Chapter 4: Return to Tears' Point

Matt's heart was pounding. With it this close there is no way that I will be able to escape it… A huge footstep, and then another, and then a third, was heard, each one louder and more earth-shaking than the last. He gripped his blade even tighter—

—and all the lights turned on.

"What the—" Matt began, rounding the corner he had assumed the T-rexaur was about to come around. He froze when he saw the giant lizard standing not ten feet in front of him…but it was not moving.

"You're too valuable to lose to a monster like this," Headmaster Barnett said, walking into view and indicating the immobile beast with his thumb.

"What…did you…um…"

The headmaster laughed. "You didn't know we could freeze all the monsters inside of here? You do realize that this area requires maintenance just like all the other parts of Garden, and I doubt that all the workers are highly skilled in combat with creatures like Grats, not to mention lizards like this guy."

"I…I guess I wasn't really thinking, sir."

"Oh, come now, don't get all uptight with me, young man." He sat down on a nearby fallen log, then glanced at Matt, his eyes boring into those of the young SeeD. "And don't think I don't know why you're doing this."

"Doing what?"

"Charging in here half-cocked and fighting every monster in sight. I was young once too, you know. Even though most of the other students had no clue, I could tell that you are rather fond of young Colene Elnara. You took her cold shoulder rather well…at first. But coming in here and fighting off your anger and frustration this way was dangerous, and you know that."

Matt simply stood there, stunned at how well his headmaster understood him and his actions. He hesitated before interjecting, rather boldly, "Sir, I believe you came in here to tell me more than how well you can read me."

Arik was a bit startled by the new SeeD's pert remark. He paused and then replied, "That is one reason you were elevated to the rank of SeeD, Matthew Leonhart. Your perception is essential to your job as part of our elite mercenary force. Also, that backbone there is quite an asset." The headmaster stood. "You should go to bed, young man. We are giving you an assignment first thing in the morning, and I want you to be fully rested." He turned to leave, but Matt stopped him with a question. "Sir, why so soon?"

The leader of Balamb Garden turned back to face the young man. "You are aware of the SeeD shortage due to the widespread turmoil being spread by Ciaran's meddling in the world, as well as the random incidents such as the Tears' Point invasion. We need every SeeD we have, and more. Our resources are being spread thin as it is, and the six of you who passed the exam will all be placed into assignments almost immediately. Now, return to your dorm and your new room. Any other questions you have will wait until morning." Without another word he left the training center, leaving Matt alone with his thoughts.

After a moment he stood and left the same way the headmaster had. On the way to his room he thought, Assignment, already? This hasn't happened since my father first became a SeeD…wait a minute…yet another similarity to events that happened two decades ago. What the heck is going on here? This train of thought continued to spin around in his head until he finally fell asleep back in his room almost an hour after he left the training center.

Early the next morning, Matt was startled out of slumber by a loud knock on his door. "Matt! Get up! You've got an assignment!" Fox's voice sounded through the steel plating.

Why is he up already? Matt wondered as he got out of bed, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and getting changed into a set of non-uniform clothing. A moment later he exited his room. "What gets you up this early?" he asked his friend, who was standing just outside in the hallway.

Fox shrugged. "I don't know…for some reason, I woke up early this morning and couldn't go back to sleep, and in the cafeteria the headmaster told me to tell you that you had an assignment. He wants you to go to his office right away."

So he doesn't know Barnett told me about the assignment last night. I wonder why he told me about it last night, anyway. He didn't have to… "Thanks, Fox. So," Matt began, taking on a sly look, "how did things go with Ria last night?"

Fox surprised him by turning slightly pink. "Pretty well."

His friend laughed. "I take it this is a mutual thing now?"

"Yeah…" For the first time that Matt could remember, Fox looked bashful.

"I'm glad for you, buddy," he told him with a grin, giving him a friendly slap on his shoulder. "See you later."

"Right." Looks like he's taking the Colene thing all right…I hope.

