FicWad

Disturbance in the Peaceful Era

Disclaimer: I don’t own Final Fantasy VIII

Author’s Notes: I’m sorry for the long wait. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce a platoon of Galbadian Soldiers, so that may give off mixed reactions.

Chapter Thirteen – The Letter ‘G’

Two vehicles drove in armoured convoy along the streets in Deling – the city that never slept. The vehicles were identical in every conceivable way. Both had a grey base colour, accented with blue and red. On each side of the vehicle in white was Galbadia’s insignia.

The bulky vehicles took up an entire lane and weren’t technically suited for city driving. They were often used as escorts in convoys but at least they weren’t as cumbersome as their yellow SUV off-road counterparts that roamed the desert.

Inside one of the vehicles, Captain Anderson observed his unit. In the back with him sat three other soldiers, Ace – his technology expert and mechanic: a slim man with a fast wit and one of his oldest friends.

Across from him sat Brutus: his heavy weapon expert. He was a burly gentleman with a love of all things large and loud. He always carried a rocket launcher with him on patrols, regardless of their nature, although his weapon of preference was most certainly the M1A6 Semi-Automatic Combat Shotgun.

The forth member of the Captain’s Transport was a short man with a fiery temper, a scout by the name of Gary. Despite his petite stature, he preferred to fight up close using dual shortswords and relying on his side-arm only when running across the battlefield might prove impractical.

In the other armoured car behind them were stationed the other half of Anderson’s unit. First, was his second in command, First Lieutenant Johnson: an expert sniper, able to hit any target. His weapon of choice was the SNG009 – Galbadia’s largest and heaviest rifle. It was a bolt-action sniper rifle with a massive 750mm barrel which was extended to 953mm with the optional sound suppressor attached. The bolt rifle fired a powerful 50. Calibre round that was capable of penetrating heavily armoured troops and was devastating to un-armoured forces.

Beside him sat the unit’s medic and the youngest – a man who had only just turned twenty, barely more than a recruit. Unfortunately for him and the rest of the unit, this upcoming operation would be his first as a field medic.

Then there was Danni, a fresh-faced recruit that had been sent to them from Galbadia Garden. He was an assault fighter equipped with their standard issue M4 but he was also an explosives specialist, able to set and recover mines.

Finally, there was the oldest member of their unit – an elite generalist. Generalists were the backbone of the army and were equipped with grenades, a rifle and a longsword. He was a proud man but often the target of jokes for being past his prime and still a private – albeit elite class.

“So, Captain,” Ace said, bringing Anderson out of his thought-stream and back to reality. He looked over and was met by the man’s short black hair. “Are we really going to see General Caraway at his house?”

“Yeah,” the captain replied. “He’s got some new mission lined up for us. Who knows what that could entail?”

“I know… it could be anything,” Ace replied. “Have you ever met him?”

“Never before this.”

“I see. I wonder what he’s like.”

“He’s a total conceited prick from what I’ve heard,” Gary added.

“Be that as it may,” Anderson scolded the petite scout, “He’s a General of the Galbadian Army and from this day until the completion of this new operation – our commanding officer. This is his mission. We’re just acting on his behalf out in the field.”

“Great,” Brutus replied glumly. “I don’t want to go out and die for that asshole.” Anderson’s lips pulled into a smirk at the short man’s attitude toward his superiors.

“Sure, you say that now but remember, this is the life you chose. We all did, we all made our decisions and every one of us chose this life. It’s not like we were forced into this. We all volunteered. We weren’t drafted into the Army by force. This ain’t Esthar.”

“Here here” Brutus replied.

Eventually, the two armoured cars drew to a halt outside Caraway’s mansion and the soldiers saw that several more had already arrived before them.

“Hyne, how many solders does he need?” Brutus asked. Anderson could only shrug.

“This looks to be a pretty big operation.”

“It must be” Ace added “I just hope the recruit doesn’t slow us down any.”

“He’ll be fine” Brutus answered dismissively. “If not then we can always get another one. He’s from Garden, right? They usually grow to be elites at the very least. He would’ve had better training than the usual raw recruit.”

“The lad has skill. Of that there’s no doubt” Anderson commented. “What he’s lacking is experience. The truth is, this is his first battle. I just hope it’s not too difficult for him.”

“Like I said” Brutus commented “He’ll be fine.”

As the occupants of both cars pooled into one single group, another soldier came out of the premises to greet them.

“Greetings,” he said, addressing the group of eight. “Are you the soldiers here to see the General?”

“Affirmative” Anderson responded, snapping to attention with a salute. “I am Captain Anderson. This is my unit.”

“The General is waiting for you inside. You are the last group to arrive. Follow me.”

With that, he led them inside the gate and up the long path toward the towering mansion.

The soldier led them into Caraway’s living room and informed them to wait as he bade them farewell.

“I will now inform the General of your arrival. Please wait here and make yourselves comfortable.”

“Ah, sir?” Danni – their new recruit asked the soldier nervously. “Do you know anything about this mission?”

“I am sorry” the soldier replied. “I would not be at liberty to disclose such information even if I had been made privy to it.”

“Not at liberty?” Brutus asked, slightly annoyed.

“Indeed” the soldier replied. “This is a top secret mission and as such, we do not want information to be leaked from any source.”

“Aren’t you part of this mission? Why have you not been informed?” Anderson enquired.

“I am not part of this mission. I am stationed here as a security measure. I am General Caraway’s personal bodyguard.”

With that being said, the soldier saluted them, turned on his heels and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

“This better not take too long,” Brutus huffed.

“From what I hear,” Ace replied, “Caraway’s one of the top Generals, entrusted with all the most important missions by the President himself.”

“And what does that have to do with the conceited prick keeping us waiting?”

“It’s only been a minute” Anderson replied.

“Yeah well…” Brutus said, trailing off. “I just hope this isn’t some suicide mission.”

As the older soldiers spoke, one of the younger, less experienced men walked about the room, seemingly pacing from impatience. Danni couldn’t blame the rest of his unit for misinterpreting his continued movement for impatience. It had happened before. It was a common misconception, actually.

