Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Final Fantasy VIII: The Dark War ❯ Crossing Drawn Lines ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter One-Crossing Drawn Lines

A year has passed since the rise of Galbadia, the fallen Galbadian army has been remobilized by a man known as Vicktor Carmine. Though he was a hero in the old wars, Carmine is now nothing more than a terrorist master. At any rate his army, under the led by gunblade expert General Kaine Zenon, has gained power rapidly. The government of the newly formed United Territories fears the fall of their new way of life, and must do something to counter the growing force. The Carminian force has taken over Trabia, all of the Northeastern territory, and now has their sights set on the main lands. If the U.T. loses the mainland it will fall.
::Balamb Garden::Rinoa was on her favorite balcony, the one were she could see everything. She found it calming to watch the scenery outside of the garden. Rinoa closed her eyes and took a deep breath in when she heard footsteps, "It's Squall", she thought as she waited for him to embrace her. Just when she expected she felt nothing. What she did get was someone in a gray coat leaning against the rail beside her.
"So, where is he?", he asked.
Rinoa sighed, "Squall?...he must still be on his assignment. What are you up to?"
Seifer pointed at himself, "Me? No good". He made Rinoa laugh a bit, "How are you these days? Happy?"
She was looking out at the world. "Yeah", she said. Then turned to her old flame and smiled.
"I miss it", He said looking out.
"What?", Rinoa knew what he was talking about.
"There was a time when I could tell others that I was the one who held you at night", Seifer said looking back at her, "That's gone now, and I for one miss it".
Rinoa put her hands on her arms as if it were cold, "...That's gone now. We can't go back".
"If you could, would you?", Seifer was now fully facing her, and was closer. "Would you, Rinoa?".
Rinoa was silent. She knew she couldn't say yes. She truly did miss her days with Seifer, but she loved Squall now and she was happy. Just as this was happening, Squall walked through onto the balcony. "Seifer", he said, not too happy, as he approached.
"The Hero has arrived", Seifer said sarcastically. "I've got to go. I can see General Leonheart doesn't want me around. Seifer walked off, leaving Squall and Rinoa alone.
Squall looked at Rinoa, "What was that about?". He put his arms around her.
"Just talking with an old friend", Rinoa said putting her head on Squall's chest. She closed her eyes, it was in this that she found true serenity. To Rinoa there was nothing more comfortable than being held by her lover. It could be pouring rain and freezing cold, and in his arms she'd feel warm as ever. Rinoa looked up at Squall,
"So how did the mission go?"
"Better than we could have hoped", Squall said.
"I'll say!", the voice somewhat startled the two.
"Zell", Squall said under his teeth, trying not to lose his cool.
The gun-ho Zell started punching and kicking, "You should have seen me Rinoa. Those monsters never had a chance, and no townspeople got hurt".
"Really, I bet you fought valiantly", Rinoa liked feeding Zell's infinite ego because it made Squall laughingly angry.Zell scratched his head, "Valiantly. I'll have to look that one up, thanks though".The intercom suddenly boomed out above all other sound, "THIS IS HEADMASTER CID SPEAKING. WOULD GENERAL SQUALL LEONHEART AND LIEUTENIUT ZELL DINCHT REPORT TO THE BRIDGE IMMEDIATELY!""Does he have to say General?". Squall kissed Rinoa quickly, "I'll be right back". He and Zell ran to the bridge to see what was the matter. They arrived at the bridge to see Cid standing beside Irvine who was holding a box.Squall looked around, "Headmaster Cid, what happened?"
