Squall grumbled under his breath as he made his way to the headmaster's office on the third floor.
Everyone knew what was happening. Everyone, every civilian, every SeeD had seen the broadcast. The Sorceress had made sure of that. Everyone had seen the massacre that had just occurred in Timber. Everyone that is, except the Sorcerer that should have saved them. No, he had been sitting, snug as a bug, in a hospital bed in the med bay and hadn't even known it was happening.
What was the scrawny kid good for if he couldn't save them? He was supposed to save them, and he hadn't.
The elevator opened with a muffled 'ding' that seemed a little unhealthy for the machine.
He ignored the state of the Garden's mechanics. Brushing past the Faculty members huddled near the doorway, muttering discontentedly. He could sympathise, he was pretty discontent himself.
Squall entered the office without knocking. Coming to an abrupt halt as the doors swung closed behind him. Sitting in one of the padded chairs in front of the Headmaster's desk was the source of his discontent. Or at least a convenient scapegoat.
Harry sat with his back straight in the large chair. He looked ridiculous, Squall thought with a mental snort. Dressed in too large pants and T-shirt. Surely they could have found something that fit the boy better? Or cut something down to size?
Squall set irrelevant questions aside, coming to attention in front of the Headmasters desk. Ignoring the third occupant of the room for the time being.
"You wanted to see me, Sir?" He asked, sticking to Garden protocol for the time being.
"Ah, yes. The business with Timber, I feel that we should help. Being the closest Garden and all, despite being on a different continent. We are better equipped to deal with these sorts of things. I would like you to lead a small team to help the clean up and take in supplies. Deal with any Galbadian soldiers who try to terrorise the civilians?" Cid said, outlining the mission. Speeches may not be the man's strong point, but he could organise people and supplies well.
Squall nodded. "Yes, Sir. Understood." Squall glanced out of the corner of his eye at the Sorcerer, Harry. He wondered why he was there.
He wasn't sure how the Headmaster did it. But Squall convinced himself that Cid had read his mind, answering his mental query.
"I would like Harry to go with you, I know Seifer's gone AWOL, but Selphie and Zell should be free to accompany you. It's time Harry started to see the world as it is a little." Cid tried to smile at the raven haired man.
Squall frowned when he noticed the scowl on the sorcerer's face. Did he even know what had happened? How could he not know? Was he going to refuse to help?
Cid coughed before ploughing ahead. The Headmaster had finally given up on staying in the Sorcerer's good books. About time too, Squall thought. There was no point, he hadn't seen the supposed Sorcerer do anything useful yet.
"It would also be a good chance to determine which of you is Harry's Knight. The test for Seifer, although controlled to a certain extent, was a little explosive.
Squall grimaced at the thought of his blond haired rival. It had not been a pleasant parting.
Focusing instead on the present Squall looked at Harry.
"Are you up to this?" He asked. If the scrawny young man couldn't keep up with three trained SeeDs then he wasn't about to go easy on him.
He hadn't saved them so Squall would make sure he was able to.
Receiving a nod in return Squall decided that he would give the boy a day of hard hiking before he caved. If the supplies were going by train then there wouldn't be room for any of them.
Turning back to the Headmaster Squall finished the meeting. "I'll go alert Selphie and Zell that we have a mission, Sir. We'll leave today in two hours. We'll head to Balamb for a boat before going cross-country to Timber."
Ignoring Cid's slight grimace at the gruelling pace he had dictated. Squall turned on his heel and left the office in search of his two competent team members.
In the end, he found them in the Quad. Trying to chase down a couple of new trainees who had swiped a couple of playing cards by the look of it.
"Selphie, Zell." Squall hailed, just loud enough for them to hear him over the shouting.
Both the blond and the brunette whirled around and bounded up to him with far too much energy.
"Hi, Squall. Need something?" Selphie asked with a bouncing Zell beside her.
Nodding Squall recounted the Headmaster's orders. "Be ready to leave at the front gate in," Squall checked his watch, "an hour and a half."
"We'll be there," Zell said, getting ready to charge off before pausing at the look on Squall's face. "Anything else?"
Squall held back the involuntary groan by sheer force of will, nodding.
"Harry's coming with us."
Squall knew that Selphie and Zell liked the Sorcerer. But even taking that into consideration their reaction was a little explosive.
"YES!" Zell shouted, jumping and pumping the air with his fists.
Squall winced at the loud and enthusiastic response so close to his ears and sighed.
"Just be at the gate, we're going cross country from the harbour so make sure you have everything," Squall said before retreating to a safe distance as the two hyperactive SeeDs exited the Quad.
Grumbling under his breath again, Squall went to do his own packing.
Squall wasn't the first to the front gate as he had planned.
There waiting by one of the ornamental pillars was the Sorcerer, Harry. He hadn't expected the younger man to be there so early, or to be ready at all within a decent time for that matter.
