The sparing ended with Fujin and Raijin holding Squall back. The medic was putting a bandage on Seifer's face while they let Squall bleed. Squall had to walk himself over to the infirmary, dripping blood the whole way, to get the doctor to look at him. The doctor did her thing with slightly less care than Squall would have liked.

"How are you feeling?" asked the doctor as she looked at him with a sour face. Squall wondered why everyone at this school hated him so much.

"...My forehead hurts." he replied. Of course that should have been obvious. Instead of asking him how he felt, shouldn't she be giving him pain relievers.

"No kidding. Looks like your eyes are focusing. You should be fine. Say your name for me." Was that really necessary?

"Squall."

"Alright, Squall, Why don't you take it easy in training? Next time you might not be so lucky." Wouldn't that make everyone at the school happy?

"Tell that to Seifer."

"That Seifer … Won't listen to anyone. Why don't you just ignore him?"

"I didn't know running away was part of our training."

"You wanna be all cool, huh? Well, don't get killed in the process. Let's see, your instructor is Trepe. Just let me give her a call. You wait here."

Squall brain was screaming 'no don't call that mindless flake of a teacher.'

"Quistis? Come get your student. Yes, yes … His injury isn't serious. It'll probably leave a scar. ...Right. Now please come by."

Squall closed his eyes. Maybe he could just lay here all day. It would be a nice little break from his usual routine. Everyone would be antsy about the Seed test later anyway and since Squall wouldn't be taking it a bed sounded better than study hall. What was Squall going to study that he didn't already know. Maybe he could grab a medical book while he was here and actually learn something new for a change, something that didn't have anything to do with fighting.

As Squall was in deep thought, a girl walked by his window.

Who was that? Squall sat up and then leaned over to the window to get a better look at the girl as she passed. Just as he was trying to get line of sight on her he heard the voice of a harpy.

"I knew it'd either be you or Seifer. Turns out it was both. Come on, let's go. Today's the field exam."

Was she kidding. She wasn't going to let him take the field exam and they both knew it. He wanted to stay sick in bed but in the end his sense of duty forced him to follow her to homeroom.

"Squall … is there something on your mind?" Other than that you are a waste of my time and I can't wait until I never have to see you or anyone else at garden ever again. Squall wasn't totally bitter. He was after all thankful for his education and not having to live in an orphanage or homeless but he was jaded by the fact that they would never let him take the exam.

"Not really."

"Not really. Hahaha!" What? Did she want him to admit that they were getting to him. It used to bother him, but not now, not anymore. Now, he didn't care about the exam. He didn't want to take it. He was just waiting for graduation and then he was out of there. Only four more weeks.

"What's so funny?"

"Funny? No, no, it's not that! I'm just happy. I feel like I'm finally beginning to understand my student a little. That's all." she said flippantly.

Squall wondered if he should play along. "I'm more complex than you think."

"Then tell me. Tell me more about yourself."

This sounded like a trap. She was phishing for information. Did she know he had offers?

"It's none of your …"

"... Business!"

She didn't know. She just wanted to get a rise out of him.

In class Squall just went to his desk and didn't even throw a glance at Seifer.

Quistis began with her announcements. "Good morning, class. Let's start with today's schedule. There seems to have been some rumors flying around since yesterday … Yes, the field exam for Seed candidates will begin later this afternoon. Those NOT participating and those who failed last week's test are to remain here in study hall. Field exam participants will have free time until the exam. Just be sure you're in top condition. Meet in the hall at 1600 hours. I'll announce the team assignments there. Any questions? Oh, and Seifer! Try not to kill your partners when training from now on. Be careful."

Seifer took that last bit as a slight on him but Squall knew who it was really aimed at. She was still trying to belittle Squall.

"Field exam participants. I will see you all later."

This an open invitation for everyone to leave. Everyone 'passed' last week's test even though only Squall should have actually passed. Squall just sat at his desk. He would be alone in class all day. It was like detention. Just him and Quistis alone together again where she could unknowingly make herself look worse and worse in his estimation.

