Part Two
*&*
"Squall!" Irvine Kinneas made his way through the pack of Garden students to where Squall was standing in the middle of the Garden. " So, how was your break?"
" It was great until Dad came home," Squall answered. " It makes me wonder why Mom never divorced him years ago."
" You're harsh, " Irvine shook his head. " You should be glad you even have parents." Squall remained silent, feeling sorry for Irvine who knew nothing about his origins. The day past by quickly, Irvine passing his field exam and Squall trying to dodge all the girls he forgot to call and/or cheated on. Near the end of the day, Squall was requested to do his field exam. Nervous as he was, Squall passed and soon after became a SeeD after doing a short mission with Irvine and two other Galbadia students in Deling. He achieved a 4 in SeeD rank.
The next day Squall was exercising his skills in the Training Room when Irvine burst in with a message from the headmaster Martine. It seemed that Irvine and Squall were asked to participate in a mission with a few students from Balamb Garden. It was a risky plan they had to abide by but Balamb Garden was desperate for a sharpshooter and a Gunblade specialist.
" Are you willing to do it?" Irvine asked.
Squall shrugged, not knowing what he wanted to do. If he decided to accept this mission, his SeeD rank would go up, not to mention that it was his first real mission where he would be paid. But on the other side, if he went, his mother would be left alone in Winhill along with Ellone. He had never left the continent before, so this would be a big step for him.
" I think I should talk it out with my mother..." Squall said to his friend. Irvine nodded, then rubbed the back of his neck and yawned.
" Ok, just tell me by tomorrow, will yeah? We're leaving in two days," Irvine paused for a moment and gave Squall a questioning look.
" What?"
" I was just wondering if you were ready for this, I mean you are leaving your mom alone for the first time."
" Don't worry. You'll know by tomorrow," Squall said, not knowing what he hoped the answer was.
*&*
" This is wonderful!" Raine cried out, hugging her son.
" It is?" Squall wasn't sure what he expected as a reaction from his mother but even though, he was feeling uneasy that his mother was happy he was leaving. " But what about the monsters?"
" Squall," Ellone looked up from her recent book about Chocobos. " You know that there are fewer monsters here then before and besides, we have those Galbadia Garden dropouts to watch over us."
Squall inhaled deeply, now knowing that he didn't want to leave. Winhill was his home if anything and though many would have called it boring and plain, he would rather be there than anywhere else. When he was a child he had always dreamt of leaving Winhill. The chance arrived when his father enrolled him in Galbadia Garden, which soon became his home away from home although the day he left, he cried himself to sleep in his lonely dorm room. But seven years had passed since then.
" Squall, what's wrong honey?" Raine had been calling out to her son for several moments but it seemed that he had been lost in his own world. Squall finally shook his head, awaking from whatever trance he was under.
" Nothing. Nothing at all...I...are you sure about this?"
Raine felt taken back for a moment. She had always thought that teenagers needed their space and that at an opportunity such as this, Squall would be more than delighted to leave Winhill. She couldn't recall any teenagers other then Ellone who had remained in Winhill after they surpassed legal age. Examining Squall, Raine thought of her words carefully.
" It would nice still having you around Squall but...it's your job now. A SeeD, and with your job you must make sacrifices and leave your loved ones," Raine out her hand on Squall's shoulder, hoping to reach him.
Squall opened his mouth as if to say something, then shut it. He balled up his fists and looked almost scornfully to the polished wood floor.
" But I can't leave you," He rasped. " What if something happens and I...I wasn't here?"
" We've been over this," Ellone snuck up behind Squall and put her arms around his neck. " We have those ex-Garden cadets to look after us, not to mention Uncle Laguna. Besides, we're strong women; we don't need you men to hover over us like bees, right Raine?"
Raine laughed lightly. " She has a point, Squall. I'm sure we're old enough to take care of ourselves." She pulled out a chair from under the kitchen table and sat down. " Now go, you're going to be late." From her position she straightened out her son's leather jacket, frowning at his sense of style.
