White Flash and the Lion...

EVERYONE! THE COMMANDER!

Everybody stood up. The applicants bowed and the soldiers saluted as the commander arrived and stopped in front of them. He looked at the new faces one by one, observing everyone and somehow sensing if they possess the potential that the school is requiring.

"At ease." He commanded. Quistis sporting her in-serious-business face tapped him on his back and she whispered something. He nodded and faced them again before he continued.

"Congratulations in reaching the second and last part of the test. Today, I decided to make a few changes. The test that is supposed to be a human to human combat will be a test of strength and ability on how you can subdue monsters as fast and clean as you can. I will be closely examining your potentials and skills at this point forward." And the room was instantly flooded with murmurs and audible whispers.

On the other hand, Claire was preoccupied with her own examination of the young man, absorbing the fact that her comrade she had never seen in ages is now standing in front of her. Not a school boy anymore. Sure is. She thought.

Inventing that monicker for Squall wasn't her plan in all honesty, but she was just irritated at how hard headed this once-a-teenager was, wanting to be alone at all times and it somehow gives everyone the headache because he never follows what's already been planned. Mostly at the last minute where they were about to execute, he'll pass. They always end up bickering and they seldom agree with each others opinions. But if one of them is in trouble, the other one never fails to back up, supporting each other all the time, at least. She thought of the old times with him and the other warriors…

…until she was invited into a flashback of memories…

"No." Squall firmly stated with his usual uninterested expression. He rested his gunblade on his shoulder, and started walking away from them.

"That idiot!" Lightning said as she gritted her teeth. Once again he disobeyed his so-called comrades and he's going away again just like that. And this time, she's not going to let this man have his way whenever he pleases. Not this time. Not with the great Lightning Farron. She wrapped her fingers on her Blazefire Saber's metal handle tightly and drew it from it's holster as she attempted to follow and knock the sense out of him but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. It is the Warrior of Light.

"Steady your temper. Allow me to converse with him." He said and metal's clanking from his armour, he walked past her and towards the direction where the lion had gone.

She was about to protest but the monkey thief intercepted. "C'mon Light. Let him talk to Squall." Zidane rubbed his head. "We know you especially when you're angry and letting you talk to him would mean letting you have him fight on the next cycle because you already knocked the consciousness out of him." He awkwardly laughed.

"Like what happened to Vaan due to his stubbornness. Oh, that's a bad memory to remember." The Onion Knight looked at the gray haired thief who on the other hand just shrugged and put his hands on the back of his head.

Lightning sighed. "Fine! But he better not return without that asshole or else I'm gonna drag both of them back here, conscious or not!" She irritably turned her heels, marched towards their camp with all eyes following her until she disappeared from their sight as she slammed the wooden door. The old stone walls of the gateway shook at the force.

Silence.

And the only thing that is brave enough to break that silence is the sound of the wind blowing.

"You know. This will be my first and last time that I'm gonna say this but I'm really scared of her. More than all of the manikins combined from the void." Bartz finally spoke, worriedly.

Vaan nodded. "Who doesn't? After what she did to me, I sometimes hide whenever I feel that she was about to get mad for whatever reason."

"Yeah! I remember when Light asked you to scout the Gateway to the Shrine but Terra ended up guarding it against the attacking manikins alone because all you did was sleep all night at the Sanctuary. I can still imagine how furious she was that time when she heard it. Hell, that was a scary moment. She instantly went back to the sanctuary and kicked you so hard you woke up flying towards the gateway that time! I can still see the look of horror in Cosmos' face when she saw that scene in front of her." The warrior child recalled. It earned him a glare from the sky pirate and a burst of laughter from Bartz.

"Well, you should know by now that you boys shouldn't make us mad or else you know what's comin'." Tifa grinned and she followed the pinkette inside the camp.

Zidane shook his head dramatically as he slowly approached the front of the door. "Oh Light… Strange how I still find her hot after everything."

OK looked at him confusingly, "What are you talking about? You're also one of her frequent punching bags because according to her you are a 'perverted dickhead'…whatever that means but I guess what you're doing is offensive enough for me to always see you be thrown around by her like a monkey toy."

