Chapter 2
"Well, let's see.....I transferred here from Karimant Garden," Kiana said, she paused to take a bite from her chicken burrito, "It's a very small and a very unknown Garden located in the mountains in Centra."
"Oh yes, yes. I've heard of Karimant Garden," Quistis said nodding and taking a sip from her soda, "Students from Karimant usually transfer to Trabia. What made you choose Balamb?"
"I did some research on both of the academies and I found that Balamb had more of what I wanted," Kiana said, "Balamb had the best instructors and it is the SeeD headquarters. Any student who wishes to continue on to SeeD go to Balamb and come out the most respected soldiers in the world."
"Then I'd say you made a very wise choice then," Collin said smiling slightly. He'd been practically silent the whole meal.
"Yes, you did," Quistis said taking a bite from her salad and she noticed the coat that Collin was wearing, "you know Collin that coat looks very good on you. You look just like your father more and more."
"Who's his father?" Kiana asked.
Collin fell silent and started pushing his food around his plate, She'll probably act the same as other people and automatically assume he's some monster, "Seifer Almasy," Collin mumbled.
"Seifer Almasy....." Kiana said her face looked as if she had solved some great mystery then looked as if she had heard something disturbing, "I knew your last name sounded familiar. Your father was the Sorceress' Knight."
"Yea," Collin muttered, "Everyone knows what my dad was when he was under the control of some psyco sorceress. He wasn't like that his whole life. He wasn't trained to be a Sorceress' Knight, he was trained to be a mercenary and a sorceress took advantage of his training."
"I uh.....I didn't think he was," Kiana said getting uncomfortable, "I just know that he had a part in the war.......I'm sorry I didn't mean to offend you....." He couldn't know.......could he?
"Quisty!" a familiar cheery voice squealed, "Since when were you in Balamb?"
"Selphie, how good to see you!" Quistis said as she was almost knocked over by an overexcited Selphie, "I came in this morning" Quistis answered laughing and stood up to greet her other friends who came in after Selphie.
"You should have told us you were coming we could sent someone to the station to get you!" Rinoa said giving the slim blonde a quick hug.
"I wanted to surprise people, I told Collin I was coming," Quistis said sitting down again, "Pull up some chairs and join us."
"Good to see you again Quis," Squall said sitting down, "You thinking about coming back to Balamb? You know I won't think twice about giving you your job back."
"No....I'm just visiting for awhile," Quistis said chuckling, "I'm happy with the way things are going right now."
"Then I probably couldn't convince you to be an examiner for the field exam next week?" Squall said, "We're a bit short handed right now."
Quistis thought for a moment before answering, "All right but this doesn't mean I'm back."
"Of course not," Squall said, "I don't think you'll need to be briefed on how to grade the candidates, you'll be given whatever information is needed when the time comes."
"So Quis how has live been treatin' ya lately," Zell asked, "Good, I hope."
"Relatively well," Quistis said, "There has been some problems here and there,but, what's life without a few problems."
"Good, good," Irvine said, "So ah.....Is there anyone new in your life, ya know someone special."
The group was silent for a few seconds. Had she gotten over Seifer yet? Everyone hoped she did but they knew it would be hard for her
"No, no one too special," Quistis said her eyes betraying her in her effort to appear as if the subject didn't bother her, "I haven't been too busy looking for anyone, I've been busy with work."
Squall looked across the table to his blond friend. He had heard some reports of a man recently being detained in a maximum security prison near Esthar. He had been able to receive a description of the man and he fits the description of Seifer. The original field test was to aid the resistance factions in gaining the independence of Timber. There are more than enough SeeD candidates to do the job and Squall was considering sending a few squads to Esthar to attempt to retrieve the prisoner if indeed it was Seifer. He still hadn't confirmed it with the authorities in Esthar. He didn't want to tell Quistis because he didn't want to get her hopes up.
"You'll have to excuse me," Squall said getting up to leave, "I have some things to take care of before the scores are posted this evening."
"Why don't I show you around some Kiana?" Collin asked remembering her request earlier.
"Yes, go and show her around while we catch up some," Quistis said.
"Yea, this is a harbor town right?" Kiana said, "Why don't we go down the harbor?"
"If you want to," Collin said getting up.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"How long have you been at Garden? " Kiana said sitting down on the ground near the boat dock, "Were you forced to go....ya know expected to be just like your parents."
"My parents got me in for an interview, when I was about five I think, to see if I'd like the idea of going to an academy like this. We lived up near Trabia Garden " Collin said, "They never pressured me to do anything I didn't want to do to. I was given a tour by myself while my parents filled out forms. When I was shown the library I saw the pictures of my mom and her friends after they battled Sorceress Ultimecia. When I looked at the pictures and I recognized all the faces and I wanted to be just like them, and have my picture up there recognizing some great feat I accomplished. I wanted to be known by everyone who came to that library."
