Chapter 8 – the Lion of Balamb
The vessel docked at Balamb pier.
Seifer came bolting out of the vessel. He ran over to Raijin and Fujin, who were awaiting his return at the dock.
"SEIFER!" Raijin called out. "How'd it go, man?"
Seifer approached his friends from Garden and greeted them with a fist bump.
"Man, all they did was get in my way." Seifer said as he gestured with his thumb towards Squall and Zell. "Being a leader isn't easy."
The trio walked over to the Garden Transport.
Quistis was next to come out. She looked to Squall and Zell.
"Have you seen Seifer?"
Squall simply pointed to the Garden Transport that was speeding off.
"So long, losers!" Seifer yelled out the window.
Quistis turned atomic red.
"That ASS!"she fumed.
Her eyes widened as she just realized that Squall and Zell were both standing there to witness her outburst.
She quickly smiled at them and said "I'm sorry, you two. You've done a great job. Please be back at Garden within an hour. Dismissed. "
Selphie came out of the vessel last. She walked over to Squall and Zell.
"Yay, we did it!" Selphie exclaimed. She started scanning the port. "Where's our ride?"
"Mr Ego took off with it." Zell lamented.
Squall sighed.
"Well, we might as well just walk it. It's not that far." Squall gestured.
Zell and Selphie followed Squall out of Balamb. They walked along the small, winding, road that connected Balamb to Balamb Garden. The walk wasn't very long, but for Squall it was trying.
Selphie and Zell wouldn't shut up.
"Balamb is soooo much bigger than my Garden. How do you not get lost? I got lost on my way to homeroom today. Thankfully I found Instructor Trepe outside and she filled me in." Selphie said.
"Which Garden are you from?" Zell asked.
Ugh…Zell, there are only 3! Galbadia is the next largest...put it together, Squall said in his mind.
"Trabia. It's in the mountains. I guess that's why it's not so big. We have a small town just outside it. Balamb is sooo big, I think I'll need to leave bread crumbs or something…
"Have you noticed that the corridors are all color coded?" Squall interrupted. "There's also a central directory that corresponds to the color of the tile outside each wing. That's how I figured my way around."
"Right!" Zell said. "I didn't even think about that. I've only been at Garden since I was 10. Wanted to go train to be a fighter like my ol' Gran-Pops. Squall has been there much longer than me, so if there's anyone who's an expert, its him! He's what we call a lifer. You've been here how long…?"
"Since I was probably 6. I don't really remember…" Squall said absent-mindedly.
"Wow..6?" Selphie said. "You're probably one of the 1st students then.."
Squall had enough of this conversation.
"You know," Squall forcibly whispered "The more you two run your mouths, the more unsavory creatures we'll attract. Let's try walking in silence for a change."
"Yes, sir." Zell muttered.
Much better, Squall thought as they walked in silence.
"Seifer!" The petite, dark hair girl from the morning waved. She leaned next to the gate wearing a short, pearl white, halter dress and matching heels. She approached the Garden car as Seifer drove up.
"Hey beautiful!" Seifer greeted. "You're a bit early. Hop in!"
The girl climbed into the back of the car. Seifer continued driving the transport into the garage. They got out and walked into the Garden thru the parking garage and then into the circular lobby.
"Sweetheart, I've got some SeeD business to attend to," Seifer said as he walked with the girl "would you be an angel and wait in the library?"
"Oh, ok."
"The dance will start at 10 pm. I'll come get you." He kissed her hand.
The girl blushed.
"OK. I'll see you then."
Seifer smiled to himself as he and the girl parted ways.
As soon as he saw Squall round the corner, that smile faded.
"How was the drive?" Squall said cooley.
Seifer ignored the comment.
There was bigger things afoot.
"Did you hear about the communication tower?..." Seifer asked.
"Yeah." Squall replied. "Galbadia said if it remained operational, they would leave."
"So…we just left!" Seifer raised his voice. "If it wasn't for that damn withdrawal order, we could've really stuck it to Galbadia and turn that tower into rubble. We could have been the heroes."
"What an absolute waste of time…" Seifer lamented, kicking at the floor.
Quistis came around the corner.
"The only thing you were looking for, Seifer, was a fight!"
Quistis's eyes turned into icy blue shards aimed at Seifer. Seifer paid no mind and simply shook his head and laughed.
"My dear instructor," Seifer began "Only someone as mediocre as yourself would fail to see the bigger picture here. Therefore, you default to using sharp words to wound an aspiring student, such as myself, because you cannot STAND, the fact your student has more imagination in his pinky than you, in an attempt to keep him down beneath you."
Quistis burst into laughter.
"Oh…that is rich, Seifer."
"For the record," Seifer added, "I made the best decision at the time. Is that not the duty of being Captain?"
Xu was next to join them. She scoffed at Seifer.
"You will never be SeeD, Seifer. Calling yourself a Captain is a joke!"
Ahem…
They all turned to see the Headmaster walking over.
"Seifer, I'm afraid that we have no choice but to discipline you for your actions. You MUST follow orders EXACTLY during combat." The Headmaster stated.
Seifer looked down and said "Yes, sir."
"However, I am not without sympathy for you, son. I don't want you to go out there and not think for yourself or take action…"
A Garden Faculty member interrupted as they approached.
"Sir, you have business in your office to attend to."
The Headmaster sighed as if the weight of the world was placed upon his shoulders and he was strained under the weight.
"There are so many issues at hand here that I cannot begin to touch upon." The Headmaster said with a haunted look on his face.
What is really going on here…Squall eyed the Headmaster and the Garden Faculty.
The Headmaster walked away with the Garden Faculty. Seifer looks on and curses to himself.
