The clash of steel and panting breaths filled the air above the Fire Cavern as Squall Leonheart and Seifer Almasy fought each other, each one putting their all into the fight before them.

Seifer lunged forward the urge to rend Squall from head to groin beating a steady rhythm in his head, but as Squall surged ahead his attack passed by harmlessly.

Sweat stung his eyes as Squall's retaliating strike came in close to his stomach forcing Seifer to throw himself back least his intestines meet the ground below. The only condolence he could gather was the Squall too had sweat dripping into his eyesight.

Seeing a chance opening Squall went onto the offensive as a series of jabs, feints, and slashes forcing Seifer on the defensive.

Blocking a steady stream of oncoming attacks Seifer jumped back to create room he desperately needed to even begin a counter. Seeing this Squall lunged forward seeking his victory, only for Seifer to raise his hand a fire spell spilling from his grasp in Squall's direction in fast retaliation.

Bringing his Gunblade to bare in front of him Squall was able to block the brunt of the damage, the force of the spell still knocking him off his feet. The shadow of Seifer's arm passed over him as he picked himself up catching the sight of Seifer's smirking face before the deadly gleam of his Gunblade descended and a sea of crimson blocked his vision as he struck out with a desperate attack of his own, their Gunblades drawing lines of blood on the other's face across the bridge of their noses to below the opposite eye, the location reversed on each of their faces.

Stumbling backwards Seifer brought a hand up to his face as a warm wetness painted his face red, a stinging pain blossoming across his features as his hand encountered a wound mirrored on his rivals visage. Looking down to see his gloves spattered with blood, a rage consumed him as he rushed forward intent on killing.

Seeing Seifer surging forward Squall did likewise his Gunblade throwing specks of fire into the air as it dragged across the ground.

"Aero!" Squall and Seifer someone scream out as they were blasted apart throwing each other in different directions.

"What the hell are you two thinking?" Xu shouted out as she made her way over to where the pair where laying on the ground panting in exertion.

Standing over Squall, he had a chance to really take in her appearance. Shoulder length auburn hair danced nicely around her medium build as it framed her furious face, it was a good look on her, then again most were.

Being significantly younger than a majority of the staff at Balamb held no regard towards the authority she wielded, trumped only by that of the Headmaster and as she pulled the sleeves on her uniform up Squall had no doubt that her was going to get a taste of her legendary skill in wielding that power.

"Can either of you kindly explain to me what it is you two think you're doing, this isn't a spar it's a fight to the death!" Wiping some blood out of his eyes Squall stood up, as she grabbed Seifer and with a strength her frame belied tossed him over to where Squall stood before sending a cure spell their way, when it did little to help she sighed.

Silence permeated the area as she stood for a moment waiting for them to reply only to toss her head back in disgust at the two when neither spoke.

"Come with me." Xu spoke briefly before making her way back towards Balamb, Squall and Seifer following behind.

"Do you two even understand how severe your actions where back there? This isn't something that can be just swept under the carpet, this is serious and you will be punished!" looking back at the two she added quickly "This means you as well Leonheart."

Squall's impassive face was her only reply. 'Whatever' he thought.

Walking to the cafeteria Squall had time to grab something to eat before meeting Instructor Trepe at the Directory, walking into the brightly lit repository of food Squall pondered what had transpired in the infirmary, was that woman really there or was she just some delusion spurred on by blood-loss or was it the news that he'd be stuck with this unwanted addition to his face for the rest of his life, he couldn't decide and then he was rushed into the Fire Cavern test by Quistis.

Did it really matter?

Didn't Xu say they were to be punished? Wouldn't pulling him from the SeeD exam be the perfect punishment?

That being said why in the hell did that 'woman' in the infirmary seem so familiar?

Grabbing the first article of food he saw Squall made his way to an out of the way table in the back hidden by one of the potted plants that littered the area, taking a seat quickly before he noticed someone else currently resided at the same table, not that he minded considering who it was.

