Author's Note: This is a compilation between Ceara Ivory and myself. We don't own Final Fantasy VIII!

Tears Of The Moon

Disc 2 Part 2:

War Games

The strangely solid, cumulus cloud that Tess, Selphie and Squall traveled on moved a fast clip. Tess had the foresight to form a light shield around to keep themselves from being blown off the cloud. "We shoods be near Trabia Garden suin. Keep an yak it fur an lat at." She looked over at the moody Squall, who sat on the cloud, not paying any attention. She kicked his boot. "Pay attention! Trabia Garden is dependin' oan it!"

Squall merely remained silent, his mind wandering to Rinoa and her last words. He knew that he had to apologize to them, but now was not the time nor the place. At her insistence he gave in to his urge to mutter his favorite phrase, "Whatever. Let's get this over with."

Selphie shrieked. "Are those missiles over there!"

Tess looked out to the east of their location. She focused her eyes on that spot. She could see something. Just a hundred miles from their location was Trabia Garden on the ground. Another hundred miles from the Garden, heading directly for it was a series of intercontinental ballistic missiles. She waved her hand without thinking at the obvious attack. With an incredible explosion that threatened her very shield over their transport, the missiles detonated before they could even touch Trabia Garden, raining debris over the snowy continent.

Squall gaped at the size of the explosion. Those missiles were more powerful than Cid's source had given them credit at being. Nodding, he stood and looked at Tess. "Thank you for saving Trabia Garden. I can only hope Balamb will fare well with only three Eidolons…" It felt weird to call them by that name, but that was the proper term.

Tess nodded. "Eidolons ur th' sorceress' protectors coz they ur th' only beings stronger than they ur. Balamb will be perfectly safe."

Selphie grabbed Tess around the neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You saved my home."

Tess looked at Selphie. "Ah didn't dae it jist fur ye. Mah haem is ower thaur." She pointed to the forest slightly east of the Garden. She gently pushed her hands downwards directing the cloud to land ever so slowly, bringing them to the gate of the school.

Selphie nodded as she led the way, smiling as she saw the Trabian Headmistress. "Headmistress! Aam sae glad yoo're aw safe! Thes is Tess, a sorceress, fa saved ye aw!"

The Headmistress, a middle-aged woman with red-blonde hair stepped forward and hugged Selphie, one of her favorite students. "Och Selphie, och aye, we ur aw safe. Awrite Tess. Thenk ye sae much. Ah can't teel ye hoo grateful Ah am."

Tess bowed at the waist in a respectful manner. "Ah coods nae lit Selphie's haem be destroyed. She has bin a guid mukker tae me. Th' only a body tae shaw onie responsibility fur herself."

The headmistress smiled, "Mah nam is Fiona, an' Selphie has aye bin a guid lassie. She grew up haur an' only transferred in th' lest year tae Balamb."

Selphie was antsy, "Tess, woods ye min' if Ah checked oan mah friends pure quickly afair we gang towards yer haem tae make sure everythin' thaur is okay?"

Tess nodded. "Ah will likely gang check oan mah ain haem shortly. dae ye want me tae bide fur ye?" This was a big step for her. A sign that she genuinely trusted Selphie with the location of her home.

Selphie smiled genuinely, "r ye sure ye dornt need puckle minutes aloyn coz ay Elvoret? Aam okay wi' it either way Tess. Ah jist want ye tae hae th' time ye need - nae coz yoo're forced tae."

Tess considered. Did she want to be alone with her grief? "Ah will bide fur ye. We shoods gang together. Ye will need me tae enter th' groonds anyway." She looked at Squall. "Meanwhile, Gloomy an' Ah can hae a caw th' crack.."

Selphie giggled as she ducked out for a moment to check on her friends, to make sure they were okay. Meanwhile Squall merely rolled his eyes at the behavior and how Tess called him Gloomy. "You know my name is Squall, not gloomy right Tess?"

"Weel, Ah ne'er see ye smile. If th' sheen fits, Ah say," Tess replied. "Yoo're waur than me.."

"Yeah well I don't have much to smile about in the last few days. I lost the woman I love. I've been punished relentlessly for the last while and now apparently I have more punishment to endure from you." Squall muttered, surprisingly he was picking up on the accent far faster than he anticipated.

Tess had been about to berate the man for what happened to Airlia but, she understood loss. "The woman you loved? Who was that? Someone from Galbadia Garden?"

Squall groaned. "Rinoa. She protected me from the Sorceress Edea but died because of it. The last few days have been in a haze."

Tess was obviously confused. "Rinoa? The girl who wanted to dress like a slut to get a meeting with Deling? The girl who was hanging all over you and Seifer? The girl who you couldn't stand almost as much as me? You loved her?"