Without a backward glance Matt headed for the corridor that led out of the dorms and into the main halls of Garden's first floor, hardly a person in sight at this early hour. He then walked toward the elevators and took the first available one to the third floor.

"Come in," Headmaster Barnett's voice sounded through the closed door as soon as Matt knocked on it. The young man did so and shut the door behind him before approaching the headmaster's desk. "Sir," he saluted him crisply.

Arik Barnett nodded once in acknowledgement. "At ease, Matt," he replied. "Now, I'm sure you are wondering just exactly what this assignment of yours entails, as well as why I told you about having an assignment last night instead of simply waiting to tell you until this morning." He held up a hand to forestall the young man's protests, and Matt was forced to close his mouth before he could say a word. "First of all, I told you about it last night hoping that you would forget about your death wish at the hands of the training center's monsters. It obviously worked."

The new SeeD glanced down at the floor, not willing to respond.

The headmaster nodded. "Secondly, your assignment is a fairly simple one, but important all the same: you are to return to Tears' Point and investigate the recent invasion, as well as check out the data-reading equipment. Then you are to discover their purpose and whether or not they have any connection to each other and to the Dark Mage Ciaran. You will go alone, and the assistance you will receive from us will consist of a small account in the city's bank. Please do this as quickly as you can, for there are many things we must do and few to accomplish them with."

Arik stepped out from behind his desk and walked over to Matt. "Here," he said, handing the young man a slip of paper. "This is your account number, information, and password. Please use the money wisely and only when necessary. That is all—dismissed." The headmaster turned and headed back to his work.

Matt hesitated. "Sir, only one question: what form of transportation will I use to get there?"

Barnett glanced back at the young SeeD. "Go to the dock in Balamb and a small skiff will take you to the outskirts of Esthar. There you will be provided with a standard type of car common to the Trabian continent, and you will drive yourself to Tears' Point. Blend in as much as you can."

Matt heard his unspoken words—"There's no need to announce a SeeD presence back in that town."

"Oh, I almost forgot—here is your personal account in the Esthar World Bank, with all the necessary information. As a SeeD, of course, you will be paid on a regular basis according to your rank."

The young man's nod said it all—I've waited a long time to become a SeeD, so I know how the rank system works.

"The skiff should arrive there shortly, so grab your gear and head over there. Dismissed."

Matt saluted smartly, spun on his heel, and left the office.

The headmaster watched him leave before finally returning to the stack of papers sitting on his desk. I sure hope that boy is as good on his own in the real world as he has been in his training…

Back in his room, Matt had almost finished backing his gear into one medium-sized bag when Fox walked in. "Where are you off to?" he asked him as Matt threw the last item in and zipped the bag shut.

With a grunt he slung his now-packed bag's strap over his shoulder and stood. "Tears' Point—I get to check out the recent invasion and all that equipment we found."

"How exciting."

His friend shrugged. "If it helps Garden, I'll do it, excitement or no excitement."

Fox frowned. "You okay, Matt?"

He stiffened and curtly replied, "I'm fine."

"You're okay after last night, then."

With a thud the young SeeD's bag fell to the ground as he sat down heavily on his bed. "I don't know, Fox. I just don't know." He sighed and stared at the floor for a moment.

"Need to talk about it?" his friend asked, sitting down next to him on the bed.

Matt nodded and quickly summarized the events of the night before, then glanced at a nearby clock. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm running late and my skiff is probably already waiting for me," he finished as he stood and grabbed his bag.

"Okay. See you later, buddy," Fox said, also standing and extending his hand.

Matt took it and gave him a hearty handshake, as much to reassure himself as his friend. "Later." He hefted the strap back onto his shoulder and walked out the door.

* * *

Here is a good place, Jade thought at the rodoral she was riding after spotting a small clearing in the forest below.

The giant winged creature glanced back at her and blinked its large eyes once in acknowledgement before swooping down to the ground. It crouched down low to allow Jade access to the grassy forest floor, and then once she was off leapt back into the air and flew away.

