Disclaimer: I don't own final fantasy 8...and they made me give squall back L

A/N: Howdy! Here is another chapter. Lol sorry ti took a while, I got kinda writers block on this story, but then I had total inspiration last night and wrote the next few chapters tehehe. Hmm oh yeh italics is the dream. Many thanks to those who reviewed last chapter, acho111, lionhearted, r, Selphie ivy, that belle, lilnaych, rinny Leonheart, teresa pham, hououza, zellycat and EmoDiva. More chapters for ya…enjoy xx!

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Rinoa headed back to the abandoned old house in which she had stayed the night before. She knew she couldn't stay much longer, she had to keep moving unless she wanted to get caught. But she was used to being on the run by now, she had been for large parts of her life. She had always known what danger she was in, it was just worse now. Sorceresses had always been hated and feared, and to some extent always hunted. About 15 years ago, a time Rinoa vaguely remembered, when she was only about 5 or so, there was a giant hunt in which lots of her kind was wiped out. She had luckily escaped, and after that it seemed the soldiers turned their attention to other things, obviously knowing only a handful of sorceresses had survived.

However, about a year ago, the sorceress hunt flared up again and became much more intense. Rumours were flying that there was a new leader controlling the military who had ordered that every single sorceress was hunted ruthlessly. It would seem he had some kind of vendetta against sorceresses, although no one knew who this man was.

The last 5 months had been hell because of this. It was moving towards the end of winter, but Rinoa had struggled to survive those cold months, sleeping in old abandoned houses and travelling in the dead of night. But still, she knew to some extent she was lucky. It was the first month of the year, just days after her 21st birthday, a year few other sorceresses made it to as many were hunted and killed young, so their powers could not develop. But she doubted she would make it to see another winter, it was inevitable that eventually they would find her and kill her. She could not run forever.

She set her things down and took out the money she had made that day. It was not much,but maybe she could live of it for a few days. She was lucky she had encountered someone willing to buy from her, who had not just turned her in. She hoped her charm really did bring him luck.

She lit the small fire and warmed her hands, then she settled down, leaning her head against the wall and picking up the large old blanket, and trying to get to sleep.

She was used to it, the dark, the cold, the loneliness…but she hated it.

She mostly wished she was not a sorceress, she wished she could just live a normal life. Most young women her age had married by now, settled into happy lives and more than anything Rinoa wanted that. But it was unlikely she would ever find it. Even if she ever stopped running, no man would marry a sorceress, no man would love her…

The moment she closed her eyes, aloud thumping on the door forced them open again. As soon as she heard the sound she was full of fear.

"Open the door Witch!" called a man from outside.

Rinoa ducked down, just as two soldiers with flaming torches peered into the window.

"break it down" she heard one say to the others, and within seconds, the old door broke down and she found herself face to face with soldiers.

"we got her now." One said "no more running, witch."

Rinoa stood up and attempted to run for the other door, but the soldiers moved quickly and grabbed her.

"You are not getting out of here." One hissed

"You will die like the rest of your disgusting kind." Said one, drawing and pointing his sword at her.

"Wait." the first one said "You know what he wants. He said he wants them taken to him alive."

"Fine" he sighed, lowering the sword "Lets get her out of here then"

Rinoa could not let them get her, she knew all to well what would happen. She'd be hung, or burnt alive…….

She chanted a few words and a bright light appeared in the room suddenly, blinding the soldiers for a moment.

"What the hell!?" one cried, covering his eyes. Rinoa broke out of their grip, but was stopped by another soldier at the door. He took a small knife form his belt, and put it to her throat.

"Do not try a thing" he whispered, pressing the metal against her skin.

Rinoa did not know whether it was worth trying to escape again, but she didn't want to die. It was not fair, she was a sorceress yes, but she hardly used her powers, and never to hurt people.

She struggled against the soldier and eventually got free. She ran across to grab her things, her charms and her potions, and the money. She needed them Without selling the charms she would have no possible way of living.

But before she could get there she was stopped and the other soldier picked up all her stuff and threw it on the fire. That was her life. That was all she had. There was not really much point trying to escape now as she had no way of living anyway. But as though nature was on her side, a bolt of lightening struck the skies at that moment and thunder rumbled, distracting the soldiers. She pushed past them quickly out of the doorway and ran out, locking the door from the outside. Then she ran away, sobbing. She had no idea where to go or what to do now…………….

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Squall Leonhart woke up, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead and chest.

That was one of the strangest dreams he had ever had. That girl, that poor girl. He had absolutely no idea what the dream was supposed to mean, or why it had been so vivid….but it was scary.

They way those soldiers had been so close to killing that girl, a witch….it was such a strange thing to dream about. Squall never usually had dreams at all, but this one seemed so real, so vivid….he could feel it as if he were there, as if it was real. It was like something that was happening somewhere and he was watching it, that is bow real it felt to him. The imagination was a strange thing to him. He had dreamed up something so real and yet so surreal at the same time. Something irrelevant to him. Everyday, news was heard about the sorceress hunt, he had to assume that he had just let that creep into his dreams and his imagination had played upon it. That was the only explanation.

Looking around, he saw it was still night so he lay down and tried to get back to sleep.

But he couldn't. He was still slightly disturbed by the dream. What if he dreamt again of something similar?

"Do not be ridiculous" he muttered to himself. "it was only a dream."

He lay back down and shut his eyes, soon drifting into sleep. But he tossed and turned as images once again filled his head.

The girl, the same girl he had envisioned last time but now…she was just running. Endlessly. She was crying, for every step she ran a tear seemed to fall. Eventually she grew tired and stopped running, taking shelter under a large tree. She leant against it and cradled her head in her arms as she cried. But soon, a young man approached the girl from behind, he was not a soldier though. His face was obscured by the darkness though, and all that could be seen was his outline and some of his fair hair Before he reached the girl she appeared to sense his presence, and turned around.

"You!" She said fearfully, "you again!"

"Rinoa.." the man said, his voice deep and serious.

The girl chanted something to herself and a thin shield of blue light appeared briefly between her and the man. He tried to take a step towards her, but he couldn't. it was as if there was some fart of invisible blockade between them.

"Stop following me! I have seen you several times. Leave me alone!" she said before running again into the night. And she ran and ran for what seemed like forever……..

"Squall?..Squall?" Squall felt someone prodding him in the shoulder.

Flicking his eyes open he saw the room was filled with light. It was morning, and yet Squall did not feel rested at all, he felt exhausted….those dreams

"Squall? Are you ill?" Zell was saying, while prodding him "it is mid-day"

"Midday?" Squall muttered. How long had he been asleep?

"Yes! And there is someone here to see you, I do not know who he is though."

"Alright, I…I will be out in a moment."

Zell nodded and left the room and Squall took a few deep breaths and brushed his hair out of his eyes. He was still unnerved…but why? It was all a dream.

"It was only a dream" he found himself repeating several times as he got up and dressed. But before he left the room, something caught his eye. The rose, with the small charm hanging from it. He didn't remember leaving it out, but there it lay, under the window. And from it, one single petal had fell and lay next to it.

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Hmmm…odd huh. Well I hope you liked the chapter, we are kinda getting into the main story now. Let me know what you think and I will continue if you guys want me to. Thanks x