Nealy a year or so had passed since the defeat of Ultimecia and there was finally peace over the planet. Some months after Ultimecias defeat Squall had proposed to Rinoa knowing that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.
Squall and Rinoa had just had a glorious wedding the day before which everyone helped plan, with a dinner of hot dogs (Zells Idea) and started their honeymoon right away, with their baby which Rinoa had four months earlier. They had decided to start their honeymoon in Balamb hotel for one night then to travel round the world to places in which they hadn’t time to visit when they were battling the Sorceresses.
Rinoa had finally talked Squall into visiting his estranged father, Laguna, in Esthar at the end of their honeymoon. Following their honeymoon they planned to move into the small town of Winhill, into the abandoned house where Laguna had recovered after being found and taken care of by Raine many years earlier.
Squall was no longer required to be a SeeD. He was made head of the Garden but only called upon if he were to be needed in such things like battle, otherwise Quistis was the leader of the Garden and took over any small affairs that took place. Zell and Selphie were made head of SeeD command and only went out into important battles. Irvine became a SeeD and the master sharpshooter of the Garden.
Irvine and Selphie had fallen in love and into a serious relationship after the defeat of Ultimecia and recently gotten engaged to be married but decided to wait for a year or so until they were no longer needed in mercenary missions. Zell had fallen in love with a new student from Galbadia Garden who worked at the library and had been spying him up for nearly a year or so. They had only been together for nearly a month or so. Quistis, whom has many secret admirers, had not had a boyfriend for a long time. She had been to busy with being second-head of the Garden with all the responsibilities, but only she new who she really had at heart…
________________________________________________________________________
Rinoa stood on the balcony of the Balamb Hotel, deep in thought, the warm breeze, sweeping sofly over her making her light blue over coat wave sofly in the wind. Over the horizon the radiating beauty of the sunset, brilliant orange and red shades highlighting the sky as the stars begin to come out. Just as a shooting star passes Squall steps out onto the balcony holding in his arms, their little baby girl Aurora Skye Leonhart.
“Rinoa” whispered Squall.
“Oh…. There you are Squall” Rinoa said slightly louder then Squalls faint whisper. “Wow, isn’t it just magnificent! All the colors… the stars…. It’s just so much beauty, like our little girl!”
“Yes… it is beautiful” replied Squall. “Look she’s waking up!”
Aurora had opened up her eyes, she glanced up at Squall, his hair blown is whisps over his eyes, his white fur on his coat moving from the breeze. She looked at Rinoa then looked into the horizon, the colors gleaming into her bright blue eyes.
“Rinoa, look!” Squall whispered even fainter. “Shes trying to say something!”
“No, its to early, shes only four months old!” Rinoa whispered back.
Aurora had opened up her mouth, then closed it again, it seemed as though she was unsure of something.
“Mu…. Muuu…… muma” sputtered Aurora. “Duuudddd….. daadddaaa” she sputtered again.
“Oh my…. How… she’s only four months old” said Rinoa in disbelief.
“I know…. I know…. Its incredible!” said Squall proudly.
They stood there staring into the horizon holding their pride and joy in their arms and watched the sun go down and the stars come out. A shooting star passed and both Squall and Rinoa wished, they wished for Aurora’s safety for as long as she lived, they wished for her to be the happiest girl alive.
They wished that their daughter would live, just live.
15 years later
Aurora stood, looking over the railing of Balamb’s fishing harbor. She stood there watching the sunset, for it was her favorite thing to do. Her brilliant blond hair gleamed in the sun, the ocean bounced in her big blue eyes. Her knee length long sleeved overcoat, in its light blue color looked just like her mother’s old overcoat except for the long sleeves and how it was knee length. Her dark blue under dress was also knee length and she wore a necklace, which hung loosely around her neck. It held her mothers ring which she gave her at the age of 13, the ring was a copy made by her fathers old friend Zell of her fathers ring of Griever.
Just as the sun had set she heard her mother calling her from the hotel in which they were staying for the week to visit some old friends there in Balamb.
Aurora ran as fast as she could to the hotel so she wouldn’t get in trouble again for being late. Just as she reached the corner leading to the hotel entrance she saw her father, Squall, run out as fast as he could then turn the far corner leading to the exit of Balamb. She walked to the entrance and watched as her father exited the small town and took off in their Ragnarok airship. At that she began to be worried, she knew that her father rarely ran out unless something was wrong at the Garden and needed him for he was still head of Balamb Garden.