The young sorceress watched it go prior to turning around and heading south through the forest toward the city of Esthar. After about a half-hour's walk she found herself in the largest city in the world. Giant buildings stretched toward the sky with jagged fingers, but even these behemoths were dwarfed by the massive Presidential Palace that occupied the entire center of the metropolis.

Time to begin my search, she thought to herself. But where do I start? Dismayed at the thought of combing Esthar for one young man, she steeled herself for the long, tedious task ahead of her and began walking toward the nearest information center. A map will certainly help…then I will check the hotels, frequented areas like shopping centers and squares, and the transportation areas, like the train station and the docks on the western outskirts of the city. If I haven't located him by then… With an effort she pushed the nightmare out of her mind and placed her full attention on her first move.

* * *

"Sorry about being late," Matt apologized to the skiff's pilot half an hour after leaving Garden.

"Not a problem," the graying man replied, taking his bag as the young SeeD climbed aboard. "You're merely expected to show up some time today at the car rental. Also, the mayor of Tears' Point wants you at his home before nightfall – any time between now and then is fine. He was the one who petitioned Garden for follow-up SeeD work."

Matt nodded as if he had already known this, wearing a mask of indifference to cover up his surprise. I wonder why the headmaster never mentioned who called for SeeD in the town to me? He shrugged inwardly. I guess it doesn't really matter…but it would have been nice to have been more informed.

The rest of the journey passed in relative silence, since he and the skiff's pilot were the only people on board, the pilot was not talkative, and Matt had too many things on his mind to speak much. About two hours later they arrived at the Esthar docks, located on the ocean fifteen miles to the west of the giant city. Matt thanked the pilot, grabbed his bag, and disembarked from the skiff.

Glancing around at the huge port, Matt took a few moments drinking the place in. The ocean gave the air a salty tang, and most of the people bustling about were somehow involved in ship work, whether it was loading, unloading, and storing cargo, or repairing or building vessels. Since the size of the docks was so great, it was about ten minutes before the young man was able to navigate the area and reach the station at which buses came and went every few minutes, ferrying passengers to and from Esthar.

Once Matt set foot on the bus, second in a long line of waiting commuters, the first butterfly awoke in the pit of his stomach. Relax, he ordered himself as he found a vacant seat not far from the door. It's not as though the fate of the world is riding on your shoulders. With a deep breath the SeeD pushed his nervousness into the back of his mind and deliberately blanked his thoughts as he stared vacantly out at the now-moving countryside.

Twenty minutes later the bus arrived at the sister station on the edge of the city. Matt disembarked, making sure his bag was still slung over his shoulder—the position from which it had not moved since he had placed it there back in his room at Garden—and glanced at a nearby sign. "Car Rental, ½ mile," he read silently. Nodding at the sign and unaware of the few frowns shot his direction from that simple movement, he turned in the direction the arrow indicated and began walking toward his destination.

I can't believe how busy this place is…it's worse than the rush for hot dogs at lunch in Garden's cafeteria, he thought to himself wryly as he made his way down the sidewalk along with the rest of the river of humanity flowing in that direction. To his left sat a busy roadway, where cars rushed down one way or another, barely heeding the speed limit and usually noticing pedestrians or other travel impediments only soon enough to slam on the brakes and hear a loud chorus of angry horns up and down their lane. On the right were tall, narrow townhouses, defiantly of Esthar construction in their futuristic style, colors, and layout. Occasionally the young SeeD also spotted Esthar soldiers—it startled him at first to see soldiers in the city, but after noting how little heed the citizens paid to them (unless one had his or her ticket pad and pen out) he realized that they served as the local police force when the metropolis' security remained unthreatened.

After a long walk – made much longer by the volume of street and pedestrian traffic – Matt arrived at the car rental. He walked in through the double glass doors and up to the front desk, where a young woman greeted him and took the envelope he had brought. He waited quietly as she perused the contents, then began typing away at her computer. In a few moments she glanced back at him. "Here are your keys, sir—your car is in spot 91."

