Clash of the Gardens

Ambience

It was dark all around on the fields of Balamb, and not a single person could bring himself to celebrate. The Galbadians surrendered, and were rounded up together. Trabia helped the remaining SeeDs to gather the bodies of those who had fallen, and orderly lined them up on the ground. Rinoa was there, cradling Squall in her arms and rocking back and forth. She knew he was still alive, but he didn't seem to want to wake up. She wasn't crying, but only cuddling him. The others had watched her from afar unsure of how to speak to her.

Finally, Quistis walked up to Rinoa and knelt down beside her. She took a deep breath and forced a smile to help ease the girl's mind. "Rinoa, we need to take him to the Infirmary, and you have to go there too, okay?"
Rinoa was in a daze. It was as if all the events of earlier hadn't happened at all. Quistis touched her shoulder and tried again, "Rinoa, please snap out of it."

"Oh-huh?" She looked up at her in a disoriented state of mind and forced herself to pay attention to Quistis' words.
"I said we have to bring you two to the Infirmary right now."

She looked down at Squall's face and sighed. He looked like an innocent child as he slept in her arms. "The Infirmary? …Yeah, okay." She spoke absentmindedly, but Quistis was relieved to see that she had made an attempt to talk with her. She smiled and nodded her head.

"Let's go, okay?"

"…Yeah." Rinoa allowed them to carry Squall to the infirmary, and let Selphie move an arm around her shoulder for comfort.

"Come on, Rinoa, everything will be alright! Cheer up!" She looked at Selphie and sighed again. She tried to smile, but didn't have the strength to move the muscles in her face. Rinoa didn't want to be rude and so she looked at Selphie with soft eyes and said,

"…Thanks, Selphie." Those were the only words she could bring herself to speak.

Selphie accepted and helped her friend back into Balamb Garden.

Two days after the clash, the gardens were in no shape to participate in any other battles. All of those who were injured were sent to the hospital of Balamb City, because it was the closest and most reliable medical center that could care for so many people at a time. The Infirmary was simply too small to treat all of those people that were injured in the war.

Balamb City was informed about the outcome of the war and it's twists, and why it led up to the point of attack on the isolated continent. Even after the situation was thoroughly explained, the citizens and hospitals gave the injured Galbadian Soldiers a hard time for treatment.

Because the complications between the hospital staff and soldiers were intense, Dr. Kadowaki saw that the SeeDs, who weren't as badly injured as majority of the others, were taken care of in the infirmary. Even though there was a mass majority, she knew it would slim the numbers of those injured by a great deal for the hospitals; thus, causing the doctors to compromise and allow the treatment to begin.

Rinoa sat beside Squall's bed. For two whole days he slept so soundly, and it was rumored that he had fallen into a coma. She had actually begun to believe it were true, and decided to prove herself wrong: She would wait for him to open his eyes and prove everyone else wrong.

By the next morning, Rinoa was asked to an audience with Headmaster Cid. She had walked inside his office, afraid of what the old man had to say to her. He'll put me with the rest of the Galbadians and I'll have to wait for trial because of what I did before. I knew this was going to happen, and that's why I'm not surprised. She thought to herself when she entered his office, but to her surprise, the old man looked extremely calm.

"Hello, Ms. Heartilly. How are you feeling now?"

"…Um…I'm…I'm okay, sir."

"Good, I know this time is rough for everyone right now, so it's no surprise that you might feel a bit down too." He scratched his head and looked at some paper on his desk, and finally brought his eyes back to hers. "I received a phone call from your father. He has asked me to have you leave Balamb Garden, and join him in Deling City immediately."

"Didn't you turn him down, sir? I'm not going back there."

"I'm afraid I couldn't. You see…the General has taken over since Deling was found murdered in his office. During the war, he waited patiently as Seifer Almasy and his platoon were defeated. He wasn't sure if you were alive and he was relieved to hear that you've stayed here. He is really worried about you, and wants you to return to your home with him."

"No. No sir, I'm not going to go."

"I'm sorry Rinoa, but if you don't go home, you'll put us all in danger once more. Everyone in Garden has been busy trying to help with the wounded, so we aren't prepared to fight in another battle as of now."

