Chapter Three
"We will be docking in Balamb harbour in half an hour. All students and SeeDs are given 24 hours shore leave. Have a nice day people."
Squall smiled at Nida's announcement. Zell would be pleased at that; he'd wanted to take Iris to meet his mum for a while now. He threw a box of shells on top of the clothes in his sack. Squall always travelled light. Hefting his gunblade case and sack on his back, he headed towards the front gate.
***
"What's your name Soldier?"
Lieutenant Ryan Yorke turned around to see who had spoken. A scar faced blonde man stood there, a gunblade resting on one shoulder. "Lieutenant Yorke sir, 3rd Deling Airborne."
"Seifer Almasy, Supreme commander. I need a plane."
Yorke swallowed. The knight himself! "Of course sir. Do you need a pilot?"
"No, I'm quite capable of driving it myself. I just need a plane with enough fuel to get me to Balamb."
"Of course sir, right this way sir. This should get you to Balamb no problem sir."
The knight threw his gunblade into the cockpit and climbed in. "Thank you soldier. Carry on" He threw a salute and flew off over the ocean.
***
Gilgamesh pulled his veil up close around his face and moved through the crowd. Nearly everyone in Balamb had a friend or relative on the garden, and they had all turned out to see them come home. Gilgamesh made his way to a quiet spot in the lee of the hotel and watched the garden dock.
***
Squall stood at the front gate so absorbed in his thoughts he didn't hear the footsteps coming up behind him. He only realized someone was standing beside him when a familiar voice said "Hey Squall."
"What oh, hey Zell."
Zell peered through a pair of binoculars, scanning the crowd. "Mom said she'd be there with the rest of the family and…what the hell is he doing here?!" He passed the binoculars up to Squall, who took them and looked where Zell was pointing.
"What the hell is he doing here?!" Squall echoed a few seconds later.
"Your guess is as good as mine buddy. If I were you though, I wouldn't go anywhere near him unless you're armed. He seems to be attracted to trouble."
Squall gave Zell a scornful look. "Do you really think I'd go anywhere without the lionheart? Tell the others though."
"Yeah, sure." Zell ran off leaving Squall alone with his thoughts once more. 'What the hell is Gilgamesh doing in Balamb?'
***
A few minutes later, the front gate of Balamb opened, SeeDs and students pouring out of it like a flood. Unnoticed in all the hubbub, Squall made his way to the red cloaked figure standing outside Balamb hotel. Squall mouthed "inside." Gilgamesh nodded and ducked inside the hotel, followed by Squall.
"Why are you here?" Squall asked when they were in the relative quiet of Balamb hotel.
"What, it isn't enough that I wanted to greet my old war buddy on his return to his hometown?"
Squall frowned "One, Balamb isn't my hometown, and two, since when have you been my war buddy."
"I'm hurt Squall. What about the times I saved your life?"
"What about the time you used Excalipoor on Omega weapon. That almost got us killed."
"That was just my little joke Squall. I need your help."
"Why do you need our help?" Squall said, suddenly all business.
"I'm being hunted by something you're experienced at fighting. A sorceress' knight."
"We will be docking in Balamb harbour in half an hour. All students and SeeDs are given 24 hours shore leave. Have a nice day people."
Squall smiled at Nida's announcement. Zell would be pleased at that; he'd wanted to take Iris to meet his mum for a while now. He threw a box of shells on top of the clothes in his sack. Squall always travelled light. Hefting his gunblade case and sack on his back, he headed towards the front gate.
***
"What's your name Soldier?"
Lieutenant Ryan Yorke turned around to see who had spoken. A scar faced blonde man stood there, a gunblade resting on one shoulder. "Lieutenant Yorke sir, 3rd Deling Airborne."
"Seifer Almasy, Supreme commander. I need a plane."
Yorke swallowed. The knight himself! "Of course sir. Do you need a pilot?"
"No, I'm quite capable of driving it myself. I just need a plane with enough fuel to get me to Balamb."
"Of course sir, right this way sir. This should get you to Balamb no problem sir."
The knight threw his gunblade into the cockpit and climbed in. "Thank you soldier. Carry on" He threw a salute and flew off over the ocean.
***
Gilgamesh pulled his veil up close around his face and moved through the crowd. Nearly everyone in Balamb had a friend or relative on the garden, and they had all turned out to see them come home. Gilgamesh made his way to a quiet spot in the lee of the hotel and watched the garden dock.
***
Squall stood at the front gate so absorbed in his thoughts he didn't hear the footsteps coming up behind him. He only realized someone was standing beside him when a familiar voice said "Hey Squall."
"What oh, hey Zell."
Zell peered through a pair of binoculars, scanning the crowd. "Mom said she'd be there with the rest of the family and…what the hell is he doing here?!" He passed the binoculars up to Squall, who took them and looked where Zell was pointing.
"What the hell is he doing here?!" Squall echoed a few seconds later.
"Your guess is as good as mine buddy. If I were you though, I wouldn't go anywhere near him unless you're armed. He seems to be attracted to trouble."
Squall gave Zell a scornful look. "Do you really think I'd go anywhere without the lionheart? Tell the others though."
"Yeah, sure." Zell ran off leaving Squall alone with his thoughts once more. 'What the hell is Gilgamesh doing in Balamb?'
***
A few minutes later, the front gate of Balamb opened, SeeDs and students pouring out of it like a flood. Unnoticed in all the hubbub, Squall made his way to the red cloaked figure standing outside Balamb hotel. Squall mouthed "inside." Gilgamesh nodded and ducked inside the hotel, followed by Squall.
"Why are you here?" Squall asked when they were in the relative quiet of Balamb hotel.
"What, it isn't enough that I wanted to greet my old war buddy on his return to his hometown?"
Squall frowned "One, Balamb isn't my hometown, and two, since when have you been my war buddy."
"I'm hurt Squall. What about the times I saved your life?"
"What about the time you used Excalipoor on Omega weapon. That almost got us killed."
"That was just my little joke Squall. I need your help."
"Why do you need our help?" Squall said, suddenly all business.
"I'm being hunted by something you're experienced at fighting. A sorceress' knight."
