Background
Four years after Ultimecia's defeat, the world of Final Fantasy VIII finally returned to normal. Laguna remained president of Esthar until a peace treaty was signed between Esthar, Dollet, Timber, and Galbadia. Then, he resigned and vanished with Kiros and Ward.
Seifer also disappeared. No longer under a sorceress's control, he learned of an official military order for his capture due to crimes against Galbadia and Esthar. The last Squall heard, Seifer was hiding in Fisherman's Horizon, using Raijin's fishing skills to make a modest living.
Garden continued training SeeD cadets as an independent military organization. Though most missions now involved civic duties, training remained rigorous—until the world needed SeeD again.
Chapter One
The Balamb Garden food court was packed when Squall Leonhart entered. Hoping for a quiet lunch, he was immediately swarmed by young cadets.
"Mr. Leonhart, can you show us that fighting technique again?" one asked.
"Mr. Leonhart!" others echoed.
Squall shook his head. "If you have questions, save them for tonight's extra training session," he said, heading for the counter.
The lunch lady smiled and handed him a tray—hotdogs, fries, and water. Squall returned the smile, grateful. Ever since he found her son and convinced him to return home, she had always saved him the last hotdogs. Ironically, he still didn't know her name. At first, he hadn't cared, but now he was too embarrassed to ask.
Flushed, he passed over a few bills, adding extra for a tip.
"Oh, Squall, you don't have to—" she began, trying to return the money.
"Hey!" Zell protested beside him. "You told me you were out of hotdogs!"
Ignoring her objections, Squall walked away, leaving Zell fuming.
The food court was crowded, and Squall felt foolish standing there, searching for his friends. Normally, he'd sit alone, but ever since meeting Rinoa, things had changed.
"Squall, over here!" Quistis called, waving.
He joined her, noticing Selphie and Irvine huddled together, discussing the Garden Festival. Irvine, now an official SeeD, had transferred from Galbadia after realizing Balamb was less strict—Selphie's presence was a major bonus.
"I want something special this year," Selphie declared. "Like fireworks to open for the band!"
"Great idea!" Quistis agreed.
Squall chewed his hotdog, uninterested. Where was Rinoa? Between her SeeD exams and his classes, they barely saw each other. He missed her.
Quistis smirked. "As an expert Squall analyzer, I'd say you're wondering where Rinoa is."
Squall's eyes flickered with interest before he could stop himself.
"She's taking her SeeD exam. She'll meet up with you later," Quistis revealed.
Squall blinked. "Wait, that's today?"
Quistis paled. "Oh no… I wasn't supposed to tell you."
"Tell me what?" Squall demanded.
Before she could answer, Zell plopped down at the table, nearly crushing Selphie's clipboard with his tray.
"Hey!" she yelped, snatching it away. "I worked hard on those lists!"
"Sorry," Zell mumbled, still sulking about the hotdogs.
Squall hesitated, then handed him his last one. Zell brightened instantly.
"Wahoo! My day is complete!" He scarfed it down, grinning.
Squall smirked. Some found Zell's behavior childish, but he understood. The life of a SeeD was harsh. Most recruits were brought in as kids, enduring years of brutal training. Civilians might call Garden unethical, but in an unforgiving world, survival demanded it. People coped in small ways—like Irvine with his magazines or Zell with his hotdogs.
Suddenly, static crackled over the speakers.
"Squall Leonhart, please report to my office," Cid's voice rang out.
Damn.
"Sounds important," Quistis said. "It's been a while since the headmaster summoned you."
Squall shrugged. "Probably just about my classes. No big deal."
"Maybe," she said, unconvinced.
Finishing his food, Squall cleared his tray and headed for Cid's office. Normally, these meetings were underwhelming. The first time, Cid made him Balamb's representative in Fisherman's Horizon. Then, he was forced into leading Garden against Edea. Now, he was a training specialist, spending most of his time instructing seasoned cadets.
It wasn't that he hated it—but he was a SeeD, a fighter. Taking orders and battling was easier than explaining combat tactics to overeager recruits.
At Cid's door, he knocked. The door swung open, revealing the headmaster—kindly as ever, with straggly brown hair and glasses. Inside, Kiros and Ward sat on the leather couch.
"Squall, we have a problem," Cid said gravely. For the first time, he looked worried.
Squall saluted. "Does this have to do with Laguna?" he asked, noticing Laguna's absence.
"Yes," Cid admitted. "But it's more complicated than that."
Squall waited.
"What do you know about the Tomb of the Unknown King?" Cid asked, polishing his glasses.
Squall frowned. "Not much," he admitted—then reconsidered. Memories surfaced of his mission there with Quistis and Zell, retrieving an ID for General Caraway. Zell had, as usual, gotten them lost. After wandering for hours, they had stumbled upon two brothers—guardian spirits of the tomb.
Kiros studied the reports before him. "According to this, you saw an apparition after defeating the brothers."
"It was dark," Squall said, shifting uneasily. "We thought we imagined it."
Kiros nodded. "Squall… we have bad news."
Squall straightened. "Yeah, I figured. What happened? Did Laguna try stuffing the apparition back in its tomb?" he joked.
Kiros shook his head, smiling sadly. "No. Ellone is missing. And so is Seifer."
