CHAPTER XVII (A): WORLD COMPRESSION
Zack and the rest are now inside the Esthar Presidential Palace, waiting outside the room where Dr Odine had been brought. A doctor has been sent to check on Dr Odine's condition and it has been a while since then. Outside Dr Odine's room, Selphie was looking out a window, bored. Squall stood quietly, leaning on the wall near the door to Dr Odine's room while Rinoa sat quietly on the couch that was also near the door. Sitting with her were Zack and Amber. Jacky was with his family again in another room. The man in the red robe was also there, nervously pacing back and forth. Just then, the door opened as the doctor walked through it. The man immediately rushed to him.
"How is Dr Odine?" the man asked, terribly concerned of Dr Odine.
"Don't worry, Dr Odine only suffered a minor trauma from his experience with Sorceress Ultimecia. He'll be fine after a while's rest. If you wish, you may talk to him. He has returned to consciousness a while ago," the doctor explained.
"Oh, thank you, doctor," the man exclaimed.
"You are most welcome."
As the doctor walked off, the young group, together with the man in the red robe, entered the room where Dr Odine was, seated up on his comfortable bed. Seeing him, Zack could easily tell that he was still shaken by his encounter with Sorceress Ultimecia. Besides that, the only thing different about the professor was his clothes. He was wearing a white gown. Looking around the room, Zack found Dr Odine's purple clothes hanging on the wall at the other side of the room. At that point, Zack realized that the red and white 'disk', which would always be around the short professor's neck, was part of his attire. The 'disk' was like the collar of his strange shirt.
"Are you alright, Dr Odine?" the man in the red robe asked the still-shaken professor.
"Yez, I am fine," Dr Odine answered, "I am only tired."
"Then, rest, Dr Odine. The doctor said that you will recover after some time of rest," the man explained.
"And I shall!" Dr Odine said, pausing in a moment of tiredness.
"Dr Odine," Squall, breaking the short silence, "Tell us, what did Sorceress Ultimecia want from you? What happened?"
"It waz a strange one," Dr Odine said, "She wanted to know. about world compression."
"World compression?" Selphie, surprised by that.
"Zat is correct," the professor said as he began.
~~~~~~~~~
FLASHBACK: THE LABORATORY EVENT
In the large laboratory, everything was going as usual. Dr Odine was busy with his work, thinking through difficult calculations, planning the next thing to do, etc. Together with him was his assistant, the man in the red robe, who was also busy, helping the lively professor. This busy atmosphere went on for hours since morning, when the two came to the lab, but then, suddenly, a blinding light flashed, disrupting Dr Odine and his assistant from their work. Within the light, Dr Odine could see a human figure and as the light faded, the figure became clearer and soon, the figure turned out to be a woman in a bizarre robe and with black wings on her back.
"Who are you?" the surprised professor asked in anger, "Why have you disrupt my work?"
However, looking into the woman's piercing eyes, Dr Odine slowly felt fear going through his body, "A sorceress!"
"Greetings, Dr Odine," the sorceress said calmly.
"What do you want?" the man in the red robe asked, trying to be brave.
"There is something that you might have a slight knowledge of, Dr Odine," the sorceress continued, "And that something is what I want."
"And what would zat be?" the professor muttered.
Staring sharply into Dr Odine's eyes, the sorceress answered, "World kompression."
"World compression?" Dr Odine gasped.
"Wait a minute!" the man in the red robe shouted, "First of all, who are you? And what is it that you are talking about?"
Turning to glare at the man, the sorceress calmly muttered, "You are annoying me."
With that, she sent some kind of an invisible force, which blew the man off his feet and crashing to the wall. A loud thud could be heard as the man landed onto the floor and lost consciousness.
"Now then." the sorceress continued, looking back at Dr Odine, ". tell me what you know about world kompression."
"First, tell me, who you are?" the professor demanded.
"What is going on?" a soldier suddenly asked after rushing into the room, armed with his weapon.
