Author's Note(s)
- The following story is meant to be read AFTER playing Final Fantasy 8. If you haven't played the game, you're going to have a hard time understanding what's going on. Note: All names are from the PC version of FFVIII.
- Please e-mail your comments to me at sponger42@yahoo.com . I wrote this bit of fiction with the intention of collecting reader input on my writing style. If you have anything to say at all, mail me. Again, my e-mail is sponger42@yahoo.com
- Feel free to distribute this composition to whomever you wish, but please include my e-mail address (sponger42@yahoo.com) so they can tell me what they think as well. Also, please don't do stupid shit like copying my work and putting your name on it. It's not that good, trust me.
- Caught a mistake? E-mail me at sponger42@yahoo.com and I'll correct the problem ASAP.
- This was written on MSWord and was distributed to various fan sites via MSWord-tagged .htm files. I don't really understand all the voodoo involved here, but the bottom line is: the paragraph formatting on some sites will be a bit messed up. Sorry, but I can't write in block format.
- Purgatio now has a website. If the link at the beginning of this number doesn't work, try pasting http://icdweb.cc.purdue.edu/~kuipersf/main1.htm into your browser. I maintain this site, and it will have the latest updates to Purgatio.
If you want to sign up for my update mailing list, drop an e-mail to the addresses above.
Chapter 1:
Exorsus
"What is it?"
"Huh?"
"What is it?" Rinoa asked again, tilting her head to the side.
"Oh… sorry, I… it's nothing." Squall shook his head. Damn, tonight of all nights, why can't I just stop thinking—just for one evening?
Rinoa blew a strand of hair from her eyes with an exaggerated sigh. "One day, will you take me with you?"
"What?"
"That place that you're always going when you're thinking. Will you take me along with you some day?" Rinoa smiled gently as she said it, but Squall noticed the slight downward turn at the corners of her eyes.
Squall paused only for a moment—he was getting better at these things, he thought—before answering. "How about tonight, I just stay here, with you, instead?"
To Squall's infinite relief Rinoa immediately brightened. "That would be WONDERFUL!" She said, drawing him into as much of a bear hug as her slender 5'3" frame allowed. "Stay right here, with me, forever." Her words came, muffled by the collar of Squall's Jacket.
Squall laughed, placing his hand on Rinoa's head. "I will, I promise."
Refusing to let go, Rinoa replied, "You'd better." But you won't, you can't, my apprentice knight. I wonder if you'll ever be able to? Rinoa ducked her head to the side and pretended to gaze out at the low slivery clouds over which the garden sailed, hiding the painful thought.
Squall absently stroked an errant wisp of hair, freed by the warm night wind blowing across the observation deck, back into place as he held her. Concentrate on the wind, the stars, how right it feels to hold her like this. The here and now, that's all that matters… isn't it?
"You'd better…" Rinoa repeated quietly.
"No!" Squall jerked bolt upright in his bed. "God! No!" He gasped out the last of the nightmare's stale air. His hand groping for the phantom gunblade handle at his side, Squall stared sightlessly around the room. Griever, engraved on his gunblade case, his clothes hanging from their rack, his desk, the neat orderliness of the room slowly brought him back to reality. Squall placed a hand to his forehead; it came away covered in perspiration. He shivered with the cold of hard vacuum. Swinging his feet over the side of his bed, Squall paced the length of his dormitory single trying to evict the last of the horrible images skirling about his consciousness. The coffin-shaped med lab stasis bed, the living statues leaping to the top of the presidential palace, two rings floating weightless through a smashed faceplate, that horrible, horrible feeling of helplessness… Squall sank onto his bed and fought down the rising nausea of terror.
"Get a grip, Squall." He gritted from between clenched teeth. What's happening to me? He felt as he had back at Matron's orphanage the day Sis disappeared. He could taste the sense of loss on the back of his tongue. "It's not real, it can't happen." He said to no one in particular. No one in particular agreed.
Returning to bed was a lost cause; besides, he didn't particularly favor another go with his subconscious. Instead, Squall threw on his jacket and ammunition belts. Unsnapping the clasps on his gunblade case, he hesitated. Glancing over to the wall where a nondescript black case of similar shape stood. Irvine had picked up the revolver from who-knows-where and—along with Selphie, Quistis, and Zell—had presented it to Squall saying "Well, if we're gonna be trainin' together, you might as well come down to the level of us mortals 'cause we're never gonna get any fighting experience with you using that end-all Lionheart."
Squall shook his head, drew the Lionheart from its case, checked the chamber, and sheathed the gunblade.
Squall stepped from his room into the dormitory hallway. Casually glancing both directions, he started toward the promenade. After five steps he stopped, the nagging fear that had receded to the back of his mind was in full cry, sending tingles to his fingertips and toes. He gave life to the feeling as he whispered: "Check on Rinoa." He turned about and began walking back down the hall. Squall was sprinting full out by the time he reached Rinoa's room. She had been delegated one of the VIP suites (dormitory section) when she had returned to the newly mobile Balamb Garden. The room had been kept on reserve ever since. Not that there was any great housing crisis—the Galbadian attack had seen to that.
Squall hesitated not at all before entering the general access code—given to him by Cid Kramer upon Squall's assumption of Garden control—into the lock on the door. Every muscle in his body hummed with tension, his hand hovered over the handle of the gunblade. The recessed door slid with merciful silence (and speed) into the wall, and Squall slowly lowered his draw hand to his side. Rinoa lay asleep—alive—in the double-sized bed on her side, facing away from the wall. Beside her, Angelo, her canine companion, lay curled in a depression in the blankets.
Satisfied, Squall made ready to escape, but again, the last shreds of the nightmare manifested themselves and he crept into the room, as quietly as possible. Angelo—awakened by the quiet opening of the room's door, watched Squall's movements, but recognizing him, remained silent. Ever so slowly, Squall extended a finger before Rinoa's lips until he felt the warm brush of her exhalations. The look of peace on her face alone was enough to begin calming his jangled nerves. Suddenly, she stirred. Squall froze, wishing to every patron GF for an invisibility spell. Rinoa sighed in her sleep, and rolled over in bed. Allowing himself the slightest breath of relief, Squall scurried silently out into the relative safety of the hallway. Re-locking the door to Rinoa's room, he turned to return to his own quarters.
Squall made it ten steps this time before the urge to check again became so strong he was held to the spot as if rooted to the tiled hallway floor. What is wrong with me?!!
Squall broke, and ran for the promenade, with each step, his disgust increased. What am I becoming? Why am I so afraid? Why am I always so helpless?!
By the time the massive, rusted doors to the 'Monster's Lair' swung open to usher him in, Squall had worked himself into a frenzy. The creaking boardwalk laid across the lagoon shook under his pounding footsteps as he dashed deeper into the training center. As he reached the far shore, Squall realized he hadn't been the one causing the boards to shake as a full-grown T-Rexaur stomped out of the jungle growth and roared its challenge.
"Come at me, you son of a bitch!!" Squall shouted, throwing caution to the wind as he wrenched the Lionheart from its sheath and charged at the multi-ton beast. The T-Rexaur complied, bending down to crush Squall between its razor-sharp teeth. It was far too slow, as Squall fell and rolled under the monster's chin. Screaming incoherently, Squall drove the Lionheart upward with all his strength, but anger clouded his vision and the blade hacked into thick-corded muscle instead of vulnerable arteries. Jerking the trigger, Squall sent a bullet deep into the T-Rexaur's neck, piercing its windpipe, and blasting the gunblade free of the monster's flesh. The T-Rexaur reared back and roared in pain-tinged fury. Bellowing out its rage, the monster stomped down with its heavy hind legs, attempting to crush its tiny adversary. Even without a haste spell, Squall was able to easily dodge the beast's slow, blind blows, and he carved another gouge in it's tender underbelly, sending a second bullet into the T-Rexaur.
