Chapter one
Collin sat outside Balamb Garden leaning against a nearby tree staring up at the starlit sky. All the constellations that were so familiar to him in the past seemed so foreign to him now. His eyes searched the purplish-blue sky for something familiar. His cerulean blue eyes fell upon a comet making its way across the night sky. Collin watched the comet a few moments when he realized something different about this comet, "That come had three tails, and each tail was tinged a different color.......wierd."
Collin searched the sky again before standing up and heading back towards the blue academy. He went outside to clear his head of his worries of his written exam tomorrow and his head was still buzzing with jumbles of thoughts and worries. "I might as well go and train seeing I can't sleep," Collin said to no one in particular starting to jog towards the training center.
Collin ran into the training center and slowed to a cautious gait readying himself for a quick battle. His hand down at his sides near his weapons. On his left side a gunblade, it was his father's. On his right was a Save the Queen, his mothers she gave it to him when she retired from SeeD. He crept along quietly awaiting to be attacked by one of the monsters that inhabited the center, a grat finally attacked the cadet. He didn't know he was being followed by someone, he probably wouldn't have cared if he knew just as long as people didn't get in his way when he training he didn't care what people did. Collin quickly decided on the gunblade and quickly defeated the grat. He sheathed the blade and he saw something dart into the bushes alongside the winding path. Collins mind quickly went into defense mode as he unfurled his whip knowing he'd be safer if he could attack from a distance.
"What could that be?" Collin muttered under his breath, "Didn't look like anything that is normally in here.....must have been a human." Why would they dart into the bushes?
He stepped forward carefully, catlike almost, his ears listening for even the slightest sound. His ears picked up a sound. Definitely a person. He took another cautious step forward, four more steps and he'd be able to find out what it was. He could sense the fear radiating out from the bushes, it was plenty scared Collin could tell he could almost taste the fear. Collin heard the steel doors open and close behind him and he whirled around to see Instructor Irvine Kinneas. Collin glanced behind his shoulder and saw the tall grasses swaying, Got away this time, probably just an injured grat anyway.
"Shouldn't you be in your dorm?" Irvine asked raising his eyebrow.
"Yes Instructor," Collin said standing at attention, "I couldn't sleep, nerves sir."
"Oh, maybe you should be thinking about gettin' ta sleep soon?" Irvine said.
"Yes Sir," Collin said saluting and he started for the doors.
"Collin," Irvine called, "Good luck tomorrow."
"Thank you sir," Collin said saluting again and he left.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Collin let himself into his room and he closed the door behind him and put his hands to his head, it felt like his ears were ringing. I didn't get hit in the head today, did I. He barely made it to his bed before he collapsed. He heard a soft female voice in his ear "Don't worry"
Suddenly Collin was on a boat in some bay on the continent of Centra.
"You there! Get with the others and help lower the sails!" Collin heard a cruel voice say. Why the hell should I, you didn't say please.
"You didn't say please," Heard a familiar voice say, Why did I say that? I'm gonna be in trouble now.
"What you say Almasy?" the cruel voice said, "I never knew I had to say please to a prisoner!"
Almasy? How did that ass know my name.
"It's common courtesy," said Almasy giving a mock bow What's with the voices?!?!, "I would think a fine gentleman like yourself would know what that is."
"I would think a SeeD like you would know how to follow orders," the cruel man said.
I'm not SeeD.....…
"I don't like following orders," Almasy said chuckling, "That's probably why it took me so long to pass my field test, besides I only follow orders given by my commander and client neither of which you are."
"Then let me remind you of our little deal," The man said, "You get me to the underground research facility you can see your family again."
"Then let me remind you again," Almasy said getting angry at the mention of his family. The quickest way there is near my home, where we'll be stopping as soon as we're on shore I'm gone, "I don't know where it is."
"I know that is total bull shit," The man said coming closer to Almasy, "You SeeDs know where everything is."
