Hey all, the next chapter is here! Sorry about the wait, but I've had a lack of inspiration last week to get this done faster. Thanks to those who've continued to review.
Lyrics used: "The Unforgiven" by Metallica, off their black album. And this song reminds me so much of Squall being…Squall! And as always in each chapter, my lyrical choice fits PERFECTLY!
Chapter 13: Unwanted Promotion
A new blood joins this earth
And quickly he's subdued
Through constant pained disgrace
The young boy learns their rules…
The aloof young man walked calmly through the lobby to the boys' dormitory. Leonhart was relieved to find that there was nobody to run up to him and ask about the SeeD missions he has been through. He knew of some people that would do otherwise, and he wouldn't feel up to it at all.
His black boots clomped along the shiny, polished floor. It was a duty of all of Balamb Garden's residents to keep the facility spick and span. Holding out his Revolver gunblade, holding it to his side, he was in luck since none of the blood mixture that stained the blade's once clean surface wasn't causing any spills on the floor he walked upon.
As he continued to walk, Squall was pretty much alone to his thoughts again. What about Odine? How is he able to help Marianne? He focused the question towards Quezacotl, since he seemed to be knowing quite a few things he didn't about the Earth girl. "I wish I knew for sure, but I know that he's able to trace the energy in which a specific person's magic was used. Maybe upon in finding the energy where Edea last used her dark magic, he'd use it to come up with something."
It seemed to be a good theory as he was looking towards the entry way inching closer and closer as he endlessly walked to the destination. The floor in the entry way had a painted wide blue and long line. From observing, it was only painted a over a few years ago because the paint itself was starting to chip off a bit, and the color wasn't as fresh and bright. Well, as long as the sign remained, Squall would never have to worry about getting lost. When he first entered to Balamb Garden by the age of thirteen, oh yeah. He got lost quite a number of times. But after getting used to the size of this place, he could probably find every specific nook and cranny of Garden blindfolded!
What he never did was interact with others much. And most students pretty much stayed away from him. From the cold and fierce hawk gaze out of his blue grey eyes, they knew he didn't want to make friends. And Leonhart had made it his method to avoid anyone. He never had to say a word. Leonhart found it shameful whenever he observed other people interacting. Laughing, crying, or just chit chatting amongst themselves, the same burning question lingered in his mind. Why do people depend on each other? Ever since Ellone has "left" him, having a friend would be against his way of the emotionally controlled conduct he's forced upon himself. And after so much pushing on that over the years, he had grown pretty accustomed to it.
With time, the child draws in
This whipping boy done wrong
Deprived of all his thoughts
The young man struggles on and on he's known
A vow onto his own. That never from this day
His will they'll take away…
From way behind him, Squall could hear faint sounds of footsteps. He turned towards the sound to find Zell just exiting the cafeteria. "Hey Squall!" Zell nodded, flashing him a friendly smile and couldn't wave a hello, because his hands were full. In one arm, he held three soda cans protectively close to his chest. The other hand was carrying what looked like to be some kind of food, wrapped up to prevent spills on the floors of course. Squall glanced at him blankly, not returning the friendly face. Dincht looked a bit concerned, then shook it off in a few seconds in realizing he was to carry the food over to eat with Marianne and Seifer in the Infirmary.
Without further interruptions, Squall entered his dorm. There was a long metal desk to the far wall and window ahead. The shade of blue paint on the walls seemed to blend in with Squall's persona as he walked up and placed his gunblade on the desk, moving his magazine pile temporarily off and set them down on his bed. There was a container of wipes on top of the sink in the mini bathroom. He went and took them, just after slowly pulling off his leather gloves. The ring on one of his hands was now visible for him to see, but he dully looked at. Rarely he would make more than just a moment's glance on his mother's ring. Hell, he never knew her anyway. She died sometime during his infancy. He was only told by somebody when he was a kid…but he had forgotten who that somebody was. Zell one time asked about the ring, but only got a look in response that said, "Mind your own damn business."
