Disclaimer – (Takes a paper bag and flips it over. Nothing comes out because the bag is empty.) If I'd owned FF8, it would have been in that bag… which was empty. So clearly I don't own this.
Ironic
Visiting the Orphanage after having been away for so long was like dreaming in a way, Squall decided. There was a field of flowers nearby that hadn't been there before; it had grown in the place where he and Seifer had once played at being rival knights. Seifer had always enjoyed playing the bad guy even though Squall got to win their 'final battle' each time they played.
Squall could remember more of his childhood now. He remembered wondering what his parents had been like and standing in the rain in order to wait for Sis to return only to get sick instead. He remembered a time when he and Seifer had been virtually inseparable and they played at games that were now reality. Now they really were rival knights. Though, Squall wasn't certain he'd win the final battle this time around.
"You're getting that look again," Rinoa teased, moving to take Squall's hand.
Having heard that comment enough times before, Squall knew what look she was referring to. "I don't mean to brood. It's just… being here reminded me of Seifer and how… he used to be my best friend. We played games where we were knights when we were little. He'd be the 'bad guy' and I'd be the 'hero'. Weird, huh?"
"That is a little weird. Looks like those games have come back with a vengeance… and a deadly edge to them," Rinoa contemplated. "I can kind of imagine it, though. Little Irvine getting dragged around by Little Selphie and made to play house with her, Little Zell getting bossed around by Little Quistis because he was too meek to say 'no' at the time, and Little Squall and Little Seifer playing Sorceress Knight with wooden swords. It's kind of cute, in a sad way. Knowing how things turn out…"
"Though, Zell still gets bossed around by Quistis and he'll still do what she says despite his many complaints. And Selphie and Irvine… will definitely wind up married one day. Then they'll be 'playing house' for real." Squall squeezed Rinoa's hand. "The whole thing is ironic."
"By the way… what's this story I've been hearing about a whistle and a pony? Edea mentioned something about it earlier…" Rinoa hinted.
"The last Christmas we were here at Orphanage, Seifer had an action figure with a horse that it could 'ride' on and I got a whistle. Well, it was a recorder, but we all called it a whistle. I had more fun with the whistle than Seifer did with his toy and he stole the whistle because he got jealous…"
A/N – The whistle/pony thing is actually from the movie "The Count of Monte Cristo" and adapted to fit Seifer and Squall. I was watching The Count the other day and it stuck with me. By the way, my spellchecker wanted to replace Rinoa with Rhino… which is kind of funny.