I don't own Final Fantasy VIII or any of the characters except James Hunter

The morning after the dance, I awoke when someone started to pound on my door. Selphie.

"Wake up! We got a mission! Looks like we're going to Timber. Meet at the front gate! Hurry!" I got up, feeling very annoyed. I'd only just returned from one mission and I was sent off on the next. I left the dorm wearing my usual outfit, black knee-high boots, black pants, black shirt, black jacket, and a black cape with crimson lining. Naturally, I was carrying my rifle.

When I got to the front gate, I spotted the entire team with the exception of Zell.

"Five more minutes," the faculty member said. Just then, Zell showed up, riding some kind of hoverboard. I looked on, slightly amused, as the board was confiscated. Typical, I thought. Just typical.

The faculty member began speaking again. "You are going to Timber to work for a resistance movement there. When you get off the train, a person will say to you 'The forests of Timber sure have changed.' To this you will reply 'But the Owls are still around.' That is the password."

The Headmaster then handed Squall some kind of magical lamp. "This is a cursed item, but it will grant great power to those who can use it." Squall accepted it and we left Garden.

"So, uhh," Zell began.

"Call me James." I said.

"So, James, why are you on this mission?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. I just got back from a three-year assignment yesterday morning. I was actually hoping for some time to relax. But in case you're wondering, no, I don't think I'm along to keep an eye on you three. Might just be working R&R for me."

"Ah. Well, I guess we should get going. Train leaves soon."

When we arrived at Balamb, I made sure to stop by the local Junk Shop to get their weapons upgraded. They couldn't do anything with mine, of course, since it was made from experimental Esthar technology. The others, however, were a different story. "Here, guys. I found some rare items during my travels. Squall, here's the parts for the Lionheart gunblade. Zell, this'll net you the Ehrgeiz gloves, and these, Selphie, will create the Strange Vision nunchaku."

With that out of the way, we bought tickets and boarded the train. When it left, the others when further in, while I just leaned against a wall and dozed.

A few minutes later, however, I heard a series of thumps from the cabin reserved for SeeDs. I rushed in and found all three of them unconscious, for no apparent reason. It wasn't sleeping gas, because if it had been, I'd have collapsed as soon as I entered the room. It also wasn't a Sleep spell, because Esuna didn't have any effect. I realized that I'd simply have to wait it out, no matter how much I didn't like it.

A few minutes later, they began to stir, albeit a little shakily. Selphie spoke up once they were all on their feet. "Is anybody hurt?" she asked.

Squall looked around. "Doesn't look like."

"Might have been sleeping gas," Zell said. "Lot's of people don't like SeeD."

"It wasn't that," I countered. "If it was, I'd have conked out the moment I entered the room. Wasn't magic, either. Esuna didn't work."

"I had a nice dream." Selphie said. Then she mentioned the name Laguna. I about had heart failure.

Zell looked startled, as well. "Hey! There was a Laguna in my dream too! A Galbadian soldier, right?"

Squall delivered the most startling information yet. "Laguna, Kiros, and Ward."

"That's it!"

"What's it?"

"There's no way we can understand this," Selphie said. "Let's just concentrate on our first mission."

"She's right," I said. "We have more important things to worry about." With that, I left the room.

When we arrived in Timber, things went like clockwork... at first. As briefed, we met a young man at the station and delivered the password. When we boarded the train, however, things began to smell fishy. The resistance people looked rather amateurish, and Squall was promptly asked to wake up the remaining member of their group. I had the distinct impression that they were afraid of waking her up. As usual, I just leaned against a wall with my usual expression of mild amusement on my face. Amateurs, I thought. How typical. When Squall and the "princess" returned, she introduced herself as Rinoa Heartilly.

At the mission "briefing", I found myself less than impressed with their planning. I mean, uncoupling train cars, and running on the tops of said cars? I'd rather face a T-Rexaur armed only with kitchen knife. Still, this was our mission, and we had to follow orders. I was just as glad that all I was going to be involved in was the "negotiations". Even then, I had my doubts about their abilities. Kidnap the president? Maybe. Get him to give up Timber? Never.

When we captured the president's train car, I followed the others in. And there discovered that what we'd captured was a body double. I openly scoffed. "You fell for the old body double trick? Hate to say it, but he's right about your amateurish planning. For the moment, however, I will be content with killing this idiot. Thundaga!" A bolt of lightning killed him... I thought. Then he turned into some kind of zombified thing. Simple solution: a Phoenix Down. The thing promptly disintegrated.

Back aboard the Forest Owls' base, Watts informed us that the real Galbadian President was preparing to make a broadcast from the Timber TV Station.

"Is he stupid?" I asked. "He should know that radio signals are useless. Well, if it's a short message, it might work. But why bother?"

"Who knows? But this way, we have a good chance of capturing him for real."

"Good luck. He'll have guards, you know. And there are only five fighters here." I said.

"He always this skeptical?" Zone asked. Zell simply nodded. "Anyway, I thought SeeDs were worth several ordinary soldiers each. You telling me you can't do it?"

I bristled. "Of course not. I'm just saying that it might not be a good idea." Then I relaxed. "But it's your call. We just follow orders. You tell us to go, we go."

"Then let's go." Then he ran to a wall and doubled over. "My stomach HURTS."

"Gathering intelligence is my specialty, sir." And Watts ran off. I turned to Rinoa.

"They always do this?"

"If there's any chance of hard work, yes."

"Typical. Just typical." I shouldered my rifle and got off the train.

We got to the TV Station without incident, but then Squall managed to tick off our client, who ran off. Moments later, the TV screen came to life. After President Deling began a message about a sorceress ambassador, who should show up but Seifer. And promptly put his gunblade at Deling's throat. "Seifer! What is he doing!?" Then Quistis appeared on the screen.

She spoke. "Timber team, are you watching? You HAVE permission. I need your help!" We ran to Station.

I spoke first. "Seifer, what do think you're doing?"

"It's obvious, ain't it? What are you planning to do with this guy?"

Planning to do? That's right, he knows Rinoa. But this is still the stupidest thing he's ever done.

Zell couldn't contain his anger. "YOU STUPID IDIOT!"

"Be quiet." Squall told him.

"Instructor, I know! You're gonna take this idiot back to Garden, right?"

"Shut up! No!"

Deling looked triumphant. "I see. So you're all from Garden. Garden will be punished for this, I assure you."

Seifer looked even angrier. "Nice job, idiot. You and your stupid big mouth!" With that, he dragged Deling into a back room. The others followed him. By the time I got there, though, Seifer and Deling were gone. "Where'd they go?"

"We don't know." Squall said, answering Rinoa as well as myself. "Let's go."

We ended up staying at the house of the leader of the Forest Fox, another resistance group. During our stay, we were forced to hide on the second floor while some soldiers made an inspection, no doubt looking for us. While up there, Squall managed to annoy Rinoa again, with his usual cold manner. I stayed out of it, dozing against a wall.

When the coast was clear, we left the house and encountered a soldier, who turned out to be Watts. Following our talk with him, we got train tickets from Zone and headed for the train that would get us close to Galbadia Garden, as per Garden regulations.

Note: Please read and review.