Fujin, ever the silver-haired enigma glanced at him as he sat down.

"HOTDOGS?" she spoke nodding to the heavily coveted food on his tray, which turned out to be the article in question.

"Whatever." They spoke at the same time in answer, while a ghost of a smile teased Fujin's lips.

Grabbing a hotdog Squall put some condiments on it before taking a bite, as Fujin calmly regarded him. He was well into his second hotdog before she spoke again.

"I heard what happened this morning." Fujin said her soft, melodic voice carrying the words across the table.

Squall raised an eyebrow at her, very rarely did Fujin speak in her 'normal' voice and even rarer in complete sentences, having been paired with her for several years, Squall understood this as her showing him how serious she was. Never mind the fact that he was pretty sure he was the only one to hear her speak like this. During those years Fujin and himself reached an understanding of sorts, while more than just comrades they were no less than acquaintances, if albeit estranged friends.

Fujin understood that Squall wasn't quite as anti-social that most made him out to be, he just wasn't as boisterous and talkative as people would have liked him to be, he was introspective, almost to a fault but that was the intrigue to him, what was he thinking in that head of his? What could have made him like that? Was there anything that could break the so called wall around his heart, or better yet was there any one who could do so? These were questions that Fujin wanted to know, and the desire to know only increased with time.

Conversely Squall knew Fujin didn't speak normally unless it was to somebody she trusted or in moments of seriousness, not only that but he knew she had another eye under that patch of hers, no matter what she wanted others to believe. He had only seen it once but that was enough.

It was during a training exercise that her eye-patch got caught on some brush and was pulled away from her face, only for two eyes to be revealed staring back fearfully into his own before she snatched it back and placed it over her eye, and although it was quick he couldn't help but notice the difference in color between the two. Not that he asked, but it was still weeks before she began to 'talk' to him again, a few weeks more before he heard her speak normally for the first time.

They knew things about each other that not even their supposed friends knew, and that spoke words about the trust they placed in each other.

"What happened in Seifer's version?" Squall asked getting back into the conversation. As he reached over snagging the chocolate milk she had in front of her before taking a sip a smirk on his lips.

Huffing and rolling her 'eyes' "That he challenged you to a spar and you exacerbated the situation, he claims he used the Fira spell as a means to defend himself and that your new look was an accident, but you flew into a rage and gave him the same."

As Squall recounted his version of events Fujin nodded softly.

"Figures he would bend the truth to benefit himself, even if he has to bend it enough to break." Squall voiced aloud as Fujin sat quietly.

"Did you qualify for the SeeD exam?" She asked quietly, Melodic whispers reaching Squall's ears.

Nodding in answer Squall stood.

"Do you know what the exam is?" he asked.

"Even if I did, would I tell you?"

Looking down at her the soft smile on her lips never left even as she drank the rest of the chocolate milk he snagged from her.

"Most likely a Mil-sim, I doubt that they would place candidates into real battle conditions for a test, after all even if they would it's not like a war is just going to come out of no-where.

Making his way out of the café, It wasn't until Squall was at the door to leave before a breathy whisper graced the back of his neck.

"Good luck." Looking back he noticed she was across the room watching him intently before smirking and leaving. The fact that she was well beyond the distance a whisper such as he heard was not lost on him, after all it was just another secret between them.

As Squall and Fujin where conversing, another conversation was under debate in Headmaster Cid's office, the very issue of Squall and Seifer's actions.

"Headmaster their rivalry has gotten completely out of hand, If I hadn't intercepted them when I did I have no doubt that one if not both of them would be in body bags right now." Xu spoke up, her hand pressed flat against her chest. "We need do something to curb their attitude, and anything we've done before seems to have no effect. Detentions and reproaches slide of Almasy's back like water and Squall seems no different save for the fact that he takes them without complaint."

Sighing the Headmaster cleaned his glasses. "What would you recommend then?"

"Remove them from the SeeD exam." Xu pushed.

Shock reflected across Cid and Quistis's face as Xu's words registered.