This proved to be more than enough for the T-Rexaur. Deciding this meal to be much more trouble than it was worth, the monster lit out for the nearest tree cover, it's receding roars tinged with the whistling breath blowing out of the additional ventilation Squall had added to its esophagus.
"Is that all you got?!! Yeah!! Who's helpless now goddammit?!!" Squall screamed after the fleeing beast. "C'mon!! Come at me!! I'll take you all on!! The whole world!! Dammit!!" Throwing an arm out, Squall blindly cast blizzaga into the nighttime forest. "Damn you! Damn…" he panted, sinking to his knees as the rage left his body.
"Squall… what are you doing?"
Squall jumped to his feet and turned to face Quistis Trepe. "Training." How long has she been there?
"Looks more like you were trying to kill yourself. Attacking a T-Rexaur at close range? I certainly hope I taught you better than that." Quistis began pacing around Squall, ticking off points on her fingers. "No use of GF, no status attacks, no protect spell, no haste spell… need I go on?"
"Sorry… I…" Squall had no ready response.
Quistis waved her hand. "No, it's alright. I understand." Quistis tilted her head toward the rear of the training center. "C'mon, let's take a walk."
Squall squelched a sigh as his hand drifted unconsciously toward his head. I don't need a lecture right now.
"I know, you probably want to be alone. Too bad." Quistis said.
"That's not what I—"
"—And I'm not going to lecture you." Quistis turned and began making her way back toward secret student meeting place to hide the mirth sparkling in her eyes.
Am I that predictable? Squall shrugged and followed.
The pair made it to the deck overlooking the Garden without further incident. The early morning air was cooling as it washed over the ship and ruffled the low fog lying like new-fallen snow over the ocean. The large crescent of the moon illuminated the haze and ship together, and the first hint of dawn glowed greyly on the horizon.
"The foliage is going to take some time to recover from that freeze, you know." Quistis began.
"It was stupid, I know, I shouldn't have…" Squall replied.
"No, it's ok. I think that's the most honest I've ever seen you." Quistis said. Squall turned his head toward her, and then turned away, concentrating on the intermittent flashes of the Garden's running lights. "It's about Rinoa, isn't it?" Quistis sighed. Squall remained silent. "You know, the last time we were out here, I believe you told me to 'go talk to a wall'."
Squall turned to face Quistis. "I've grown up since then." Haven't I?
"Have you? You know, that's what I feel like I'm doing now—talking to a wall. It's how we all feel, Squall. Zell, Selphie, even Irvine, you've shut us all out, maybe even more so now than before this whole Ultimecia thing started. Squall, you're our leader, but we're more than just your gang..." Quistis struggled for a moment to control her emotions, then said quietly: "…we're your friends."
Are you? Are you really? "Then…" Squall said. …Where were you in that time-compressed insanity? When I called out, why did no one answer me? But that wasn't fair, he knew. It was his own fault. Even as he had shouted out their names, Squall had never really believed he was anything but alone. Except for Rinoa? Squall had again fallen unconsciously into his brooding posture.
Quistis sighed. "Well, at least I know you're thinking about what I said, even if you won't talk about it." She looked down at her feet. "Squall… talk to her. Whatever is happening to you, share it with her. You can't keep this bottled up forever." Quistis tried unsuccessfully to force a laugh. "The garden doesn't have enough T-Rexaurs…" She trailed off. "If you can't share this with Zell, Selphie, Irvine or…" She paused. "…or me, then share it with her." Quistis turned away, but not before Squall caught the glint from a tear in Quistis's eye.
At a loss, Squall turned and locked his stare on a point far out on the endless expanse of sea and sky as Quistis fled with the remnants of her composure. I've never seen instructor Trepe like this before. Even when she lost her instructor's license… He pounded a fist down on the rail. God, what's happening to us? We won… …it shouldn't be like this…is it my fault?
Upon returning to the dormitory, Squall paused at the door to his room, resisting the urgent tug of his mind toward Rinoa's room. 'talk to her' Quistis had said… Squaring his shoulders, Squall said, "I can handle it." And returned to his own bed, unconvinced.
"Yoo-Hoo! Squall!"
The words, along with the crying of seagulls from the brightness outside his window quickly dragged Squall from his mercifully dreamless sleep. He noted with embarrassment, the gunblade still strapped to his side, and rumpled jacket in which he had fallen asleep. He cast about the room for any alternatives to emerging in his current frazzled state, naturally there were none. Selphie shouted again. "Hey! Sleepyhead!! GET UP!!" A quick series of thuds resounded from the door as armored fists beat out a clanking rhythm on the metal panels.
"On my way!" Squall shouted. Not Zell too. Looking like this was not going to instill confidence in his teammates. He shrugged, no alternative.
"Hurry up man!! They're gonna be all outta hotDAWGS!!" The door shook with a solid blow as Zell kicked it.
"Easy there, tiger, you're gonna break it." Came Irvine's voice as Squall keyed the door open.
"EEK!" Screamed Selphie.
"YOW!" Shouted Zell.
Irvine raised an eyebrow.
Quistis chuckled.
Rinoa smiled.
Squall placed a hand over his face. Naturally all of them would come to wake him up the one morning he looked like this.
"I think I just lost my appetite." Zell said.
"SAVE ME!!" Selphie screamed dramatically, ducking behind Irvine.
"I think it's an improvement." Irvine observed.
"Enough." Squall said at last. "Let's go."
"Alright! It's back!!" Zell proclaimed, and took off down the hallway. "Yeah, gimme some sweet HOT-DOGGIN!"
"Hey! Save some for the rest of us, you pig!" Selphie shouted as she gave chase.
"See ya'll!" Irvine tipped his hat before loping off after Selphie.
"…Ah, I'd better make sure they don't get into any trouble." Quistis said, shooting Squall a knowing look before trotting off after the receding voices of the others.
Rinoa tilted her head up at Squall and smiled as she said, "you are genuine fright, you know?"
"Thanks." Squall replied, tugging his jacket down in an attempt to smooth out the night's creases.
Rinoa looked down at her feet. "You… were in my room last night… weren't you?"
Astounded, Squall blurted, "Yes." After a pause, he realized that didn't seem like enough. "Are you angry?"
"Maybe." Rinoa smiled slyly up at him. "Depends on why you were there."
"I…" was so afraid that you'd be gone… "…don't…" ever want to leave your side, don't ever want to take that risk… "…know." …what I'm doing or who I am anymore.
A look of concern fluttered across Rinoa's face. "Squall, what is it? You can tell me."
Squall saw only one way out. Not here, not now. "Ask me again sometime…"
Rinoa didn't look terribly happy with that reply, but she shrugged. "Alright, I will." She grabbed Squall's arm and began dragging him down the hall. "Now come on. I'm HUNGRY!"
At 0700 the five SeeDs and one sorceress assembled in Cid Kramer's office as per his request. As Cid entered, the SeeDs stiffened to attention, presenting their one-armed salutes as one. Cid waved them off. "Quite unnecessary." He surveyed the group. "Ladies and gentlemen, let me thank you all for coming." He paused a moment, then continued. "First of all, I wish to congratulate you all again on your exemplary action against the sorceress Ultimecia. Without you, this world, and everyone living on it would have certainly perished."
Zell and Selphie beamed at this, while Irvine tipped his hat in a tacit 'aw, shucks' gesture. Quistis and Rinoa both smiled. Only Squall showed no expression, he had heard this all before at the celebration banquet after the garden had retrieved the team from the area of Edea's Orphanage. He waited for the 'but'.
"However, monumental as these occurrences have been, I am afraid we have precious little time for self-congratulations. I believe it was you, Irvine Kinneas who asked me, in your manner, what one does after one has saved the world from an evil sorceress." Cid paused for emphasis. "What one does... is proceed to save the world from itself." Cid turned toward the door. "Xu, Doctor Kadowaki, Edea, please come in."