Squall's expression darkened. "What do you mean, missing?" he demanded, glancing between Kiros and Cid. "How could that happen?"
Kiros hesitated. "It means exactly what I said. Somehow, we believe the Tomb of the Unknown King is connected to her disappearance."
Squall shook his head. "How is that possible?"
Kiros sighed. "We don't know exactly how, but what we do know is that Ellone was standing next to the tomb when she disappeared—along with Seifer, who was standing beside her."
Squall regarded Kiros solemnly before continuing. "I think you'd better explain the whole story from the beginning."
Kiros nodded, and once Squall sat down, he began recounting what had happened.
After Laguna relinquished his position as President of Esthar, he decided to pursue his dream of becoming a world-class traveler.
"The only problem," Kiros explained thoughtfully, "was finding locations exciting enough for Timber Maniacs to publish. The Centra Ruins were first on his list, followed by the Deep Sea Research Facility. However, after our harrowing escape from there, the next place on Laguna's list was the Tomb of the Unknown King."
"We knew that Seifer was hiding in Fisherman's Horizon and thought he might prove useful in case we ran into monsters. Moreover, Ellone insisted on joining us, and for various reasons, Laguna decided Seifer would be useful in keeping her safe while we worked on documenting the ruins."
Kiros continued, "After making the necessary preparations, we headed to the tomb. For the first few days, everything went well. We managed to avoid the traps and reached the tomb safely."
"But then, Ellone started sensing something—a presence. She was visibly shaken. Laguna figured she was just spooked and asked Seifer to escort her outside. However, the moment Seifer reached her, it happened. Ellone and Seifer suddenly vanished."
"We have one theory," Cid interjected. "We believe that after Ultimecia's defeat, remnants of time distortions still exist in certain parts of the world. Dr. Odine suggested as much shortly after you returned from Ultimecia's era. At the time, he assured us that the chances of someone stumbling into one of these distortions were slim. However, given the tomb's supernatural nature and Ellone's unique abilities, we believe she may have inadvertently triggered a time portal.
"The problem is, we have no idea where it might have taken them or what we'll find on the other side. That's why we need SeeDs to go in, locate Ellone and Seifer, and bring them back."
"Where is Laguna now?" Squall asked absently.
Kiros shifted uncomfortably. "Laguna went to Esthar to find Dr. Odine. If we're going to bring them back, we'll need his expertise. There's a chance this portal is just a fluke in the space-time continuum. And if that's the case, there's also a chance there's no coming back. Since Ellone hasn't returned, we have no way of knowing. Odine is the only one who can determine if it's possible."
Squall lifted his eyes. "Do you think another sorceress could be involved?"
Cid nodded thoughtfully. "The thought has crossed our minds. But, frankly, we have no idea."
Squall nodded. "I understand," he replied, standing. "I'll see what I can do."
"Good," Cid said with a satisfied smile. "But you won't be going alone. If the others are willing, you'll take Quistis, Zell, Irvine, and Selphie with you. In the meantime, Nida will take over your classes until you return. I'll leave you to sort out the details. If they agree to the mission, send them to my office for confirmation. Also, inform Irvine and Quistis that I want them to handle your scheduled training session tonight. Your focus should be on preparing for the mission."
"All right," Squall replied, saluting before heading toward the door. Halfway there, he suddenly stopped.
"What about Rinoa?"
Cid glanced up from his paperwork, surprised. "She's not ready yet. She'll have to remain here in Garden until your return."
"Even if there's a chance we won't come back?" Squall pressed.
"Yes. I'm sorry, Squall, but that's how it has to be."
Squall's smile was bitter. "I'm sorry, sir. But I can't accept that."
Cid's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"
"Sir, if I may—you're asking me to undertake a mission that could mean the end of my existence in this time. And yet, you expect me to leave behind one of the few people in this world that I care about more than anything. You, of all people, know that a sorceress needs her knight to help her maintain control over her powers. If I leave Rinoa here alone, you risk exposing this world to unforeseen dangers if she loses control. I swore to protect her from any threat—including herself. So, as you can see, I can't leave unless I'm assured of her safety."
"I can assure you she's more than safe here," Cid replied softly.
"Under whose protection? Yours?" Squall asked, shaking his head in disbelief. "And if her powers became too much, would you still do everything in your power to protect her?"
Cid dropped his pencil and glared at him suspiciously. "What exactly are you implying?"
"You were willing to sacrifice your own wife for the sake of the world's safety," Squall said flatly. "And it's that willingness that concerns me."
Cid's face flushed with anger and pain. "How dare you question my motives? You have no idea what kind of choice I had to make!"
"I do," Squall said, his tone calmer. "And I'm sorry for bringing it up. I meant no disrespect. But all the same, Rinoa deserves the choice. She should decide whether she wants to join us."
"That's complete and utter bullshit. You know damn well she'll follow you no matter what's at stake."
Squall shrugged, saying nothing. He knew he had served Garden faithfully—long enough that he wouldn't be denied one simple request.
Cid seemed to be considering this fact. After a long silence, he let out a deep sigh, defeated.
"Very well. I'll allow this one concession—this time and this time only," Cid relented, offering a salute in dismissal.
Squall returned the salute, then turned and left the room without another word.