The soldier was shocked when he saw the unconscious man on the floor.
"My name is Sorceress Ultimecia," the sorceress finally revealed, "And you have just interrupted me!"
As before, she sent an invisible force towards the soldier, but luckily, he was quick enough to roll away before being hit.
"Get my assistant out!" Dr Odine ordered.
"Yes, sir!" the soldier answered, still shaken from the attack.
Quickly, the soldier carried the unconscious man off the floor and rushed to the door. However, the sorceress would not let him leave unharmed. Just as the soldier was about to exit the lab with the unconscious man, Sorceress Ultimecia sent another wave of force towards them and the wave hit the soldier's back, sending him flying out the door and onto the floor outside the laboratory, together with the unconscious man he was carrying. Even so, the soldier did not suffer any serious injury, although the wave had brought agonizing pain throughout his body.
"I have to get help." he thought as he got off the floor as quickly as his aching body could and headed for the palace.
Back inside, Dr Odine was now alone with the evil sorceress.
"Sorceress Ultimecia!?" the shocked professor gasped, "I zought Squall and his party haz defeated you in ze future!"
"They did," the sorceress said in disgust, "But now I have been revived and I have kome for your knowledge on world kompression!"
"But I do not know anything about world compression," Dr Odine explained.
"How kan you not know about world kompression!?"
"What do you mean zen with world compression?" the professor asked.
"World kompression as in kompressing several worlds into one!" the sorceress explained impatiently.
"Compressing several worlds into one!?"
"Yes! Now tell me what you know of it!" the sorceress demanded.
"How could I ever have such knowledge if I have never zought about ze existence of other worlds?"
Angered by the professor's answer, the sorceress suddenly grabbed Dr Odine by the front of his shirt with one hand.
"You don't know!" the sorceress screamed.
"How could I?" Dr Odine, who was now terrified, "I never knew zat other worlds exist!"
Furious this time, she hovered off the floor, together with Dr Odine in her hand, scaring him even more as well.
"You worthless fool! You were just a waste of my time!" the sorceress screamed as she slowly gathered some kind of magic power with her free hand, "Die!"
Just before she threw the power directly at the helpless professor, she suddenly froze, as if something had just popped in her mind.
"What?" the sorceress muttered, looking blankly over Dr Odine, as if talking to someone invisible, "Using beings from the different worlds."
There was a short pause of silence. Looking at her face, Dr Odine could tell that she was thinking quite hard.
"I kan do that," the sorceress suddenly said.
~~~~~~~~~
. and zat was when you appeared to rescue me," Dr Odine, ending his story.
"World compression? Is that possible?" Jacky asked.
Everyone else was as baffled as him.
"As long as there are other worlds. It might be possible," Rinoa said, although uncertain about it.
"Sorceress Ultimecia did compress time before," Selphie added, "She might be able to compress the other worlds as well."
Looking at Squall, Zack could see that he was concentrating quite hard about the matter.
"Dr Odine, what do you think she mean by 'Using beings of the different worlds'?" Squall asked.
"Does everyone expect me to be a genius!?" Dr Odine suddenly snapped.
"Aren't you?" Selphie asked, quite stupidly.
"I do not understand what she meant, but she might mean using beings from different worlds for ze world compression process," Dr Odine guessed.
Hearing that, Squall thought about it some more, walking to the other side of the room to be alone. Rinoa watched him as he did, while Selphie thought about the matter as well. Jacky and Amber were not so sure what to think about. They did not know much of such matters. Zack, on the other hand, has seen this sort of matter through the game of Final Fantasy VIII, where Sorceress Ultimecia had compressed time by going further to the past from her original time. However, this time, it seemed that the matter would be quite different from that. This time, Sorceress Ultimecia was planning to compress several worlds.
"How is she going to do so?" Zack thought, "By what Dr Odine just said? Using beings of the different worlds?"