It didn’t matter where he went. Danni was always accused of being young, brash and impatient. This wasn’t true of course but nothing could be done about it. That was just the way people seemed to see him. Perhaps it was out of some kind of preference, who knew?

The young soldier walked up and down the room, his eyes never leaving the walls.

This was like a waiting room, only more interesting. The very walls were lined with priceless pieces of artwork. The one he gazed into at that moment happened to be an artist’s impression or recreation of Obel Lake. He wasn’t sure why but there was something eerie about it. Right in the centre of the lake, there was a dark patch. There was no mistake that it had to have been done on purpose. Such a feature couldn’t have been a simple error, could it? It looked almost as though there were something waiting underneath the water, as though something big lived in there.

Danni backed away from the painting and walked over to the others.

“Just how long is this guy planning to make us wait?” Brutus asked. “Danni shrugged his shoulders while Anderson admitted that he didn’t know.

The men waited patiently for their elegant host to show himself for what seemed like hours.

From what they’d all been told General Caraway was a respectable man so for what purpose was he making them wait? What kind of man was late to his own meeting? What on earth could be keeping him?

Danni had resorted to pacing again and this time, it really was out of boredom and impatience.

Eventually, the entire atmosphere of the room changed as the air around them seemed to grow heavier.

“Greetings” spoke a dignified gentleman as he approached the group of soldiers. Before he opened his mouth to speak more words, he walked over and stood before them with his palms crossed behind his back.”

“I am General Caraway, General of the Galbadian Army. It is me whom you will be working for throughout the duration of this top secret operation.”

“Thank you, General,” Anderson replied. “It is an honor to finally meet with you.”

“Yes, I’m sure it is,” Caraway replied in his usual proud manner. It was evident in not only his words but also his posture, his home and even etched into his face. The way he presented himself bled like pus from the very pores of his skin as though his pride were an infectious disease.

Everything about the man screamed success and honor.

“Please allow me to introduce myself and my men,” the Captain requested.

“Very well,” Caraway pleasantly replied. “I will allow you to present your unit. Proceed, you have permission.”

“Thank you sir,” Anderson replied with a sharp salute. “I am Charles Anderson, captain and leader of this unit. The man to my left,” he said, pointing the man out, “is Brutus Armstrong, Heavy Soldier, First Lieutenant. The short man on his right is Gary Burns,” he continued, gesturing towards the person in question “Scout, Soldier of the Galbadian Army: Level five. Behind me is Frederic Johnson,” he explained, as Johnson saluted to make himself known, “Sniper, First Lieutenant. Next to him,” the Captain said, walking to the back of the room to point out another man, “is Jerry Holfern, Medic, Recruit. The man in the back is Cecil Forston, Elite Soldier. Finally, the lad over there by the window is Danny Jefferson, Generalist, also a recruit.”

“I’m pleased to meet you all,” Caraway said, not breaking eye-contact with the Captain, speaking to and only him as though he were a representative of all his men, which of course, he was. That was the way Caraway saw it. In the Galbadian Military, that was the way it was.

“I believe it is now time for us to begin. Follow me to the briefing room.”

“You have a briefing room in your home?” Brutus asked with a raised eyebrow. “What is this, a mansion or your own personal base? I guess it pays to be rich.”

“It’s surprising,” Danni added. “It’s not too hard to imagine…”

“What?” Anderson asked him.

“A well respected General running a home with the capabilities of a Military base.”

“You are afraid I may prove disloyal and launch a civil war against the President?” Caraway asked, speaking for the first time since he had begun showing the men through his home.

“Don’t get me wrong,” the recruit defended. “I’m not accusing you of anything. It’s just that, well…”

“I’ll admit it does seem a possibility. That’s why security measures have been taken.”

“Security measures?”

“I believe you have met him. An emissary sent by the President to act as my body guard.”

“The President doesn’t trust you?” Anderson asked, raising an eyebrow. “I was under the impression that the two of you were good friends.”

“Allies, perhaps,” Caraway replied. “We’re here,” he informed them, stopping by a plain looking wooden door that blended in well to the hallway. “Besides, none of this is any of your concern. You would all do well to forget this conversation ever took place, am I clear?”

“Yes sir,” Anderson replied. “Is that clear!?” he ordered his unit to agree.

“Sir!” they all replied in unison, saluting.

“Not to sound disrespectful,” Danni commented on the door “but aesthetically speaking, this is kind of a disappointment. I was rather expecting to see chrome.”

“You mean like this?” Caraway asked as he opened the door.

The room before them was so cold and bright that it was blinding.

Caraway showed the men in and then locked the door behind him.

“In the next room is a table. I would like you please to all take a seat. I will be with you all shortly. Captain Anderson, may I have a word in private? There is something we must discuss before the briefing.”

“Sir?” Anderson asked.

Caraway waited until the two were alone before speaking and when he did, it was in a hushed voice.

“Your recruit…”

“He meant no disrespect.

“Clearly but even so, I would have thought he would have had better discipline by now. He is enlisted in the military after all. An undisciplined soldier is no different from a corpse.”

“He is eccentric, I’ll admit. War changes people, however. He’ll be lucky if his artisan’s spirit stays with him.”

“Oh,” Caraway deduced “So as a soldier he is virgin?”

“Yes,” Anderson replied. “He has yet to kill a man.”

“I see. Then this may prove difficult. I truly hope that he does not become a burden on this operation.”

“He’ll be fine. As the officer in charge, I take responsibility and vouch for his ability, even if he has yet to stain his hands with the enemy. By the way, what is this operation, if I may be permitted to ask?”

“You may not.”

“Excuse me?”

“All will be explained in the briefing room. In there and in there only.”

“I see,” Anderson answered. Who’s being eccentric now – he internally criticized.

In the briefing room the soldiers saw that the table in question was the customary ‘standard large steel war room table’ and around it were situated many other soldiers of various ranks although they noticed that many of them happened to be privates.

As was customary in the Galbadian Army during large-scale operations, the standard ratio was being implemented here. There were four privates for every officer.

Anderson happened to notice this as he walked into the room and was faced by the overwhelming numbers of his fellow soldiers.

