AN: Ok, so I'm dying for some constructive criticism on this one, please, please tell me where I could improve, ya know, be free with it, I wont bite your head off or anything.
The Unwanted-Wanted Vacation. – Chapter 1.
By Tonyo.
Squall shined up the buckle on his belt immediately after getting up from bed and getting dressed. He sat thinking about the events of the past few weeks then replaced it in his trousers. He brushed the un-orderly mess that was his hair into a fashion where it didn't point wherever it wanted and placed his jacket firmly over the white muscle-shirt that he always wore and walked out onto the balcony of his dormitory.
Griever glinted as the blinding rays of the early-morning sun shined on it, Squall, as much as he resented the idea, knew this was going to be a good day.
After standing out on the balcony for a little while, letting the warm wind blow on him as the garden glided through it, he stepped inside with the intent to go to the training center. He slotted his usual compliment of knives into their corresponding slots on his belt then reached under his bed to get out a long black box with an enlarged metal sculpting of Griever on the front. He unclipped the two clips at the top and bottom edges of the box and slowly opened it to reveal what lay inside-the most powerful weapon ever conceived in his eyes, and in his hands, he knew it was powerful-Gunblade. Before he took it out of its box, he pulled on his normal leather gloves, picked it up, snapped open the barrel and took out a box of rounds from the box that was initially holding the Gunblade. Took out a few rounds and fully loaded the barrel of the revolver portion and then snapped it closed, gave it a swing, then-satisfyingly, slid it into its sheath on his belt. He loaded a few extra shells into the pouches in his trousers, straightened his jacket, opened the door and began walking to the training center.
Not long after sauntering along the corridor from the dorms, Squall reached the massive central concourse of the garden, to the left there was the walkway around the central concourse that lead to the parking lot, training center and library, and to the right, the cafeteria, quad and infirmary, casually turning toward the left, Squall headed to the training center, he saw a couple of cadets who looked somewhat worn out, probably from training all night which was common among the junior cadets, albeit there were quite a few disciplinary sessions for insubordination and lack of co-ordination in classes.
Upon arrival at the training center, Squall saw a largely familiar sight standing in the archway before him, hard to miss, roughly as bright as day, well…the same color at least, Selphie Tilmitt, clad in her usual short bright yellow dress standing there with a huge grin on her face.
Before he could speak, she gestured one finger to her mouth and grabbed his hand then started leading him back along the walkway on which he came, turning right off the walkway then right onto the next walkway that lead to the parking garage. Squall was sure he saw a glint of orange ducking behind a corner and was quite dumbfounded that somebody, especially the hyper, train-loving girl who was Selphie, was leading him around. She stopped in the archway and signaled for Squall to go ahead, He cocked his head at her curiously, but obliged knowing that he would probably get his ears drilled with her protest if he declined to do so.
Squall wearily walked into the parking garage where his Shelby Mustang GT500 quite happily sat until it was needed parked to the left of the rather shabby looking 'Garden Car' which rarely anybody drove, Squall looked a little further to the left and saw two familiar faces, Headmaster Cid, dressed in his usual attire, burgundy waistcoat with a white-shirt underneath and black trousers, and his wife Edea dressed in her casual black gown with her hair flowing freely over her shoulders.
Squall stood hard at attention at the sight of the headmaster and his wife.
"Good morning, Commander" they both said near enough exactly at the same time.
They both looked at each other smiled then turned their attention back to Squall, who nodded, while still hard at attention.
"Headmaster, Matron" The cogs inside Squalls head were grinding upon being called Commander, he disliked the idea of being theoretically in charge at the Garden, he much preferred his own name to his rank.
"At ease Squall, we aren't exactly here on official business" said headmaster Cid, Squall stood clearly at ease with his right gloved hand on the top of his left hip. "Any ideas why you were brought here?"
"I'm taking the car out for a spin to Dollet to pick up supplies again?"
"Not exactly" Squall raised an eyebrow, "Answer me this honestly, how long has it been since you left Garden for your own reasons?"
Squall placed his right hand on his forehead and thought back to the last time he left Garden other than to run supply trips.
"Roughly…at least Eight months, why?"
At this point, Edea, or Matron as she was often called, stepped forward.
"Why don't you take some time out Squall, I can tell you aren't exactly content with being here all the time, especially since Rinoa called it off and went to live in Deling with her father." Squall pondered for a moment, then sliced his hand through the air in front of him.
"Since Rinoa has left, nothing has changed about me, I'm content here, and above that, this Garden needs me"
"I'm pretty sure that isn't true, it isn't likely that Galbadia will launch any form of attack on us now, we're pretty much allies after all."
"True enough, but with all due respect, as you said, it 'Isn't likely' meaning that they could."
Cid stepped forward again
"Squall, it isn't happening, as headmaster of garden, I'm ordering you to take some time off, you and your colleagues" Squall again raised an eyebrow.
"Colleagues?" Cid walked over to the Garden car and banged on the rear door, took two steps away then announced
"You can come out now"
With that the rear door opened and Zell, Irvine and Quistis hopped out and Selphie ran in through the entryway behind Squall who just shook his head in disbelief.
"Slight problem guys, my car only has two seats"
"That's why you're taking the Garden Car, it has seats for all of you"
Squall again pressed his hand to his head, then shook his head in disbelief once more.
"Nida will be dropping you off on the Galbadian continent within the hour, be ready to move out" With that Squall prompted
"Whatever…" turned around and started walking off, heading for the training center once more.