Chapter One: Missed Prerequisite
Birds chirping in the distance stirred me from unconsciousness, and I tried opening my eyes. Sharp light stung them, so I took my time adjusting to its bright luminescence. As soon as I could see, I found myself looking at the familiar calming walls of the infirmary of Garden. I assumed Seifer hadn't been so dishonorable as to leave me there, or a fellow student had seen the fight and brought me there. The case was probably the latter of the two. I could feel a bandage crossing over the bridge of my nose, wrapped around my head, applying pressure to the scar Seifer must've given me.
The large, motherly form of Dr. Kadowaki came up beside the bed. "How are you feeling?" she asked, her deep, soothing voice calming any sense of confusion I had previously. It took me a bit to voice a simple "okay" for her. She smiled knowingly, a mock annoyed tone crossing her voice as she emphasized her point: "Take it easy next time, you hear?" She gave me a quick appraisal before turning to the clipboard in hand, which I assume had her report on my visit. I sat up, supporting my torso with both hands.
"Looks like your eyes are focusing," she said, noting my condition. As if to quell any doubts of my condition, she added, "You should be fine. Say your name for me."
"Squall Leonhart, student number 41269." The response was almost automatic, as any other time that I had been in the infirmary or written up by the disciplinary committee for fighting with Seifer. She jotted something down on her clipboard, presumably the information I had just given her. She asked, "Why don't you take it easy in training? Next time, you may not be so lucky."
"Tell that to Seifer," I replied, annoyed that he was being spared the lecture I was getting. My scar burned sharply, briefly and I put a hand up to it. Her features softened before she scowled slightly.
"That Seifer… won't listen to anyone." She gave me a look of slight exasperation before asking, "Why don't you just ignore him?" I gave her a sharp look before taking my hand away, sighing in defeat, "I can't just run away." She gave me a knowing look before concern came back across her face.
"You wanna be cool, huh? Well, don't get hurt in the process. Let's see… your instructor is… Quistis! I'll call her now. Just wait here a minute." I lay back down onto the bed, a sense of exasperation filling me. I didn't particularly want my teacher to be brought into this, but it looked like it couldn't be helped. I could hear Dr. Kadowaki talking on the phone in the next room.
"Quistis? Come get your student. Yes, yes… His injury's not serious. It'll probably leave a scar. … Right. Now please come by." I listened to the birds chirping through the gentle breeze outside, waiting for the inevitable embarrassing escort to the classroom by my teacher before I heard a soft voice interrupt the stillness.
"Squall… so we meet again." I turned my head in the direction of the voice, but I only caught a glimpse of the figure. A girl with short brown hair wearing a blue sleeveless top and a white skirt was walking away from the other room. I heard the door to the medical wing and sharp heels hit the floor in a marching tempo before Quistis Trepe, my teacher, walked around over to my bed. She sighed upon seeing me before her usual knowing smile crossed her face. She came right over to the side of the bed with an I-knew-it attitude all over her face.
"I knew it'd be either you or Seifer!" Seifer and I fought enough for the entire Garden to notice, I suppose, so I didn't get why she was making such a big deal of it. I sat up, receding into myself as my face went completely neutral. I didn't want to deal with people much on this trip back to class. I sat up, ready for it as I heard my instructor say, "Come on, let's go. Today's the field exam." I mentally cursed before getting out of bed and starting to walk down the hall. As we walked, I couldn't help but think about the girl I had seen in the infirmary. She seemed familiar, somehow… but I couldn't place it.
"Squall, is there something on your mind?" My instructor's voice cut into my thoughts, and I suppressed showing my annoyance before I forced out, "… not really." She said the words as I did, and I vaguely became aware that she had stopped and was giggling to herself. I stopped and turned, a quizzical expression on my face.
"What's so funny?" I asked. She shook a hand in the air, dismissing my question as she explained, "Funny? No, no, it's not that. I'm just happy. I feel like I'm beginning to understand my student a little. That's all." She was barely containing her mirth, and I thought to quench it with a hard look and a hand on my hip.