The SeeDs and sorceress turned nodding and smiling to acknowledge the Balamb Garden's resident SeeD advisor, Doctor, and Cid Kramer's wife, the former sorceress Edea.
"Right then, down to business." Cid continued after all had entered. "I'll try to keep this as short as possible. Since we have such a big group today, I'll ask you to hold your questions and comments until I'm finished."
As Cid began his speech, Squall's attention began to wander. He had heard all this before. Cid had spoken to him privately shortly after his return to the garden about the global situation. The garden system was in shambles. The primary capital and shareholder of Balamb Garden, NORG, was dead, his assets legally frozen in a dozen different countries pending re-distribution and taxation. Trabia Garden, decimated by Galbadian missiles had withdrawn from active service as a Garden, recalling all of it's contracted mercenaries, and defaulting on all contracts. Even if the garden were successful in rebuilding, it would be years before Trabia's power and prestige would be restored.
Galbadia Garden was still occupied by the Galbadian military despite promises to withdraw after the defeat of sorceress Ultimecia when she had possessed Edea, and no one knew exactly where the hell it had gone, apparently the Galbadians were attempting to hold it as a wild card in their war with the rest of the planet.
Balamb Garden was the only remaining fully functional Garden on the globe, yet it's student and mercenary population had been badly depleted by a Galbadian assault in the Centra Archipelago. The remaining students and instructors had been hard at work to restore the Garden and move on with life, but even their best efforts couldn't replace the lost students.
That left Esthar and Galbadia as the two remaining powers in the world. The Esthar military had been ravaged trying to defend the capital from the onslaught of monsters brought down from the moon by the Lunatic Pandora—still under the control of the Galbadians, and the president, Laguna Loire—a former Galbadian soldier-turned-writer-turned-revolutionary, had vanished after the defeat of Ultimecia, along with the presidential cabinet—Kiros Seagill and Ward Zabac—and the sorceress Ellone. He was rumored to be visiting a town in Galbadia, but no one knew for certain. No one was really sure how long it took to recharge the Lunatic Pandora after the Lunar Cry, but it was certain that Esthar would try to remove the Pandora from it's airspace with all speed.
Though Galbadia was strategically poised to finish off its remaining adversaries, in actuality, the country was little better off than Esthar. The sorceress Ultimecia—who had been controlling the Galbadian military was dead, Seifer Almasy, the commander and chief of Galbadia's military had disappeared after his defeat within the Lunatic Pandora, along with his two heads of staff, Raijin and Fujin. Garden intelligence reported sighting him in the vicinity of Balamb, and it was assumed that he had resigned his commission within the Galbadian military. The sorceress Ultimecia had assassinated President Deling earlier in the year. The dispossessed general Caraway was all that remained of Galbadia's high-level military command structure. The massive Galbadian army was suffering desertations at a rate unheard of in that country's history, and the entire nation was reeling on the edge of revolution as dozens of splinter groups and resistance factions attracted large segments of the disenchanted Galbadian public. A small war was already heating up in Timber—a country occupied by Galbadian forces—as revolutionaries attempted to throw off the shackles of their oppressive Galbadian occupiers.
That left Balamb Garden and Cid's question; what to do about their current situation.
"And that brings us to our current situation. I've called you all here today because you are prominent members of this Garden, and above all others, I value your feelings on what this Garden's course should be." Cid finished.
Unsure of the proper protocol, Zell naturally threw both his arms in the air and danced about to draw attention. With only the slightest rolling of eyes, Cid called on him. "Yes, Zell?"
"Uh, Headm— er… Mr. Kramer, Sir. I don't mean to be rude, but uh… isn't Squall… uh…" Zell suddenly found that being the center of attention wasn't always what it was cracked up to be. "…well, sort of in charge?"
To Zell's infinite relief, Cid smiled. "Excellent point, Zell, I'll let Squall handle that one."
Squall turned to face his comrades. "As of 10:00 hours today, I will be returning control of this garden to Headmaster Cid Kramer. Control of the garden was delivered to me under the assumption that I would be best equipped to deal with the elimination of the sorceress Ultimecia. That mission being complete, I will now return control of the Balamb Garden to Headmaster Kramer. I believe he is best suited to determine the Garden's course from now on." Squall finished his prepared statement, the same one he would be giving over the Garden's PA system in less than three hours. Behind him he heard Irvine whispering.
"I think that there's the longest speech I've ever heard Squall give." He said quietly to Selphie.
Cid smiled. "Thank you Squall. My primary concern right now is the rebuilding of this Garden's fighting capability. Balamb Garden was established to defeat evil sorceresses, not to arbitrate global conflicts. Right now, I plan to head back to Balamb as I believe that is about as neutral a country as we are going to find. Plus what support facilities this Garden owns are there. I'm open to any suggestions or comments you have at this time."
"Wasn't the stuff we left behind destroyed by the Galbadian missiles?" Selphie asked.
"Well, yes, and no." Cid answered. "The platform on which the Garden rested was destroyed, so we won't be able to land, though I don't see any reason why we would want to de-mobilize the garden. Our support systems in Balamb's port are still in place, though. The Galbadians didn't think to destroy or confiscate our marine assault craft and other vehicles in storage there."
"What about the underwater railway into Timber?" Xu said. "I believe it would be prudent to put some sort of apparatus on that to prevent Galbadia from infiltrating Balamb in that manner."
"I'm glad you asked." Cid replied. "I've already dispatched one of our remaining strike teams with underwater experience to locate and use one of our minisubs in Balamb to mine the underwater rail line. We'll establish guards at the Balamb depot and if the Galbadians try anything, we'll blow their supply line."
Squall noticed Quistis's slightly disturbed expression. So did the Headmaster. "I know it sounds extreme. I don't like thinking about it either, but Galbadia has shown that they have no qualms about destroying this garden, and everyone in it, so we must not waver in our resolution to resist them. Even if it means endangering the lives of noncombatants."
Edea spoke up from beside the Headmaster. "We don't believe that Galbadia is going to try anything like that. With the sorceress gone, the cohesive force that held their empire together is weakening. I expect they will be withdrawing their assault troops in order to deal with their problems at home.
Irvine raised a finger. "Uh, so if the landing pad for the Garden was destroyed in the missile attack, where are we gonna park this here thing?"
"After some consideration, I decided it would be best to anchor the garden near Balamb City, we'll use some of our watercraft as ferries to the port there." Cid paused a moment before continuing. "I decided this would be a good way of ensuring the Garden's safety. After all, we really don't know what is going on inside Galbadia right now, keeping some water between ourselves and any potential landing sites for Galbadian forces seems like a prudent idea. Plus we can move the Garden on a moment's notice, though I don't expect that'll be necessary seeing as how SeeD has taken care of Galbadia's long-range missile strike capability."
Irvine grinned and ruffled Selphie's hair. "My destructive little darlin'."
"Tee-hee." Selphi grinned by way of reply and a maniacal glint crept into her eyes.
"So we will begin contracting out SeeD agents again?" Doctor Kadowaki spoke up.
Cid sighed at this. "Yes. I would've liked to give everyone a chance to recover from the events of the past months, but it looks like we're going to have to start pushing our profits back out of the red. I hate to think of it this way, but NORG was right about one thing—without money, this garden dies. I'll try to cut back on assignments as much as possible and give people a chance to recover, but we're short-handed and low on funds. We're also going to have to begin some aggressive recruitment programs to fill out our empty slots." Cid winced.
Squall's gaze wandered to his left where Rinoa stood, he noticed the peculiar expression that crossed her face. He hadn't seen her set her jaw like that since before the failed assassination attempt in Deling City.
"Sir, what about Trabia and Galbadia gardens?" Selphie asked.
"I'm afraid there isn't much we can do about Galbadia Garden, it's out of our hands for the moment, we'll just have to see how things play out. As for Trabia, we'll offer what assistance we can. I'm sorry, there's not much more we can do."
