Chapter 19: Galbadia Garden

The first sounds Squall heard as he ascended from the darkness were the chirping of birds, the buzz of forest insects, and Zell's pacing feet crushing leaves and twigs in his path. The SeeD opened his eyes, and pushed himself up, looking around as he shook the unnatural weariness away. Several dead leaves still clung to his hair as he surveyed the area.

Rinoa was standing off to the side, over Selphie, who lay asleep in a patch of grass. Nearby, Quistis had unceremoniously fallen asleep beside a tree. Zell was pacing up and down the path ahead, but stopped as soon as he saw Squall awakening. Moments later, Quistis and Selphie stirred as well, each of them recovering from the strange sleep.

"Was it Laguna again?" Zell asked as Squall rose to his feet. Squall nodded as he knocked the leaves out of his hair. Quistis and Selphie finished awakening and rose as well, Squall offering Quistis a hand while Rinoa helped Selphie to her feet.

"Sir Laguna's in big trouble!" Selphie exclaimed, raising one of Squall's eyebrows. She had given the goofy soldier a title?

"Doesn't seem like the first time for you all," Quistis commented, shaking her head. She was still disoriented by the odd dream that she apparently had shared with her comrades. "What is this? Has this happened before?"

Squall looked back and forth between Zell, Selphie, and Quistis. They had all experienced the dream now. If it was just him, he could have passed it off as some mental problem or hallucination, perhaps.

"Yes," Squall said, nodding to Quistis' question. "Its happened before, on the way to Timber."

"But what is it?" Zell asked, confused. He didn't enjoy mysteries; the martial artist preferred his answers clear-cut and laid out in front of him. Squall had no answers, however.

"We'll just be wasting our time trying to figure it out," Squall stated. Their first and primary objective was to get to safe territory. Out here in the wilderness, it would only be a matter of time before Galbadian troops located them.

"We need to keep moving," Squall said. "We have to get to Galbadia Garden." The rest of the group nodded in agreement, and the SeeDs began to move out. Rinoa, Angelo beside her, hesitated, and Squall paused to regard her. She turned to face him, and for a second, he met her gaze. Her demeanor had changed noticably since he was unconscious; instead of being angry, Rinoa had calmed down and seemed almost . . . apologetic?

"Squall, umm," she began to say, before pausing. She looked down, and dug her toes into the ground, as if unsure of what to say.

"I think I may have said too much," she finally told him. "I'm sorry."

Squall shrugged and waved a hand, as if it didn't matter, which in reality, it didn't. The argument had been rather petty, considering the situation. He didn't really care if Rinoa had a problem, and they had much more important things to do, like get her to safe harbor.

"Don't worry," he replied. "Just forget about it."

-------------------

They broke through the forest later that day and found themselves on an open, arid, and very flat landscape. The Monteresau Plateau was a dry, flat region, with signifigant mineral deposits. The region had often been warred over, first between the natives and the rising power of Galbadia, then between Galbadia and the rising empire of Dollet when that nation was established eighty years ago. Dollet had managed to seize control for a few decades, until another war with Galbadia had lost the nation that region and much of its territory.

Now, the Plateau was officially in Galbadian hands, but one section of the plateau was reserved for a nuetral power. Namely, Garden. A vast stretch of southern territory, less rich in ore and resources than the eastern or western ends, was occupied by the largest and wealthiest of the three Gardens.

Squall led his group across the flat terrain, into a slightly more hilly region. At this point, Quistis took the lead.

"Remember, I've been here several times," she informed them. "I know this terrain better than you. We should be within Galbadia Garden's sphere of influence now."

"Are we safe?" Squall asked, to which Quistis shrugged.

"We're safer," she replied. "Headmaster Martine has an arrangement with Galbadia's military to defend this region, but the Galbadian command doesn't neccassarily trust him to keep his word." Quistis chuckled lightly. "They're probably suspicious of him because he's so like them."

"Can we trust him?" Squall asked, suddenly hesitant to lead Rinoa to the Garden. He wanted to know more about Martine before he continued.