The SeeD shook his head. "Yes, she died protecting me. She did it because she loved me, and it was one of the last words she said to me…"

Tess had to struggle not to laugh at the absurdity. "Oh you poor sap. She didn't love you. She wanted to be loved. In a strange sort of way, she was kind of like me when I was her age. I'm sorry she died. No one deserves to die as young as that. But she didn't really love you."

Squall growled, "How dare you?! How dare you besmirch the name of Rinoa! It's that haughty attitude that will get people killed."

"Speaking of haughty attitudes and getting people killed," Tess began. "What happened to Airlia! How did she get shot with a magic bullet? Care to tell me that?"

The brown haired haired man glared at Tess. "She's full of it with her claims of being able to smell things when no one else can. It was just the one in ten times where it actually happened. Then when she fell over, Zell took her and took off while we fought off the Galbadians. It's her own dumb luck that she didn't duck if she was so suspicious."

"And it's that same attitude that got Rinoa killed!" She screamed at him. "How dare you blame Airlia for some idiot shooting at her! Your attitude is going to get everyone you care about killed!"

Squall just shrugged, "That's why I don't care about anyone but me right now. You got me docked one hundred thousand gil! That money was something that could have helped me to get a rental in Balamb, then she wouldn't have gotten shot because we would be moving too fast."

"Will you listen to yourself! I only accepted that money because I was hoping it would teach you a lesson about discerning who and when you kill and when you run!" She shouted. "She got shot because you decided you knew better. You decided that your pain was all that mattered. Well try turning your entire village to stone and killing your own fucking father! You know nothing of pain!"

Squall blinked. "You're trying to one up me? Seriously?"

"No, I'm trying to make you get some perspective!" She said. "Life sucks sometimes! It really fucking does! Sometimes it's wonderful. You're just a little kid playing with your big brother, the only one in your life who gives a shit about you. Then the entire village turns on you the next day, saying you're the reason the crops are failing. Because you're a sorceress. Your father beats you and you lose control. So you try and run away but the village tries to stop you and…" She started panting. "Then the next day, everything's fine again...and you're living in peace on a tower that people have all but forgotten...with your big brother. Then you wake up from a nap to find him being destroyed by a trio of wanna-be heroes!"

Squall nodded reluctantly. "I will hold my next words for when Selphie comes back. Because it's owed to you both."

Luckily they didn't have to wait long as Selphie bounded up to them brightly. "Everyone's okay! Thank you so much Tess!"

Squall held his hand up to get his words in next. "I want to apologize to you both about the orders from Martine. You were right. I should have looked into the matter. But the problem is that he used the special code that Cid uses with orders to me. That's why I was so sure the orders were accurate."

Selphie gaped. "But how could he? How could he know that code?"

Tess looked at her. "Obviously, there must be a spy in your Garden working for Martine. Likely a female, because let's face it, they make the best spies. They're inconspicuous and quiet about it."

Squall nodded. He wasn't sure who the spy was, but he had a few ideas. "He should look at instructors. They're closest to him and would have access to those numbers and know his way of coding messages."

"Selphie," Tess said. "I think we should take this to my mansion. We can talk in private as we can never be sure if any spies are here as well."

Selphie nodded as they deftly departed the garden, to head to the forest where Tess's home was.

Airlia looked at the headmaster in fear as the missiles came screaming towards the barrier. Cid merely smiled. "It'll be okay Airlia. Tess created an incredible barrier through the use of the Eidolons. Now, I would like you to come with me and meet the financier of the Gardens around this world of ours."

She nodded as they went to the elevator and descended into well past the basement to a strange level that somehow had plants growing. He led her to a strange creature that she instantly recognized. "Is he a Shumi?"

His long yellow fingers, and tall, but rotund gut and the yellow chin that dropped halfway down his chest with darker yellow – bordering on brown – spots on his chin were the natural earmarks. "Yes young lady, I am a Shumi. How did you know this?"

Airlia smiled, "Tess told me about your race, and how if I ever met one, that I should consider myself very lucky." She bowed deeply at the waist in respect.

The Shumi Lord stood before her. "You are a very respectful young woman. Most humans would have found me monstrous."

The herbalist smiled, "I know the feeling of being misunderstood, more than most, but not as much as my friend Tess."

"Your friend, Tess, who is she?" Norg asked. "I am not familiar with her beyond the fact that one of my SeeDs killed her brother and now he owes her 100,00 gil."

Airlia nodded, "Tess is a sorceress who had done nothing wrong but apparently being friends with me was enough to put her on someone's radar. I've had the feeling for a while in Dollet that someone was spying on me. Then the attack came and your SeeDs were kind enough to come to our rescue. Seifer, quite literally in my case, catching me as I fell. They investigated the tower after Seifer said not to, deeming it not of their concern after having a slightly closer look. You know the rest in that case."