Zack then looked towards Squall. He was still concentrating quite hard about the matter. Besides that, Zack could also hear a soft whispering, as if Squall was talking to himself.
"Squall." Rinoa, breaking Squall's concentration as he turned to look at her.
"If there's anything on your mind, just tell us about it," Rinoa continued as she slowly walked towards him.
Hearing that, Squall let out a sigh. It was as if Rinoa read Squall's mind again.
Looking at Rinoa, Squall sighed, "What could Sorceress Ultimecia be planning?"
Hearing that, Zack thought solemnly, "More importantly, what is Thora planning?"
==========
CHAPTER XVII (B): THE PAST CONTINUES
It is now nighttime. Sophia had invited Zack, Amber, Squall and the rest to stay overnight in the palace. Rinoa politely accepted her invitation, despite Squall's haste to return to Garden. The reason she accepted the invitation was so that Jacky would be able to spend more time with his family and friends. After all, it had been around ten years since Jacky left for Balamb Garden.
Now, Zack, Amber, Squall, Rinoa and Selphie are in a large bedroom. In the bedroom, there were six beds, three on each side of the room. Selphie was taking a nap on her bed. Rinoa was laying on her bed on her side, watching at Squall, who was laying quietly on the bed closest to the door of the room. Although he was, Zack knew that he wasn't taking a nap and that Rinoa knew about it, too. Squall was tossing around on the bed. Zack knew it was like a habit of Squall to lie down and just think about the things that has happened. That was how it was with him anyway in the game.
"However, it is kind of. normal to do so," Zack thought to himself.
He was also laying down on one of the beds, but he was only resting, not napping.
"When you're relaxing and not doing anything else, you tend to think about certain things," Zack continued, "I'm sure everyone does so, unless they have nothing to think about."
Turning onto his side, he sees Amber, who was laying on the bed next to his.
"Amber," Zack, a little surprise when he realized that Amber has been watching him, "Is something the matter?"
"No, nothing," Amber answered softly.
There was a long pause of silence.
"I've been wondering." Amber suddenly said, ". how it was when Jacky first came to Balamb Garden."
Zack didn't need to say anything. He, too, did not know how Jacky's past was when he first came to Garden. Just then, the door in the room opened. Zack sat up to see who was it. It was Jacky.
"You guys are already getting ready to sleep?" he said in surprise.
"No, we weren't. Barely a wink!" Selphie suddenly exclaimed, sitting up on her bed.
"I knew you weren't sleeping," Rinoa said, looking towards her.
Selphie just winked, grinning childishly. Laughing happily, Jacky walked towards the empty bed in the corner to the right of the door, which was next to Zack's bed, and collapsed onto it.
Letting out a loud sigh, Jacky explained, "So tired. Feels good to be laying down again."
"Jacky?"
"Yes, Amber?"
"I want to know." Amber said, ". how was it when you first came to Balamb Garden?"
Jacky was confused, "Huh?"
"Vies told us about your time in Esthar when you were still a child," Zack explained, "But he didn't know what happened after you had left for Balamb Garden."
Hearing that, Jacky let out a calming sigh as he recalled his childhood, his torturous spy-training, the suffering of his family and friends and of course, his time with Sorceress Adel.
"It had been tough," Jacky said finally after a short while of silence, "Because of what I did, Father was forced to be exiled and I never even got the chance to say goodbye to him that day. Then, some time after the exile of my father, Uncle Calv and the other ministers came across a few gardens that were training mercenaries to fight against sorceresses. After informing Sorceress Adel about them, she called for a few other spies and me to investigate those gardens.
~~~~~~~~~
FLASHBACK: MISSION TO THE GARDEN
In Sorceress Adel's throne room, Sorceress Adel was sitting comfortably on her throne. Some of her ministers, including Calv, were also there, standing at each side of the room and in the middle of the room, kneeling in respect to the sorceress, were Jacky and two other spies, a boy and a girl, who were both only a few years older than him.
