Squall strolled into the quad, carrying the two cans in hand. "Where's Selphie?"
"Nida came up and asked her out." Zell answered.
"I thought Nida was dating Xu."
"He wanted to ask her a couple of questions about Xu." Zell looked at the cans in Squall's hand. "Just two?"
"I gave the third one away."
"To whom?"
Squall paused before answering. "Quistis Trepe."
Upon hearing her name, Zell's jaw dropped, his face contorting into a funny expression. "No way."
"Go figure."
"Aw, man! I should've bought drinks instead of you."
Squall filtered Zell's babbles, remembering what happened earlier. He couldn't forget the expression on Quistis' face when she saw him, neither could he forget her last statement.
To what promise was she referring to? And did they really know each other?
Questions buzzed in his mind, and unless he made an effort to recover his memories, he would never find his answers. Asking her was out of the question and not to mention downright embarrassing.
"You're not listening!" wailed Zell.
"I was thinking of something else."
"What's more important than our brotherly conversation?"
He nearly choked with laughter. "Do you think there's a way to recover our lost memories without losing our ability to use Guardian Forces?"
"Squall," Zell sighed, patting shoulder. "You already know the answer to that. Remember what our Instructors told us before we obtained our first Guardian Force? If we recover the memories the Guardian Force took from us, then they won't help us anymore. It's the law of equivalent exchange. They won't help us, not unless we give up our memories again."
.arden did store our portions of our memories in the Archives Section in the 10th Underground Level. They did it so we could retrieve our lost memories should we decide to abandon the Guardian Forces."
Garden extracted memories from their Cadets and stored it in Memory Orbs. These fragile and glass-like, orbs were stored in the Archives Section, a restricted area in the 10th Underground Level. It was a simple way to preserve the students' memories, in the event they decided to leave Garden, they could regain their lost memories.
However, several years ago, an intruder had forced himself into the Archives Section and destroyed a certain division. Several Orbs were shattered, including Squall's.
"Why the sudden interest with your memories?"
Squall rubbed his nose bridge. "I think Quistis and I knew each other before."
Zell's mouth gaped, and he looked as if he wanted to hate Squall. "What made you say that?"
"She told me I looked different with my scar." He paused, before adding another tidbit, one that would pique Zell's interest. "That she and I made promise of some sort."
His guess was correct. Zell stood up and draped an arm across Squall's shoulders. "And what did you tell her?"
He could feel the fingers dig into his shoulders. "I couldn't remember her."
"You didn't keep a journal, did you?"
"Seifer burned them."
Zell scratched his head. "Dumb luck."
"You mean rotten."
"Maybe there's a reason why you can't remember her."
"Like what?"
"Like the Guardian Forces thought she was that important to you, thus," Zell snapped a finger for effect. "They took your memory of her away."
Guardian Forces, or GF as Garden called them, were beings of a higher dimension who utilized their own brand of element-type magic. A long time ago, they had granted humans the ability to use their magic- at a certain price. That was the law of equivalent exchange. You had to pay a price for their powers, and that price was a beloved memory.
Guardian Forcers seemed to be fascinated with human memories. The more important, significant and emotionally-charged memories were, the more they wanted it. The memory loss was gradual though, and it took Garden several years to discover that law of equivalent exchange.
Eventually, they created a way to extract and preserve memories inside a glass orb. The Guardian Forces weren't happy, feeling that the contract they established with the human was violated. If the human was able to recall the memory they took, then they would cease helping him, unless they gave up the memory.
It didn't disturb the Guardian Forces if the memory was preserved several feet underground. As long as the human couldn't remember, then they were satisfied with the arrangement.
The Archives Section was created and preserved for SeeDs who wanted to leave Garden. If the students didn't want to leave Garden, then their memories lay underground, forgotten.
"How can she remember me if I'm an important memory to her then?" Squall asked. "She's a SeeD too. She must have used a Guardian Force in her life."
"Maybe you weren't that important to her, so the GF took another memory."
Squall blinked. "You're mean."
"touche."
Several days had passed and Rinoa had settled into Balamb Garden without any commotion. Her cover was perfect—a Galbadian Library Girl who wanted to experience what Balamb Garden was all about. And so, she spent days in Balamb's library, pouring over the books and magazines she would have never given a look twice.
Admittedly, she was having fun, despite her exile in Balamb. This was her first time to be separated from her domineering father, and she cherished her new-found freedom very much. There were nights she did miss him, but she couldn't complain.
There was no price for freedom.
The three SeeDs sent to accompany her were nice enough. They kept close tabs on her while doing other SeeD related business. Gathering intel, raising their SeeD ranks... Playing Triple Triad.
Hyne, she couldn't believe that the card game was also a big craze in Balamb. She was never fond of the game after repeatedly losing to her mother when she was still alive. Although she kept a neat collection of the cards, she would never dare and play the game again. It was nice to look at the cards, keeping it shiny and fold-free.
Rinoa had heard how high-ranking SeeDs valued high ranking cards. Apparently, some of them could refine the cards into items, or even magic.
She found it amazing, how much a SeeD could do, thanks to the power of Guardian Forces. And for a moment, she wondered what her sorceress powers would allow her to do.
Since Ultimecia's death, she had no idea what power she had inherited. Ultimecia was a black sheep—she wasn't listed in Galbadia's directory of Sorceresses. Neither was she listed in other parts of the world. Her existence was a complete mystery, and the fact that Rinoa had accidentally killed and inherited her powers was meant her secrets were down in her grave.
