Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII or any of it's characters, the only character I own is Aria. This story is merely a product of my overactive imagination and my love for all things Squall related! There are a few plot points and Garden things that have been altered for the sake of the story. This is my first fanfic in almost ten years. So please, be gentle with me as I get back into the groove! I really appreciate comments and Faves! Thank you loves ~ Ayu.

Rinoa stepped out of the car, overlooking the vast school she was to call her home. She pushed back a strand of her dark hair from her face, but it just flew back into being a bother from the might of the wind. She sighed one more time and looked back at the cab that was pulling away. This place was so much smaller than her home in Deling City. Rinoa didn't much like the idea of being confined to such a small space but she was willing to do anything to get away from her drill sergeant father. Even at seventeen years old, General Caraway was still treating her like a child. She was old enough to make her own decisions. Hence, her application and acceptance into Balamb Garden, somewhere very far away from her father.

"Okay, here goes nothing." She said to herself as she picked up her suitcase and headed up the small stairs and into the large gate. As soon as she passed its limits she could feel a weight being lifted from her, as if she were free.

Rinoa stepped into the garden and her eyes widened, looking over the place she would call her home. There were students of all ages. She couldn't help the soft smile that came to her face at the sight of the small children running around the hallways, bothering the older students from the looks of it. Rinoa glanced down at the paper in her hand. Quistis Trepe, okay, now, where do I go? Rinoa thought to herself. Before she even had the chance to start walking she felt something running into her back, knocking her to her knees.

"Oh my gosh! Are you alright?" A female voice came from behind Rinoa. Causing her to sigh a little as she moved to slowly to stand back up.

"I'm fine." Rinoa replied as she turned around to the brunette, who looked overly concerned. "Thank you, I'm alright." Rinoa reassured her.

"Oh good, sometimes these kids don't watch where they are going." The brunette replied with a smile. "I'm Selphie Tilmitt."

"Rinoa Heartilly." Rinoa replied as she ran a hand through her hair. "I'm looking for Quistis Trepe, any idea where I can find her?" She asked.

"Of course! She's probably annoying the commander." Selphie nodded as she walked closer to her. "I can show you!" Selphie added excitedly. "Follow me!"

Rinoa nodded and muttered a thanks, leaning down to pick up her suitcase. She followed Selphie to the elevator. The elevator ride was quiet. Rinoa didn't really know what to say to the girl, she barely knew her for more than a few minutes. When the machine finally stopped the doors opened to a hallway.

Selphie glanced at her. "This is it, go ahead, I have to go. Plus, I'm not sure Commander Leonheart isn't going to shoot me in the face." She said with a nervous smile. Which made Rinoa glance at her strangely.

"Well, thank you for all of your help." Rinoa said as she stepped out of the elevator. The doors closed and she turned, suddenly very nervous. Maybe it was Selphie's comment. "He better not shoot me in the face." Rinoa muttered to herself as she walked to the door. She reached out and knocked three times.

"It's open."

Rinoa reached out and opened the door, walking into see a large office. She could see a tall brunette standing and looking out the window, presumably out at the entire garden. He turned and Rinoa's breath caught in her throat. This man had the most singularly beautiful face she had ever seen, even the scar across seemed to suit him.

"Are you going to stand there all day? Or are you going to tell me why you're here?"

Rude. Rinoa thought to herself as she set her suitcase down and walked toward the desk, the man moved to sit down in the chair, picking up a mug and sipping from it.

"Yes, I'm new here. I was looking for Quistis Trepe, Selphie said I might find her here." Rinoa said with a little bit of a nervous tone in her voice. "I assume you must be Commander Leonheart." She added.

"That would be correct." He replied. "Quistis has not been up here today, I'm sorry to say I haven't seen her."

"Oh…" Rinoa sighed. "Is there anyways you can help me?" She asked. "I don't really know where I'm supposed to be."

"Do you have an admittance slip?" He asked.

Rinoa nodded and handed him the slip, sitting in the chair in front of his desk. He took the paper and typed a few things into the computer. Rinoa stayed silent, usually she got a good read on people within the first few minutes, but there was something about this Commander Leonheart that she couldn't quite figure out.

"Okay…" He said, clicking a few times with the mouse. "You're in dormitory B." He told her and she nodded. "And your head instructor is Ms. Trepe. I'll call her, hang on." He moved to pick up the phone, but he was interrupted by the sound of doors flying open.

"SQUALL LEONHEART!"

Rinoa turned her head and saw a very angry, brunette walking toward them. Rinoa looked back at the man behind the desk, then back to the brunette. They looked a lot alike, they couldn't be…. Related?

