The Promise
In the opening FMV, the words of a promise flash by as we are lead up to a scene of Rinoa, standing amongst a beautiful field of flowers.
I'll be here...
Why...?
I'll be 'waiting'... here...
For what?
I'll be waiting... for you... so...
If you come here...
You'll find me.
I promise.
The promise is eventually made at the flower field by the orphanage. Squall and Rinoa are having a deep conversation about the unknown future when she tells him about a nightmare she once had.
Rinoa: "I had a dream. It was a scary dream. We make a promise. We promise to see shooting stars together. I get dressed up and put on your ring. But the thing is, I can't remember where I'm supposed to meet you. I start to panic. I really want to see you, Squall, but I don't know where to go. I start running through the mountains, the desert, the plains... Through Timber, Balamb and Galbadia... When I realize I can't run any longer... I... I just want to see you so badly... So I scream, Squall, where are you!? Then I woke up. I was crying. I'm sorry. You don't have to say anything. I just felt like I had to tell you."Squall: "It was just a dream... It doesn't mean anything. Don't worry about it."
Rinoa: "... I guess you're right."
Squall: "How about this... I'll be here..."
Rinoa: "...Why?"
Squall: "The reason why you couldn't find me was because we haven't promised yet."
Rinoa: "Promised...?"
Squall: "I'll be waiting for you... If you come here, you'll find me. I promise."
Rinoa: "I'll be here, too. It's a promise!"
After the defeat of Ultimecia, Squall ends up lost in time compression, alone and separated from the rest of the party and the two try to find each other.
Rinoa: "Time... place... who I wanna be with... I wanna go there! Where Squall and I promised!" *she looks around, but can't find him* "Squall! Squall! Let's go home! Where are you!?"
Rinoa slowly grows hopeless as she runs endlessly into the empty field. She comes to a halt and gently holds the Griever, desperately trying to hold back her tears. Elsewhere, Squall is on a bleak, deserted island and tries calling out to Rinoa and his friends, but to no avail.
Squall: "Where is everyone!? Rinoa! Where are you!? Zell! Selphie! Quistis! Irvine! Rinoa!" (... Am I... alone? Rinoa? I want to hear your voice. Which way... do I go? I can't make it back... alone.) "Rinoa?" (Am I... all alone again? Where... am I?)
Squall sees an image of Rinoa and calls out to her, but she doesn't turn around. When she finally does, her face is blurry. His mind starts playing flashbacks of Rinoa, but her face is distorted and he can't make out her face. It plays faster and faster until at last he sees Rinoa in her spacesuit, but the glass on her helmet shatters. A tear rolls down his eye and it seems he has given up.
Finally, Rinoa comes through time compression and finds him lying motionless on the ground. She gently takes him in her arms and strokes his cheek as she whispers his name. But Squall doesn't make any response, and not able to hold it in any longer, she cries out and hugs him. At that moment, sunlight bursts through the dark clouds and petals fly around them to reveal the flower field. They are back at the flower field, just as they have promised.