I do not own ff8 and never will all characters are property of Square Enix and yeah you know the rest

Stuck in the Past

Chapter 1 the machine with no particular purpose

It had started off as a seemingly ordinary mission no assassinations or evil sorceresses just a routine patrol of Odine’s laboratory. Well that’s what their briefing was, there had been attempts made to steal something very important from Odine’s lab so hence the 6 heroes had been sent to defend it, Seifer had just become a seed so he was just there in case they needed extra help.

Rinoa had stuck behind Squall as they had been dating for a few months now and well Squall was being overprotective in case Odine tried to experiment on her Rinoa had also been made a SeeD and was now welcomed on missions. Seifer had recently come back to garden and resat the SeeD exam and passed. Quistis had been given back her license and was on the mission as a break from teaching; she was a SeeD after all.

Zell was his usual self and had developed a crush on the pig tailed library girl; recently he was planning to ask her out after this mission was over. Then that left Irvine and Selphie both had transferred permanently to Balamb Garden after the victory against Ultimecia. Selphie stayed Balamb to be with Irvine or Irvy as she affectionately called him.

Well it was fine at first, they defeated anyone tried to get in without any injuries. Soon night came leaving the teen to split up into groups. Rinoa as well as Quistis and Selphie were fast asleep. So the guys were the only ones awake in the silent laboratory guarding a machine that had no use other than be seemingly dangerous or that’s what Odine had told them.

Seifer, Zell and Squall were staring at the machine they were guarding bored out of their minds; it was oddly shaped, but did look a bit like an old fashioned clock.

Irvine had been talking to Selphie but, now that she was asleep he had no choice but to stare blankly at the odd machine with the others. “Hey want do you suppose it does?” Zell asked.

“If you ask me I think Odine reinvented the cuckoo clock and those guys who want it just are just planning to sell it off for money” Irvine remarked. “As if”. If it were a cuckoo clock then why would we be stuck guarding it.” Seifer asked, as he chuckled lightly. Squall didn’t join in the conversation but was pulled back to the memory of the previous morning.

The group of SeeDs had just arrived at Esthar for the mission, after a short briefing by Dr Odine in the Laboratory they’d be guarding; Odine had showed them what they were guarding. Seifer looked at it sceptically “What the fuck is this thing?” he had said aloud, Zell had said something along the lines of it looking like a worthless clock. “That is zee greatest invention yet” Odine boasted proudly glaring at those who made remarks about it.

Zell shrugged “So what does it do shorty?” he asked innocently, Odine smiled proudly which looked very weird, then went over to show them the control panel, everyone blinked “Come on show me what does this thing can fuckin do!” Seifer demanded impatiently but received a scolding look from Quistis.

Odine looked at them before saying, “it does a lot of things and I am not to be called shorty” he replied, Irvine had been too busy talking to pay attention. “Huh..?” he said looking confused at everyone else in the room. Squall sighed also getting impatient and finally spoke, “in other words you have no idea” he said in answer to Irvine’s question.

Odine smiled simply replying, “you are a smart one.” back to Squall, who’s expression did not change and just replied “whatever”.

And here they were almost 16 hours later stuck in a dark and silent laboratory while staring at the odd machine that had yet to have a useage, Seifer finally out of boredom stood up “hey chicken wuss” he mocked.

Zell got up gloved fists pointed at Seifer “what you just say” he growled, Seifer let out a cocky laugh while squall just looked away ignoring the childishness of his two comrades.

Seifer smirked “swatting fly’s again Zell”, Zell was furious “why you” he growled again, Irvine sighed as well ignoring Zell and Seifer and putting his cowboy hat over his eyes.

“Hey chicken wuss dare you to push the big red button on Odines useless machine” Seifer dared, Zell shook his head. Seifer however wasn’t going to give up “so you’re a chicken then” Seifer remarked.

Zell growled furiously then sighed “fine then” he snapped back at Seifer causing one of the girls to almost wake up “huh…”before going to sleep again. Seifer laughed “come on Zell you a chicken” he mocked.

Then Zell pressed it just to shut Seifer up “see it doesn’t do anything” Zell stated bluntly when it didn’t react.

However a bright light appeared and covered the whole room then they all felt rather sleepy all of a sudden.

---

Squall had a rude awaking to say the least from a young girl about seven who had jumped onto the bed smiling at him in a blue chobocco nightie.

Squall glared at her “nice to see you too Squall” the girl chanted pushing hair away from his face.

“Was my hair this short” he thought to himself, he tried to get up but was mesmerised by the girl “who is this girl she looks familiar somehow” Squall thought to himself staring at the girl again.

“Who are you and what are you doing on top of my bed” he said in his thoughts but never out loud, the girl scowled “Squall what’s wrong your usually so happy to see me” she said back obviously upset.

He tried to think how he knew her then a name came to mind but there was no way it could be her, well there was only one way to know “Ellone...” he stuttered out not wanting her to confirm his fears.

She smiled “yes Squall how could you forget” she said messing up his hair, Squall pushed her hand away and slumped onto the pillow wanting the nightmare to end now, and slipping into deep thought.

His thoughts however were interrupted for the second time by a woman in a simple black dress entering the room “good morning children time to get up”.

Squall groaned and looked at three other beds with three sleeping kids in it “I hope I’m not the only one stuck like this” he thought to himself ,the girl smiled at him “I’m just going to wake the other girls up matron” he heard the young girl from before say.

Squall groaned and finally sat up again looking himself over ,he wanted to panic when he saw how puny his hands were ,but was put out of his thoughts by Seifer screaming out “look lady I ain’t no bloody child”.

Squalls usual frown turned to one of slight amusement it was obvious he wasn’t the only one here and that Seifer had yet to realise what had happened. Needless to say he soon realised he wasn’t at Odine’s lab anymore and his expression went from anger and annoyance too a very scared look of horror. The young woman frowned then proceeded to scold him “Seifer where ever did you learn such language” she scolded then continued “I never want to hear that language again now get dressed and don’t let me hear such language again or it’ll be timeout for you young man” Seifer was reduced to a stunned expression.

“I just got treated like a small child” Seifer whimpered, Squall sighed then commented “you are a little kid”.

What’s going to happen, how Quistius, Selphie and the others react, will wait till the next exciting chapter of Stuck in time.

Please do tell me what you think and yeah, I know its late but happy new year.