What I've felt, what I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown
Never be, never see
Won't see what might have been…
Slowly and delicately, Squall used a few of the wipes to get rid of the red T-Rexaur blood and NORG's yellow slime for blood off of the blade. He wasn't grossed out, but just found it soothing to clean his weapon. It was as if his only "friend" was his gunblade. It wasn't a real friend, but Leonhart somehow must've considered it to be a friend. He never talked to it, and never intended to because he was definitely smart enough to know that objects cannot talk. And the best part about his "friend" was that it never spoke a word, but got the job done when he wanted it to. Unlike people, this beauty of a weapon was cold and emotionless as he was. Ah yes, Squall's gunblade was his "best friend" of his entire existence.
When he was sure that he cleaned the metal of the smallest stain, he went back into the bathroom, taking the dirty wipes and closed container with him. He flushed the mess down the toilet and placed the container back on top of the sink. With soap and cold water, Leonhart washed the leftover blood off his hands. Bloodshed. He hated it. Over and over throughout his life, he's pondered about violence in general. Why bother? Violence was only to cause more violence. Would Gala ever be fully justified? And now, in discovering his own home, himself, and those he's recognized as a form of entertainment on Earth, the violence was never going to stop. Did Earth find violence entertaining? What kind of sick world did Marianne come from?
What I've felt, what I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown
Never free, never me
So I dub thee unforgiven…
Squall thought about Marianne and Earth all in one setting as he laid down on his bed. A part of him was just tired, while the other was hungry. He's had very little to eat. But overall, he was worn out. He flopped down hard on his bed without even thinking about it, causing the stash of mostly Weapons Monthly and a few Timber Maniacs magazines to slide off the mattress and onto the floor. Squall didn't bother picking up then. His youthful and strong body just begged and begged to have a break after hours and hours of fighting and traveling.
Leonhart could never relax. He had more questions to ask his Guardian Force about. Making assumptions of things was usually something Squall didn't like to do. He only assumed when there was no other option.
With every thought that formed in his mind, it caused Squall to turn over. It was as if he had no peace at all. The thoughts were crowding together. If a single thought were a person, then there was a massive crowd just speaking all at once from inside his brain. Is Earth violent as Gala? Is there a place in her world that is peaceful? Do they ever sleep? It was driving him nearly to delirium and he wanted the questions answered as soon as possible, if not right now.
Quezacotl didn't want to give all the answers away, but the bird felt he could settle down some of the crowded thoughts. And so he picked out the thoughts one by one and was cautious about it. If he revealed too much about Marianne and her world, his secret plan of using her to open Squall up would be a disaster. "Earth is not as violent and sick hearted as you think. Squall, why do humans write fantasy novels? Why does entertainment overall exist?" The question was just too simple to answer, and Squall seemed to be getting the point. Entertainment's used as a form to escape from reality… "Remember what Marianne has explained from the previous night?" Quezacotl offered. "Earth does not know that this world really exists." So, to the rest of her world, I'm seen as some fictional character? Squall pondered. He didn't have to think too much on that single detail. I'm someone that's just…made up out of someone's imagination? I came…out of thin air?
Before his private thoughts could even come close to drive him off to the edge of insanity, a voice blared off from the intercoms, located all around Balamb Garden's interior. "Squall Leonhart. This is Cid. Please report to my office as soon as possible." Slowly, Squall sat up on his bed. Can't I just take a break for once?! What now? he thought angrily to himself as he trudged out the door…
At the cafeteria, there was quite a lot of chit chat. Quistis and Irvine had to guess that a number of the students were talking about what happened with Selphie. They didn't know about the other two people that were in the Infirmary.