"Do you believe this is a fitting punishment Instructor Trepe?" Cid asked the startled Instructor.

"No, not at all!" Quistis reproached looking at Xu in disbelief. "It's the worst thing you could do."

"Isn't that the point of a punishment? Especially considering what they are being disciplined for." Xu questioned.

Shaking her head Quistis continued. "That's not what I meant, yes I agree they need to be disciplined however removing them from the exam would be the wrong course of action."

"What do you mean?" Cid questioned.

"Save for the fact of their infractions, Squall and Seifer both are among the best, if not the best candidates for the exam. Passing is almost a given, denying them that would be detrimental to what we are trying to achieve."

"How so?"

"If we remove them from the exam each is liable to blame the other and whatever you broke up today would only be a small precursor to the hell that would inevitably come crashing down on us all!" Quistis finished throwing her arms out wide.

Sighing and taking is glasses off once again to wipe them Cid looked pained.

"I must admit that your deductions due seem to have some merit." He mumbled.

Looking torn Xu looked back and forth between the two.

"I'm not following?"

Placing his spectacles back atop his nose Cid pushed them up the brim before placing his hands on the desk in front of him.

"Squall and Seifer both hold quite a bit of precedence among the other students, there is no doubt that should one go after the other that other students will be dragged into fight as well, willingly or not…"

"So we do nothing?"

Cid opened his mouth to say something but closed it just as quickly, pausing for a moment he tilted his head to the side as a grin worked its way on his face.

"I think I might have a solution for our problem."

Standing the Headmaster made his way around his desk and headed out of his office into the small alcove that preceded entry into his office where he walked over to wall where a ostentatious picture hung and pushed it aside revealing a small safe. Typing in the password in short order Cid reached into the safe withdrawing a small compact disk, before closing the safe and placing the painting in its proper place.

Watching him return Quistis and Xu shared a look and waited till he was back behind his desk, motioning the two over. Slipping in the CD he waited a moment for a display to be brought up.

"As you can see young Mr. Almasy is to be paired with Fujin and Raijin, stationed at point 'J' holding any enemy forces from overthrowing our hold on the beach. Mr. Leonheart was to be with Nadia and Mr. Dincht holding the town center after eliminating any resisting forces that present themselves, but let's say we do this." Cid said with a smirk as he typed a command into the computer and the names rearranged themselves.

"Either this will work perfectly or we will have more to worry about than just Galbadian forces." Xu commented as she leaned in to study the trio of names that were now arranged together

"They can't stand each other so force them to put aside their differences for a common cause, a fitting punishment…or the harboring of hell." Quistis spoke softly tilting her head to the side.

Laying atop his bed Squall fretted in his sleep as he tossed back and forth in his sleep, as he took a quick nap before the beginning of the exam, one of his reoccurring dreams making up the space of his dreamscape.

The steady patter of raindrops hitting the ground provided the somber background music to a dismal picture as Squall sat near the steps of the orphanage in-between two pillars watching the falling rain with an expectant gaze despite the decreasing visibility, he was doing just as sis said, he was being good, he wasn't causing trouble so when would she be back?

Everyday he stood here waiting for the image of her to appear and everyday he was left with a lingering disappointment. Most children would have given up by now, realizing the truth, but Squall held firm in his belief that Sis would be back after all she promised.

Promises were important right?

Big Sis was the only family he had, yes he had Matron and the others but Sis was family, and she promised she would come back, so he would wait here for her…for her embrace and then, then they could be a family again.

The sudden ringing from his alarm dragged Squall from his dreams, reaching over he turned it off before rising and getting ready a scowl permeating the features of his face. Grabbing his Gunblade resting on the small desk in the room he rested on his shoulder before leaving with a firm ideal in mind

'This is it, He would be a SeeD.'

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sorry this took so long, i got caught up playing ff13 and when i got this back from my good friend and editor i completely forgot to upload it. and a small note, interaction between squall and fujin will be shown through flashbacks