"Jacky Cage," said Sorceress Adel, "You have been called to me again on a special mission. Minister Calv, brief him on his mission."
"Yes, Sorceress Adel," said Calv before stepping forward and turning to the three young spies, "From the information that was acquired from Galbadia by Jacky some time ago, we have discovered that there are three facilities around the world that are training special mercenaries called SeeD's to fight against sorceresses. Jacky, Rick, Claire, you three have been chosen by Sorceress Adel to investigate each of these facilities that are known as gardens."
Calv paused for a moment as a virtual world map suddenly appeared in front of the three spies and he walked over to it.
"Claire, you will be investigating Trabia Garden, which is located somewhere northwest of Esthar," Calv announced, pointing his finger at an estimated location on the map.
"Rick, you will be investigating Galbadia Garden, which is located in this area," Calv announced again, pointing at a small area northwest of a small town called Timber on a large continent that was east of Esthar.
"Jacky, you will be investigating Balamb Garden, which is located on this island," Calv continued, pointing at a small island that was located almost at the center of the map.
This was the first time the three spies ever heard of these places. They were still strangers to the world outside of Esthar, although they have been sent to several places outside of Esthar on a few of their past missions.
"You will all take cover as new students in each of these gardens. You shall learn more of your cover identities within these files," Calv explained, holding out three files.
Slowly, Calv walked over to the kneeling three and handed them each a file. Each of the spies accepted the files without any hesitations.
"Study your new identities, play them as your actual life. By dawn, tomorrow, you will all begin your mission," Calv explained, "Understand?"
"Yes!" the three spies obediently answered.
"That will be all," said Calv before standing together with the other ministers.
"Now," Sorceress Adel said calmly, "I know I don't have to say it. but then, you are all still young children."
Hearing that, Jacky thought grudgingly, "If you know we're children, why do you force us to become spies?"
"Be careful on your mission. You must not reveal your true identity no matter when is it, no matter where you are and no matter WHO you're with," Sorceress Adel continued, glaring seriously at the three, "Dismiss!"
With that, the three young spies left the room.
*********
Jacky is now in his room, packing his necessary stuffs into a luggage, mostly his clothes only. Since he was forced to be a spy, he did not have any time for leisure activities, not even reading books, but he doesn't really care. His different life as a spy has changed him to what he was and because of that, he has forgotten how his life was like, without any worries. Just then, his mother entered the room. She stood still for a moment at the door, watching as Jacky packed his clothes.
"Jacky."
Surprised, Jacky turned around to face his mother.
"Mother, what is it?"
"Nothing."
"Oh." Jacky, before he returned his attention to packing his clothes.
Seeing this, Jacky's mother walked slowly into the room.
"Dear," she muttered as Jacky turned again towards her, "I know you feel responsible for your father's exile, but don't think that your father is disappointed in you. He was only disappointed that he didn't get to say so to you."
Jacky was surprised when she said that, "He was?"
She nodded slowly, "He was proud that you went to rescue your friend. It was only because of Sorceress Adel that he couldn't tell you this himself. Before he left on his exile spaceship, he told me to tell you this."
Hearing this, Jacky felt like crying. He never knew that his father still cared about him.
"And there's one more thing," his mother continued, "Your father actually wanted to give you this when you've become 13, but then, now that you're about to leave Esthar for a long mission. I guess it doesn't matter anymore."
With that, Sophia entered into the room, carrying a large dark case in her small arms. Jacky was confused, not knowing what was in the case. He has seen the case a few. He knew it belonged to his father but he never got to see what was inside the case.
"Jacky, this belonged to your father. He has kept this case closed since he last used it," Jacky's mother explained, "When your father was younger, he was a great soldier in the Esthar Army, who specialized in Blade Weaponry. This case had been kept closed for a few years now."
She then put her hand on the heavy case.
"Jacky, this now belongs to you," Jacky's mother said as she lifted the cover of the case.
