Chapter Nine: Perfection
Squall and Xu didn't talk at all during the next week. As the Graduation Ball quickly approaches, Squall didn't know how he was going to repair this broken bond between them.
The after-graduation classes were optional after you've passed the final exam. But Squall went to them as Xu was always there, hoping to talk to her. But she acted as if he was not there.
"You gotta do what I do." Zell said to him. It was two days before the Ball.
"What? Nothing?" Squall sarcastically answered.
Zell didn't say much after that.
"Well. What do you suppose you do, then?" Zell scoffed at him.
"I don't know…"
It was one day before the Ball. Squall has made up his mind about talking to Xu sometime during the day. After she ignored him once again in class that day, Squall quickly left before her and waited by her dorm room's door. After about ten minutes, she came. She was pretty surprised to see him there.
"Oh… It's you." She said, turning away.
"You can't ignore me forever, you know." Squall said, walking closer to her.
"I could try." She replied coldly as she slid from him to her dorm room door.
"Why are you mad at me?" Squall asked, holding on to the door as she tried to slam it in his face. "Is it because you don't think I care enough?"
"You should know." She said, still turned away from him.
"Well what is it?" Squall said. "How could I know what you think I should know?"
She suddenly turned in front of him.
"It hurts here!" She said, while holding her chest. She fell on to the bed, crying.
"It already hurts without you being like this…"
"I…I didn't know, Xu…" Squall stammered for an answer.
"I would tell you why if you're a bit closer to me…"
"When will that be?"
She stood up. Her eyes still glimmering with tears. "Please…Go…" She said.
Squall's back at his dorm room a couple minutes later, lying down on his bed, thinking about himself and Xu.
Ring.
Squall picked up his cell.
"Yeah?" He said.
"Squall?" The voice of Quistis answered.
"Quistis?"
"I want you to come by the Training Center this afternoon with your Summon…come about 3 o'clock, ok?"
"Why?" Squall questioned, closing his eyes.
"Just come by. It'll be useful." Then she hanged up.
After Squall had his lunch, Squall took up Quistis' request and went to the Training Center at around three. When he approached the clearing, he saw Quistis, Xu, Selphie, and Zell there.
"What's up, my man!" Zell greeted him.
Squall didn't reply, looking at Xu. She was quietly talking to Quistis. She quickly glanced up at him, then turned back toward Quistis.
"Oh…you guys are still not talking?" Selphie came over. "Don't worry…she'll come around soon enough…"
"Ok!" Quistis said. "We were just waiting for you, Squall. Now lets get started. The reason why I've called the three of you is to familiarize you with your Summons. It's important that you bond with your Summons for trust in battle and to befriend them. They are just like you and me. They have feelings, they could get angry, sad, happy…all the things we experience, they can too."
"The Summons are unique as they're own. They are never two Summons that are the exact same thing. You four are the only students in the Garden that has a Summon."
"Ok…why don't Selphie go first, since you've already familiar with .yours.
She nodded and took out the red rock. Everybody took a step back.
Suddenly the Surroundings turned to a tone of red, and the rock started to glow it went out of Selphie's hand, and floated high in the air. The glowing red rock started to expand. Then, it formed Ifrit.
"…Where's the monsters?" It asked in a low growl.
"Umm…we are not fighting right now." Quistis said. "Please turn into your human form."
It looked at Quistis, then Selphie. It nodded. It started glowing again. After a few seconds, it became the punk-ish biker.
"What up?" Ifrit said.
"Don't you know about the Bonding Ceremony?" Quistis said, a little surprised.
"Oh that…right now?" It said, scratching its head.
"Yes."
"Alright…" It looked at Selphie. "Where do you want it?"
"…Want what?" Selphie said, a little nervous.
"In order to bond with a Summon, you must have its symbol engraved somewhere on your body." Quistis explained to Selphie.
"Engraved?" Selphie asked again.
"Don't worry. It's just like a tattoo." Ifrit said while walking closer to her. "Now, where do you want it?"
Selphie thought about it for a few seconds. "On the base of my neck."
"Fine…" It took its thumb and pressed it on her heck. "Hold still…It'll just sting a bit…"
"Ow!!" Selphie yelled as a bit of smoke raised into the air.