Norg nodded. "I also understand the man attempted to take all responsibility at the time for leaving the designated area. Dollet violated the terms of their contract with us by surrendering to Galbadia. Hence why we pulled out. Now, I would like to discuss something I've heard of you." He reached for one of his many plants and picked off a sprig. "Tell me, what is this? What sort of potions could you make with it? How many different types?"

Airlia smiled as she held her hand out for the sprig and bringing it to her nose, she sniffed it before taking in the smaller markings. "This is part of an antidotal herb for general maladies of the stomach. However, it can be used to help form a much more powerful antidote if I had the right herbs to go with it. All and all, it could be used in about up to twenty different combinations or so."

Norg was pleased with her answer. "And yet we rely simply on the draw points in our Garden. I know the Cure point refills regularly but the Esuna point is regularly breaking down after one use. It takes us months to repair and refill after. And yet, those are what we rely on. Even Dr Kadowaki relies on magic. A highly fallible means in my opinion. Whether one is allergic or not, plants seem to be far more efficient. Don't you agree Headmaster?"

Cid nodded in agreement. "Yes, on that I absolutely agree. Now Airlia, would there be different herbs to make the same cures? So that if one is allergic to a particular ingredient, they might have another they can use?"

Airlia nodded with a smile. "Yes, it's no different than those who suffer from say nut allergies. Where they may be allergic to peanuts as opposed to say something that isn't shelled. With herbs, I can get multiple remedies out of any number of mixtures, though the more powerful ones are harder to say because my access to plants in Dollet was rather limited."

"That settles it. I want the draw points dismantled completely. Plants are simply a more self-sustainable resource," Norg declared. "Airlia, would you be willing to perhaps plant a large garden if I gave you a place here to do so? You would be given a budget to use whatever plants you like. You would also work with Kadowaki to teach her to use them."

Airlia smiled excitedly. "I would be delighted, but I have one very minor request… Would it be possible that in return I can have a room here in Garden for a longer term stay? I don't have a home to go back to really in Dollet, not that they could see past their selfish whims."

"Naturally you would you stay here. You would be given a proper apartment. I will be offering the same to Miss Tess when she returns. In exchange for the use of proper magic that doesn't require drawing," Norg stated. "Seriously, drawing magic is terribly tedious on our students."

Airlia nodded as she extended her hands. "I'm unable to draw magic, and in general unable to use it as you know. I'm sure that since I exist, there would be others like me who can't use it either. That's why I have this talisman on my neck. I'm sure if we ran into others like me, Tess would be happy to imbue that spell onto other talismans for them to have so they could never get hurt by misuse of magic."

Suddenly the intercom went off. "Headmaster Cid!" Quistis' voice could be heard. "Missiles just bounced off an invisible shield and exploded over the sea!"

Airlia looked at Cid in delight. "The shield held!" She turned to Norg. "That would be my friend, Tess, who set that shield through using the three main branches of magic. In place of wind, you have Lightning."

Norg nodded satisfactorily. "Now Cid, I thought you had her demoted. Shouldn't Xu be delivering that message?"

Cid nodded, frowning. "That may be the proof I need for my other suspicion. Norg, would I be able to leave Airlia here in your care while I deal with Quistis? Because it may be more than just a demotion coming her way if I'm right."

Norg nodded again. "You may. If it is as you think, have her arrested immediately."

Cid nodded as he left for the elevator and went up immediately to the office to find Quistis there, waiting for him expectantly. "So Quistis, why are you here? I demoted you after the incident in Dollet."

Quistis looked at him with a confused gaze. "I don't know what you mean Headmaster. I was simply letting you know about the missiles while Xu kept the other students calm."

Suddenly Xu ran into the office. "Headmaster! Missiles just bounced off a shield...and...oh Quisty, what are you doing here? I thought you were went to Galbadia to find Squall and the others."

Cid raised an eyebrow at the blonde SeeD. "So, what were you doing here indeed Quistis… And what's this about you going to Galbadia?"

"Um...I needed to find Squall. He hadn't returned. I was worried Headmaster. And I came back here and I was hoping maybe there'd be some record of contact from him. And Zell and Selphie too," Quistis said. She knew that Tess girl had been with them but left her out anyway.

Cid chuckled quietly. "Oh Quistis, ever hanging yourself on the proverbial noose. How long have you been feeding information to Galbadia? And about whom exactly."

"Well...I had to do something for my own future...Martine promised me a nice little cottage with a white picket fence, something I would obviously never get from Squall…" She moped.

Cid frowned. "Do you know what your actions have done Quistis?"

Quistis shook her head. "He told me we were getting rid of an evil sorceress. He told me she planned to enslave everyone. I had to help him. He said he loved me…"

The headmaster shook his head. "I truly feel bad for you Quistis. Did you know that the 'evil sorceress' as you put it was your Matron? Or that by giving him the movements of Squall on their return to Garden that you almost got an innocent girl killed?"