“General, what is the meaning of this?” he asked Caraway who had walked into the room behind him.

“Please just sit down,” the proud man replied, walking across the room to address the soldiers all as one. “Everyone,” he began. “This is a top secret operation that all of you have been chosen for. You are to tell no one and no one is to find out about this. I plan to strike swiftly and secretly. Our target is not to know we are coming until we are upon their doorstep.”

“And who exactly is our target” Brutus spoke up. “Are you planning on letting us know or is that a secret as well?”

“Our target is the Dukedom of Dollet. We will launch a two-pronged attack, invading from land and also from the sea. All your old assignments are no-longer valid. From this moment forth, you are all to be assigned to one of two units.”

“Most of our ranks are raw recruits. A task like this cannot be done without seasoned fighters,” Anderson interjected.

“There is an officer for every four privates, as is customary” Caraway told him simply. “Half of you will blockade the area, sealing off all roads leading out of Dollet. The rest of you are to secure the area. Make sure to wipe out all forms of defense.”

“Wipe out… this is an act of war. There is no reason for it,” Anderson spoke up. “The world has been at peace for almost eighteen years. What good do you expect to come from making our every border a battleground? Rather than starting conflict anew we should be attempting to resolve the situation in Timber!”

“Remember your place, Captain!” Caraway chided. “This entire operation is an order by the President!”

“President Deling… but why?”

“As a soldier, you need not burden yourself with the why. All that you need is the how. If the defensive forces surrender, you are to take them prisoner and send them to the team guarding the main road. They will be held in the D-District Prison until their government concedes to us, at which point they will be released. Do not kill them once they have surrendered. Prisoner and civilian casualties will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”

“D-District is not a POW camp, what is the President thinking?”

“That order is mine personally” Caraway corrected. “Make sure to carry it out.”

“But-“

“Make sure to carry it out,” Caraway repeated dangerously.”

“Yes sir.”

“Now, if and when their forces retreat, you are to herd them out of the city towards the mountains where they will likely try to organize a final stand.”

“Then what?”

“Then nothing. You must hold the city. As long as their forces stay in the mountains you need not let them concern you. Once the city district is secured, you are to blockade the bridge leading toward the mountain district to prevent their return. Under no circumstances are you to allow them entrance back into the city.”

“Then what?”

“Then… Major Biggs will take over. He will be leading his unit into the mountain District. He is my partner in this. I am commanding the assault on the city while he will be personally leading troops into the mountains to finish things.

“Then why bother to take prisoners? You intend to wipe them out completely!” Anderson objected. “Don’t you people up on top understand anything!? You’re going to create another situation like the one in Timber! Galbadia is already unpopular with the rest of the world. If we don’t-“

“Please remember your place,” Caraway warned yet again . “Major Biggs will take control of the situation. That is all you soldiers need to know. The rest of the plan is highly classified.

“But why!?”

“Why must you insist on challenging my every order?” Caraway asked. “I have warned you more than once about this now respect my authority. The rest of the plan is highly classified information known only by Major Biggs and the men under his command. Even I only know the generic details. We do not need to know the specifics of Biggs’ role in this. Unnecessary information is naught but a burden. Am I clear on this?”

“…Yes sir.”



Squall placed his elbow on the desk and rested his face in the palm of his hand.

She’s late again, he inwardly complained. What was it about her? Why did she always manage to be late?

It was an informed question of an interesting quirk; Interesting, but also unfortunate. Her continued tardiness to her own classes was in no way a good thing. It reflected badly on her, but it was the students who truly suffered because of it. The class only had so much time to complete their preparations for the SeeD exam.

If students were to fail because of an unfit instructor, then all their time would have been wasted. An entire year wasted. In military situations, unfit leaders were often removed from power. Squall couldn’t imagine what would become of Instructor Trepe if she were an officer of the military. Generals of the Galbadian Army didn’t show up late. If they did, they simply wouldn’t last. They’d be demoted or at the very least have their pay cut, or perhaps even taken from them.

Squall thought it a wonder that anyone would put Instructor Trepe in charge of this class. Comparing her record of achievement, many of her students wound up failing. For the past semester, her class had only a forty percent pass-rate.

Of course it wasn’t all her fault. Love-struck teenagers, consumed by lust, these were the people making up the majority of her students. How could she help it if most of Garden’s student body found themselves uncontrollably attracted to her?

Her students, they were the ones who stared, eyes glazed, and trickles of drool seeping from the corners of their mouths. They were the ones who dreamed. They were the ones who fantasized. They were the ones who lay awake at night, torturing themselves with what-if’s; and they were the ones who ultimately failed.

Still, even if the Instructor’s appalling pass-rate was something out of her control; it still didn’t change the fact. Quistis Trepe was statistically the worst Instructor of the last semester. Why she was chosen to teach the SeeD candidates remained a mystery. Usually, the highest ranking Instructor would teach, just as only the highest ranking students were permitted to attempt attaining the title SeeD.

Squall had been studying hard for this day. This was a test about Balamb Garden’s secret weapon, the Guardian Force.

After each revised unit, there was a test, likely practice for the final. The pass threshold was eighty percent and one failure meant an automatic disqualification from the SeeD program.

There had already been tests for History, Advanced Mathematics, Basic Human and Monster Biology, and Para-Magic.

Students were given an entire theory lesson with which to actually take the test and while that may have seemed like a lot of time, it really wasn’t; and what was worse, the Instructor still hadn’t arrived. Time was passing them by and they still hadn’t so much as had a single glimpse of the test paper.

In front of him, Squall could hear the sound of fingers drumming against a desk. That was obviously Zell.

The next sound to be heard was that of the automated door sliding open. Squall looked up slightly and then returned his head back down to focus on his desk.

So she’s finally here, he mentally noted. It’s about time. Maybe now we can finally start.

“Sorry I’m late,” the instructor apologized. “There was a problem making copies of the test. It was a big technical failure.

“The instructor looks tired,” one of the students noted.