Zack and the rest are now inside the Esthar Presidential Palace, waiting outside the room where Dr Odine had been brought. A doctor has been sent to check on Dr Odine's condition and it has been a while since then. Outside Dr Odine's room, Selphie was looking out a window, bored. Squall stood quietly, leaning on the wall near the door to Dr Odine's room while Rinoa sat quietly on the couch that was also near the door. Sitting with her were Zack and Amber. Jacky was with his family again in another room. The man in the red robe was also there, nervously pacing back and forth. Just then, the door opened as the doctor walked through it. The man immediately rushed to him.
"How is Dr Odine?" the man asked, terribly concerned of Dr Odine.
"Don't worry, Dr Odine only suffered a minor trauma from his experience with Sorceress Ultimecia. He'll be fine after a while's rest. If you wish, you may talk to him. He has returned to consciousness a while ago," the doctor explained.
"Oh, thank you, doctor," the man exclaimed.
"You are most welcome."
As the doctor walked off, the young group, together with the man in the red robe, entered the room where Dr Odine was, seated up on his comfortable bed. Seeing him, Zack could easily tell that he was still shaken by his encounter with Sorceress Ultimecia. Besides that, the only thing different about the professor was his clothes. He was wearing a white gown. Looking around the room, Zack found Dr Odine's purple clothes hanging on the wall at the other side of the room. At that point, Zack realized that the red and white 'disk', which would always be around the short professor's neck, was part of his attire. The 'disk' was like the collar of his strange shirt.
"Are you alright, Dr Odine?" the man in the red robe asked the still-shaken professor.
"Yez, I am fine," Dr Odine answered, "I am only tired."
"Then, rest, Dr Odine. The doctor said that you will recover after some time of rest," the man explained.
"And I shall!" Dr Odine said, pausing in a moment of tiredness.
"Dr Odine," Squall, breaking the short silence, "Tell us, what did Sorceress Ultimecia want from you? What happened?"
"It waz a strange one," Dr Odine said, "She wanted to know. about world compression."
"World compression?" Selphie, surprised by that.
"Zat is correct," the professor said as he began.
~~~~~~~~~
FLASHBACK: THE LABORATORY EVENT
In the large laboratory, everything was going as usual. Dr Odine was busy with his work, thinking through difficult calculations, planning the next thing to do, etc. Together with him was his assistant, the man in the red robe, who was also busy, helping the lively professor. This busy atmosphere went on for hours since morning, when the two came to the lab, but then, suddenly, a blinding light flashed, disrupting Dr Odine and his assistant from their work. Within the light, Dr Odine could see a human figure and as the light faded, the figure became clearer and soon, the figure turned out to be a woman in a bizarre robe and with black wings on her back.
"Who are you?" the surprised professor asked in anger, "Why have you disrupt my work?"
However, looking into the woman's piercing eyes, Dr Odine slowly felt fear going through his body, "A sorceress!"
"Greetings, Dr Odine," the sorceress said calmly.
"What do you want?" the man in the red robe asked, trying to be brave.
"There is something that you might have a slight knowledge of, Dr Odine," the sorceress continued, "And that something is what I want."
"And what would zat be?" the professor muttered.
Staring sharply into Dr Odine's eyes, the sorceress answered, "World kompression."
"World compression?" Dr Odine gasped.
"Wait a minute!" the man in the red robe shouted, "First of all, who are you? And what is it that you are talking about?"
Turning to glare at the man, the sorceress calmly muttered, "You are annoying me."
With that, she sent some kind of an invisible force, which blew the man off his feet and crashing to the wall. A loud thud could be heard as the man landed onto the floor and lost consciousness.
"Now then." the sorceress continued, looking back at Dr Odine, ". tell me what you know about world kompression."
"First, tell me, who you are?" the professor demanded.
"What is going on?" a soldier suddenly asked after rushing into the room, armed with his weapon.
