Here's your bonus, and I guess Irvine could be included in it. Enjoy!

CHAPTER 15: GALBADIA GARDEN

After another 10 minutes of walking, the group of five found themselves at the front gate of Galbadia Garden.

Just like Balamb Garden, Galbadia Garden had a halo above it. However, while Balamb Garden was shaped like a cone and was blue in color, Galbadia Garden was round and red. Balamb Garden was Taller, though Galbadia Garden took up more area. They passed by the Galbadian cadets, getting weird looks, before reaching the entrance.

"Wow, completely different from Balamb or Trabia Gardens." Selphie said.

"Definitely quieter." Zell threw in.

"I...Like it." Squall said.

"Leave this one up to me, guys," Quistis said. "I've been here several times and I know the Headmaster pretty well. I'll go explain our situation." Qustis then left to go see the headmaster. A few minutes passed before an announcement came over the intercom.

"Attention, SeeD party from Balamb Garden. Please wait in the reception room." Too bad for them, Quistis didn't tell them where that was. Zell looked around and saw a young man with a red ponytail in a cowboy get-up about to pass by, and decided to stop him.

"Hey man, where's the reception room?" Zell asked. The young man, who was taller than both Squall and Zell, lifted his up his hat to see the one who asked him the question. The cowboy's eyes shot up in surprise for some reason, but then pointed in the direction he just came from.

"Take the first right and go up the stairs," he said, before heading outside. They took the young mans directions, and made themselves comfortable for about 10 minutes.

"How long they gonna make us wait?" Zell asked himself. As if on cue, Quistis walked in.

"How'd it go?" Squall asked.

"They understood our situation." Quistis said. She then looked over at Zell and said, "And Balamb Garden is safe. The attack on the president in Timber was classified as an independent action. There an official notice from the Galbadian government saying that Balamb Garden is not being held responsible."

"So, Seifer's taking all the blame?" Zell asked

"The trial is over," Quistis said, giving a big sigh before continuing. "The sentence has been carried out." This caused everyone too look at her is shock. Could Seifer...?

"He was executed?" Rinoa asked, her voice cracking. "Of course he was, he attacked the president. He sacrificed himself for the Forest Owls."

"Being a resistance faction, you must have been prepared for the worst." Quistis said, trying to calm her down. "I'm sure Seifer was prepared too."

"You really hated Seifer, didn't you Zell?" Selphie asked.

"Yeah, but...he was from Garden." Zell said, "He was one of us. If I can, I wanna get revenge."

"I really liked him." Rinoa said. "He was always full of confidence, smart, just by talking to him, I felt like I could take on the whole world."

"Your boyfriend?" Selphie asked.

"I don't know, I think I was in love." Rinoa said.

"I don't have any good memories of him." Quistis said. "I guess he wasn't such a bad guy."

"I liked him, one of us, not a bad guy," Squall thought. "Seifer, you've become just a memory. Will they talk about me this way if I die too? Squall was this and that, using past tense? Saying whatever they want? So this is what death is all about...Not for me, I wont have it."

"What's wrong Squall?" Quistis asked.

"I won't have it!" he yelled.

"Have what?" Zell asked.

"I wont have anybody talking about ME in the past tense!" With that, Squall left to take a walk and to clear his head. Going back down to the first floor to sort everything out, he was snapped out of his thoughts by a familiar voice.

"Yo, Squall!" the voice said. Squall turned around and saw Seifer's best friends, Raijin and Fujin, approaching.

"What are you guys doing here?" Squall asked.

"We're messengers, ya know?" Raijin said. "Brought you a new order from Headmaster Cid, ya know?"

"What kind of order?" Squall asked.

"Don't know. Gave it to the head honcho here. Just doing what Headmaster Cid wanted, ya know?"

"EXPLAIN." Fujin said.

"We were supposed to go to Timber, but the Trains have stopped." Raijin said. "Kind of relieved to see you guys here, ya know?"