“Instructor!” another called out from his seat in the front row. “You look so stressed.” He literally jumped out of his seat and launched himself across the room. “Please allow me to rub your delicate shoulders.” Wasting no time, the student began to massage the Instructor’s shoulders, ignoring, or perhaps not noticing the many malevolent death glares he was receiving from most of the class. Quistis Trepe was an idol, one that he was desecrating with his repugnant touch. “Your life must be so stressful, dear instructor. You should visit a spa. It would be so relaxing for you. Please allow me to take you.”

Quistis couldn’t contain a slight blush at the thought.

“Please, if you want me to relax, then all of you just do well on today’s test,” she said in an effort to ward off one of her more forward students.

“Really?” the student asked, sounding disappointed.

“Yes. I’m just a little tired, that’s all.”

“The instructor needs caffeine!” another student called out, leaping from her desk and running from the classroom. “Cappuccino, ho!” she cried as she sprinted at full speed out of the classroom.”

“Of course you realize,” Quistis uttered with a sigh of exasperation, knowing full well that such warnings were too late, “that leaving the room signifies forfeiting the test, thereby disqualifying you from the final SeeD exam.

After taking a quick glance at the clock on the back wall, Quistis decided to waste no more time and hand out the test papers to her students. There had already been a rather large delay in creating the test. There was no need to make her students wait further. It wasn’t fair on them. As it stood, they were now disadvantaged in comparison to students of previous years.

It would be unfortunate if any of them were to fail because of that reason. She’d appeal for a resit of course, but it probably wouldn’t do any good. There were no second chances in the SeeD testing system. To fail one test was to fail the entire program. It was an unfair and demanding process, but there was no denying that it served its purpose.

The very reason behind the SeeD exam was to ensure that only the finest could qualify and see that only the best of the best had even a chance of actually succeeding. If these students failed, it would normally be a black mark on the Instructor’s record but this class was taking place between semesters and as such, was not officially on record. The only purpose was to test candidates and eliminate them so that only the most prestigious and most worthy remained to qualify for the final exam.

Fortunately for the students, it didn’t take too long to hand out the test papers and they still had the greater half of an hour with which to complete the test.

Squall silently looked over the front page of his test paper.

Student id: 41269

SeeD examination pre-test #002406: demonstrate knowledge of Guardian Forces

Do not open or mark this booklet until you are given permission to begin. Failure to comply will result in failure of the test and possible disciplinary action. It is requested of you to read these instructions before you begin. This test is made up of twenty questions. A minimum score of 80% is required to pass. Anyone caught copying, talking or otherwise suspected of cheating will have their test revoked and score an automatic zero.

Please answer all questions neatly in pencil only. For multi-choice questions, please check one box only with pencil, unless otherwise stated. Failure to comply will result in that question being deemed incorrect.

Failure of this test will result in students being purged from the SeeD program.

You have fifty minutes to complete the test. It is advised you spend no more than two minutes on a single question. If a question is deemed too difficult, it is advised you skip it and come back to it at the end if there is time.

Squall looked up at the Instructor’s desk.

“You may begin,” Quistis informed her class. Her voice was followed by the sound of flipping pages. “You have a little less than forty minutes remaining to complete the test. Good luck.”

Squall quickly opened his test booklet and turned to the first page. He picked up the supplied pencil from his desk. For the purposes of this test, they were sitting in the examination room which contained conventional student desks, like those contained within secondary schools. The desks were spread out evenly like a checker box grid or simple lattice.

Desks were spread out to prevent cheating and reduce the students’ urge to talk. They were arranged in such a way that isles formed between them like adjoining bars between cells in a grid.

Squall took his pencil in hand as he considered the first question.

Question one: state at least three advantages to Junctioning a Guardian Force.

Squall knew that one right away. It was simple. Junctioning was advantageous to both parties involved. It increased the capabilities of the Junctioner’s body, mind, and spirit; as well as giving them special abilities.

It was also advantageous to the Junctioned spirit, the Guardian Force, because it increased the spirit’s power. As the Junctioner gained power and increased their skills through battle experience and the like, the Junctioned spirit grew at an equal rate.

The third was a little more difficult. The only thing that came to mind was the scientific capabilities. As Guardian forces grew in power, they unlocked certain capabilities that would have otherwise remained undiscovered. In essence, Garden was doing a big favor to the scientific community by using their own operatives as guinea pigs.

Other effects, both good and bad, would likely be discovered in time.



Squall walked silently to the front of the class after the test was over, handing his paper to the Instructor before leaving the room.

As far as tests went, that one wasn’t too difficult. It was actually pretty easy, when compared to other tests issued by Garden. All of these so-called ‘practice tests’ were twenty questions long and had a pass threshold of eighty percent, meaning students were allowed to get up to four questions wrong without the risk of failure, but any more than that would result in said student being purged, as the faculty put it.

End of semester tests were usually about the same length, although it wasn’t set. Some tests had more while others had less. The questions tended to be slightly easier however, and the pass threshold was lower, requiring only half of the questions to be answered correctly to be treated as a passed course.

The one exception to the rule was for those cadets aspiring to become SeeD. They would need at least an average of seventy five percent in order to even qualify for the training.

Squall wasn’t exactly sure how well he’d done but was certain that he’d gotten most of the questions right.

There had been really only one question that had given the brunet any trouble.

Question seven: Discuss the origin of the Arcane Guardian Force, Diablo.

Squall was sure he’d never covered that in class. He wasn’t even aware that there was an Arcane-type Guardian Force. He’d heard the name Diablo mentioned once or twice however. It was part of an ancient myth about a monster that had terrorized the Centra Continent.

Going on that, Squall had been sure that it had something to do with the Centrian Empire, before its fall.

Squall honestly didn’t know whether or not he’d gotten that question right. He hoped that he’d gotten the rest of the test correct to make up for it.

“So, that’s another one down,” Zell said, running to catch up with the evasive brunet. Squall merely nodded and looked up ahead, a slight panting telling him that Selphie was trying approach his other side.

He wasn’t particularly sure why, but these two were still hanging around him like rats around a famous restaurant kitchen. Even now they were flanking him from both sides, as though launching a two-pronged attack.

