Chapter 7 - Debrief

"Do you remember me?" A girl's voice asked.

Squall looked at her. There was something familiar…but no..

"Do I know you?"

"Please, try…Try to remember. Try to remember us." The girl answered.

Strange images flashed into his mind. It was like looking into someone else's mind presented like a photo album. He saw a field of flowers, an ocean shore, looking at old photos with the girl. He felt loved. He felt at peace, and then she was gone.

He was alone, yet again.

Squall awoke to giggling.

Two girls giggling, judging by the two different higher pitches of laughter.

What the….

He opened up one eye, and then the other. His vision slowly came into focus as he rose up onto his elbows.

"Rise and shine, sleepy head!"

Quistis and Xu both stood over him.

Squall looked at them confused.

Quistis giggled. "Did you have a nice nap?"

Squall sat up and looked at her.

"Are we back yet?"

"No…not quite." Quistis said. "But Xu needs your report on the mission. We saved you for last. You looked pretty exhausted."

"Ok. Thank you." Squall said as he slowly got to his feet.

"Here, let's step downstairs into the galley and we can get some food in you while we talk."

Squall nodded. The mention of food reminded him that he hadn't eaten anything since his slice of toast in the morning. His chrono said it was 1930 hours.

Xu and Quistis lead Squall down to the Galley. Xu pointed to the bench across the table.

"Please have a seat."

Quistis went into the kitchen and grabbed a sandwich out of the cooler and placed it in front of Squall.

"May I please have your report, Cadet Leonhart." Xu said.

Squall gave his account of the events going into Dollet and securing the square. How they sat until they saw Galbadian troops enter and then proceed to the tower.

"And it was Captain Almasy's decision to go to the tower?" Xu asked. "Despite the fact there were very clear orders that your team was to secure the square and remain there."

"Yes, ma'am." Squall said, "However, I decided we should follow his order, even though it was against official orders. I thought it best for the team to stay together for his and our safety."

Squall took a bite of his sandwich. Xu smiled at him.

"You chose wisely." She said. "Go on."

Squall finished chewing and continued.

"We then encountered a poisoned Dollet soldier that we later learned suffered his demise from Elvoret poison. Shortly before he died, he told us of Galbadia securing the tower to repair it. Captain Almasy then went into the tower. We followed him in so Cadet Tilmit could deliver her message."

"So again, Captain Almasy left his team and went out on his own." Xu frowned.

"I guess you could say that." Squall agreed.

"We followed him up to the top of the tower but by the time Dincht, Tilmit, and myself got up there he was out of sight. At the top deck, we discovered a Galbadian soldier by the name of Biggs repairing the control panel. Whatever he did, he was able to get something to work. The tower started extending out a large satellite array."

Squall paused and took a sip of water.

"I then confronted Biggs. At this time, Captain Almasy appeared with another soldier called Wedge. At this time they both attacked and we quickly neutralized them."

Squall paused again, taking another sip of water.

"Right after the two were both neutralized is when we encountered the Elvoret. It could have been the one that took out the Dollet soldier and some of his team. Zell remembered that they can be weak to Electricity so he summoned Quezcotyl and we all threw electrical attacks at it. We knocked it down and I summoned Ifrit to finish the job by throwing it off the tower and using hell fire to cremate it. I then cast a water spell to put the remains out. After this battle was when Cadet Tilmit informed us of the order to withdraw."

"Again, Captain Almasy left without you." Xu said.

Zell and Selphie seemed to have already painted a pretty bleak picture of Seifer that Squall felt he was shading in.

Graduation wasn't looking too good for Seifer.

"He was the 1st to the lift and no, he didn't bother waiting for us."

Squall continued.

"I'm not sure where this mechanical spider droid came from, but after we exited the tower, it attacked us. We had to neutralize it several times, yet it still came at us."

"Cadet Tilmit told us you hung back a bit and tried taking it on yourself at some point. That was very brave of you."

Squall shook his head.

"I wasn't trying to be brave. I knew I was beginning to tire and figured both Cadets Dincht and Tilmit were as well. I decided to try and buy them both time, so I tried to make a final stand. It didn't do anything to slow it down. If it wasn't for whoever was firing the cannon, I wouldn't be here."

Quistis faintly smiled at Squall.

"You're welcome."

Squall nodded at her.

"I appreciate it." He said.

Squall looked back at Xu.

"This brings us to present. I appreciate the rest and the food." Squall said.

"I appreciate your report", Xu said. "We'll have your grades ready shortly after we report to the Headmaster. I will say well done considering your circumstances."

"Thank you ma'am."

Squall breathed a bit easier after Xu said that. He was concerned his gamble might not have played out like he thought it would. He worried if he did indeed make the right choice to follow Seifer.