Irvine leant over to Squall, "We got this box man...and...you won't believe what's in it". Suddenly the box shed and Irvine popped the top off of a rather large bottleb of champagne, "Celebration time!"Zell jumped in the air, "Oh yeah!!! Pour me a glass dude!!!"Squall crossed his arms and turned his head, "I don't drink"."Come on, it's just champagne. Try a little, it's nothing man", Irvine tried to push a glass on him.Squall walked toward the door, "Are we done here?"Zell was pouring his second glass, "Come on, lighten up Squall". By the time Zell said this, Squall was gone.He had left knowing that the celebration was a waste of his time. He'd much rather be with Rinoa, she probably wanted to see him anyway. Squall got back to the balcony as fast as he could, "Hey"."Squall", Rinoa greeted him with a kiss. "So, what happened?"Squall sighed, "It was nothing just a sort of post-mission debriefing".Suddenly the beautiful nature outside became a smoking wasteland. Selphie came running to the balcony, "What!...What happened to Trabia...it's gone! This can't happen, not again! Who would do this"."Carmine", Seifer's voice joined. "Carmine and Zenon. Their insane".Squall looked over at Seifer, "Since when do you care about others?""I don't, but I just can't stand Kaine Zenon", Seifer said as he crossed his arms.Rinoa looked his way, "Zenon...Isn't he the guy from Galbadia, he won your...""He didn't win it!", Seifer snapped, "He stole it!""Am I missing something?", Squall joined the conversation."Well, Kaine Zenon fights for gunblades. He makes a bet at the begining of every fight that if he wins he gets to keep his opponent's gunblade, and if he loses the opponent gets their choice in two of his gunblades", Seifer explained."I get it", Squall said, "You lost"."Like hell I did, Kaine cheated. Who the hell uses two gunblades in a fight?", Seifer was obviously sensitive about losing his first gunblade."Hey you two, aren't you concerned about Selphie's homeland?", Rinoa interrupted."GENERAL SQUALL LEONHEART!! REPORT TO THE BRIDGE IMMEDIANTLY!!", Cid's voice boomed all across Garden."Damn. I just left the bridge", Squall kissed Rinoa, "Be right back. I hope". He ran off to the bridge again. Squall got to the Second Floor hallway and was greeted by one of his fellow SeeDs. "Xu? What is it. Why am I being called to the bridge?""Don't worry, Squall. Headmaster wanted me to tell you to have a three member party ready early tommorow", Xu answered him.Squall crossed his arms, "Why is that?"Xu handed Squall a folder, "We seem to have stumbled into Carminian territory. Now Vicktor Carmine request's a Balamb Garden representitive to appear tommorow and explain our purpose. That folder contains Cid's official statement.Squall opened the folder and read the one paper that was in it, "This is only three lines long".Xu laughed, "I guess Headmaster likes to be concise"Squall closed the folder, "Is this all?""Yes, you may go now. See you later, Squall", Xu returned to the bridge, and Squall returned to the balcony."What was it", Rinoa asked.Squall handed her the folder and leant on the balcony rail, "Well we're in Carminian territory, and the Carminian Army wants me to explain why. So, I've got to take three others with me".Read was looked through the folder, "This is only three lines long".Seifer butted in, "Take me, I've got a score to settle with Zenon"Squall was looking at the ground below, "I'm not taking you"Seifer grabbed Squall's jacket, "I'm going one way or another"Squall knocked Seifer's hand back, "Don't touch me! Your staying here and that's an order""I'm not one of your SeeD lackies. You can't order me around", Seifer said with crossed arms."That's exactly why you can't go", Squall turned to walk away."Why?", Seifer raised his voice, getting everyone's attention, "because I'm not a SeeD?"Squall turned around quickly and walked up to Seifer, "No! Because you won't listen to a damn thing anyone says, especially me!". Now everyone was watching Squall and Seifer, waiting for a fight to break out. Squall was tempted to throw a punch at his rival. Not just because he refuses to listen, but all of the other things he's done. Squall and Seifer had a strange connection. A kind of twisted brotherly hate. He could'nt deny the duality of how they are so much the same but still hate each other like they do. Squall decided to go lay down, maybe he could blow off some steam. Rinoa followed him."So your just going to walk away? I know how bad you want to fight", Seifer called to him. "Because I want to twice as bad as you do, but do you know Kaine like I do? He and I used to be close friends. Think about that, Leonheart""I'm doing my best not to think about you", Squall called back.Rinoa and Squall arrived at his dormatory. Squall opened the door, walked in, took off his jacket, and hung it on the wall. "Why is he like that?", Squall asked Rinoa as he collapsed down on his bed.Rinoa jumped on him, "I don't know", she answered with her chin on his back."Why does he insist on fighting with me? Why can't he just drop it?", Squall said thinking about earlier."All I know is...your not that different from him. You fight with the same passion he has. Though you may grit your teeth and he may grin, your eyes are the same", Rinoa told him."What are you talking about?", Squall said. He couldn't accept the fact that he was anything like Seifer."Both of you see past your enemy", Rinoa was obviously very observive, especially if she had time to look at Squall's eyes during a fight.Squall absorbed what she said, "Maybe your right...". Squall yawned."You tired?", Rinoa asked."Yeah, like you wouldn't belive", Squall answered.Rinoa got up and turned the light off. "Goodnight, Squall", she said as she got back in the bed.End of Chapter One