"He is trustworthy," Quistis confirmed with a nod. "But he's also a bit slippery. He's both the Master and Headmaster of the Garden, but to the core, he's pretty much all politician. He's interested in profit and himself, not the whole organization."

"I already don't like this guy," Zell muttered from the rear. "I thought you said we could trust him."

"We can," Quistis replied. "He's subordinate to NORG and Balamb Garden, after all. And more importantly, it would not be in his interests to betray us. Martine may be the Garden's Master, but if the students and SeeDs find out he handed over fellow SeeDs to Galbadia, he'll be thrown out of his office at the very least."

"Hmph," Zell said, scowling. "Fine, but I'll be keeping an eye on him!"

"Same here," Squall added. If this Martine had something up his sleeve, Squall was certianly going to be ready for it. Neither he nor anyone else in their group had any love for politicians like Galbadia Garden's head apparently seemed to be.

The hills passed the group as they trudged on. After another hour's walking, they thought they heard the distant thrumming sounds of laboring engines. Squall glanced at Quistis curiously, but she simply moved faster.

"We're close," she said, waving them on. "I think just past this hill we should come into sight of the Garden. Those engines belong to Garden's hoverfoils."

Squall nodded, recognizing the name of the device. Hoverfoils were simple exoframes designed to carry single persons in the air. The devices were intended for military and civilian applications, and had revolutionized the way workers built structures and operated in difficult terrain. The devices themselves consisted of a hover engine mounted behind a simple exoframe, where the pilot stood. The pilot's feet rested on pads, and he was strapped into the frame to secure his position. Simple controls in the exoframe's arms allowed for easy flight. Just below the engine there was mounted an equipment module, where one could attach any type of equipment needed.

Exoframe training was a requisite course in Galbadia Garden, with its emphasis on technology. As the group mounted the final hill, they spotted dozens of the hoverfoils flying through the air, many in formations, others performing manuvers. One group was even engaged in a mock dogfight with another formation of hoverfoils. Then, as the SeeDs and their client crested the hill, Galbadia Garden rolled out below. Rinoa and Selphie gasped, and even Squall and Zell, so used to the granduer of Balamb Garden, were amazed by the structure below.

What immediately caught their attention was the sheer size of the place. Galbadia Garden's grounds stretched from maybe a quarter of a mile away to the base of the distant cliffs, a distance that covered over half a mile.

Bisecting the vast outer grounds was a tall cliff, nearly a hundred feet higher than the lower section of the grounds. Sweeping out from the cliffs were two massive golden semicircles, one inside the other, that reached out to encompass half of the lower grounds underneath their shadows. In the middle of the cliffs, as if set there by a cosmic gemworker, was a massive ring of blood-red metal construction, the central complex of the Garden. Black markings adorned the crimson surface, marked by hundreds of shining lights and windows. A massive, cobra's head-like protrusion, doubtless the administration wing, loomed over the entrance, making the Garden almost seem as a coiled snake, ready to strike. A glowing blue and black halo, like the one over Balamb Garden, towered over this Garden as well, though this one was held aloft by pillars, not by the unknown forces that supported Balamb's ring.

"Wow," Selphie said, awed. Her words echoed the sentiments of the rest of the group, except Quistis, who had known what to expect. Still, she too was entranced by the sight of the beuitiful and vast structure. After several moments of gazing at the splendor of Galbadia Garden, Squall reminded the group that they still had actually get inside the grounds. They quickly descended the hill and approached the Garden.

A small patrol of one Galbadia Garden SeeD and three cadets met them at the edge of the grounds, but upon showing their SeeD identification, the guards were more than happy to wave them on.

"The cadets here go on patrols?" Zell asked as they passed numerous plazas, small buildings, and open expanses of woods and grasses. He wasn't familiar with that practice. Quistis nodded.

"Galbadia Garden trains soldiers as well as mercanaries," she explained. "That's why they have such a huge size and budget. Galbadia pays a hefty sum to have officers trained here, and the Garden is run like a strict military academy. Part of the training here involves actual patrols of the grounds and scouting into the surrounding landscapes."

The distant thunder of a gunshot could be heard from the north end of the grounds. The SeeDs were startled, except Quistis, who calmed them with a raised hand.

