Disclaimer: All Zell's card-gaming tips are worth about as much as a deck of cheap cards. Needless to say I don't own Final Fantasy VIII or it's affiliates.

Zell: Frickin' Hell! Don't blame me for you're horrible skills!

Jenki: Keep it up Zell and you won't get your happily ever after. I hold you're life in the palm of my hands mister Dincht!

Zell: punches floor. House shakes.

Author's Notes: Is there…GASP Action in this chapter? Must've gotten past the fluff filter. Oh wells, without further ado:

Fated Circle

Chapter Four:

The Power of Letters

The blond sighed as she walked over to the hall and asked the nearest attendant for some ice. The train attendant returned a moment later and Quistis reentered the room reserved for the SeeD. She sighed, walking over to the couch where Squall was sitting, gently touching at tender areas of skin around his left eye, and trying not to wince as he did so. "Here," she said, handing the ice-pack to him. "Wow, he got you good."
"…Whatever." He said, taking the ice from her and applying it to his eye. He rested one elbow on his knee, the other arm holding up the ice. He was quiet for a moment, lost in thought when he realized that Quistis was still standing in front of him, arms crossed expectantly. He looked up and met her ice blue eyes. "What?"
"You're not seriously considering what he said, are you?"

"What?"

Quistis sighed and rolled her eyes. "What the General said about Rinoa…and about it being your fault."

Squall shook his head. "I don't know."

"He was just looking for someone to blame."

"… I think he may have been right." The former instructor looked at him perplexed. "I think it was part my fault, part Rinoa's….and part…" Squall frowned. "I don't want to say 'fate' because I'm not sure I believe in fate."

Quistis thought about that for a moment before responding. "You're wrong. It wasn't your fault or Rinoa's. Neither of you knew what was going to happen---none of us did. I think that if blame needs to be placed, Ultimecia's the only one it could be placed on."

Squall opened his mouth to respond when the train came to a stop. He pulled the ice from his eye. "Is it noticeable?"

"Don't worry, that color works perfectly with your eyes." She laughed.

"…Damnit."

"Loosen up a little Squall. It's just a bruise."
"It's not the bruise I'm worried about."

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"Headmaster?" Cid Kramer heard the sing-song voice of his assistant coming from outside his office.
"Come on in Xu." The graying man replied, standing and putting his hands in his pockets as she walked in, and saluted. "What needs my attention?" he asked in that fatherly tone of his.
"I found this on my desk this morning, and I thought you might want to see it." She was smiling from ear to ear as she pulled a paper out from behind her back and extended it to him. He pulled his right hand from his pocket to accept it.

To: The office of Headmaster Cid Kramer

Balamb Garden, Balamb Township

Attached: Letter of Recommendation, Cmdr. Squall Leonhart; Chart

Headmaster Cid, I've been thinking for a while now about my current situation. Out of all the people who entered the time compression (with the exception of our client Rinoa Heartilly), it's come to my attention that I am the only person who is still considered a student, and I thought that all considered it might be about time to rectify that situation.

I know that Galbadia Garden conducts its own SeeD tests, but with all considered I'm not sure I want to return to being stationed under Headmaster Martine. He used my skills, along with those of your SeeD team assigned to Miss Heartilly to try to assassinate Matron without your knowledge, and I'm sure I don't need to tell you how much I hate being used. It's for these reasons that I've decided to request a transfer from Galbadia Garden, with hopes of being stationed here in Balamb Garden.

As for me becoming a SeeD….I already saved the world once, why not get paid to do it next time? I've attached a chart showing just how much money I should have been paid for my services since I left Galbadia Garden, basing the amounts on the salaries of the SeeD I was accompanying. I suggest that if you feel the need to repay me for my valiant services and hard work feels free to do so in ammo or women. Or you could send the rather large sum to the Timber Garden rebuilding, as there's a spunky little brunette girl who's been frowning a little too much for my liking.

And while we're on the topic maybe we can just skip the SeeD exam and move straight into my promotion?

Sincerely,

Irvine Kinneas

Galbadia's Greatest Sharpshooter.

"He drew a topless woman in the margin" Headmaster Cid pointed out.

"Yes..." Xu agreed. "But even I have to admit it's well drawn.''

The headmaster sighed deeply. "I don't know what we're going to do about that cowboy."

"In his defense," Xu said, clasping her hands behind her back. "He has mellowed out a lot since he's been helping out with the Garden Festival committee. I think he has a thing for Selphie Tilmitt which is, at the very least keeping him out of trouble with the other girls here."

"You just think he's charming."
"He is fun to work with." Xu said hesitantly. "Not sure charming is the word I'd use."