Selphi looked a bit crestfallen. "Well… if there's anything I can do…"
Cid thought for a moment. "Hm… well, we do need someone to chair the 'Trabia Assistance Committee.'" A twinkle appeared behind the Headmaster's glasses. "Would you be interested in that?"
"WOULD I EVER!" Selphie jumped three-and-one-half feet straight up.
"Hoo-boy, here we go again." Zell rolled his eyes.
"Alright then, that's settled… if there aren't any further questions then?" Cid looked about. No one volunteered anything. "Ok, well, if you think of any, feel free to call on me at any time. If I'm not in my office, I'll leave a message saying where I can be found." Cid smiled. "Thank you all for coming, sorry to keep you all standing here for so long. Dismissed."
Xu turned to the five SeeDs. "Ok you guys are probably getting a little antsy, so take a 15 minute break and then meet me in front of the training center, except for you, Squall, Rinoa, I believe Headmaster Kramer has something further…" She gestured toward Cid.
"Thank you Xu." Cid turned to Squall and Rinoa. "Yes, Edea and I need to speak with you two." He waved to the remaining SeeDs. "Good luck everyone, and be careful."
Edea turned toward Squall and Rinoa. "Come with me, please." She said, and led them to the right side of the office/lower bridge. "Cid, are you coming?" She called to her husband.
"Go ahead, dear, I'll join you in a moment, I just want to give some additional instructions to our pilot." The Headmaster said as he stepped onto the lift leading to the bridge.
Edea nodded and, reaching under small shelf set into the wall's wooden paneling depressed a hidden switch. A section of the wall swung outward, revealing another room. Edea motioned the Squall and Rinoa inside. "Go on in and make yourselves comfortable.
First to enter the small study, Rinoa exclaimed. "Ooh, I love the decorations!"
It was, indeed, a rather well endowed room, compared to the Spartan standards of the rest of the Garden, Squall noted. Mahogany wood paneling on every wall gave way to a thick deep maroon carpeting on which stood polished cherry-wood furniture covered by thick, plush, red velvet cushions. Twin Helios style crystal windows refracted the sunlight around the room in cascades of gold edged with rainbows.
Rinoa quickly chose a seat on a small comfortable-looking sofa, and patted the cushion next to her, indicating where she wanted Squall to sit.
After a second quick glance around the room, Squall complied.
"Can I offer you a glass of water?" Edea asked, temporizing, until Cid returned.
Squall declined. It made him feel vaguely uncomfortable to be treated like this by Matron, the woman who had raised him since before he could remember. Rinoa also declined.
"I know you must be curious about why we asked you here, but I'd prefer to wait until Cid arrives." Edea apologized. "I'm sorry, he's a bit absent-minded about these sort of things."
It's ok, Matron, you don't have to explain to me…
It was then that the door to the room swung open, admitting the Headmaster. He smiled as he entered. "Welcome to my private study, and sometimes conference room." He waved his arms, encompassing the entire room.
"It's lovely." Rinoa said. Squall nodded.
"Thank you, but Edea is responsible more than I." The headmaster took his wife's hand as they sat on a second sofa facing Squall and Rinoa. "Well, then, I imagine you know we asked you here to talk about things other than interior decoration. Edea."
"Rinoa, as you know, by agreeing to accept my powers several weeks ago, you have become a sorceress. In terms of open magic usage, this means that spells you cast, your draw ability, your GF usage, in short, every magic-related action is enhanced by a factor of two or more."
At this, Rinoa broke eye contact with Edea and looked down at her feet." Three."
"I'm sorry?"
"Three." Rinoa sighed, shivering slightly as she relived the memory. "When Adel and Ultimecia were trying to junction my powers… Well, Squall and the others stopped them. I felt Ultimecia's consciousness flee Adel's body as it entered my own…" Her voice shook slightly. "I… I also felt Adel's consciousness, trapped, and in terrible pain…" Rinoa's hand had crept into Squall's as if by it's own accord. Unsure of himself, hoping it would help, he gave her a reassuring squeeze. Rinoa paused and smiled gratefully at Squall. Resolutely, she continued. "She was suffering, and needed to pass on her powers. She reached out to me, and I accepted them. Then Adel was gone, and Ultimecia took control of me." Rinoa drew in a breath. "So I guess, I've junctioned the power of two sorceresses."
"Ah, I see. I'm sorry, I didn't realize what occurred aboard the Lunatic Pandora. Well, yes, essentially, you are correct. Your magical powers will be increased threefold or so. It's hard to be exact about these things as it varies from sorceress to sorceress." Edea paused for a moment.
Cid spoke up. "Of course, you probably have already noticed this power manifesting itself. That's not the real reason we called you here today." He nodded to Edea.
"Rinoa, there are… other effects of your powers." Edea began. Her tone made Squall feel a bit uneasy.
"Other effects?" Rinoa couldn't keep the tone of worry from her voice.
"Yes, well…" Cid cleared his throat. "They're not nearly as well documented or as apparent as your magical abilities in battle. They usually don't manifest in any noticeable manner until you have been a sorceress for a substantial period."
"Substantial period?"
"From a few weeks to a year." Cid clarified. "Within the year, you'll have a pretty good idea of what your additional powers are. They may change over time, but…"
Edea leaned forward. "Oh, don't look so worried, dear. It's nothing to be afraid of. My powers manifested in my ability to calm the children at my orphanage, and I believe they also brought good luck to myself and those who knew me."
Cid sighed. "And Ultimecia's power gave her control over her subjects through fear and intimidation over an entire continent." He reflected.
Edea shot her husband a warning look too late. Cid blanched slightly as he realized his faux pas. "But uh, er, I'm sure you have nothing to worry about." He added lamely.
"Rinoa, honestly, the appearance of these powers isn't something to fear, it should be something you look forward to. As a former sorceress, I can sense something of what your powers will be, and I'm sure you'll find their effects to be something wonderful." Edea reassured her.
Squall thought he could feel some of the tension drain out of Rinoa at Edea's assurances. She might not be a sorceress anymore, but the Matron of the old orphanage still possessed the ability to calm those around her.
"As I told you before, every sorceress has a knight. It is tradition. He will act as your guardian, confidant, and advisor." Edea smiled at Cid as she said this. He happily took her hand and held it.
"A knight will bring you balance and stability. Comfort in times of trial, and companionship in times of joy." Edea and Cid now sat directly facing one another, their young guests forgotten.
Rinoa leaned over and whispered to Squall. "They look so happy together even after all that's happened. Do you think we'll ever be like that?"
I don't know, I think I hope so.
Edea remembered herself, and turned again to face Rinoa and Squall. "So, Rinoa, do you have any prospective knights in mind?" She said with a slight smile.
"Yes I do." Rinoa announced happily. "Squall Leonhart." She squeezed his hands again.
"Squall?" Edea turned to him.
What am I supposed to say, but even if—oh shit, answer!
"Yes." He nodded.
But what was I supposed to say? How could I refuse… and HOW could I refuse? I never asked for any of this. I can't stand to be apart from her, and yet I'm desperately afraid of what it means to be with her.
"Cid, why don't you and Squall go on out, we'll join you in a moment." Edea said.
"Huh? Oh, yes, of course." The Headmaster rose, as did Squall and they made their way out of the study into Cid's main office.
As the door swung shut, Cid coughed nervously, and began polishing his glasses with the hem of his shirt. "Uh, girl talk." He said by way of apology.
This is so strange. To be speaking with the headmaster and Matron. Not giving a report, not receiving orders, but just talking, as equals. I guess it really is time to grow up.
"Well, uh, Squall." The Headmaster seemed to be having trouble formulating his sentences. "I suppose there's a few things Edea would want me to tell you." He paused for a moment. "I guess you pretty much get the idea of what it means to be the sorceress's knight…"
I have no idea. I know how I feel about Rinoa, but… but what? Since when has Squall Leonhart been afraid of—what? Commitment? Since he joined the SeeD-training program at Balamb Garden? Since he agreed (?) to lead that same garden into battle against a sorceress from the future? I've never had problems making decisions like this… why do I feel like this now?
