Chronicles of Valentine

Big thanks to everyone who's been following this! I was so surprised by the people who responded last time. I never realized there were so many reading! Much love to Kuromei, Nelleh, Soyna and changelingheart (if you'd like I can add you to my update e-mail list so you can get an e-mail when I update).

a/n: Spoilers. Language.

Also, I've played FF8 a grand total of twice. I've read perhaps about ten fanfics, and that was a couple of years ago. Needless to say, my familiarity with the characters is not on par with my familiarity with the FF7 characters. Therefore, expect some OOC.

Also, that Vincent/Squall I promised way back in the beginning? Well... my muses have decided on a different course. And now I don't know what pairing is going to show up. At all. You'll be just as surprised as me.

Still, I hope you enjoy!

Chronicles of Valentine

Chapter Nine

--April 17, 4012--

A handful of children.

Apparently, that was what it took the save the world nowadays. A handful of children with parasites living in their brains. The eldest of them was what? Eighteen? If that? Granted Cloud wasn't much older. A mere twenty-two when he led us against Sephiroth. And Yuffie was only sixteen, but honestly, a handful of children?

I heard of the Sorceress War of course. I remembered the Lunar Cry Phenomenon which had taken place eighty years ago. I recalled the monsters that had poured down out of nowhere, saturating the land with creatures to take the place of the ones gradually destroyed by the passage of time. And I knew of Adel. I remembered hearing of her takeover in Cosmo Canyon.

Ahem. That place was known as Esthar now. Somewhere along the way, when the people had returned after the volcano erupted, the name had changed though its purpose had not. That area still remained a place of study, except the study had changed to magic rather than the planet. Science still reigned supreme.

But the war against Adel had been none of my business, and I watched from afar as a soldier from Galbadia – a bit of a klutz who reminded me of Reeve in many ways – defeated her and brought peace. Or something similar. It seemed like everything was going to be just fine.

Not even I remembered precisely what happened. Some of my memories of the past had even grown fuzzier. Distorted. It must have had something to do with whatever those children did to defeat the Sorceress from the future. I was one of the few – possibly the only – who remembered the before. Who remembered the way this world used to look, the people who used to inhabit it... Sephiroth.

No one spoke his name anymore. Some two thousand years later and all that had been forgotten. Granted the world had changed in that time. Materia had fallen into obscurity. The monsters had shifted, grown more terrible. Even the land itself had experienced an alteration. How much of it was magic and how much of it was a result of defeating the Sorceress, I couldn't say. I didn't know enough to guess.

Why could Gaia – known as Gaea now – change so quickly? I was sure Nanaki could explain it better. I could only surmise that we had been too late in defeating Sephiroth. That his poison had been enough to unsettle our planet, forcing a chain of events that would not be seen for a dozen centuries down the road. It had certainly been enough to disrupt the magic and the flow of life. Who knew what other possible repercussions his pestilence had laid into the heart of Gaia?

A bunch of children...

I didn't know why I stood here, looking at this massive, mobile structure of steel, crafted to resemble... well, I wasn't sure what it was meant to look like. To me, it was eerily similar to the bobbing shape of a child's rubber duck. But I was pretty certain that wasn't what its architects had intended. And they called it a Garden.

I snorted at the idea. From what I'd seen, this place cultivated no vegetation, but rather bred killing machines in the shape of children. I couldn't say whether it was any better or worse than ShinRa, so I tried not to judge them too harshly. They had, after all, saved the world. And without any sort of profit. Mercenaries they might be, but they did appear to have some honor.

At the moment, Balamb Garden – home to the now infamous Squall Leonhart and his team of fellow teenagers – was parked in the empty space just outside of Timber. I currently stood in the shadows of the forest, eying the massive structure. My insides twinged at the sight of what was very obviously a military institution. I recalled years spent in ShinRa's service, and even longer formative years in ShinRa's military academy.

I could only surmise that the children attending this Garden had done so by choice. Glory, perhaps. Honor. Strength. Courage. Whatever their reason, it was undeniable proof that the world I knew had truly changed. For the better, I didn't know.

I stood here, watching this seemingly innocuous building, because my presence here had a purpose. Curiosity drove me, perhaps the only driving force that was left in my mundane existence.

Curiosity and the brief glimpse of Gaea's new, young hero I had received on a massive television screen outside the main theater in Deling City.