Bartz laughed more uncontrollably as he remembered a scene. "Yeah, serves him right, always!" And he rolled on the grassy land with his arms crossed on his aching abdomen, his eyes welling with tears in laughter.

The monkey shrugged and wagged his tail. "Whatever smarty-pants. Me? I find her even hotter when she's mad. I'd still bet a million gil for me to hit on her no doubt." He folded his arms and continued with a serious face. "And besides, I enjoy women who like it rough. Me gusta! You know what I mean?" And everybody looked at him in disgust.

After what felt like an eternity, WoL finally managed to keep up with the lion and stopped right in front of him. He exhaled deeply before talking. "I deeply admire the braveness in you, young warrior. However, I still insist that you return to our camp. We are obliged to travel alongside our comrades because that is what everyone had agreed. We need to stay together."

"Step aside." Squall annoyingly muttered. But the man clad in armor didn't move and that made the SeeD raise his gunblade and pointed it to his comrade. "I said step aside." Still, he stood bravely and he didn't even budge.

"If I may ask, what hinders you to open yourself? You need not to walk alone. You have us. All of us. In moments like these, we need to seek and understand everyone in order for us to stand united. We are all beside you at all times. Please, return to our friends." WoL reasoned.

"My only mission is to defeat Ultimecia. Don't try to stop me because I will not think twice to fight anyone who gets in my way." He growled.

"Then let it be if that is what you wish." The radiant knight drew his sword. "Truth be told I do not desire even once to cross swords against one of my allies. Forgive me, but I need to stop you from your foolishness."

Squall did not relent. "Then so be it."

They were about to attack each other with their weapons when flashes of white light exploded as it hit them both and they are thrown hard in opposite directions. They groaned in pain as they struggle to search for their attacker.

A woman with a strawberry blonde hair, wearing a Sanctum uniform and a red cape expertly landed in between them as rose petals fall down around her. It's Lightning. She was growing impatient at how long will it took for the Warrior of Light to make Squall return to their camp and they've already wasted too much time, which is obviously wasn't on their side right now. They need to move before the enemies do. And they planned everything carefully only to be messed up by such bullshit. She needed Squall to play his important role in this little plan that's why she can't let him go on his own unlike before. She was serious at dragging his limp body back if she have to. And clearly, the warrior failed in doing so. And it made her more angry.

"If only you've heard what I have said earlier after you decided to butt into my business, you're already dead by now." She looked at the warrior in annoyance and shifted her glare at the SeeD who is now supporting himself with his gunblade while wincing in pain. "And you. This will be the last time that I will tell you this. Return to the camp." She put emphasis in every word of the last sentence as a warning. "Or else, I would have to replace him as your opponent and dare you to go through me." She firmly commanded in her husky threatening voice.

The brunet growled and started his steps limping, away, towards the direction where the champions of Cosmos were.

Lightning looked down at the still kneeling Warrior of Light. "I will follow. Go on and pursuit him." He said and the ex soldier left. She walked briskly until she kept up at a decent distance behind the SeeD.

"Hey! Stop!" She shouted. Squall halted in his steps. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" She angrily asked. "Do you really plan of being like this until the end? Selfishly doing everything as you please and not thinking about the others who suppose to fight by your side? I still believe you're not stupid enough to not think about the reason why they summoned thirteen warriors to fight against Chaos and not just one."

The gunblade specialist still kept his back at her. "I don't have to explain anything."

"Oh really?! If you're really that selfish and callous towards other people then much better if you leave us completely and join Chaos' side so you can do all damn you want!" She waved her index finger at him.

He finally turned to face her. "Lucky for you that's where I'm heading." He sarcastically replied.

"ASSHOLE!" She shouted and a fist came flying and landed hard on Squall's left cheek that made his head turn to the right and him fall to the ground. He grunted and saw the red liquid slowly dripping from his lower lip and he wiped some of it with his gloved hand.

He chuckled weakly and shook his head in disbelief. "That's a hard swing." He commented.