"…but there's something you must always do. Always follow her orders, no matter what. It's a thousand-year-old trust between sorceresses and their knights, not once in the millennium has it been broken. I… ah… well, it may be difficult at times, but you must always…" Cid trailed off and Squall could tell he was becoming lost in his own memories. Normally, Squall hated adults reminiscing like this, but the headmaster had been though so much—come to think of it, who hadn't? …Maybe he should learn to be a bit more understanding of these kind of things.
Always follow the sorceress's orders? Is that what you were doing, Headmaster? When you ordered us to execute Edea…was it because of what she commanded? What does it feel like to give an order like that? Will I ever have…
The door to the study slid open, Edea emerged, followed by Rinoa.
"It will take up to several years to adjust, and metamorphosis into a full sorceress." Edea was saying. "So both of you, take it slowly, one day at a time." She looked at her husband.
Cid continued her thought. "We'll be here, if you need help, advice, anything. I'm sure you'll be just fine." Edea nodded at that. "Uh, as for now, well. Rinoa, we would be happy to have you stay on with us at Balamb garden as a sort of honorary SeeD if you're willing. A sorceress SeeD…" He trailed off as Edea patted him on the arm.
"Dear, they've got a lot on their minds right now, maybe we can spare the details until later?"
"Oh, right. Of course." Cid finished. "Thank you for coming. Squall, if you could be on the bridge with me at 10:00?"
Why are you asking me? Can't you just make it an order? "Of course, Sir." Squall said.
"Ok, until then."
"Dismissed?"
"Uh, yes." Cid seemed to be avoiding that term at all cost.
Back in the elevator at last, Rinoa leaned against the wall paneling. "Whoof. That's a lot to take in. I think my head is about to explode."
You said it.
"Squall?" Rinoa tilted her head to the side.
"You said it." Squall verbalized.
Rinoa clapped her hands. "Ooh! Finally! You finally said what you were thinking!"
Squall's brow furrowed. "How did you know…?"
"Silly! I'm a sorceress! I know allllll." She giggled, casting mock spells on Squall's nose. In fact, I've got a confession to make."
"Hm?" Squall raised an eyebrow.
"I've been casting spells on you since we met." Rinoa placed her arm on Squall's shoulder, then pulled it off and waved her hand in circles in front of his face. "Remember this?"
"You're-going-to-like-me… you're-going-to-like-me?" Squall asked.
Rinoa stepped back, placing one foot in front of the other, and bending slightly at the waist and tilting her head to the side. "Did it work?"
Squall's eyes widened. His pupils dilated and for one icy instant, his heart froze. That entire night's memories, mixed and muddled with those from the time compression, hit him like an express train. Oh god! He staggered against the glass doors of the lift.
"Squall!" Rinoa lunged forward and held him from falling.
The feeling vanished the second Rinoa touched him. His arm, latched on to the railing, steadied him.
"What is it?" Rinoa's face was shadowed by concern.
"Just… just a little deja-vu… that's all." Squall shook his head. "It's gone now." He shrugged.
"A little?" The concern was gone, like a summer cloud lifting from the sun. Rinoa rolled her eyes. "Are you going for the title of King of Understatement or something? That was 'A little deja-vu.' Falling with that basement ladder, through that window was 'nothing new'." She gave him a playful shove.
"I'd settle for knight." Squall replied.
"Well, ok then, Sir Knight—" Another twinge. "Are we going to stand in this elevator fit for a prince all day, or are you going to push a button?" Rinoa asked.
"I thought you were the sorceress who knows allll…" Squall quipped.
Delighted that she had gotten Squall to loosen up just the tiniest bit, Rinoa closed her eyes and intoned. "I, sorceress Rinoa Heartilly shall now use my supernatural powers to determine the best destination for this elevator." She jabbed a button.
"!!BRRRRRRIIIIINGG!!" The elevator's alarm bell clanged.
Squall couldn't help but laugh as he hit the cut-off switch. A voice crackled over the elevator intercom. "Is everything all right in there?" Rinoa clapped a hand over her mouth the contain her laughter. Her eyes sparkled above cheeks puffed out with bottled delight.
Squall couldn't help himself. "AACK! Help! I'm trapped in an elevator with a crazed button sorceress!" He shouted.
At that, Rinoa exploded into gales of mirth. She clung to Squall to keep herself from collapsing to the floor. Squall himself was having a hard time controlling himself. The dam built over years and years of serious strata was beginning to crack. He shook with the effort to hold back the tide.
The intercom crackled again. "Buttons what? Hold on, we're sending someone up to help!"
Rinoa found this amusing as well and calmed down not a whit. Just being clung to by a person seized by hilarity was wearing away at Squall's self control. He resolutely shored it back up again.
Rinoa buried her face in Squall's chest until her laughter subsided a bit. Just then, the doors to the elevator slid open, and Squall—who had been leaning against them for support, fell directly on top of Headmaster Cid Kramer at the exact same instant as a garden facility member poked his head through the service hatch on the elevator's floor.
"What's going on here?" Said the garden staff.
"WOA!" Cried Squall.
"AIEE!" Shouted Rinoa.
"OOF!" Said Cid.
"THUD!" Went Squall, Rinoa, and Cid.
"DING." Went the elevator.
It was all too much, Rinoa and Squall spent the next few moments helpless with laughter on the floor of the hall, helped not at all by the cross-eyed expression of befuddlement on the headmaster's face.
"It really wasn't all that funny." Squall gasped after the Headmaster had collected himself, and with a final shake of his head, entered the elevator with the nonplussed garden staff, departing for parts unknown.
"I know." Rinoa said, and giggled.
"Shall we get off the floor now?"
"Yeah."
Much later, after the pleasant aching of amusement had subsided, Rinoa and Squall stood on the second-floor observation deck, watching gulls surfing on air currents created by the motion of the Garden. In the far distance, Squall thought he could just begin to make out the dark line of the Balamb coast.
"Squall, what was it?" Rinoa asked from beside him.
"What?"
"What was it that you saw, in the elevator today? What made you come into my room last night?" Rinoa tilted her head, and a few wisps of dark hair fell away from her eyes.
Squall sighed. I really don't want to think about that, now. …or ever. How CAN I talk about things like that… I want… I want to keep it inside. Keep that horrible thing inside me, where you're safe from it. Something like that should never be set free by talking about it… right?
"Oh, come back." Rinoa frowned. "Please. Don't leave me here alone." She sighed unhappily.
Squall felt a twinge of guilt at Rinoa's sad expression. "Alright." Squall, you can't be serious…
This time it was Rinoa who took Squall's hand.
He sighed again. "When time was compressed…" Squall, you're not going to tell her. "…I was all alone… nowhere."
Rinoa gave him a reassuring squeeze.
"A feather… floating out of the nothing." Squall, don't say any more. "I knew it was you… I knew you would come for me…" Be silent! "…I saw…" SHUT UP DAMMIT! And it was gone. Vanished.
"What!?"
"Nothing." Squall shook his head. She was here, next to him, and the thing was gone, banished. "Just a stupid meaningless nightmare, I don't know why it got to me like that." Yes you do. "Sorry to get you all worked up like that."
"Ooh! You are impossible! All that, and you're not even going to tell me!" Rinoa stamped her foot.
"We've got other things to worry about." Squall carefully changed the subject. "Did something the Headmaster said bother you?"
Squall watched Rinoa's thoughts shift track. "Why, yes. How did you know?"
"You looked a little… disturbed… earlier."
"Well, 'empty slots', 'aggressive recruitment'? He sounded just like that man in Deling." Rinoa's jaw set it self in that peculiar manner again.
