"A Year Later..."
A Final Fantasy VIII Fanfic
Chapter 1: Quistis's Announcement
It was the first day of Balamb Garden's classes. The instructors were extremely busy preparing the lessons for their classes, but for the most part they were relaxed and anticipated for a new year of teaching. The students were crowding around the Balamb bulletin board waiting for them to put up the dormitory "roomie" list and not really thinking about the classes. The junior classmen were somber in expression and completely dependent on the seniors who would literally steer them to their homerooms. The seniors, including Squall and the others, were determined to make this their most productive year yet, as it was their last. Many of them were already sure what they wanted, but it was this year that would either open up new options for them, or guide them along their desired path. No matter which way you looked at it, this was an important year for all returning or beginning at Balamb Garden.
Headmaster Cid was his old self again, after a few nervous breakdowns the year before; he was now doing his best to master the Balamb override system that had been accidentally activated last year. The party was also very excited about the new year.
Squall wanted to be the top senior student in the entire Garden and vowed to work extra hard even though he was quite good already.
Zell was extremely happy because he was filling in the old cafeteria lady's position (she had left last year to spend more time with her son in Fisherman's Horizon) and now gets fresh hotdogs 50% off! Selphie was planning to work long hours for the next Garden Festival that would "totally be even better than the last" and was excitedly planning to start Garden's first ever band.
Rinoa had moved to Balamb Garden as a new student, in an attempt to be closer to Squall, and had "forgiven" her father (not consciensciously, she really just needed a place for Angelo to stay when she was at school), much to General Caraway's joy and relief, as he had grown many grey hairs following Rinoa's risky antics the year before.
Irvine was panning to be an instructor for next year and was getting advice from the other instructors, including his friend Quistis.
Quistis was like her old self, but even busier: she had been made the Head Instructor at Garden at age nineteen – the youngest Head Instructor in the history of Garden. She was working extra hard and managing an almost inhumane workload, after her huge scare last year when she was fired (but then re-hired and promoted for this year). Edea Kramer had been given Quistis's old job as instructor. All of Balamb Garden seemed to be working extremely hard, but all were nervous about upcoming events such as the new dormitories.
Finally, it was time for an announcement to be made. It would outline many new changes that would be instilled that year. As Head Instructor, Quistis was responsible for giving the speech. Calmly and gracefully, Quistis stepped up to the mike. As she did, many of her student fans cheered loudly, especially the Trepies, and a few fellow teachers as well. Blushing, Quistis cleared her throat and launched into her speech.
"Hello and welcome to students and staff of Balamb Garden. I am so glad to be back at Balamb Garden and to see my new and old students, fellow teachers, and my friends" Here, she paused and smiled at her friends at the front of the gymnasium. Selphie returned her smile with a thumbs-up.
"One of the things I will briefly discuss is about the addition of new dormitories. Of course, with this new additional responsibility, there will be new rules.
1. No more than four people may share one dormitory but everyone gets their own room. Roommates can and may be switched at any point in the year, but only by a teacher other than the one in the room.
2. Out of those four, at least one must be a teacher. (Many groans rose up from the crowd and a few loud, hopeful gasps were made by the Trepies)
3. The dormitories must be kept locked at all times (when no one is in them.)
4. No weapons, drugs, alcohol or other items conflicting with the Code of Conduct of Balamb Garden can be hidden/brought/kept in the dormitory.
5. No one is allowed out of their dorm after the 11:00 pm curfew unless training in the training centre or have permission/accompaniment by a teacher.
The dormitory list is up over there – " (Quistis briefly nodded to the list on the door and everyone in the gymnasium turned to at it) "– and it states who will be in your dorm. The instructor's name is written at the top, in red. Please make the best of this situation; you should be able to handle living with other people now. If you let it, this experience may allow you to meet new people, make new friends, learn, network, and help each other in the new dormitory community. Now, the instructor has been put in every room for your safety, but if you have any questions or concerns, they are there to listen, protect, and help mentor the younger students as well."
"Also," she added with a slight smile and a twinkle in her eye) the CC Group has a new member this year and as some of you may or may not know...I was the King last year and someone defeated all the members, including myself." Here, the entire gymnassium gasped in surprise. The Trepies seemed especially moved by this revelation, and a little bit angry that they hadn't known.
"It is a secret who the current members are, so I cannot tell you any more. For the new students, the CC group is a group of five excellent Triple Triad card players who must keep their identities secret. They challenge worthy opponents at cards and if you can beat one of them it is an honour, but if you can defeat all of them, you can become the King. You have to defeat the members in order and you must, must, must keep your identity secret. So collect cards and challenge your peers for fun or if you want to be challenged by the CC group. Challenge other students, staff, teachers, Headmaster Cid, or anyone with a pulse. Not everyone plays but it never hurts to ask."
