This is not really a fanfic but not an original story either… How should I call a story involving FF8 characters and myself along with my friends and family? A crossover?
I thought of making it occur in both FF8 and the real world but it will be much cooler in the FF8 world only! Either way, how could I possibly become a SeeD?
Disclaimer: All FF8 characters are copyright of Squaresoft. The other characters are all real so don't take them. The rest (except for the world) is all mine since I cam up with it.
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'…Whatever…', 'You're Such A Pain!'
Prologue: Study
Squall Leonhart was walking to the dormitory using the corridor with his usual thoughtful frown painted on his face.
"Squall, wait up! I gotta talk to you! Would you stop already?!"
Squall turned around with an annoyed sigh as he recognized the voice of his new classmate. He slowly shook his head in disapproval seeing her running to him. He watched the long brown haired girl stopping in front of him to catch her breath. She wasn't very beautiful, a pretty ordinary girl. She had brown eyes and her tied up hair was curly. She was about three inches shorter than him and was wearing glasses making her look very serious with the SeeD candidate's uniform.
"You should stop running in Garden, Carole," he said putting a hand on his hip. "One of these days, the Disciplinary Committee will catch you and you'll be sorry."
"Thanks for your concern!" she said sarcastically. "Pretty weird to see you care about me when you didn't even want to show me around the day I arrived!"
Squall crossed his arms and looked away, hearing anger in her words. She had arrived in Garden a week ago and ended up in his class. He didn't know her or if she had a family and where she was living and didn't want to know. The first day after the class, she asked him to lead her to the cafeteria with a shy smile. He had frowned and said he didn't have the time.
"I told you I had something to do," he explained.
"What? Training or date Rinoa?"
The sound of that name was painful to Squall's ears.
"That's really none of your business! What do you want?"
Carole frowned.
"Thanks to Seifer who was more kind than you and gave me a tour of the place! If it wasn't for him, I would still be wandering around for the whole week and would have end up eaten by a T-Rexaur in the Training Center!"
"Why don't you go ask him, then?"
He turned his back to her and prepared to leave.
"What a pain! No wonder Rinoa dumped you!"
Squall froze and fell the biggest pain in his heart. Yes, Rinoa dumped him and left with a guy from her resistance movement back at Timber. The SeeD's shoulders dropped and his head was down. He shut his eyes as images of Rinoa were flying across his mind. Her smiling face was soon replaced for her sorry but frowning face from a week ago. That's why he didn't show Carole around… If he only had known what Rinoa wanted to tell him, he would have stayed with the new girl.
Carole's frown disappeared seeing Squall trembling and hearing low noises looking like sobs. She silently walked in front of him and bent to see his face. Then she became totally concern.
"I'm sorry, Squall! I didn't mean to…"
He raised a hand to make her silent and turned his back again, quickly wiping away his tears. Carole moved to his side and apologized again.
"It was mean, I'm really sorry… Guess I'll go then…"
She past by him before sensing a hand grab her wrist. She turned around to see Squall's eyes staring at hers. He wasn't frowning anymore, just looking sad and willing to think about something else. She could see he was trying to smile but the pain from his fresh broken heart was stopping him from doing that.
"What did you want to tell me?"
She smiled comfortingly, feeling her heart beating faster from the soft and warm grip of his on her wrist and wondering why she was feeling that way. Just like he only realised he was holding her, he released his grip and Carole found herself regretting he did.
"I know you're already a SeeD and that you probably had more than enough exams, but… would you help me study? I got a test tomorrow to see if I'm worthy of studying here or if I should give up, the entrance exam."
She was clenching her hands, now looking shy like the first time she spoke to him.
"That test is not really hard," Squall reassured. "You already chose your weapon, am I right?"
She nodded.
"What is it?"
She gave him a large and warm smile.
"Gunblade!" she exclaimed with great pride.
Squall frowned.
"You sure it's the right weapon? It's heavy and not easy to use."
"Don't worry. Yours is heavy because it was made that way. Mine is being made for me! It will suits my abilities and fits my ambitions."
"Whatever… Your test will have basic questions about Garden rules and SeeD's duty, about leadership…things like that."
"You're right, not really hard."
"But you still have to read the questions carefully. Some are tricky."
"Thanks for warning me."
Both looked at their watch hearing hungry moans from their stomach. Then they looked at each other, thinking the same thing.
