The next chapter is finally here. I was out for weeks dreaming up and really honing in on what I wanted to accomplish with this story, and it's really going well. I hope that all of you will read this chapter by chapter, and review it. Feel free to email me with your thoughts as well. I appreciate all of the readers of my material. As usual the same disclaimers apply. DH
All eyes turned towards him as he walked into the cafeteria. He had changed his long hair was now pulled back. He was no longer sporting the long trench, and his gotee was now trimmed to perfection. He was wearing black blue jeans, and combat boots. and a white ribbed t shirt. Replacing the trench was a black denim jacket. Two shoulder harnesses brandished twin pistoldaggers. Each of then was hand crafted to perfection. At his side hung the fearsome gunblade Renzokuken, and around his neck he was hearing a chain that bore on it Rinoa's wedding band. But perhaps the most changed thing about him was the fact that the look in his eyes had changed. He had a look of determination in his face, A look that replaced the defeated and dreary one that he had so recently displayed. Squall walked slowly, casually, and confidently towards the small group of SeeD's and administrators that were gathered around at a corner table near the back. As he walked closer, he began to make out the people who were at the table. There was Quistis Trepe Almassy sitting in the corner with a very serious look on her face. Next to her on her right side was none other than her husband Seifer. Next to Seifer sat Selphie, and Irvine. Although Irvine's eyes followed him, Selphie seemed as usual to not be paying any attention, but rather talking furiously, and rather loudly to Irvine. Squall figured that that would have badly irritated Seifer, but he didn't seem to mind. "Maybe Quistis really has him in check!", he thought, laughing on the inside, but not showing it on the outside. Beside Irvine and Selphie sat a Face unfamiliar to him. A tall, well built young man wearing the traditional SeeD uniform, with one exception, it was gray. On the side of the table close to him He could make out with ease the back of Zell Dincht, stuffing his face with a hot dog, as if it were going out of style. The new Head Master, Orion Hughes, sat in the middle of the table with his back turned to him, and next to him was the new Dr., Dr. Tolle. Rounding out the ensemble was a younger girl with long blonde hair wearing the SeeD uniform. She was the only one on that side of the table who's gaze turned to meet his as he walked towards the table, for some reason, he felt like he'd met her before, but couldn't place it. He walked on slowly towards the group. "This should be very interesting." he thought.
*******************
Delea Dreden sat at the corner of the table watching him approach. She knew at once that it was him, although she hadn't seen him in at least ten years. Yes, that was it, ten years, she was eight at the time. New at the garden, and yet already so eager, so competitive. An orphan herself, she had a lot of anger inside her. And she constantly got into fights with the other young Garden prospects. She was a small girl, but had the heart of a warrior, she would often win in her conquests against the other children. One day, however there was and older student who she got in a fight with, and although she did her best to try to win, he was much to strong for her. He knocked her to the ground and was about to hit her again, to knock her out, when Squall appeared out of nowhere to her rescue. He scared the boy off, and picked her up. "Are you OK?" he had asked her. She still remembered it like it was yesterday. "You really needn't fight so much he had told her." She was quick to point out the fact that he and his rival Seifer Almassy fought all the time, to which he had merely replied, "That's different. You just watch yourself, and try not to get into too much trouble, I may not be around next time. You're kinda small, I don't know if you'll make it to be a SeeD" Then he had turned and walked away. His words were merely empty phrases coming from a sad little boy, but to her they meant the world. Ever since that day, she had watched his every move. Tried to model herself after him. She was going to become a SeeD, to prove him wrong. but then she was transferred to Trabia. She managed to survive, but during the fight with Ultimacia she lost her Garden, and thus her training had come to a halt. It was her desire to see Leonhart again, and to complete her training, thus proving him wrong that drove her to Balamb to complete her training, but to her dismay, when she got there, they had told her that he was gone, and would probably never come back. She was heart broken. But she had grown some, and she decided to continue. And sure enough, the day had come, when Delea Dreden was announced as a SeeD. Her biggest regret was that Leonhart hadn't been there to witness it. Now here he was, walking towards her. She saw him scanning the table, looking it over, looking at the people, for a moment his eyes caught hers, and she reveled. "Now he will notice me, I'm a SeeD!" she thought. She had worn her uniform just because she knew that Leonhart was going to be at this meeting. But his eyes merely skimmed right past her, and her countenance fell. Over looked yet again. Was it her lot in life to be overlooked by the people she most desperately wanted to please? "Oh well", she thought, "We'll just see what happens when we're caught up in the Sorcerer's war. Her quest was not yet over.