"Ok. There you go." Ifrit said casually.
"That hurts!" Selphie said while rubbing the back of her neck.
She turned around to let everybody see what the symbol look like. It turns out to be a red ember the size of a coin.
"Who's next?" Quistis asked.
"I'll go!" Zell said at once, and he took out his yellow rock. He mumbled something, and then the rock floated in front of him. It changed itself to a cross, then it formed Quesacoatl. It's a huge falcon-like animal with bright gold feathers and it doesn't seem to have eyes. It fluttered its wings comfortably.
"Who called upon me?" It said.
"Me!" Zell waved at the Summon. "I did!"
It nodded its head in acknowledgement. "The Bonding Ceremony, I suppose…"
It landed on the ground, folded its wing at its side. It then started to glow bright yellow. It shrank, but still remaining in bird shape. When it stopped glowing, it was a brown eagle with golden wing tips. It flapped into the air and landed on Zell's shoulder.
"I am Quesacoatl, or just Q, the thunder element." It said without a voice. "I seemed to have a new master…"
"Yeah." Zell said.
"And I think that's Ifrit?" it looked at Ifrit's human form.
"Yeah that's me alright! How are you hanging, Q?" Ifrit replied.
"The same…Well, why don't we do this already." It said to Zell.
"Ok, then…The left shoulder."
Quesacoatl placed one of its sharp talons there, and sank it in.
"Ah! Shi-…!' Zell said as Q flew away. Four black dots appeared on Zell's shoulder, connected with thin lines of yellow.
Xu went after with her Leviathan Summon, which is a Giant Sea Serpent. It transformed itself into a five feet long water snake. It's symbol, which is burned into Xu's forearm, is a winding snake figure.
Squall's Summon, Shiva, is a human figure, with ice colored skin. It's transformed itself into a hyperactive girl of fifteen years old. It left a shape of a crystal on Squall's wrist.
"Alright. I think that's all of us." Quistis said as all of their summons disappeared. "Congratulations! You guys have taken you're first step of becoming a Summoner! Of course, if you wish to continue to expand your collection of Summons, you must go and find them as Miss Julia did. That will be all for today."
They left the Training Center with Quistis for Dinner.
"…Squall?" He heard someone say. He turned around. Xu was looking at him.
"Yeah?"
"…I want to apologize." Xu muttered.
"No…no…I should be the one who's apologizing. I'm sorry." Squall said.
"It's just…I've been under a lot of stress lately, and I'm sorry about when I broke down on you today…"
"I understand." Squall said.
"Good!" Xu happily said. " 'cause you still have to take me to the Ball!"
Squall groaned.
After Dinner, Squall and Xu strolled around the Garden, just talking to each other. Xu told Squall that she chose to be in the White SeeD is because they serve the Sorceresses and be her apprentice. And being a distant descendent of one, Xu plans to learn more about her hidden powers.
"So what are you going to go after we graduate?" Xu asked Squall.
"Me?…Oh…probably a Freelancer."
"You are going to fight for money?" Xu said.
"As long as it's for a good cause. Nothing evil…" Squall answered.
"I've heard Freelancers is kind of dangerous, considering that you don't return here until your job is finished." Xu said.
"What else am I suppose to do? Flip burgers? It's not like I can do anything else." Squall said.
Xu nodded. "Ok…well…good luck."
"What?" Squall. "Luck? I don't need luck."
______________________________
A day passed. The day of the Ball. All of them received an instructional email in their box saying that All graduating persons as well as the people performing report to Balamb before seven o'clock in the early evening. Squall, Zell, Xu, and Selphie all went at noon since there's nothing else to do anymore at the Garden. Xu and Selphie left them after they got to the pier, saying that they need to rehearse for their things.
Squall and Zell went to Zell's house, which in further into the town. Zell's mother was a woman in her forties. She seems to spend her days in the kitchen, and inviting people over to try her cooking. She cooks really well, and it's a mystery why she doesn't become a professional cook for some fancy restaurant. When they went over today, she had them try her newly invented sushi-kabob thing, which is very good.
