It was dark. That was all his mind could comprehend besides the rapid beating of his heart deep inside his chest. Slowly his eyes closed in an effort to steady his shaky hands and, ignoring the cold sweat that crept down his spine, laid back into his bed hoping for a dreamless sleep.
The next time his eyes opened sunlight was trying to enter through the crevices of the blinds located over his bed. The figure stared up at the ceiling in a blank stare but then frowned. His ears seemed to twitch in annoyance to a loud pounding at his door.
"Squall, are you awake yet?"
Squall Leonhart turned away from the door, grumbling from under his sheets. "Go away Zell"
"I'm not leaving until I give you my message!" Said the overly hyperactive cadet from the other side.
Squall gave a heaving sigh in defeat. He knew very well Zell wouldn't leave until his task was accomplished.
He waited silently for Zell to speak again.
"President Laguna of Esthar has requested that SeeD come over to do 'clean up duty' early today, that's all. I gotta go freshen up, see ya on the Ragnarok Squall!"
Squall could just imagine Zell giving a toothy faced grin and the garden salute on the other side.
After hearing Zell's footsteps fade, Squall rose in his bed fully awake. He wiped the remaining bits of sleep away from his hazel eyes and brushed the hair away from them. His feet slowly met the cold floor and he stared at them in thought.
"…Wonder what he did now."
One year ago Squall Leonhart was a regular student that attended Balamb Garden. It was known as a military academy that trained SeeD's, top-notch mercenary forces. In a small amount of time Squall was put through many obstacles and trials he had never expected such as leading a rag-tag group of teenagers, opposing a stubborn adversary, remembering the truths of his lonesome past, solving the mystery behind his "dream world" visits, and finally defeating Sorceress Ultimecia, a woman bent on ruling the world through time compression.
During these events a rare phenomenon happened above the land of Esthar: The Lunar Cry. Millions of monsters rained down from the moon onto the helpless city. The same event had wiped out all life on the Centra region hundreds of years ago and to keep the same from happening to Esthar SeeD's were dispatched to take care of the monsters until the streets became safe again.
Squall walked over to his gunblade. When he was branded as a lone wolf in the academy, his first priority became his gunblade. The weapon was only effective in the most determined warriors and Squall's blade always gleamed triumphantly after every battle. He held the weapon up to his face; his eyes seemed to burn through the chestnut hair that had fallen back into place over them, giving color to the griever symbol embedded at the hilt.
He looked away with a serious stare and walked off into the hallways of Balamb.
He had to admit he didn't really care for the overcrowded halls of students lounging around or running to class. It was one thing that had never changed since his arrival as a child.
Squall made his way nonchalantly toward his destination, looking around in a mellow glace in an effort to hide a smile.
"It's weird, I almost miss the disciplinary committee"Their special airship, the Ragnarok, was located on the other side of Garden. Laguna had installed a special landing deck for the ship to thank SeeD for their services.
Squall made his way to the pilot's deck, not even caring to glance at the three bodies that surrounded him.
Zell turned around from the cockpit "Ready to go?"
"Yea" Squall replied taking a seat
Zell nodded with a grin and took off smoothly into the sky.
Through the normal silence Squall decided to look up at his companions. It seemed that there was an extra passenger tagging along with them.
He knew it wasn't Selphie; she had gone down to Trabia with Irvine to help with the rebuilding of Trabia Garden. They were currently staying at Hawkwind, a small little town south from the school itself. Currently the only inhabitants there were students, faculty, and volunteers to help rebuild the school. The last Squall knew Selphie and Irvine seemed very happy there. Even through his short visit he could tell Selphie was slowly healing as the school improved.
Luckily, before she left, Selphie had taught Zell how to fly the huge airship. He'd gotten the hang of it pretty well besides one or two accidents in the beginning. Costing the three SeeD's some of their pay.
Quistis was there as well. After defeating Ultimecia Quistis decided to stay a SeeD, even after the headmaster offered to give back her instructors license. She enjoyed being in Squalls group; it made her feel like she was back at home in the orphanage.
The ex-instructor was standing behind Zell, looking out the window to make sure Zell didn't mess up to ease her unsteady mind with his driving. She had been the same way since his first time getting lost and series of crash landings.
And finally…
Rinoa Heartilly, the beautiful sorceress that had captured Squall's heart. She smiled at him and pulled some stray hair behind her ear. Since becoming a sorceress her hair had started growing at an alarming rate, she tried to keep the length relatively short though she was starting to fail at it more than ever.
"You weren't supposed to come" he told her.