*******************
Rider Arrogant sat in the corner of the table. He talked loudly, and furiously as was his tendency. He was busily swapping war stories with Irvine. He always tried to come up with one, but could never come up with one to better Irvines, "I shot a bullet at a sorceress, and it was right on target!" story. He just knew that after this war, he would have his day in the sun. There was no doubt that Rider was flashy, everything about him was flashy, and he had the skills to back it up. His weapon a long Kitana hand crafted by himself. In it's hilt were two gems called the Aurora stones. The stones responsible for his devastating limit breaks. Even his favorite GF was flashy. It's name was Bear, and it was exactly that, a giant Bear. He trained non stop, he was the cream of the current SeeD crop, and was the first named to the SeeD recon team which he now commanded. He always wore his gray recon uniform to important meetings to display his authority and his Arrogance. His father was a gorilla fighter in the hills near Trabia. He led a mercenary group. One time, his father took an assignment to confront the sorceress, and he and his whole unit were killed. So Rider had spent his whole life taking care of his mother. When he was 17 his mother passed away of a plague that was spreading through the area. Rider was crushed, but he decided that he'd deal with it. He went on the road. His travels led him to the Coliseum where he saw Lion fight for the first time. After the battle, he found out everything he could about Lion. He found out that he was trained at Garden, and that he and his friends had defeated the sorceress Ultimacia from the future. He became determined to join SeeD, and become a mercenary like his father. And now at the age of twenty, he was not only the fastest advancing SeeD graduate ever, he was also the commander of the first SeeD recon team. He appeared to everyone to be a success, but he wasn't satisfied yet. He wanted to be a true hero, like his father, a legend, like Lion. He was right in the middle of telling Irvine and Zell about his battle with Bear for the 500th time when Squall walked through the door. His story ceased instantly, and his eyes fixed on the man. So there he was, up close and personal, Lion himself. From his first sight of Squall Leonhart, Rider could tell that he was a true hero. In his eyes was a fire, a fire he'd seen before, in the eyes of his father. There was also the confidence, and the air with which he walked, an air which Rider had tried to mimic so many times since becoming a SeeD. His hands moved easily and calmly at his sides, there was no fear to this man. Rider merely stared in awe. He hoped that perhaps he could learn from this Lion, learn how to become a warrior, like his father.
*******************
Squall approached the table, and stood for a moment looking over the group standing there. He knew most of them, and it appeared that they hadn't changed much. Then he took careful notice of the two newcomers to the group. The girl was especially interesting, he could have sworn he knew her, but he couldn't place it. She was definitely younger than the others in the group, but there was a strength in her eyes. He noticed, with but the one quick glance, that she had something in her past that she wasn't letting go of, something that powered her, something that gave her strength. "Good," he thought, "Can't get enough motivation in a soldier." He also saw something in the face of the other newcomer. It was an awe. He couldn't explain why someone would be awed with him, he could tell that he was. The young man's uniform was decked out with pins. Squall knew very well though, pins are for rank, medals were for heroes. It was obvious, however that this guy was good. He had practically every award possible to receive at the garden as far as rank was concerned. And the weapon laying next to him was hand made, probably by himself. And in this ones eyes he again saw the desire, the fire, the will to fight. And Squall knew all too well that that was going to be necessary in whatever it was that they were all about to face. No, Squall didn't know the stories behind Delea and Rider's fire, but he did know what was behind his, and as he took his seat at the head of the table, the last thought that crossed his mind was this..... "It's all for you Rinoa. You are my motivation, you are my reason."
Author's notes.
