Disclaimer: I still don't own Final Fantasy, if you have any idea to change that, let me know P.
Author's Note: Well, I've decided to keep writing this story, hopefully I can make a good one, expect long chapters from me because I like them P, and may lead to a long story, also I usually describe everything the best possible, if not the surroundings the mood or the thoughts of those involved, I like to think a lot, so I'm always wondering what everyone is thinking, anyway, enjoy this chapter and review please, it really helps me, btw I write personal thanks in my profile in case anyone cares ).
Chapter 2: A New Beginning
As the wind comes in slowly trough the open window in Rinoa's bedroom, whispering to her ear, touching her soft skin, then suddenly stronger, making her hair wave, and sending shivers trough her spine, then calm, and the process was repeated over and over again, giving up she turned around in her bed, half sleep, half awake, and noted how the sun was starting to cover her entire body, feeling her body crumble with the feeling, even when the days were still warm, the autumn was starting to make itself present, or was it just her mind playing tricks again, Balamb was located near the sea, so the weather was never completely cold, yet the air was always cold, and the fact of having a mountain behind them didn't made the air more warm. Reaching out with one hand and closing her window, the sun was then softened by the intervention of a small cloud, placing her hand back in her pillow, she was dragged again to the world where she didn't had any worries, and more important, where she could see her mother.., with a small smile forming in her lips, she gave in to that world, deciding she wasn't going to waste this last day of vacations getting up early, no force in earth could take her away from her bed in this moment.
Squall Leonhart came out of the taxi after paying the driver, he was arriving to a new Garden, as a transfer student one day before the classes started, he shrugged at the idea of complaining to his superior of how sudden was all done, and how thoughtless towards him, he wasn't one to defy the authority.
Cursing his luck for catching a cold in the night train, and failing to find a taxi in Balamb town for being so early in the morning, then having to sleep over a bench while he waited, at least his day couldn't be getting any worst, or so he thought...
The young student slowly walked up the stairs and moved into the huge facility, trying to remember the directions given to him by Kiros before leaving Esthar, finding the way in and not having another choice but keep walking, he soon found what he was looking for, a tall elevator with automatic doors was past a set of stairs, but in front of it was a Pretty brunette with mid-long hair and brown eyes, dressed with a SeeD uniform (A/N: yeah it's not Rinoa, disappointed? P), he was spotted by the girl, who waited for him in front of the elevator.
"You must be Squall Leonhart" she asked with a formal tone, squall just nodded without showing much interest to start talking.
"Greetings, my name is Xu, and I'm the Commander of this Garden, unless Cid is around of course" she smiled trying to break the ice between them, but without luck to get a sympathetic sign or word, she moved on.
"I hope you had a good trip, the Headmaster is waiting for you in his office, I'll show you the way" squall gave thanks he wasn't carrying but one single travel case besides his bag, otherwise he would've been tempted to hit her, regardless if it wasn't her fault he had a bad day, no one expected him to be this early.
The way into the Headmaster's office was silent, but Squall's mind was as busy as always, taking good care to record the location of the office in his mind, but he was absorbed by the sight of Balamb from the elevator, he hadn't really seen the building besides the main corridor and the elevator, so he was surprised it was so different from Esthar, not only in size, but in colors and forms, in the way the halls were placed, the simple way of it's design, and even the delight of the sound of the water that was everywhere, but the vision of it was abruptly interrupted by a flash and then a sound indicating they had reach their destination.
In front of them was a double-door and a small door to their right (A/N: in this story the third floor is a bit bigger since Xu has her office there, and it's not the only office there, but I'll let you know of any changes to garden as we move on), all carpeted in red, the walls had a different design from the other floors, making clear to the eye this wasn't a place where everyone was allowed to come anytime they wanted.
"I'll tell the Headmaster you're here, please wait here a second" Xu said and moved into the office, squall made it's way towards one of the couches to his left, the headmaster was a busy, well known man in all Gardens, so he figured it could take a while, yet the day proved him wrong again when he heard the door swing open.
"Go ahead in, I'll be back in a second" Xu walked past squall with a cheerful mood. Yeah like they were going to miss you Xu was all he managed to think before leaning her face against the glass inside the elevator, "Now where could she be..." she was getting tired of finding people in a rather empty Garden, she smiled of how ironic was it that she was missing all the students, that wasn't something she thought she would do.
Giving a last glance to the girl in the elevator, squall made it's way towards the open door, knocking once before hearing the familiar voice.
"Come in Squall".