They sat across from each other at the table, alone. A bunch of Trepies, were bugging Quistis all the way to the table, but Irvine told them off. It was rather embarrassing for the former instructor. Everywhere she had to go, there were those certain girls wanting to be like her. And there were those certain boys who wanted to go out with her, most of them being too young for her age. And Kinneas got a bunch of glares of death, them thinking this stranger was going to take her away from them to be her boyfriend or something.
There was a bit of a hassle in going to the cafeteria. Kinneas had to hand over his gun to one of the lunch ladies because it was prohibited to bring weapons into the cafeteria. Also prohibited to use magic. As long as the cowboy gets his rifle back when leaving, he doesn't mind the middle aged woman in the hairnet holding onto his rifle for a while. Of course, in between leaving the Infirmary and going to have some dinner, Quistis went to her old dorm room and put away her chain whip. Before the incident with Seifer breaking out of Garden, she was off to get her weapon modified in Balamb.
There were both serious looks on Trepe's and Kinneas's faces in sitting across from each other, eating their dinner. This was not the time for dating, and Irvine knew that. And, from looking at this petite young woman, he would think she would want to be his in some place more private, let alone a tour of the entire Garden being a first date. Quistis mostly felt sad and sympathetic for Marianne. She was hurt, and scared. Far from home. "Miss Trepe?" Irvine addressed the golden blonde. "You alright ma'mm?" She looked up at the long red haired man in black cowboy hat, smiling a little. "Please, call me Quistis," she gently insisted, and her look changed back into sadness.
After a pause, she finally admitted to it. Most of her life, she would be able to come up with solutions to just about any problem. Marianne's was very difficult, and never in Gala has this happened before. "…I don't know what else to come up with. Irvine," she addressed him. His eyes never left in looking upon her face. "Tell me, do you think anything in Esthar would be able to help her?" Her, as in you know who… Irvine knew what she meant. "Well, it's worth a try, right? That's all that matters," he confided to her, while poking his fork into some green beans on his tray. "As long as hope remains in our hearts…" Trepe slowly nodded. "You're right… You're right," she said, tone of voice getting softer and sadder by the moment.
In the middle of their silent dinner, they heard quite a stir up from behind them. They turned their heads to see none other than Zell Dincht, cutting in line to get up all the way to the front. The spiky blonde bumped into people and their trays along the way, politely saying an "excuse me" or "pardon me." Irvine squinted his face as Zell was being a klutz and caused one of the junior classmen to drop her tray. "Watch where you're going, you moron!" the brunette scowled at him. Zell offered to help, but the young lady held up her hand. And that mean look on her face wasn't too friendly at all. Was he always this clumsy? Kinneas asked himself as he found himself smiling upon the matter. Dincht walked passed the person on the ground who was cleaning up and continued to journey to the front of the line.
What Quistis and Irvine didn't know was the much more selfless reason behind Zell'sactions. Ever since the age of ten, they knew that boy was crazy about those Balamb brand hotdogs. Well, with their hearts a little lighter from watching Dincht, they ate the rest of their meals in silence…
They dedicate their lives to running all of his
He tries to please them all, this bitter man he is…
On the top floor, behind the two large wooden doors with a painted gold fancy border that even a T-Rexaur could go through, there sat Cid Kramer. Littered on the top of his desk where used tissues in drying his own tears and blowing his nose. For those five minutes the Headmaster had spared for himself, he had been weeping bitterly. For months he's missed his wife so much. And now he's just learned about where Edea was, and what she had done.
A light knock on the doors in front of Cid assumed that it would be either Xu or Squall to come in. In wiping the last of his tears, the man managed to establish his voice to stable tone. "Come in," he said, and began to clean up the mess he made. For any of the youths to come in while Cid had made a mess, was embarrassing for him.