My new characters are introduced in this chapter. I tried to incorporate a little of their history into the storyline, and I hope I've been successful. This chapter is a little slower, but necessary to the story. If you are enjoying this story, review it please. Thanks. And if you really like it, drop me an e-mail line at Sniper_3d@yahoo.com
D.H.
All eyes turned towards him as he walked into the cafeteria. He had changed his long hair was now pulled back. He was no longer sporting the long trench, and his gotee was now trimmed to perfection. He was wearing black blue jeans, and combat boots. and a white ribbed t shirt. Replacing the trench was a black denim jacket. Two shoulder harnesses brandished twin pistoldaggers. Each of then was hand crafted to perfection. At his side hung the fearsome gunblade Renzokuken, and around his neck he was hearing a chain that bore on it Rinoa's wedding band. But perhaps the most changed thing about him was the fact that the look in his eyes had changed. He had a look of determination in his face, A look that replaced the defeated and dreary one that he had so recently displayed. Squall walked slowly, casually, and confidently towards the small group of SeeD's and administrators that were gathered around at a corner table near the back. As he walked closer, he began to make out the people who were at the table. There was Quistis Trepe Almassy sitting in the corner with a very serious look on her face. Next to her on her right side was none other than her husband Seifer. Next to Seifer sat Selphie, and Irvine. Although Irvine's eyes followed him, Selphie seemed as usual to not be paying any attention, but rather talking furiously, and rather loudly to Irvine. Squall figured that that would have badly irritated Seifer, but he didn't seem to mind. "Maybe Quistis really has him in check!", he thought, laughing on the inside, but not showing it on the outside. Beside Irvine and Selphie sat a Face unfamiliar to him. A tall, well built young man wearing the traditional SeeD uniform, with one exception, it was gray. On the side of the table close to him He could make out with ease the back of Zell Dincht, stuffing his face with a hot dog, as if it were going out of style. The new Head Master, Orion Hughes, sat in the middle of the table with his back turned to him, and next to him was the new Dr., Dr. Tolle. Rounding out the ensemble was a younger girl with long blonde hair wearing the SeeD uniform. She was the only one on that side of the table who's gaze turned to meet his as he walked towards the table, for some reason, he felt like he'd met her before, but couldn't place it. He walked on slowly towards the group. "This should be very interesting." he thought.
*******************
Delea Dreden sat at the corner of the table watching him approach. She knew at once that it was him, although she hadn't seen him in at least ten years. Yes, that was it, ten years, she was eight at the time. New at the garden, and yet already so eager, so competitive. An orphan herself, she had a lot of anger inside her. And she constantly got into fights with the other young Garden prospects. She was a small girl, but had the heart of a warrior, she would often win in her conquests against the other children. One day, however there was and older student who she got in a fight with, and although she did her best to try to win, he was much to strong for her. He knocked her to the ground and was about to hit her again, to knock her out, when Squall appeared out of nowhere to her rescue. He scared the boy off, and picked her up. "Are you OK?" he had asked her. She still remembered it like it was yesterday. "You really needn't fight so much he had told her." She was quick to point out the fact that he and his rival Seifer Almassy fought all the time, to which he had merely replied, "That's different. You just watch yourself, and try not to get into too much trouble, I may not be around next time. You're kinda small, I don't know if you'll make it to be a SeeD" Then he had turned and walked away. His words were merely empty phrases coming from a sad little boy, but to her they meant the world. Ever since that day, she had watched his every move. Tried to model herself after him. She was going to become a SeeD, to prove him wrong. but then she was transferred to Trabia. She managed to survive, but during the fight with Ultimacia she lost her Garden, and thus her training had come to a halt. It was her desire to see Leonhart again, and to complete her training, thus proving him wrong that drove her to Balamb to complete her training, but to her dismay, when she got there, they had told her that he was gone, and would probably never come back. She was heart broken. But she had grown some, and she decided to continue. And sure enough, the day had come, when Delea Dreden was announced as a SeeD. Her biggest regret was that Leonhart hadn't been there to witness it. Now here he was, walking towards her. She saw him scanning the table, looking it over, looking at the people, for a moment his eyes caught hers, and she reveled. "Now he will notice me, I'm a SeeD!" she thought. She had worn her uniform just because she knew that Leonhart was going to be at this meeting. But his eyes merely skimmed right past her, and her countenance fell. Over looked yet again. Was it her lot in life to be overlooked by the people she most desperately wanted to please? "Oh well", she thought, "We'll just see what happens when we're caught up in the Sorcerer's war. Her quest was not yet over.