"Thank you," he replied, taking the keys and walking back out the way he came into the car lot. Spotting his vehicle, a small red sedan, he dropped his bag in the trunk and then got into the driver's seat. After making sure it had fuel, Matt started the car and drove out of the lot, heading out toward the wasteland that separated Esthar and Tear's Point.

* * *

After a fairly boring four-hour drive, Matt arrived at Tears' Point. It hasn't been long enough since I was last here, he thought dejectedly, his eyes straying to the south tower as his mind brought back memories of the day before. But enough of the past. I have a new task ahead of me.

He drove through the town, following the blue signs that directed traffic toward its seat of government. Passing through its center, he followed the main road to a private drive, which stretched for a quarter of a mile to the mayor's residence. Lined with cherry blossom trees in the peak of their season, the SeeD felt completely disconnected from the horrors of the outside world as he cruised slowly down the lane.

A few minutes later he arrived at the building that served as both an elegant home and the mayor's office. After being directed to a parking spot, Matt turned off the engine, stepped out of the vehicle, and locked it before walking up the long pathway toward the main entrance of the house.

The young SeeD headed for the large circular desk situated near the center of the moderately large lobby he found himself in and introduced himself to the older woman seated behind it. "I'm here to see the mayor on SeeD business," he finished succinctly.

"Ah, yes, Mayor De Vries is expecting you." She reached down to a row of buttons sitting next to a speaker and pressed one. "Sir, the SeeD is here to see you."

"Please, send him in," a strong, deep voice replied.

The receptionist released the intercom button and turned back to Matt. "Go through the doors on my right, your left, and head down the hall you find there to the double doors at the far end. Knock and the mayor will let you in."

"Thank you, ma'am," he replied before moving briskly in the indicated direction. He followed her directions to the letter and soon arrived at the described office. Before he could knock twice the same voice from earlier called out, "Come on inside."

Matt did so, entering a modestly ornate office that did not waste the space it had on outlandish decor like the administrative offices of larger cities, such as Dollet and Deling City. "Have a seat," De Vries' voice intruded on his evaluating train of thought.

Once he was comfortable, De Vries spoke up again. "I'm sure Arik Barnett briefed you fully on this task, Mr...?"

"Matthew Leonhart. Feel free to just call me Matt, though."

"Leonhart, you say? Are you related to Squall Leonhart?"

Matt nodded. "He's my father."

"I see," the mayor replied, leaning back in his chair a bit. "Yes... I do see some resemblance between you two. I've met your father on occasion -- he appears to be a very dedicated man when his work is concerned. You have an interesting act to follow, don't you?"

The young man was feeling a bit uncomfortable with the sudden familiarity this stranger -- and client -- was displaying. "Ah, yes, sir."

De Vries chuckled. "You must be somewhat similar to him in that respect."

"Sir?"

"You probably expected me to get right to the point of your task here, give you your requirements, and send you on your way, right?"

Matt blinked. "Uh... yes, sir, I suppose I did at that."

"And I'm sure you would be much more comfortable with a change of subject, so I will get to the point. Matt, according to your headmaster, you were involved in the SeeD exam mission that took place here yesterday, correct?"

"Yes, sir," he replied, feeling much better now that the subject was in an area he was comfortable with.

The mayor's eyes twinkled, but he did not otherwise show his amusement at the young man's changed demeanor. "So you are already somewhat familiar with the strangeness of the sudden occupation."

He nodded.

"I am also aware of the fact that you and your partner took out the communications base that was being set up on the outskirts of town, defeating even a giant assassin robot. So I am glad to have someone with your level of skills here, despite the short time you have held the SeeD title. Along with your family history, you should be well equipped for the small task I hold here for you, even though you are here alone. However, this has all transpired before this moment. How do you personally feel about taking on your first mission alone, and so soon after graduation?"

Well, this guy could fight a marble for bluntness. "I feel adequately prepared, sir. However, I'd rather my family's history not be a factor in any person deciding how talented I am as a SeeD, but rather my own past accomplishments and even failures."

De Vries surprised him by laughing. "Arik warned me about you."

"Sir?" This conversation was definitely not what he had expected.

