Well, it's Thursday. Early Thursday, but sill Thursday none-the-less. In fact, it's 12:31 AM (US Pacific Time) as I type my Shout-out header and get ready to put this up. It's time for Children of Destiny.

pinklove: If you liked the last one, you'll love this one.

QueenAdreena: Squall caught Rinoa in space and held on to her to stay with her and not get separated, so it doesn't count as a hug. Though I make up for it here. As for the dog, sorry, but it's not a King Charles Spaniel. It's a Great Dane.

Lady-Rinoa: It is, you're welcome, and I will.

nightfighter642: I know. Thanks for the order, but I'd still sleep better at night if I knew my eye, ear, or nose was in any kind of danger.

Kenny H: Would this one be a favorite?

WildfireDreams: Yes, it is quite awesome.

Hope you like this one; it's got something for everybody, no matter what you're into. I wasn't going to put the song in, but then I got bored and said 'What the hell?'

CHAPTER 42: THE RAGNAROK

Once they were in the next room, the SeeD commander and his client ditched their space suits in favor of their normal clothes. As Squall observed his surroundings, he noticed Rinoa looking at him.

"Thank you, Squall, you saved my life again." Rinoa said. "I can't thank you enough."

"Don't worry about it." Squall said. "I just did what I wanted to." Rinoa then opened her arms.

"The space suit was in our way before." Rinoa said. "Give me a hug, a real tight one! I need to know that I'm alive."

"We may be alive right now, but look at our situation." Squall said. "You want to live, right? You want to go back and see everyone?"

"And not become other peoples memories?" Rinoa said.

"That's right." Squall said. The walked through the door, looking for the bridge for this ship, when they heard a roar coming from below! They noticed that they were on a REAL bridge hanging above the main hangar. Below them was a purple monster. Squall ran a scan on it and found it to be a Propagator. This thing was hideous!

"Doesn't look like a very friendly creature." Rinoa said.

"Let's get the Jump on it." Squall said. Squall jumped down, where the Propagator spotted him.

"Holy Judgment!" Squall yelled as he and Rinoa disappeared. From the skies in heaven, a Giant machine was seen climbing through the mountains, however this was no ordinary machine. This was the GF of Holy magic, Alexander! Alexander's shoulders opened and shot beams of pure holy energy upon the Propagator, instantly killing it. Rinoa hopped down to where Squall was, satisfied with the death of the monster. Soon, another door opened and Another Propagator appeared! It ran to its downed comrade, and revived it. The odds were now 2 on 2.

"Chef's Knife!" Rinoa called. A hole appeared on the ground and the GF Tonberry appeared. Slowly, it walked to the second Propagator and killed it! However, the first one revived it again!

"They don't stop!" Squall cried. Soon, 6 more appeared from all directions.

"They're multiplying!" Rinoa called. This was it. All 8 of these monsters were moving in for the kill. As the came in, Squall and Rinoa's bodies went transparent and a low booming voice was heard.

"Zantetsuken!" The voice called as it began to rain inside the ship. Squall saw the figure approach on a six-legged horse, Odin! The legendary GF had come to save Squall and Rinoa! Odin's horse ran forward as he swung his sword like a madman. Within seconds, all 8 propagators were slashed to pieces! Odin Disappeared as Squall and Rinoa rematerialized.

"What was THAT?" Rinoa asked.

"The legendary GF Odin." Squall said. "It helps those in extreme danger." A few minutes later, Squall found an elevator, leading to the bridge. It's ceiling was made of glass, allowing one to look out as they flew.

"Wow!" Rinoa said as she stared at the cockpit in amazement.

"I have to fly this thing?" Squall wondered. They heard a beep on a panel to their left.

"Squall, it's trying to talk." Rinoa said. Squall found the volume switch and turned it up. They heard a voice come over the radio.

"This is Esthar Airstation." A man said. "Ragnarok, do you read? This is airstation, do you copy?" As Squall went to reply, he felt Rinoa throw her arms around his waist from behind.

"This is the Ragnarok?" Squall said, more of a question than an answer.

