Crossed Fates

Chapter eight : Hidden Childhood

Authors note. The 19 year old Squall and Clouds words/thoughts/actions will be enclosed by < >.

"SQUALL!"

"Go away Seifer."

"No way Squally boy, I'm not letting you out of my sight."

The eight year old Squall swore to himself he'd get away from Seifer today.

The young Squall dodged out of the room that he had to share with Seifer, ran through the one that belonged to Irvine and Zell before jumping through the window of Quistis and Selphie's room. He pressed his tiny body against the wall below the lodge. "Worry about yourself Seifer." He made a dash for the gate. "I'm going to find sis!"

<'So that's what was going through my mind.'>

<'You really didn't know?'>

<'No, I couldn't remember. The GF's...'>

They followed the small Squall. The young boy gasped as he saw what was over the next hill. He saw a group of young men and women battling a figure that belonged in science fiction novels. It had no face, just a light. It's body could not have existed in nature.

There were six people who faced it.

One was holding back. She had brown hair flicked up just below her ears and wore a sunshine yellow dress. She was tending a young woman in a pink outfit and a man in a tan coat and cowboy hat. Facing the creature were a beautiful young woman in a blue outfit and a blonde man in blue denim shorts. The final one was attacking at that precise moment. He was using a weapon with a light blue blade. It was a gunblade. The one dressed in black cried "LION HEART!" And attacked it without mercy.

"Wow..." The young one breathed. "I want to be like that!"

<'That's you, isn't it?'!>

<'Over there, attacking Ultimecia? Yeah that was me. One of my limit breaks. No where near as good as Zell's though.' He paused. 'We all thought we were facing Ultimecia in Space. But I remember watching part of the battle now. Ultimecia must have put out an illusion to try and confuse us.'>

The small Squall turned back to the orphanage. "Lion heart. Like me. I want to be able to fight like that." As he looked up a silver objet cleaved through the air to land in the ground at his feet. "A gunblade."

It was a very simple weapon, not even up to the standard of a revolver, but he fell in love with it all the same. He picked it up and stared down the blade. It was slightly curved, he'd have to repair it before he could use it. He decided to hide it out here, then matron wouldn't be able to complain about it. It was about time he had a way to protect Edea's house. If he'd had it sooner, he might have been able to save Sis.

He hid the weapon at the edge of the forest in a patch of ivy. "I'll come back to you later. I'd better get back to Matron." He ran all the way, avoiding all the monsters that had started to fill the lands around Edea's house. He saw the Matron and a tall young man with a scarred face and a gunblade.

<'Three of you in one place?'>

<'I always thought one of me was enough.'>

<'The younger one's about eight or nine. How old are you there?' He pointed to the Squall talking to Edea.>

<'Seventeen.'>

<'Seventeen? You faced that Ultimecia when you were seventeen?'>

<'Well, yeah. Why?'>

<'No reason.'>

"Who's he?" The young Squall asked.

"Don't worry. You're the only Squall allowed here." She turned to the other. "Do you know how to get back?"



<'We follow the young one. I think there's something else I'm supposed to see.'>

Edea escorted the young Squall back into the orphanage. "Please Squall, don't run away like that again."

"I didn't matron. I went to look for Sis."

"I know, but you have to be careful."

"I will, I will." He went back to his room in silence. His thoughts were full of the gunblade he had found. He was trying to work out how he could make it better... 'Maybe Zell would have something in those magazines he has.' He didn't notice Seifer hiding behind the door as he entered the room. "I hope so..."

"Hope? What hope? You don't have any against me. Come on Squall." Seifer launched himself at Squall. He hit the brown haired boy square in the back and they tumbled to the floor, rolling over and over. Squall's shoulder hit the stone wall of the room. "You've escaped from me once today, you won't do it again."

Squall threw Seifer off. "Leave me alone. I've never done anything to you!" Seifer aimed a punch at Squall's face, he avoided it at the last moment and it just glanced his cheek. Pushing him away, Squall managed to knock Seifer to the ground. "Leave me alone Seifer."

"Never." Again the ten year old boy threw his body at Squall. This time the back of Squall's head hit the corner of the table and he stood up, dazed and confused. 'If I don't do something now, he's going to kill me.' He thought. As Seifer ran at him once more Squall lifted a foot and gently placed it on Seifer's stomach. He grabbed hold of Seifer's shoulders and using his momentum against him, threw Seifer over him and onto the bed behind. Seifer cried out and Zell and Irvine dashed in, closely followed by Selphie and Quistis.

"You bully!" Irvine shouted.

"Yeah, leave him alone you big meanie!" Selphie added.

"Come on Squall." Zell pulled him up.

"Let's go and get you cleaned up." Quistis said.

It was only as Squall let her lead him away that Zell saw the blood running down Squall's neck. He turned to Seifer. "You know something? One of these days you're gonna push him too far and he'll snap. He'll fight back."

"He did today, you little chickenwuss. I suppose you taught him that dirty trick, didn't you?"

"Huh? What trick?"

"Go ask him."

"I will."


The Following night :


"I've told you not to go out onto the fields before Squall."

"Sorry Matron."

"Get some sleep now, you need to rest. That monster hurt you pretty badly."

"Okay." He closed his eyes. When she'd left, he looked up. "That monsters name was Seifer, Matron. And how can I sleep with him near me? With one eye open I suppose."



<'Oh yeah. This was just the first time, and it was only with his fists. Then next one was with gunblades.'>

Zell entered the room. "If I was you, I'd have killed him."

Squall shrugged. "Whatever."

"Anyway, I just dropped in to say happy birthday."

"It's my birthday?"

"August 23rd. Matron told us. You're nine today."

"Some birthday present."

"Yeah, at least he's limping. You nearly broke his ankle. I've seen the bruises."

Squall laughed. "I wish it had been his neck."

"Me too. That boy's gonna end up dead by the time he's twenty."

"And you'll make sure of that, won't you Zell?"

"Ohhh yeah!"

They grinned at each other.

<'Eventually, the constant attacks go to me. I became more and more withdrawn. That's probably the last time I smiled until I met Rinoa.'>



<'Don't know. The prison maybe?> <'It's all up to you, lead the way.'>

Authors notes.

Yeah, I don't like Seifer. He reminds me of a guy at sixthform, only he has blonde hair and the twit I have to suffer is a redhead. They're one and the same, theres no way anyone can be that obnoxious alone. mail me.