"Headmaster Cid, I don't trust that man." She sighed, "But for the sake of everyone in Balamb…I'll go."

"Good. Oh yes, before I forget. He said he wants to discuss some business issues with you that I believe might be related to Timber. You really shouldn't waste anymore time here with us. If you want, I could send some people to accompany you."

Timber? What does he want to do with Timber? Is he planning on finishing the job that Deling started? Rinoa had thought to herself and completely forgot to reply to the Headmaster.

"Rinoa?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. You don't need to send others with me. They'll be much more useful if they stayed behind and helped with the wounded like you said before. He's my father, so I know he won't try anything stupid. I'll be fine.

"I understand."

"Sir, it would really make me happy if I could stay just a little bit longer today."

"…Of course, I'm sure you have your reasons." He said softly, and Rinoa took a deep breath and nodded her head. Squall…

"…Headmaster Cid?"

"Yes?"

"Did he sound angry over the phone? Was there any tension present at any time during the phone conversation?"

"No, he was rather formal about it. I suppose he wants this to go as smoothly as possible. It seems everyone wants peace at the moment."

"Yeah…" Even if he is my father, he's still a part of Galbadia, and he always supported Deling; who knows what he'll do now that everything is in his hands alone. "Was that all you wished to talk to me about?"

"That's all."

"Thank you." She said while rising from her seat.

"You're welcome, and please remember, Rinoa, that you are always welcome at Balamb Garden." He said with a smile that just happened to calm her fears for a moment. She smiled back to him and walked to the door. Before she exited, she heard the old man sigh heavily as if he too were nervous when talking to her. She shrugged her shoulders and left the room.

Rinoa headed back to Squall's dormitory and opened his door to let herself inside. She closed the door behind herself and stared at him as he lay in a coma on his bed. What am I going to do now? Rinoa walked beside his bed and touched his face. She traced a finger on the wound across his forehead and smiled to herself.

"Where are you right now? Are you ever going to come back?" She sighed and stared at his face, his innocent boyish face that looked even more peaceful at this state. When she was lost in his features, she felt the urge to take advantage of his unconsciousness and spill her inner thoughts upon him.

"Squall…" She started and sat on his bed beside him. "…I'm going to have to leave soon." She eased her body on his bed and rested face to face with him. "I…I have a bad feeling that if I leave, I won't be able to come back to Balamb. I might be separated from you for a long time…even though you probably won't care that I'm gone."

She took a deep breath and continued, "You wanted me to go away, and I bet you wished for it, too. Well, guess what? Your wish has been granted; Caraway wants me to see him on terms of business. I can't tell you what we'll talk about because I don't even know that myself. Squall, I wanted to personally let you know that…I won't follow you anymore. Whether you like it or not, I'm going back to where I belong and hopefully I'll be able to give my friends the proper burial that they really deserve; as you suggested when we first met." She sat still for a moment as her throat began to hurt when she tried to use her voice again.

Her voice was scratchy and on the verge of releasing a sorrowful moan, "…Squall." Her eyes were watering and she moved her head to his chest while closing her eyes. "Please tell me to stay and I'll stay. Tell me that it's right not to follow Caraway's commands. Tell me that you want me around and that I am not a burden on you." A sniffling Rinoa grabbed Squall's forearm and squeezed tightly while beginning to cry. "Why can't you see that I…" She quieted down, "…I'm so…" She rose to meet his unconscious state again and sighed, "…I'm fooling myself, huh?" Rinoa smiled at him even though she felt terrible inside. "And what's more…you told me not to cry so much."

Rinoa sat up and grabbed Squall's hand. She entwined her fingers with his and smiled when she saw his ring. "…I know that you've been alone for most of your life, and I know it's been hard for you; so let me tell you this…" She fingered the Griever ring on his index finger and turned it around. "…Whenever you wake up, and I'm not here…please don't think that I've abandoned you just like everyone else did. I have a reason to leave, and if you want, I'll come back to you." She sighed, "And just so you will have not only my word on this, I'll…" She slid the ring from his finger and held it in her palm, "I'll take your ring. This way if you really want it back, if you really love this ring as much as you say you do…you'll come back for it, right?"

She laughed softly and continued, "Besides, you're strong enough without the help of Griever, so let him protect me for just a little while, okay?"