"Sharpshooter training," she quickly explained. "Galbadia Garden makes use of more firearms than Balamb or Trabia. They use the monsters around here for target practice." Quistis paused, straining her eyes as she scanned to the north. Suddenly, she stopped, focused on one spot, and nodded. Squall followed her gaze to a distant tower on the northern edge of the grounds. Squall spotted the sniper's rifle as he or she fired again, and then a third time. The SeeD imagined he could see some kind of a hat on the sharpshooter's head, but the distance was too great to be certian.

Some time and another patrol later, the SeeDs and their client advanced down the central walkway leading to the entrance of the Garden. They passed a submerged parking garage and neared the front gates, the vast cobra's head leering down at them. The path ahead split around a shining statue with golden lights set into its form, and met again at the entrance. As the SeeDs passed into the structure itself, one thing stood out immediately: the Garden was draped in a hush, despite the obviously large populace of teenage students.

"Wow," Selphie commented as they passed the attendant at the entrance. Unlike Balamb, which had a cranky, elderly man running the entrance, this Garden had a pair of uniformed and armed SeeDs standing guard. They were waved through into the inside of the Garden.

"Completely different," Selphie added, to which Zell nodded.

"Sure is quiet," he commented, a bit put off by such a calm structure. Balamb Garden was full of life and vitality; Galbadia Garden was silent and reverent, almost like a hushed library or vault. Somehow, the solitude and calm of the building appealed to Squall's sensibilities.

"I like it," he said, which really didn't surprise his comrades at all. Rinoa actually giggled faintly, though she herself thought the peace and calm were a welcome change of pace from the hurried travels and escape from Timber. It was good to be someplace safe, for once.

As they slowly walked through the muted entrance, taking in their surroundings, Quistis stepped forward. She paused and looked back.

"Let me handle this," she said, to which Squall nodded. "I know Martine pretty well. I'll explain the situation to him. In the meantime, you should feel free to wander around. Just don't cause any disturbances. The rules here are much stricter than those at Balamb, but as we're from another Garden, most of them won't apply to us."

Squall again nodded, and Quistis set out into the Garden, while the remainder of the group continued to take in the structure.

-------------------

Selphie and Zell had wandered off, but Squall opted to stay with Rinoa and Angelo as they explored the Garden. As team leader, he'd explained, it was his obligation to keep Rinoa safe until their own safety here was confirmed.

The first place Rinoa went to was the central courtyard inside the ring of the main structure. The place was mostly empty, with only a few cadets and SeeDs moving about purposefully. Classes must have been in session.

The courtyard had a few plants and standing trees, but was dominated by a massive shaft of light that was created through lamps in the ring above. The light from these lamps was focused down into the middle of the area. A raised platform caught the light, which illuminated the Galbadia Garden symbol. Rinoa wandered around here for a bit before she turned to Squall.

"So, are you going to teach me some tricks on junctioning?" she asked, to which he shrugged. Now was as good a time as any. He paused, closing his eyes, and focused on the distant, alien thoughts in his head. he touched Quetzocotl and indicated his intentions to the Guardian Force. The spirit seemed a bit annoyed but yeilded to its master's commands, and its power formed into a shining yellow gemstone in Squall's palm, seeming to form out of the leather of his gloves.

"This," he explained, "is a Guardian Force stone. Its the secret to their power and junctioning. You know how to stock spells, right?" Squall remembered that Rinoa had mentioned she'd trained in magic under a former magic specialist in Dollet. Rinoa nodded in response.

"Use your mind and willpower to draw the magic into your body," she said, reciting the basic tenet to magic utilization. "Once you have the energy inside you, you simply focus on it and will it to be released."

Squall nodded. Good, Rinoa wouldn't need too much instruction, at least with the actual act of junctioning the Guardian Forces.

"Okay, here, hold my stone," he said, placing the yellow gem into her hands. He cupped his hands beneath hers. "You've got bare skin contacting the stone, which is good. With some experience you can do this with gloves or other heavy clothing on, but the bare skin will help. I want you to focus on the stone. You can feel the energy inside it, right?"

