Final Fantasy 8 The Mystery of the SeeD

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A novel adaptation of Squaresoft's Final Fantasy VIII

Fithos "Awaken yourselves from sleep, my children. This is not a cradle." Luces "Awaken yourselves from sleep, fated children. Sleep does not advance." Vecos "Burning with the fires of truth. Sear with flame the darkness of the world." Vinosec "Burning with the fires of truth. Kindle to ash the evil of the spirit." "I'll be here..." A Vast Ocean "Why...?" A Barren Desert "I'll be 'waiting'...here..." A Field of Flowers "For what?" A Stroke of Lightning "I'll be waiting...for you...so..." A Single Feather "If you come here..." A Lion.. "You'll find me..." And an Angel.. "I promise."

Peace; a simple luxury often taken for granted by the human race. If such a thing were easily withheld in the world, there would be no need for armies or war. There would be no need for death and bloodshed, but alas, this is not the case. Peace is fought for, and usually carries a hefty price. Those who fight for it are not often hailed as heroes unless they are killed while doing so, and even then it takes convincing. People do not like to admit it is their selfishness which brings about war. People are stupid. Often is the goal of war overlooked. Many see it as a way of proving dominance instead of a last resort. War is blind; no hatred or love involved on the battlefield, just two sides fighting for what they believe in. There is never a right or a wrong side to be on in the face of war. Nothing can justify violence and taking of another life, over something as ridiculous as politics, which is usually the case in these modern days. However, among the seemingly never ending religious and political proxy battles that ravaged the planet, another kind of war turned out to be the worst of them all, but this was no normal war by any means. Not to say any war can be classified as 'normal', but it was unique. The Sorceress War, an odd, but somewhat suitable name for the conflict. A supernatural display of unimaginable powers that hadn't been seen in over four thousand years had become a prime weapon of mass destruction. It was thought to be contained and laid dormant over the many centuries, but as time passed, the power grew to a point it could no longer remain suppressed. It had taken place about eighteen years prior, and was still attempted to be forgotten by those who lived it. There were countless stories and tales circling about everything that actually transpired, but only few knew the truth, and no one would discuss it. Call it ignorance, but it was more of a means to an end, and a way to bury the horrific past. Little did people know, it would soon catch up with them...

The somber, ashen sky produced a light drizzle, which fell softly upon the soiled training ground due north of Balamb Garden. It was hidden in the depths of the Gaulg Mountain range, which was free from all outside distractions, and could allow one to focus primarily on one's training. The morning haze drifted below, just above the trees of the forest that surrounded the overhanging cliffs. His heavy, black boots made prints in the wet dirt with every new step, as muddy clunks of soil came loose under his feet. From his side hung a medium-length, broad sword with a very distinctive design, as the base was shaped in the form of a revolver, which justified its name; the gunblade. This inimitable weapon was a mutant crossbreed of a gun and sword, and given its difficult learning, few men in the modern world had mastered it. Etched elegantly into the slanted bottom of the blade was a mythical lion, sprawled dragon-like wings gave it a divine

presence on the weapon. The handle was identical to that of six-shot, cross-action magnum, but was a bit longer with finger grasps, and a chain that hung loosely with a silver lion head sculpted at the end. Damp locks of the young man's almond brown hair hung loosely in his youthful face, giving him an almost rugged look. He sported a black leather jacket with white, fluffy fur trim around the collar, with loose fitting black leather pants. A sleeveless white undershirt peeked out from underneath, as well as a silver lion head with a cross at the neck of the lion, hanging from a silver chain which accentuated by the shallow light. His holster consisted of several brown, buckskin straps, which were fastened snuggly around his hips, and three single straps around his right lap for bullets and useful tools. Thin, black leather gloves topped off the young mans dark apparel, which seemed perfectly befitting of him. As he reached the summit of the barren training grounds, he scanned the area carefully. The perimeter consisted of various sized boulders, which encased the area, making it almost impossible for outsiders to observe what took place. The training ground was a large ring-shaped area, which consisted of nothing more than cracked, dark pavement and dirt, with small weeds that sprouted up here and there. Signs of previous training sessions could be seen everywhere, from blackened, charred rocks from fire magic, and even locations where blood stained the ground and rocks. Normally, training didn't consist of much more than friendly sparring and magic casting, but as they say...accidents happen. "Where the hell is he? Should've figured it was a prank." he snapped to himself in thought, waiting for another young man who he was supposed to meet earlier by the training center. The impatient brown haired young man was well aware of the other cadet's idiosyncrasies, almost too aware. He gradually began turning, his eyes focused on the grim sky and the dark horizon. The ocean was moderately visible in the distance as black tides crashed into the reef, and the dark gray clouds hung overhead like an angry shroud of doom. It seemed like such a cold, desolate place to be at the time, which is probably why he found an awkward serenity to it. The thunder roared with a godlike blare, almost deafening in its moment. The lightning followed with a tremendous bolt that lit up the early morning sky. The luminescence suddenly silhouetted another solitary figure, standing amongst the elemental onslaught in the area known as Pinnacle Rock. Upon seeing the other cadet he had been waiting for, the young, black clad figure crossed his arms and stared at his counterpart, waiting for any action. After concluding that the other man was merely taunting him, he walked towards the shadowy figure as the lightning struck again, revealing the smug smirk on the man's face. Through the rumbling overcast, he could hear a faint cackle under the grin. "You keep me waiting. Shame, shame!" the mysterious figure remarked, scratching the tip of his blade on the wet mineral surface. The clouds chased each other overhead as if they were in battle, almost mimicking.