"Whoa, is this really the Ragnarok?" The guy said. "My name is Erickson, or just Eric. You're in space, right?

"Yeah, but I have no Idea where we are." Squall said.

"Roger that, we can track you from here." Eric said. "Ragnarok, it's been 17 years!"

"Can we make it back?" Squall asked.

"Leave it to us, you should have enough fuel." Eric said. "Enter your location into the atmospheric reentry program and you'll be OK. Once you enter the atmosphere, we can guide you down, you'll be just fine."

"How do I enter the Data?" Squall asked.

"No sweat, we'll take this step by step." Eric said. "Are you in the pilot seat?"

"There are too many seats here." Squall said.

"It's the one up front on the right." Eric said. "Go sit there." Squall walked over and sat down.

"OK, now what?" Squall asked.

"The rest is easy, see the touch panel in front of you?" Eric asked.

"Yeah, I see it." Squall said.

"Just enter the following data and you'll be OK." Eric said.

"Go ahead." Squall told him.

"WJHEIE/" Eric said.

"Entered." Squall told him.

"Then 2872/HD-IEU." Eric said.

"Got it." Squall told him.

"No errors?" Eric asked.

"Everything's fine." Squall said.

"Next, I'm sure your OK, but there's something I need you to do." Eric said. "Turn off the Gravity generator, this should save some fuel. Use the same touch panel to turn it off."

"Done." Squall said as he flipped the switch.

"Congratulations, you're home free, Ragnarok." Eric said. "From all of us at ground control, we wish you Godspeed."

"Thanks," Squall said as he motioned for Rinoa to sit down. He saw her fiddling with the radio and wondered what kind of reception, if any, he could get up here. Soon, a radio station came in, and a song started up. As Squall listened to a few piano keys, he saw Rinoa get a sad look on her face.

"Something wrong?" Squall asked. Rinoa put on a smile, but still looked kind of sad.

"This song," Rinoa said, "My mom wrote and sang it."

"Her mom?" Squall thought. "Julia's song to Laguna?" As she came forward, she was lifted off the floor, due to the lack of gravity. Squall jumped out of his seat and helped her get control of herself. Squall then went back to the pilot seat.

"I never sang my songs, on the stage, on my own."

"Go sit over there and put your seatbelt on." Squall said. In a matter of microseconds, Rinoa came down and landed...in Squalls lap.

"I never said my words, wishing they would be heard."

"We'll be home soon, right?" She asked.

"Hopefully," Squall said. "Now go sit down."

"I saw you smiling at me. Was it real, or just my fantasy?"

"Just a little longer." Rinoa said as she wrapped her arms around Squalls neck.

"You'd always be there in the corner, of this tiny little bar."

"Why are you holding on to me like this?" Squall asked.

"You don't like this, Squall?" Rinoa asked back.

"It's not that, It's just that I'm not used to it." Squall said.

"My last night here for you, same old songs, just once more."

"How about when you were little?" Rinoa asked. "Didn't you feel safe and secure being held by your parents?"

"My last night here with you? Maybe yes, maybe no."

"I can't remember anything about my parents." Squall said. "Ellone said my mother died a few days after I was born. She said my father was still alive, but as far as I know, he could be anybody at anywhere. The only Mother and Father I ever knew were Edea and Cid. But Ellone was there to hold my hand."

"I kind of liked it your way. How you shyly placed your eyes on me."

"Made you feel safe and secure?" Rinoa asked.

"Sure." Squall said. "But then, she left. Just disappeared. I was afraid of having that comfort taken away."

Did you ever know, that I had mine on you?"

"Is that why you kept your distance from me and the others?" She asked.

"I was always alone." Squall said.

"Squall, you've missed out on all the good things in life." Rinoa said. "You've missed out on so much."

"Darling, so there you are, with that look on your face."

"Maybe." Squall said.

"Definitely." Rinoa corrected. "I like it like this. I liked having my mom hold me. My dad too, back when we got along."

"As if you're never hurt, as if you're never down."

"I'm not your mom." Squall said.

"Shall I be the one for you? Who pinches so softly, but sure."

