"Could you please close the window please?" Squall asked.
"No problem," Rinoa answered.
As she crossed the room to shut the window, Squall focused his attention to the file in his hands.
"Not too impressive," Squall deemed the file and tossed it on his desk.
"That's what you said about the last fifty files," Rinoa said.
"Yeah, well, that one's REALLY unimpressive," Squall said and sighed.
After Ultimecia's defeat six months ago, Balamb Garden had turned into one of the world's most sought out academies. The others were Galbadia and Trabia Garden. Students flocked from all over the world to join in and as a result of the demand, Balamb Garden began requesting applications from students who wanted to attend. Being accepted was not easy. Balamb Garden looked for top students in order to keep its incredible reputation. Teaching finer students was a much easier job also. Squall's job and Balamb Garden's screening committee's job was not a light task. They had to review thousands of applications and look for qualities and achievements that indicated an outstanding student and potential SeeD.
All three Gardens also went under heavy reconstruction and renovation after the sorceress' defeat. Many new facilities were added and also additional rooms to the dormitory to house more students. Galbadia Garden still remained the largest Garden, but Balamb Garden went under the heaviest renovation and increased in size the most.
Squall leaned back on his chair and rubbed his eyes. "This is never going to end."
"Stop whining. The committee already narrowed down the choices for you. Look, you got only ten more to do," Rinoa said.
"I'm not whining, just tired," Squall said and grabbed a thick file from his desk.
Rinoa grabbed a random file from the reject pile and sifted through it. "Hmm I don't think you assisted in an operation to save 15 people from a burning village before you attended Garden," Rinoa said her eyes still on the file.
"I came here when I was just a kid," Squall said.
"Don't see many of those here anymore," Rinoa said a little sadly.
"Kids don't apply. It's not like they have any impressive achievements to show," Squall said.
"Well you wouldn't be here now if Garden didn't accept kids," Rinoa argued.
"True, but that was the past," Squall replied. "And we are accepting kids. Kids who have no where to go like me when I was little."
"I think it would be better to have more young people. They learn better and receive experience right away in Garden. Who needs these hot shots with big fat egos running around here," Rinoa continued to argue.
"I know, I know. We've had this argument before. The committee just wants to up hold Garden's reputation. 99.9% of the people who apply become top ranking SeeDs and they want that to continue," Squall said.
Rinoa sighed and closed the file. "Yeah, yeah reputation. I'm gonna go find Selphie and complain to her." She gave Squall a kiss on the cheek and closed the door silently behind her as she walked out.
Squall flipped open the thick file in his hands and began reading. He finally had peace, but yet still something to stress over and pull at his sanity.
The wind blew fiercely outside.
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The source of the violent wind stood in the middle of a tiny, unnamed island off the coast of the Esthar continent. She was clad in black, the only color coming from her light hazel eyes. Her cold, snakelike stare was focused on the distant continent. Full of anger and hate she was for the people beyond her little island who dwelled on that speck of land in the distance. She knew the speck of land was actually incredible in size and inhabited many of the species she hated.
Soon The word echoed through her mind every time she stared at that speck of land. Soon It promised so much for her. Soon her arrival. Soon the full restoration of her powers. Soon revenge. Soon death. She smiled to herself.
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"That's all he does anymore," Selphie said, replying to Rinoa's complaint about Squall and the applications.
"I know. It's terrible," Rinoa said and took a sip of her milkshake. She and Selphie had gone to a small restaurant in Balamb City where Selphie promised to buy her a milkshake while they talked.
"Cheer up. The screening won't be any longer. They do it only in the spring for the upcoming year. Soon, you and Squall will be having plenty of fun times and picnics and all sorts of nights out together," Selphie said cheerfully.
Rinoa smiled weakly. "I hope so. You sure make it sound like it'll be fun."
"It will be. Oh, and Headmaster Cid said he's coming back next year to run Garden again so you'll have the time. I promise," Selphie said.
"Soon, huh?"
"Soon," Selphie promised.
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"So these are it?" Quistis asked accepting the pile of files from Squall. Quistis had reapplied for an instructor's license finding teaching to be much easier and enjoyable with the new students and served as an active member of the screening committee.
"Those are it. They're all stamped with my approval. Now it's up to the committee to decide the lucky ones," Squall said.
"You know how many they're accepting?" Quistis asked.
"Only 150 out of the trillions," Squall said.
"Lucky people indeed," Quistis said nodding.
"They worked for it," Squall said.
Together they headed for the ballroom which served as a meeting hall for the day. The final stages of accepting new students were to be conducted by not only Balamb Garden's screening committee, but also Trabia and Galbadia Garden's screening committees. Loud, conversing voices murmured in the large room as instructors and headmasters and the like socialized.
"Hell," Squall muttered.
"Remember, counting down the hours just makes the time pass by slower," Quistis said. She walked away from Squall and set down the files in the box labeled "Balamb" and returned to Squall's side.
"How many were in the other boxes?" he asked.
"I think it's going to be a long day," Quistis answered.
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"Is it supposed to rain today?" Selphie asked staring out the window.
"I don't think so," Rinoa answered following Selphie's gaze.
"Wow. It looks like it'll be a nasty storm too," Selphie said.
The sky was beginning to swirl with dark gray and black clouds. Flashes of lightning provided a spectacular show in the sky, but no thunder rumbled. The wind whipped the trees around mercilessly and howled with every gust.
"It was just sunny five seconds ago," Selphie said and little sadly. She didn't like rain and thunder storms too much.