The knob turned as Squall poked his head into the door. Respectfully, he had pushed all of his attempts to the side in telling Kramer off to leave him alone. "You wanted to see me sir?" he addressed to him. Squall had caught Cid picking up the last of the tissues on his desk. "Yes, yes… Come in." Kramer said in a rather welcome manner. With that, Leonhart stepped into Kramer's office, quietly closing the door behind him. He took a seat in one of the black cushioned chairs facing the large, polished dark oak desk. His still rather exhausted body was satisfied in sitting rather than just standing like he'd normally do, hoping that the talks with the Headmaster would end quickly.
"Are you alright sir?" Squall politely questioned. Cid smiled through his urge to shed more tears. The two shared respect of each other. Cid respected Squall for how he was and how he grew up pretty much. Leonhart respected this Garden's Headmaster for holding this facility and offering the opportunities to help him build up a career as a SeeD. In Balamb Garden, there were very few people that Squall had respect for. And was Marianne one of them? He supposed so, because he understood Marianne's story and did like she persisted to him and the others from the night before. He didn't blame her upon anything. It was all Edea's fault for bringing her over to Gala for them to know the truth.
Unable to hide his tears for long, Kramer took off his glasses off for a moment and rubbed the bridge of his nose as he was confirming the choice that he had thought about, dealing with Squall. "As you can see, I am in an emotional mess currently," Cid began, while Leonhart said nothing, but remained attentive. Putting his glasses back on, the Headmaster looked at one of his most devoted students, whom he had treated like a favorite son. "I'm going to have to promote your rank to SeeD Commander."
…What? Squall mentally questioned. "I cannot do this alone, and I need your help in keeping things together, and to prepare the others for what is as stake," Kramer explained to him. Squall looked rather horrified and shook his head rapidly. No…no… NO WAY am I ready or have the intentions of being Commander! "You are the best choice here. There is no one else that I can choose to depend upon." Cid insisted a little firmly. "I apologize if this seems so sudden, but I have no other options."
"But I'm sure there's someone else that can do the job. Why not Quistis? She's done quite well as an instructor. Or what about Xu? Or-" "Squall," Kramer cut Leonhart off. "You were born to do this. …You're a natural born leader, Squall." "But can't you see that I have enough problems of my own?!" Cid's chosen Commander pressed. "I can't do this leader…" He trailed off and stopped himself from cursing as watched Cid walk to the large intercom device located behind the office desk, to the left.
Throughout his life the same
He's battled constantly
This fight he cannot win…
So that's it? Squall fumed inside as the Headmaster began pressing buttons to create a friendly jingle to let the entire Garden that an announcement was about to be made. I can't even think for my own anymore? he continued mulling to himself as Cid began to proclaim his decision for all in Balamb Garden to know about.
"Good evening," the Headmaster began. "I hope everyone has enjoyed the dinner the caterers have worked so hard in preparing. This is Headmaster Cid of course. As you may or may not have noticed from before, there has been some rather unfortunate events. Things seemed to have gone a little out of hand in the Training Center and in the basement, but Squall and a team of others, including Seifer in returning here, have handled it…"
"Marianne…before Zell comes back into this room… You must promise me do never start that shit again. I…kind of appreciate what you've done for me, really, but you didn't have to," Seifer had confided to his new ally and friend. In these few minutes, Marianne and Seifer's bond of friendship was starting to grow. "Okay, but you must promise me something too," Marianne replied, letting the rest of her tears of terror make their leave. Almasy was all ears. "Don't let me go reckless again… I know what I did was just really not fully planned out and stupid, but I had to." "Yeah, I understand that, but in the future? Let's not do that again." Seifer said in forming an agreement. She nodded, completely understanding.
When Almasy found that he had found closure from this crazy stunt that Marianne had taken, he turned to the black backpack that was full of her CDs. He looked from there to the round CD player that Fujin had set down on the small table behind from where he was sitting. Shortly, he found a socket in the wall and plugged the device in. Marianne was observing, and had asked, "What are you doing?" Seifer looked at her with his trademark look. His own smug smirk. "What? Am I not allowed?" he mockingly scoffed. The look and inside joke caused her to let out a few snickers. "I was just asking," Marianne said. A smile was starting to form on her pinkish red lips. "Well, is it okay with you if I played one of your 'CDs'…as you call them?" Of course, she could not object to the cool Seifer Almasy, who had the same kind of smile she had. Besides, music was a major part of her life and considered it to be what she was most passionate about. "Sure, okay," she said, feeling a little easygoing about it.