"So you think we should accept his transfer?"
"With all due respect, Headmaster, I think you want to accept his transfer. You just want to make sure you have support."

"I knew there was a reason I gave you such a high ranking." Cid Kramer grinned and looked out the window. "Irvine may be Irvine….but that makes him just as endearing as he is frustrating. I suppose it's time to give Headmaster Martine a call."

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"Squall!" Almost before Squall had exited the train, Rinoa was up in his arms, her own wrapped around his neck as he lifted her gently from the ground. Quistis laughed lightheartedly at the sight, but Squall just hugged his princess closer to him.

It didn't matter what Caraway said. He and Rinoa were meant to be together.

"Hey Rin." Squall whispered in her ear. His warm breath sent an excited chill down her spine, and she could almost hear his smile. He breathed in the smell of her shampoo as he held her an inch above the ground. "Miss me?"

"How could I not?" Rinoa responded with a smile. "And you know you missed me too, so don't even pretend you didn't." Over Rinoa's shoulder he could see Irvine giving him a thumbs up. Squall rolled his eyes at the cowboy and set Rinoa gently back on the ground. Rinoa smiled at him sweetly for a moment before her expression turned sour. "Squall…what happened to your eye?!"
Squall frowned. "It's nothing, just a bruise."

Rinoa reached up to touch the tender flesh. "Whoa man, who the hell socked you?!" Zell asked in disbelief.

"General Caraway and I got into a little argument."
Rinoa stepped back, staring at him is disbelief. "A little argument? And he hit you?"

The brunette placed one hand on his hip, gesturing with the other. "Rinoa, it's alright. I took care of it."

"No, it's not alright!" The raven-haired woman fumed. "I'm going to take the next train to Deiling City and give that man a piece of my mind…"

"Rin, it's okay—"

"No it's not! That man needs to mind his own business! He has no right laying one finger on you—"
"Rin!" he took her by the shoulders, and looked down at her. "It's alright. I'm okay. Let's just enjoy our vacation, alright?"
Rinoa nodded solemnly.

"Uh, before we do that, here's you're copy of the letter I sent to the headmaster. I took the liberty of attaching you're recommendation." Irvine drawled.

Squall took a moment to scan the document before he blinked and looked up at his friend. "You attached my recommendation to ithis/i?"

"Why, what's wrong with it?" he asked defensively.

"…Nevermind."

"Alright!" The cowboy tipped his hat, grinning optimistically. "So what're we doing? Beach or Movies?" Irvine had some rather pleasant images going through his mind at either prospect. He could be with Selphie, cuddling up beside him in a dark theater, or he could enjoy the sweet vision of his spunky little brunette in a bathing suit. It was a win-win situation to him.

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He watched the armored trucks pull up in front of the prison

from behind his barred window. His jaw set, his brown eyes scanning over them evaluatingly. When the guards entered the cell-block he was still standing there like that.

"I think it's just a little late to try to think up an escape plan, Almasy." his normal guard informed him, causing the new ones to laugh. "And it's a little futile to indulge the notion that you'll ever see the light of day again."

A grin spread slowly across Seifer's face, but with his back turned from them they didn't have the privledge of seeing it. The guard that was trying to goad him into a fight suddenly frowned when he realized it wasn't working and beat his nightstick against the bars. "Almasy, you alive?"
His grin widened. (Amateur antagonist…)
"Not for long." One of the other guards snickered, causing the rest of them to laugh.

Seifer finally turned, looking to the disgruntled guard that had tried to provoke a fight before. "Hey look, Captain Dickhead's here to visit. Come to see me off?"
The heavy guard snickered and threw him his clothes. "Put em on. So how do you think they'll execute ya? Electric chair? Lethal Injection maybe? Personally I hope they get creative with you, if you know what I mean."

Seifer gave him a cocky grin as he pulled on his trench coat. "And what makes you think they're going to execute me?"

The guard looked at him a long moment, trying to see if he was joking. He was surprised to see that the kid was dead serious. "Yeah right. This is Galbadia we're talking about. They're the kind who shoot first and ask questions later. Any last requests before they make grilled cheese outta you, cause Rex three cells over just keeps goin on about what a fine piece of ass he thinks you are."
Seifer rolled his eyes in annoyance, then picked up a piece of paper from his bed, rolled it up and threw it at the man. "Give that to Laguna, will you Dickhead?"
"Yeah, sure. I'll deliver yer love letter to the President." The guards entered the cell then, cuffing his wrists and ankles to each other and led him outside to the prisoner transport vehicles. The Esthar military wasn't being stupid, that was for sure. Eight guards escorted him out, all fully armed. Seifer could think of a few choice ways to kill Dickhead and company with those chains, but he doubted these guys would care much. Even if he took the guy hostage they'd probably shoot right through his blubber to kill Seifer. They hated him that much. No, nothing short of Hyperion was going to get the gunbladist out of this situation. So Seifer Almasy went with the only option available to him: sit back and enjoy the ride. He let them stick him in the car, although he stood firm when they decided not to be gentle. As they drove through Esthar and into the surrounding mountains he began to feel himself grow nervous. It had been hours, and nothing of note happened besides a cramp in his leg and a pain on his wrist.