"And you'll get more if you don't straighten up your thinking!" She threatened as she breathed heavily from her unintended attack. She internally regretted her thoughtless action.

"What do you want?! You want the truth?!" He growled. "Here's the truth! I chose to walk alone! Why?! Because that is my way of protecting everyone! We all want to end this nightmare that's why I wanted to finish what I suppose I should've done from day one that some stupid creature decided to throw us here in the first place! I wanted to go and seal the deal with Ultimecia! I want to get even for myself and for everyone! Even if I have to do it alone I will be doing it all over again, for us! Choosing the path I pursued doesn't mean I didn't care about them! We have our different perspectives and ways of showing care for our comrades! Hell, I always come running to back up if anyone is in trouble haven't you noticed that?! I always pop up where help is needed because I always wanted to protect everyone, even from the distance! You can always depend on me but can't you just give this one…just this one to me?! If I were that selfish like what you said I would've searched for the dimensional gate which I know exist somewhere like what Shantotto said and already left you behind to return to my home world! But I stayed because we both knew that if we didn't settle this once and for all, it surely will not end. And they will still go and snatch people to fight the endless war here forever! And I don't want them to experience the same fate that we received here! I'm sure you wouldn't want that either for your sister and your friends! I want you and the rest of our friends to end your sufferings!" He said in an angry tone.

Lightning stared at the ground, still breathing heavily. Now that he finally spoke, everything he said was on point. Even she have her own way of caring for their friends that despite her rough personality, she still protects them with all her life. Friends? He just mentioned it. So he actually consider them as his friends. She raised her gaze at the man sitting on the ground in front of her. Then she felt the surges of guilt and remorse for what she did. She hit him and what's more painful is she misjudged him and accused him of things without even trying to listen. He didn't want to talk so what's the point of listening? Still, she perfectly knew she was wrong and she was embarrassed about it. Well, fuck it.

She approached the brunette and offered a hand to him. Squall raised his head and looked at the extended arm for a moment and sighed deeply before accepting it. "I'm sorry." She whispered as she pulled the man to stand up. But for her who wasn't really used in apologizing, it seemed like she shouted the words at the top of her lungs and it echoed throughout the dying world.

"What?" He furrowed his eyebrows. He honestly didn't hear what she just said.

"I said I'm sorry!" Now in an angry tone. She hated repeating herself especially if she was asked to repeat those two words just because she was guilty and she never liked admitting it, ever.

He nodded. "Apology accepted. Even though you didn't sound so apologetic."

"Just be thankful that I still knew those words because I'm already learning how to get rid of them." She sarcastically said.

He shrugged. "I'm sorry too." He replied. "For causing too much trouble to all of you. Even if I didn't intend to do so."

"Someone need to taught you a lesson sometimes. Schoolboy." She managed to put a faint smile on her face.

"Whatever." His expression somehow shows happiness even in the shadows of the darkening light of the crumbling world.

Xu cleared her throat. She is now standing in front of the strawberry blonde woman who currently looked entranced and is staring into nothingness. "Excuse me? Miss Farron?" and the lady almost jumped as she was sucked back to the present. She instantly noticed the woman's face looking at her with a confused expression.

"Yeah?" Claire quickly replied.

"Well, everyone is gone already into the Training Center to prepare for the test and we are the only one left in this room." The SeeD looked around and gestured at the obvious. "Are you okay?" She asked.

The ex soldier straightened up and mentally slapped herself. Seriously, get a hold of yourself you moron! You planned for this for so long only to let this slip up just because you saw one of your long lost friends! She sighed and looked at the woman.

"Yeah." She redundantly said but now as a declarative reply.

"Good! So I guess we should go down now and get ready." Xu gestured for her to exit first and they started heading to the Training Center.

"Can I tell you something?" She asked at the pinkette while they are inside the elevator.

"Go ahead." The ex soldier replied.

"Honestly, I have this vibe-kind-of-thing when I first saw you." She started. It instantly earned an alarming attention from the woman which she tried her best not to surface in her face.