Seeing that young face, pinched with the stiff, blank facade of a soldier, I had been reminded of Cloud. But not even Cloud held eyes that irrepressibly lonely and regretful all at once. Despite the beautiful woman pressed closely to his side, and the slight upturn of his lips, the smile did not reach Squall's eyes. Not when the president of Esthar introduced him, and not even when the crowd celebrated the victory.

No, I would best describe the look in Squall Leonhart's eyes as haunted. Had I dared glance into a mirror, it probably matched the one in my own.

Above me, the sky rumbled ominously, echoing the slight ache that permeated my entire body. I couldn't remember when it had started – the aching – at least, not precisely. I just knew that on particularly chilly days, or strange-weather days, I could feel the aching in my bones and joints. Creaking like a rusty hinge. Strangely, I relished the odd throbbing. It reminded me that some part at least remained human.

Tucking the lines of my cloak tighter around my body, and clamping down on a faint cough, I used the shadows as my guide, slipping towards Balamb Garden with single-minded intent. I was curious, yes. I wanted to know what type of person a place such as this would breed. Others like me? Poor bastards like Sephiroth? Or just lonely souls like Squall Leonhart who had everything any normal teenage male would want and still seemed as though he lacked one crucial bit.

Crossing the landscape was easy enough. Finding an entrance was not. I knew that, at one time, Balamb Garden had been immobile. Surrounded by a high fence and gate. It had neither now. And no discernible entree. An enigma to ponder.

“Hi!”

I paused, disturbed by the sudden cheerful and enthusiastic greeting. In the midst of examining a smooth, metal surface for an entrance, I turned to face the owner of said cheerful voice.

She was small, no bigger than Yuffie had been, her brunet hair flipped outwards and her brown eyes sparkling. Also, she was dressed in blinding, bright, sunshine-yellow, making her seem quite cherubic. The nunchaku, dangling seemingly innocuously in one hand however, did not. It informed me, quite guilelessly, that she was no mere girl.

I tipped my head. “Hello.”

Her eyes rounded. “Wow! Your eyes are red. I've never seen that before. Except in Fujin, but she's more Seifer's friend than mine. Do you know her, Fujin? You guys look a lot alike. Except her hair is white and yours is black.”

I blinked. She had said that all in one breath. And never lost her sunny smile. Her head tipped to the side, regarding me thoughtfully. And my hand crept towards the gun I always kept surreptitiously strapped to my thigh.

“I do not know this Fujin,” I said slowly, carefully, unsure how to treat this new creature. “I'm afraid I do not know much of anyone at all.”

She laughed, actually chuckled right then and there. One hand – free of the nunchaku I noticed – gestured to herself. “Well, I'm Selphie. So now you know at least one!”

“I suppose that I do,” I agreed, lips parting in the smallest of smiles. “I am Valentine.”

“Well, Mr. Valentine,” she said, planting a hand on her hip and cocking the opposite hip to the side. “Why are you lurking about the garden?”

Her use of 'lurking' was rather interesting. She was not as air-headed as one would believe.

“Looking for an entrance,” I answered honestly, because there was no point in lying and she seemed like the reasonable type. I wasn't here for a fight.

She giggled and dove forward. I interpreted this as an attack and instantly went on the defensive. Except, rather than draw her nunchaku – which was an impressive bright yellow and covered in glittery stars – her arm hooked around mine and she all but jerked me forward with a strength that frighteningly reminded me of Leora.

“I'll show you,” Selphie said, tugging me in the proper direction with a grip as strong as steel only far more soft. “It's always hard to find when we're in Travel Mode. Are you an investor? No, wait, you don't look rich enough to be an investor. Maybe the new teacher? I see that you have a gun and Professor Shrift did sorta throw up his hands and quit last week so maybe you're his replacement. That would be awesome. Has anyone ever told you how pretty you are?”

I blinked, trying to separate the one long breath into something understandable. Of course, looking at me, one would assume that I possessed little in the way of monetary funds. But she also didn't know that I had been alive for a couple of thousand years and in that time, had amassed quite a fortune putting down the local bestiary.

As for a teacher... hmm, actually that would be quite a good cover as I wandered around. I didn't want the students and SEED to get suspicious and attack. While I could handle myself and couldn't die, it would be annoying. I also would not want to accidentally kill any of them.