It was an academic question; merely touching a Guardian Force stone caused a person to feel the tingles of the entity's power. Squall recalled his first time he'd held Quetzocotl's stone, and he knew what Rinoa was feeling as she clutched the gem of power. Her nod confirmed that she was feeling the power.

"You should feel a throbbing sensation, with some tingling, like when your foot or arm falls asleep, right?" he asked, to which Rinoa nodded again. The sensation was odd, considering it came from a cold stone rather than within one's own body, and was a bit disconcerting to the inexperienced.

"Focus on those sensations, just like the energy in a spell," Squall explained. "Draw them in, just like a spell. It works the exact same way, but be ready."

"Why?" she asked, confused and a bit nervous all of a sudden.

"This will feel . . . " he paused, searching for the right word. "A little strange. Draw it in."

Rinoa nodded and closed her eyes, focusing on the stone. As Squall watched, the yellow stone shimmered and then began to melt into Rinoa's skin. Within moments, the stone was gone, absorbed wholly by her will alone. As if on cue, the moment the stone vanished Rinoa gasped. She pulled her hands away from Squall's and touched her head, blinking her eyes in confusion.

Squall nodded, knowing everything was fine. Rinoa was dealing with the first effects of junctioning a living, thinking entity unto herself. The presence of another mind, however distant and alien, was disconcerting to someone whose thoughts and inner mind were their own private place.

"Quetzocotl must be talking to you," he said, to which Rinoa nodded quickly. "I warned you it would feel strange. Don't worry, though, you'll get used to them if you junction them long enough."

"It feels like its taking part of my brain," Rinoa said, shaking her head. She wasn't in pain or anything of that sort; it was just confusing.

"They tend to do that," Squall responded with a shrug. "GFs require a part of their host's brain as a place to reside while junctioned. Effectively, you two share the same brain while junctioned."

"You said there wasn't any long-term damage?" Rinoa asked, her brow furrowing as she felt the sensations in her mind. The Guardian Force was still getting accustomed to Rinoa's mind, like a dog that turned circles before laying down. Squall nodded at her question.

"Garden hasn't discovered any type of long-term damage resulting from junctions," Squall explained. "Neither Balamb Garden research nor experiments conducted by Doctor Odine in Esthar revealed any real disadvantage to using GFs. It just takes time." Squall paused, and decided that the short lesson was enough for today.

"If you want, I can take Quetzocotl back," he offered, to which Rinoa shook her head quickly.

"No, no," she said, holding up a hand. "I'd prefer it if he stayed. I want to get used to this." She smiled faintly. "Don't want to be a burden on you guys. If I can junction like you, I can protect myself." Squall shrugged and nodded at her descision, which in truth he really preffered himself. Rinoa was going to need to become accustomed to a Guardian Force's presence if she wanted to learn how to junction and keep up with the SeeDs.

"I'll explain junctioning magic later," Squall said, then paused as he spotted a man approach. The man was heavily muscled, with a stern expression. He wore a black and white uniform with a black cap and a dangling silver whistle around his neck. Squall didn't need to see the Garden emblem on his sleeves to understand that this man was one of Galbadia Garden's instructors.

"Are you two with the SeeD party from Balamb Garden?" the man asked gruffly, to which Squall and Rinoa nodded. "Good. Follow me." He turned wthout another word and led them to the northern end of the courtyard. Squall and Rinoa followed, Angelo close behind, as the man entered a corridor. After traveling for several minutes down a long, stark white and gray hallway marked periodically by classrom doors, the man stopped next to a stairwell.

"There's a waiting room at the top of the stairs," he expalined. "Second floor, two doors down. The rest of your group is there." Without another word, the instructor turned and strode off.

"Such friendly people around here," Rinoa deadpanned as they ascended the staircase. Squall said nothing in response. Galbadia Garden was a militaristic facility, after all. It was understandable that the staff would be more like drill instructors than teachers.

The two found the reception room easily enough, and entered. Sqaull had been expecting rows of hard plastic chairs, but was surprised to find a richly appointed chamber that featured couches, a coffee table, and even a small refridgerator. Zell and Selphie were already in the room when Squall and Rinoa entered, the martial artist lounging on a couch impatiently while Selphie stood at a massive window that overlooked the outdoor running track. Zell nodded as the pair entered, but said nothing.

