One thing i wanted to point out. The Quistis in this story doesn't really feel like Quistis. I can't imagine her being this violent and aggressive or even being a shoe thrower. I can easily imagine Rinoa, Selphie, or Xu being like that but i can't imagine the stoic good-girl/by-the-book Quistis being like that. I know she's a soldier and all but she feels like the type of person who thinks "I will not stoop down to their level. I'm better than that so I will be the bigger person." She will only resort to violence when she really needs to.

The only way i could see her being like your Quistis is after she dates Seifer for a few months/years (because he's the type of guy to drive his girlfriend's crazy) which is why I wasn't too bothered by how she was in the sequel to this.

There were countless scenes that captured my heart, but my very favorite was when Seifer was trying to absorb the mag-poisoning from Quistis: "'Draw.' Each word was an act of love…each command to feel her pain, to take it from her.” Thank you for the stunning epilogue and its beautiful imagery. This was truly the most phenomenal work of fanfiction I've ever read, and I'll be thinking about it for a really long time.

Really loved your work. Some parts made me feel emotional - that's what a good writer can do. Add to fav. Bravo.

I think I've read this five times now. Still the best fanfic out there after all these years! A real masterpiece!

Bravo!

I SO didn’t have tears in my eyes at the scene of Seifer and Quistis in the snow. Nope I TOTALLY did not. Okay... I lied, I got teary eyed multiple times because of all the heart feels. This was the moment I knew this was one amazing fic. 5th time reading this over the years. I’m still so grateful you wrote and finish this beautiful work.

Late to the party by more than a decade, I finally came across to this masterpiece! I can't thank enough for the author's talent! Quistis has always been my favorite character but her beauty, smartness and strength were not well depicted in the game. This story completes her and Seifer. I can't help thinking this is an official sequal of ffviii. fantastic work!

I've read this YEARS ago and this story has been stuck in my mind for all these years. Just reread this today. Thank you altol for such an amazing story. This took me back to my teenage years when I discovered the Final Fantasy world and this is so well written that it makes you feel like a sequel to the actual game. I thought characters like Seifer and Quistis deserved a proper ending and I wish Square-Enix would adopt this as a sequel. In any way thank you altol for taking the time to create such an amazing story and I hope we get to read more stories in the future.

just read this again, after a very long time away, and realizing how formative this was in my teen years. so many lines in here are burned into my brain, and i didn't realize. coming back to this was so powerfully nostalgic. just wanted to let you know this still exists and means a lot to me, in my heart and mind, and i haven't forgotten it.

This was a very well written story. I admit, I cried in some of the chapters, especially the ending. Sad and happy tears alike.
I'm glad Seifer and Quistis found their happy ending together.
A happy... beautiful ending.

I have read this story some years before, and only now did I notice, while re-reading again, that Dr. Sitrom is Rigor Mortis backwards! Lol. Clever!

you're an amazing writer! and i love all the game of thrones references :)

I love the similarities between the situation of Quistis and Edea (chapter 21) - first love with a soldier, but these soldiers died and so Quistis/Edea moved on (to Serabin and Cid). But Edea had the uniform and knew her soldier was dead, so she settled to a live with Cid and was "happy". Quistis knew that Seifer was dead, but there was no evidence so she hoped and with it grieved too long. She would have been happy with Serabin too, but just not on that level as with Seifer. She had this short relationship with Serabin because she was haunted by her own demons, Seifers and Cid's death and because Serabin was "nice" and offered comfort. She could have a nice and content life with him - just like Edea and Cid, but never truly and totally happy.

I think thats wonderfully shown in the last few chapters - even the ghost of the night/the relationship she had with Seifer was enough to not accept Serabins offer (even if Seifer treated her like shit after their night together). Then when Seifer Comes back, she's angry but when he asks her to come with him, she accepts nearly instantly.

I really liked Serabin, and thats why I think it's sad for him - he loved Quistis but after Seifer she knew she wanted someone who challenged her more, so in the end as long as Seifer is alive he never had a chance. For her, he was just too boring.

And in the ending she has her house, her knight and her dog. He finally found a worthy queen and gave the ring to his special other.

Tl; dr: Loved the story, also because it showed some real emotions and not everything was just sunshine and butterflies.

I've read this fic over and over again and I still haven't gotten tired of it!

Just wanted to let you know, when I'm feeling..strange..., I always go back to this chapter to make me feel better about the world. The suspense of Seifer running into-and making amends with, more or less-everyone BUT Quistis I'm sure made everyone stop breathing, and the made the payoff at the end THAT much fulfilling. Cheesy as it sounds, it really does make my poor shipper heart soar. Thank you, once again, for sharing your vision with all of us, and I hope you're still writing in any capacity today.