"It's not a bad feeling so don't be upset or something. It's just that I can somehow see you reach far as a soldier. Like being one of the strongest assets in this school. Someone that any Garden will be afraid of losing. And you'll reach as far as you can get for choosing this job. You know, leading your own squad and kicking those asses. Many SeeDs will admire you for your strength and leadership. Many will respect you for your dedication. I somehow see the real soldier in you. The not so ordinary soldier. Just a vibe that I can sense from your aura. Someone like our commander." She confessed.

It took her awhile before she managed to let out an appropriate reply. Now she really wasn't sure why most of the people she bumped into trust that much so easily. She honestly find it weird. "Thank you. But all of that won't be possible if I failed to pass the test."

"Oh don't be silly. Even just a glimpse of your skills I believe you'll do just fine." Xu replied. The elevator stopped at the first floor of the building and they stepped outside. They walked the rounded hallway and headed towards the training center.

The other participants are already gathered near the entrance of the training grounds. Some instructors and administrators are also on the area to observe. Squall is standing alone on a corner with his arms folded in his chest with his usual stoic face, staring at nothingness.

"I'll be heading there." Xu pointed at the group of instructors that are busy discussing something. "Good luck." She waved and walked away.

Claire looked at the applicants in front of her. They are clearly agitated and nervous about the test. Some are briskly walking back and forth, and some are showing worried faces, tapping their feet or rubbing their hands. She looked up as she noticed something moving on her peripheral vision. A camera. And it hovers around them as it captured every movement of the people in the area. It will serve as their eyes as they watch them fight inside the training center.

Here it goes. Focus. She said to herself. She started walking towards the gate and saw a weapon rack on a corner. Now what should I use? She instantly saw a sharp blade leaning on the pile of weapons on the furthest part of the rack on her left. It's just a simple thick metal blade with it's black handle made with a hard rubber-ish material. Not much design can be seen on the weapon other than a Balamb seal on it's base. She examined the sharpness of it.

Not bad. She commented.

"Okay. Settle down, people!" Quistis shouted as she tried to silence everyone. "We will now start the last part of the aptitude test. One by one, applicants will enter this gate and will fight the monsters that will appear inside. Just a few meters away from here you'll see a huge square marker on the floor. Stand inside it and just wait for the lurking lumps to approach you. There's no need to be aggressive inside if you are planning to "show off" to the panel as it will only put you into more danger. There is no room for arrogance here. If anything goes out of hand, we have our squad here to help you get the job done. And of course, be very careful. You'll never know what monster will attack you so be prepared and focus at all times." She explained.

"So! Who wants to volunteer first? Anyone?" She asked and the applicants began murmuring again, complaining and pointing to each other.

"BE QUIET!" She said at the top of her lungs as she tried her best to shut the noises of the panicking people.

The blonde sighed and dismissed. "I guess we'll go over the list then." And as she raised the folder in her hands to start calling names, a woman in her usual husky and fearless voice spoke.

"I will." Claire stated coolly while resting the blade she picked up earlier on her shoulder. Bunch of chickens. She thought to herself.

Quistis raised her head, quite surprised and adjusted her spectacles as she looked more clearly at the confident woman standing in front of her and she smiled. "All the luck, brave one." And she opened the gates leading to the dangerous area.

The pinkette strode mightily through the artificial forest which served as a habitat for the monsters inside the training center. She looked around as she searched for the spot like what Quistis had instructed, careful not to trip over the roots of the trees that spurted all over the floor. The voices of the people behind her are slowly fading away from her ears as she walked further from them. And as she saw the large square on the floor marked in blue, she stopped in the middle of it and closed her eyes. Complete silence. Now she cannot hear the noises completely. All she can hear was the rustling of trees and the sounds produced by different kinds of insects, like completely standing in the middle of a rainforest.