"SEIFER?" Fujin asked.

"Oh yeah, wasn't Seifer with you guys?" Raijin asked. Squall knew that he was going to have to break the news to Seifer's best friends.

"I believe Seifer may be dead." Squall said. "I heard he was tried in Galbadia and then executed."

"LIES." Fujin said.

"Yeah, that's gotta be a lie, ya know?" Raijin said. "There's no way he'd put up with a trail, or an execution for that matter. It's just so not Seifer, ya know?"

"FIND." Fujin said.

"See ya Squall," Raijin said, "We're gonna head off and try to find Seifer." As they left, Squall heard another announcement.

"Attention, SeeD party from Balamb Garden. Please meet Headmaster Martine outside at the front gate." Squall stood still until Selphie, Quistis, Zell, and Rinoa joined him.

"Just pretend I'm a SeeD too," Rinoa said, "It'll be less complicated that way." Squall always liked the words 'less complicated.'

"Just watch us and do what we do." Squall told her. Once they were outside, the Headmaster approached them. The SeeDs gave a salute; Rinoa watched and did the same.

"Good day." Martine said. "After careful consideration of our options, we have agreed to fully assist Headmaster Cid and Balamb Garden. You all know about the sorceress being appointed peace ambassador for the Galbadian Government, however, this peace ambassador thing is just a cover-up. There will be no peace talks, only threats. It is clear that Galbadia plans to achieve World Domination, and with the sorceress on their side, it is very possible, and the Gardens are no exception. In fact, rumor has it that the Sorceress plans to use THIS Garden as her base."

"So what do we do?" Squall asked. Martine handed Squall a folder.

"Details of the mission are enclosed in the folder. Any questions?" Squall looked over the orders, then back at Martine.

"The orders say by means of a Sniper," Squall said, "We have no one with that skill."

"Then I shall provide a Sniper for you." Martine said, "Allow me to introduce Galbadia Gardens finest sharpshooter." Martine pointed to a grassy hill where the young man that showed them to the reception room was laying. He held his hand like a pistol, and pretended to shoot the butterfly that landed on his index finger. "Kinneas. Irvine Kinneas!" At the mention of his name, the young man stood up and clenched a shotgun, then walked over to Martine and the SeeDs. Squall felt a strange vibe coming from the man known as 'Irvine', though he couldn't place his finger on it.

"This is Irvine Kinneas," Martine said. "He will be your sharpshooter. Leave whenever you're ready, and remember, failure is NOT an option." With that, Martine headed back into the garden.

"Bang!" Irvine said, once again holding his hand like a pistol, level with the back of Martine's head. Irvine then walked over to Squall. "So, looks like I'm with you rubes from Balamb. You cool with me helping you?"

"That depends on your attitude." Squall said.

"I say some things that get a rise out of people," Irvine said, "Just don't let it bother you and we'll get along fine."

"OK, enough chat," Quistis said. "What's the mission?"

"It's no ordinary mission, it's a direct order from both Balamb Garden and Galbadia Garden." Squall said. "We're to...assassinate the sorceress." Everyone nearly jumped out of their skins upon hearing this, except for Irvine, who kept his cool. "We're to shoot her from afar, Irvine will be our sniper. We are to support Irvine to our fullest. Should Irvine miss, we are to attack head on."

"Thanks for the support," Irvine said, "but I never miss my target."

"Eliminate the sorceress, that's our order," Squall said. "We're heading to Galbadia's capital, Deling City. There, we will be briefed by the leader of the Galbadian army, General Caraway." For some reason, this caused Rinoa to shudder.

"Something wrong?" Squall asked.

"Umm...no...Nothing wrong. I'm fine." She said. With Irvine, Squall's group was up to six, and then the GF stones appeared in the cowboy's hands. As the left Galbadia Garden, Squall told Irvine about the GFs and he learned their names, which for some reason, he raised his eyebrows at.