"We only are told what we need to know." Almasy said simply. Before he could get out another word his nose was bleeding and his vision went white before focusing again.
"Now unless you wish to not see your family again I suggest you do as I say."
"Yes Sir," Almasy said faintly. Just you wait asshole.
"Get your ass below deck." came the order.
Almasy staggered below deck to where other prisoners were.
"Whoa! Seifer, What happened to your face man?" Seifer?
"I was bored so I punched myself in the damn nose...what the fuck do you think happened?" Seifer said yelling the last few words.
"I'm sorry," came the female voice said again, "I lost the connection, I'll try later."
"What!? Try what later? Who was that guy?"
"He was........"
Collin awoke with a start covered in a sweat. He immediately got out of bed and went into the bathroom and washed away the dream with cold water. He left his face in his hand for a few seconds remembering the dream. Slowly he looked into the mirror, that was no dream. Collin turned off the light and padded back to his bed and sat on the edge looking out his window. His eyes fell upon his gunblade case leaning against the wall next to the chair where his gray trench coat was draped. An engraving on the outside of the case caught his eye. He stood up and picked up the case and examined the silver writing "Hyperion" he read, "Seifer Almasy" was engraved below the name given to the weapon. Whoever gave it to my dad must have had it done.
He glanced over at the clock on his bedside table, 12:38 the red numbers read.
"Better try and get some sleep before it's time to get up."
He replaced the case to its spot and climbed back in his bed and pulled the blankets over his body and willed sleep to come. Maybe I'll get some more training tomorrow before my test, I'll try for a outdoor session. Collins thoughts continued on like this until his exhaustion won out and he fell into a peaceful sleep.....and normal dreams.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Click
Collin groaned and turned over to his back and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. His threw his blankets to the floor and stood up and stretched his muscular body. He turned around when he heard a knock at his door. Who would bother people this early? He walked over to his door and opened it.
"Hey Collin we ne....." Aldice Dincht started then stared at Collins boxer clad body.
"We need a third person for an outdoor training session," Crean Leonhart finished rolling his eyes, "Wanna join us?"
"Uh yeah," Collin said finally realizing he was only his boxers, "Just give me a couple of minutes to get ready."
"Yea sure," Aldice said still staring, "Take your time."
Collin closed his door, he was the only cadet who didn't have to share a room because all the other rooms were full so they just gave him his own. He went and got in the shower quickly got cleaned up and turning off the water and got dressed in his training uniform. He pulled on the black pants with the Garden symbol on it and a he pulled a gray hooded sweatshirt from his dresser and put on his belt and sheathed his gunblade and his wound his whip on his belt loop and last of all he pulled on his gray trenchcoat.
When he walked out the door Aldice and Crean were already arguing about the route they would take on their session.
"We should go down to the beach and train!" Aldice said stamping her foot.
"No, we should go through the forest near the fire cavern," Crean said in a simple tone.
"How 'bout this?" Collin said knowing how to make the friends compromise, "How 'bout going down to the beach and make our way up then go through the forest then take a quick walk through the cavern."
"The cavern?" Aldice said, "Isn't it kinda dangerous in there?"
"For level three cadets Aldice!" Crean said rolling his eyes.
"Shut up Crean Leonhart!" Aldice said crossing her arms, "You think everything is easy."
"Let's just go," Collin said getting annoyed with the two, Do they have to fight over everything? "I want some time to clean up before the test today."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Aldice, Crean and Collin were walking through the front gate of Garden after finishing their training session. They were very pleased, they all went up two levels in their skills and had enough time to eat some breakfast before going to take their test. The trio headed towards the cafeteria, which was already packed, with hopes of finding something left and a table. They were lucky there was still muffins and breakfast hot dogs. (very much to Aldice's delight). They got their food and sat down at the same table as Shaylyn and Cal Kinneas, practically identical except for the fact that Shaylyn was a girl and Cal was a boy.
"How was your training session?" Cal asked.