They took their SeeD uniform with them, so they could dress up before the Graduation Ball. Both of them got no dates to pick up because both Xu and Selphie are both at the place preparing.
The pier is now off limits to people that are not graduating form Balamb Garden. Even that, the place is as crowded as ever. Everyone was not as loud, but all are talking to each other with a classical tone in their voice.
"Damn…" Zell muttered. "Why is everyone so quiet.
They made their way toward a huge dome-shaped building along with the flow of other people. At the gate, big security people are checking off names in a long list of arrivals, and occasionally throwing out people trying to sneak in.
It took them five minutes for their turn to enter.
"Squall Leonhart." He said to the guy at the door.
"Zell Dincht." Zell said after.
He punched in the names.
"Welcome." He said to them. "Special VIP passes has been issued to both of you." The guy handed both of them a small card.
"Privileges." Zell said. "When your girl's backstage."
It's hard to believe that Selphie, the head of The Garden Committee, staged this whole thing. The ball room was decorated with a sense of classical era to it, Everywhere was toned to a color of gold, and a giant crystalline chandelier was suspended in the middle of the gigantic room. A full orchestra was playing below a stage which stretched through the right side of the room. The place was almost full, and the last bit of people was just coming in.
The music suddenly stopped.
"Ladies and gentlemen." The hidden speakers boomed.
With this, everyone directed their attention to the stage. On it, stood Sid.
"Will everyone take a seat, please. The Program is about to start."
The two of them took two seats in the ocean of chairs. Meanwhile, Sid is on stage waiting patiently.
"Thank you." He said after everyone settled down. "First, I would like to congratulate everyone that's here today. Most of you have dedicated your years before today for this moment. I am very proud of all of you. Even thought that you guys will go your separate paths after this, today is a day of unity and bliss of all of us."
Everyone applauded.
"This year's ball is the most extravagant I've ever seem in my life as the headmaster of Balamb Garden. Now, please welcome the head of the Garden Committee, the one who brought you this event, Miss Selphie Timmitt!"
She walked on stage, dressed in a ballroom down of pink and white.
"Thank you, headmaster." She said after everyone stopped cheering and clapping. "Hello, fellow students and faculty. This is our time of celebration! And probably the only time I'll be formal this year. Without further ado, let the ball began with performances from our Garden Performance group!"
Everyone clapped politely.
Squall didn't pay much attention to any of them, so he just sat through most of them. Until…
"At last," Selphie was on stage. "We are almost at the conclusion of our program. Now, we've saved the best for last. Here's her debut performance, Miss Xu Loire!"
She walked on stage.
"Hello everyone…" She said, kind of nervous. "I'll be performing a song. It is written by a pianist named Julia Heartilly. So…here I go…"
Note: She's gonna sing Final Fantasy 8's theme song, "Eye On Me." If you haven't heard it before…*cough* Morpheus
A/N: There probably won't be another chapter for a while
Because…I'm kinda bored with the story…so…
©( Copyright Omega 2000-2002. All text is the property of Authors Tao Li and Jeanie Owen. All rights reserved.
"Eye On Me"
Written by: Nobuo Uemastu
Performed By: Faye Wang
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
Whenever sang my songs, on the stage, on my own.
Whenever said my word, wishing they would be heard.
I saw you smiling at me. Was it real of just my fantasy?
You'd always be there in the corner, of this tiny little bar.
My last night here for you, same old songs, just once more.
My last night here with you? Maybe yes, maybe no.
I kind of liked it your way, how you shyly placed your eyes on me.
But did you ever know that I had mine on you?
Darling so there you are, with that look on your face.
As if you're never hurt. As if you're never down.
Shall I be the one for you, who pinches you softly but sure.
If frown is shown then, I will know that you are no dreamer.
…
So let me come to you, close as I wanna be.
Close enough for me, to feel your heart beating fast.
And stay there as I whisper, how I love your peaceful eyes on me.
Did you ever know, that I had mine on you?
Darling, so share with me, your love if you have enough.
The tears if you're holding back, or pain if that's what it is.
How can I let you know, I'm more than the dress and the voice.
Just reach me out then, you will know that you are not dreaming.