"I'm more complex than you think," I said flatly. She gave in an inviting look as she almost pleaded, "Then tell me. Tell me more about yourself." I didn't even consider it as I turned around and started heading to the classroom. I barely muttered out of the corner of my mouth, "It's none of your –"
"Business!" she laughed as she caught up, hearing me and continuing to walk me back to the classroom. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. I threw the bandage from my scar away in the nearest trash can. No way was I going to let Seifer see that I was weak enough to hide my scars. I could see people looking at me in slight awe or fear at me as I walked back to class, and wondered what the big deal was. Hadn't they seen a scar before?
I walked into class, seeing my fellow SeeD candidates in their little cliques, talking to one another as Quistis and I walked into the room. I could see Seifer, his hands over the adjoining desk backs, relaxed and coolly casual. He smirked at me as I sat at my desk, looking downward and just listening to the room out of the corner of my consciousness.
Quistis said, getting into her public speaking voice "Good morning class. Let's start with today's schedule." She walked over to sit in her ornate desk and continued, "There seem to have been some rumors flying around since yesterday… Yes, the field exam for SeeD candidates will begin later this afternoon." The classroom immediately buzzed with murmurs, classmates who were taking the exam hoping they and their friends were prepared for it. I mentally cursed, as I remembered that I was still one Junction short of being able to take the exam. I wondered if any teachers would be willing to support me before the exam.
Quistis sustained, "Those not participating and those who failed last week's written test are to remain here in study hall. Field exam participants have free time until the exam. Just be sure you're in top condition. Meet in the hall in 1600 hours. I'll announce the team assignments there. Any questions?" I didn't hear anyone offer anything before I heard her say sharply, "Oh, and Seifer!" I vaguely saw out of the corner of my eye Seifer turn his head slightly, as if humoring the instructor by listening to her.
"Do NOT injure your partner while training. Be careful from now on." I saw him look towards me before he shut off his computer with a heavy fist before reclining in his relaxed position. Quistis dismissed the class "Field exam participants, I will see you all later." I heard the other students get up and start leaving before I heard her add, "And Squall, I need to talk to you." I mentally cursed again, knowing she knew I didn't have enough Guardian Forces for the exam. I retreated to the barest of consciousness as I felt two other beings at the back of my mind. I silently greeted them, and felt a mutual feeling emanate from them before I came back into the waking world, getting up out of my desk and walking over towards the instructor. She was surrounded by her usual group of admirers, but they scattered to wait beside the door before I reached them. Quistis was looking at me in a somewhat surprised fashion.
"You haven't been to the Fire Cavern yet, have you? You won't be able to take part in today's SeeD exam if you don't pass this prerequisite." I had planned on going with my magic instructor this morning, but Seifer –
"Hm? Do you have a good excuse?" Her voice broke into my thoughts and I shrugged slightly, saying "Not really."
"Then let's get going. I'll be waiting at the front gate, so come down when you're ready." I walked past her out of the classroom and started down the hall. I could vaguely hear someone running and talking in a hurried tone before a feminine figure bowled into me. I was able to keep my balance as to stay on my feet, but the girl dropped onto the seat of her pants, screaming a whine as she fell. She was wearing a student uniform and had her brown hair styled to curl up so the ends pointed at the ceiling. She almost seemed as familiar as the girl in the infirmary, but I shook off the feeling, figuring I'd just seen someone who looked like her. The girl at the infirmary resurfaced to my mind, as I still didn't know who she was, but that I knew I'd never seen her around Garden before.
The girl in front of me picked herself up, "There." She had an apologetic look on her face as she said, "Sorry. I was kind of in a hurry." Her expression manically went to a look of remembrance as she said, "Oh yeah! Hey, did you just come from that class?" I nodded, and a look of apprehension crossed her face.
"Is… homeroom over?" I nodded again, and a look of defeat made her face pout. "Woo… oh no… This place is so much bigger than my last Garden." I completely dismissed the feeling of familiarity as I realized she was a transfer student, probably from Trabia Garden. They usually sent their cadets here to take the exam, as Balamb was notorious for sending their students out on more dangerous missions than Trabia.