Squall took a seat while Rinoa still stood. She walked to the fridge and opened it, then frowned and shut it. Squall sent her a quizzical look, and she shook her head.

"Nothing but tuna sandwiches," she muttered, making a face, and sat down as well. Squall then got up, checking the fridge himself. He took out one of the sandwiches, which was indeed tuna, and removed it from its plastic wrap. Rinoa made another face as he took a bite.

"You like that stuff?" she asked incerdulously. Squall shook his head.

"No," he replied, sitting down beside her. "But I have to eat."

The group waited another twenty minutes, until Zell finally lost his patience. He growled something about the staff taking too much time, when the door slid open and Quistis entered.

"How'd it go?" Squall asked her immediately, tossing the plastic wrapper in a garbage can as he stood up. Zell and Rinoa rose as well.

"They understand our situation," Quistis assured them. "We're safe here for now." Quistis then turned to Zell. "And Balamb Garden is safe. The attack on the President in Timber was classified as an independant action. The rebels attempted to cover their own actions by blaming Garden. Or at least, that's what the government is saying. There was an official notice from the Galbadian government saying that Balamb Garden is not being held responsible and that 'the government of Galbadia will not be provoked to foolish actions by such childish trickery.'"

Zell visibly slumped in relief at the news, then sat back up as another thought hit him.

"So, is Seifer taking all the blame?" he asked. Quistis hesitated, and turned away for a moment. She glanced at Rinoa, who was watching intently.

"Galbadia's known for its speedy judicial system," Quistis said quietly. "The trial's already been completed, and the . . . the sentence was carried out."

The words struck like a bomb, stunning everyone in the room. Zell jerked as if a bottle was smashed over his head, while Selphie's mouth dropped open. Rinoa's legs suddenly seemed weak, and she sunk down to the floor, hit hard by the news. Squall was the only one to not show any outward emotion, though he too was shocked, even if the outcome was one he'd been expecting all along.

On the tail end of the shock came anger. Squall and Seifer may have been at each others throats since they could last remember, but both men had respect for each other. They had been rivals, but in a strange way, they were also comrades.

"He was executed?" Rinoa asked quietly, to which Quistis nodded.

"Of course he was," Rinoa then whispered, almost too quietly to hear. "He attacked the President. He . . . he sacrificed himself for us. For me." As she said, this, Rinoa stood, and looked away, out the window.

"You're part of a resistance group," Quistis said. "You were prepared for this eventuality, right? I'm sure Seifer was too, if he was as dedicated to the cause as I saw in him." Quistis put a hand on Rinoa's shoulder, like a big sister. "He knew what he was doing. Don't think of him as sacrificing himself for you."

Everyone was silent, Rinoa in particular. After several moments, Quistis spoke again.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I guess that wasn't much consolation."

As Quistis was attempting to comfort Rinoa, Selphie turned to Zell, who was visibly shaking in anger.

"Zell, I thought you hated Seifer?" she asked, confused by Zell's response. The martial artist clenched his fist and looked down at it, before turning back to Selphie.

"Yeah, I didn't like him," Zell growled. "He was a complete asshole, but still, he was one of us." He glanced at Squall, who nodded his sentiments. "If I can, I want to get revenge."

"Same here," Squall said quietly. Zell nodded as well. Galbadia, Deling, and his Sorceress were going to pay.

"I don't have any good memories of him," Quistis commented, turning back to the SeeDs. "I've seen some troubled children, but he was beyond troubled. It was like he didn't even belong in Garden. He lived only to fight, for a cause, any cause, even if it was just for battle's own sake. But even so, he wasn't really a bad person, just . . . different."

The room was shrouded in a hushed silence for several moments as each person ran back over their memories of the cadet. Finally, the silence was broken.

"I," Rinoa almost whispered. "I really liked him. He was always so full of confidence, smart . . . ." She sighed. "Just by talking with him, I felt like I could take on the world."

"Your boyfriend?" Selphie asked. Rinoa shook her head, and turned to face the small SeeD.