“You live here?” I asked, rather than the bevy of questions that wanted to emerge. And lifted a hand to cover a cough as it escaped my lips, dry and raspy, nothing like the wet, stickiness of a cold or something similar.

Selphie nodded, her upturned hair bouncing enthusiastically as she pulled me to a nondescript section of paneling and pressed something, opening a doorway. “Balamb Garden is my home now, but I was originally at Trabia Garden.” She giggled. “I go back from time to time but I can't stay long. Irvy starts to miss me.”

Irvy? No, better to worry about that later.

“I see.” Even though I didn't. I thought it might be better if I didn't encourage her to speak as it only left me more confused in the end.

I contemplated escape, even as we emerged into what had to be the main lobby of Balamb Garden. My eyes took in the massive elevator that seemed to be the focal point, rising upwards to another floor. Greenery decorated the hallway in sporadic intervals and the corridor curved to either side from where we stood, right before a directory. Judging from the map, the Garden was basically one huge circle with rooms jutting out from the center like the spokes of a bicycle wheel. Simple enough.

“This is the directory,” Selphie explained with a broad gesture. “Anytime you get lost you can just come back here and it'll tell you where to go.”

I think she missed the point that if I were lost, I most likely would not be able to get to the directory in the first place. And secondly, this place was a circle. How could anyone get lost?

“You probably need to see Squall first, right?” she continued, barreling right on in her own little world and heedless to the fact that I had yet to say or confirm much of anything at all. “So we'll have to go to the third floor. I can't believe he found another instructor so soon. But that's just like Squall, on top of the game. And – Irvy!”

She suddenly broke away, her eyes catching something, and bouncing excitedly, chased after an unknown target. Possibly the man in brown leather with a cowboy hat settled over long, auburn tresses. This was only an educated guess on my part as he turned towards her with a lady-killing grin, tipping his head and hat.

Selphie practically crawled into his arms with a happy yelp and I took that opportunity to make myself scarce. Undoubtedly she would remember my presence at some later point – most likely within the next minute or so if her happy-skippy brain worked the way I believed it to – and by that point, I wanted to be well and lost and exploring this intriguing institution. It was so much more brighter than ShinRa's academy and training regime. It was, of all things, a school more than a military prison.

I wandered down the corridor curving to the right, passing by a sign that distinctly announced the library. I was momentarily intrigued, realizing that I could possibly spend long hours comparing Gaea's version of history to Gaia's. That I could probably get more details on the Sorceress War and how Gaea interpreted certain events. It would be an interesting way to spend the time, provided I wasn't immediately evicted from the premises once the powers-that-be realized I wasn't supposed to be here.

I continued on, finding a sign that announced the Training Center. I paused, intrigued. I wondered what SEED and these students would consider actual training. Just a series of weight-rooms and open arenas like those in ShinRa? I decided to wander down this long hallway, inviting myself inside.

My nose twitched at the instant scent of greenery and gunpowder, the tingling sensation of magic, and the distant roar of some beast. This was no Training Center like I had ever seen. Somehow, they had managed to cultivate a biodome on their campus, and then stocked it with some of the less dangerous forms of bestiary as a Scan spell informed me. Grats – nuisances they were – and the occasional T-Rexaur. Those weren't quite as safe, but they seemed to be centered in one location the unskilled knew to avoid, no doubt.

I heard voices. One female, strict and solid, and a bevy of others, varied and piping up in moments when the female authority fell silent. Intrigued, I stepped further into the training center, shot a Grat who failed at sneaking up on me, and investigated the voices.

I found a woman, dressed in pale brown and yellow, glasses perched daintily on a pert nose, and surrounded by a half-dozen students in matching uniforms of blue and bows. Something I was glad that ShinRa had never impressed upon it's own recruits. At least ShinRa's uniforms were austere. These better resembled a private school at some fancy institution.

The woman – a teacher I gathered – was explaining something along the lines of discerning strengths and weaknesses of the general enemy. A coiled length of leather and chains hung on one hip, and I admired the musculature of her arms. No doubt she was deceptively strong to be able to wield such a weapon. Intermittently, she would lift a finger to adjust her glasses, but otherwise, she was focused on her students who, in turn, focused on her raptly. Given that that they were mostly female, I found that a bit interesting.