"No, of course not." Rinoa giggled. "But now, Squall, you're the one that gives me the most comfort. Comfort and happiness. And annoyance and disappointment too!"

"Whatever." They both said together.

"If frown is shown then, I will know that you are no dreamer."

"You should get back to your seat now." Squall said.

"Just a little longer." Rinoa pleaded. "We're gonna make it home, right?"

"We can only hope." Squall said.

"When we get back, we won't be able to stay together anymore, huh?" Rinoa asked.

"Maybe, no one can predict the future." Squall said. "There are no guarantees. Those were your words, Rinoa."

"That's not what I meant." Rinoa said.

"We'll figure out what to do once we get back." Squall said. Rinoa then pushed off and sat in her own seat.

"So let me come to you, close as I want to be."

"This is airstation," Eric's voice came back over the radio. "Ragnarok, please respond."

"Close enough for me, to hear your heart beating fast."

"This is the Ragnarok." Squall said.

"And stay there as I whisper, how I loved your peaceful eyes on me."

"We have some questions for you." Eric said. "We're collecting escape pods. We have a pretty good Idea of what happened. I hear no one from Lunar base is on the Ragnarok. How many of you are there?"

"Did you ever know, that I had mine on you?"

"Just two." Squall said.

"Your names?"

"Darling so share with me, your love if you've had enough."

"Squall Leonhart, I'm a SeeD from Balamb Garden." Squall said.

"Your tears if you're holding back, or pain if that's what it is."

"And the other?" Eric asked.

"Rinoa Heartilly." Squall said.

"How can I let you know, I'm more than the dress and the voice?"

"Rinoa?" Eric asked. "The sorceress? She's on the ship?"

"Sorceress?" Squall whispered as he looked to Rinoa.

"Just reach me out then, you will know that you are not dreaming."

"I've become a sorceress." Rinoa said. "I can't stay with you anymore Squall."

"Respond Ragnarok!" Eric said, though Squall seemed to tune him out, he had something else on his mind right now.

"Darling, so there you are, with that look on your face."

"No one would want to be around me anymore." Rinoa said as a tear dropped from her eye.

"Respond Ragnarok!" Eric said again.

"As if you're never hurt, as if you're never down."

"I don't want the future." Rinoa wept. "I just want the present to stand still. I just want to stay here with you."

"Shall I be the one for you? Who pinches so softly, but sure."

"The sorceress will be seized upon arrival." Eric said. "Be sure to follow the crews instructions." Squall had enough, he switched the radio off and kneeled down at Rinoa.

"If frown is shown then, I will know that you are no dreamer."

"I don't wanna go back!" Rinoa said as she buried her face in Squall's shoulder and began to cry softly.

Squall didn't know what to do. this was another crossroad in his life, but for the first time, he didn't know which way to go. Squall had to admit it to himself. He came that far because he had fallen for Rinoa. Now, was he just supposed to let her go?


Nearly an hour later, the Ragnarok landed back on the planet, where an Esthar Crew was waiting. With them was Davis, once Dr. Odine, now the president's assistant.

"Sorceress Rinoa." He said. "Hyne's Descendant. Come with us, we must seal your power for the sake of the world."

"All right." Rinoa said.

"Thank you for understanding." Davis said. "Tell us when you're ready."

"I should tell you this before we go." Rinoa said. "I was possessed out in space. There was a sorceress inside me, Ultimecia. A sorceress from the future. She's trying to achieve Time Compression. She's the only one who would be able to survive in such a world, she and no other." She turned to Squall before continuing. "We can't let that happen, right? I should go now." She told Davis that she was ready.

"We'll be heading to the sorceress memorial, where Adel was sealed 17 years ago." Davis said. He walked ahead along with the Esthar soldiers that were with him.

"Rinoa, don't go!" Squall said. Rinoa turned and saw him running up to her.

"Thanks Squall, but I have to go." Rinoa said. "OH! I still have your ring."

"You keep it." Squall said.

"Are you sure?" Rinoa asked. Squall nodded as Rinoa walked off. Squall decided there was nothing he could do about this…Right?