"Oh, hey hey. I just transferred here," she said, confirming my suspicions, "Do you think you could give me a quick tour of this Garden?" Normally, I might have, as I felt a bit sorry for her, being new here. However, I didn't have a whole lot of time before I had to be back for the exam, so I told her so, and was met with a look of disappointment.
"Oh bummer. That's too bad. Well, see ya." She waved, looking fairly cheerful for someone who had missed homeroom as she headed to the class. I went back to the dorms quickly, grabbing my gunblade and fitting it inside my belts, which I used as a makeshift sheath, and filled my inside jacket pockets with concussion cartridges for it. I saw Quistis not long after, waiting outside the front gate, as she had said. She tried explaining things about Guardian Forces and Junctioning, but I'd remembered my lessons, and barely listened to her.
A Guardian Force is an entity that Garden uses to strengthen its SeeDs, the special fighters that Garden trains. Usually, a Guardian Force can be found in its natural form or within a monster. Garden has taught its candidates and SeeDs the Draw system, which allows us to store magic from monsters or the earth itself within ourselves for future use. But another use for the Draw system is to pull out Guardian Forces from monsters, when we find a Guardian Force that's trapped inside one. If a Guardian Force is encountered in its natural form, it must be defeated in order to join someone.
Another technique Garden has taught us SeeDs is the Junction technique. This allows us to strengthen ourselves in various ways by applying magical effects to our strengths and weaknesses. We can speed our reflexes with the powers of the air or add damage to our strikes with the power of fire, and so on and so forth. We can even nullify the damage that extreme cold should do to us, if we wish, or ensure that a creature can't magically blind us. It comes in quite handy, when you prepare for a battle adequately.
We can Junction Guardian Forces to ourselves as well, and - depending on which one we have Junctioned - lets us Junction certain magics to the strengths and weaknesses that Guardian Force is attributed to. A Junctionable Guardian Force only looks like a small gemstone, depending on which one we have. When we Junction a Guardian Force to ourselves, the gemstone dissipates from reality as the being becomes part of your consciousness. If I didn't have them already Junctioned to me, I would have a peridot and an opal, the gemstones of Quezacotl and Shiva respectively.
Seifer and I never used Guardian Forces or magic (until this last duel) when we fought. It was an unspoken rule, that neither of us would hold back, and that we would use the best of our latent human strength and reflexes. However, something in him had changed recently. He had always been rather cocky and full of himself, but there was now a very subtle sense of desperation about him. Though I never said it to anyone, I had a feeling it was because this was his last year that he could become a SeeD. His academic skills were as impeccable as mine, but it was his unwillingness to follow orders to the letter that kept failing his exams. He was eighteen years of age, a year older than me, and the highest age that a SeeD candidate could be. If he didn't pass the exam today, he would never become a SeeD.
"Ready to go?" Quistis' voice broke through my thoughts and I nodded, letting her direct me to the cavern. I had already prepared after hearing stories out of the corner of my ears about the Fire Cavern. Just the name gave away the volcanic temperament of the place, so I had gone about the previous days walking along the beach, killing large finned creatures called fastitocalon fish and Drawing ice magic from them. Shiva even gave me the ability to refine water magic from their fins, and Quezacotl allowed me to refine more powerful magics from the spells I Drew from the monsters. I felt extremely prepared for the upcoming fight.
The only impediment to the trip over the grassy plains was some monstrous flies known as bite bugs that I was quickly able to swat away with my gunblade. Quistis tried asking if I remembered how to use the trigger system of it, but I pointedly ignored her. The gunblade was an exotic weapon few could master, and I had spent my whole life, for as long as I could remember, getting used to the odd balance of weight. It required patience, balance, strength and a keen sense of timing to master the heavy blade which ended the extended revolveresque handle. I held a deep amount of personal pride in myself for conquering the use of such a difficult weapon, and felt annoyed that my instructor would question my skill with it.