"There's plenty of these sudden storms in the spring and summer when it starts to get hot," Rinoa said.
"Yeah, but I still hate them and they seem kinda scary every time," Selphie sighed.
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Perfection the storm was brewing from the little island and being blown onto the vast continents beyond. The storm would strike the world unexpectedly and cause so much fear and panic. She loved it. Chaos was always such a lovely thing.
The sky was completely black above her. She raised her hands and focused on the violent energy in the black sky. Yellow bolts of energy from the clouds struck her body with heavy force, but she was unmoved by the power. She was absorbing it. Drinking up the energy and power with a hungry thirst. Not just a thirst, a need. Her body began to glow yellow as the energy pumped through every vessel in her body. The surge suddenly stopped and she stretched. Her eyes glowed with new strength. Her body felt rejuvenated and so new. She let her hands down slowly to her sides and slowly vaporized and became one with the clouds, drifting over the world with the wind.
Now to look for the perfect soul.
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"Err it REALLY doesn't look good out there," Selphie said with a hint of fear in her voice.
"I think we should go before it gets any worse out there," Rinoa suggested.
"Good thinking," Selphie replied and popped out of her chair. She left enough gil on the table to pay for the milkshakes and grabbed Rinoa's hand. "Let's go."
Rinoa and Selphie walked out into the piercing wind. Their hair whipped like the leaves and branches on the trees. They struggled to walk against the wind, but they did not get far.
"This way!" Selphie shouted above the wind. She began to drag herself and Rinoa to the gates of the city. Luckily it wasn't far, but the walk to Balamb Garden was going to be far.
"Maybe we should go back in and wait this out!" Rinoa suggested, screaming over the wind.
"What?!? I can't hear you!" Selphie yelled back.
"MAYBE WE SHOULD GO BACK IN AND WAIT THIS OUT!!!" Rinoa shouted into her friend's ear.
"We'll be fine!" Selphie shouted. She just wanted to get back home.
They two struggled together, taking one small step at a time and pulling one another. Balamb Garden loomed in the distance the distance.
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"...she has wonderful potential to become a great SeeD..."
Quistis sighed, but did not slump back in her chair like Squall did. She was in the front of the room in front of the large crowd of educators and what not and tried her best to look professional even though she wanted to slump and hide. Squall was part of the crowd and kept asking himself why he needed to be there.
Quistis smiled weakly at Squall and Squall rubbed his temples in response. Quistis was usually active in the process of selecting new students, but today's meeting was just droning on and she had long since lost interest. Squall had no interest in the beginning.
"I hope you all take her into consideration when you make your selection," the man who was making the hour speech concluded.
He took a seat and the committee head from Galbadia Garden pulled a file from his box. Didn't he already pull a million from that box? Weren't the committees supposed to narrow down to the best?
"I ask for special attention as I speak of the next case, which is indeed one that needs attention. My name is Dylan Stone, chairman of the Galbadia Garden screening committee," he began.
Squall shifted in his chair.
"This is the file of Seifer Almasy," Dylan said.
Squall sat up straighter in his chair.
"His file contains incredible achievements and countless events to prove that he is capable of becoming a high ranking SeeD. The case is special because he was a former student of Garden, Balamb Garden, but was expelled because of other situations and events. He has applied to Galbadia Garden because he knows Balamb will not accept him again and he wishes to enter the Galbadian Army instead of becoming a SeeD," Dylan continued.
Seifer? Applying to Garden again? Squall thought he made it clear when he and Headmaster Cid told Seifer that he was not welcome into Garden again. Squall was perfectly aware that Seifer was under control, but he also was aware that Seifer had the power to resist and make his own decisions and he didn't. Another reason they decided not to allow Seifer back into Garden was because he would attract to much "bad" attention and maybe even trouble. Many people had grudges against him and even if Seifer didn't cause trouble, others would cause it for him.
"...so I ask of you to ponder over Seifer's situation and his file. There is no doubt that we would probably accept him if this was a normal application, but this is not," Dylan finished.
"Won't there be trouble caused simply by his presence?" an instructor from the crowd asked.
"No doubt there may be people who don't like him and therefore trouble may arise, but then again some might admire him and like him. You have people who like you and people who don't. It's a general fact," Dylan answered.
The debate went on and on, but it was everything that Squall, his friends, and Headmaster Cid went through before making the final decision to not allow Seifer to stay.
"Balamb Garden decided Mr.Almasy out. What were their reasons and arguments?" someone asked.
The room went silent. Quistis cleared her throat. "We basically went through this exact same debate, going over all the reasons. We considered positives and negatives and the feelings of others. We eventually decided to not allow Seifer Almasy to stay in Balamb Garden mainly because he might attract attention that would distract others' learning. Seifer was also well known in Balamb Garden and some were angered by what he did and some were inspired, but not in a good way. We knew trouble would be caused if he were permitted to stay."
"Well, we certainly don't want trouble caused by him attending any of the Gardens," a man spoke.
"No we don't," another agreed.
"Is it settled then?" Dylan asked. "All those in favor of allowing Seifer Almasy to attend Galbadia Garden please raise your hands." Almost no hands were raised. "All those who oppose?" Hands shot up all over the room. "It's settled. Seifer Almasy will not be attending Galbadia Garden in the upcoming year."
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Almasy the name sounded so familiar. Where had she heard it before? Yes Ultimecia's faithful knight. She remembered. He was being rejected again. Poor soul poor perfect soul The storm moved towards Fisherman's Horizon.