Author's note: Well yeah, I just had to make them kiss and make up... I can't keep writing if Seifer's unhappy :)

To those of you who don't know yet, I have my own internet connection now, so I'll be updating regularly from now on.

Good to see Shadow-Seraph's still with us here :)

And PistGurl too, altho she seems to be having some problem... ? :)

And sorry to GreyonHell, I have a bad habit of making the chaps too short. Still, review whenever you got the time, just to tell me if I'm still doing good...

And on with the story now:

-Squall's POV-

"As you can probably guess, this is war is far from over," Cid says, looking at everyone gathered in his room. "The Sorceress will strike again, and we can assume that will happen fast and unexpected."

"So what can we do 'bout it?" Xu asks.

"Well.. First of all, has any of you been to Balamb lately?"

Everyone shakes their heads or shrug.

"Ugh, I think Zell went there this morning," Taos says quietly.

Cid shakes his head.

"Is something wrong in Balamb, sir?" Quistis asks.

"Yes, very wrong. The town of Balamb is currently under Galbadia's control."

Everybody in the room startle and look at each other.

"But... why?" Xu asks.

Cid spreads his arms. "The Sorceress's orders. Leonhart, Almasy."

We stand up.

"I want you to go to Balamb, find whoever's in charge and try and see if you can negotiate about the situation," Cid says. "And Seifer. Try to control your temper, eh?"

Seifer smirks and salutes to him before exiting the room.

A mere hour later we're walking around in Balamb. Getting in wasn't easy, the soldier's are apparently ordered to keep the insiders in and the outsiders out.

"Maybe we should go check if Zell's here?"

Seifer glances at me. "Why? Chickie can take care of himself."

I stop walking. "Whatever. I'm gonna go see if he's home."

Seifer sighs and follows me.

"Well well, isn't this a surprise," Ma says. "First Zell and now you two. I thought they weren't letting anyone in."

"We're on Garden business," Seifer says with an implying tone, clearly pointing his words to me as much as to Ma.

"Oh, I guess that's acceptable to them then. Zell! Your friends are here!"

A moment later, Zell runs down the stairs.

"Hey Squall, what are you doing here?" he asks, glancing at Seifer.

"Cid sent us to negotiate with whoever's in charge. Do you happen to know anything?"

Zell shakes his head. "Nope, I haven't really been outside since I came here. You got any idea when this'll end?"

"That's why we're here."

We find half a dozen Galbadian military cars at the Harbor, and soldiers all around.

"Hey hey hey, who are you?" one of them asks us.

"We're from Balamb Garden," I say. "Who is the leader here?"

"That would be the Captain. What do you want from him?"

"We were sent here to negotiate with him. Where is he?"

"The Captain will not negotiate with SeeDs!"

"Listen, buddy," Seifer begins, taking a step towards the soldier.

I grab his arm and pull him back. "Alright then. We will just have to find him by ourselves."

As we turn away and leave, the soldier behind us takes out his walkie-talkie. "We've got two SeeDs on the loose here. Inform the Captain."

Author's note: A surprise coming up in the next chapters... Well at least it was a surprise to me :) You know how it goes, the story starts writing itself, so...