Rinoa stood inside their family’s hotel room waiting for Aurora to arrive. She was still worried why Squall had run out so fast. All she knew was that Quistis called from the Garden and Squall just ran out, headed directly towards the Garden.
Rinoa walked out onto the deck and crossed her arms, worried. Aurora had just come in and walked out onto the deck to ask her mother why Squall ran out.
“Aurora, I don’t know!” said Rinoa in an upset voice.
“Mom, if you know something, tell me, I’m 15 years old, I can handle it!” said Aurora angrily.
“Aurora, I already told you, this time I don’t know anything!” said Rinoa beginning to get angry. “So don’t start with that attitude of yours” she added.
“I don’t have one, mother, I just was worried is all” Aurora said quietly and then stormed off.
Rinoa stood there, just thinking. (I know Aurora, I know… I’m worried too)
Some time later after Rinoa went to bed and Aurora was out on the deck watching the stars their phone rang. Rinoa sprung out of bed as if waiting for just that ring and answered it. Aurora strained to hear what she was saying, but couldn’t hear. She heard the phone click and Rinoa ran out onto the deck.
“Aurora! Pack your bags, we’re headed to Balamb garden, your dad is coming for us now!” Rinoa said hastily.
They headed to the edge of town, bags packed and watched as the Ragnarok landed and Squall waved them over.
________________________________________________________________________
Squall
watched out the window of the bright red Ragnarok as his beloved wife and
daughter ran towards the ship. He ran down to meet them and saw the expressions
on their faces. Rinoa who was running somewhat slower then she could in her
young teenage years had a very concerned and worried look on her face but
Aurora had more of an angry expression as if she had just had and argument.
Squall quickly realized that Rinoa and Aurora had another argument, probably
about Aurora’s attitude that he didn’t find so bad.
Rinoa
stopped in front of Squall and stared at him for a moment, Aurora came running
up next after putting the luggage down. They both started into a mass of
questions. Squall simply turned away and headed to the elevator to the Pilot
Deck.
Just
as the three of them arrived at the pilot deck the Ragnarok took off headed
towards Balamb Garden where they’d be arriving soon. Squall glanced over at
Aurora, who was still looking angry and seemed to be taken by surprise as she
saw who was flying the Ragnarok.
________________________________________________________________________
Selpie
Tilmitt sat in the pilot’s seat, Squall went over a sat in the co-pilot seat
and began saying something to her. Selphie stood up and walked over and shook
Aurora’s hand rather excitedly.
“Wow! You’re really Aurora! Little baby Aurora!” Selphie said in a shocked kind of voice. “Its great to see you, Aurora.”
Selphie
looked at Aurora, who seemed to be confused.
“O….
h… umm… hello, Selphie. Nice to meet you…” Aurora said in a stuttering voice.
Selphie
turned away and walked over to the pilot seat, her hair still bouncy and curled
like when she was a teenager. She wore a banana yellow turtleneck with a long
skirt that just touched the ground. She still looked fairly young for her 33
years, she looked to be maybe 24 years old.
Selphie,
Squall and Rinoa talked for the rest of the ride. They talked mostly about
Selphie’s life and what she’s been doing. Selphie who had retired from being a
SeeD commander had moved to small town in Trabia called Bika with Irvine. They
ran a gun shop that Irvine was mostly into. Selphie mainly organized town
events, that people from all over Trabia came to. Selphie and Irvine had also
agreed that if they were needed at the Garden for anything that they would come
back right away and help out. Selphie told Squall and Rinoa how they received a
call earlier that day to come so Selphie and Irvine came to the Garden right away
using a ship that the Estharian President, Laguna, had given them after the
defeat of Ultimecia 15 years earlier. When they arrived at the Garden Selphie
saw Squall run in and they decided to come to Balamb together to pick up Rinoa
and Aurora, Selphie seemed rather excited to fly since she hadn’t piloted the
Ragnarok since right after the defeat of Ultimecia.
Selphie
noticed that Rinoa seemed worried but didn’t say anything, she decided that it
would be better for her to let Squall and Rinoa work it out.