Squall knew she was referring to her father, General Caraway, former leader of the Galbadian armed forces. "I know. I don't think it's as easy for him as he makes it seem, though."
"No, it's alright, I guess. I keep forgetting, that's the way you live." Rinoa sighed. "I guess everyone does what they have to… just like when I was back in Timber.
A silent pause, "Do you want to go back?" Squall asked.
"I… I think so. I know you weren't around us for long, but the Forest Owls… well, it meant a lot to us." She looked down. "After everything that's happened I know it sounds silly but…"
"…it still means a lot to you." Squall said quietly. Rinoa raised her eyes to his, grateful for his understanding.
"Yes… it still does."
At 0950 Squall entered the bridge by way of the lift from the Headmaster's office. He had not seen the headmaster on his trip back to the bridge, nor was Cid present on the bridge when he arrived. Instead the helmsman, Nidia, greeted him.
"Hey, Squall. How ya doin'?"
"Fine."
"Glad to hear it. We're about two hours out from the Balamb coast. Uh, Headmaster Kramer and Xu have been directing the Garden while you've been gone." Nidia told him.
"Good."
"Ok then." Realizing further attempts at conversation would be a wasted effort, Nidia turned back to the helm.
Squall sighed. Probably, his last act as the official commander of the garden shouldn't be to give the helmsman the cold shoulder. But what am I supposed to talk about? "So you know, I'll be returning control to Headmaster Kramer momentarily."
"Oh really? Ok, thanks for letting me know." Nidia said.
Pleased with his initiative, Squall decided he could get in a good five minutes of brooding before the headmaster arrived.
Seven minutes later, Cid rode the lift up onto the bridge. Squall gave his canned speech and the Headmaster reassumed control of the Garden.
Curled up with her favorite book in the corner of the library, where she had gone to sit and think, Rinoa smiled quietly to herself at the clipped sentences.
Zell put down the hammer he had been using to knock a recalcitrant peg into a support beam for the new decking that was being laid over the gaping hole left in the Quad by the battle with Galbadia Garden. He tilted his head to the side at Squall's voice. "Say, does this sound familiar to anyone else?"
Selphie conked him lightly on the head with a level. "Of course, silly, it's the same speech he gave to us this morning." Then she dashed off to haul Irvine away from the flock of female students toward which he had been gravitating.
Quistis paused in her speech explaining the fundamentals of status magic junctioning to a class of potential SeeDs she had been asked to teach as the regular instructor was recovering from injuries received defending the Garden. She waited patiently through Squall's and then the Headmaster's speech, laying out the fundamentals of that morning's conference to the entire garden, then resumed the lesson after the last chime had faded away.
At 1300 hours, as Xu had requested, the five SeeDs and one sorceress assembled again at the entrance to the training center.
Rubbing his two sore thumbs, Zell complained. "Man, Xu, the last time you told us to meet you here, I thought we were gonna bust some heads. Instead, we ended up busting our humps trying to put Balamb back together again."
"Ah, quit'cher whining." Irvine advised him. "You hardly did any work at all, what with you always trying to pound your own hands into the deck instead of the nails."
"Yo man! I'm a fighter, not a carpenter." Zell grimaced.
"Could've fooled me." Irvine rolled his eyes.
"Hey! What's that supposed to…" Zell showed uncharacteristic restraint, trailing off as Xu raised a hand for silence.
Looking the group over she said: "I've called you all here because it's been several months since your last combat assessment. In fact, most of you haven't had such an assessment since your graduation." She paused. "Now you have been submitting answers online to the SeeD tests, and your scores have been quite high," she paused, staring directly at Zell, "for most of you." Zell winced.
"Uh, excuse me." Rinoa began. "I'm not really a member of SeeD, um…"
"Why are you here?" Xu finished for her. Rinoa nodded. "Headmaster Kramer asked me to conduct an assessment of your powers as well, he told me he thought it might be helpful to you to if we began keeping a record of your abilities for you." Xu spread her hands. "It's purely voluntary of course. If you don't wish to participate, you're under no obligation."
"No, it's ok. If Cid and Edea think it's a good idea…" Rinoa trailed off.
"Yeah, Rinoa, it'll be interesting to see how all our abilities match up!" Selphie said.
"Ok, if everyone will check their GF… I'll give you a few moments to stretch out before we enter the training center." Xu said, turning toward the hallway leading to the 'monster's lair'.
As the group followed her, Rinoa leaned over and whispered to Squall, "How romantic, just like our first date!" She giggled at his embarrassment.
Squall placed a hand over his face. She's never going to let me forget that.
"No, I'm not." Rinoa whispered, and winked at him.
After everyone had prepared themselves, the group of seven SeeDs and one sorceress entered the training arena. Almost immediately, the undergrowth next to the path through the center rustled, and a Grat stepped out into their path, waving its leafy appendages menacingly.
"Ok, Mr. Dincht, you're up." Xu said. Everyone else fell back as Zell strolled jauntily up to the monster. Almost immediately, it fell upon him, attempting to catch him up in it's leafy tentacles.
Zell was ready for this, and, showboating a bit, he sprang into the air, flipping over a flailing razor-sharp leaf. As the monster turned to face him, Zell delivered two quick, powerful left jabs to its soft torso followed by a screaming right hook. The Grat reeled backward from the blows. Zell danced a few steps away from the beast before shimmering lines of magical energy coalesced inward on him as he cast Fira on the Grat. The battle was over almost before it had begun. "Yeah baby!" Zell shouted punching at the air. "Who's da man?!"
Xu's eyebrow rose a fraction of an inch. "Very impressive, Mr. Dincht." She scribbled a few notes on her clipboard. "Alright, lets move on.
After the group had proceeded a bit deeper into the arena a second Grat appeared in their path. "Ok, Mr. Kinneas." Xu said. "Your turn."
Irvine tipped his hat and sauntered confidently toward the monster. With a flick of his wrist, he cracked open the chamber of his Exeter, withdrew two rounds of ammunition from his ammunition belt, placed them in the weapon, and snapped it shut again. Pausing well outside the range of the Grat's leafy appendages, he rested the gun level on his arm. Turning to wink at Selphie he fired both barrels without even checking his aim. The force of the blast sent the Grat tumbling. It did not stir after rolling to a stop. Irvine grinned, cracked the weapon open again, withdrew the spent cartridges, snapped it shut, and blew the smoke from the muzzle.
Xu frowned as she tapped her pencil on her clipboard.
"Something wrong, mam?" Irvine drawled.
"No, nothing… that's the problem." Xu sighed. "Well, let's move on, I guess."
Irvine shot a wide grin at Zell who looked nonplussed.
"Squall, you're next on the list… so…" Xu trailed off as a thunderous roar shook the surrounding foliage. The group drew back a few steps as a hungry-looking T-Rexaur stomped out of the trees.
"Woa! I'm glad it's not MY turn!" Selphie said, backing up.
"Everyone! Get back!" Xu shouted. "Squall, you don't have to fight this, disengage and we'll find another Grat."
"I can handle it." Squall drew the Lionheart from it's sheath, he swung it in two slashes in front of him. His eyes narrowed as he regarded the T-Rexaur. "C'mon you bastard, come at me." He whispered.
The massive beast lowered its head, preparing to charge, it stared at its target. Deep within the thick skull of the monster, a synaptic nerve connection fired, and a spark of recognition crept into the T-Rexaur's eyes. Suddenly, it straightened and with an earthshaking roar, wheeled on its powerful hind legs and fled post haste into the trees.
Xu dropped her clipboard.
Keeping his expression dead even, Squall turned and walked slowly back to the group. Everyone, except Quistis simply stared at him in silence. Even Selphie, though her mouth hung open, said nothing. Sheathing the Lionheart, Squall shrugged. "Guess it wasn't that hungry." Squall ducked his head to hide the tiny smile. When the T-Rexaur had roared before fleeing, he had seen—as had Quistis—the ugly red scabs on the underside of it's neck from a bullet and a blade.