"How do you turn this damn thing on…? Oh," Seifer muttered in finding the on switch, located on the right side. With a little tug, there was a little sound, indicating that the device was turned on. There now two red dashes shown somewhere in the front. "Okay, now what? Get a CD?" Almasy guessed as he pulled the book bag by one of its straps towards him. "Yup," Marianne simply said with a smile. Heh heh, this is amusing, Marianne thought to herself. Bahamut, I still can't believe that Gala has not invented the CD, ever… Bahamut sensed her giggling and inwardly smiled. His life partner was feeling better, thanks to Seifer. And there seemed to be the other presence that she had forgotten about. Leviathan had found this out too. And so the Water Guardian finally decided to speak after all that time she had been awake. "I'm still surprised that Earth even exists." This made her jump slightly in where she was sitting up. And her head pains were still bothering her, but only a slight notch.
Seifer seemed to have noticed this. Her face instantly changed from a smile to a look of surprise. "Bahamut?" she said out loud, sharing with Seifer in what the hell was going on. "Do you have a cold or something?" From the tone of her voice and thoughts all together, this caused the dragon king to laugh lightly in her head. True, Leviathan did sort of sound like him, with an illness that made him to be losing his voice. "No, I am fine," he assured her, managing to regain the seriousness of the situation. Marianne and Bahamut altogether felt the slightly annoyed feeling from the another presence. Seifer at first didn't understand, but then he remembered about Leviathan. "Marianne, do you remember…?" he began as she was one step ahead of him.
"Oh God, I forgot…I drew out Leviathan. …And he's still inside of me." Marianne said, a bit overwhelmed knowing that there were now at least two voices in her head. Could Edea's/Ultimecia's connection with her be the third voice? By that time, Zell had come in, right in the middle of all this.
"It doesn't take a genius to figure that out, but I forgive you without any offense," the water spirit said, indeed calm about this now. "Yo, what's up? I'm back," Dincht said, not noticing the looks on their faces for a second. As he was pulling up a chair on wheels from Dr. Kowadaki's desk, he froze. "So, what are you going to do about Leviathan, Marianne?" Seifer asked towards the one sitting up in a hospital bed. "…Leviathan?" Zell quirked. "Marianne has Leviathan?! …How?" "She drew him out of NORG, that big ugly Shumi," Seifer retorted, voice enforcing negative emotions towards NORG, who hurt Marianne in the first place with that damned psycho blast.
Marianne's heart was racing as she began to apologize to the other Guardian Force besides Bahamut. Okay, well that's cool… Uh… She looked to Seifer, and an idea was instantly forming inside of her brain. The immortals inside could feel it. Before she could ask, Bahamut had told her the answer. "No, I sense no life partner in Seifer. Are you suggesting in lending Leviathan to him?"