“I finally caught up with you guys,” Selphie announced between breaths. “So how do you think you did?” she asked.

“Yo, Selphie,” Zell replied. “I know you’ve done all this before, but we haven’t. We’re not going to have to retake the test all over again in our heads, are we? It was bad enough the first time.”

“Why should I be the only one to do it twice?” Selphie protested, pouting immaturely, and then producing an evil laugh like that of a mad scientist in an old movie. “So Squall, do you think you passed?”

“I… I guess so,” Squall replied. “I knew most of the answers so I don’t think I could’ve gotten more than four wrong.”

“Oh, man. You’re lucky. I was literally just guessing all the way through it,” Zell admitted sheepishly.

“Gee Zell, most people at least cram the night before. Didn’t you even do that much?” Selphie asked him disappointedly.

“Hey, studying’s not my thing.”

“Wow, I’m shocked!” Selphie quipped, feigning surprise and earning an amused grin from the brunet in the middle.

“Anyway, isn’t it bad to cram the night before a big test?”

“It’s also bad to neglect your studies, particularly for the SeeD program.”

“That’s something I’d expect Squall to say,” Quistis joked, passing the three of them with the class’ test papers in hand, likely on her way to deliver them to the headmaster’s office.

“Anyway,” Selphie said, changing the subject after the Instructor had passed them all by. “What have we got left to do for afternoon class?”

“We’ve covered basic junctions and both hand-to-hand, and weapon combat, as well as para-magic, but we still need to do GF training. I think that’s all that’s left,” Zell informed her, counting it all off on his fingers.

“Really?” Selphie replied, somewhat amazed. “I didn’t think we’d done all that already.”

“We’ve been doing this for a few weeks now.”

“I know, it’s flown by, right Squall?”

“I dunno” Squall muttered, shrugging his shoulders. “I thought it would have been harder than this.”

“Hey, speak for yourself!” Zell countered. Both Squall and Zell’s test scores had always been below average. Not quite so bad as to be considered sub-standard, but they were in the bottom half of the class.

Lately however, Squall’s grades had been climbing. That was where the similarities between his and the blond brawler’s ended. Whereas Squall’s test scores had recently been improving and heading on a steady uphill gradient, Zell’s had not.

“So Selphie,” the blond said, seemingly out of the blue. “If you’ve done all this before, what can you tell us about the practical GF test?”

“I don’t know,” Selphie replied thoughtfully. “To tell the truth, This Garden places a large emphasis on paramagic. I’m not really used to it. At Trabia Garden, we focused more on Physical training, and although I loved Trabia, this magical environment kind of suits my style more, I think.”

“Hey, that’s great!” Zell replied enthusiastically. “But what about GF?”

“We only covered it briefly. We split up into teams and one of us would Junction a GF while the others acted as backup. Then we went out into the Snow Fields with an Instructor to observe us as we fought monsters.”

“What kinds of monsters did they have in Trabia?”

“Mainly Gaylas and Mesmerizes, but there were also Bite Bugs, huge insects with giant jaws that, well, that bite you.”

“Yeah, we get those here, as well.”

“I’ll bet you don’t get Snow Lions though. Those things are huge! They sure don’t go down easy.”

“No, we don’t have those here. I’ve never even seen one.”

“Yeah, well, it’s probably not cold enough in Balamb. You’re forests tend to be filled with giant caterpillars.”

“Hey, don’t underestimate those things or they’ll spawn all over you.”

“Ew, and I thought those plant things in the Training Centre were gross.”

Squall listened to their conversation. He didn’t partake in it, he just stood and listened, following the dogs on either side of him as they herded him into place like a sheep. They herded him to where they wanted to go, to where they usually went, the cafeteria.

They didn’t bother to ask or to talk about it. They always went there. It had simply become a part of their daily schedule. It had become part of life. Morning classes with Quistis, then a break at their regular table in the Cafeteria, then to the Training Centre for a lesson with Instructor P, then they’d spar or hunt in the training centre.

Squall would practice fighting hand to hand with Zell and magically with Selphie. Each of them had their own talents. Squall wasn’t as strong or fast as Zell, nor was he as magically capable as Selphie, so they each served as a decent opponent, just as Seifer had in the past with swordplay.

Squall was inferior to each of his teammates in their respective fields of expertise, but to compensate, he was more of a balanced out warrior, capable of fighting with fist, blade, and magic. A few had commented that they had a good dynamic, and that the three of them made a good team, although Squall couldn’t help but feel bothered slightly by something.

His own role in the team was unneeded, or rather, he didn’t have one. Zell was the assault fighter while Selphie was the support. They had no medic and Hyne knew that Squall wasn’t cut out to be a leader. They didn’t have a leader at all, really. Unlike Seifer and his posse, they just kind of worked together, sharing the work evenly.

He let out a sigh and sat down. They had reached their table at the cafeteria. Squall’s inner melancholy at a time of celebration went unnoticed as people began to gather around them.

“Hey, Selphie, how about a game?” The brunette may have been new but her happy, go lucky attitude had made her a rather popular and well known face around Balamb Garden, as had her keen mind and eye. She’d soon become the new person to beat on the Triad board. “Come on, bring out your cards. I challenge you!”



“Hrmn…” Selphie furrowed her brow as she took in her options. This was clearly her greatest battle yet. She did what she always did. She considered all her options and turned her mind into a sieve as she quickly filtered through every possible strategy she could come up with.

Suddenly, a smile came to grace her lips. She turned her attention from the grid and her opponent, opting to look at the two cards lined up side by side, immediately before her on the table. She picked up the left-most card and placed it on the Triad grid.

There once was a time when inhabitants of Garden bought official Triad game mats from a store in Balamb, but sensing the growing popularity from the card game, Headmaster Cid had ordered that three-by-three grids be placed into the tables themselves, protective glass panels saving them from being defaced.

Such an act had given him immense popularity among SeeD members – of whom the Card Game was very popular, but it had also effectively turned the Cafeteria into a Triad Den.

“Hah, I just took your Bite Bug, Selphie,” the SeeD candidate sitting across the table informed her. “That makes the score six-four, to me. It looks like this is the day you finally loose.” Selphie gasped and her eyes widened in horror.

