[Action]

[paradoxdestined.livejournal.com]

[Squall didn't understand it at all. This sort of letter from Cid... Welcome back? Time Compression? He'd thought they'd finished with all this... Hadn't that been what Matron had said? That there was an end? ...He didn't know anymore.

What he did know was the letter said to go see Cid. If that was the case this time couldn't be too far removed from his own. ...Unless this was a different Cid. ... ... ...He didn't even want to think about it.

He just wanted to understand what was going on. That and get back to Rinoa and their friends. His Garden.

To that end he read his letter one more time before folding it in half and making his way across the main floor lobby towards the elevator. If he stared a bit at things as he went, it couldn't be help. So many things looked the same, but just as much so many things were different. Different people certainly. He didn't know any of those he was passing by...]

Comments

[noras-boy.livejournal.com]

[Hope had just found his new schedule and was wandering around reading it. He was vaguely walking towards the library, wanting to get some preliminary reading done. He couldn't help feeling a little excited.

He saw the guy looking not quite lost, but confused. He looked older than Hope, but... He knew that look. He had been wearing it himself only a couple of months earlier.]

Hey... Are you okay?

[paradoxdestined.livejournal.com]

[He glanced at Hope. He didn't recognize this kid at all...]

Yeah. [...] What year is it? Do you know?

[Cid hadn't really included that. Was he in the past, future or some alternate parallel world here?]

[noras-boy.livejournal.com]

Oh. Um.

[Ah. Small detail. Hope really didn't know what the year was here...]

Sorry, I don't actually know. I've not been here very long and... I guess I haven't had to write a date yet.

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

[]

Something wrong, Commander?

[paradoxdestined.livejournal.com]

[There is a long moment of staring]

Who are you?

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

[]

Uh, Espio? I've been here over a year, and I'm not the most forgettable person...

[rebellingheart]

[Speaking of familiar people, Rinoa's getting off the elevator with an armful of books when she sees him. Thankfully there's nothing too important in that lot as she promptly drops most of them.]

Squall? [She heads over toward him, squinting as she looks him over carefully to make sure he's okay.] What happened? It's like you just vanished! Quistis and I, we've been looking all over for you.

[20 years have supposedly past for him, but here Rinoa looks pretty much just the same as she always has despite being a year older.]

[paradoxdestined.livejournal.com]

[Squall's eyes widen in surprise when he hears that voice, but almost immediately he feels more at ease. Rinoa's here. And Quistis? A part of him he didn't even know had been tensed relaxes.

Putting a hand on his hip he shakes his head.]

Have you? [...] Rinoa... What's going on?

[rebellingheart]

[She's heard of this happening before and it's even something that's happened to their group before, with Zell. At the same time this, with Squall, well... TC's never hit closer to home.

Once again Rinoa finds herself wishing she could curse Time Compression for everything it's done to her friends.]

You don't remember, do you? Quistis, you, and me... we've been here in the future for almost a year now. Then you disappeared almost a month ago without a word.

[She takes a step closer, not really sure how to take this.]

Now you're back and it's like you don't even remember having been here! [In a rare show of temper, she stomps a foot crankily.] Oh I hate time compression!

[Later she'll probably realize that it's for the best, after all maybe they can start things over.]

[gunblade-grrl.livejournal.com]

[OHMIGODOHMIGODOHMIGOD]

[Squall has picked up a follower, a wide-eyed girl who's fallen into step behind him without even realizing it because oh god it's Squall!]

[paradoxdestined.livejournal.com]

[For a while he just keeps walking, but... even he can't keep ignoring this. Stopping he turns around.]

Why are you following me?

[gunblade-grrl.livejournal.com]

S-sir!

[Her effort at a proper SeeD salute are lacking, but it's a pretty darn good effort for someone who's never taken a Conduct course.]

S-sorry, sir. I've.. I've seen you once before and it made an impression. I didn't even realize I was... following you, sir.

[dumpsterdives.livejournal.com]

[ Kiden hasn't exactly been at Garden for a very long time--barely a day. She's been outfitted with a schedule, a dorm room, all the bells and whistles she'll need for her life here and then sent out, for better or for worse. Mostly for worse.

She's located some cigarettes and has settled down for people watching. A young man goes by; he can't be older than Bobby, she thinks, and he seems just as weathered. He has the same lost look in his eyes that the others have (the ones affected by that fucking 'Time Compression' business) but walks with more purpose.

Curious, she watches him pass, gently puffing smoke rings. ]

[paradoxdestined.livejournal.com]

[On the one hand. Smoking's not allowed in Garden. On the other hand... what does he look like, the Disciplinary Committee? A bit of staring before... you know what, screw it. He needs some answers, this is driving him crazy. He walks over.]

Do you know what's going on here?

[dumpsterdives.livejournal.com]

[ She returns his staring--and on closer inspection, she has to bite back a laugh. Where the hell does this guy shop, 'Hookers R Us'? She's grinning like a minx when he does finally decide to come up, and his question makes her snort. She taps out the ashes of her cigarette before answering. ]

Don't ask me, I just got here. This crazy Time Compression shit's been plucking a bunch of people out of their homes. Apparently that means I'm going back to high school or something. [ Another drag. There are not enough smokes in the world to prepare her for this. ]

[subjected]

[ It must be pretty interesting being unintentionally famous, huh? Of course, Claire has no idea that Squall probably won't recognize her, and blinks when he passes by without hardly even looking at her. In fact, he seems... confused? ]

... Welcome back, Commander Leonhart.

[paradoxdestined.livejournal.com]

[He looks up at that. ...This is going to be rude, but whatever, he's so confused:]

Who are you?

[subjected]

[ ... Oh. Well, she knew he hadn't been around, but... ]

Instructor Claire Farron. [ Her lips press together, eyes narrowed by a bit in confusion. ] You are Squall Leonhart, aren't you?

[ As if there's any mistaking him, but there's also the possibility of him not being the commander, somehow. That would be awfully unfortunate- at least Leon looks older. ]

[brightens]

[ Squall is probably not surprised to see yet another person staring at him, and then waving. ]

Hi..!

[paradoxdestined.livejournal.com]

[Nope, but she's the first one to say hi and actually look happy to see him FFF he just... stares. Yep.]

...Which one are you.

[Because he must know her right? People don't just wave at strangers... right?]

[brightens]

Ah... Which one?

[ She cants her head to the side, squinting in confusion. Believe it or not, she is the type of person to wave and say hello to people she doesn't know... But in his case, they met, once. And she forced him to eat cookies. ]

[eggplantallergy]

[On his way to use the computers, stopping abruptly at the sight of Squall. He gives a perfect salute.]

Commander! It's good to see you around, sir!

[paradoxdestined.livejournal.com]

...

[You know what? He's not going to even question it anymore. Just returning that salute.]

...Right. Have you seen the Headmaster? [small pause] Or Zell?

[He was Mr. Know-It-All-Zell after all...]

[whiplashings.livejournal.com]

[Luckily, Quistis had just been exiting the elevator when she spots Squall. There's a bit of shock at seeing him there, considering how he's been missing-- but after it sets in that he had, in fact, returned, her expression only reflect relief.]

Good to see you back, Squall. Where have you been?

orz I didn't see this I'm sorry /facepalm don't feel you have to reply to this FFF

[paradoxdestined.livejournal.com]

[Wordlessly he holds out his letter from Cid welcoming him back and telling him that Cid would explain everything. He's heard some things, but... He thought all of this was over. He doesn't understand.]

I don't think I'm the Squall you're looking for. What's going on?