" I don't want to go, " Squall protested.
Raine ignored him, knowing it was for the best. " Where is your uniform?"
" Mother, did you hear me?"
" Squall, " Raine stood up, wishing that Squall wasn't as stubborn as his father. " I am only going to say this once more. Stop whining like a child and go. If you feel the need to come home, simply call us."
The dark haired boy still felt reluctant but knew that when his mother had made up her mind, it was very hard to change it. He reached out and grasped Raine in a tight embrace, not wanting to ever let go. She was so caring, so kind, so funny...there were so many words to describe Raine that the list could be endless. He held onto her tighter. Raine smiled and gently pried Squall off of her.
" This is just like your first day of school, " She said, laughing. Squall smiled, then noticed the time on the small oak clock that hung right above the square window. He said his goodbyes, with his mother and Sis practically pushing him out of the house.
*&*
The leader of the team from Balamb was a tall blonde woman who wore a light orangey pink outfit. She carried a whip and reminded Squall of one of his past instructors. With her there was a small girl with chestnut hair, a man with wild blonde hair and an indescribable tattoo on the side of his face and...Rinoa. Squall gasped when he had saw her and Irvine had the same reaction, but for a different motive. He winked at Squall and pointed at Rinoa and Squall felt horrified that his best friend thought that Rinoa was attractive.
" Squall Leonhart and Irvine Kinneas, I presume," The blonde said, extending her hand. Squall shook it and smiled, realizing that these women were more beautiful up close then from afar. He looked into the woman's eyes and she blushed, turning away to face the blonde man. " I'm Quistis Trepe, and this is Zell Dincht, Selphie Tilmett," she pointed to the small girl, " And Rinoa Heartilly."
" We've met." Squall said and for an instant, a hurt expression flashed on Rinoa's face.
" All right, now that we're acquainted, we can get down to business. I'm assuming that your Headmaster has told you the mission at hand...?" Quistis looked at Squall then Irvine.
" No."
" Yes."
Squall and Irvine then stared at each other.
" You mean you already know the mission?" Squall finally asked.
" Sorry man, " Irvine raised his arms and shrugged. " He told me when you were gone to Winhill."
" So what is it?"
" Assassination."
Squall felt the blood drain out of his face.
" Assassination?" He repeated slowly.
Quistis and Zell seemed puzzled and Irvine gave Squall a look, which made him feel like an idiot.
" Of the sorceress. Where have you been, man?" Zell finally spoke. Squall glared at the newcomer.
" Whatever. Let's just get going," Squall said. He didn't feel like making a scene, but assassination of a sorceress? It seemed ridiculous as well as impossible. He trudged along with the Balamb students, trying to take his mind off the matter at hand. Looking towards Rinoa, he wondered what she was doing with a bunch of Garden students. She was, after all, Rinoa Heartilly, spoiled little rich girl also known as the 'princess'. Rinoa stopped walking suddenly and turned around to face Squall who was behind her.
" Why are you staring at me?" She demanded.
" How do you even know I was staring at you?"
" I can feel it when there are eyes making holes into my back."
" What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
They had just arrived at the train station and the SeeD's had halted to view the growing quarrel between Squall and Rinoa.
" I wish you would grow up for once, Squall! I'm not the same girl from seven years ago!"
" For what I can see, you're exactly the same and then some."
" Forget it," Rinoa hissed and ran up the platform and into the train.
" Way to go," Zell said, patting Squall on the back as he followed the brunette. Quistis climbed on acting as though nothing has happened, Irvine grinned and Selphie gave Squall a weak smile. He shook his head, and hauled himself on the train after Selphie.
*&*
During the train ride, Squall had kept to himself, causing Irvine to think that Squall had caught some sort of illness. Selphie was singing, poking her head out of the train window at times, Irvine was trying out his charms on Quistis, Zell was air boxing, and Rinoa had ran into the cabin and shut the door. Squall had concluded in his thoughts that Zell seemed immature and rash, Selphie was overly joyful and hyper, and Quistis was too serious. They seemed very different from Galbadian students, making Squall shudder at the thought of having to attend Balamb Garden.