"You practically lived your whole life here," Kiana said looking impressed, "haven't you ever felt like you were abandoned?"
"No," Collin said, "My parents visited often and they called as often as they could...that is until I told that I was a big boy and they didn't need to check up on me all the time. Then I transferred here a few weeks ago so I could become SeeD. There were the same pictures up in the library as there were at Trabia. I was reminded of how much my parents did for people."
The two were silent for a few moments. Collin searched the horizon, he didn't know exactly what he was looking for, just a boat any kind of boat. Even after ten years he was still wishing dad would come in on some ship from a far off land. He didn't know why, after his dad disappeared when he was seven he always dreamt that his dad would surprise like he always did. No matter how long he waited and watched all the ships and boats that came in none of them had anyone who even resembled his father.
"What are you thinking about Collin?" Kiana aked tearing him out of his memories.
"Nothing," Collin answered quickly, "We should head back to Garden, the scores will be posted soon."
"Yea," Kiana said getting up and brushing herself off, "I wanna know if I passed as soon as possible.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
When Kiana and Collin finally arrived back at Garden there was already a crowd surrounding the classroom, all were eager to see if they had passed the written part of the SeeD exam. A majority of the candidates passed the written exam and they were able to participate in the field exam and only a few of the candidates would pass that part. Collin pushed his way through the crowd and Kiana followed close behind.
"I passed," Collin said in disbelief, Over the first obstacle now I only need to get over the next one, " How'd you do?"
"Umm....," Kiana muttered as she ran her finger down the list and stopped at her name, "I passed, hay maybe we could be in the same squad."
"Yea sure......why not," Collin said in response. I hope not.
Collin pushed his way back through the crowd of eager cadets. I need to blow of some steam in the training center.
"Where you going Collin?" Kiana asked as she followed Collin out of the midst of the crowd.
"No where," Collin said, "I just need some time to think. I'll see you around."
"Yea," Kiana said stopping, "Maybe we can train later."
Whatever, why is she so interested in me?
"Aren't you gonna follow him?" a male voice said behind Kiana.
"Yes sir," Kiana said carefully turning around, "But I already know where he's going."
"And where is he going," the man said not moving from where he stood, just in the shadows.
"Where he goes every other time when he needs time to think," Kiana said carefully, "I've followed him before I talked to him, to get a feel for him."
"Have you been able to enter his mind?"
"Not yet, he seems to have some sort of mental barricade. I can't get in to make sure he is the right one, but I know he is."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I don't know what it is with that girl but she makes me comfortable enough to practically spill my guts but then all of sudden I just get some weird vibe from her. "Maybe I should've listened to my dad when he told me not to totally open myself up to women," Collin said as he dealt the finishing blow to the T-rexaur. He watched as the great beast fell to the ground with enough force to make the ground shake. I need some challenge, the monsters here are too easy.
Collin continued on through the center, all the while he felt as if he was being watched. Every so often he glanced over his shoulder, only to see the path that was behind. Gotta quit being so paranoid Alamasy, who would want to follow you. Collin quickly checked his watch, it was getting late.
"I'll just go through the rest of the center," Collin said to out loud to himself thinking for some reason that his voice would prove to him that he wasn't going crazy.
When Collin was younger he could sense when his father was coming home. Then he thought it was just because his mother had told approximately when his father should be coming from wherever it was he was coming from. He usually felt it when his father was fairly close to home and it got stronger as it got closer to the day he actually arrived. He started getting the feeling againin the past couple weeks. It hadn't gotten any stronger in a couple days but he could still feel it. When he was younger he thought he was feeling the power that eminated from his father, he never told anyone about it but he still remembered it.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I've had a few close calls tonight. It seems like Collin can sense when someone else is around, a sign of a well trained soldier. It was only to be expected of any child born of Quistis and Seifer, two of the few of the greatest soldiers the world had seen. I'm going to have to be more careful from on, the sooner I can find a way to make him let his guard long enough so I can enter his thoughts and see if he is capable of doing what my need for him requires. My powers are almost near their strongest, I'll have to act soon to accomplish my goal.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"COLLIN WAKE UP!" a voice called from the hall as their fist banged on his dorm room door.
"I'm up, just wait a minute, hyne." Collin called out sleepily to the visitor. He groaned as he threw his blankets of him and stumbled out of bed over to the door. "What is it that is so urgent that you thought he had to drag me out of bed at 6am." Collin said when he opened the door to Daenae.
"My mother had heard that Quistis was in town and she was wondering if she might be able have lunch or something?" Daenae said.
"Why can't Ellone talk to her?" Collin said rubbing the sleep from his eyes, "She does work in the infirmary and my mom is staying at Garden."
"She's not in Balamb right now but she will be in a couple days," Daenae said, "Aren't you a bit cold Collin?"
Collin just realized he was only his boxers, and he turned and closed door. Gotta stop answering the door in my boxers.