Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 8....

Summary: AU!! Squall Leonhart loves dueling and when a tournament arises, he's all over it. Determined to win, he signs up. But what he doesn't know is that an interesting prize is waiting for the victor at the end... a VERY interesting prize. !!Squinoa!!

~* Kokoro *~

~ Chapter 1: Blades are What Dreams are Made of ~

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"Squall!" Zell called, popping his head into Squall's dorm room. Seeing nothing darkness he pulled his head out. He sighed and looked to the others.

"Not there either?" Selphie asked, cocking her head to the slightly.

"Nope... unless he's sleeping." Zell said as he looked back to the door, as if Squall would step out any second.

"I don't think he'd be sleeping, Zell. He has better things to do than sleep on a Saturday." Quistis stated. "He must be somewhere else!" Quistis said, stating the obvious as she began walk away.

"No shit Sherlock!" Irvine shouted as he followed Quistis.

"Dig a little deeper Watson!" Selphie shouted next.

"Found it Sherlock!" Zell yelled as caught up with all of them as they laughed.

*

"Hit him again, Squall!" Nida screamed from behind him.

"I know, I know! He just won't stop doing that damn halo thingy!" Squall complained as he fiddled with the controller, making the character on screen move around.

"Watch out!" Nida screamed in Squall's ear. The scream temporarily stunned Squall, which caused him to drop the controller and the character to die.

"Stupid game..." Squall sighed as he set the controller down.

"Never say to the almighty 'Kingdom Hearts'!!" Nida screamed. "OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT!!!!!" Nida screamed even louder as he pushed Squall out the door into the dorm halls right in front of the gang.

"OH YEAH!?!?! Well I hope you eye balls fall out in a bloody mess after playing that game so damn much!!" Squall screamed as he pounded on the door. The other just stared on. Squall felt the eyes of people and looked to them. "Oh! Hello..." Squall said with a wave.

"ooookkkkaaaayyy...." Zell said with a sigh as he rolled his eyes.

"Just forget that ever happened." Squall told them with a laugh as he walked to them.

"No problem." Irvine said.

"We've been searching all over Garden for you!" Selphie complained. "Have you been at Nida's this WHOLE time!?" Selphie exclaimed, astonished.

"Yeah." Squall said shyly. "Anyways! Why we're you guys looking for me in the first place?" Squall asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Well since you like to duel so damn much we thought you might be interested in this little flyer." Zell said as he pulled a folded up paper from his pocket. He handed it to Squall and he unfolded it to reveal a notice that read:

'To all dueling enthusiasts,

The annual dueling tournament is being held between November 10 - December 10. All students interested in this please contact Seifer Almasy by phone at 277-7343 or visit Mrs. Halsch in room 309.'

Squall folded the paper up and shoved it in his pocket.

"So?" He simply asked.

"Sooo... we really think you could win the tournament!" Selphie cheered.

"Yeah, Squall! We really believe in you!" Quistis told him.

"I didn't enter last year, and I don't think I'll enter this year." Squall stated as he began to walk ahead for the main hall. The gang followed him.

"But Seifer's been the champ for the past two years! He kicked everyone's ass last year with one felt swoop!" Zell reminded Squall as he ran in front of his friend.

"Hmmm... Fine. With the promise of Seifer getting his ass kicked by me, I'll sign up!" Squall said as he turned himself around and began to walk to Seifer's dorm.

"Go Squall!" Selphie cheered as she followed him. The rest followed along with them.

*

"Seifer!" Squall yelled as he swung the man's door open to reveal Seifer sitting at his desk, studying something while a figure slept under his covers.

"Shut up!!" Seifer whispered harshly. "You'll wake her up." Seifer scolded. Squall just gave him a weird look, and continued as quietly as possible.

"I want to sign up for the tournament." Squall told him with a smirk. Seifer's look suddenly altered to scared one but quickly changed itself.

"You!?" Seifer exclaimed in disbelief.

"Yes, me!" Squall said, pointing to himself. "Who else?" Squall asked, becoming annoyed. Who the hell else would he be talking about.

"Fine, fine." Seifer said as he handed him a sign up sheet on a clipboard. Squall snatched the clipboard from him and a pen nearby on his desk and signed his name.

"You'll be seeing me in the finals Mr. Champion Man!" Squall proclaimed proudly as he slammed the clipboard onto Seifer's desk. Squall looked to the sleeping figure in Seifer's bed, seeing if it had awoken. He had purposely slammed the clip board that hard, just to wake her and see who the hell she was.

*

The girl hummed to herself as she watered the beautiful flowers that rested along the edges of the Garden. A strong gust of wind swept through her, causing her auburn hair to play in the wind. She placed her watering pot down next to her, bent down close to a rose and smelt it delicately. She sighed happily at the strong sent. A small tap of metal could be heard, she knew who it was.