"I'm terribly sorry we couldn't send anyone to pick you up at the train station, we were expecting you to come this morning, but not that early this morning, when we got the call from Esthar telling us you would arrive anytime if you hadn't done so already, I sent Xu immediately to wait for you at the elevator, if she had wait outside she might have catch a cold" Cid then became conscious of the frown in the student's forehead, then apologized "I'm sorry I always talk faster than I should, the rhythm of work here is hectic, but take a seat" was all he managed to say.
"It's fine, I'm used to it, after all I have Laguna for father" (A/N: Squall lived with Laguna while he was in Esthar, they have a normal relationship, as normal as any relationship can be with the obnoxious squall before-Rinoa, sadly Raine is still dead / ) he replied and moved to a chair in front of Cid's desk.
"Ohh yes, anyway, how was the train?" Cid tried to make squall talk, something he always tried, yet always failing.
"It was fine" was all he got in reply.
"Well then, I'm sure you will fit perfectly in Balamb Garden, I'm looking forward to your skills as a gunblade specialist" Cid turned in his rotating chair to escape from the piercing look of squall, he wasn't good to mask his thoughts.
"With all due respect sire, I don't see the reason of my transfer to Balamb, the instructors of Esthar were more than capable to lead my training" he was surprised he could've said that, he never questioned his transfer to anyone, but the idea of it was intriguing him.
"The reason was for you to experience with a different environment, and being used to be away from home, with all the missions you will be assigned to, travel around the world will be a common thing" Cid expected squall would buy that, he didn't expected squall to listen to the gossips around him, and someone with authority wouldn't tell him they were right.
"Understood" he was disappointed of the answer, yet he knew he wasn't going to get anything else from Cid right now.
There was a small silence between the two before a knock on the door broke it.
"Come in" a familiar face walked inside the room, with the same smile she left with.
"I've found her sir, she is waiting outside" Squall turned around his chair a little surprised by this comment.
"Good, ask her to come inside, then you can leave" Cid was relieved she had found her so fast, a long conversation with Squall Leonhart wasn't something he would've liked to try.
"Right away" Xu saluted, then turned back on her steps to leave the room
"Ohh and Xu" Cid added with a serious façade
"Yes?" The commander turned hastily with a sign of worry in her face, quickly going trough her duties in search of something she might have missed
"Thanks, I don't know what we would do without you" The demeanor of the Headmaster changed from seriousness to one of gratitude towards the commander
"Ohh... it's nothing" Xu had again her common smile, yet she thought of how much work she and Mr.Kramer had leading Balamb, other Gardens were easier to manage since the number of students wasn't as great as it was here, nonetheless she liked her work in here. A few moments after Xu left the room...
"Ahh, Quistis, (A/N: no Rinoa yet P) take a sit" Cid stood up to welcome the blonde student. While Squall fixed his eyes on the new face, and perceived the suitable Garden uniform she was wearing, regardless of still being summer-break.
"Thanks sir" Quistis moved to the chair to the left side of Squall and tried hard not to seem too obvious about her interest in the guy sitting next to her, only nodding in his way as a sign of courtesy.
"Ahh stop calling me sir, it's making me feel like an old man" Squall tried hard not to laugh or roll his eyes, Cid wasn't very young, but still tried to remain as one.
"Okay, I'll try" Quistis giggled while Cid perceived a slight change in Squall
"Ohh, excuse my manners please, this is Squall Leonhart Loire, Squall, this is Quistis Trepe, a model student of Balamb Garden" All Squall could think was how obvious that last sentence was, you could tell she was by just looking.
"Nice to meet you Squall, I've heard a lot of things about you" Quistis was pleased to have the opportunity to get to know Squall before the rest of the school, she would be able to know if he would bring any problems.
"Whatever..." Squall never liked to meet anyone, it was pointless to be polite with someone if they would end up leaving in the end, so he was only polite when it was a duty.
"Err, Quistis, why don't you give squall a tour around the facilities, then show him the way to his dorm, I'm sure you'll find it, it's the one in front of Rinoa's" Cid tried to avoid a verbal fight between two of his best students.
"Ohh, ok, shall we?" There was a faked smile in Quistis' face, she wasn't going to lose her temper so fast, she expected some hostility from the transfer student, but this was just faster than she expected
"Again, welcome to Balamb garden, and be sure to ask Quistis or Xu if you need anything, I'm not as reliable as they are" What Cid told squall was true, Xu and Quistis were closer than him to the student body, and he had always know Quistis would make a great instructor once she had graduated.