"Got your books?" Squall asked.
She showed him the three she had under her arm.
"What do you say we go study at the cafeteria?" he proposed.
"Great idea!"
They headed for the cafeteria. Squall was wondering why he decided to act kindly after being so cold to her. On her side, Carole was wondering why she felt all shy again after being do mean.
"What are the rules a SeeD must obey under contract?" Squall asked putting his fork on his plate and holding a book.
"The squad leader must obey the employer and the SeeDs obey the leader. They are to obey the employer until the mission is successful however how long it might be."
"Yes, and?"
Carole frowned.
"I was hoping you wouldn't ask. I hate that rule…"
"Well?" Squall asked waiting.
"If SeeDs are hurt but that the mission is at sake, the wounded ones are to be left behind even if it's the leader."
"Exactly!" he said closing the book.
Carole leant on the back of her chair and frowned, her arms crossed.
"How cruel… I don't see the point in leaving friends behind!"
"That's what SeeD is. If you don't want to have to leave friends behind or be left behind yourself, you gotta be fully trained!"
She looked at her empty plate for a few seconds then looked up at Squall sitting in front of her.
"Would you leave your friends behind in that situation?"
Squall sighed.
"I don't know. If I can carry out the mission and save my friends in the process, I would probably do it but if it's too risky…"
"Yo, Squall!" a voice cut in.
Zell jumped beside the table, a large smile on his tattooed face as he glanced from Squall to Carole.
"Got a new friend, Squall?" Zell asked winking at the girl and elbowing his friend.
He rubbed his hand on his bermuda and held it out to the girl. She got up and shook it with a smile.
"You're Zell Dincht, right? I saw you a few times rushing in here to get hot dogs but they were always sold out."
Zell's eyes widened.
"Oh! And you're the girl who shared yours with me before I left!"
She nodded with a giggle when Zell blushed from shame.
"I took your food and didn't even catch your name."
"Don't bother. I'm Carole Marceau. I arrived here last week and I'm in Squall's classe."
Zell nodded and bent down to Squall to whisper something in his ear while Carole was sitting down.
"Possible replacement for Rinoa, Squall?"
"Shut up, Zell," Squall hissed through his teeth.
Zell buried a laugh in his throat getting back to Carole.
"Wanna be a SeeD?" he asked pointing the books on the table.
"I hope so!"
"I wish you the best of luck! Gotta go now. I was only walking around from boredom. Since I'm here, I'll try my luck and see if there are hot dogs left."
He walked to the counter with a hopeful face. Once he was there, the girl behind it handed him three still warmed hot dogs before he even asked. She answered his surprised face that a girl saved them for him. He turned around and saw Carole smiling at him, confirming his doubts. He ran to her, put the hot dogs on the table and gave her a tight hug, lifting her off the floor.
"Oh, I love you!" Zell exclaimed. "You're the best for me! Wanna go out with me?"
He put her back on her feet with a mocking face.
"You saved my day! I thought I was going to spend another day without one of these artwork called hot dogs!"
"It's nothing, really. I saw you all the week coming always at the same time."
He thanked her again and took back his hot dogs whispering to Squall once again.
"Squall, that girl is a gold mine! Believe me, don't let her go!"
Carole had heard this time.
"We're just studying," they said in the same time.
Then they blushed when Zell started laughing.
"Don't worry, I believe you! Think I'll let you study then!"
He left.
"Well?" Squall inquired. "You should study some more."
"Nah, I'm ready. I'll just have to review this tonight and I'll be just fine."
"You never have enough studying for those exams."
"I told you I'm fine!"
Squall frowned and shook his head.
"You're too confident, just like Seifer and he never made it in SeeD!"
Carole got up and banged her palms on the table, bending over to Squall.
"Are you insinuating I won't make it?"
Squall got up along and bent over the table as well.
"You'll probably make it tomorrow and maybe the SeeD written test but forget about the field exam! You're too confident and that will lose you!"
"Oh, you think so? Then why are you wasting your time with a loser like me?"
Squall moved backward, his hands on his hips.
"You're absolutely right! I got better things to do! Instead of helping a loser like you, I should train myself not to become one too!"
"Why don't you do that, then?"
"That's just what I was about to do!"
And he headed to the exit. Carole sat back crossing her arms, anger burning inside.
"What a pain!"