Upon hearing the self-righteous voice, the young man in black halted, staring bitterly at the cocky cadet with a heated glare. Agitation and hostility gleamed in his eyes as he spoke, "Did you call me up here to run your mouth?" the black clad figure spat back with his gloved hands clenched tightly in a fist, which at the moment ached to meet his adversaries jaw. The man stood about five meters across from him, staring back with an obnoxious grin. "If you're that anxious to learn, I guess I'll just have to teach you." he replied, drawing a similar looking weapon from underneath his gray trench coat, and pointing it towards his opponent, "shall we?" he challenged, luring the shorter figure towards him with his fingers. He too carried the gunblade, which had a design unique from his opponent. Opposed to the power of the Revolver's design, the black blade named after the legendary titan Hyperion had a base handle shaped in the form of a standard .45 caliber pistol. The weapon itself was much sleeker and lighter than the Revolver, with a blade that arched sharply at the bottom, and narrowed to a sharp point at the tip. For a brief moment, the young man in black just leered at the figure standing across from him, who stood a few inches taller, two inches over six foot, with a slightly larger physique. He wore a pristine, light grey trench coat with black lining, and dagger-like crimson red crosses emblazoning the upper arms. Underneath the trench coat was a navy blue, V-neck vest, with a platinum cross seamlessly decorating the front, and a silver choker with a dog tag around his neck. His blonde hair was matted back neatly, aside from a single strand which hung loosely and defiantly over his forehead. He, like his competitor, wore black pants, and a pair of black leather gloves. The shorter, brown haired figure drew his peculiar weapon from its holster, and impaled the razor-sharp tip into the hard soil below. "Let's go. I don't have much time," he said calmly but firmly as he adjusted his gloves, always making sure the silver ring was around his finger. It gave him a sense of security, something he lacked a lot of in his life. The ring was the last thing he had to hold onto his long forgotten past, something he could rarely recall, even at his young age. The taller, blonde haired boy smirked and spoke "Don't worry," he said as he positioned himself in a fighting stance, "I'll make it quick!" he said tempting him forward once again, holding his black blade out. The brown haired figure reached for the handle of his gunblade, which was still embedded into the ground, and charged forward with a dangerously determined glare. The blonde figure began a charge as well, eyes locked onto the other with tenacity. The Revolver swung down with force as the blonde raised the Hyperion, blocking the strike with a smile on his face. He pulled away and whipped his blade around swiftly, only to be met by his opponent's silver blade. "You've been practicing, haven't ya? Won't do ya much good though!" the blonde said as the two continued dueling.

The two had vastly differentiating combat styles. The brown haired figure had more of a controlled battle stance, one that was much more appropriate for using the gunblade. His feet and shoulders remained squared away with both gloved hands firmly around the handle, and the blade held upright so he could defend any impulsive attacks. The blonde was much more careless with the weapon, but seemed to handle it with supreme ease and grace. He would move about quickly, shifting arrogantly on his feet, holding the slender Hyperion with a single hand. The blonde haired figure pushed off and thrust his blade inward once more, as the other dodged by spinning around, swinging down hard with his gunblade, knocking the black blade downward and holding it down with his own. As they came face to face, the two made eye contact. Fierce competitiveness and mutual deference hinted in the eyes of both of the combatants. The blonde smirked, staring deep into his opponents' tenacious blues, and winked wryly at him. Swiftly, he used his strength to lift the shorter figures blade off his own, and jumped backwards, quickly recomposing himself. As the morning light slowly started to creep its way over the horizon, the two continued their training. The two blades clashed together; small sparks created by the friction between the scratching blades. Swing after swing, thrust after thrust, each parried and countered the others attack with great dexterity and ability, as if they knew the move the other was about to make before they even thought of it. The shorter figure drew his blade back, and charged with more force than before. His resolve could be seen in his tenacious blue eyes as he unleashed four strapping attacks on his opponent, who could do nothing but defend. The force of the aggressors' blows dropped the blonde to a knee. Finally, the taller figure was able to knock the other mans gunblade away long enough to collect himself properly. He quickly took a fleeting swing towards his opponent, but missed as the shorter figure dived out of the way, and tightened his grip on the wet handle of the Revolver once more. The shorter figure spun around quickly and positioned for an attack. He swung his weapon behind him as he charged, holding his free arm out as he dashed forward. The taller figure relaxed his battle stance, and inexplicably stood still, as if he were waiting for his opponent. "Come on!" he shouted as he raised his hand in the air slowly, tilting his head backwards as his aggressor sprinted at him. As the shorter assailant continued his charge, he perceived what appeared to be a shimmer emanating from his opponents palm. He stopped in his tracks abruptly in mid-sprint, causing dust to fly out from under his feet as realization swept over him. His eyes widened, and his mouth opened as he ascertained the situation. A small, spiraling blaze of supernatural energy had spawned from the blonde figures hand, glaring brightly and staring him in the face. Before he was able to react, he was stuck in the chest by the flaming sphere. He felt the intense heat as he was struck in the chest, and was knocked to the ground from the force of the blow. Live ashes floated all around him with as he sat up, taking a deep breath. He looked down at his chest, his white undershirt charred with small holes burnt into it. The taller figure sneered as he watched his challenger struggle to his feet. He slowly raised his gunblade high in the air, as his weakened adversary looked up drearily, shocked at what he seen.