"You have a talent for getting right to the point of your own feelings, as well as forgoing all sense of political correctness and decency."

"I apologize."

The mayor waved it off. "No need to. It's merely an observation. It would do you well to keep it in mind in the future, though. A first time -- seen by those who do not know you well -- can be taken as merely young fervor over reputation and duty. Anything after that, however..." he trailed off, letting his serious silence convey his message.

Matt nodded. "I understand."

"Very well. Now, let us get to the point of the matter: the invasion by the renegade Esthar soldiers was strange, and completely unexpected. No one outside of that group seems to have been aware of the plan before it was executed, and very little has been deduced or discovered in the meantime. It's true that it hasn't been long -- only a day -- but the invasion appears to have been completely devoid of motive other than a random attack on a random town."

"I see. So you wish for me to hunt down any clue concerning a possible motive?"

"Yes. Also, it has been brought to my attention that someone -- or more than one someone -- has been spreading rumors of the Black Mage Ciaran's involvement. Please also investigate that. It would be nice to know if those rumors have merit or not."

"Is there anything else, sir?"

"Just one more -- please capture or quietly dispose of any renegade soldiers who remain in hiding. They may have valuable information, but if any citizen is endangered by a soldier's presence, feel free to use force in defense."

"Sir, your town seems rather peaceful in the aftermath of this -- is there any way I could have written permission to use force within the city walls? I'd like to have something of the sort handy just in case my actions cause antagonistic reactions."

The mayor nodded and reached for a scratch pad. He handed a sheet to the SeeD after writing a short note on it. "Hand it to Marlene -- the receptionist who showed you in -- and she will type up a formal letter for you to carry around at all times." He leaned back in his chair and folded his hands together in front of him. "I believe that covers everything. I trust you to do your job as efficiently and quickly as possible."

"I will do my best, sir."

De Vries stood, and Matt did as well barely a second afterward. "That is all I can expect from anyone." He extended a hand, and the young man took it. "Good luck."

"Thank you, sir." He inclined his head to the mayor, then turned sharply and headed for the door.

"Oh, Matt?"

The SeeD turned back to look at him, barely hiding his curiosity mixed with his desire to leave. "Yes, sir?"

"Try not to stray outside the city walls, if possible, unless you are in a vehicle. Monsters seem to be appearing."

"Sir?"

"It's not part of your job to investigate that situation," the mayor told him, waving one hand in dismissal. "Our walls should protect us for the forseeable future. I did want you to be aware of it, though."

"Thank you, sir." This time, Matt made it out the door.

Spending as little time as possible with the receptionist, he obtained his letter and briskly headed out the front door, trying not to look like he wanted to get out of there but failing.

* * *

About five hours later, after driving to a local motel, getting his room, and setting out to hunt down clues and anything else that might aid his investigation, the young man collapsed on a bench, frustrated. Doesn't anyone know anything around here? Well, I guess I should have somewhat expected this -- the mayor called in for SeeD help because no one knew anything... but how does he expect me to accomplish a single thing if there is no information in this blasted town! With a groan he leaned back on the bench, running his fingers through his hair and closing his eyes as he tried to mentally seek out a good spot to start over within the city walls. He opened his eyes and squinted when he realized that leaning back had placed his head directly in the rays of the setting sun. Whoa... setting sun? It's summer! Man, it's a lot later than I thought it was... Matt mentally berated himself for letting his observation skills slack so much that he was not even aware of the time. I'm beat. I'll get a good night's sleep and start over in the morning. Maybe I could ask someone at the motel's front desk... perhaps they've heard something from some the people who have passed through here.

Standing up and stretching, he glanced off toward the south and saw the tower he and Fox had fought at the day before, still sitting there solemnly as if nothing exciting had ever happened in its lifetime. It's amazing what can happen in such a short time, he mused, starting his trek back to the motel. He snorted, recalling the fruit of the current day's efforts. It's also amazing how little can happen in the same amount of time. Shaking his head and muttering to himself, he picked up his pace, thinking that the small bed in his room sounded rather good right then.