Squall and Xu didn't talk at all during the next week. As the Graduation Ball quickly approaches, Squall didn't know how he was going to repair this broken bond between them.
The after-graduation classes were optional after you've passed the final exam. But Squall went to them as Xu was always there, hoping to talk to her. But she acted as if he was not there.
"You gotta do what I do." Zell said to him. It was two days before the Ball.
"What? Nothing?" Squall sarcastically answered.
Zell didn't say much after that.
"Well. What do you suppose you do, then?" Zell scoffed at him.
"I don't know…"
It was one day before the Ball. Squall has made up his mind about talking to Xu sometime during the day. After she ignored him once again in class that day, Squall quickly left before her and waited by her dorm room's door. After about ten minutes, she came. She was pretty surprised to see him there.
"Oh… It's you." She said, turning away.
"You can't ignore me forever, you know." Squall said, walking closer to her.
"I could try." She replied coldly as she slid from him to her dorm room door.
"Why are you mad at me?" Squall asked, holding on to the door as she tried to slam it in his face. "Is it because you don't think I care enough?"
"You should know." She said, still turned away from him.
"Well what is it?" Squall said. "How could I know what you think I should know?"
She suddenly turned in front of him.
"It hurts here!" She said, while holding her chest. She fell on to the bed, crying.
"It already hurts without you being like this…"
"I…I didn't know, Xu…" Squall stammered for an answer.
"I would tell you why if you're a bit closer to me…"
"When will that be?"
She stood up. Her eyes still glimmering with tears. "Please…Go…" She said.
Squall's back at his dorm room a couple minutes later, lying down on his bed, thinking about himself and Xu.
Ring.
Squall picked up his cell.
"Yeah?" He said.
"Squall?" The voice of Quistis answered.
"Quistis?"
"I want you to come by the Training Center this afternoon with your Summon…come about 3 o'clock, ok?"
"Why?" Squall questioned, closing his eyes.
"Just come by. It'll be useful." Then she hanged up.
After Squall had his lunch, Squall took up Quistis' request and went to the Training Center at around three. When he approached the clearing, he saw Quistis, Xu, Selphie, and Zell there.
"What's up, my man!" Zell greeted him.
Squall didn't reply, looking at Xu. She was quietly talking to Quistis. She quickly glanced up at him, then turned back toward Quistis.
"Oh…you guys are still not talking?" Selphie came over. "Don't worry…she'll come around soon enough…"
"Ok!" Quistis said. "We were just waiting for you, Squall. Now lets get started. The reason why I've called the three of you is to familiarize you with your Summons. It's important that you bond with your Summons for trust in battle and to befriend them. They are just like you and me. They have feelings, they could get angry, sad, happy…all the things we experience, they can too."
"The Summons are unique as they're own. They are never two Summons that are the exact same thing. You four are the only students in the Garden that has a Summon."
"Ok…why don't Selphie go first, since you've already familiar with .yours.
She nodded and took out the red rock. Everybody took a step back.
Suddenly the Surroundings turned to a tone of red, and the rock started to glow it went out of Selphie's hand, and floated high in the air. The glowing red rock started to expand. Then, it formed Ifrit.
"…Where's the monsters?" It asked in a low growl.
"Umm…we are not fighting right now." Quistis said. "Please turn into your human form."
It looked at Quistis, then Selphie. It nodded. It started glowing again. After a few seconds, it became the punk-ish biker.
"What up?" Ifrit said.
"Don't you know about the Bonding Ceremony?" Quistis said, a little surprised.
"Oh that…right now?" It said, scratching its head.
"Yes."
"Alright…" It looked at Selphie. "Where do you want it?"
"…Want what?" Selphie said, a little nervous.
"In order to bond with a Summon, you must have its symbol engraved somewhere on your body." Quistis explained to Selphie.
"Engraved?" Selphie asked again.
"Don't worry. It's just like a tattoo." Ifrit said while walking closer to her. "Now, where do you want it?"
Selphie thought about it for a few seconds. "On the base of my neck."
"Fine…" It took its thumb and pressed it on her heck. "Hold still…It'll just sting a bit…"
"Ow!!" Selphie yelled as a bit of smoke raised into the air.