"What is he doing!?" he thought desperately to himself, watching as the sharp blade glided down, streaking between his own two eyes. He fell backwards, leaning on the ground with one arm, dizzy and infuriated at the same time, as he watched his blood trickle to the ground, carried by the gentle wind. The fallen cadet grasped his gunblade tightly, and looked sadistically at his opponent; the fury in his eyes only shadowed by the adrenaline that just burst through his veins. The blonde figure laughed, finding sick humor in the fact he had marred his rival. "Now, every time you look in the mirror, you'll remember the name Seifer Almasy!" he stated smugly towards his injured contender. As the young man known as Seifer stood over him, the shorter figure struggled to a foot, wrapping his other hand around the Revolvers custom handle. He dragged the sharp blade across the hardened earth, swinging the blade upwards toward the blonde mans face. The sharp point of the blade tore the skin deep between his eyes, very close to where the attackers' abrasion was. Seifer stepped backwards, clutching his face, "Son of a bitch!" he shrieked in pain, as his own blood dripped slowly down his face. He wiped some of his blood off with his gloved hand, staring at it in confusion. He looked at the blood stumbling back, but once again smiling at the sight of it. The shorter figure strived on anger alone as he approached Seifer, grabbing the collar of his coat and pulling him closer with force. "You psychopath, you could've killed me!" he demanded, staring deep into his Seifer's eyes, letting the emotion in his own reap to Seifer's very soul. Seifer withdrew his hand from his face and shoved his opponent away, "If I wanted you dead, you would be. Lesson one, expect the unexpected!" he responded with a hint of urgency. "I swearI'll" the shorter figure muttered faintly, but was suddenly overcome with a numbing sensation. He fell to a knee, and raised his head. Through hazy eyes he could barely see Seifer walking towards him, hearing what sounded like a slow-motioned laughter coming from the figure. With a final attempt, he grasped onto Seifer's arm, trying to pull himself up, but immediately fell to the ground, out of consciousness. Seifer shook his head, and looked over the precipice just as the sun peaked over. He closed his eyes as the dawning sun warmed his face, and looked back down at his fallen competitor. "Pathetic. Simply pathetic. Get up!" he demanded, nudging him with the side of his boot. When he didn't respond, Seifer took a deep breath, signifying his annoyance. He knelt down and grabbed his cataleptic opponent, roughly hoisting the smaller cadet on his broad shoulder. "You scratch my beautiful face, and now I have to carry your sorry ass? You owe me!" he complained as he began to descend down the steep incline, and back to Balamb Garden. The rain stopped and the sun rose over the mountains, shining brightly. The battlefield was now vacant. All that was left, was an angelicwhitefeather.

Chapter I Rise and Shine Thursday, April 20th, 4268 0644 hrs/Balamb Garden Infirmary "How are you feeling?" The simple, yet surprisingly complex question registered in his mind, writhing in the rigid cot as he drifted back to consciousness. The suns unkind rays found his opening eyes, and he closed them again quickly, greeted by a gamut of patterns and fanatical colors that spiraled before him. He again tried to open them, this time letting his eyes adapt to the light. The lime-shaded curtains fluttered above him as a soothing breeze weaved through the slightly opened window, looming with the scent of flowers and springtime. As his sight returned to him, he noticed Balamb Garden's chief medic, Dr. Regina Kadowaki, standing in front of him with a chart in her hands, waiting with an intolerant deportment for a response to her question. He sat up, blinking as the blood rushed back to his head and a tingling sensation swept over him. He cautiously touched his forehead, running his gloved fingers over the bandage that was concealing the streaking wound. As he moved his hand, he glanced up at the doctor with a shaky look in his eyes. "Fucking Seifer..." he thought to himself and grit his teeth, still dabbing at the gauze. Although he was not feeling great, he did not desire the extra attention he would certainly receive if he told her the truth. "...Fine," he answered, even though he did still feel and look quite woozy. She rolled her eyes as she meticulously examined the cadet, seeing in his eyes that he was still feeling the effects of the anesthesia. She knew that the young man didn't like to be pampered, and was stubborn about everything, including his health. She pulled a pen from her white lab coat, and began jotting her observations on the chart. "Okay..." she replied with a goaded tone. Finishing her notes, she leaned over and observed him carefully, checking his pupils and retinas for dilation. She then stood upright and took a step back. "Looks like your eyes are focusing...you should be fine. Just say your name for me and you can be on your way." He shot a look of pure disillusion at her, not in the mood for such juvenile tactics, but knew the good doctor wouldn't allow him to leave unless he complied with everything she asked of him.