“Instructor Trepe!” one girl enthused, her eyes practically filled with starry adoration. “What is the best element for defense against a creature composed of both fire and wind?”

One forefinger extended to push up her glasses. “The answer is simple, Cadet Leroux,” she said, her voice sweet and dulcet, belying the sharp mind and strength she must have held underneath. And then she devolved into a scientific and structured explanation of the best tactic, leaving me boggled.

I turned away, my curiosity satisfied, and left the Training Center. My path took me past the Parking Garage – which held no interest – and the Dormitory, also a place of no interest. I knew what dormitories of handfuls of children and teenagers looked and smelled like. I had no desire to let my nose or my eyes anywhere near there.

I continued onwards, a sign coming to view in the near distance.

“Look out! Coming through! 'Scuuuuuuse me!”

I was practically shoved out of the way as a body barreled past me, running at top speed as if the world was about to implode around him. I caught a glimpse of blond hair, spiked at the top in a manner that would have made Cloud proud, and the most impressive set of black tattoos curling up the side of his face. That had to have hurt. Either the kid had a thing for pain, or he was simply really good at hiding it.

I wondered at the reason for his hurry as he plummeted down the next walkway, belatedly recognized to be the cafeteria. An interesting smell was wafting from the corridor, appetizing but simple. I wasn't hungry, but perhaps I would take a peek later. Besides, it seemed that there was a steady stream of students already heading towards the cafeteria. It was probably crowded.

I checked my watch. And lunch time as well. Which explained the slow emptying of the hallways. I was not one to underestimate the hunger and appetites of a building full of children. Speaking of which, this place seemed much larger on the inside than on the out.

The hall curved once again, leading me to another corridor that was announced as the Quad. A quite unique and unassuming name. I wasn't sure what the Quad was used for actually. It called for further investigation.

The scent of fresh air hit my nose before anything else and as I emerged into the Quad, I found that it was an open-air garden, with trees and flowers growing in abundance. As well as a stage that seemed in the middle of construction. On the far end, evidence of a rough battle could be seen in the chunks that were missing from the flooring and rail, and the bright yellow tape stretched across it. Along with signs that warned students not to approach the cliff. I remembered hearing that that Balamb Garden had been through several battles in its mobile state, most famously its collision with Galbadia Garden.

If I were to have been a student here, the Quad most likely would have been my favorite place as it felt so much less stifling than the enclosed areas within. The others held their appeal, outside of the socialization involved in the cafeteria, but I definitely would have preferred something more open.

“Oi! Who the hell are you!”

At the intruding – and also rude – tone, I turned slowly, watching the approach of three individuals, only one of which I recognized. The Sorceress' Dog, if I remembered the news casts correctly. Seifer Almasy was a handsome man if one looked beyond his arrogance and smug veneer to see the scared child hiding beneath. I knew his type. He reminded me roughly of Reno and probably what Cid would have been like in his youth had he not been able to chase after his dreams. It was obvious that Seifer's inferiority complex put a crack in his confidence a mile wide.

He was flanked by a large, dark-skinned man who seemed nice for all his tough-guy exterior and a woman whose eyes held mine and did not let go. A little eerie, I might add. I thought that this must be the Fujin that Selphie had babbled to me because she had crimson eyes, nearly the same color as mine. But hers were genetic as well, going along with her white skin and pale hair.

“Pardon?” I returned, my arms hanging in a nonthreatening manner at my sides, though I noticed that Seifer's eyes didn't fail to flicker to my right thigh where my holster was located. Categorizing my weapons and possible threat in an instant. A good soldier.

Those eyes, a very catlike green, weighed and registered me. “You're not a student here, and you're not a SEED. You're also no dignitary or member of nobility,” Seifer said aggressively, and shifted into a cocky stance, eyes narrowing. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Visiting,” I answered simply, because there would be no point in stringing an elaborate lie. While confident I could put together one that made sense, I had the feeling Seifer was too smart to accept it. He hadn't been defeated by Squall because he was stupid or unskilled, but because he was arrogant and lost.

I, in fact, found it highly interesting that Seifer was still here, and not under someone's strict guard or in a prison cell considering his part in the war. Perhaps Squall had spoken up for him. Or perhaps there was some deeper explanation. It was intriguing.

Or perhaps he was like Cloud, who at one point had given himself fully to the enemy, even going so far as to hand over the black materia. But it had not been under his control, he hadn't gone so willingly.