"Aria, what is it? I'm busy." He said as if her dramatic entrance didn't even phase him. He set the phone back into the hook.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! YOU STUCK ME WITH SOME HALF-BRAINED WITCH AND YOU EXPECT ME TO HELP HER?!" The woman named Aria screamed. Rinoa looked back to the commander who let out an annoyed sigh.

"Yes, Aria, I expect you to help her. That is apart of your training and one of the reasons you are here. Never forget that. Or would you rather rot in Esther?" His attitude was much to personal for her to be just a student.

"And if I don't?" Aria looked serious. Squall, as Rinoa had learned his first name was, simply stood and walked away from his desk.

"Then you get sent back to Esther. End of story." He said and that only seemed to enrage the other brunette more.

"FINE!" With a fling of her hand she released a fireball that went clear across the room toward the commander and Rinoa. He shouted for her to get down and dove out of the way. Rinoa looked up and watched as the female stomped out of the room. Glancing over she looked at him with wide eyes.

"Who in the hell was that?!" She asked with a freaked tone.

Squall simply stood to his feet assessing the damage of the burnt hole of carpet on the floor. "Aria Leonheart. My twin sister." He said as he moved to sit back at his desk with a sigh. It took another moment but finally Rinoa removed herself from the floor.

"She's also your roommate and mentor." He added and her eyes widened.

"I don't think so. She's clearly crazed." Rinoa regretted the words immediately after she said them. Squall didn't seem to change his facial expression at all when she said that. "Sorry." She muttered.

"Not at all. You see what most people do. Aria is a bit of a hothead, but she has a good heart." He said as he adjusted himself in his chair. "A year ago we started a program here. For sorceresses, which was the reason you were accepted. You are a sorceress are you not?" He asked and Rinoa nodded.

"Yes, but I can't control it." She replied and he nodded.

"Aria couldn't either. At first." He took a sip of his drink. "The point of the program is to help you do just that. A sorceress cannot be striped of her power. Nor, can you muzzle it." He added. "That's why it's important that you learn to control that power. This way, maybe we can avoid yet another costly war." He said.

"You mean the Sorceress Wars?" She asked and he nodded.

"Another war like that would mean thousands of lives lost. This program is hoping to circumvent that." He replied as he moved to pick the phone back up. "I'll call Quistis for you now." He dialed a number. "Quistis? Come get your student. Ms…. Heartilly. Yes. Yes. Oh and I'm gonna need the cleaners. Aria threw another fit in my office. Burned a hole in the carpet. Great, Thanks." He hung up the phone. "She's on her way up."

Rinoa was shown around the school by Quistis, and the last stop was her room. Once she was alone inside she breathed a sigh of relief. Looking around the half decorated room. The girl from earlier was her roommate. This might not be a good thing. Rinoa wished that she could have met Aria on better terms.

She didn't want to think about that now, right now she just wanted to get her stuff unpacked. And she set about doing just that, placing the pictures of her and friends on the nightstand. A picture of her mother, whom she missed dearly. Rinoa had never met Julia, but still she missed her. Rinoa didn't always understand it but that just seemed to be the way that it was.

She looked over at the other side of the room and couldn't help but notice a single photo on the nightstand. Curious, Rinoa padded over to it and picked it up. It was a younger Squall and Aria. She smiled at the looks on their faces. They were both smiling. Something she hadn't seen from either one yet.

"Didn't anyone tell you not to touch things that don't belong to you?"

Rinoa spun around, clearly surprised to see Aria standing in the doorway. "I-I'm sorry." She apologized, setting the picture back down. "I was just curious." She admitted.

Aria sighed and walked into the room, shutting the door behind her. "Curiosity killed the little witchy." She said. "Remember that next time."

"I-I'm not a witch." Rinoa said, which only caused a scoff from Aria.

"Amatur then." She replied with an attitude. "You have power. I can sense it, but you have absolutely no control over it, do you little girl?"

Rinoa didn't much like her attitude, but she knew she was going to have to play nice. After all, this was her roommate and her mentor. Aria was also way more powerful that she was. Maybe it was only because the girl in front of her could allegedly control her magic.

"Don't worry witchy. We'll fix that." Aria giggled a little and picked up her bag, slinging it over her shoulder and headed for the door, stopping at it. "Well come on. You start now." She said. "And it's gonna be one hell of a ride." She said.

Rinoa sighed and picked her up her bag. She was reluctant to follow Aria. At the same time, she wanted to know all the girls secrets….

Ayu's Note: And that is all for chapter one! I wanted to start out short. They will get longer as the story goes on and develops. I'm not really sure in what direction it's headed yet. But I am excited! Like and Faves are awesome! Followers are gold! And I would love to see comments. By the way, I apologize if my format of writing is a little odd. I am so use to writing Roleplay posts now that Story format is difficult for me and i don't have a beta reader. So bear with me please!