"Marianne, are you ok?" Seifer asked her in concern. "Yeah, yeah…" she said, slowly drawing her attention towards him. "Look, I feel like I owe you again, so I feel that you should have Leviathan," she explained to him. She shook her head, smiling again, but her voice told Zell and Seifer "And I think one Guardian's enough for me. I don't think I could handle more than enough voices in my head. I already started with two." "If that's what you wish, and I am in your debt for rescuing me from the hideous NORG, I'll do it," Leviathan offered and awaited for the decision. Marianne nodded to this and told Seifer, "I want you to have Leviathan. Is that okay with you?" Seifer was taken back by the offer. She was offering him a GF, one that he originally had to earn but had failed in the previous years of flunking the Guardian Force written test. And it was something she requested of him. After all she has done for Almasy, as well as accepting him as a friend, he felt he had no choice but to take the offer. "Yeah, it's fine with me," Almasy said. "
"Are you sure this is what you want, Marianne? This is your last chance. Not that I don't wish to leave, but in case you have any second thoughts…" offered Leviathan. No, she responded almost automatically. I think Bahamut is enough Guardian Force for me to have and handle. And I still have that mental connection with… "The sorceress… Yes, I can feel her connection as well," Leviathan spoke and in feeling through the youth's mind, he could sense that she was pretty sure that she didn't want a third presence. And this was her donation to Seifer in return from rescuing her a second time, ever. "Very well. I shall prepare to be transferred. Brother Bahamut, you know what to do," said the Guardian of Water and fell silent. The dragon king privately bid farewell to his brother Guardian force and then turned to his life partner. "Alright Marianne, I need you to follow my instructions for the Guardian transfer." Ok, Marianne said, willing to do as she's told and was calm in knowing in feeling through Bahamut's calmness that nothing bad or dangerous was going to happen.
"I want you to relax yourself Marianne, for I am to put you in a calm state, in complete relaxation. There will be no pain, but I need you to be still and relaxed for Leviathan to transport from you to Seifer Almasy. Understand?" Got it, Marianne replied to him, calm and collective. And there were no questions. "Good. Now sit all the way back on the bed…" Marianne did so, slowly resting he head on the pillows that her back was pressing up against the wall. Zell and Seifer didn't ask Marianne anything, because they were taught about the process of GF transferring in their classes on the second floor within Balamb Garden.
"Good, now I want you to close your eyes." In looking through Marianne's eyes, he watched and felt her eyelids slowly close together as if she were about to take a nap. "Now, don't sleep. I need you to stay awake for this, or else all of us will be asleep and there will be no Guardian Force transfer…" Okay… Marianne said to let her Guardian friend know she understood. "Good. Now… I want you to imagine us someplace outdoors. A beach. Yes, a beach. I want you to feel your hands rest upon the sand…" With a little effort, Marianne began to pretend she was on a beach with Bahamut while going under his hypnosis technique. Zell and Seifer watched and waited patiently, because they were told that this process could take up a little time.
"Feel the nice, cool breeze on your face… Relax, let your fingers touch the sand…" Bahamut made sure to be relaxed and very calm for Marianne to do the same. He felt her relax, and felt her mind create that special place that Bahamut had just described for her. Leviathan felt it was time to take his leave, and slowly the two could feel her mind slightly light headed. Bahamut kept the hypnosis up as the transporting process was starting.
As for Almasy, he couldn't feel a thing. It was until Bahamut had let her know that Leviathan was in him. As Seifer began to notice Marianne's eyes open, he searched for Leviathan. "Yes, I am here Seifer. It's a pleasure to be your life partner from this day forth." Cool, Seifer said, calmness feeding off of Marianne in what she had just been through. And then a jingle rang throughout Garden. Zell placed the food and drinks down on the table where Marianne's CD player was and listened attentively with the other two.
"Good evening… I hope everyone has enjoyed the dinner the caterers have worked so hard in preparing." A male voice blared on the intercom. "This is Headmaster Cid of course. As you may or may not have noticed from before, there has been some rather unfortunate events. Things seemed to have gone a little out of hand in the Training Center and in the basement, but Squall and a team of others, including Seifer in returning here, have handled it. Some of you may be concerned about Ms. Selphie Timlitt in the lobby, but she is just resting right now. She'll be fine. …And there is someone new here to Garden. Well…to this entire planet of Gala actually…"
From that moment, a part of her was tense. Bahamut assured, "It's alright. The Headmaster knows what he's doing. …Let's eat." Marianne nodded to this and quietly asked Zell to pass over whatever it is she was to have for her dinner. Her first dinner in Gala.