But no, looking into Seifer's eyes, he didn't carry the same lost madness as Cloud's had. The one that said he would follow whatever held his hand because he didn't know any better, out of a love that would never see fruition. No, Seifer had chosen to go with the Sorceress. Had chosen to serve her. And now he had chosen to return home.

Interesting.

My explanation was not good enough for Seifer. He lifted a finger, pointing it rudely in my direction, stepping closer until that finger was bare inches from my face. I didn't flinch, returning his stare coolly.

“You're trespassing,” he said, a threatening aura rising around him in a manner that was nearly impressive.

But I faced down much fiercer foes than he and his friends had ever seen. Nothing could compare to the terror that was Sephiroth under the influence of unlimited power. Or that of a flaming ball of pure rock hurtling itself at your planet, hovering over like a gleaming red sun and threatening to destroy everything in a blink. Or that of having four demons bonded to your body, choosing to emerge whenever they wished, though admittedly they had become less and less restless with time.

This child had nothing that could alarm me.

“With no ill intent, I assure you,” I returned, though I had the feeling Seifer was more “look before you leap” then willing to sit back patiently and observe. “I was merely curious.”

He seemed flummoxed by the sight of someone who didn't flinch in his presence. We were about the same height, though it was obvious he outweighed me. And I had the feeling Seifer was used to people fleeing his presence.

He looked at me, those cat-like eyes discerning. “You're not afraid of me.”

My lips quirked towards a smirk. “Should I be?”

His eyes narrowed.

“Seifer!”

A female voice intruded, one that made the blond in front of me stiffen in a strange way, annoyance clear in his expression. I glanced past him, convinced that he was all bluff and bluster at the moment since he hadn't decided me for a threat yet, and found a face that I could recognize thanks to the pictures – Rinoa Heartilly. The arm decoration of one Squall Leonhart, a sorceress, and General Caraway's daughter. Quite a resume for a girl who looked too delicate for anything more than the lightest work.

I wondered how she fit in amongst these hired killers and soldiers.

“What?” Seifer asked curtly, obviously not too enamored of Rinoa. “Can't you see I'm busy?”

She pouted, though I couldn't understand why, and planted both hands on her hips. “You're not doing anything but wandering around and terrorizing the students.” She leaned to the side to look past Seifer towards me. “And this man.”

“He's an intruder.”

“He's the new teacher,” Rinoa corrected, and either she had run into Selphie at some point, or she was jumping to conclusions. I wouldn't put either past her.

Seifer snorted. “No, he's not.”

“Yes, he is.”

This could be a quickly tiresome argument and I didn't want to witness it. “I was looking for Commander Leonhart,” I intruded, drawing attention back to my presence. “If you would kindly point me in the right direction, I will quickly tend to my business.”

Warm brown eyes shot towards Seifer triumphantly, as if to say 'I told you so' before Rinoa pranced – yes, pranced – in my direction. “Don't worry,” she chirped, hooking her arm around mine in a manner that made me squirm unpleasantly. She reminded me of Tifa in so many ways it was not even amusing anymore. “I'll take you to him.”

“Rinoa,” Seifer said warningly, following along as she urged me in the proper direction and I graciously allowed it. She hadn't the unusual strength of Selphie. And her arms weren't bundled with muscle. It was clear that Rinoa was no soldier, every feature delicate and refined.

I imagined that she didn't fit in too well here at all.

The young woman tossed a look over her shoulder that implied she was not one to be argued against and continued to escort me out of the Quad. I followed, bemused, even as my ears tracked the triple footsteps behind us. Clearly, Seifer didn't trust me at all. My esteem for him rose even higher.

Rinoa accompanied me past the Infirmary and back towards the lobby where I was taken straight towards the elevator. A small structure walled with glass, only Seifer was able to fit into the lift with Rinoa and I, leaving his lackeys behind. Rinoa selected the appropriate floor and flashed me a winning smile as the door slid shut.

A tickle danced in the back of my throat and I coughed, covering my face politely with the crook of my shoulder, opposite from Rinoa's grip. The slight clearing of my throat had the effect of echoing throughout my entire body, pulling a faint stab of pain from my back and lungs.

Strange.

Pretty brown eyes turned towards me. “Are you all right?”

“Fine,” I said, waving a free hand of dismissal. “A bit dusty.”