“Oh no!” she cried out to the murmuring crowd around her, before curling her lips upward and placing her last card in the only available slot on the grid, taking two of her opponents cards, one from the bottom and the other from the left. This was enough to end the game with the score tipped in her favor. “Looks like I win again,” she taunted, “and the fact that you gave me no choice but to beat you only makes this victory all the sweeter.”

“Me next,” a SeeD member replied, taking the candidate’s place in the seat at the table.

“Hey, do you guys want to sit in for me,” the brunette asked, turning to face Squall and Zell in turn. They both declined. “Aw, come on Squall. I’ll teach you how to play.”

“Why, what’s the point,” Squall asked her.

“It’s fun. Besides, I’ve collected so many cards over the last two weeks… here, I’ll give you half.” She flipped through her cards, sorting them into two reasonably equal piles and slid one of them in Squall’s direction.

He picked them up and casually looked them over. There were twenty cards, and what he knew of the game told him that they all seemed to be level five and under. They were the cards of an intermediate player.

“Come on Squall, if you’re gonna be a SeeD, you’ll be expected to play cards.”

“While I realize the truth of that statement,” Squall answered her thoughtfully, “I don’t understand it.”

“All SeeD play cards,” the SeeD member at the table informed him, “now come on, who am I playing against?”

“Come on Squall,” Selphie pleaded. “If you learn from anyone, it may as well be someone from Trabia. There’s a reason why I haven’t lost once since coming to Balamb.”

“…Fine,” Squall eventually agreed.

“Hey, don’t get cocky just because you come from Trabia. If the CC were to challenge you, you wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“Who’s that,” Zell asked.

“A discussion for another time,” the SeeD informed him.

“So anyway Squall, consider this a practice match,” Selphie told him. “You don’t mind do you,” she asked the SeeD.

“Not at all, as long as you embrace the fact that you have already lost.”

“How reassuring, Selphie replied, “can’t you go easy on us, it’s his first time playing.”

“Sorry, I don’t go easy on anyone.”

“Alright then. Squall, go through those cards I gave you and pick out any five you want.” Squall did as he was instructed, picking mostly level four monster cards. “Good,” Selphie encouraged. “There are three types of rules that govern the game. These are basic rules, advanced rules and trade rules. The basic rules are rather simple. The game is played on a three-by-three grid like this one. Players take turns placing a card somewhere on the grid.”

Squall nodded to show that he understood.

“I’ll let you go first,” Selphie said to the SeeD.

“Okay,” he said. “Since this is a practice match, we’ll keep it simple. No advanced rules and no trade rules.” Once having said that, he picked five cards and held them in his hand, placing the rest in his pants pocket. Squall did the same, holding his five chosen cards like a hand of cards in poker.

“Alright Squall, the way games are scored is rather easy. Both players begin with five points. Every time you take one of your opponent’s cards, you gain a point. Every time your opponent takes one of your cards, you lose a point.”

“Well that’s a pretty stupid system,” Zell commented.

“Do you mind,” Selphie chided.

“Sorry,” Zell sheepishly apologized.

“Anyway, do you understand how it works, Squall?”

“I think… but when you say ‘take your opponents cards,’ does that mean you get to keep them at the end of the game?”

“Possibly, depending on the trade rule. There are a few different ones, however the most popular trade rule is ‘one,’ in which you pick any one card from your opponent’s hand to keep after you beat them. Now, look at the card on the grid,” the girl explained, pointing out the card the SeeD member had just played. “See the numbers in the corner? Each one represents one side of the card. The top number is for the top of the card, the left-most number is for the left side, and so on. If the number on your card is higher than the number on his card then you take his card and score a point, while he will lose a point.”

“So then this card can beat that his one,” Squall pointed out, showing her one of the cards from his hand.

“If you place it to the right of his one, then yes,” Selphie agreed. Squall placed it on the grid in the top middle position on the grid, thereby taking his opponent’s first card and taking an early lead. “Nice one, Squall. You catch on quick.”

His opponent merely sneered and placed a second card to the right of Squall’s, bringing the score back to a draw.

“Oh no, he lured us… and we fell for it,” Selphie commentated.

Being unable to take any cards, Squall played defensively, sticking to the grid’s border to hide the exposed weak sides of his cards, but the strategy was futile. The SeeD he was against had better cards based on rare and powerful monsters.

Squall played another card to protect the weak underside of one of his cards, only to have it taken out by a Ruby Dragon. The game dragged on as turn by turn, the SeeD increased his lead over the beginner until each space in the grid had been filled.

“Looks like I win,” the SeeD boasted, collecting his cards and standing to his feet. “Next time, I want to face you, Selphie. Not one of your newbie friends. Oh, and what was your name,” he asked his defeated opponent.

“Squall,” the brunet told him.

“Squall, right. I’ll keep an ear out for you. Don’t feel discouraged from this defeat. Just know that you had no hope of winning. If anything, you should be flattered that I was the first person you ever lost to. “

“It’s just a game,” Zell pointed out to the Arrogant SeeD. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

“Listen, Squall. When you improve your skills, I want a rematch, okay?”

“Whatever,” Squall replied dismissively.

“Don’t feel bad for losing,” Selphie assured him. “You can’t win ‘em all, and besides. Not everyone can win their first game.”

“Did you?”

“Well, yeah, but that’s not the point. It wasn’t a fair match, anyway. His cards were just too good for us. It was the cards that beat you, not the player. I figured he’d be using the same low-ranking monster cards as everyone else. It’s my fault, sorry.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Well, I’ll play with you for fun whenever you want, so feel free to practice your skills on me whenever you need to,” Selphie offered. “Then, when you get good enough, you can start challenging people with different trade rules. It’s a little more risky but if you win, you get to keep some of your opponent’s cards and build up your collection, and trust me, that’s when the fun starts.” Squall nodded. Selphie turned to Zell. “What about you, “she asked him, “Do you want me to teach you, as well?”

“Ah, sorry,” the brawler replied sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. “Cards just aren’t my thing. I prefer fighting for real.”