"O-Ok…" Xu said, gathering herself. "Let's, uh, press on." She collected her clipboard and pencil from where they had fallen."
The roars of the T-Rexaur had apparently caused some the lesser beasts in the training arena to avoid the area for the time being, and the group had nearly completed a circuit of the trail through the center before a flying Granaldo whirred out of the trees before them.
Squall's hand fell to the grip of his gunblade. "Shall I take this one, Xu?"
"Would there be any point?" Xu asked.
"Probably not."
"Whoo-Hoo! That mean's I'm up!" Selphie shouted. "Alphabetical order right?"
Xu nodded. "Have at it, Miss Tilmitt."
"Go get 'em, darlin'!" Irvine said, slapping Selphie on the backside.
With a shout of indignation, she whirled on him, readying her Crescent Wish to strike. She probably would have, too, had not Zell shouted at that instant.
"Look out!!" Zell, and the rest of the party threw themselves to the ground as the Granaldo buzzed low over the group.
Selphie was the first one on her feet. She stared down at the leaves and debris covering her outfit. "AIEE!! I JUST WASHED THIS!!" She readied her Crescent Wish. "Ooh, you're going to pay for that, you stupid bug!!" With a twisting motion, she flung the striking bar of her weapon arcing toward the Granaldo. It struck with a solid thud, and sent the Granaldo reeling into a tree. It crashed to the ground; it's wings buzzing intermittently. The Granaldo attempted to regain the air, but tendrils of the poisonous Bio magic junctioned to Selphie's status attack suffused the monster. After a few seconds, it's motions ceased.
"Hmph! Serves you right" Selphie said, shouldering her weapon.
Dusting herself off, Xu said. "Is everyone ok?" Receiving nods all around, she continued. "Ok, we might as well turn around and go back thorough."
After a few moments of walking, a third Grat sprang from the bushes, directly in front of the group in a surprise attack. Without waiting for the order she knew would come, Quistis whirled her Red Scorpion in a circle over her head and brought it's striking tip down on the monster with a supersonic whip crack. The Grat's appendages, raised to attack quivered, and fell to its sides. The monster's legs ceased to support it, and it fell over on it's back, a gaping split cut straight down the center of it's torso.
Xu blinked. "Good work, Miss Trepe. Excellent initiative."
They continued on.
As they crossed the boardwalk over the lagoon, it appeared that no more monsters would appear before they reached the gateway out of the training center. A growl set this notion to rest. Before the group, two Fastitocalon-F fins dug furrows in the path, heading toward the SeeDs and sorceress.
"Hm…" Xu frowned. "How did those get in here? Uh, Miss Heartilly, if you would like, we could begin the assessment…"
"Of course." Rinoa nodded. She took a few steps forward, readying the Shooting Star on her right arm.
Squall found that his hand had involuntarily locked around his gunblade handle. He leaned backward slightly, so strong was the pull to assist Rinoa.
Rinoa fired her Shooting Star at the leftmost Fastitocalon-F. To no-one's surprise—except perhaps Xu's, it cut cleanly through the exposed fin.
Enraged, the Fastitocalon-F sprang from the soil and streaked straight toward Rinoa. Calmly, she raised her left hand and pointed at the Fastitocalon-F. The training center's air darkened as a brilliant beam of frozen light spring from Rinoa's palm, transfixing the fishlike monster. To everyone amazement, the Fastitocalon-F simply evaporated in the brilliant beam. One second it was there, then in the next, nothing. The beam faded, leaving ghostly impressions on everyone's retinas. However, Rinoa was not finished. She raised her right hand as Squall had seen Edea do when she still possessed the powers of a sorceress. Rinoa pointed at the remaining fin. A cloud of dust flew into the air as a crater appeared where the Fastitocalon-F had been a moment ago. At the same instant, everyone in the party but Rinoa stumbled as the shockwave from the massive astral punch rolled under their feet.
Rinoa slowly lowered her right arm, looking at it as if it belonged to another, as if she had never seen it before. She was turned so that none present could see the look on her face, but as she lowered her arms to her side, they saw her shoulders pull back as she drew in a long breath, tilting her head upward. Then she turned back to the group, a look of contrition on her face.
Everyone—except Xu—simply stood and stared. When had Rinoa's magic become so powerful? Squall reflected that they hadn't really had time to gauge the effectiveness of their attacks the last time they had been together in combat, as they had been fighting for their lives against the sorceress Ultimecia. Had he seen Rinoa fight between then and the defeat of Adel? He shook his head. Yes, they had fought together in Ultimecia's castle, but their magic had been sealed until they defeated an evil pseudo-GF, deep within that cursed place. He shrugged.
"I-I'm sorry." Rinoa said, twisting one foot back and forth. "I guess I got a little carried away…"
"No, you did well." Xu said, finishing up her notes. "Ok, I've seen enough. I'll submit my report, though obviously, for all of you, fighting these monsters is just a waste of time. You all should hear about any rank reassignments within the week."
The group shuffled out through the massive steel doors that separated the training center from the rest of the garden. "Zell, Selphie, Irvine, we'll be arriving at Balamb soon, so I want you to change and assist with the anchoring of the garden. Meet at the main gate in…" She paused and looked down at her wrist chronometer. "…ten minutes."
"Right." Said Zell, and headed off down the hallway.
"Sure thing, Xu." Selphie nodded. "C'mon Irvine."
Squall noted the flicker of concern that flitted across Rinoa's features. They all don't know what to say. Maybe I should have held back a little… Rinoa sighed at the thought.
Xu turned to the remaining three. "Squall, Headmaster Cid is planning to go ashore immediately upon landing, he has requested that you join him."
Couldn't he just order it? I am still a SeeD, after all. Squall nodded.
"Quistis, I believe the educational reviews committee is meeting in a few minutes in room 212. They've asked you to attend." Xu smiled. "Something about your instructor's license, I believe."
Quistis put a hand to her mouth. "Really!"
"Yes, sorry to tell you on such short notice, but I didn't want to break your concentration." Xu said. "Dismissed."
Quistis saluted, and then did her best not to race down the hall, toward the elevator.
Turning to Rinoa, Xu said, "Rinoa, if you don't have any objections, there are a few simple tests on file that might help you understand some of your new abilities better…" She smiled as Rinoa nodded. "Ok, if you're willing… Oh yes, Edea also requested to be present if you wanted to run through them."
Rinoa nodded again, "I'd like that."
"Ok, excellent." Turning, she paused. "Oh, sorry, Squall. Dismissed."
Squall was about to nod and depart, but something in Rinoa's expression stopped him. Not for the first time, he felt torn between his duties as a SeeD, and his commitment to Rinoa. He did not move.
Xu's eyebrows lowered. She opened her mouth to say something.
Before she could, Rinoa spoke up. "Xu, if it's ok with you, I would like Squall to come with us…" Xu's expression darkened just a hair at this breach of protocol. "…at least until he has to go escort Cid." Rinoa added.
Xu thought for a moment. "Ok, I don't see why not." She shrugged.
Rinoa shot Squall a relieved little smile—which pretty much embodied how Squall felt as well.
As they trailed Xu, Rinoa's hand slipped into Squall's again. His brow furrowed, this was a pretty blunt breach of some student/SeeD behavioral code, but… Her hand is so cold… these things must really frightening for her. He held on.
After they met up with Edea, Rinoa proceeded to run through a series of tests that meant nothing to Squall. He couldn't make the connection between sorcery and some of the things Xu and Edea asked Rinoa to do, but then again, he shrugged, he wasn't a sorceress.
The PA system chimed and the headmaster's voice filled the rooms of the garden. "We're moving into position to anchor the garden off of Balamb's coast. The engines will be powered down shortly. We shouldn't feel any real disturbance, but I would like all construction teams to stop activity until we've secured the garden."
