The sound of the Garden Car driving off was startling. It was Seifer and his Disciplinary Committee. Zell ran after them, shouting "Hey!"
"Might as well walk it," said Squall.
Zell came back, huffing and disappointed. "Not again, man! There goes Mr Ego."
"You're free to do whatever you want now," Said Quistis. "Buy some souvenirs, have a review meeting." There was an awkward silence. Quistis wasn't meant to participate in the field test, and yet she had. Seifer's squad weren't meant to leave their post. Squall wondered whether or not he would even pass. Damn Seifer.
"But I suggest you go back and rest," Quistis advised.
"Do you want to come play cards with my Ma?" Said Zell. "She's good." Good meant rare cards.
"I'm not interested in cards," said Selphie. "See you at the PAH-TAY!" She walked off, waving brightly.
"Sure, why not?" Said Squall.
Zell lived in a crammed townhouse with his mother and father. The place only consisted of a kitchen, tiny living area and a staircase that presumably led to a couple of bedrooms.
"Ma! I'm home!" Zell called to his mother.
"Oh, Zell, are you off today?" Said a voice from the kitchen. Ma Dincht, a short, round, jolly woman shuffled into living room. "Are these your friends?"
"Yes, Ma," said Zell.
"Do you play cards?" Squall asked.
"Sure I do!" Said Ma. "I've been playing them since before you were yay high. Don't you teach Granny how to suck eggs now!" They played on the tiny living room table that overlooked another street. Ma was a formidable opponent, especially since she had made a card for her son. They had only played a couple of games when it was time to leave. "It was nice of you to drop by," said Ma. "Even just to say 'hi'."
Since the Garden was about 30 kilometers away, Squall hired a rental car, a classic grey model. At the Garden gate he and Zell parted ways.
"Well, I guess we just wait for the test results," said Zell. "'Til then, see ya Squall."
When Squall reached the lobby (a couple of days later I hope, since results should have taken such a short time to process), there was already a crowd of students gathered, waiting for Headmaster Cid to read out instructions. Xu and Quistis stood on either side of Cid. Squall could overhear some of the students saying things like, " I don't care if I pass," "I don't really want to be a SeeD," and I did awful in the field exam." One of them said: "Just between you and me...I wet my pants."
"Mission complete!" Said Xu to everyone assembled. "I think we did a pretty good job. The candidates are back safely, right? Although we didn't realize the Galbadian Army was defeated after they abandoned communication tower... We've just received word from the Dollet Dukedom: The Galbadian Army has agreed to withdraw as long as the communication tower is repaired and the uplink remains operational."
"Well, in any case," said Cid. "Galbadia is out of there."
A Garden Faculty spoke over the intercom: "All students who participated in today's field exam, report to the 2nd floor hallway. I repeat. All students who took the field exam, report to the 2nd floor hallway," said a voice over the , fuujin and Raijin were all there."...RAGE," Fuujin said when Squall walked in."Fuujin was sayin', that it'd be all your fault if Seifer doesn't become a SeeD. "She can be pretty scary, ya know!" Raijin said. Zell was pacing around. After a wait, a Garden Facility came in to read the last candidates (Zell freaked out): "Dincht...Zell Dincht."" OHHHHHH YEAHHHHH! See ya!" Said Zell, goosestepping his way to the elevator.
After what seemed like a very long wait, the intercom called for Squall. Since only four cadets were accepted as Seed, the "acceptance interview" was to take place in the Headmaster's office. Squall had never been there before. It was on the top floor of the Garden and required special clearance to access. The space seemed surprisingly small, however, as the elevator led directly to the headmaster's office. Large windows surrounded the office, offering a 360° view of the Garden and the plains that surrounded it.
Selphie, Zell and another student were also there."These are the 4 students that passed today"s exam," The Garden Facility told Cid. Cid spoke: "First of all, congratulations. However... From now on, as a member of SeeD, you will be dispatched all over the world. We are proud to introduce SeeD, Balamb Garden's mercenary soldiers. SeeD soldiers are combat specialists. BUT... That is only one aspect of SeeD When the time comes..." The Garden Facility interrupted — "Headmaster... It's almost time for the meeting. Please make this short." Cid continued: "SeeD is a valuable asset to Garden. Its reputation is solely dependant on each one of you. Handle your mission with care.
Cid gave them their reports. When he reached Squall, he whispered "Finally, A gunblade specialist."
"This ends the SeeD inauguration. Dismissed!"
As soon as they were in the elevator with Squall, Selphie and Zell both danced around in glee. Selphie kept repeating the word "SeeD" as though she couldn't believe they existed. Zell just did a lot of whooting. Whatever, Squall thought.
Squall returned to his dormitory in order to get dressed for the awards celebration. But Seifer stopped him in the corridor on route. "Squall! D'you hear about the communication tower in Dollet? We would've been made heroes if it weren't for that withdrawing order." The other student who became SeeD, who Squall hadn't bothered to get to know, was muttering to himself quietly.
Selphie was waiting at the dormitory in her SeeD uniform. How was she so fast? Perhaps it was random card games Squall had snatched before he arrived at the dorm.
"HAH! Found you!" She said. "Well, well!? What do you think!? My SeeD uniform!"Squall found his SeeD uniform in my bedroom, and changed into it.