“Okay, your loss,” Selphie replied.

“Instructor?” Zell asked, catching the other two by surprise, but sure enough, there she was. Instructor Trepe.

“Squall, I saw your match. I must say, it was very adventurous of you to challenge him, but I think you’ll need to build a stronger collection if you hope to progress in the Triad world.”

“I know,” Squall replied awkwardly, “and Instructor?”

“Yes?”

“Technically, he challenged me.” Quistis’ eyes widened in surprise.

“Is… that so?” she asked.

“Why, what is it,” Selphie asked.

“Oh, nothing. He didn’t mention anything strange, did he?”

“No,” Squall replied.

“Actually, there was something,” Selphie contradicted.

“Oh yeah, something about someone named CC,” Zell added, “Do you know who that is?”

“No… but I suspect that things will become clear in time… if you’ll excuse me,” Quistis replied, turning and heading toward the Cafeteria’s exit.

“Strange… what do you think that was about,” Zell asked.

“Who knows,” Selphie responded.



“You see Squall,” Selphie announced loudly, although thankfully, no one else was around to hear her, “I knew there was a reason why we became Dorm mates. I was supposed to teach you how to play cards!”

“I doubt that,” Squall dismissed.

“Hey, don’t be so sure,” Selphie countered, trying to sound convincing, “think about it. Since we sleep in adjoining rooms, we’re going to have a lot of time together. That makes me the perfect person to teach you.”

“What’s the big deal with this card game anyway,” Zell asked, seemingly out of the blue, at least that’s how it seemed to Selphie.

“You just don’t understand,” she told him. “If you played, then you’d know. Only once you start winning and collecting cards, will you see the fun in it.”

“It sounds like nothing more than a distraction,” Squall commented.

“What was that,” Zell asked.

“Ah, nothing,” Squall replied.

“Well, whatever you said, this whole Triple Trade game-“

“Triad,” Selphie corrected him. “You should at least learn the name of the game before you bash it. Geez, didn’t anyone ever tell you that you shouldn’t knock something before you try it?”

“Yeah, Triad, that’s what I meant to say.”

“Sure you did.”

“I did! Anyway, the whole thing basically just sounds like a distraction.”

“Yeah, well, it is, in a way,” Selphie admitted.

That’s what I said, Squall internally commented.

“Something wrong, Squall,” Selphie asked.

“…no.”

They finally reached their destination, the Training Centre, to find it relatively empty. Only Seifer, Raijin, and Fujin were there to greet them. That fact, of course was not unexpected. This test was to be done in groups of six, or more specifically, groups of three.

Guardian Forces were to be split up to a ratio of one between three students. The groups would then be sent to different areas in guardian, such as the Training Centre, The Quad, The Front Gate, and other large areas where they could fight unheeded by restricting environments.

Two groups would be sent to each location and would fight head to head while an Instructor or SeeD member watched, taking note of their battle performance.

“Well now, look who it is,” Seifer commented as his rival’s motley crew approached he and his finely groomed posse. “It looks as though the Lion Cub is here to challenge the full might of the Disciplinary committee. I hope you realize that we’re going to be victorious in this little exercise. I’ve never lost to you once, Leonheart!”

“Funny,” Xu said as she approached them. “I seem to remember beating your ass quite thoroughly. It’s a shame really. I was hoping to dampen your ego somewhat.”

“That was hardly a fair fight. You were faster, we were outnumbered, and you sealed me up in some messed up bizzaro world.”

“It was the realm of Darkness, actually.”

“Yeah yeah, what are you doing here, anyway?”

“I’m the SeeD member in charge of this fight. It’s my job to assess whether or not you lot are competent and capable of supporting a Guardian Force in combat. It’s also my job,” she said, walking closer and standing directly between Squall and Seifer, while raising her arms outstretched and pointing a finger at each of the two youths, “to make sure you two don’t kill each other.”

“That won’t be a problem, Ya know!” Raijin answered.

“Well, it wouldn’t,” Seifer added, “if the lion cub over there weren’t so fragile.”

“Enough,” Xu commanded, silencing the egotistical blond. “Squall, come here. For this fight, you are to be given the GF: Shiva.”

“What a surprise,” Seifer commented loudly. “The cold bitch gets a cold bitch to Junction.”

“Would you shut up,” Xu asked, beginning to lose her patience.

Squall approached Xu and she placed a hand on his forehead.

“What the hell are you doing,” Zell asked.

“I currently have two GF Junctioned,” she replied. “It’s an incredible strain on my mind to Junction multiple GF but it is necessary. If we were to send GF back to their special items, then you would have to fight The GF before they would allow you to Junction them. To avoid that, they must be kept Junctioned at all times, however this is not always possible. For that reason, we have a device in place to take care of the matter. This is the purpose of the Electronic Junction within the Garden’s computer network.”

“Electronic Junction,” Zell asked.

“It’s a fabricated environment for GF to live in when they’re not Junctioned,” Seifer explained.

“Right, so what do you mean by ‘Special Items?’”

“They are magical artifacts,” Xu explained, “from which GF originate. They are quite commonly exquisite pieces of jewelry, such as rings. For example, Shiva’s item was a heavy golden necklace. Not much else is known, however.”

“Actually,” Seifer argued, “There is more.”

“Yes, but I am speaking from a factual standpoint. Myths and stories are one thing but I need indisputable evidence before I would consider believing in them.”

“What about the Sorceress War?”

“That doesn’t prove anything, and you know it.”

“Fine, live on in ignorance, then. It’s your own fault for denying the truth when it is presented before you in an easily researchable format.”Xu rolled her eyes and pressed her palm to Squall’s forehead once more and concentrated.

A physical junction was simple, but the sheer size of the torrent of magic being transferred made it a difficult and even painful process.

Squall could feel it as the SeeD forced the GF into his mind. It felt like a brain freeze, no, worse than that. It was like his body were freezing over from the inside, starting with the interior of his cranium.

Squall was able to endure the pain and thankfully, it did not last forever. It soon died down, to be replaced by a feeling of clarity. He quickly ran through the exercises regarding Junctioning magic, and was able to boost the capabilities of his body. He grit his teeth as he felt his muscles begin to bulge and ache.