The soldier was shocked when he saw the unconscious man on the floor.
"My name is Sorceress Ultimecia," the sorceress finally revealed, "And you have just interrupted me!"
As before, she sent an invisible force towards the soldier, but luckily, he was quick enough to roll away before being hit.
"Get my assistant out!" Dr Odine ordered.
"Yes, sir!" the soldier answered, still shaken from the attack.
Quickly, the soldier carried the unconscious man off the floor and rushed to the door. However, the sorceress would not let him leave unharmed. Just as the soldier was about to exit the lab with the unconscious man, Sorceress Ultimecia sent another wave of force towards them and the wave hit the soldier's back, sending him flying out the door and onto the floor outside the laboratory, together with the unconscious man he was carrying. Even so, the soldier did not suffer any serious injury, although the wave had brought agonizing pain throughout his body.
"I have to get help." he thought as he got off the floor as quickly as his aching body could and headed for the palace.
Back inside, Dr Odine was now alone with the evil sorceress.
"Sorceress Ultimecia!?" the shocked professor gasped, "I zought Squall and his party haz defeated you in ze future!"
"They did," the sorceress said in disgust, "But now I have been revived and I have kome for your knowledge on world kompression!"
"But I do not know anything about world compression," Dr Odine explained.
"How kan you not know about world kompression!?"
"What do you mean zen with world compression?" the professor asked.
"World kompression as in kompressing several worlds into one!" the sorceress explained impatiently.
"Compressing several worlds into one!?"
"Yes! Now tell me what you know of it!" the sorceress demanded.
"How could I ever have such knowledge if I have never zought about ze existence of other worlds?"
Angered by the professor's answer, the sorceress suddenly grabbed Dr Odine by the front of his shirt with one hand.
"You don't know!" the sorceress screamed.
"How could I?" Dr Odine, who was now terrified, "I never knew zat other worlds exist!"
Furious this time, she hovered off the floor, together with Dr Odine in her hand, scaring him even more as well.
"You worthless fool! You were just a waste of my time!" the sorceress screamed as she slowly gathered some kind of magic power with her free hand, "Die!"
Just before she threw the power directly at the helpless professor, she suddenly froze, as if something had just popped in her mind.
"What?" the sorceress muttered, looking blankly over Dr Odine, as if talking to someone invisible, "Using beings from the different worlds."
There was a short pause of silence. Looking at her face, Dr Odine could tell that she was thinking quite hard.
"I kan do that," the sorceress suddenly said.
~~~~~~~~~
. and zat was when you appeared to rescue me," Dr Odine, ending his story.
"World compression? Is that possible?" Jacky asked.
Everyone else was as baffled as him.
"As long as there are other worlds. It might be possible," Rinoa said, although uncertain about it.
"Sorceress Ultimecia did compress time before," Selphie added, "She might be able to compress the other worlds as well."
Looking at Squall, Zack could see that he was concentrating quite hard about the matter.
"Dr Odine, what do you think she mean by 'Using beings of the different worlds'?" Squall asked.
"Does everyone expect me to be a genius!?" Dr Odine suddenly snapped.
"Aren't you?" Selphie asked, quite stupidly.
"I do not understand what she meant, but she might mean using beings from different worlds for ze world compression process," Dr Odine guessed.
Hearing that, Squall thought about it some more, walking to the other side of the room to be alone. Rinoa watched him as he did, while Selphie thought about the matter as well. Jacky and Amber were not so sure what to think about. They did not know much of such matters. Zack, on the other hand, has seen this sort of matter through the game of Final Fantasy VIII, where Sorceress Ultimecia had compressed time by going further to the past from her original time. However, this time, it seemed that the matter would be quite different from that. This time, Sorceress Ultimecia was planning to compress several worlds.
"How is she going to do so?" Zack thought, "By what Dr Odine just said? Using beings of the different worlds?"