Rinoa tossed me a strange look. But I certainly wasn't going to explain anything. Never mind that I didn't actually have an explanation to offer. The reason for this persisting sickness was beyond me. And it wasn't like I had an attending physician to question about it. No, I pity the doctor who found me on their examination table.

“So,” she began, drawing out every syllable longer than proper grammar – and my sanity – dictated was polite. “The Garden can be pretty confusing, ne?” This bland statement was accompanied by a vacuous giggle. “I once was lost for two hours before Squally found me.”

Internally, I winced. The question of who could possibly get lost in this place had just been answered. I wasn't surprised. And I gathered that the commander did not like his nickname at all. It wasn't much better than the Vinny that ninja brat had always insisted on assaulting my ears with.

“It must have been terrible for you,” I said, as politely as I could muster, my lips not even twitching.

Beside and just behind me, Seifer snorted and muttered something under his breath. It sounded like a muffled snort of laughter.

The elevator dinged thankfully, spilling the three of us out onto the third floor and saving me from whatever Rinoa planned to say next. The hall was small, branching off in three directions, each short corridor ending in a door. One was distinctly labeled “Bridge” with a brand new, freshly painted plaque. The other I could not read. But it was in the direction of the third that Rinoa dragged me, Seifer dogging our steps.

I heard the voices before she even opened the door, a collection of several tones, male and female alike. They rose higher and higher with each step closer. Chattering all at once at a pair of ears that weren't too anxious to listen.

Rinoa opened the door without knocking, not that anyone would have been able to hear her if she had, and the voices hit me full in the face. I blinked, slightly intimidated by the force of energy, but had no choice in the matter when Rinoa thrust my person in ahead of her.

Immediately, I recognized Squall Leonhart as the stoic force standing behind a desk and regarding the voices aimed his direction with a curious and confused look in his eyes. His expression was carefully blank; only his eyes betrayed his emotions. I also recognized the long-haired cowboy from earlier, the blond who had nearly run me over, and Instructor Trepe from the Training Center.

And Selphie stood at the head of the pack, her hands planted forcefully on her hips as she treated Squall to what was most likely a very determined pout. I couldn't see her expression from my current position.

“Selphie,” Squall began with an annoyed sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. One gloved hand gestured. “I don't--”

She stomped her foot. “I turned around and the really cool vampire was gone. Like that!” Hands flailed uselessly. “Like magic!”

Squall looked as if he were two steps away from requesting Reeve's special brand of migraine medicine, reserved for those instances when he had been required to deal with Rufus and his ilk. In the background, the instructor was murmuring in conversation with the cowboy and the tattooed blond was taking an odd swipe at Seifer. My arm had yet to be relinquished by Rinoa.

And then, grey-blue eyes shifted past Selphie's enthusiastic plea to send out a search party, seeking my presence with unerring certainty. The only proof of his reaction was the brief widening of his eyes before he lifted his hand, dropping the other away from his nose, calling for silence.

“Selphie. Enough,” Squall said shortly, stressing the command enough that the hyperactive fell silent, though not without a grudging 'humph'. One gloved finger pointed in my direction. “Is that him?”

Whirling, Selphie practically bounced in place. “Yes, that's him!” she said, dangerously close to a squeal. “Isn't he dreamy?”

“I found him,” Rinoa announced, as though there were any evidence to the contrary considering she still had an arm looped about mine. “Or should I say, Seifer did first.” This was accompanied by a glare in said arrogant man's direction.

Seifer shrugged it off, uncaring.

“I don't care who found him,” Squall said sharply, every inch the commander. “I want to know who he is.” His gaze unerringly found me, the demand clear. “Who are you?”

I was sure that his stare would have been intimidating for anyone else. Certainly Rinoa quailed at my side and finally released my arm, obviously not wanting to be near anyone who was faced with Squall's annoyance. I, however, had lived far too long to be browbeaten by anyone, much less a handful of teenagers. Even if they were teenagers capable of saving the world from a bitch sorceress hell bent on altering reality.

“I was once a hero. Much like yourself,” I answered carefully, thinking it unnecessary to hide the truth. Lies would gain me nothing.