"Ok. There you go." Ifrit said casually.
"That hurts!" Selphie said while rubbing the back of her neck.
She turned around to let everybody see what the symbol look like. It turns out to be a red ember the size of a coin.
"Who's next?" Quistis asked.
"I'll go!" Zell said at once, and he took out his yellow rock. He mumbled something, and then the rock floated in front of him. It changed itself to a cross, then it formed Quesacoatl. It's a huge falcon-like animal with bright gold feathers and it doesn't seem to have eyes. It fluttered its wings comfortably.
"Who called upon me?" It said.
"Me!" Zell waved at the Summon. "I did!"
It nodded its head in acknowledgement. "The Bonding Ceremony, I suppose…"
It landed on the ground, folded its wing at its side. It then started to glow bright yellow. It shrank, but still remaining in bird shape. When it stopped glowing, it was a brown eagle with golden wing tips. It flapped into the air and landed on Zell's shoulder.
"I am Quesacoatl, or just Q, the thunder element." It said without a voice. "I seemed to have a new master…"
"Yeah." Zell said.
"And I think that's Ifrit?" it looked at Ifrit's human form.
"Yeah that's me alright! How are you hanging, Q?" Ifrit replied.
"The same…Well, why don't we do this already." It said to Zell.
"Ok, then…The left shoulder."
Quesacoatl placed one of its sharp talons there, and sank it in.
"Ah! Shi-…!' Zell said as Q flew away. Four black dots appeared on Zell's shoulder, connected with thin lines of yellow.
Xu went after with her Leviathan Summon, which is a Giant Sea Serpent. It transformed itself into a five feet long water snake. It's symbol, which is burned into Xu's forearm, is a winding snake figure.
Squall's Summon, Shiva, is a human figure, with ice colored skin. It's transformed itself into a hyperactive girl of fifteen years old. It left a shape of a crystal on Squall's wrist.
"Alright. I think that's all of us." Quistis said as all of their summons disappeared. "Congratulations! You guys have taken you're first step of becoming a Summoner! Of course, if you wish to continue to expand your collection of Summons, you must go and find them as Miss Julia did. That will be all for today."
They left the Training Center with Quistis for Dinner.
"…Squall?" He heard someone say. He turned around. Xu was looking at him.
"Yeah?"
"…I want to apologize." Xu muttered.
"No…no…I should be the one who's apologizing. I'm sorry." Squall said.
"It's just…I've been under a lot of stress lately, and I'm sorry about when I broke down on you today…"
"I understand." Squall said.
"Good!" Xu happily said. " 'cause you still have to take me to the Ball!"
Squall groaned.
After Dinner, Squall and Xu strolled around the Garden, just talking to each other. Xu told Squall that she chose to be in the White SeeD is because they serve the Sorceresses and be her apprentice. And being a distant descendent of one, Xu plans to learn more about her hidden powers.
"So what are you going to go after we graduate?" Xu asked Squall.
"Me?…Oh…probably a Freelancer."
"You are going to fight for money?" Xu said.
"As long as it's for a good cause. Nothing evil…" Squall answered.
"I've heard Freelancers is kind of dangerous, considering that you don't return here until your job is finished." Xu said.
"What else am I suppose to do? Flip burgers? It's not like I can do anything else." Squall said.
Xu nodded. "Ok…well…good luck."
"What?" Squall. "Luck? I don't need luck."
______________________________
A day passed. The day of the Ball. All of them received an instructional email in their box saying that All graduating persons as well as the people performing report to Balamb before seven o'clock in the early evening. Squall, Zell, Xu, and Selphie all went at noon since there's nothing else to do anymore at the Garden. Xu and Selphie left them after they got to the pier, saying that they need to rehearse for their things.
Squall and Zell went to Zell's house, which in further into the town. Zell's mother was a woman in her forties. She seems to spend her days in the kitchen, and inviting people over to try her cooking. She cooks really well, and it's a mystery why she doesn't become a professional cook for some fancy restaurant. When they went over today, she had them try her newly invented sushi-kabob thing, which is very good.