"Finally, I congratulate you on beginning your year here at Balamb Garden. I also have a request for all the older students in the school: if you find yourself near a younger student, I ask you to make them feel as welcome, comfortable and happy as well as you can. I know I remember my first day here at Balamb Garden, and I trust you older students will too; I am confident that you will empathize and lend a helping hand, an open heart and a careful eye to the newer students. I hope each and every one of you has a safe and successful year here at Balamb Garden. I would also like to extend an additional welcome to the junior classmen and all new students. I look forward to meeting each of you.
If anyone has any questions or concerns please to not hesitate to let me, Headmaster Cid, another student, a teacher or staff member know and we will clear that up as soon as we can. We will be doing a meet and greet on Tuesday night at 6:30 pm and those of who want to get to know the new teachers in Balamb Garden or are new to the school may want to attend. There are also many activities going on throughout the year; some of them are especially new this year. Join and participate in as many clubs as you can, and see the notice boards for details.
Headmaster Cid, who unfortunately could not be here today, wanted to welcome/re-welcome the students and teachers attending Balamb Garden this year. He wishes everyone the best, as do I. Congratulations on beginning your first year at Balamb Garden. Balamb Garden welcomes you. Thank you."
Before Quistis' last two words were spoken everyone was running over to the list to look.
Quistis was amazed at how fast everybody moved to look at the list. She was glad she had been on the stage, or she would have been barrelled over by the mass of tudents pushing and shoving to look at it. Stepping off the stage and collecting her thoughts for a minute, Quistis couldn't help but wonder who had first proposed the idea of instructors sharing dorms with students. Had something happened while she was away that had maybe required the students to have a bit more supervision? No one got to choose which students they stayed with, and there was a whole new crop of students arriving this year. Quistis hoped Headmaster Cid wouldn't stick her with a "Seifer" kid. That was what all the instructors had referred to a problem child. A Seifer kid.
She got a bit wistful and nostalgic. Where was Seifer now? Was he still up to his usual antics? Did he even go to this school anymore? The last time she saw him, the unstoppable SeeDs crushed Sorceress Abel and rescued Rinoa. Seifer had not been liked by anyone, he was rightfully despised, but he was still a part of Quistis' old teaching career, before everything changed. There had even been times when he wasn't bad, and Quistis felt a strange warmness towards him. As she mulled this over, Quistis found herself interrupted from her thoughts when there was a familiar figure standing right beside her.
"Hi Quistis!"
It was Xu, her friend and fellow instructor at Garden! Quistis didn't think she saw her since the CC-group had taken over the Ragnarok with their card games. Good times...yes, but how long ago had it been? Quistis blinked to clear her head and shook hands with her friend. They stood there in an awkward, dumb silence until Xu broke it by throwing her arms around Quistis and squealing with joy. Quistis blushed. She had never seen Xu this animated before.
"Xu! It's so good to see you. I can't believe it's been so long!"
Xu put her hands on her hips and made herself look slightly taller. "It's been almost ten months," she teased. Quistis bowed her head for a moment. Wow, it had really been that long...
"So, what have you been up to?" Xu asked.
Quistis flinched a little when she remembered the fight with Ultimecia. Determination, loyalty and strength were all that had separated the SeeDs from their deaths. But they had defeated Ultimecia, by putting all six of their lives on the line, and now the world was safe. That was all that mattered. After the time compression had been obliviated, no one remembered what had happened. Except for the six SeeDs. They had written about their experiences in their own secret "SeeD diaries" so that the use of GFs would not cause them to forget everything they had been though together. The public blog that Selphie had set up on the school website was tragically removed, but the group decided it was better and more meaningful to write down their events together and put together scrapbooks. Quistis treasured hers even more than her car.
Coming out of the past memories that monopolized her thoughts, Quistis smiled ruefully at her friend and started walking in the direction of her familiar 2F classroom.
"Oh, you know, just the same old same old...What about you? What have you been up to?"
As Xu walked beside Quistis, chattering all about the past year she had missed, Quistis tried to hide her weak smile, but tried to stay somewhat engaged in what her friend was telling her about. She had missed so much. Things will get back to normal, she told herself. Eventually.
Dormitory List
Dorm #1
(Head) Instructor Quistis Trepe
Parker Lewis (Female Trepie #1)
Squall Leonheart
Rinoa Heartilly
Dorm #2
Instructor Edea Kramer
Irvine Kinneas
Selphie Tilmitt
Fujin Chakram
Dorm #3
Instructor Meloise Chadwick
Zell Dincht
Hayley Ambrose (Pig-tailed girl)
Willow Emery
Author's Note: I had to make up a last name for Fujin because I couldn't remember what her real one was. :P The pig-tailed girl is Zell's crush. I'm sorry that I only put four people in each dorm, I just thought it would be very overwhelming with more than four, and this way I can focus on the classic characters. I may be able to add more in later, especially if you review. ;)
Also, this chapter was written mostly in Quistis's point of view, but each subsequent chapter will focus on the other characters.
Hope you liked it, it should get more interesting now that I've got the boring rules out of the way – if you're reading this, please let me know you're there and tell me what you think. Constructive criticsm very much appreciated. Thanks! :)
Next chapter will feature: Selphie in "Selphie's Plans!"