Frowning, Squall nodded to the raven and settled in to wait the fifteen minutes for Selphie and Zell. It wouldn't be a pleasant task to clean up Timber. He had seen the images of the blood and gore as well as everybody else over the broadcast. He wondered idly if Harry would stomach it. He wondered if he could stomach it as the flashes of Dollet and blood and gunfire flickered through his mind.
Squall shook his head to clear the unpleasant memories. Before scanning the area just outside the protection of the Garden's front gates. The chance that monsters could attack them here was high, and he didn't want any surprises
His eyebrows rose for a moment when he caught Harry watching him. Something he could only describe as sympathy in his eyes. Before they both turned again to watch the plains that made up much of Balamb Island.
Squall's thoughts raced as they waited. He didn't know why the Sorcerer was coming with them. He didn't think he could be much help. The lightweight sword strapped to the others hip wasn't going to do much good. Not with only a week to learn.
Squall had yet to see anything beyond the norm with the others magical ability. Though he did know that Harry didn't need a Guardian Force junctioned to use it.
Pushing that train of thought away. Squall was relieved when Selphie and Zell arrived together. Bouncing despite the grim task ahead of them. Squall suffered a pang of envy, he wished he could be so unaffected by the massacre.
Nodding to the most recent arrivals Squall checked his own pack. Before signalling that it was time to move.
"Let's get moving then. The boat to the Galbadian continent leaves in three hours and it's a long walk to Balamb town." Squall said heading off down the road.
Harry stayed near the back of the party while walking. It seemed to Squall that he was thinking and started when he heard him start talking to Zell.
"What's the situation in Timber, politically?" He asked and Squall sighed. At least the Sorcerer wasn't stupid. Thank Hyne for small mercies.
"The Galbadian Military have occupied the City State of Timber for years," Zell answered. Patient and quiet for the hyper young man. "There are all sorts of resistance groups around, though. Not many of them are active...or were. I don't know how many there are now." Zell petered off while Harry nodded considering.
"So the chances of Galbadia keeping a strong military presence in the town is pretty high?" To Squall, taking the lead, it sounded like Harry was musing to himself but chose to answer anyway.
"No, they left only a few guards after this massacre. I think they assumed that after something like that they wouldn't need much to control them." Squall said over his shoulder.
To his surprise, and that of Selphie and Zell as well, Harry laughed.
"That makes them idiots. The resistance groups might have been 'inactive' before. But now they have something tangible to fight against. This will only make them fight harder. It's fight or die now."
Squall turned around at that. Stopping in the middle of the road and watching the shorter man for a moment before nodding.
"Let's hope your right, and that they haven't had the fight squashed out of them."
The walk to Balamb town was quiet. Sticking to the road the group of four avoided most monsters.
The few stray Bite Bugs that stumbled across their path were easily dealt with. Squall hung back for the most part. Trying to gauge Harry's fighting ability. He was reluctant to admit that what he saw impressed him. It was obvious that he had only started learning recently, but he knew how to fight to his advantage. Using his speed and agility to its fullest potential. It was one less thing that Squall had to worry about during the assignment.
He had yet to see much proof of Harry's magical ability, though, and that was beginning to eat at his nerves. Either the other man wasn't the Sorcerer and it was all an elaborate hoax. Or he was holding back deliberately.
The option that something was wrong with Harry's magic was unlikely so Squall pushed it away. He assumed that Harry was smart enough to have said something if that was the case.
When they reached the docks that had led them to Dollet two weeks ago Squall made an effort to detach himself. Now was not the time to have an emotional breakdown.
Squall, Zell and Selphie watched bemused as they came in sight of the SeeD ships.
"How is that a ship?" Harry asked no one in particular and Squall resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Not only was the Sorcerer reluctant to use his magic but he'd never seen a boat before either.
Selphie laughed, "I'd imagine the style has changed a little over the last few thousand years. These beauties are for speed. Not the most comfortable ride but they're quick."
Squall turned away from the conversation as Harry nodded.
Accessing the main deck through the hatch in the side Squall made his way into the ship. Settling as comfortably as he could in the hard seats.
"You know Harry's not all that bad right?" Zell said beside him, curbing his natural bounce.
Squall shrugged. Harry was better than he had thought. At least he learnt quickly, but he had yet to see anything from the Sorcerer that changed his opinion. The boy was just that, a boy. He doubted he had any experience in combat situations. Not to mention this whole mess, if he was the Sorcerer then there shouldn't have been a massacre.
Zell harrumphed. Slumping into his seat, watching as Harry and Selphie followed taking the seats opposite.
It came as a pleasant surprise for Squall to notice that Harry didn't complain as the engines fired up. The comfort of the vessel abandoned for speed.