Zack then looked towards Squall. He was still concentrating quite hard about the matter. Besides that, Zack could also hear a soft whispering, as if Squall was talking to himself.
"Squall." Rinoa, breaking Squall's concentration as he turned to look at her.
"If there's anything on your mind, just tell us about it," Rinoa continued as she slowly walked towards him.
Hearing that, Squall let out a sigh. It was as if Rinoa read Squall's mind again.
Looking at Rinoa, Squall sighed, "What could Sorceress Ultimecia be planning?"
Hearing that, Zack thought solemnly, "More importantly, what is Thora planning?"
==========
CHAPTER XVII (B): THE PAST CONTINUES
It is now nighttime. Sophia had invited Zack, Amber, Squall and the rest to stay overnight in the palace. Rinoa politely accepted her invitation, despite Squall's haste to return to Garden. The reason she accepted the invitation was so that Jacky would be able to spend more time with his family and friends. After all, it had been around ten years since Jacky left for Balamb Garden.
Now, Zack, Amber, Squall, Rinoa and Selphie are in a large bedroom. In the bedroom, there were six beds, three on each side of the room. Selphie was taking a nap on her bed. Rinoa was laying on her bed on her side, watching at Squall, who was laying quietly on the bed closest to the door of the room. Although he was, Zack knew that he wasn't taking a nap and that Rinoa knew about it, too. Squall was tossing around on the bed. Zack knew it was like a habit of Squall to lie down and just think about the things that has happened. That was how it was with him anyway in the game.
"However, it is kind of. normal to do so," Zack thought to himself.
He was also laying down on one of the beds, but he was only resting, not napping.
"When you're relaxing and not doing anything else, you tend to think about certain things," Zack continued, "I'm sure everyone does so, unless they have nothing to think about."
Turning onto his side, he sees Amber, who was laying on the bed next to his.
"Amber," Zack, a little surprise when he realized that Amber has been watching him, "Is something the matter?"
"No, nothing," Amber answered softly.
There was a long pause of silence.
"I've been wondering." Amber suddenly said, ". how it was when Jacky first came to Balamb Garden."
Zack didn't need to say anything. He, too, did not know how Jacky's past was when he first came to Garden. Just then, the door in the room opened. Zack sat up to see who was it. It was Jacky.
"You guys are already getting ready to sleep?" he said in surprise.
"No, we weren't. Barely a wink!" Selphie suddenly exclaimed, sitting up on her bed.
"I knew you weren't sleeping," Rinoa said, looking towards her.
Selphie just winked, grinning childishly. Laughing happily, Jacky walked towards the empty bed in the corner to the right of the door, which was next to Zack's bed, and collapsed onto it.
Letting out a loud sigh, Jacky explained, "So tired. Feels good to be laying down again."
"Jacky?"
"Yes, Amber?"
"I want to know." Amber said, ". how was it when you first came to Balamb Garden?"
Jacky was confused, "Huh?"
"Vies told us about your time in Esthar when you were still a child," Zack explained, "But he didn't know what happened after you had left for Balamb Garden."
Hearing that, Jacky let out a calming sigh as he recalled his childhood, his torturous spy-training, the suffering of his family and friends and of course, his time with Sorceress Adel.
"It had been tough," Jacky said finally after a short while of silence, "Because of what I did, Father was forced to be exiled and I never even got the chance to say goodbye to him that day. Then, some time after the exile of my father, Uncle Calv and the other ministers came across a few gardens that were training mercenaries to fight against sorceresses. After informing Sorceress Adel about them, she called for a few other spies and me to investigate those gardens.
~~~~~~~~~
FLASHBACK: MISSION TO THE GARDEN
In Sorceress Adel's throne room, Sorceress Adel was sitting comfortably on her throne. Some of her ministers, including Calv, were also there, standing at each side of the room and in the middle of the room, kneeling in respect to the sorceress, were Jacky and two other spies, a boy and a girl, who were both only a few years older than him.
