~Distant Dreams~

Chapter One - Mission

I could hear that putrid voice. A beating voice like none other I'd ever heard. It sounded so familiar but so unreal. Where was I then? A dream? No… it was too real to be a dream. I couldn't tell at first until a voice whispered to me right then…

"Squall… realize… realize… imagine… be born… Squall…"

A gruesome pain then struck my head as those words repeated. Louder and louder they came. Repeating. Repeating. So fierce… but in a way… gentle. What was this…?

~

"Squall?! Yo Squall! Wake up! Today's da big day!"

"…? …Zell?"

"Yeah, yeah! Wake up! Today's the day!! C'mon! Get ready!"

I rose from my bed, still half asleep as my eyes focused in on a bouncy Zell who seemed to be excited over something…

"Squall! Squall!!" Zell started to yell as he shook me by my shoulders obviously impatient.

"………."

"Squall!!"

Suddenly I opened my eyes fully and remembered what was so special about today –

"Squall!!"

"….I'm up already!!" I almost screamed at my blonde-haired comrade.

"Squall, sorry for the barge in but we hafta get going now soon, Cid's waiten for us." Zell stated as he turned toward the direction of my small dorm's silvery door. "Get changed!"

The door slammed. Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I rose out of bed still in my night clothing. Slowly I drifted towards my dresser and put on my usual clothing. Ever since I was young, there was never really any diversity in the clothing I wore. Kids would stare at me for wearing the same thing everyday of growing up, occasionally calling me names because of it. Sometimes I wondered what the point of diverse clothing was, I mean it's all the same and it shouldn't matter what you wear one day to the next. Then again, I never really have gottten along with people or even understood their ways. Truthfully, I don't think I ever will.

Suddenly, a rapping on the door startled me from my thinking.

"Squall man! You still alive, or you having trouble getting your zipper up?!"

Being the way I was, I discarded Zell's question. Placing one arm in my midnight black jacket, I exited my dorm and found Zell, being as energetic as usual. "How could someone be as active and annoying as he is?" I have wondered numerous times. Though over time, some how I've gotten used to his ways of life.

"Awright Squall! Now let's report to Headmaster Cid!"

I nodded and we proceeded. On the way to Balamb Garden's third floor, something came over me. The dream last night was so mysterious and yet I felt like it meant something… but what?

Ding!!

We had finally arrived at the third floor where Cid instantly greeted us, almost more cheerful than usual.

"Zell, Squall, I thank both of you for coming." announced the headmaster in a pleasant smile.

"As you know, both of you will be transferred to Titania Gardens for suspicion of possible sorceress involvement. You will take a pseudonym and never publish any secrets, ideas, or topics dealing with Balamb Gardens and suspicion towards Titania Gardens. "

"Hey Cid! What do we suspect them of doin' with sorceress stuff?"

"Some of what they have been doing has not been revealed, I have had reports of experimentation with forbidden magic that sorceresses once used in ancient times. There have also been mysterious deaths occurring throughout their garden and Headmaster Dirk has been missing for unknown reasons."

"Who is this Headmaster Dirk?" I asked almost interested with the events taking place at Titania Garden.

"Ah… I weird man indeed. I met him briefly during an excavation in a local forest. The guy had a shaggy figure with messy hair and pale skin. If I can remember properly, his face was rough and he had shallow black eyes. I believe he was around six foot and quite a buff fellow…"

Zell chuckled. "Sounds like an evil scientist or something."

"Well… yes… I guess I could see how he would get that reputation… he was very interested in the dark arts and never really talked much about what he was excavating for in such a tiny forest in the middle of no where special. You see, my group was only passing through the forest and we never actually took note of where we were. Now that I think of it… I wonder what he was doing there… Ah, none the less, you two will set out this evening just before dinner is served. "

"So I miss another chance for hot do- "

"Agreed." I stated, interrupting Zell's everyday hot dog misery.

"Now before you go, take these identification cards. These will be your way in to Titania Garden." Cid finally said to us after bowing. "Take care until we talk again."

It would be my last day in Balamb for a while, so I decided to make the best of it. I had lunch with Rinoa and Quistis, chatting here and there as I sipped hot chicken broth from my spoon. Rinoa had always been special to me in an eerie way. I felt like there is some link between us, but I never knew what it was. Perhaps I loved her, though I never knew what love was like. Maybe it was just a great sibling-like bond we shared. For some reason, she had always seemed like a graceful young sister to me. Her beauty was different from others and I enjoyed spending time with her, even if I never spoke to her. We used to always study together and she would usually make me a delectable meal, much better than Balamb Garden's cafeteria shit that everyone seems to like.

Later, after lunch, I spent a brief amount of time with Irvine in the Garden's Training Center. He was always a comical character and always bearing a typical, sarcastic grin. The Training Center seemed boring these days. My shiny Gunblade has killed so many things and yet I'm still attached to it. I took my anger out when fighting, but when there wasn't any anger, fighting seemed meaningless.

Selphie had been absent from Balamb Gardens for a while. Rumors say she is visiting an old boy friend of hers. As much as I tried, I could never really like her much. People like her are optimistic for no damn reason and feel like is really worth something. I wonder… how can she think that?

The time had come for departure. The day had flown by and I still felt like I had only gotten out of bed. I've never heard of this "Titania Garden" before, but for some reason the name seemed familiar. "What all will lie ahead of me?" I could only ponder as I made my final step out of Balamb Gardens, Zell by my side, and the night still at it's youngest.

Note from Author: I hope that you have enjoyed my fanfic, Distant Dreams, so far. It would mean a lot to me if I knew that there were people out there who really like my fanfic writings. I will keep you all updated on new chapters and ideas for Distant Dreams. Remember, Distant Dreams might start out slow, but I have many plans to make it "juicy" later on. Just deal with it until then. ^^;