"That's because you're always behind tons of paperwork and traveling around the world"
"That's what I get for being headmaster" Sometimes the only wish in his mind was to be with Edea, and the thought of retiring was something he was now longing for, but there was always an important matter to address, a decision he had to make, an action to be taken, and the burnout was starting to get to him, Xu had only grasped what he was going trough with full force.
The doors of the elevator moved aside to make way to the students inside, finishing a silence that had lasted since they left Cid's office, one of them never the talkative type and the other smart enough to know when words don't do any good.
"This is the main hall, but I'm sure you've seen it before" Squall rolled his eyes as he did when people tried to be funny.
"Follow me this way please, I'll try to explain the areas to you, then proceed to give you a quick tour around them, if you have any doubt or want more details about any of them I'm all ears" Quistis finally stopped trying to be social and just proceeded to do what was asked from her.
"Understood" And I was starting to think he had lost his tongue she couldn't stop having sarcastic thoughts.
Quistis proceeded to walk down the stairs and quietly explained Squall how easy was to find anything in Balamb, all sections were connected to a main circular hall, excepting the classrooms located in the second floor, she went inside only to the library and to the cafeteria, since the other rooms were not visited as often, but she did however mentioned a few pointers about the Training Center and the Quad, how the Training Center here had low level T-Rexes, so using a sleep spell or some other way to make him sleep worked just fine in case there were any troubles; for the Quad, she explained how there was little if any interest from the students, only Selphie Tilmitt was really trying to make the festival happen, so all that was there was a mess of materials. Their first visit was the dormitories so Squall could leave his baggage inside his room, Quistis didn't even bother to knock on Rinoa's door, it was too early for her to be awake, so the tour was quiet and peaceful, once they were done with the first floor, they moved up to have a look at the classrooms.
"Well, that's about it, I hope you like it here" She stopped before they reached the elevator in the second floor
"Thank you, I would've get lost easily finding the classrooms in the first floor"
"You can't believe how often that happens" There was a change in her expression when she looked it was already past midday. "Have you seen Balamb yet?" She wasn't sure why she was asking, but she wanted to know more about Squall
"I've explored all the possible ways of sleeping in a bench in the outsides of the Town, but apart from that, no" Squall had to accept his whole day had been full of irony, but Quistis giggled thinking it was a bad joke "Don't tell me they didn't sent anyone to pick you up?" She didn't need an answer to know that, just by looking at his face she realized he was being serious, "Wow, they really left you there!" Unable to be serious any longer, she started to laugh while Squall only rolled his eyes, but she could tell he was hiding a smile.
Once the laughing stopped Quistis keep talking "Hey, I have to go to Balamb for a meeting, but if you like you can come with me and I'll show you the town, the meeting won't take long anyway" This wasn't the usual Quistis talking, she was the lonely one among her group of friends, but maybe that was about to change.
"I'm really tired right now, sleeping and eating would be my top priorities today" Squall regretted he couldn't say he was sorry or something else more nice than that, this was what always get him to be lonely.
"Ohh... ok, well, I can give you my number in case you find yourself bored or need anything" Quistis wished she hadn't say that, it made her look as if she was desperate "Whatever" His actions could tell more than his words once he took out a pen.
After the formal good-byes, Squall was left alone in the 2nd floor Hall, wondering if what he did was the best, and if this was his one chance to change back his temperament to what it was long ago, after all, no one in here knew him yet, but he dismissed the thought as fast as it came, it would be pointless to do that.
Once in the first floor Squall walked to the dormitories to take a nap before going to the Cafeteria, his mind was tired and so was his body, after sliding the id card trough the reader, he rushed to his bed closing the door behind him with his foot, then collapsed to the bed, not bothering to do anything else, his mind would never had guessed, that across the hall, awaking from her slumber, was the woman who would forever change his life for the better, yet, never easily, and never as quiet as now.
Author's Note: Alright! That was chapter 2, and I didn't liked it as much as I did 1st, but that's easy to explain since my pre-Rinoa Squall is not very funny or interesting, he barely speaks at all, but don't worry, once Rinoa gets in the picture, he'll be doomed P, and yeah I can't deny that will happen next chapter, but can you tell how? I reckon next chapter will be more interesting and more Squinoa related, I may include other couples in the future, by the way, Quistis will have a big role in this fic, I don't want to give more spoilers, so expect the next chapter within 2 weeks, probably less since 2 weekends are before that P, Review please, it really helps and encourages me )