Dark clouds followed by darkness rippled over the continent within seconds. Death was in the air....after thirty years another friends life has been taken away unexpectedly. One of the last. I was the only one left out of us six. We had many memories together...many good and bad memories. I loved them all like my family. One by one they were taken from me. And now I, and only I, stand here before their cold graves cursing the day the Grim Reaper took each one of their souls.

The moon shined brightly down upon me as I read each grave aloud to myself.

"'Zell Dincht, age 25, cause of death: train wreck. A lovable guy, one who was very emotional and sensitive who would put others before him. We all shall miss him. R.I.P.'"

I remembered what had happened that day... He was coming from Balamb to visit Rinoa and I in Esthar. He went to FH and got on the train there. Halfway, the train malfunctioned and tumbled off it's tracks.

"All aboard for train going to Esthar!" The conductor shouted as a last call. Zell immediately rose from he place sitting on a bench near the train, with bags in hand and strolled over to the entrance of the train. The conductor nodded to him as he went on inside. Zell plopped down in an empty seat next to the window.

"This'll be great..." He whispered to himself. He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. Soon after, the train took off toward it's destination.

Minutes later the train made a horrible sway to the side. Zell awoke with a jerk and looked around frantically.

"What the hell was that!?" He shouted. A woman in the seat next to him looked at him, but stayed silent.

The train swayed to the other side, this time more violently. Zell hit the glass painfully as the woman to her side fell against him while other passengers fell to the same side, many to the floor, others kept themselves in their seats. Many cries and screams of terror filled the train as it tumbled off it tracks and plummeted into the water below.

There were no survivors... When I found out about it, a piece of me had died with him. A piece I could never revive. I would never see my friend again...

I closed my eyes and reopened them, now looking at the grave next to it.

"'Selphie Tilmitt, age 27, cause of death: collapsed lung. A hyper, high-spirited young woman. Always kept her hopes up when the odds were near impossible to overcome. She will be missed by many. R.I.P.'"

We went out to Balamb Garden to see how things were going. They had thrown a party for us. We didn't even notice Selphie had stopped breathing in a nearby chair.

Lights and music engulfed the decorated ballroom. Rinoa and I had danced the waltz, this time no flaws from me. Irvine was hitting on Quistis and every other girl in the room. I thought I saw Zell sitting at a table eating hot dogs. I knew for a fact he was dead, but, he was there, at least for awhile. I blinked once and looked in the same direction. The figure gave me the thumbs up sign and...disappeared. It was my imagination. I have always had the mind set that the six of us were, and have always been together. That was no longer the way it was...

Selphie approached Rinoa and I, her breathing unsettling.

"What's wrong Sefie?" Rinoa asked, concerned.

It took a few moments for Selphie to speak, "I...need to sit...down...ok? Enjoy the...party.." She forced a smile and walked away from us to sit down and rest. I frowned a bit as I watched Selphie walk away, something did not feel right.

Irvine came running over to us a few seconds after Selphie walked away, "Hey guys! where's Selphie!?" He asked, sounding unusually excited.

I pointed to where I saw her run off to, he nodded and took off in that direction...

By the time Irvine got there...it was too late. She meant more to me then I ever thought. I took her hyper active spirit and kind state of mind for granted. I took them all for granted.

I slowly moved my eyes to the next grave...

"'Irvine Kinneas, age 29, cause of death: murdered. This lady's man was one of the best shooters around the world. Who seemed to be uncaring, was really a soft gentle man. He will be missed dearly. R.I.P.'"

Murdered....Murdered before my very eyes... His jealous ex-girlfriend. She had come up behind Irvine without a hint of warning and slit his throat.

We began walking around the abandoned parkway--Irvine wanted to talk to me about something and he had yet to tell me what. A grin spread across his face before he spoke, "How are things between you and Rinoa?"

I rolled my eyes, he hasn't changed, "Fine...why do you ask?"

He chuckled, "Just wondering. Did you know Quisty and I are an item?"

My eyes widen in amazement, "Your kidding right!?"

He burst out into laughter, "Of course not! Why would I lie?" I just stared at him, but stayed silent. "Why didn't I see it before? Me and her, her and me, it was fate."