They took their SeeD uniform with them, so they could dress up before the Graduation Ball. Both of them got no dates to pick up because both Xu and Selphie are both at the place preparing.
The pier is now off limits to people that are not graduating form Balamb Garden. Even that, the place is as crowded as ever. Everyone was not as loud, but all are talking to each other with a classical tone in their voice.
"Damn…" Zell muttered. "Why is everyone so quiet.
They made their way toward a huge dome-shaped building along with the flow of other people. At the gate, big security people are checking off names in a long list of arrivals, and occasionally throwing out people trying to sneak in.
It took them five minutes for their turn to enter.
"Squall Leonhart." He said to the guy at the door.
"Zell Dincht." Zell said after.
He punched in the names.
"Welcome." He said to them. "Special VIP passes has been issued to both of you." The guy handed both of them a small card.
"Privileges." Zell said. "When your girl's backstage."
It's hard to believe that Selphie, the head of The Garden Committee, staged this whole thing. The ball room was decorated with a sense of classical era to it, Everywhere was toned to a color of gold, and a giant crystalline chandelier was suspended in the middle of the gigantic room. A full orchestra was playing below a stage which stretched through the right side of the room. The place was almost full, and the last bit of people was just coming in.
The music suddenly stopped.
"Ladies and gentlemen." The hidden speakers boomed.
With this, everyone directed their attention to the stage. On it, stood Sid.
"Will everyone take a seat, please. The Program is about to start."
The two of them took two seats in the ocean of chairs. Meanwhile, Sid is on stage waiting patiently.
"Thank you." He said after everyone settled down. "First, I would like to congratulate everyone that's here today. Most of you have dedicated your years before today for this moment. I am very proud of all of you. Even thought that you guys will go your separate paths after this, today is a day of unity and bliss of all of us."
Everyone applauded.
"This year's ball is the most extravagant I've ever seem in my life as the headmaster of Balamb Garden. Now, please welcome the head of the Garden Committee, the one who brought you this event, Miss Selphie Timmitt!"
She walked on stage, dressed in a ballroom down of pink and white.
"Thank you, headmaster." She said after everyone stopped cheering and clapping. "Hello, fellow students and faculty. This is our time of celebration! And probably the only time I'll be formal this year. Without further ado, let the ball began with performances from our Garden Performance group!"
Everyone clapped politely.
Squall didn't pay much attention to any of them, so he just sat through most of them. Until…
"At last," Selphie was on stage. "We are almost at the conclusion of our program. Now, we've saved the best for last. Here's her debut performance, Miss Xu Loire!"
She walked on stage.
"Hello everyone…" She said, kind of nervous. "I'll be performing a song. It is written by a pianist named Julia Heartilly. So…here I go…"
Note: She's gonna sing Final Fantasy 8's theme song, "Eye On Me." If you haven't heard it before…*cough* Morpheus
A/N: There probably won't be another chapter for a while
Because…I'm kinda bored with the story…so…
©( Copyright Omega 2000-2002. All text is the property of Authors Tao Li and Jeanie Owen. All rights reserved.
"Eye On Me"
Written by: Nobuo Uemastu
Performed By: Faye Wang
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
Whenever sang my songs, on the stage, on my own.
Whenever said my word, wishing they would be heard.
I saw you smiling at me. Was it real of just my fantasy?
You'd always be there in the corner, of this tiny little bar.
My last night here for you, same old songs, just once more.
My last night here with you? Maybe yes, maybe no.
I kind of liked it your way, how you shyly placed your eyes on me.
But did you ever know that I had mine on you?
Darling so there you are, with that look on your face.
As if you're never hurt. As if you're never down.
Shall I be the one for you, who pinches you softly but sure.
If frown is shown then, I will know that you are no dreamer.
…
So let me come to you, close as I wanna be.
Close enough for me, to feel your heart beating fast.
And stay there as I whisper, how I love your peaceful eyes on me.
Did you ever know, that I had mine on you?
Darling, so share with me, your love if you have enough.
The tears if you're holding back, or pain if that's what it is.
How can I let you know, I'm more than the dress and the voice.
Just reach me out then, you will know that you are not dreaming.