"Jacky Cage," said Sorceress Adel, "You have been called to me again on a special mission. Minister Calv, brief him on his mission."
"Yes, Sorceress Adel," said Calv before stepping forward and turning to the three young spies, "From the information that was acquired from Galbadia by Jacky some time ago, we have discovered that there are three facilities around the world that are training special mercenaries called SeeD's to fight against sorceresses. Jacky, Rick, Claire, you three have been chosen by Sorceress Adel to investigate each of these facilities that are known as gardens."
Calv paused for a moment as a virtual world map suddenly appeared in front of the three spies and he walked over to it.
"Claire, you will be investigating Trabia Garden, which is located somewhere northwest of Esthar," Calv announced, pointing his finger at an estimated location on the map.
"Rick, you will be investigating Galbadia Garden, which is located in this area," Calv announced again, pointing at a small area northwest of a small town called Timber on a large continent that was east of Esthar.
"Jacky, you will be investigating Balamb Garden, which is located on this island," Calv continued, pointing at a small island that was located almost at the center of the map.
This was the first time the three spies ever heard of these places. They were still strangers to the world outside of Esthar, although they have been sent to several places outside of Esthar on a few of their past missions.
"You will all take cover as new students in each of these gardens. You shall learn more of your cover identities within these files," Calv explained, holding out three files.
Slowly, Calv walked over to the kneeling three and handed them each a file. Each of the spies accepted the files without any hesitations.
"Study your new identities, play them as your actual life. By dawn, tomorrow, you will all begin your mission," Calv explained, "Understand?"
"Yes!" the three spies obediently answered.
"That will be all," said Calv before standing together with the other ministers.
"Now," Sorceress Adel said calmly, "I know I don't have to say it. but then, you are all still young children."
Hearing that, Jacky thought grudgingly, "If you know we're children, why do you force us to become spies?"
"Be careful on your mission. You must not reveal your true identity no matter when is it, no matter where you are and no matter WHO you're with," Sorceress Adel continued, glaring seriously at the three, "Dismiss!"
With that, the three young spies left the room.
*********
Jacky is now in his room, packing his necessary stuffs into a luggage, mostly his clothes only. Since he was forced to be a spy, he did not have any time for leisure activities, not even reading books, but he doesn't really care. His different life as a spy has changed him to what he was and because of that, he has forgotten how his life was like, without any worries. Just then, his mother entered the room. She stood still for a moment at the door, watching as Jacky packed his clothes.
"Jacky."
Surprised, Jacky turned around to face his mother.
"Mother, what is it?"
"Nothing."
"Oh." Jacky, before he returned his attention to packing his clothes.
Seeing this, Jacky's mother walked slowly into the room.
"Dear," she muttered as Jacky turned again towards her, "I know you feel responsible for your father's exile, but don't think that your father is disappointed in you. He was only disappointed that he didn't get to say so to you."
Jacky was surprised when she said that, "He was?"
She nodded slowly, "He was proud that you went to rescue your friend. It was only because of Sorceress Adel that he couldn't tell you this himself. Before he left on his exile spaceship, he told me to tell you this."
Hearing this, Jacky felt like crying. He never knew that his father still cared about him.
"And there's one more thing," his mother continued, "Your father actually wanted to give you this when you've become 13, but then, now that you're about to leave Esthar for a long mission. I guess it doesn't matter anymore."
With that, Sophia entered into the room, carrying a large dark case in her small arms. Jacky was confused, not knowing what was in the case. He has seen the case a few. He knew it belonged to his father but he never got to see what was inside the case.
"Jacky, this belonged to your father. He has kept this case closed since he last used it," Jacky's mother explained, "When your father was younger, he was a great soldier in the Esthar Army, who specialized in Blade Weaponry. This case had been kept closed for a few years now."
She then put her hand on the heavy case.
"Jacky, this now belongs to you," Jacky's mother said as she lifted the cover of the case.