Rinoa moved closer to his face and kissed his cheek, "I have to go now Squall. I'll…I'll always remember you." She rose from the bed and walked to the door with the ring clasped tightly in her palm. She looked back at his sleeping figure and smiled with a whisper, "Thank you." She left his room and closed the door gently.

As she exited, Squall opened his eyes and looked at his hand. He saw the void, which Griever once occupied, but to his surprise it felt no different than before. He smiled and turned over on his bed. Squall had been awake the entire time. He heard every last word Rinoa said to him just a few moments ago. He had awakened from his deep slumber that morning, but she wasn't in the room when he first opened his eyes.

Because he had little experience with goodbyes, he allowed her to speak for them both. Squall listened to what she had to say, and realized that if he had revealed his status, she probably wouldn't leave to meet with her father. For sake of orders and what was for the best, he chose to remain 'asleep' so that she would leave without having to make a choice of her own. However, losing his ring was never a part of the plan; he found himself smirking when he closed his eyes. He was going to get his ring back, even if that meant traveling hundreds of miles by foot: no one can take Griever away from him and live to talk about it.

Cid sat in his office and spoke into the phone, "Rinoa Caraway is on her way now, be sure to be quick about it, okay? I don't want anyone getting injured, and I must warn you that this young woman can be stubborn. …Oh don't worry about that, she's leaving alone. She took part in the battle a few days ago…yes, it's possible that she could be dangerous. Please have your captain notified-what, he doesn't even know that we're talking?" Who is running that place?

Xu walked into his office and saluted him, he looked up and raised an eyebrow, "Sorry, sir, I was just coming to inform you that Ms. Caraway has left our premises."

He placed his hand over the receiver and nodded his head to Xu, "Good. Thank you, Xu."

"You're welcome." Xu walked out and stood outside his office. "I guess it's back to square one. Here I am, performing the duties of secretary once again, but this time…I think I like this a lot better." She took a deep breath and walked away from Cid's door.

"Well just get it done!" Cid's voice was heard through his doors, and Xu stopped to turn around.

"What in the world was that about?" She scratched her head and walked back to his office. This time, she knocked on the door.

"Yes? What is it?"

"…Uh, Sir."

"Xu, come in."

"…O-okay." She said and opened the door. He scratched his head and moved his glasses from his face. "Sir…I heard you shout just a short while ago-"

"Yes…I figured you would hear me. So let me tell you this before the questions begin." He sighed and stood from his desk, "During the war, I made a phone call for help."

"Sir?"

"Please listen to me, Xu. I saw that our forces were severely outnumbered and things were not looking good for us. I did the last thing anyone of us would ever want and I'm ashamed of it."

"Um…"

"I called Esthar…"

"Esthar! Hey, they're not even our allies-oh excuse me…" She sighed and continued. "We just ended our war with them about a year ago. Don't you think it's a bit too soon to beg for their help, sir?"

"I know! I know…I couldn't help myself."

"…I guess…I guess it's okay."

"…Esthar was responsible for the Missile Base explosion, and they also discovered Deling's body in Galbadia. If it weren't for them, Trabia Garden would be shambles right about now."

"…I see. Sir, if its not that bad, then…why are shouting on the phone..?"

"…Oh…yeah." He sighed and nervously began to chuckle, "I called in another favor…"

"Headmaster…"

"…It's nothing serious, Xu."

She glared at him for keeping back information, but because she was amongst his favorites, he couldn't help but to tell her. "…I had them kidnap Rinoa."

"What?"

"You'll understand in a moment…but right now, do not tell anyone; especially not Squall."

"Why is he so special?"

"I heard about those two before…and I think he'll go out and charge without first listening to the briefing."

"Yeah, that Leonhart is dangerous on the field-"

"What?"

"Oh….hehe, nothing sir."

"Good then. Xu, I'm counting on you to keep this just between the two of us. Okay?"

"Yes sir."

She saluted him and stepped out of his office. Finally some recognition, Headmaster Cid trusts me with a mission only I know of again. Yes! I am the Commander of SeeD after all, aren't I? Who's going to stop me now?

"Hey, Xu!" Quistis waved to her from afar.

Oh, no…I'll have to keep my mouth shut this time.