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Final Fantasy VIII
Not Quite What Squall Thought
"Squall, do you want to talk about it?" Rinoa asked, putting
her arms around the man she loved. She had good news for him,
but sensed that this was not the time to tell him.
"I was so sure," Squall told her. "We even took his surname
when we married. I mean look at him, Rinnie. How could he not
be my father?"
"I thought so, too, Squall," Rinoa admitted. "Look even if he's
not your father, that doesn't mean you can't be related."
"I know," Squall told her. "But it doesn't matter quite as much."
"Squall, major trouble," Zell announced, rushing in. "We gotta get
the hell outta here."
"Well head down the B-Route to..." Squall began.
"No good." Dr. Odine told them. "Only way out is by way of Junction
Machine Ellone. I can't be sure where you'll end up, so be careful."
Rinoa was going to protest when the sounds of artillery outside
changed her mind.
"Start it up," Squall told Dr. Odine. "Hang on, everyone."
The world shifted and twisted itself into a new reality.
Squall breathed in the fresh air, and frowned. "Galbadia. Where
the hell is Esthar?"
"Wherever we are, this spatial location must be where Esthar will be when
we depart." Rinoa realised. "Not that it matters where this is. I can't
go hopping all around the world looking for a home we all agree on in
my condition."
Squall dropped his gunblade. "Your... condition?"
Rinoa smiled. "I'm five months pregnant, Squall."
Squall followed his gunblade to the ground.
"Congratulations, Papa!" Zell thumped him on the back.
Squall just sat on the grass in shock.
"I hope the others got to safety as well." Rinoa said, worriedly.
"I'm sure they did." Zell assured her, as they stopped at a shop
and bought a copy of the morning paper.
"So, do you know what the baby's gonna be?"
Rinoa nodded. "The doctor told me yesterday. I was going to tell
Squall on his birthday. But I guess I can tell you both now. I'm
having a baby boy."
Zell beamed and redoubled his offer of congratulations.
Squall looked at the paper, then at this wife, then at Zell.
"I bet he's gonna be a champion gunblader like his old man when
he grows up." Zell told Squall.
Squall sighed. "I somehow think he'll prefer to use a machine gun."
(End)