"Went very well," Collin said.
"We all leveled up twice," Aldice said happily, "If we train like that everyday we'll be in good shape for the field test."
"You have to pass the written exam first," Crean said.
He was very nervous, everyone expected him to live up to his father. His father was a big thing to live up to, his father was Commander during the Second Sorceress War and the best SeeD Garden has ever seen. Actually now that Collin around the table at his friends faces, each one showing a varying degree of nerves, they each had their parents to live up to. All their parents played major parts in the Sorceress War, even Collins dad who became to be known as the Sorceress Knight. Collin started to feel nervous, but he didn't let his face show he was it, it wouldn't do any good now. He stood up suddenly wanting to leave.
"I'm uh....I'm gonna get cleaned up I'll see ya later," Collin said turning around and walked towards the exit his trenchcoat billowing behind him.
"Collin!"
Collin turned around to see Rinoa running to catch up to the teen.
"Morning Mrs. Leonhart," Collin said giving a quick salute.
"Your mother called, the call will be directed up to you dorm and you can take it there," Rinoa said.
"Thank you ma'am," Collin said giving a second salute before heading up to his dorm.
The phone was ringing when he got into his dorm. Collin walked over to his bedside table and answered the phone.
"Hey Mom!" Collin said into the receiver, "What's up? You coming to visit me or something?"
"I'm very good, thank you for asking," his mother said chuckling she was happy to know her son still cared, "And I was actually calling to tell you that I'm taking a train from Deling to Balamb and I'll be arriving around noon. Isn't that about the time you'll be getting done with your test?"
"Yea I'll meet you at the front gates," Collin said looking at the time he had to hurry or else he would be late for his test, "I gotta go get cleaned up before my test."
"Ok, I'll see you later," his mother said, "Love you Collin"
"Love ya bye," Collin said hanging up and went into the bathroom to take a quick shower.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Collin walked into his test room just as the bell rang. Narrowly missed detention again Almasy.
"Take your seat Mr. Almasy," the stern faced instructor said.
Collin sighed and went to his seat in the back corner and sat down. The brunette next to him passed him a test and mouthed a "Good Luck" to Collin. He was too worried about the test to talk, he just grunted in response. Collin stared at the front of the test a few seconds before opening it and blazing through it. He finish the last question just as the bell rang to signal a free afternoon for the SeeD candidates before their test scores were announced. Collin handed in his test and quickly walked out the classroom door. He had to meet his mom at the front gate, but he had to go to dorm first.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Quistis was waiting outside the front gates waiting for her son to come out. She pretty much concluded that her son had stood up for some girl. She felt a tap on her shoulder, she almost froze before turning around and saw her 6'0 grinning, green eyed son.
"Hey mom!" Collin said still grinning brightly, "How was your trip?"
"Collin there you are," Quistis said looking up at her handsome son. Hyne, he looks so much like his father. "I was fairly comfortable in my private cabin, one of the few perks of being former SeeD. Did you do well on your test?"
"As well as can be expected," Collin said his smile fading slightly, "I think."
"You think! You should know," Quistis said playfully pushing the tall youth, "So ready to go? I figured we could talk over lunch."
"Yea," Collin said as he was tapped on his shoulder. He turned around to see the pretty brunette who sat next to him during the test, "umm.....hi?" Collin said.
"It's Collin right?" the brunette said nervously, "I'm Kiana, remember, I sat next to you during the exam...."
"Yea I remember," Collin said slightly annoyed. "Is there something I can do for you?"
"umm I was just wondering if," Kiana started slowly looking around Collin's broad shoulders seeing the petite woman waiting behind him, "youcouldshowmearoundBalamb?" Kiana said in one breath, "....I'm kinda new here," the girl said sheepishly.
Collin was about to protest when his mother answered for him, "He'd love to, we were heading that way anyway."
"What!?" Collin started to say when he was nudged in the ribs by Quistis, "Yea sure," He said reluctantly.