Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII, its characters and locations; all these belong to Square the source of all goodness..... I think.
Author's note: Guys I'm really sorry for taking this long to write again, I really am. I am bad luck incarnated, especially when it comes to technology (damn computers have it against me). So please forgive me. Read & Review, please. Enjoy!
Chapter 10: Determination
Squall walked towards the elevator; he was going to tell Cid he was going to stay. There he found Rinoa sitting on the steps of the stairs. He stopped; she looked sad, she looked hurt… He slowly approached her and sat next to her. Not a word escaped his lips; he just stared down at his hands. She pulled her knees closer to her chest.
"Squall, are we leaving Garden because the students are afraid of me?" She asked sadly, her voice breaking up. Frowning, Squall turned his hands into fists. He did not dare to look at her, until he heard a soft sob coming from her. He looked at her; her face was hidden within her arms. He moved slightly closer to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Rin, we're not leaving." He said, making her look at him; her eyes glistering with tears, a confused expression on her face. "Not everybody thinks that way, only a few. We have people who believe in you and your selfless and caring personality. They know you're not evil or anything like it."He added softly. She sniffled again and felt the tears threatening to fall again. He pulled her in for a hug. "I'm going to make an announcement to the students; there had been a change of plans." He said, trying to calm her down a little; to which, she nodded, burying her face against his chest.
Cid looked out the window while Edea sadly stared at the ground underneath her feet. Cid had just told her that Squall had resigned. She was sitting in the same chair Squall had used earlier when talking to Cid. The elder man did not want Squall to leave neither did he wanted a girl like Rinoa to leave either. Suddenly Squall walked in unannounced and took the lift to Garden's cockpit. Cid looked at Edea and stood up. Walking as fast as his feet took him to the lift, he called Squall's name. He pressed the button to call the lift several times, but it did not respond. Squall had probably deactivated the lift. Just as suddenly as he entered, Squall's voice was heard through the MIC.
"Students of Balamb Garden and SeeD members; this is Commander Squall Leonhart." The students around Garden looked at the speakers of the MIC system. "I'm using this method to inform you that I will not resign to my position as Commander of SeeD." The students and SeeDs the supported Squall and Rinoa had started cheering where they had been gathering at the Quad thanks to Seifer. "The anti-sorceress movement will have to rethink their strategy to run Rinoa and me out of Garden." A female student stared at the commotion in the Quad from the hallway and frowned at the sight. "If you really don't want to fight, if you lack the courage and strength, leave Garden and return when it's all over. That way you won't get sucked into a battle you don't want to be a part of. That is all." Seifer smirked from within the crowd of cheering students at the Quad. He looked to the entrance and saw Rinoa walking in. He ran up to her.
"Rinoa!" He called out to her. "You see this people?" He gestured to the crowd behind him. "This people are on your side." He said with a smirk. Rinoa smiled sweetly at him and nodded happily.
"Thanks, Seifer. Squall told me what you said to him." She said looking at Selphie jumping around with Irvine's hat. "He… he was really grateful." Seifer turned slightly red.
"Just don't go around saying I did that; it will ruin my reputation." He said with a smirk. She grinned and began to walk away.
"I won't and that's a promise." She said, looking back at him before walking towards Selphie. He nodded and turned to the entrance where Quistis and another group of happy students walked in with victorious grins on their faces. He approached them with a grin of his own.
The lift finally came down and Squall walked off in front of Cid. He quietly stood there, staring at the young man in front of him.
"Sir, I' m sorry, but I just can't leave Garden. Someone came to my dorm and told me so many things that were true. They told me that Garden is part of who I am and they're right. I wont leave Balamb Garden." Squall said apologetically bowing his head in front of Cid. The elder man looked at the young brunette and smiled.
"Now, that was the answer I had expected from you. Continue with your fine work." Cid said turning away from Squall with a smile. Squall straightened his body and saluted.
"Yes, sir." Squall said as he watched the elder man walk back to his desk followed by a pleased Edea. Squall walked out of the office and ran towards the elevator. He had to go to the Quad; the others were waiting there along with the students that liked Rinoa. But that was the least of his worries; there was a group of students that did not like the fact that Rinoa was a sorceress and probably were willing to do anything to get them out of Balamb Garden.
At the Galbadian presidential palace, the man in the white hooded-cloak walked into the gorgeous room, where the president spent most of his time. The two small bottles of liquid he always carried where still with him but some of it had been used. He spotted the president at the far end of the enormous room. Kneeling down close to the throne like chair behind the desk, he lowered his head and got ready to hear the man's angry voice.
"Sir, our plan to retrieve the original specimen for our experiment." He said quietly. He heard the president's wine glass crash behind him after it flew right over him.
"Why? There were so many possibilities; he could have kicked her out to keep his position, he could have left with her and he could have started a small civil war in there. Balamb Garden was supposed to kick them out or give them to us. Why didn't it work that way?" The president said pacing around in front of the hooded man. He looked up.
"According to my informant, they still have quite a following. Commander Leonhart has a strong bond with his subordinates. His ways to lead had reached most of the student body and the SeeD members; even my informant feels compelled to his leadership, to his words. He makes everything seem small in comparison to their strength as an elite mercenary organization." The hooded man said slowly getting up. The president sat again, he smirked.
"Then we'll have to make her feel guilty." He laughed wickedly. "Prepare a squadron and as soon as you're done order an attack to Balamb Garden; their main objective is to kill as many as they can and either kill or heavily wound Squall Leonhart." The hooded man bowed and walked away from the president, who continued to talk to himself. "She will regret staying at Balamb Garden."