The band and the food were good, but Squall was shy. He spent a long time leaning against the wall, sipping on a glass of champagne, before he saw anyone familiar. Selphie and Zell both attempted to chat, but their attempts were futile. "Yo! S'up, Squall?" Said Zell. "Heh-heh, I guess we're both SeeDs now, huh? Put it there, man (lending his hand, but Squall remained still). "Hah, even as a SeeD, you're still the same." Selphie attempted to make Zell join the Garden Festival Committee, but Zell was non-committal. Selphie tried the same pitch with Squall: "You can help out whenever you have time."
"Sure," said Squall to make her quiet. "You seem to be putting a lot of effort into this."
"Thanks!" Said Selphie. "Bye!" Squall could tell she was rounding up more volunteers.
Suddenly Squall saw a shooting star and a raven haired girl approach."You're the best looking guy here," she said. She had dark hair and wore a short white dress; she was obviously not the girl Squall had seen in the infirmary earlier on. "Dance with me?" She said. "Let me guess... You'll only dance with someone you like. Okay then... Look into my eyes... (twirling her finger in front of Squall's face like a hypnotist) "You're-going-to-like-me...You're-going-to-like-me... Did it work?" The girl asked. Squall looked down at his drink. He was still shy.
"I can't dance."
"You"ll be fine. Come on. I'm looking for someone. I can't be on the dance floor alone." The girl wearing the white dress dragged Squall onto the dance floor. At first, Squall's feet fumbled around, hitting a girl in a red dress and her partner. But as he got into the rhythm of the formal, classical music, he was soon leading the girl as he should have. It was not long though, before the girl randomly appeared to have found the person she was looking for, and left Squall alone on the dance floor.
It was a long night. Squall leaned against a balcony railing, gazing at the stars. When that girl had asked him onto the dance floor, he had seen a shooting star. Not that it meant anything.
"You really are an excellent student," said Quistis from behind. She was still wearing her SeeD uniform even though the other girls had changed into gowns and dresses. "Even that dance was perfect."
"Thank you," Squall said. He could tell from Quistis's tone that there was something on her mind. "Yes?"
"So you'll dance with someone you don"t even know, but you can't stand being around me?" Said Quistis. Squall didn't really care what Quistis thought. This statement was confusing to him. "Whatever," he said because he could think of nothing else to say. "You're an instructor, and I'm your student. It's kind of awkward when you don't say anything," Squall told her.
"That's true," said Quistis. "I was like that myself...Oh, I completely forgot. I wonder what's to become of me? I've come to give you an order. You and I are to go to the secret area in the training centre."
It's where students secretly meet up and talk after curfew
It's inside the training center.""What do you want to do there? Are we going there to tell everyone they're violating curfew? If that's the case, forget it
Leave that for the disciplinary committee.""Go get changed and meet me in front of the training center
This will be my last order.""What do you mean, 'last order'?""I have a lot on my mind."Get changed and meet at the training center? What's this all about...?After getting changed Squall met Quistis at the training centre."Squall, I was just wondering..
Have you fought T-Rexaur in the training center?" Quistis asked."I'm not sure...""You can defeat it quite easily by using Status-J
Let's go over Status changes in the Tutorial!"She showed Squall the tutorial and how to use status junction
Basically, how to equip certain magic to your weapon so certain things might happen when you attack an enemy using that weapon."Well? Use a Sleep attack against T-Rexaur
Just junction 'Sleep' onto your ST Atk-J and attack
Come on, let's go to the 'secret area'
It's just inside the training center
The 'secret area' did not turn out to be so 'secret'
It was just a part of the training centre that was usually closed during the day
On the way, they defeated a few secret area was sort of like a balcony that looked out onto a view of the middle part of the Garden
There were a few couples there."I haven't been here for a while," Quistis said, "What time is it?""It's after midnight," Squall replied."Oh well..
I, Quistis Trepe, am no longer an instructor as of now! I'm a member of SeeD now, just like you
Who knows, maybe we'll end up working together."I looked up at her and said: "Oh really?""Is that all you're going to say?" "If that's how it was decided, you have to abide by it.""They told me that I failed as an instructor
Basically, that I lacked leadership qualities
I was a SeeD by the age of 15, got my instructor license at 17..
It's only been a year since I got it ..
I wonder where I went wrong..
I did my best..
Are you listening?""Are you done yet...? I don't wanna talk about it
What am I supposed to say about other people's problems?""I'm not asking you to say anything
I just want you to listen.""Then go talk to a wall.""Aren't there times when you want to share feelings with someone?""Everyone has to take care of themselves
I don't want to carry anyone's burden," Squall said, and left."...No leadership qualities..
Failed instructor..
Perhaps they're right..."On the way out of the training centre they heard a scream: "Somebody help!"It was that girl Squall saw in the infirmary being attacked by some sort of giant wasp."Squall! Squall! Quisty?" She called out to to the scanner, this creature was a granaldo
It also had four other creatures with it called raldos
After drawing some Protect magic from the raldos and Shell from the granaldo they were able to defeat it with our Aero magic and limit girl had two guards dressed in a uniform they'd never seen before
"It is not safe here
Please, let's go," one of them told the girl."Alright," she said, and they left."Who was that...?" Quistis on in the hallway, Quistis said before she left: "It's not like everyone can get by on their own, you know?""...Says who?" Squall at the dormitory Zell was looking for Squall
He said: "Where the hell were you? I was lookin' all over the place
We're both now members of SeeD, right? Well, guess what!? We got our own rooms, baby! Your new room's right across the hall from your old one
That's what I was asked to tell you
Man, it took me forever!"His new room wasn't as big as the combined dormitory double, but it was private
"I'll just go to sleep.."