"He said there was a sorceress traveling with Squall who was another dangerous one," Quistis explained. "I just wanted to help protect the world. I didn't want to kill Matron...I didn't know…"

Cid nodded. "That's exactly as I figured. Airlia – who is with us right now – is an herbalist with an extreme knack for the gift because she cannot draw magic or use it. I know you didn't want to kill Matron. How long as Martine had his eyes on the girl from Dollet, the brunette." He had a feeling that Martine only stumbled onto Tess by accident.

"I...I don't know...I only recently started helping him within this last year," Quistis said. "After I met him while on leave...he said he loved me Headmaster…"

Cid sighed heavily. "There is much reparations that must be made to the young woman who is now with us for some time to come. She was almost killed by one of the soldiers that Martine sent to retrieve her. Airlia has an allergy to magic and it was infused in the bullet that struck her. Instead of sleep, it started to poison her, making it hard to breathe."

Quistis gasped. "I...I never wanted to kill any innocent people Headmaster...I promise I didn't...I just...I...I'm so sorry…"

The headmaster nodded. "Well as part of reparations, you will be part of her guard until Seifer feels it's safe enough for her to travel with him. You will also help her with planting the large herb garden that Norg just gave her permission to have. You will also get her a new travel attire of her choosing within reason. We will discuss any further needed reparations to be made after."

Quistis nodded, lowering her head in shame. "I loved him…"

Cid nodded in agreement. "I'm sure you did Quistis, but a man like him… he doesn't truly love. He uses then tosses them to the side the moment they lose their value. Now I need you to think during that time that he used you, did he ask you anything strange beyond peeking into my files every now and then."

"Strange? What do you mean by strange?" Quistis asked.

"Did he seem overly focused on any one topic?"

Quistis shrugged. "He seemed very interested in Squall, but all I really did was complain about him. And how he never seemed to notice me."

Cid nodded. "Now things make sense. He wanted to find a bullheaded mule – the subject of complaints gave him the way in. Dollet might have been a test to see how far Squall would go on his own. To see if he would actually go through with trying to kill the sorceress."

Tess led the way through the frozen plains of Trabia before coming to one of the forests between the two mountains to the east. "Through here," she said simply. She led the way through the forest before stopping in a seemingly empty clearing. She took a deep breath and lifted her arms, dropping the shield on the forest. Both forests vanished and left behind a beautiful, large mansion taking up the whole of the valley between the mountains.

Squall gaped openly at the mansion with the beautiful brickwork and the intricate stone and marble as it spanned over two stories tall, quite possibly three – floors or more. "Is that candy cane and gingerbread I see in there too?"

Tess went to the portion of house and broke off a small piece of ginger bread that instantly repaired itself. "Have a piece, it's perfectly good to eat. I was a child, practicing with my powers." She smiled. "This part was Elvoret's idea. The first part I built. He wanted me to see my powers could be good."

Squall gave a ghost of a smile as memories of the battle hit him. Why am I thinking about this now? Remember Rinoa. He popped the piece in his mouth and smiled. "It's delicious."

Selphie giggled gleefully at the culmination of everything she ever wanted when she was a kid. She broke off a small piece of candy cane. "Yummy!"

Tess rolled her eyes. "Did I just make a mistake giving her access to sugar?"

Squall nodded. "Yes, but candy cane is more mint than sugar. So we might be okay."

Tess grabbed another piece of the gingerbread for herself and led the way inside the main house, the one for adults. "You may find other monsters here. Do not attack them, they will not attack you. Elvoret wanted me to have more protectors just in case. So I used my toys." She warned. As if on cue, a giant bear-like creature came into the room. "Ahh, Winnie, yes it's good to be home too. No, Elvoret will not be returning…"

Selphie looked at 'Winnie' and smiled. "Wow, a giant stuffed bear! He's amazing Tess!"

Tess smirked and whispered to Winnie who stalked over to Selphie and put it's large arms around her in a hug.

Selphie grinned like a little school girl as she eagerly returned the hug, happy to have made a new friend.

Winnie released the girl and went over to Squall and stretched out his arms to hug the brunette.

Squall put two hands out to halt the bear. "Sorry, I'm just… not much of a hugger."

The Bear ignored the protest and put his arms around the brunette, lifting him of the ground in a strong hug.

Squall groaned at the force of the hug. "Easy there… I'm just not a hugger I'm sorry." He hated saying the words "I'm sorry" but it was coming out a lot lately.

The Bear put the man down in front of a nearby mantle while his mistress chuckled. "Good boy Winnie." The mantle he placed Squall before had several photographs in beautiful wood frames.

Squall looked at the pictures and froze… There was an older boy next to a young version of Tess sharing the same red flaming hair.