My words had the interesting effect of causing quiet to sweep through the room, Squall looking at me as though trying to discern the honesty in my words. The instructor frowned; the tattooed blond hopped in place. The cowboy hummed thoughtfully and Seifer snorted derisively. Rinoa stared in wide-eyed wonder and Selphie... well, it was her reaction that was the most demonstrative.

“Cool!” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together. “Who did you save?”

“Selphie, darling, I think you should let Squall handle this,” the cowboy – whom I still believed to be the aforementioned 'Irvy' – said, stepping forward and placing both hands on the energetic brunet's shoulders. He all but tugged her off to the side.

Predictably, she pouted, her interested eyes sweeping back my direction as though yearning to pepper me with question after question. I found myself feeling grateful to Irvy as Selphie's enthusiasm was not something I was prepared to deal with after more than five centuries of surviving with only myself and four demons for company.

Squall, as of yet, had not spoken. Obviously, he was the least talkative of this bunch. Stoic, probably to a fault, and incredibly withdrawn. Not unlike Cloud in his more broodier moments. Or myself, if I were being completely honest.

I decided to take pity on the obviously unsocialized teenager and elaborate further. “I only came out of curiosity, interested in meeting the children who saved all of Gaia.”

“Gaea,” the instructor corrected absently.

Behind me, Seifer scowled, his lips twisting with annoyance. “We aren't children.”

“I said what I meant,” I continued, for this planet will always be Gaia to me. “And my apologies, but it has been so long that sometimes I forget how war ages you.” My eyes met Squall's, blue clashing with crimson, a shared glance of similar emotions.

War had helped transform my existence from a bright-eyed, eager young thing to the man that eventually rose to second-in-command of ShinRa's Turks. I couldn't, even now, say if it was a good or bad thing. It simply was, and it was past and I had come to accept that. There was no changing what had happened. Only accepting it.

Squall cleared his throat. “Mister--” He paused, recognizing that I had yet to fully introduce myself. As had been intentional on my part.

“Valentine,” I helpfully supplied, knowing the name would mean absolutely nothing to them. “Vincent Valentine. Former assassin and hero.”

A dark brow arched as Rinoa giggled somewhere behind me. “An interesting resume,” Squall said.

“It is something of a long story,” I admitted, shifting in my stance and causing my holster to creak, a sound that carried through the silence. “One that would take hours, if not days, to explain.”

“The commander doesn't have the time for that,” Instructor Trepe intruded stiffly, her blue eyes constantly raking over my person as if trying to discern my method and means. “Perhaps a short version?”

“I've the feeling it will lead to more confusion than answers, but I will try,” I said, tipping my head in acquiescence. Though I hadn't any trust that they would believe me.

It was difficult to condense the events of four thousand years to a few choice phrases, telling much and revealing nothing. I stuck to the important bits, to Sephiroth and AVALANCHE and ShinRa. To an immortal life where I lingered in a world that no longer had a use for me.

They had to know that I left out a lot of details, but if these teenagers wanted them later, they were more than welcome to ask. It hadn't been a hyperbolic statement to claim that it would take days to tell them everything.

I finished my tale with a lack of grandiose flair and waited for their reaction. For the most part, stunned amazement radiated across the board. Squall had returned to his seat, regarding me with disbelief, while the others treated me as though I were some sculpture that required staring.

One gloved hand folded across Squall's cluttered desktop, littered with the paper detritus any military or scholastic institution inevitably gathered. “No offense, Mr. Valentine, but do you honestly expect us to believe your ridiculous story?” Squall asked, his tone a touch frosty. “That you are more than four thousand years old?”

“I only expect you to suspend disbelief. You are the ones who experienced Time Compression did you not?” I posed. “Is it that difficult to believe?”

“Of course it is. I--” Squall broke off mid-response, confusion flickering across his face.

His eyes shifted to the side and down, staring at something only he could see. And then he sighed.

My brows lifted. “Commander?”

Squall lifted a hand, pinching the bridge of his nose in a motion that I had come to recognize as one that represented exasperation. “It seems that your story has been corroborated.”

“What?”

“By who?”

“Squall... are you all right?”

“Ain't it obvious?” Seifer inserted, his voice easily carrying over the surprised responses of their gathered friends. “The only person Squally-boy willingly talks to is Shiva.” That the blond didn't mention Rinoa was an interesting point. Were they no longer involved?

I considered Seifer's words. “Oh? You are in possession of Shiva? She was a formidable ally.”