The train soon halted and the SeeD's got out into the moonlight that shone over Deling.
" So we gotta go to Caraway's mansion," Zell said, putting his fists together. " He's the man with the plans."
They took the bus to the front of the all too familiar mansion and got out, facing an officer.
" We're here to see General Caraway, " Quistis said in a professional tone.
" Sorry, " the officer glanced at Rinoa, then back to Quistis. " But I can only let you see him under one condition."
" What is that?"
" A SeeD went missing after venturing into the Tomb of the Unknown King not too long ago. If you can find his ID number and give it to me, only then I can allow you in."
Zell sighed heavily. " This sucks. We don't have time for this crap."
" We have no choice," Selphie smiled. " It'll be like an adventure!"
" Uh huh," Squall looked at the girl, wondering why she was always so perky. " We'd better go then, I know where this Tomb is and I'm pretty sure Rinoa does too."
Rinoa appeared puzzled for a moment, then blushed furiously, remembering how when they were ten, Squall had tricked her into going inside the Tomb and how she had gotten lost. Squall laughed for a while at her cries but then realized that she was actually in danger due to the monsters in the Tomb and the reports of a GF dwelling in there. He ran off to get General Caraway and after an extensive search, they had found Rinoa. Of course, Squall had lied that Rinoa went inside the Tomb herself despite Squalls protests and Rinoa was scolded for hours on end about her choice of action.
They left the city and after a few hours they had reached the Tomb.
" We should have taken a car..." Zell whined. He leaned on Squall and silently, Squall agreed. He didn't remember the walk being this tiring.
" So who's going inside?" Selphie asked.
" I will," Squall volunteered." I'll take Selphie and Rinoa with me."
Rinoa seemed startled at Squalls decision whereas Selphie was gleeful.
" I'm not going, " Rinoa said firmly. " Not after what happened before."
" That was in the past Rinoa. I'm not the same guy I was seven years ago, " Squall said, quoting Rinoa. She scowled then reached behind her and pulled out a Blaster Edge from her pack. Assuming that she was going, Squall led the way inside the hollow tomb, disliking the eerie sounds of the water trickling down the cracked stone and the moans of the creatures that dwelled inside. Without knowing it, Selphie has pressed herself up against Squall and he put his arms around her waist in reassurance. Rinoa kept her distance, but looked just as afraid.
" It's there!" Rinoa suddenly cried out, causing Selphie to dig her nails into Squalls arm. On the floor where Rinoa was pointing lay a sword. Squall ran up to it and knelt down.
" 116," he announced. Selphie exhaled and Rinoa appeared to be relieved as well.
" We can leave now," Rinoa said and turned back towards the entrance. Before Squall could shout a warning to the girl, a Forbidden appeared before her in all of its decayed and foul smelling glory. Slowly stepping back, Rinoa tripped and fell onto the hard and grimy floor. In an instant the Forbidden pounced on her, drawing out its large ruby betrayal sword and bringing it down on Rinoa. She cried out but felt a weight on her. Her eyes widened and she gazed into Squalls blue eyes.
The warm blood from his wound dripped onto her stomach and tears blurred her vision.
" Squall..." Rinoa whispered then jolted at the impact of the Forbidden falling next to her. Falling to the ground, Selphie gently lifted Squall off of Rinoa.
" We have to get you help!" She said, cradling Squall's head in her arms. He groaned while trying to get up. Selphie, keeping a firm grip on his shoulders, took off Squall jacket and gasped at his wound. " Rinoa, get Zell and the rest."
Rinoa obeyed, getting up and running towards the light coming from the entrance.
(A/N: I am so sorry this took so long but the thing is, I go to an insane all IB school where the teachers adore to pile homework on the students. For example, this weekend, I have 2 essays, one major report, 4 tests to study for, one worksheet (double sided), one lab, and finally, one 50 pg booklet.