He leaned back onto pillow and looked beside him, where his silver ring and chain had been placed along with his gloves. He looked on both sides of the bed, searching for his gunblade, which he spotted standing securely in the corner, within his immediate vision. He took a deep breath, struggling with himself to fulfill the absurd request. "Squall Leonhart," he answered in an annoyed manner as the doctor completed her evaluation. The somewhat generously proportioned woman with greying black hair clicked the pen, and placed it into her inside coat pocket, and glanced at Squall with a disapproving expression, "Why don't you take it easy in training? Next time you might not be so lucky!" she stated in a matterof-fact tone. Squall let his head drop back and hit the pillow again, "Tell that to Seifer." "Oh hush...you two have been putting each other in the infirmary off and on for the last six years, and he didnt walk away unscathed either! You are just as responsible as he is!" Kadowaki scolded the young man who had no reaction to what she said since he had heard it all before. Still, Dr. Kadowaki's head shook in displeasure at the mention of Seifer's name. He had formed an abysmal reputation with the Garden staff through the years and had become known as the Garden rebel. He was frequently counseled, and even though she knew Squall wasn't innocent, she also knew Seifer was usually the instigator. "Seifer Almasythat boy won't listen to anyone," she stated in a breathy and annoyed manner. Dr. Kadowaki had been on the staff at Garden for nearly ten years, and often gave good advice to the cadets, both young and old. Whether they decided to take it or not was up to them, and Squall was one who really didn't even want to hear opinions on how he handled his affairs. Still, Dr. Kadowaki felt she needed to intervene, "Have you ever thought about just ignoring him?" she asked in a dubious tone. "Ignore Seifer...easier said than done..." he thought to himself. Through all his years at Garden, he was never able to completely ignore Seifer, mainly because Seifer wasn't fond of being ignored. Seifer was one that never relented when he wanted a reaction, and even though Squall was able to ignore Seifer's verbal abuse, it was Seifer's physical attacks that Squall regularly responded to. "I can't justrun away," he answered curtly, knowing that wasn't the answer she was looking for. With a displeased expression and a small grumble, she answered austerely "Tch, typical response...you wanna be cool? Well, don't get killed in the process! Even if you don't like each other, you are supposed to be on the same team!" she insisted with heated eyes and then looked back to her chart. "I've contacted Quistis...she'll be here momentarily to sign you out," she informed Squall that she contacted his instructor, gave him a final stern glance and proceeded to leave the room.

"Just what I need..." he thought to himself, almost able to recite her all too common lectures verbatim. He had known Quistis over six years, and ever since they were kids, she tried to guide him and give him sage advice he had no desire to hear. She wasn't even a year over him, but still felt the need to play big sister, even though he made it clear he didn't want to play the role of 'little brother'. Now, she was not only a SeeD, but an instructor...HIS instructor. Whenever something happened, she was the first one he answered to, so he was basically forced into having to talk to her regularly, even though he was always careful not to divulge more than he had to. Squall relaxed his body, trying to disregard what the day ahead had in store for him. His day hadn't started off how he hoped, after receiving a memento from Seifer's gunblade, but he took a distinct pleasure in the fact that he returned the favor. As he lay there, he could feel the heated rays of the sun creeping down on him through the half-open blinds. He could hear light footsteps from the outer corridor beside him, figuring that it was just Dr. Kadowaki or one of the SeeD medics making their scheduled rounds. Much to his surprise, he heard a gentle voice speak out... "Squallso we meet again..." the breathy, feminine voice spoke, barely audible through the glass windowpane. Squall momentarily lifted his arm just enough to give him a view of the adjoining corridor. He caught a glimpse of what looked to be young woman with rolled up brown hair and an odd, aqua colored dress walking down the hall. Before he could study the figure anymore, she disappeared behind the relentless glare on the glass. Squall didn't bother giving it much thought, and again attempted to rest his weary eyes, closing them just as heard the mechanical door to the infirmary slide open. He opened one eye, discreetly glancing to see who it was, considering it might have been the mystery woman who woke him, but averted his attention after eying the familiar individual who had entered. It was a young woman, wearing a familiar, formal black uniform with gold trim and a few commemoration medals, glancing from room to room. She stood just under five and a half feet in height, with lustrous strawberry blonde hair tied up neatly in the back, with two separate tresses of hair curling down both sides of her face. She wore a pair of thin-framed glasses, which belied her young age. When she finally located Squall's room, she stopped and walked inside. Her eyes rolled back, finding humor in the common situation. She knew he was aware of her presence, and he knew she knew that. She stood just inside the doorway to his room, waiting for Squall to acknowledge her. He moved his arm just enough to give him a glimpse of the young woman, who he knew was likely going to give him a long, boring speech about safety during training and staying away from Seifer. He could see the words resting on her lips, undoubtedly something he didn't want to hear. "I know you see me..." Squall quickly sat up at the sound of Quistis' voice. He didn't even bother looking at her as she stood with her

arms crossed, tapping her foot on the ground in her usual habitual manner. "Let's go, she ordered him as she turned around and walked back to the front office to sign him out. He slid his legs to the side of the bed and then stood up, still feeling a bit disoriented. He fastened his belt and straps, grabbed his gunblade and holstered it in its sheath. He put his ring back on his finger, and put his custom made necklace around his neck. He took a moment to adjust his clothing, checked out with Kadowaki, and followed Quistis outside. Upon stepping out into passageway, which overlooked the luxuriant courtyard, the humidity hit Squall like a brick. The infirmary was air conditioned and cool, and his body immediately felt the difference. Squall took a deep breath and followed Quistis down the small staircase. She slowed down a bit to let him catch up, but he speeded up and continued on past her. She looked over at him, the breeze whisking strands of his hair gently in the air, and then letting them fall back into place. "So, do you wanna talk about it this time?" she questioned, hoping maybe that day was different. It wasn't. Squall continued walking and glanced out the corner of his eye, well aware that Quistis was going to try to pry as much as she could out of him. "...No." He replied tediously. "Not really?" she asked nearly the same time he did and bit back an obvious laugh, finding it amusing. She had a quirky sense of humor, and when it involved him in any way, it was beyond annoying to him. "What's so funny?" he halted and asked. Quistis noticed that Squall was staring at her with his usual apathetic demeanor. She gathered herself the best she could, and attempted to regain her composure. "Funny? No, no, it's not that. I just feel like I'm beginning to understand you a little better. That's all..." she explained perkily, but in all the years she had been at Balamb Garden, she couldn't figure him out and had not even known anyone who could comprehend him. Most guys his age liked to party, flirt with girls, and play games. Squall's idea of a good time was training, and on occasion, reading a fictional book. She admired his dedication for his craft at such an early age, but it wasn't entirely healthy in her opinion either. Squall began to walk again, ahead of Quistis, hoping she would eventually take a hint and back off, but he knew better. Most people were well aware within five minutes of meeting him that he didn't like to be bothered, but Quistis was unwavering when it came to Squall. "You don't know as much as you think," Squall snapped back, dragging his feet a bit languorously. "Then tell me...tell me more about the secret life of Squall Leonhart!" Quistis stopped and asked wittily, and although Squall wanted to keep walking, his legs stopped to wait.