Still, the guard sitting across from him thought the former Sorceress' Knight was too calm for his liking.

Then as Seifer stared out the window he finally saw the silver glint he had been looking for. His trained eyes saw it leave a tanned hand just within range and lance out, hitting the back tire of the first car in the escort. The car spun out as the tire popped under the pressure of the weighted staff, the driver unable to control it.
Seifer grinned smugly. Raijin had been practicing.

A chackram was thrown, hitting the tire on the last car, and then there was a thud as feet hit metal on the top of his car.
"They're above us!" One of the guards exclaimed, and they all rose leaving a laughing Seifer chained to the bench seat in the back of the truck. They opened the double doors leaving the gunblade weilder blinded in the sudden light. A familiar chackram came down, slicing across one of the guard's armor only to be followed by pressure in his shoulders as Fujin jumped off the roof of the car and square into him. The other two guards aimed their rifles at her and she quickly retrieved her weapon and sliced up at the second guard with fury. The third guard's fingers had barely tapped the trigger as Seifer extended his hands and let a fire-spell that hit Dickhead full on in the back, launching him forward into the bumper of the third car. There was a loud crack before the man fell to the ground unconscious.

It was only then that the pale girl fixed her crimson eyes at him. One was covered by a patch, but he imagined it held the same fire as the one he now saw. "YOU!"
"Hey Fuu, I was beginning to wonder if you guys were comin'!"

Raijin walked over with his staff in his hand. "Got your letter, y'know?

"ANGRY."

"I think she's mad at you, you know?"

"No, I hadn't gotten that impression." the blond said sarcastically... "Fujin, I wasn't trying to break up the posse."

"DID."

"Awww c'mon, don't be like that Fujin. Besides, you wouldn't have busted this shit up for me if you didn't care about my well-being."

The silver-haired woman thought that over. "We didn't want to see you executed...again."

''I know Fuj, I know.''

"…You're still an idiot."

Seifer frowned, sobering. "Yeah…I'm sorry."

"FORGIVEN!"

"Yeah, just don't get like that again." Raijin told him. "We was real worried bout 'cha, ya know?"

"Would you stop talking like an idiot? Damn...alright where are

we headed?"

"HIDE."

"Yeah, it probably would be best if we laid low for a while." Seifer looked down at his hands. "Hey, would one of you get over here and unchain me? And somebody'd better grab Hyperion from the other cars before they decide to explode or something." Raijin went to retrieve his leader's precious gunblade, leaving Fujin to undo his bindings with keys she pulled off one of the guards. "So where've you guys been since the Pandora? Laying low?"
"GARDEN."

"Oh…" Seifer rubbed at his wrists as they were freed. "So they let you guys back huh? Don't suppose this was sanctioned…"
"WASN'T." She told him as she reached out to touch his wrists. "HURT?"
"Nah, I'm fine…I've been through worse than this."

"You…are more depressed than I'm used to." She told him, in one of her rare cases of using actual sentences. "Usually you'd have kicked Raijin by now."
Seifer looked at her a moment before seeing the mischief in her eyes. He finally laughed. "I figure if I wait I'll savor it more. We've got plenty of time to test that theory out on the road to wherever we're going."

"ANTICIPATION." She replied with a grin.

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A/N: Irvine: So which is it? Beach or Movies?
Jenki: Irvy! It's not for me to decide! It's for our viewers to!
Irvine: Ah, I see! You're tryin' to get them involved.

Jenki: Takes a real genius to figure that one out Cowboy. Anyways, I'm sure Irvine would love to hear you're other ideas for what they could do vacationing in Balamb!

Irvine: By the way…what was wrong with my letter anyways?

Jenki: -; uh…nothing! Nothing at all…next time have someone look over the important documentation before you send it in though okay? And how bout that Seifer? Craziness!

Special thanks to Hououza who's been reading from the start! Thanks so much for your enthusiasm! I'm glad to see you getting into the plot. Did I mention there's a plot:P

Also thanks to Selphie Irvy, –X-Loner-X-Starlight-X- and Spirit of Sorrow for the reviews on chapter 3! You're reviews got me writing this chapter so fast!