"You said that about Sel--" I hastily bit my tongue before finishing that painful sentence. Zell, Selphie, it was too much. Quistis had a hard time dealing with it, and Irvine was in no better shape--none of us took it well..

That was when she came....Danielle. A woman from Galbadia he was with for 3 weeks. She quickly became obsessed with him.

Before I could use Cure on him, it was too late for him. I couldn't believe my eyes. Another one bites the dust...

The memories flooded my mind. I tried to push them out but they persisted. I held back the tears that tried to force their way out as I came upon the next grave..

"'Quistis Trepe, age 33, cause of death: suicide. A woman of many accomplishments. Caring and wise. Was a shame she took her own life. She will be missed by all. May she rest in peace.'"

I closed my eyes now forcing the tears back. I wasn't exactly sure what happened. She became 2nd in command at Balamb Garden. She began to write books such as "The Lonely Star" and "Days of Darkness". She wasn't happy. She had told me how lonely she was after Irvine had been murdered. . .

"So. . . how's it going Quistis?" Xu asked her while they sat at their favorite table in the Cafeteria.

"Fine . . ." Quistis replied, obviously lying. Xu frowned but didn't pursue to find the source of her depression, though she had a feeling it had to do with Irvine.

A tall woman strolled over to their table and sat down beside Xu, "Guess what!? Irvine has become a legend here! Some kids where going through his stuff in his old dorm and found his little black book that must have been 10 years old! I don't know why chicks went crazy over him, he wasn't all that great, and I heard he had an ego the size of--"

"Shut up Susan!" Xu scolded. She turned her attention to Quistis who stayed silent, tears slowly filling her eyes.

Susan sunk down in her chair, "Sorry . . . I--"

Quistis choked on her words. "Ex--cuse me..." She jumped up from her seat and ran out of the Cafeteria through the long line of students trying to get their hands on some hot dogs.

Xu frowned and looked at Susan, "Keep your big mouth shut next time!"

The story goes, she went into her room and locked the door. The next morning she did not come out. A day went by and they finally opened the door only to find she had hung herself with her whip.

I lost my self control and began to cry as I saw the final grave...

"'Rinoa Leonhart, age 47 cause of death: killed. A stubborn young woman wed to Squall Leonhart. Formally part of a rebellion organization called the "Forest Owls". She will be deeply missed. R.I.P.'"

I collapsed to the ground in grief as the painful memory entered my mind. It was horribly irony how she died. The same way her mother Julia did. She got into a car accident, head on. The driven was a 17 year-old kid with four other passengers in the car. No one survived. She left behind our 17 year old daughter . . . .

I was destroyed. Nearly everyone I had ever loved or cared about was gone. Rinoa, Quistis, Zell, Irvine, and Selphie . . . . all taken away from me.

Seifer walked up behind me and placed his hand on my shoulder before he sighed in grief.

"What horrible tragedies . . . I miss them too . . . " He removed his hand and folded his arms across his chest, "but you know Squall . . . you mourn and move on. It sounds harsh and cruel but . . . . that's life."

I sighed deeply but stayed silent.

"I know how you feel . . . I know exactly how you feel. Remember Squall, their all looking down and smiling at you."

Thirty years ago, I would have never thought twice about showing any kind of emotion to Seifer. Things change, people change.

I hung my head and quietly sobbed. Seifer patted my back and chuckled slightly.

"You know . . . thirty years ago if you did this in front of me, I would have felt this was a good chance to kill ya."

I smiled through my weeps and laughed quietly. I looked up to see Seifer beaming.

"Let's get out of here Seifer . . . "

He laughed, "That's the spirit! You have Headmaster duties to get to Headmaster . . . . "

"Well you have commander duties, commander. . . ." I retorted

"Yo dad!" Fawna yelled from the car. Fawna . . .my daughter . . . .our daughter . . . .she looked just like her mother.

"Let's get movin'! I have a SeeD exam in twenty minutes!"

I nodded and turned to walk to the car. Things weren't as bad as I had perceived them to be. I had my daughter, Fawna and Seifer, my friend . . .

I still felt empty inside. Though it doesn't seem like it, and I may deny it, I am and always will be a loner . . . .

The End