Disclaimer: Well... STILL don't own Final Fantasy 8... sorry!

~*Where Life Begins*~

~*Chapter 5: The day the sun fell down*~

***********************************

"In the year 2012, February 28, the world suffered a near fatal blow. According to research done on the site a large meteorite hit the city of Balamb, destroying it and all it's inhabitants while also sending the world off it's normal course. This caused extreme whether changes, resulting most of the planet's plant life to wither and die." The teacher explained to the class. Rinoa sat quietly as she bobbed her pencil lightly in her fingers.

'I'm not using him. I'm not using anybody. I'm just using my resources to their full advantage. It's pretty obvious he likes me and I know for a fact that Irvine hates him. I think Irvine hates him even more now. This is easier than I thought.' Rinoa thought with a smile. She looked to her left and found Squall staring out into the distance through the window. All she could see was the back of his head but it was pretty obvious he was bored to death. But before Rinoa could look on anymore the door suddenly flew open. It was Xu.

"Squall, we need you at the main tactics room, now!" She ordered and left. Squall stood from his seat and walked for the door and stepped out into the hall.

'Lucky.' Rinoa thought in annoyance.

**

"Squall," Xu began. "We have detected an average monster carefully sneaking its way to Balamb." Xu told him. "And since it thinks it's so sneaky it thinks no one notices it. I want you to slice it in two with your gunblade." Xu told him. "But it must be a surprise attack on it, otherwise the monster will scurry away and hide." Xu warned him.

"Why can't I just shoot it to death?" Squall asked.

"Classified information." Xu told him with a smirk. "Just slice it in two." Xu told him.

"What about me?" A gruff voice asked from the dark behind Xu. Xu turned to find a blonde boy walking to her.

"We only need one at the moment, Seifer." Xu told him.

"Well, who is he?" Seifer asked in annoyance as he walked to Squall.

"He is Protector One. He has the most authority besides me during combat." Xu told Seifer as she looked to him with annoyance. "He must get going now." Xu said and began to push Squall out into the street.

"I bet his harmonics aren't as good as mine." Seifer said as he watched Squall leave with his gunblade.

"True, but he is a better fighter than you, as well as a listener." She said with a smirk.

**

Squall peered around the corner to find a tall slumped over, thin monster. As the monster scurried toward Squall, he prepared himself. As he heard the monsters shuffling sound come closer. He jumped out from behind the corner, raised his gunblade and sliced down, chopping the thing in two.

"Yah! Go Squall!" Xu wailed with excitement.

As Squall placed the tip of his blade to the ground the two monster half's shifted slightly then destroyed it's prior skin, forming two completely different monsters.

"What the!?" Squall exclaimed, jumping back a little.

"Shit!" Xu screamed.

As Squall stared on the right monster sprang to the right, hiding itself behind an alley way as did the other one, just the left alley way.

"SQUALL RETURN TO WEAPONS ROOM, NOW!" A voice over the intercom screamed.

**

"From what we have seen so far, the two monsters mimic each others moves." Xu told Seifer and Squall. "Meaning you two will have to synch your attacks perfectly to avoid being severely beaten or even killed." Xu said grimmly.

"How will we do that. That's impossible!" Seifer wailed.

"Stick to simple things like running forward and shooting." Xu told them. "Your machine guns are equipped appropriately, right?" Xu asked them. They both nodded. "And remember, Seifer, Squall has command of this battle from now on." She told him.

"I know." Seifer said in annoyance as he looked to Squall.

"Let's go." Squall said as he ran for the open door.

The two Protectors stood before the two monsters waiting patiently, not moving. The two monsters simultaneously began to trek forward.

"FIRE!" Squall screamed. They both pulled down their triggers and out came a volley of bullets. The two monsters dove to the side and charged forward. "CHARGE FORWARD!" Squall screamed. They both dashed forward. "STOP!" He screamed. "FIRE!" He screamed once more. The two boys pulled down their triggers, sending another volley of bullets to their enemies, which pierced their bodies. As the last bullet exited through them, they fell to the ground, dead. Squall sighed in relief as did Seifer.

"Good job." Xu complemented over the small radio. "You impressed us, we didn't think you could synch so easily." Xu confessed.

***

Day 9: The Thesis of an Angel

***

Irvine stood, silent, out on the balcony to Garden as the sun found it's way into the hill side where it would spend the night. "Da end of a day... Another miserable day." Irvine thought aloud. "And then with daybreak comes da beginnin of a day... another miserable day." Irvine told himself as he propped his elbows against the railing and placed his head into his palms.

"I thought you said no one was going to be here." A small voice whispered from behind him. He didn't bother turning to see who it was.

"What? Speak up!" Another voice told her. He scowled at the voice, it was Selphie. Though Selphie wasn't the problem, Rinoa was and wherever Rinoa went, Selphie came... or maybe it was the other way around, but in any case she was there with Selphie. "This would be a good chance to make peace." Selphie told her. Rinoa didn't say anything but he could hear foot steps coming up closer behind him.

"H-hello, Irvine." Rinoa said with small stutter. Irvine gave a quick glance back to her and tossed his head back to the falling sun.

"Wha' do ya want?" Irvine asked gruffly. She turned to him on her heels.

"I wanted to make peace with you." She said with a small laugh. Irvine turned to her and looked her straight in the eyes. God how he had missed those eyes, sparkling like giant diamonds.

"Dat can be arranged." He said with a small smile. She gave him a questionable look.

"Do you want to kiss me?" Rinoa asked, almost disgusted. Before Irvine could answer he pressed his lips to hers and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Rinoa's eyes bulged but they quickly relaxed as she fell deep into the kiss. She began to return it.

"How can they have possibly gotten their first kiss?" Seifer asked from atop the Balamb roof. "I haven't even gotten one yet!" He exclaimed in annoyance. "Plus I'm so much better looking!" He wailed. He folded his legs up and placed his hands behind him and leaned against them.

"Stop bitching." Squall ordered next to him.

"Well, looks like the sun has finally fallen down on the unfortunate, leaving the fortunate to bask in it's warmth." Seifer said sadly.

"Let's hope they all get third degree sun burns." Squall said. Seifer looked at him and began to laugh.

***********

A/N: Another chapter down! Hurrah!! Go me! Squinoa will be coming up in the next few chapters....

REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!