We eventually made it to the fire cavern, and she tried explaining more about the Junction system as it applied to magic, and I ignored her again. She even went so far as to ask if I remembered how to use Revolver again, and I gave her a sharp look as I snapped, "I already know it." I was getting pretty irritated with her. Just because I wasn't using all of the cartridges I had didn't mean I didn't know how to use them. I simply knew I'd have to reserve them for the main battle. She put her hands up in surrender, "Oh, okay. I was just concerned, that's all. All right, let's go!"
We strode up to the entrance of the cave, a rocky scar in the grassy woodlands of Balamb. We met the security force that guarded the entrance of the cave, only allowing SeeD candidates with trained SeeDs in, so as to minimize casualties. One said from his post, "Objective: To obtain a low-level GF. A SeeD member must support. Are you ready?" After affirming I was, I gave him my name and cadet number. Quistis spoke up, saying, "I'm his support. Instructor Number 14, Quistis Trepe." The robed guard appraised us before he said, "Select a time limit. Choose one suited to your abilities. Challenging yet reasonable. You may choose in increments of ten minutes, no less than ten, and no more than forty."
"It'll take me ten minutes," I said coolly, hearing a small gasp from behind me. The robed guard said, "Very well. Good luck." The two guards stepped aside and let me and Quistis pass. The heat blasted me like bad breath, the stench of sulfur invading my nostrils. Still, I pressed onward, knowing Quistis was timing me, out of duty. If she was going to say anything about the time limit I had put myself to, she decided not to. Instead, she just spoke with a hesitant tone, as if wondering if I could pull this off or not.
"My job is to support you in battle. Everything else is up to you." I said "fine" over my shoulder as we continued on the small rocky path deeper into the cavern, magma flowing around either side of us. She had a smile in her voice as she continued, "You know, the boys often choke on this test when I come with them. I guess my charm makes them nervous." I didn't even dignify her with a response before I heard an apologetic, "I'm just kidding! Trying to keep you relaxed is all."
I didn't need to be relaxed. I knew what was coming and I knew I needed to steel myself for it, not get chilled out. I grinned to myself as I continued along, considering my mental pun. As we walked further into the contrasting darkness of the cave and light from the magma, I heard the burbling from the volcanic liquid grow louder. It was the only warning before two blobs of magma came hurtling at us from both sides of the pathway. I ducked, the one aimed at me missing my hair by inches, and watched as two spherical monsters settled in front of us. They looked like giant round heads of fire with small arms attached, their hair licks of flames and their maws filled with fangs of light.
"BOMB!" Quistis shouted, "an elemental monster. Use an ice attack for these." I was already a step ahead of her, Shiva's ice magics coursing through my veins to power the damage dealt with Revolver. I Drew some fire magic from the Bomb as I stood up. It was the only kind of magic I felt I needed that I didn't have. The Bomb hurled itself at me, jaws snapping as it popped and crackled with fire. It singed my jacket a bit, but didn't hurt me too badly. I ran at the one in front of me, raising Revolver over my head and swinging downward. The power of a blizzard flowed through my weapon and froze the flames that made up the monster before it fell to the rocky path and shattered in a hundred pieces. A heard a sharp snap beside me, and I looked, wondering if the other bomb was about to try biting me and be more successful. However, it turned out that Quistis' whip had made short work of it. By the looks of the icey shards on the ground, she had most of the same idea, having cast an ice spell before shattering the bomb with a quick flick of her whip. I nodded approvingly before continuing further, Junctioning the fire magic I had Drawn to my elemental defense, hoping to protect myself from getting burned in the upcoming battle.
As I saw the core of the cavern, the pathway leading to a rocky circular hole in the ground, I heard Quistis say, "I guess I was right. You and Seifer are both in a class of your own. You both have amazing strength and potential." I appreciated the comment but didn't respond as we drew closer to the hole. As we approached, Quistis said, "Okay, this is it. Are you ready?" I waved her question off, steeling myself for the impending fight. "You seem confident enough," she commented. The hole glowed yellow before smoke began blowing hard out of it. Beams of yellow light scorched through the hole to the ceiling as a demonic being flew out. It was a brown lionlike humanoid, its hands tipped with vicious-looking black claws. It had a mane of crimson red hair and two giant black horns that curved over its mane to point at its back. A small tuft of red fur kept its hunched form modest, and it was thickly muscular, two golden wristbands its only clothing. It opened its mouth once, the vocal chords in its throat making it speak more than lip movements: "You puny humans dare to challenge me?"