“Alright, I’m next, right,” Seifer assumed, walking up to the SeeD, and shoving Squall out of his way.

“Actually, no,” Xu replied, almost amusedly.

“What,” the blond demanded.

“Ifrit is being used elsewhere so your group has been assigned Quetzacotl. Raijin, step forward.”

“Hey! I’m the leader,” Seifer demanded.

“Then take a supportive position and lead your squad to victory,” Xu dryly stated, placing her palm on Raijin’s large bicep.

Once she was finished, she stepped back, out of the way.

‘You may begin,” she commanded. Seifer Sneered and instantly began charging up his Paramagic.

“Fire,” he cried, as a large ball of flame formed in his hand and began hurtling toward its summoner’s rival.

“Thunder,” Raijin blurted with a smug grin.

“Aero,” Fujin’s harsh vocal commanded.

Squall and his squad instantly scattered to evade the oncoming attacks, and then regrouped where it was safe.

“They won’t give us long to talk,” Zell noted.

“Then don’t talk,” Squall retorted, drawing his Gunblade. He was ready to make a charge toward Seifer when a hand grabbed his arm.

“You’re the Squad Captain, Squall. What should we do?” Squall instantly lamented being put on the spot like that, but had no time to complain.

“I’ll attack head on. Selphie, you cover me.”

“Got it,” the brunette agreed.

“What about me,” Zell asked.

“Try to get behind them.”

“Attack from both sides… that won’t be easy.”

“Just do it.”

“Sir,” Zell said, jokingly saluting. Squall rolled his eyes and ran headfast toward the three waiting targets.

As Squall sprinted, he somehow felt lighter. He held his Gunblade in one hand and swung it out at an angle diagonally behind him. He knew that his junction with Shiva was increasing his strength, but even so, it was surprising how easily he was able to manipulate the heavy piece of solid metal as he ran. It was like holding a giant feather in his gloved hand.

Behind him, Selphie charged her Paramagic and sent out some of her silencing spells. As far as she could tell, all three of them had hit, making Squall’s job easier.

Squall ran, weaving in and out between lightning bolts and fire balls, when they suddenly stopped.

Good, they must be silenced, he figured. He began running strait for Seifer, who had yet to even draw a weapon. He was almost in striking distance when he was suddenly caught up in a strong wind.

The miniature tornado picked him up and dumped him on his head, next to Selphie.

“I thought you silenced them,” he accused, looking up at the petite brunette.

“So did I,” she replied apologetically. “I have no idea what could have happened.”

“You thought you could Silence Fujin, didn’t you,” Seifer bellowed. “She, by far has the greatest skill in Paramagic than any here. You won’t be able to silence her. Her spirit is too strong to be bent with Status Affecting Green-type Paramagic.

“So that’s it,” Selphie concluded. “And I thought I was a skilled magic user. You’d better watch out for her, Squall. Wind cannot be seen. You’ll have try and feel out the ripples, but it’s risky. I’ve tried fighting her and I didn’t stand a chance.”

“We have no choice,” Squall replied thoughtfully. “I’ll distract them and try to hold them off until Zell can jump out in ambush. If you have any black-type stocked up, it’ll come in useful now.”

“Squall, this isn’t a test of tactics. Just summon your GF. You can’t fight all of them on your own.”

“I don’t want to risk it. I don’t know where Zell is, and besides, this is a training match.”

“Tell that to them… I’m surprised Zell’s managed to stay silent for so long. I can’t even sense him.” Squall nodded and stood to his feet, picking up his blade in his right hand and charging toward Seifer.

He ran forward, making it into striking distance and jumped high into the air, changing his stance and holding the blade in both hands as he brought it down hard in what would have been a lethal blow if it hadn’t been blocked.

The blade was aimed right at Seifer’s throat, but the blond was able to draw his own Gunblade and block the attack seemingly effortlessly, even being disadvantaged as he was.

“Look behind you, Leonheart,” the blond sneered. Squall narrowed his eyes and ignored him, refusing to fall victim to such an elementary stall tactic – until he could feel a change in the wind.

“Squall,” Selphie warned him, “get out of there!”

The Gunblade specialist was able to jump back and roll to safety just as the spot he’d been in was struck with not one, but three bolts of lightning.

Oh no, Squall mused, Lightning never strikes more than once. Two is a fluke. For lightning to strike the same place three times marks the arrival of Quetzacotl. What can I do? Should I summon as well?

Calm down, child of Leon, spoke a firm, yet cool voice. Squall looked around but found no one. Who could have said that? Was it Selphie? He had no time to think. The gigantic elemental bird flourished its wings, ready to strike down its target. In this form, A Guardian may seem invincible. Powerful? Indeed, but unbeatable, he is not. Do exactly as I say and you may yet taste victory.

With no other choice available, Squall decided to trust the voice completely. All he had to do was take out the summoner. If something should happened to interrupt the junction, the summon was rendered void.

Squall charged and ducked. He had to thank Shiva for his enhanced endurance, or he wouldn’t be able to keep up with the required high-speed movement. He was able to avoid Seifer, and Fujin didn’t seem to be much of a problem at all.

He feigned an attack at Raijin, who blocked, as expected. While the grunt was distracted, Squall cycled around him and swiftly placed himself into position.

As he moved, there were no thoughts crossing his mind. It was as if he weren’t conscious at all, as if he had moved without thinking. For the moment, Squall had become a living weapon. It was as if the blood in his veins had been replaced by one of the body’s own chemicals, adrenaline.

Squall was so close he could taste the blood splatter. He had just one thing to do. Only one action remained.

He thrust his blade forward –

His final conscious moments were of pain.

All he knew was adrenaline and agony. His every muscle contracted painfully, exposed to the lethal current of a lightning bolt. The clichéd ‘flash before one’s eyes’ never happened. Squall’s mind was completely blank, without a single thought.

All he knew was pain, only pain. So much that he couldn’t scream. He couldn’t even move.

– All he knew was pain.

– And then darkness.

–And after that…

– Nothing.