“And you, apparently, were as well,” Squall agreed, fingers drumming briefly across the top of his desk. “She remembers you.”

“What? Really?” Selphie said, practically squeaking with rounded eyes of astonishment and reminding me faintly of Marlene. “That's awesome!”

Instructor Trepe adjusted her glasses with the tip of one elegantly painted finger. “The Guardian Forces are older than we can possibly imagine. If Mr. Valentine is as old as he claims, then it is no wonder he is remembered.” She paused, tilting her head to the side. “Leviathan is echoing Shiva's corroboration,” she added, making an unusual face. “He remarks that Lady Yuffie would have never expected to see the day that Mr. Valentine is surrounded by teenagers willingly.”

I resisted the urge to snort aloud at the thought of anyone calling Yuffie a lady. Even if it was only her favorite summon.

“Who is Yuffie?” the tattooed blond asked, speaking for the first time since I walked into this office. He had an interesting voice, deeper than I would have expected for someone of his... stature. Then again, Cloud never did have the most intimidating presence.

I lifted my shoulders. “One of my companions. A ninja from the lands of Wutai which no longer exist in this world. At least, not in the way that I knew them.”

“Ifrit is putting in his two gil,” Irvy said, one hand rising to tip his hat backwards, revealing the pure amethyst of his eyes. “Though he's muttering something about a dog that can speak. Nonsense, if you ask me.”

“Nanaki,” I answered, feeling a slight pang in my heart. Nanaki had been the last loss I suffered of my original companions. And I heard nothing from his family since they migrated north, hiding among the newly transformed mountains of Trabia. “I'm sure if you asked some of your other guardian forces, they would remember me as well. Bahamut perhaps. Alexander as well.”

Inclining her head, Instructor Trepe's eyes gleamed cerulean. “Then your story has proven true. How fascinating. The things you must know from history.... to have seen it all. I envy you.”

“Do not envy this life. I wouldn't wish it on anyone,” I said, and my tone was perhaps a bit too harsh as the blond drew back into herself, cheeks stained with red.

Silence fell. An uncomfortable sort of quiet that rode on the wings of tension. It was time that I took my leave. I had lingered long enough. My curiosity was answered, and there was nothing to occupy me here either.

I shifted, drawing attention to myself on Squall's part, which was what I needed in the first place. The shallow dip of my head served as a polite appreciation for his time.

“My curiosity has been satisfied,” I announced, contemplating my next move. To Esthar perhaps? A purely technological city intrigued me. “I will take my leave.” I turned to do just that, pretty certain I could find my way out.

“No.”

Squall's voice.

I shifted back towards him, one brow arched at the command, for it couldn't be considered anything else. “No?” I repeated with a somewhat threatening air, the demons inside not liking the idea of being ordered around by a teenager anymore than I did.

He shook his head, rising to his feet. One gloved hand landed flat on his desk as he leaned forward, presenting an aura of danger. “I can't have someone like you wandering around Gaea unstructured, if your story is to be believed,” Squall explained, his eyes glancing briefly to Seifer before returning to me again. “If you are half as powerful as Shiva claims, and the Guardian Forces in your mind are equal to that, then you would be a valuable asset to any potential future enemy.

Like a sorceress, went unsaid. I didn't need Squall to outline the particulars. Perhaps this also explained Seifer's presence in Balamb Garden when his part in the war had been no big secret. No doubt Seifer's existence had not been treated favorably by the public. No doubt they only saw a monster in his handsome face, just as they would have believed Cloud to be a monster had they known his part in Sephiroth gaining the black materia. Therefore, had Squall gathered Seifer under his protective umbrella? I imagined that would be quite a point of consternation with the blond.

Well, if this child wanted to keep an eye on me, I couldn't fault him for that. It wasn't as if I couldn't leave at any later point if I wished. There was nothing here, no prison cell, that could hold me. And if I stayed on the pretense of being watched, that would mean I would have ample time to explore the boundless information offered by the library. It would be a way to pass the time, at least.

I would defer to the commander.

For now.

********

a/n: At last! We are in the FF8 world! It has renewed my writing interest and I've pretty much been pouring out the chapters now.

There should be an update next week and the week after that, too. I'm determined to finish this story.

Well, I hope you enjoyed, OOC aside. I'm interested in knowing what you guys think about my interpretations of the FF8 characters.