After a brief moment, Squall continued walking, past many cadets who were making their way to morning classes. He walked as Quistis followed close behind; waiting for an answer to a question she knew he'd never truly answer. "Its none of your" he began to answer before Quistis jumped in. "Business?" she finished and chuckled, and Squall stopped again and just stared at her. She noticed he wasn't following anymore, and turned to him. "Seriously though, it's probably best you stay away from Seifer." she said trying to look him in the eyes, which he strategically avoided. Making eye contact would only give her the impression he was interested in what she had to say. He wasn't. He hissed in a perturbed manner "You sound like a broken record, Quistis. I've heard this all before," "Well I guess you need to hear it again. If you two can't ever get along, just stay out of each others way!" she demanded insistently, but still rather politely. Most instructors Squall knew would've chewed him out and probably given him an infraction, but Quistis was a lot more lenient and understanding...almost to a fault. Squall decided he had heard enough and walked away from her, just off to the side as he leaned against the rail of the open stone column, and ran a hand through his. As he watched numerous cadets chatting and preparing for the day ahead, he could still sense Quistis' presence behind him. He knew she was smart enough to take the hint, but simply refused to, "Don't you have a class to teach?" he asked, obviously trying to get her to walk away. As usual, Quistis turned his boorish comment into a joke "You don't want to walk me to class? I'd be the envy of all the girls! She asked with playful, sarcastic optimism, until she realized he was not going to humor her. "Fine, but class starts in ten minutes. Better not be late! Wouldn't want to have to give you an infraction," she again joked and winked at him as he turned his head. With that, she finally walked away, leaving Squall to his own thoughts...just how he liked it. Balamb Garden, an elite military academy located on the independent island-nation of Balamb, free from the political views and government scandals that plagued most nations. Although the Republic of Galbadia had been trying for years to turn Balamb into a Galbadian territory, they never succeeded, mainly due to Balamb Garden. Its reputation exceeded itself, known around the world for their highly trained militants, known as SeeD's. SeeD's were the heart of Balamb Garden, praised primarily for their exclusive training with para-magic and Guardian Forces. SeeD's were dispatched all over the world to assist militaries, organizations and even civilians... basically anyone who was willing to pay for their services. They were tasked with anything from fighting alongside nations at war, to protecting celebrities and government officials, and usually worked in groups ranging from two to seven.

Two similar Gardens existed, each serving its own unique purpose. Galbadia Garden existed in the west, in the barren plains in the middle nowhere, seven hundred miles southeast of Galbadia's capital, Deling City. Its purpose was to train young men and women at an early age in a broad range of skills, from weapons to close quarter combat. Those who graduated could then serve as an officer or attend additional training to become Galbadian Vipers, which was the name of their special-forces unit. Since the Galabadian government heavily funded and supplied instructors to Galbadia Garden, they basically controlled its programs and operations.

The third was four thousand miles north on the arctic continent of Trabia. Trabia was bitterly cold most of the year, its usual inclement climate making it an abnormal location for a military training facility. Trabia Garden's main purpose was to train cadets in basic and some advanced skills they could acquire both in Galbadia or Balamb. Graduated Trabia Garden cadets had the option to either enlist in Trabia's small army or navy, or transfer to Balamb Garden to take part in the SeeD program, since it didn't have the necessary facilities to train SeeD's. Although each were important and supported each other via the Garden Alliance, Balamb was the most notorious for its SeeD program. Each Garden did share similarities, though. Each Garden taught the fundamentals a civilian would learn in school. Cadets would learn subjects such as arithmetic, world history, and grammar, and have to average in the ninetieth percentile to keep their enrollment at Garden. They were held at much higher standards than regular people were, mainly due to the responsibility they were aiming to achieve. Cadets were expected to learn all the knowledge a civilian student would learn through college by the time they were fourteen, which was very overwhelming to many, but was necessary in order to teach all the other skills that would make them extraordinary, especially for SeeD. Squall turned his head and glanced upon the numerous cadets that resided at Balamb Garden as they prepped for morning classes. Wooden benches and granite fountains tastefully festooned the