*******************
Rider Arrogant sat in the corner of the table. He talked loudly, and furiously as was his tendency. He was busily swapping war stories with Irvine. He always tried to come up with one, but could never come up with one to better Irvines, "I shot a bullet at a sorceress, and it was right on target!" story. He just knew that after this war, he would have his day in the sun. There was no doubt that Rider was flashy, everything about him was flashy, and he had the skills to back it up. His weapon a long Kitana hand crafted by himself. In it's hilt were two gems called the Aurora stones. The stones responsible for his devastating limit breaks. Even his favorite GF was flashy. It's name was Bear, and it was exactly that, a giant Bear. He trained non stop, he was the cream of the current SeeD crop, and was the first named to the SeeD recon team which he now commanded. He always wore his gray recon uniform to important meetings to display his authority and his Arrogance. His father was a gorilla fighter in the hills near Trabia. He led a mercenary group. One time, his father took an assignment to confront the sorceress, and he and his whole unit were killed. So Rider had spent his whole life taking care of his mother. When he was 17 his mother passed away of a plague that was spreading through the area. Rider was crushed, but he decided that he'd deal with it. He went on the road. His travels led him to the Coliseum where he saw Lion fight for the first time. After the battle, he found out everything he could about Lion. He found out that he was trained at Garden, and that he and his friends had defeated the sorceress Ultimacia from the future. He became determined to join SeeD, and become a mercenary like his father. And now at the age of twenty, he was not only the fastest advancing SeeD graduate ever, he was also the commander of the first SeeD recon team. He appeared to everyone to be a success, but he wasn't satisfied yet. He wanted to be a true hero, like his father, a legend, like Lion. He was right in the middle of telling Irvine and Zell about his battle with Bear for the 500th time when Squall walked through the door. His story ceased instantly, and his eyes fixed on the man. So there he was, up close and personal, Lion himself. From his first sight of Squall Leonhart, Rider could tell that he was a true hero. In his eyes was a fire, a fire he'd seen before, in the eyes of his father. There was also the confidence, and the air with which he walked, an air which Rider had tried to mimic so many times since becoming a SeeD. His hands moved easily and calmly at his sides, there was no fear to this man. Rider merely stared in awe. He hoped that perhaps he could learn from this Lion, learn how to become a warrior, like his father.
*******************
Squall approached the table, and stood for a moment looking over the group standing there. He knew most of them, and it appeared that they hadn't changed much. Then he took careful notice of the two newcomers to the group. The girl was especially interesting, he could have sworn he knew her, but he couldn't place it. She was definitely younger than the others in the group, but there was a strength in her eyes. He noticed, with but the one quick glance, that she had something in her past that she wasn't letting go of, something that powered her, something that gave her strength. "Good," he thought, "Can't get enough motivation in a soldier." He also saw something in the face of the other newcomer. It was an awe. He couldn't explain why someone would be awed with him, he could tell that he was. The young man's uniform was decked out with pins. Squall knew very well though, pins are for rank, medals were for heroes. It was obvious, however that this guy was good. He had practically every award possible to receive at the garden as far as rank was concerned. And the weapon laying next to him was hand made, probably by himself. And in this ones eyes he again saw the desire, the fire, the will to fight. And Squall knew all too well that that was going to be necessary in whatever it was that they were all about to face. No, Squall didn't know the stories behind Delea and Rider's fire, but he did know what was behind his, and as he took his seat at the head of the table, the last thought that crossed his mind was this..... "It's all for you Rinoa. You are my motivation, you are my reason."
Author's notes.
My new characters are introduced in this chapter. I tried to incorporate a little of their history into the storyline, and I hope I've been successful. This chapter is a little slower, but necessary to the story. If you are enjoying this story, review it please. Thanks. And if you really like it, drop me an e-mail line at Sniper_3d@yahoo.com
D.H.