"Oh stop it!" Rinoa cried, "I'm practically a SeeD too! I thought it would be alright if I tagged along for once"
Squall shrugged her words off, he wouldn't try to make her go back, and they had no time to turn around. Besides he knew they wouldn't drop her off with out a fight. It was much better to avoid the whole scene altogether.
Seeing the strain between the two, Quistis decided to change the subject for the couple.
"Squall, I finished checking the squads for today's assignment, would you mind looking them over?" She smiled while handing their leader a clipboard full of names and checkmarks.
He looked over them all, skimming to see if everyone was accounted for, and nodded in approval. He looked at his group, then at Rinoa who was waiting for his next move. Squall remained silent and gave the clipboard back to Quistis.
After landing all the SeeDs filed out and waited for the Garden Leader to give the order to leave. At the cockpit Quistis and Squall grabbed their weapons as Zell walked out.
Rinoa was also getting ready to equip her blaster edge when Squall walked over to her.
"You stay here," he said closing the door behind him, not giving her a chance to reply.
"Sir!" cried a SeeD at the bottom of the Ragnarok giving him the garden salute. "All the squads have been assembled. We're waiting for your reply."
Squall nodded in return as the SeeD did another salute and ran off to inform the others. After the SeeDs had left, it was time for Squalls group to leave as well. Quistis and Zell were waiting patiently at the gate.
"Where's Rinoa?" Zell asked curiously.
"The Ragnarok" Squall said walking past them.
"Really?" asked Quistis, "It's not like you to treat her like this Squall"
"Whatever…" He thought, "Has someone contacted President Laguna?"
"Yep, already done!" Zell replied with a wide grin "Now come on let's stop talking and go kick some monster butt already!" he said eccentrically pumping his fists into the air.
Quistis agreed by cracking her whip.
The group proceeded into the empty streets. Many of the civilians were inside trying to stay away from the monsters and, more importantly, out of the way of the SeeD's.
It wasn't long until the three had run into a pair of Toramas. The leopard like creatures growled fiercely to announce they were ready for battle. Zell started things off by landing punches on the one to his left while Quistis concentrated on calling a GF. Squall slashed his Gunblade at the other creature, letting the trigger go off as it sliced into the monsters skin. But for some reason Squall's arms stiffened, he was left open for an attack. The Torama in front of him lashed back.
"RUBY LIGHT!" Quistis said when she had found the GF she wanted.
Squall was never as relieved for a GF summoning as he was now. The monster gathered up its power and sent a death curse onto Squall. Suddenly a hole appeared in the ground as a small green monster popped out. Shooting light from the ruby on its head unto the whole party, giving them reflect magic.
The curse bounced off Squall from an invisible force field and back towards the monster that sent it. Unfortunately the death magic had no effect on it. That didn't stop Squall. He finished it off in a few more swipes just as Quistis and Zell worked together to defeat the other one.
Quistis took her whip in hands and stretched. "Well that was a nice warm up wouldn't you say?" she asked smiling,
"Alright who's next!?" Zell cried jumping up and down.
Squall took no notice to their actions and continued onward down the street, leaving his two companions behind in bewilderment.
"What the hell is his problem?" asked Zell.
"I'm not sure. He's been acting very strange lately" Quistis replied biting her nail.
"You mean like he used to act" Zell muttered under his breath.
The Gunblade specialist sulked down the empty streets alone, thinking. He didn't expect nor want Quistis and Zell to follow him.
Even though he wanted to be by himself, he knew he had a job to do. He decided to look for a monster to help the group out.
To his luck he found a stray Glacial Eye floating around the streets. He took no hesitation when it saw him and the monster came in also ready to fight. After a few swipes of his Lionheart Gunblade, Squall was getting the upper hand. But then something unexpected happened: his trigger had stopped going off. Had he run out of bullets? How could he have forgotten to re-equip his weapon before leaving Quistis and Zell behind?
He got ready as for the second time that day he was caught off guard by a monster.
It plunged at him ready to maul him with damage, when suddenly a huge twirling object made in the form of multiple angel wings shot the monster from its path. The weapon returned like a boomerang to the arm of its master, Rinoa.
Squall took notice of the monster being knocked out and cut the glacial eye wide open. He turned toward the heroine dressed in blue.
She smiled at him putting her hands on her hips "Need some help?"
Squall slashed his Gunblade in front of him, making an 'X' out of the air, threw it over his shoulder. He shrugged.
Rinoa laughed "It was good I came after all then, I told you I can help" She came over to Squall with a caring smile.
"Come on" she said grabbing his hand "I bet the president wants to see you"
Squall slowly moved with her. Frowning at the thought of seeing Laguna Loir, the goofy president he had been in his dream world visits.