crowded courtyard. It was hard for him to believe that he had been there for almost twelve years. He reminisced on the myriad of events he had been through all those years, and that it all lead up to that day; the field exam. He was more or less a given for SeeD, but no cadet could become a SeeD without first taking the field exam...the final test....and one that was rumored to be impossible to truly train for, at least in the traditional sense. It was possible to be physically and fundamentally prepared, but it was the emotional and psychological aspects that failed many. The mental edge was integral, one that could withstand the possibility of pain and death. Many didn't have it, but Squall knew deep down that he did. He never truly had to face anything outside of a controlled environment, and even though he wouldn't know details of his mission until the briefing, he was well aware it was likely going to be anything but controlled. He escaped his thoughts, returning to reality and stared out into the courtyard. He watched as groups of friends discussed their weekend plans and couples in the courtyard hugged and kissed, and bid their farewells for the day. Looking around, Squall noticed that the one thing that eluded him was everywhere: companionship. Not that he wanted it, but he never understood it. It was everywhere; under the budding cherry blossoms, by the sparkling water fountains, even right next to him. Everyone seemed to have a friend. "How can these people act like having friends is a good thing? They either betray you, or they leave you...what is the damn point?" Squall thought coldly as he stood there motionless. He could barely recollect the last time he had an actual friend. Sure, a lot of people had tried to gain that distinction through the years, but he merely thought of all of them as associates; not friends. What was even more puzzling to Squall is that he had no idea why he felt that way. He just felt a void; a melancholy sensation in the pit of his heart, which freed him from any real emotion on the matter. "Who cares" he snapped to himself, as he pushed off the stone rail of the colonnade, zipped up his jacket to hide his burnt undershirt, and continued to homeroom, where he knew even more anxiety undoubtedly rested. After a quiet walk and elevator ride up to the second floor, Squall entered his homeroom, which was filled with the sound of amusement and banter. The sun seemed to pursue him everywhere he went, as it shined through the skylight above, directly into his eyes. He shook his head in divergence, and continued his way to the back of the spacious room, where his seat was conveniently located, away from Quistis' direct field of vision. As he walked along the glossy wooden floorboards, he heard Quistis' semi-stern classroom voice fill the air. "Good morning class!" Squall turned his head a bit, and saw Quistis standing there with a bright smile on her face. "Yo Squall, sit down man. Ms. Trepe has somethin' to say!" a wide-eyed, dark-skinned male fan of the gorgeous instructor told Squall.

He didn't even acknowledge the young man as he continued walking, "Fuck off...," Squall spat back subconsciously as he walked to his seat. He sat down and began to stare ahead, watching as students conversed and finished up last minute assignments, and a few were even focused on him, likely due to the nagging bandage on his forehead. He touched it yet again, pondering whether to take it off, before he noticed a small yellow paper taped to his monitor. 'You owe me Leonhart. I wont forget!' the paper read. Squall ripped it off his monitor and crumpled up the paper in his gloved hand and glanced across from him, where Seifer was sitting with a haughty grin on his face. Seifer always had a way of getting under Squall's skin. It was a special trait that only Seifer Almasy seemed to have...or at least the only person who regularly tried to piss him off. Squall leered at Seifer as he threw the paper in the receptacle next to him, and then focused back to the front of the classroom. Quistis took a seat at her desk in front of a massive wall-monitor, which was primarily used for instruction and giving notes. As she opened the small red handbook she always carried with her, she raised her head back to the class. "Let's start with today's schedule. As I am sure you are all aware, today is an important day in many of your futures," Quistis stated, flipping hastily through her handbook, until finally stopping on the page she was searching for. "The field exam for SeeD candidates ages sixteen to nineteen will begin later this afternoon. Those not participating and those who failed the written examination are to remain here in study hall for the remainder of the day to prepare for final examinations. Field exam participants will be excused, and have free time until the exam later today," she finished and closed her handbook. "Just be sure you are ready to go. If you feel unprepared, please let myself or a veteran SeeD know as soon as possible. There is no shame in admitting you aren't ready." Squall yawned, not interested in Quistis' words, "You've been telling us the same thing for the past week, you think we...I have nothing better to do than listen to you repeat yourself?" he deliberated as he stared blankly ahead at the two cadets that sat in front of him, whispering to each other. Quistis assessed the classroom, not saying a word for close to ten minutes. She often liked to observe the class, especially Squall, to find what parts of her teaching methods were effective, and which needed work. While Squall did find this to be professional, he found it to be incessantly annoying at the same time. Quistis finally broke the silence "Okay...SeeD Field exam participants; you are excused for the rest of the day. Please ensure you are well rested and prepared for this evening," she suggested, and several student gathered their belongings and began to leave the classroom. Quistis noticed that Seifer was not moving, and had momentarily drifted off during her instruction. "Oh, and Mr. Almasy" she called out to the blonde cadet, who slowly raised his head and looked to the front, disinterested. He had obviously not given any real thought to anything Quistis had put out. "Once again, be careful when training. You won't get another warning. Understood?" Qusitis asserted with her eyes locked on his.

Seifer uncrossed his arms and leaned forward on his desk, and then looked at Squall, assuming it was him who informed Quistis of their little session earlier that morning. Squall just continued to stare forward, even though he could feel Seifer's persistent eyes on him, boring a hole through him. After Seifer realized Squall was ignoring him, he looked back at Quistis, who still had a questioning eye on him. He leaned forward and smacked the grey, wooden tabletop of his desk, pointed at her and nodded with a wink, before falling back into his slouching position. Quistis chose not to retaliate on Seifer's patented brand of sarcasm, and concluded her lecture, "Field participants, I will see you later." With that, the rest of the cadets excused themselves to take care of any business they needed to attend to. Seifer stood up quickly and walked by Squall, letting out a grunt in passing, which was not like Seifer at all. Usually, Seifer would not leave until he got a few good shots at Squall in, but Squall was definitely content with his counterpart's silence. As Squall prepared to stand, he was called upon yet again, "And Squall, I need to talk to you before you leave," Quistis added as she walked over by the exit, and conversed with a group of students that traditionally hung around after class. Squall rolled his eyes "God damnit, Quistis..." he thought to himself as he stood up and walked nonchalantly up to the front. Squall could see she was engaged in a conversation and got an idea he knew probably wouldn't work, "Maybe I'll just sneak out..." Squall thought again and headed towards the door, relatively certain whatever she had to say to him wasn't that important. Quistis noticed Squall's dismal attempt to exit the classroom. "Squall, where are you going? I JUST told you I needed to talk to you!" Squall stopped his stride, and reluctantly made his way over to her. He didn't say a word; instead he just walked in front of her and waited for her to prattle on. Quistis knew he wasn't going to speak unless he had to, so she initiated the conversation. "From what I gather, you haven't completed the prerequisite at the Fire Cavern yet, have you? You won't be able to take part in today's SeeD exam if you don't complete it. Why did you put this off so long?" she inquired, waiting for him to answer. Squall cursed himself for not going sooner. He had an entire month to go, but with everything he had going on between the written exam and training, it slipped his mind. "I was gonna go this morning, but Seifer" Squall stood there, battling with himself. "Hm, do you have a good excuse?" she questioned. Squall thought about it, realizing he really didn't. He had a reasonable defense for that morning, but he had plenty of time to get there, and no worthy excuse for not going sooner. "Not really." he answered simply. She looked at her watch, which read 0728. The Field Exam was not set to begin until 1700, so they had plenty of time. "Then let's get going. If you want to grab some breakfast or some items,