"And Squall. I need to talk to you." She couldn't even wait for all the student to leave before actually making a show of pointing out that he wouldn't be allowed to participate in the exam. Squall killed some time at his desk just to make her wait. When her little groupies had finally gone, he went up to see how she was going to make a fool of herself today.

"You haven't been to the fire cave yet, have you?" she said in a tone that betrayed the fact that she knew full well he hadn't done it. "You won't be able to take part in today's Seed exam if you don't pass this prerequisite."

So that was going to be her excuse this time. She was just so evil. She knew he was going to do it this morning and if he had received decent medical care he would have already finished it by now.

"Do you have an excuse?" Why would she even ask that? He didn't feel like playing along. She was going to use this as a reason he couldn't participate in the exam then he wasn't going to fight it. Besides, she was making a huge mistake. He still had tons of time to do the fire cave. Then when she still prevented him from taking the exam she would finally know that he could see right through her. Squall could just imagine Quistis being so happy to see a prerequisite for the exam that Squall hadn't actually done yet. She must have been so happy to put his name on the list of participants knowing this time she could try to claim it was his own fault he wasn't able to go. Well the joke would be on her when he did the fire cave and she would have to find another way to prevent him from taking the test.

"... not really."

Of course nothing was ever going to be that easy.

"Then let's get going." What did she mean by 'let's'? "If you're not confident enough yet, you can stay here and study. When you think you are ready call me and I'll meet you at the front gate."

…

Squall was dreading this trip, short as it was, with Quistis. He knew she would be going on and on about magic, and junction, and anything at all in an attempt to sound smart and prove her teacher status to him. Part of him wanted to sneak out and do the fire cave by himself and then just report back that it was finished to see her weasel her way out of letting him take the test.

As he walked down the hallway, he heard a girl's voice. "I'm late, I'm late, I'M LATE!"

Bam

"Waaaah" said the girl as she fell back on her bottom from running into Squall.

"Are you OK?"

"There. TEE-Hee, I"m fine. Sorry. I was kinda in a hurry. Oh, yeah! Hey, did you just come from that class. Is … homeroom over? Woo, this place is sooooooooo much bigger than my last school. I just got transferred here. Do you think you could give me a quick tour of this place?"

Who was this? Was she being nice to him? Was she smiling. Squall just couldn't help himself.

"Sure."

"Whoo-hoo! Alright, let's go!"

"We'll take the elevator to the first floor lobby and I'll show you the directory."

She wasn't half bad looking. Squall had never seen her before. It was refreshing. She even made Squall smile. Of course he couldn't allow himself to get too worked up. The last time he asked a girl to meet him in the lobby was a disaster.

"That's the directory. Well, this is it. Balamb Garden is pretty big. It's a good idea to check where you want to go."

"I have a question. How do you use this?"

"It list information about each area like this. Next, I'll give you a quick explanation of the various facilities."

"Yes, sir!" Squall liked the way she was addressing him. She was cute and gave him a smile and something in Squall just wanted to show off.

"You'll find the dormitory to the north. A majority of the students live in the dorms. There aren't too many students who commute." Like that backstabbing Zell. Squall and Zell had settled their dispute a long time ago and it was supposed to be water under the bridge but they never really were friends again and for some reason the memory of it and the old anger came back to Squall from time to time.

"Yeah, I'm in the dorms, too! Where would you even commute from?"

"Well there is Balamb town a ways down the road. I know a guy who still lives with him mom there. Anyway, West of the north block is the cafeteria. There's always a big rush for the hot dogs. You better get used to waiting in line."

"Got it."

"East of the North Block is the parking lot. We usually take the Garden car when a mission comes up. The front gate is located in the South…" Just then he had a vision of his lame teacher waiting to stalk him at the front gate.

"Hm? What's the matter?"

"Nothing, … Next, we have the quad, located in the west block. There's an event being planned there …"

"I know, I know. It's the Garden Festival! It's going to be great. I"m planning to be on the committee. You wanna help out, too?"

If Squall joined the committee it would almost guarantee that the garden staff would cancel the event. "Let's just continue."

