea whispered, placing her slender hand on the window, the cold surface mirrored her sadness. It hurt her to see her children in so much sorrow, even though none of them were biologically hers, still she felt a connection with each one. She had tried everything in her power to help them, to help him; she tried so hard she became sick with tiredness causing Cid to worry a great deal. Breaking her out of her transfixed state an arm moved around her waist, not a strong arm but a supportive arm. Edea turned around to face Cid with teary eyes.
"All we can do is be there for him when he faces the truth, she isn't coming back." He said soothingly.
She isn't coming back. Even those words were hard for Edea to swallow. "I know, it's just hard sometimes."
Edea choked, finding it hard to hold back her tears. Feeling her pain Cid pulled her into a comforting embrace as she let out soft sobs on his shoulder.
The cool sea breeze played with his senses bringing his usually assertive demeanor to a calm state. Listening to the waves lap up against the small jetty, the blond was finding peace in his busy lifestyle. After being cleared of his charges, Seifer Almasy had been weighed down with guilt, even though he was under Ultimecia's control. He still felt his actions were fed by his own selfish dreams.
Feeling the need to help others to clear his heavy conscience, he volunteered to help rebuild what he had broken, including Trabia Garden. Only after a few days as a casual volunteer, Seifer had worked his way up to running the reconstruction of the entire Garden. Using his leadership skills, he was able to inspire workers to work with great ambition in their eyes. He smirked at the words that drifted back to him, "Seifer, if you learn to control that ego of yours maybe one day you could be a great leader. You have such potential, please don't waste it" Quistis' voice lectured after he failed to pass the SeeD exam.
The memories of his past Instructor drifted back to him; the determination in her eyes when they last battled in the Lunatic Pandora, her disgust when he asked for forgiveness. He promised that one day, because of all his work in making this world a better place, she would a smile because of him. He promised.
"Ya know, those fish taste really bad, ya know," said a voice from behind.
"I'm not going to eat them you dork." Seifer sighed, as he tossed the fishing line out to the amazing clear blue sea of Balamb.
"Well, why are you fishing?" asked Raijin.
"Because bonehead, you don't always have to eat your fish. I like to sit back and admire my catch," Seifer admitted.
The young man sat back and thought over Seifer's words, making the blond chuckle as a look of constipation spread over Raijin's face instead of concentration.
"Kinda like women, ya know." Raijin stated, pleased with his interpretation.
"Yeah I guess, but remember you always have to have that tale of the fish that got away," Seifer half agreed.
"You mean like Rin-"
"DON'T MENTION THAT NAME!!"
"Sorry Seif ...Ya know," Raijin apologized, shocked by Seifer sudden outburst and embarrassed by his simple slip of the tongue "I forgot... If it's any help, ya know, it's been a-"
"A year I know, how could I forget?" Seifer sighed.
"Do you miss her?"
"I don't know. I just hope she is happy where ever she is." The blond smiled.
"LATE." The two friends looked behind them to see Fujin standing on the jetty looking concerned as her grey hair waved in the evening breeze.
"She's right, ya know." The dark man said, "We should go back home before it gets dark."
Seifer nodded and they made their way back to the station to catch the last train out to Trabia. Seifer looked back to the sea, "I hope she is happy, where ever she is."