hurry up. I'll meet you by the front gate at 0800," Quistis finished and exited the room, with three of her faithful enthusiasts following close behind. Moments later, after ensuring Quistis and her gang of 'Trepies' were well ahead of him; Squall exited the classroom and headed down the hallway towards the elevators. He walked at steady pace along the along the glass panel walls, that gave a grand scale view of the entire first floor of Balamb Garden. He had no interest in that though, as he had seen it innumerable times in his many years at Garden. Squall thought only of the field exam, which was an ambition of his ever since he had become eligible the year before. Unlike many, though, Squall chose to wait until he felt he was fully prepared before taking the field exam. Most cadets, who were either thrillseekers or just wanted the nice paycheck that came along with the title of SeeD, chose to take the field exam as soon as they were eligible, not really taking an honest assessment of whether they were ready or not. Squall felt the extra year was needed, and the additional gunblade and magic training he had received in that time would be invaluable. The elevator door opened and Squall stepped in onto the blue carpet, overwhelmed by the scent of flower potpourri that filled the elevator. He walked to the back and leaned against the wall, resting his head back against it. He had become obsessed with the possibility of him and Seifer being put on the same squad for the field exam. Seifer had already failed the test twice and Squall was worried that he would drag him down with him. Seifer never liked following orders; he was too proud of himself to be anyone's lapdog. Squall didn't care how Seifer acted, he just didn't want to be caught in the middle. He thought of the outcome that might occur later that day if Seifer pulled another 'Seifer', and a fierce look erupted in his expression "I'll kill him" he thought with hostility as the doors to the elevator opened, and the first floor sunlight gleamed in his face. The first floor always seemed unusually bright during the day; the lush rolling patterns of Balamb Garden's interior seemed to spring to life as a result. Around the towering central structure where the elevators were located, was a shimmering fountain with marbleized fish statues streaming water from the mouths. Around the outer brim of the interior flowed a manmade tributary that encircled the entire length of Garden under the overlapping access strips that led to various other areas of Garden. Native plants such as Balamb Ongdodders and Sharpleaf Jacondras, which only sprung in few spots on Balamb's island coast, gracefully embellished the halls. Squall was forced to walk through the halls of Balamb Garden at least five or six times a day, and it didn't help that a lot of cadets and SeeD's spent their free time walking around the halls, conversing with fellow colleagues. He stepped out of the elevator, and made a slow trot down the stairwell along the split gold railing in the center. He continued his trek and finally turned down the strip of hall that led into the cafeteria, which no doubt was packed at that time of day. He walked down the enclosed passageway, along the large windows of the segmented corridor, and he brushed up against another young female cadet walking by who blushed and scurried away. Most of the girls at Garden either were afraid of the introvert or had a crush on him, but he didn't really care either way.

"SEIFER, DRINK?" a strident, unyielding voice said just as Squall entered the cafeteria. He momentarily stopped after making eye contact with the almighty Seifer Almasy. Him and the other two cadets that stood artfully by the vending machine were part of the Disciplinary Committee, which used their influence primarily for their own benefit, instead of maintaining order in the Garden. Squall saw a short young lady that looked reasonably like a tomboy, with a certain casual elegance about her. She had short, silver-like hair that gleamed in the light, a blue overcoat that she seemed to wear no matter where she was, and snug black pants. Her most distinguished feature though, was the black eye patch that covered her right eye. Squall had no idea why she wore it, nor did he care. Squall yet again made eye contact with the tall blonde cadet, as if he were drawn to them. Seifer smirked and shook his head in candid amusement as he looked back at the female cadet, saying something to her which Squall assumed was about him. Another tall, light brown-skinned, male cadet that stood next them jumped in "Can I drink Fuu? I'd like some soda, ya know..." said the deep voice with a strong Burmecian accent. The female stared agitatedly at the large man "IGNORE!" The man frowned a bit, but his eyes widened as he noticed Squall staring at them. "Yo, it's Squall!" the cadet walked over, smiling and bouncing as if he were on cloud nine.

