Final Fantasy VIII: Tears of the Moon

Prologue

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

One of the most challenging things about loving something is that line between fandom and real art. In 1999 a company named SquareSoft (now Square Enix) created the eight (sixteenth) installment in their would be 'Last-Series'. They had had an unsurpassed success in its predecessor. The events of Final Fantasy VII had brought to the surface a true love of the Turn Based RPG in the third dimension. And not only that, the art, media, and explosion of letters and communication at the birth of the social Internet surprised everyone involved. The story of Squall and Rinoa was met with mixed reviews. The Draw system was, at the best of times, a challenge. It forced the player to grind at the onset of the game in order to successfully master the central mechanics. And it turned Magic into a commodity most players were afraid to use in order to progress through the game. Changing your stats via items you had to consume to progress in battle was hard for most. And the GF learning system was confusing for most. VIII represents a mixed beloved favorite, and loathed 'skip', depending on which kind of fan you talk to.

But the story was a beautiful one. And for some of us, a defining moment in our lives. In creating this Novella, my goal was simply reflect the artistry put into the game as a whole. I wanted to paint a portrait of the game in a different medium to allow those who don't fall into the gamer dichotomy, those who loved the games, and those who never gained an appreciation for it to experience it in a new light. I hope that you find this adventure true to the original even every way. And in some way, that it rekindles the love of the SeeDs and their adventures to save the world from time, sorceresses, and the power of hate.

Please enjoy this journey, and remember that this creation was a labor of love. Something long overdo, and that a piece of all of us lives within it. And remember, the sidequests are extra, and not necessary to the main story. Feel free to enjoy them, as they're where I took creative liberties in order to fill in the world.

Don't forget to save. Sit in a room with plenty of light. And drink water... because you can never fail, drinking water.

PROLOGUE

Squall sad dejectedly in the hard mounted seats of the second floor lecture hall of Balamb Garden. His finger glanced over the surface of his terminal, sliding from subject to subject. His teacher, a slender straw-color haired woman named Quistis stood at the head of the room, opposite a large curved blue desk.

"The core of all good battle techniques..." she prattled on. Absently, he thought that she must enjoy the sound of her own voice. During the morning lectures she always seemed to have an expression of satisfaction when she pulled out one of the hollow boards and began sliding through content she'd prepared. 'Some day' he thought 'I might even remember what one of them is about.'

"Squall?"

He continued passing from one content screen to the other. Each contained a different selection of help tool-tips about his home, Balamb Garden. He pinched his fingers and the screen zoomed out from the Cafeteria overview, and onto an overhead depiction of the Garden itself. He noted that his current position on floor two was highlighted by a yellow box. Next period's hydroponics lesson was highlighted in green on the layer below, and across the ring. Garden, he noted, was so perfectly symmetrical. Each classroom and facility was spaced evenly around the central spire which marked the elevator platform to the upper levels. The headmaster's quarters was all he could recall being above him, but he had never ventured up to the third floor. Partially because he had never needed to, and partially because he was pretty sure there was a pass-code, or key-card needed to go up any farther.