He mutters "They're always ushering him off some place…damn it!"
Squall heard the intercom chime 3 times.
"All students who participated in today's field exam, please report to the 2nd Floor hallway. Repeat: all students who participated in today's field exam, please report to the 2nd floor hallway."
Squall looked at Seifer who was stewing in his own mess. He left him without saying a word and headed upstairs.
Upstairs, there were about 15 other students awaiting the results of the exam.
Squall had seen the ritual before several times as an onlooker. The hallway would fill up with around 10- 20 candidates. They would wait for the Garden Faculty to call their names and then go upstairs to see Headmaster Cid, where they received their SeeD rank, SeeD ID, certificate, and new dress uniform. The wait wasn't very long...but if it's you that was waiting, it felt excruciatingly long.
Squall's nerves were on fire. He was finding the hallway to be claustrophobic and the air too thick to take into his lungs.
He waited what felt like an eternity before one of the Garden staff started to call their names, one by one.
"Selphie Tilmit."
Selphie giggled and danced her way into the elevator.
"Zell Dincht".
"Ooooh-RAHHHH!" Zell exclaimed as he punched the air.
"Nida"
A guy Squall had never seen before quietly walked to the elevator.
"Squall Leonhart."
Squall's heart jumped for a split second into his throat. He almost questioned if he did indeed hear his name, but given the stares, he knew he had. He quietly walked to the elevator and went up.
The other 3 cadets that had been called up were already standing in front of Headmaster Cid. Squall took his place at the end.
One of the Garden Faculty members stood with Cid and spoke.
"These are the 4 students who passed today's exam."
"Ah, very good." The Headmaster addressed the Garden Faculty.
He faced the new graduates.
"First of all, Congratulations! I understand that was a tough battle, and you all did spectacular. You have fought and shown that you have what it takes to be SeeD."
"As SeeD, you are now combat specialists, available to be dispatched around the globe. But this is only one aspect of SeeD. A day will.."
"Headmaster," the Garden Faculty interrupted "it's almost time for the meeting. Please make this short."
A frown formed on the Headmasters face that was quickly replaced with a smile.
"SeeD is a valuable asset to Garden. Please keep in mind that it's reputation is based solely on your merit when you go on your missions. Handle what you do with care."
"Is that you wanted to say, sir?" The Garden Faculty member, who interrupted Headmaster Cid earlier, asked.
The Headmaster nodded as he turned to grab 4 navy blue folders off his desk.
"These are your certificates and SeeD rank reports."
He approached Selphie 1st and whispered, "I am looking forward to the Garden Festival." as he handed her documents to her.
He approached Zell next.
"Try to not let your emotions control you so much, young man." He whispered as he handed him his documents.
Next, he approached the other graduate with them.
"Always do your best, even if you don't stand out." He whispered as he handed him his documents.
Last, he approached Squall and whispered "Finally! A Gunblade specialist.". He handed Squall his papers and clapped him on the back.
"Congratulations! Continue to make us proud. You are all dismissed." Headmaster Cid announced.
A Garden Faculty member waved the new graduates towards the elevator.
"This way for your new uniforms."
Each graduate was handed a black garment bag containing a newly pressed uniform just before they stepped into the elevator to return to the second floor.
As the new graduates exited the elevator, Squall could hear a solo person clapping. He looked up to see who it was.
It was Seifer. Then next Fujin and Raijin. Then it was everyone who was there waiting with them.
Squall stood in shock momentarily and then let the scene set in.
Seifer failed the exam.
Left them damn near for dead as he ran on to satisfy his ego.
Yet, here he was, the 1st to applaud them.
Squall's puzzled look was matched with a smile from Seifer. Seifer then salutes Squall.
Squall returned the salute and wondered to himself who this imposter was and if he should alert anyone.
Selphie grabs Squall's arm.
"Come on, Squall! We gotta get ready for the party tonight!"
Squall gets drug back to the elevator by a very excited Selphie and shoved in.
He returned to his dorm and hung his certificate on the wall using the silver frame he just purchased the other day as a graduation gift to himself. In the lower right hand corner of the frame was a stylized lion's head which matched the pendant on his necklace that he had made to honor his family name, Leonhart.
An instructor once told him the meaning of his surname meant heart of a lion, a given name to warriors that originated hundreds of years ago. He had asked Squall if he was aware of his heritage and Squall was ashamed he wasn't.
This discovery spurred hours of research in Balamb's library which lead Squall to discover the beginning origin of his name dated back to warriors that used to fell dragons. They took the name to represent pride and strength. He even found an early crest that he used as inspiration to create Griever, his lion.
"I did it." He said to no one.
There was something empty in it all. After 12 years of blood, sweat, and tears, there would be no proud parents to celebrate with. He should be used to this by now. Squall was always alone. There was never anyone to celebrate the milestones, the birthdays, or anything meaningful with. No one to console him when he failed. No one to encourage him to try again other than his own determination.
Today, it felt particularly icy and the frost stung badly. The only one that had congratulated him without obligation had been Seifer…the guy that rarely had a kind word to shoot his way.
Squall sutured the wound on his heart as he's done in the past, time and time again...its for the best he was alone. People only let you down. It's why he was alone to begin with, right? When he was too young to be independent and was forced to be dependent on another, they still abandoned him. It didn't matter and it still doesn't. People will lie to you, cheat you, and leave you with nothing time and time again. And if they didn't, then they'll die…it's the way of life.
Squall cleaned up in the shower and dressed in his new dress uniform. He tried to fix his unruly brown hair, but as usual, it had a mind of its own.
Whatever, he thought.
He stepped into the dorm common area to find Selphie in her dress uniform.
"Lookin good!" she winked. "Alright, let's hit that paah-tah!