"Roses are so pretty." She said to the person.

"Every rose has its thorn." The husky voice replied.

"True." The women answered. "What's your favorite type of flower, Seifer?" The girl asked as she turned to Seifer, to confirm her answer. It was him. He walked toward her and knelt beside her.

"You know I don't have a favorite, Rinoa." Seifer answered. Rinoa sighed heavily.

"You never have a favorite anything." Rinoa mumbled under her breath. Seifer heard her, and he knew what she meant by it.

"You know I wouldn't give you up if I had the chance, but... rules are rules, I have to abide by them. But I'll win I promise." Seifer told her with a smile. He didn't want to win, he wasn't ready for any form of commitment of any kind. He knew that she had fallen for him in the past two years they were married, but he hadn't.

"You promise?" Rinoa asked, sounding hopeful. Seifer just gave a terribly fake smile, gave her a quick hug and left. "It's a promise..." Rinoa said with a happy little giggle as she continued to smell the assorted flowers around her. "A promise..." She repeated with a smile as she lightly fingered the petals of a rose.

*

"Wow Squall!" Selphie admired as she placed her hands on her hips. "You look spiffy with that Garden uniform on!"

"It's not a Garden uniform! It's my dueling uniform!" Squall told her sharply.

"It's the same thing! You just renamed it you dork!" Quistis said with a laugh as she smacked his back.

"Good luck!" Zell said as he patted him on the shoulder.

"Thanks." Squall said with a friendly, warm smile.

"Here... I doubt you'll go very far without this." Irvine said as he toward him, a long case in his hands. Squall took the case and opened it revealing a shimmering, steal, blade. He closed the case and looked up to Irvine.

"Thanks." Squall said to him. He walked off for the entrance to Garden.

"Good luck, Squall!!" They all called after him.

"Our little boy is growing up!" Zell exclaimed as he began to skip after Squall.

"Pssshhhh... freak." Irvine said as he rolled his eyes.

*

The contestants all lined up in a row on the outskirts of Balamb Garden on the plains, waiting for their instructions from last years champion, Seifer.

Seifer walked up in front of all of the contestants so all could see him and hear him. A girl with auburn hair and a blue duster followed him.

"Each one of you will be divided up into 4 groups and each will contain 4 people. You will choose who you want to fight in your group and you will continue to fight until there is one person left standing, then, all the champions of those divisions will duel one another, but I will choose who you duel. You will continue to fight until there is one left standing then you will fight me for your grand prize." Seifer explained as he took a side glance to Rinoa who seemed to be looking at someone in line. He disregarded it.

"Understood?" Seifer asked.

"Understood!" Everyone called.

"Good. Now choose your partners and you may begin." Seifer instructed, the men in the line scattered and began to hunt down there challengers. Seifer backed off so he was right next to Rinoa.

"I don't want to leave you." Rinoa said lifelessly as she stared at the contestants.

"I won't let you leave my side." Seifer told her as he also stared on at the contestants. Rinoa smiled up at him.

"Thank you." She said as she looked back to the contestants. She scanned through the men and found one staring at her curiously. He had messy, brunette hair and a nicely engraved blade depicting a lion. Rinoa stared back and gave him a smile, unsure of what else to do. Squall smiled lightly back then turned away and continued to chat with his partners. Seifer stared along with her.

*

Squall had won the first two rounds with ease and was nearing the end, fast.

Squall walked up to his next challenger and took his hand in his own and shook it.

"I hope you will be more of a match than the others." The man said with a wicked tongue and eye.

"I'm sure." Was all Squall said. They both stepped back and took up a fighting position, blades poised for battle. They bothed simultaneously mouthed '1, 2, 3' and they charged forward, blades pointed straight for the other. They clashed in a brilliant spark of light. Squall lurched backwards and flung his blade into the opponents and began to grind it into his. Squall slid the blade down to his opponents end, and pushed down as hard as he could, sending the blade flying out of the opponents hands. Squall raised his blade to his opponents neck.

"Was that a challenge for you?" Squall asked with a smart ass smile. The man pushed the blade out of his way with an annoyed sigh and glare.

"He's pretty impressive." Rinoa noted to Seifer, leaning into his ear. "But you can beat him!" Rinoa told him with a large smile.

"Of course..." Seifer lied. "Of course I can..." He repeated.

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A/n: My second fic! For anyone who likes 'Small of Two Pieces', don't worry! I'll finish it, I just got writers block which just went away after finishing this chapter! Wahhoo! I probably won't get writer's block in this story, I have everything planned out quite perfectly....