Good one, Rinoa, she thought.
The library wasn't that big, but neither was it small and her eyes strayed to the tall figure standing in front. She had noticed him for several days now, flipping through the books like a madman. He had an arresting pair of green eyes, and the scar on his nose bridge- so much like's Seifer—added to his charm. He wasn't as handsome as pretty boy Irvine, but he was good-looking enough.
She coughed. "Have you found what you've been looking for?"
He looked startled. "Don't mind me."
"I've been looking at you flip those books like a madman. Is there something I can do to help you?"
"Nothing at all."
"Don't be such a meanie, handsome."
The man's eyes widened and he stepped back, obviously not used to her brazen advances. No, she wasn't brazen. She was just giving a simple compliment.
"Sorry, but I need to go."
He turned around, but Rinoa's hand was fast enough to grab his wrist. Surprised at her agility, the man looked at her, as if appraising her for the first time.
"Who are you?"
He really didn't know how to approach a cute woman. "Rinoa Heartilly, and I'm not a SeeD, thank you." she winked, "I'm just one of Galbadia Garden's staff who wanted a different kind of air."
"Oh."
Oh?
That was his response?
A simple oh?
"I don't think you'll ever have a girlfriend if you keep answering like that."
He looked as if she was going to burn him, and Rinoa wanted to laugh.
"My personal life is none of your concern."
"Mr. Sensitive, aren't you?"
Green eyes' faced flushed a deep red.
"What's your name, Mr. Sensitive?"
"Let go of my wrist."
She still clung to his wrist. He couldn't have wrestled his arm away if he wanted to. She knew the difference between a man and a woman's strength, and sensed Mr. Sensitive was a strong man.
"What's the harm with telling me your name?"
He paused a bit before answering. "Squall Leonhart. Now will you please let me go?"
Squall Leonhart. His name had a nice ring to it. A strong name for a warrior.
Just her type.
"Hey, do you want to go on a date with me?"
He blinked several times.
"I'm asking you if you want to go out on a date with me?"
"You're asking me out?" he blurted, obviously quite flustered.
"Yes," she snapped. "You look handsome enough."
"Are all Galbadian women like you?"
"Do you mean beautiful?"
"I mean presumptuous."
If that was his way of making her drop the Will-you-date-me issue, he was dead wrong.
She batted her eyelashes, knowing it had an effect on me. "Let's just say I'm honest with myself… and I want to know you."
"But I don't want to know you."
"Come on, Squall. Don't be such a wuss."
His eyes widened. "What did you just call me?"
Oh? Did that actually have an effect?
"Go out on a date with me…. Chicken wuss."
His mouth formed a grim line, and he stared hard at her. "Meet me at lobby, six p.m."
"My, my, aren't you commanding?"
He snorted before leaving her. Rinoa could only stare at his back before he disappeared. She returned to her station and happily hummed a tune as she sorted the books.
It was that precise moment that Quistis strolled into the library. Rinoa saw the legion of students looming behind her. She had apparently become a Goddess in Balamb Garden.
"Looks like something good happened to you."
"Oh, I'm having a date tonight."
"A date?" her eyes widened in surprise. "With whom?"
Another figure appeared beside them. Irvine tipped his cowboy hat and greeted the two of them. "Howdy, Quisty. Do you really want to know the answer to that?"
"You're supposed to protect her." she whispered. "She can't go out and have a date with anybody. Those assassins could attack her anytime."
Irvine shrugged. "Chill". He looked at Rinoa and flashed a sexy smirk. "How could I disrupt Rinoa with her Prince Charming? The two of them looked good together."
"Irvine—"
"Relax, Quisty. She's in good hands. He's Balamb's best SeeD, even if he looks scary with that scar on his face- "
"—What scar?"
"He had a scar on his nose bridge." Rinoa interrupted. "Just like Seifer's."
Recognition flickered in Quistis' eyes, and briefly, Rinoa saw something else too. "Squall?"
Uh-oh. Alert, alert.
"Squall Leonhart. Do you know him?"
Irvine chuckled. "They had a past."
Shit. Quisty was a dear friend. She had to back out. "I could always cancel it."
"We were just childhood friends." She answered curtly. "If he's Balamb's best, then I suppose you're safe with him." Quistis turned to Irvine. "Why don't you and Seifer accompany Rinoa on their date?"
"You don't chaperone anyone on their first date." He teased.
"Do I need to remind you that she's a high-value target?"
Irvine plastered that smug smile on lips again. "On second thought," he glanced at Rinoa before looking at Quistis again. "Why don't we accompany Rinoa on her date with Squall Leonhart? I'm sure you know the history between him and Seifer. You don't want to ruin their date, do you?"
Rinoa was surprised with her newfound knowledge. So Squall, Quistis and Seifer once knew each other?
"Are you scared that she'll be going on a date with your childhood sweetheart?"
Quistis looked as if she wanted to kill Irvine with her bare hands. With immense self-control, Quistis flashed her prettiest smile at Irvine. "Meet me at six p.m., near the lobby." She politely excused herself and left the library.
"If I had known that—"
Irvine waved a hand. "Nah, don't come up with that excuse."
Rinoa remembered the expression on Quistis' face. "I think she's angry."
"She's angry with me, darling." He assured her, and fondly ruffled her hair. "Don't worry about it. Just do your best tonight."
She hoped to- She wanted to. But with her newfound knowledge, she wondered taunting Squall Leonhart for a date was a good decision, or another decision- like the one that sent her Ultimecia's hands.