Selphie
began asking Squall and Rinoa about their life. She asked about their honeymoon
15 years earlier and they told her how it was great to visit places that they
never had a chance to visit. They told about visiting Timber, and seeing Zone
and Watts there, Deling City and how Squall talked Rinoa into seeing her
father, General Caraway who was very happy to see her so happy, with a baby and
a husband. They told her about Fisherman’s Horizon and how they fished for an
entire day and caught nothing and finally about Esthar where they visited
Laguna Loire, Squall’s father.
Selphie
was very interested in Laguna and asked if they were on good terms with him
now. They told her about how they visit him almost once a month and how Squall
finally, after nearly two years, began to like Laguna and his ways. They also
visited Ellone in Esthar, she was always very glad to see them, and how Aurora
was so much like her.
Just
as they finished telling Selphie all about how they lived in Winhill for all
those years. They lived in that abandoned house and how Rinoa taught Aurora
herself with some help from Squall (he taught her battle skills using Rinoa’s
old Shooting Star) and how Rinoa started her own flower shop, they arrived at
Balamb Garden.
Aurora
looked out the window, and stared at the Garden, which was stopped in the
snowfields of Trabia near Trabia Garden. She looked at how the rings around the
Garden turned ever so slightly, and the lights bounced off of them.
The
Ragnarok landed right outside the Garden and they walked inside. Aurora, who
was trailing behind, looked around in awe. The only words that she could come
up with were “what a beautiful place!”. They small gardens with flower’s, the
high ceilings, the beautiful floor designs. It all seemed wonderful to Aurora
who knew nothing more then her small town house, really. They headed from the
front gate to the stairs headed to the elevator, Aurora looked at the students
passing by and heard them saying something about a SeeD test in a few days.
Aurora
heard her father and her mother talking with Selphie about how the Garden
hasn’t changed and how everything’s the same. Just as they arrived at the
elevator the door opened and a man with a long trench coat and another man with
blond spiky hair stepped out. The man with the long trench coat, which was
black, wore a cowboy hat over his short cut hair. The other man had short blond
spiky hair and wore a vest with a black shirt underneath and had dark green
pants on.
Aurora
watched as Selphie ran over to the man in the trench coat and kissed him on the
cheek then held his hand and walked over to her.
“Aurora!
I want you to meet Irvine Kinneas! My husband of 13 years!” exclaimed
Selphie. “Pleased to meet you, Aurora
is it? said Irvine.
“Yes,
nice to meet you too Irvine, I’ve heard about you from my parents, they say
you’re a sharpshooter!” Aurora said politely. “You should teach me one day!”
“I
surely will, miss.” Irvine said as if very excited someone was interested in
learning.
Aurora
looked over at her mother and father. Her mother had a scowl on and Aurora
immediately knew why. Her father however seemed fairly happy that she was
interested in learning something knew. After a short pause the man with the
spiky hair came over and introduced himself to Aurora.
“Hello
Aurora! I’m Zell Dincht, one of your parent’s old friends. I live in Balamb and
your parents say that they actually came to Balamb in the first place to come
and see me and my wife, Clarissa!” Zell said in a loud sort of excited voice.
“I’m pleased to meet ya! But I still can’t believe its you, wow, little Aurora
now 15 years old!”
“Hello,
Zell, I’ve heard a lot about you to and I was excited to come and meet you and
your wife!” Aurora said in a less excited voice, as she knew she didn’t care
much for meeting anymore people that would say things about how she’s growing
up so quickly.
Aurora
looked at Zell who looked at her a moment then turned and walked to the
elevator.
“Shall
we go up?” said Zell.
Aurora
trailed behind again as they all stepped into the elevator, she took one more
look around and thought how beautiful it was and how she would love it to stay
here.
Quistis
stood on the top floor and awaited the arrival of her friends from years ago.
She had seen the Ragnarok land some time ago and knew they’d be arriving at any
minute.
Just
as Quistis turned to walk out of the room the elevator doors opened and Quistis
turned around. She saw Squall and Rinoa walk out followed by Selphie, Irvine
and Zell. Then out of the back of the elevator she saw a young girl with long
flowing blond hair and blue eyes walk out. She looked to be about 16, then
Quisis realized who it was.
Quistis
watched as Squall and Rinoa came straight over and gave her a hug.
“Quistis,
its great to see you again!” said Rinoa excitedly.
“Yes,
I’m so glad to see you too, Quistis!” Squall said quietly but happily.
“Quistis, this is our daughter, Aurora.” Rinoa said even more excited.