"No, really. It is a serious question. Can you play an instrument? It's my dream to be in a band. You know. Come on, you should join the Garden Festival Committee too. Then we can work on it together. So, what do you say?"

Was this a reason to stay at school? She sure was pretty. The words 'only four more weeks' passed through his mind. But, … he could stay a little while after turning 18, couldn't he. Just to see where this goes. He could resign at any time and move on. Wait … What was he thinking?

She looked up at him as he was in thought. "Well?"

"Ok. I'm in."

"Awesome!" she shouted and did a little dance as she twirled her body in a circle. "Let's work really hard and make this year's Garden Festival super wonderful." She had an accent like maybe she was from the north. She mentioned another garden. That would mean Trabia.

"South of the west block is the infirmary. This is where you get treated for your injuries." Squall remembered how inept and apathetic the doctor seemed to be to him and added "but I guess a lot of students just go their for advice."

"What's the doctor's name?"

Dr. I-can't-be-bothered thought Squall. "Dr. Kadowaki."

"Tee-hee, what kind of name is that?"

"It means …" Squall began as he was about to defend the doctor's name as it actually had a very beautiful meaning in its original language but then Squall just abandoned it. "Now the East block. This is the Training center. It's the only facility open during the night. It's used for training, and they have real monsters running loose here. If you don't take it seriously, you may end up dead. Just be careful."

The girl took a gulp. "... uh, ok."

"South of the East block is the library. There's a lot of material you can look up here, but the terminals in the classrooms are a lot more efficient."

"I like real books more though. Do you like books?" The girl was just so charming.

"I love books."

"Maybe later we can … you know, look at a couple of books together."

"That would be nice. By the way, the headmaster's office is located on the third floor. You need permission to get in."

"Another question, What's the headmaster's name?"

"Headmaster Cid. That's about it. Anything else?"

"What's your name?"

Squall chuckled at having been asked this twice in one day. "Squall."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Selphie. Um, … Are you taking part in today's Seed exam?"

Squall knew the answer was really 'no' but he didn't want to lose face in front of her. She was cute and it seemed like they were getting along so well. It would be a small fib she wouldn't even remember later if he was going to hit it off with her. "Yeah."

"Then maybe I'll see you again in the fray. I've already finished my training at my previous Garden. I'm taking the Seed exam today, too. Good luck to both of us, huh! Thanks a lot. Gotta run. I'm so hungry and I want to get some of those hotdogs you mentioned." And she runs off as Squall considered the possibility he hadn't thought of before. He could change Gardens and then finally be free of the torment he has had to endure for two years.

Squall was about to go to the library when he felt a tug on his arm. He turned to see the girl, Selphie, looking at him. "Come on. You have to show me where the cafeteria is." If this was a first date then it showed promise.

There was a long line in the cafeteria but Squall and Selphie waited and talked about her plans for the festival. Raijin, one of Seifer's friends, noticed Squall with a girl and gave him a smile.

"Yo, Squall."

"Hey." replied Squall without wanting to get too much into a conversation.

Raijin, who wasn't really a bad guy all in all, looked pleased to see Squall with someone. When Selphie wasn't looking he gave Squall a thumbs up. "Yo, um, so like, Fujin gone be gettin some drinks. Ya'll want something while you wait in line?"

"No, it's ok."

Just then a student comes running into the cafeteria and runs right up to the front of the line and starts asking the lunch ladies for hot dogs. He's sent away empty handed but Seifer didn't let that pass. In a grand show of waving his arms around he says in a voice that all in the cafeteria could hear, that he was going to get that student for violating the rules. Way to go Zell, thought Squall.

Selphie and Squall had their food and were sitting down. Then a voice came over the intercom. "We're always having problems from that child." This part was probably not meant to be heard but then again, Squall wouldn't put it past the staff at this school. "Squall Lionheart, report to the front gate now! Instructor Trepe is waiting for you and she says if you don't pass the fire cavern you won't be able to take the seed test today. On the double soldier."

Selphie looked at him. Squall let out a sigh. "I'll see you later." he said.

"Ok, on the field of battle."

"Can't wait."