The husky man stood at a towering 6'4. With a muscular physique and a clannish shoulder pad that decorated his right deltoid. He wore a buttoned up, dark-blue denim vest, and a stocky beaded, wampum necklace. He gave Squall a little tap on the shoulder and looked at the silver haired female cadet "Oh yeah, Fujin's gonna treat, ya know. Want somethin'?" he whispered in playful fashion. Squall looked over at the petite young cadet, who had a grimacing look on her face, "RAGE!" she exclaimed as she walked quickly over to the towering cadet, who overshadowed her by a good foot. The male cadet stopped laughing as she landed a swift right kick to his shin, sending him into a world of pain. He hopped around the room, his hands covering the throbbing shin caused by the steel toed boot "AhhhhOuhhhhhAhhhh!" he winced, as many cadets looked on amusingly, laughing at the floor show the tall cadet was putting on. Squall found it quite humorous for a such a buff man to

be acting like a little girl, hopping about the cafeteria in pain. Seifer rolled his eyes, and focused diligently back on the on looking Squall. "So...still telling the teacher on me, huh Leonhart?" Seifer remarked cockily, and shook his head. "Some things never change." "I ended up in the infirmary this morning. That's how she found out," Squall replied. He really didn't owe Seifer an explanation, but decided to amuse him. "Where else could I take you? You passed out like a little bitch, I couldn't just leave you to die," Seifer informed him, looking over the food behind the counter. "How considerate of you..." Squall replied, quite sarcastically. "Don't flatter yourself Leonhart, I just didn't want the karma of your death on my conscience," the blonde spat back. "Maybe next time, you won't fight dirty," Squall remarked, which seemed to anger Seifer something awful. "Well, excuse me Mr. Fuckin' Boy Scout!" Seifer bursted and shot at Squall and put a finger in his face, "You'll learn in due time that you do what you need to do in battle. Let's just hope it doesn't cost you your fucking life!" he stated, deadly serious. Seifer proceeded to take a step back and rejoin his posse, letting Squall ponder what he just said. Squall dismissed Seifer's comment as bravado and negligence, and continued his stride toward the food line, but was surprised as he watched a faceless person dart past him, slamming into the counter in a mad panic. It was a familiar young man with blonde hair and a muscular frame looking as if he just rolled out of bed, leaning on the sneeze guard, trying to catch his breath. Squall stared on at the cadet with a not so surprised look on his face. "Here we go again. Same thing day in, day out. Do you have any pancakes left?" The young man puffed and wheezed as he stood upright, "D-Do you have anyblueberry pancakes left?" The cafeteria lady frowned and smiled at the same time, regretfully having to break the news to the eager cadet once again. "You're a bit late, I'm afraid. We're all sold out." The cadet bowed his head in discontent, scratching the back of his head, and placing his hands on his hips, "Damn it! It's hopeless if you don't get here early. Alright, I'll try again tomorrow, I guess," he said trotting away slowly, looking very disappointed. For some reason, blueberry pancakes and hot dogs were hot commodities at Balamb Garden, always gone within the first ten minutes.

Squall looked back at the Disciplinary Committee after losing sight of the cadet. Seifer seemed irritated and reached inside of his gray trench coat, and pulled out a small tablet. His apparel and demeanor gave the adolescent Seifer a mature impression, of course that didn't fool the people who knew him. Squall, for instance. Seifer leered down the hall, "Running in the halls! Let's go get that chicken-shit for violation of academy regulations!" he insisted as him and his two leeches took off down the hallway. "How did Seifer ever become part of the Disciplinary Committee?" Squall thought, but he had already known the answer to that question. Seifer was the bad boy at Garden, and for some demented reason, many seemed to admire him. He had been popular with almost all of the younger cadets at Garden, and had numerous ties deep within the Garden staff. Squall just shook off any other thoughts he had in his head, and headed to the counter. He looked up at the cafeteria menu display on the ceiling. He was hungry, but didnt want to eat too much before what promised to be a rough test at the Fire Cavern, so he got some scrambled eggs, Dollet orange juice, and walked leisurely with his plate toward the dining area of the cafeteria, being watchful not to run into anyone who might engage him in a long and tedious conversation. He stared up into the huge transom that was centered high above in the ceiling, which again allowed even more sunlight to peek through. Squall looked to his left, to his right, and everywhere in between, but could not find a single unoccupied table. As he searched the spacious galley thoroughly, he heard a voice calling him. "Student No. 41269, Squall Leonhart?" a voice said, and Squall turned around. He seen a recognizable figure standing in front of him, all dressed up in the never changing large yellow hats that covered the whole head and face, the red robes, white shirt and black tie. It was none other than one of the all-mysterious Garden Faculty. Squall nodded after he leered at the character for a moment. "You're that problem child!" Squall rolled his eyes after being wrongly labeled. "That's the price you pay when you go anywhere near Seifer, I guess." He thought, knowing Seifer was primarily the reason he ever got in trouble. "From what I gather, you haven't completed your prerequisite or the field exam! What are you still doing here?" the faculty member demanded. The Garden Faculty was quite bothersome, never turning their heads, even to the most negligible infractions. They scolded and often subtly insulted cadets as they pleased. He had remembered quite a few occurrences in the past in which cadets, and even SeeD's had exchanged harsh words with the faculty. He hadn't recalled anyone actually striking a faculty member, as such penalties would be severe. Squall didn't bother responding, and instead walked away slowly, shaking his head in irritation. He couldnt even get a bite to eat without these guys breathing down his neck. He had gotten used to the strict regiments at Garden, but quite often, it was more annoying than helpful. Upon seeing Garden Faculty members scattered throughout the cafeteria, Squall decided to avoid any chances of being lectured again and dumped his food without eating, figuring he could do so when he got back. He exited the cafeteria, shooting the Garden Faculty member that scolded him an annoyed look before walking out. The long day was about to begin.