She opened her eyes and caught a glimpse of the camera hovering above her. She drew the blade she grabbed from the weapon rack earlier. It is much lighter to carry in her hand she thought. If only I have my weapon with me this will be done before anyone knows it. She disappointingly said to herself as she realized how she misses her Blazefire Saber. She can slay any monsters no matter what she's holding, no question about that. But it would be very different if she have her trusted gunblade ready at her disposal. Will she be able to have a gunblade exactly like her Blazefire Saber in this world? That's a good question. No one can ever build the same deadly weapon she had hundreds of years ago. It's unique and there'll never be another one of it. Her beloved weapon will never come back. Even be resurrected, it will never happen. She became more disappointed. White flash… Take upon my name…my ass…

She suddenly heard movements from the bushes 8 o'clock behind her. Another one at two o'clock. One on the 10 o'clock and another one completely behind her, she sensed. She looked at her right and saw a green plant-like monster with several tentacles raised and swayed as it slowly walked near her, preparing to attack.

Four Grats. This should be a breeze. She thought. She adjusted her left foot forward as she moved into her fighting stance, holding the blade on her right hand behind her while her left arm is in front, slightly raised. She waited for few seconds for the monsters to do anything but they just continued walking around her. Growing impatient, she jumped high and flipped in midair expertly calculating where she wanted to land her right foot. THUD! One of the Grats flew backwards as she kicked it with full force on its body. Using the force from the attack to stay midair, she went to the direction of the other Grat and raised her blade to slice the creature's body open in just a quick swing. Green fluids splattered from the monster. Another swing and another body was cut open. Two down. She silently landed on the floor like a feather and stood up and glared at the two remaining monsters. She spun her heels fast forming a circle moving towards them and in the blink of an eye, the two remaining enemies are already cut into several pieces.

Done. She mentally tapped herself at the back as she swung the blade to her side to whisk away the greenish blood from the weapon. She turned to walk back towards the gate and in her embarrassment, she was welcomed with impressed faces and cheers and a big round of applause. She controlled herself not to flush.

"Wow! That was amazing!" Quistis complimented. "It only took you less than a minute to kill four monsters. That's a skill you have right there!" And she scribbled something on the folder in her hand.

"Thank you." Claire simply replied and she looked at the direction of the commander. She was surprised to see him looking at her for quite a while now. And as usual, she concealed it. You really can't tell what he's thinking by the look on his face. He can always deceive you if you don't really know him. His face betrays his mind. But she knew otherwise. He's the same Squall Leonhart she knew back then, at least she thought. She shifted, placed her right hand on her hip and faced the commander with a challenging glare.

What? Too impressed, schoolboy? She didn't even bother looking away. She intended to make an eye contact with the brunet and even raised an eyebrow. When did she budged anyway from situations like this?

If you really know me by heart, you'll have even just a little bit sense of familiarity of who I am deep inside you. She mentally dared the young man.

The two of them wasn't aware that the what seem to be a stare-fight already caught the attention of everyone, alarmingly and it made the test be halted temporarily. From their perspective they are on a brewing rivalry whose on the verge of ripping each others throats anytime. But that wasn't the case…

Xu approached the pinkette quickly and held her in her arm. "I know you're a kind of lady who doesn't want to be stared at like that but please, just let this one pass. The commander normally looks at everybody like that especially when he's in a foul mood. Don't take it too personally." She whispered in a worried tone. But the woman didn't even blinked. "Do you want to die? Nobody does that to the commander!" She hissed, now in a scared voice.

"Is something the matter?" Quistis in her concerned tone, shifted her gaze left and right, to the people in question.

Squall unfolded his arms and walked past the blonde instructor towards Claire. Xu on the other hand is starting to shake in fear as the commander came nearer. His expression is still unpredictable. He stopped at a decent distance in front of the pink-haired lady and his face lightened and his now calm eyes are meaning to tell her something that only she can understand.

"Good job." He said in a voice that almost came from somewhere down deep.

She smirked as she proudly walked towards the exit of the Training Center without looking back. No. Good job, schoolboy. For somehow recognizing me. She felt fluttered.

"What was that?" Instructor Trepe confusingly asked, almost to nobody.

"Well that was weird. Commander, do you know her?" Xu asked curiously as she followed the retreating woman with her eyes together with the others'.

Squall sighed. "No." He said, confused with his own thoughts. "I don't know." He suddenly contradicted and quickly left the area to follow the ex soldier.