Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

Impulse

Squall was starting to think that this had been a very, very bad idea. There was no food, and he was starting to get hungry. He was also tired and Rinoa wasn't getting any lighter, though she wasn't exactly heavy either.

The whole event felt so surreal. Here he was, Squall Leonhart, the ice prince of Balamb Garden, and he'd just kidnapped Rinoa from the infirmary in order to take her to Esthar on the off chance that he could locate Ellone who might be able to wake the sleeping beauty. It was ridiculous and fanciful and riddled with 'maybes' and uncertainties. Most of all, the entire thing was impulsive, one thing that Squall had never been before.

"I've really changed, haven't I?" he asked aloud. "I'd never have done something like this before I met you, Rinoa. Quistis, Zell, Selphie, and Irvine probably think I've gone insane or something, because this is so… illogical. There are over a thousand ways this quest of mine can go wrong and, seeing as I didn't even pack for it, I'm already not doing well at all.

"I keep thinking that I should be angry with you for changing me so much. I liked being alone; no one could hurt me. Now… I feel like I've been ripped open and nothing will be right until you're okay again." Squall sighed. "Sounds stupid, doesn't it?"

Rinoa didn't answer. Not that she could, being comatose.

Shifting the girl he carried, Squall kept walking. Just when he felt as though he might collapse from exhaustion, he caught sight of an abandoned train station. Picking up the pace, he arrived in no time; but there were already people there.

Zell glared at Squall. "Brilliant idea there, Squally. Gonna save the princess?"

"I hear that if the prince gives the princess a kiss, she'll wake up," Quistis quipped, looking amused. "You must be hungry and tired. Settle down for a little while; we're waiting for Selphie, Irvine, and Edea to get back from scouting. We're under orders to escort Edea to Esthar and, lucky for you, you're assigned to our team as leader."

"Now that you've joined up with us again, you don't need to worry about getting in trouble," Zell added.

"Oh…" Squall wasn't really sure what to say as he settled Rinoa on the station steps and then sat beside her. "I'm sorry…" he finally said. "I really don't know what I was thinking…"

"You weren't thinking," Quistis teased sharply. "It's a guy thing; you were bound to suffer from it one day."

"Oi, Quisty, shut up," Zell fumed.

"I'm just calling it like I see it," she proclaimed innocently, though her smirk gave away her intention of irritating Zell. Not to say that the tattooed blonde noticed, though.

"Hey! Guys do not suffer from an inability to think!"

"Then explain to me your obsession with the school hot dogs, which are the same consistency as pencil erasers."

"Blasphemer! Heretic!!!! The food gods shall descend upon thee and wreak their revenge!"

"Please tell me that you aren't comparing me to him, Quistis," Squall spoke up quietly. "And… do either of you have something I could snack on?"

Ignoring Zell's agitated spluttering the blonde ex-instructor fished a military-issue energy bar from one of her pockets and handed it to Squall. "Don't worry. His idiocy is on a level so low you needn't ever fret about equaling it. What you did was… worrying to us, but rather sweet as well. You've changed a lot, Squall. Now she just needs to wake up and see all you're willing to do for her."

"Is that Squall?!!" Selphie's voice could be heard shouting from a distance.

"Looks like the rest of the team has arrived…" Quistis turned to wave at the scouts. "Zell, stop whining about blasphemy, food gods, and insults. You're getting annoying."

A/N I can't help but bring up the food gods. It's becoming a hallmark of my interpretation of Zell.