Squall looked over at Rinoa.
She smiled and nodded, seeming a bit more relaxed. "It's ok, Squall. I'll be fine here with Edea and Xu. You can go."
Squall smiled back at her, but inwardly he cringed at the expression he knew would be on Xu's face—currently out not visible to Squall. He turned to face the three women, saluted, and made his way to the bridge.
He met the headmaster as Cid was stepping off the elevator. "Ah, Squall, excellent. Glad you could make it." Cid clapped his hands. "Well, shall we go ashore?"
"Yes, Sir."
A few minutes later they were aboard one of the medium-sized marine assault craft that the garden used to deploy forces around the world. Squall stood behind the heavy-caliber machine gun mounted in the bow of the watercraft, a bit nervous over the Headmaster's apparent disregard for his own safety as he leaned over the side, peering ahead toward the City's small harbor. Squall scanned the approaching rooflines and the shore for any suspicious activity, but knew that he would likely not be able to spot a rooftop sniper, or someone skulking among the docks with a shoulder-mounted missile.
Balamb was supposed to be a friendly port, but the garden had received no word from the advance guard that was supposed to have prepared the city for the garden's return. Neither the minisub team, nor the landing craft team had made contact with the initial security squad. They were not under orders to do so, and so had not pursued the matter but rather focused on the completion of their own missions. Squall shrugged. Just like I would've done.
As the landing craft slowed, drifting between the breakwaters at the harbor entrance, Squall again shouted to the headmaster over the idling engines. "Maybe you should go below for landing, Sir."
Enjoying the salty breeze and pleasant sun as he was, Cid apparently didn't give much regard to Squall's advice. "Nonsense." He waved a hand dismissively.
Squall didn't like it. The last time he had seen Balamb City, it had been under Galbadian occupation. The Galbadians would be fools to pull out of town lock, stock, and barrel, without leaving a few agents—or sappers—around. Squall grimaced, if there was anything that Galbadian military operations weren't, it was stupid.
As the troop transport nosed up to an unoccupied pier, a small crowd was gathering to gawk at the new arrivals. Squall scanned them nervously, just because he didn't see any signs of weapons, didn't mean they weren't there. Turning to address the Headmaster again, something in the corner of his eye caught his attention, a tall figure, clad in a dingy cream trench coat was shoving his way through the crowd, trailed by a heavily-muscled, bare-chested man and a blue-coated woman with a black patch over one eye.
Seifer! For the briefest instant, Squall was frozen by the sight of the former commander of the Galbadian military and knight of the sorceress Ultimecia. The instant snapped and Squall shouted. "Headmaster! Get DOWN!" He threw himself behind the blast shielding of the deck cannon and yanked down the master arming-lever. With a whir of servomotors, the gun turret powered up on its hydraulics. Squall was already aligning the weapon's sights on the tall figure of his archenemy. Archenemy? Seifer? What Seifer had done… yes, he is my enemy. Squall flipped the safety cover off the cannon's trigger and paused. "Damn!" The crowd milling around the docks blocked his line of fire. No matter how much he might want to, he couldn't just open fire into a group of unarmed civilians.
Meanwhile, Cid, seemingly unaware of the danger, was making his way down a landing ramp extended by some willing hands on the dock. What is wrong with the headmaster!? Am I the only one who hasn't gone insane here? With a quiet curse, Squall snapped off the power to the gun turret, and dashed to the railing of the upper deck. He saw that—unless he acted immediately—Seifer and his group would reach the headmaster before he could. Squall gathered himself, and sprang from the deck of the assault craft. Below him, a few unlucky souls dove out of the way as he landed heavily on the dock, falling to one knee. The crowd backed away a bit as Seifer, Raijin, and Fujin appeared in front of Squall.
Squall straightened, drawing his gunblade as he did so. Seifer stopped a few feet in front of him and regarded Squall. Suddenly four hooded figures in the frontline of the crowd threw off the cheap robes they had been wearing as disguises. The four SeeDs jumped Seifer's group from behind, one pinning Seifer's arms behind his back, another doing the same to Fujin, two more each grabbed one of Raijin's arms apiece. The advance guard!
Raijin bellowed and tried to break free of the two SeeDs holding him.
"Raijin, no." Seifer shook his head once.
"Protect the headmaster!" The SeeD holding Fujin shouted to Squall. Squall turned, realizing that Cid had come up behind him by this time. "Come on, Sir! We've got to get you out of here!" Squall said urgently, grabbing the headmaster's arm.
Cid shook him off. "Nonsense." Turning to the SeeDs holding Seifer's group he said. "Release them."
Squall stared at the headmaster with undisguised incredulity. What?!
"What?!" Shouted the SeeD holding Seifer. "Sir, you can't—"
"SeeD 1159, release that man at once, and withdraw!" Cid glowered at him.
Sharing worried glances, the four SeeDs let go their captives and slowly backed away.
Seifer made motions of dusting himself off. "Well, headmaster, not quite the reception I was hoping for…"
Now it was Seifer Squall stared at incredulously. I know he's conceited, but who the hell does he think he is—after all that…to…
Further increasing Squall's consternation, Cid spread his hands in a gesture of apology. "You'll have to excuse them, we didn't expect to find you here."
"Still, not the behavior I'd expect from a group of SeeDs—but then again I guess they are only SeeDs." Seifer said haughtily.
Had he not been so confused, Squall would have bristled at that remark.
Seifer turned to address Squall. "Oh, don't look so pathetic, Squall. And put away that silly toy." He indicated Squall's gunblade with a dismissive wave.
I'll be damned if I'll ever take orders from you again. Squall didn't move.
He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Do it, Squall." It was the headmaster.
Glaring poison daggers at Seifer, Squall—with extreme reluctance—sheathed his weapon.
Cid said. "So, I assume you've taken up residence in Balamb?"
"For the time being." Seifer indicated the crowd—which had grown substantially since their arrival. "You'd be surprised at how grateful people are to the philanthropist who kept those bloodthirsty Galbadians leashed from burning their town."
Squall's teeth ground together.
"So, Cid, want to discuss these things in a more—" Seifer again looked over the crowd. "—private setting?"
No. No way Seifer, we're not buying it. I don't know what the headmaster has planned, but…
"Certainly, just give me a moment to square away my escort…" Cid turned to Squall.
Oh, no WAY!! You can't be serious, headmaster.
"Squall, I want you to return to the garden. Inform Xu of the situation here, and tell her that I've given the ok to begin our rotating provisions schedule and ferry transfer."
And leave you in Seifer's clutches? Oh yeah, that's gonna happen. Squall didn't move, he was staring at Seifer who was conferring with his comrades. God, I never realized how much I hate that bastard! Squall had put him out of his mind ever since their last battle aboard the Lunatic Pandora—so much had happened after that, it had been easy.
"Squall! Did you hear me?" Cid demanded.
"Yes, Sir."
"And…?"
"Sir, I must insist—I cannot consider my escort duty complete…" …as long as HE's around.
The headmaster's eyes narrowed—Squall believed it was nearly the angriest he had ever seen Cid. "Listen up, SeeD. That wasn't a request, it was a direct order from your commanding officer." Cid said angrily and quietly. "Now get back aboard that transport, and carry out your orders, dammit."
Squall felt his emotions roiling. "Sir, I—" He finally clamped down his standard lid over them. Squall saluted. "Yes, Sir!"
"Good." Cid's tone softened a bit as he whispered. "Don't worry, I'll be fine, I know how to deal with Seifer." He said loudly. "Dismissed."
Back aboard the transport, the SeeDs of the expeditionary force below, Squall watched Seifer, Raijin, Fujin, and headmaster Cid make their way up the road into the city center until they disappeared around a corner as the watercraft passed through the entrance to the harbor. 'I know how to deal with Seifer' ? Squall sighed. I hope to God you're right about that, headmaster, because I sure as hell don't.