"I don't really know," Rinoa answered, stepping to the couch. She sat down. "I . . . I think I was in love. I wonder how he felt?"

"Do you still like him?" Selphie asked.

"If I didn't, I wouldn't be talking about him," Rinoa responded. She pulled her knees up, hugging them. "It was last summer. I was sixteen. Lots of fond memories . . . ." Rinoa trailed off, looking away into the past.

As Rinoa looked away, the door to the reception room slid open. The SeeDs turned to see another instructor, who scanned the room.

"Leonhart?" the man asked, to which Squall nodded. The instructor waved for him to follow, and Squall nodded.

"I'll see what it's about," he told his comrades, and followed the instructor outside. The man led him down the hallway to the top of the stairwell, where Squall was surprised to see a familiar huge, burly form, beside a petite woman.

"Yo, Squall," Raijin boomed as he approached. Squall blinked in surpise at the cadets' presence in Galbadia Garden.

"What are you doing here?" Squall asked.

"Looking for you," Raijin replied. "We're running a message from Cid, ya know? New orders. The HD cables are down again, so we had to deliver it personally, ya know."

"What kind of order?" Squall asked, curious. "And why us?"

"I dunno," Raijin repleid, shrugging. "I gave it to that Marty guy who's head honcho here. Just did what Cid wanted, ya know?"

Squall was still confused, and his expression told them that.

"EXPLAIN," Fujin ordered her brother, who nodded.

"We were supposed'ta go to Timber, since ya'll were there on the secret hush-hush mission," Raijin said. "But we didn't find you in Timber. You probably left before we could find you, ya know? Anyway, the trains were down, so we rented a car and drove north, since if you weren't in Timber then you'd probably be headed here, ya know? Kinda relieved to see you guys here."

Squall nodded, then noticed Fujin was scanning the area.

"SEIFER?" she asked, to which Raijin nodded.

"Oh, yeah, wasn't Seifer with you?" the big man asked. "We knew he was headed for Timber to help you guys out after he escaped." Squall shook his head.

"Seifer is dead," he explained, to which both Fujin and Raijin's jaws dropped. "He was captured, then tried in Galbadia and executed." To Squall's surprise, Raijin barked out a laugh.

"LIES!" Fujin hissed.

"Yeah, that's a lie," Raijin added. "Seifer'd never put up with a trial, ya know! Or an execution, for that matter! That's just not Seifer, ya know!"

"FIND!" Fujin stated definatively.

"Right! We'll find him!" Raijin proclaimed with a hefty nod. "See ya later, Squall!" With that, the two cadets turned and left, bounding down the stairs. Squall also turned to leave, but the same instructor who'd led him there stopped him.

"Headmaster Martine wants you and your group to meet him at the gates concerning the orders he recieved," the man explained, to which Squall nodded.

"The Headmaster knows we're currently on a mission?" Squall asked, to which the instructor nodded.

"The orders Headmaster Martine have recieved supercede your current assignment," the instructor explained. "This mission has priority over all other orders." Without waiting for a reply, the instructor turned and left. Squall watched him leave, curious. He then turned to return to the reception room to gather his group for this new mission.

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Nothing really special to say about this chapter. I got bogged down for a bit before I was able to finish it, which is why it took so long despite its short length. if you're wondering why I cut it short, its because I wanted the next chapter to have two important introductions: Deling City and Irvine. The upcoming events are important enough to warrant their own chapter, I believe.

You may have noticed that I didn't cover Squall's exclamation about becoming a memory and such in the waiting room. That came out of nowhere, and was never followed up on. Furthermore, the statement and Squall's actions seemed somewhat out of character. Overall, I didn't like it at all, and it seemed like it somehow didn't belong. Therefore, I disposed of it.

Also, you may notice how much extra stuff I put in here, particularly Squall's explanation of junctioning, the bit of history, and Quistis' explanation on Martine's character. Again, this is intended to convey an expanded sense of a whole, cohesive world. In my opinion, FFVIII has one of the best and most realistic worlds in an RPG, and I want to maintain and expand on this.

If you notice, there were also some suble alterations to the dialogue.