"Her name is Marianne, from another world called Earth, and something rather awful has happened. I've been told by Squall and the others that she has told him that the sorceress from Deling City has used her magic to switch places with her. Please keep in mind that Marianne is quite timid and afraid in this slightly different setting. I need all of you to make her feel very welcome to stay here as our guest until we can figure out to stop the sorceress from controlling her home world. For further questions, ask Squall, Quistis, Seifer, Irvine, Selphie (as soon as she awakens), or Zell…"
Marianne had unwrapped a taco. She sort of smiled in amusement upon realizing that Zell was too late to get any hotdogs for that evening and began to eat. Zell was sitting in the chair he wheeled out, eating his taco, and Seifer was eating his while he passed out the sodas.
"And one final announcement. Squall Leonhart has been assigned as SeeD Commander. …You are to treat him with as much respect as you give me." In upon hearing this, Marianne frowned. So I guess I didn't prevent that… she said to herself in thought. "Destiny can never be avoided," Bahamut said, in giving words as to what he was the Guardian of. As Cid continued talking about Squall as Commander and about the probably suspicious Galbadian army, she had blocked out that portion of Kramer's announcements and just focused on eating. She felt sympathy towards Squall, for she knew that he was given this job no matter what he said and that he hated it…
Back in the office, Squall's mood was nowhere better than what it had been when Cid first told him he was to be the commander. So I don't have a say in this?! My life is just planned out for me?! he fumed to himself. Quezacotl was trying his best to calm his life partner down. "Squall, you are a natural born leader. And you are at the top of the rest of your classmates. I understand how you feel, but this is your true destiny, and you've got to accept that." The effort didn't calm him down at all. Squall's life as he knew it was taking rather a downfall in upon satisfaction.
A tired man they see no longer cares…
The old man then prepares
To die regretfully
That old man here is me…
Leonhart rubbed a finger up and down on the healed scar on his face, for it was starting to itch within his intense amount of anger, frustration, and irritation. Fine, he was to accept this job he had been given, but that didn't mean he had to like it. He would have a harder time in all means to avoid people and interaction with him, but he had to do whatever was necessary to keep them safe. Overall, Squall didn't want to be a hero, and never had the intentions to be one. His own plans for his life were shattered, but started to mend in and build up within Cid Kramer's requests.
What I've felt, what I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown
Never be, never see
Won't see what might have been
What I've felt, what I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown
Never free, never me
So I dub thee unforgiven…
"Squall, would you like to say something on behalf of Garden? You know, to give them confidence?" Kramer asked. Leonhart scowled at him, to mean a definite "no." No way, no how was he going to make a speech. He would only just do his damn job. As long as there was shelter, money for his needs, and food to eat, Squall would do his assigned duties as Commander. And a Commander only had to be active at times of war and life and death situations, right? So that meant there was some freedom involved. Hey, no problem Headmaster. Dish out all the shit you have set up for me, as long as I can have my needs and freedom, he mentally told Cid through his angry as hell expression.
Cid rather frowned upon Squall's reactions, and watched as he left the Headmaster's office without being told he was dismissed. That proved to show how angry and displeased he was of Kramer's decision. But there was no turning their backs on Destiny. In time, Cid knew that his most and only reliable student would accept his destiny and lead Garden to the best paths as Commander.
The elevator doors closed after Squall pressed the button to go down to the first floor. His next destination: back to his dorm. He wasn't so hungry anymore, and rather tired. He would sleep off his irritation and worry about it later. That's what he sometimes did to solve problems, rather than turn to someone about it. At this time, it was a definite occasion to be resting away his problems, and to rest his aching bones as well. Fuckin' hypocrite, Squall grumpily mulled to himself, referring to the Headmaster. He would remain this way until he closed his eyes and sleep on his bed in the dorms.
You labeled me. I'll label you.
So I dub thee unforgiven…