It threw its hands forward as if it was throwing a discus and a ball of flames formed in its palm the moment before it propelled towards me. Quistis jumped back, as though to not be caught in the blast, and I brought Revolver up to block myself from the blast. Due to my foresight, the blast didn't hurt nearly as much as it should have, and the demon grunted slightly approvingly, as though he liked the fact I wouldn't be defeated so easily. I dropped Revolver's blade to my side before charging him, letting out a guttural roar as I brought the weapon up to cleave into him. He brought up one of his arms, and my blade clanged against its wristband, not penetrating. It grinned before grabbing me with the arm it had blocked with by my shirt and punching me with the other hand, letting me go just as it connected. I flew backward and barely kept my wits enough to land on my feet, gasping for air as I tried to recuperate.
I heard a snap and looked up, seeing Quistis try to distract the beast. She was casting ice spells at it and snapping her whip dramatically. The ice spells seemed to hurt him, but he finally grabbed the end of her whip and lashed her against the ground, knocking her prone. I fled into my mind, asking for aide. I felt a cold chill course through me as I realized who answered, and I felt a voice say from within, Just give me a little time…
The demon turned back towards me, seeing me as more of a threat, or at least, more amusing to play with. "Impudent humans!" it spat. He leaped forward, bringing his fist down to pummel me into the ground, but I rolled aside at the last minute, barely evading him. I could feel the small chill I had felt intensify, my breath becoming more and more visible, my movements growing stiffer. The lion demon cast another ball of fire in my direction, but this time, I not only blocked it; I was able to deflect it with a tip of my weapon, sending it back to the magma nearby.
I finally felt the being was ready, and I allowed her to emerge from the back of my mind. Three silver-blue spheres flew from the ceiling to the ground, creating a sheen of ice that was soon pierced by an ice stalagmite. A single figure, a blonde nubile woman with blue ice barely covering her anatomy lay within, her arms crossed across her chest. Her eyes opened and she uncrossed her arms, the stalagmite shattering into shards. She drew her arms back over her head and conjured a ball of light before casting it towards the demon. Ice magically covered all of the demon before shattering off of it, leaving it heavily weakened. The woman faded from reality, and I thanked her at the back of my mind.
"THEY HAVE SHIVA!" the demon roared, a sense of fear in its voice now. I grinned and charged it again, jumping into the air and slicing into it while it was caught off-guard. My adrenaline was pumping, and I slashed at it with anger flowing through me, pulling the trigger of Revolver just before each blow connected, and making the scars I gave it open up even wider. As it stood, breathing raggedly, I dragged the tip of Revolver's blade across the ground and drew it up, magical light flowing through the ground and aiding my attack as I drove my blade into its belly. Blood flowed over my hands as it roared in rage and defeat.
"For me to lose to a human…" he muttered, his mouth barely open. It then opened wider, into a sort of half-grin before he said, "Very well, I will join you. Call me Ifrit. Tell me when you want something burned." He began to glow, and I pulled Revolver out of him, my hand already extended, as I knew what to expect. His glowing mass shrank until it was only a small marble. The glow faded away to reveal an immaculate ruby, which landed softly in my hand.
I immediately Junctioned Ifrit since I wanted to use his strength for future battles. An intense heat and pressure sparked inside my chest, almost seeming as if some of the magma in the Fire Cavern had gotten into my blood. A primal rage contorted my face for a moment before both the heat and the anger normalized. I nodded to Quistis, an indication that I was ready to leave. She told me I had only had twenty more seconds before I would have run out of time. I breathed a sigh of relief as we walked to the outside of the cave.