Gardens were educational institutions that focused heavily on training youths into becoming specialized military forces called SeeD. There were only three of these Gardens currently in existence: SM, YG, and JYP, each one headed by two people, the headmaster and the administrator. The youngest age for Garden acceptance was five years old. Getting trained at such a young age was necessary to instill the Garden's principles and mold you into a one-man army. The minimum age that a cadet could attempt the SeeD exam was fifteen. Students ranged from youngsters seeking eternal glory to orphans wanting to find their place in the world. As long as you had the skill and the drive, you had a home in one of the Gardens.

Of course, some youths adjusted faster to this military lifestyle easier than others. The mind is often a rebellious thing. There was always going to be a few 'troubled' youths here and there in the Gardens. SM was no exception.

Skilled as she was, one particular SM cadet had a habit of getting herself into troublesome situations, whether it be in the classroom or the training grounds. In this case it was the latter. Although, the issue this time was more serious than any previous offenses.

Amber wasn't sure how long she had been in there. From the moment she opened her eyes she knew there was something off. The pulse-pounding headache probably gave it away.  She hoped she was going to get out soon. She was beginning to memorize the number of cracks on the ceiling…it kind of killed the otherwise lovely paint job (Yup, definitely in here too long). There really wasn't much to look at in the first place, being an infirmary and all. Amber sighed, moving to run a hand through her short black hair, stopping and pulling her hand back as a sharp jolt of pain made her wince.

"Okay, okay…now I remember why I'm in here. ." Gently this time, Amber pressed two fingers to her forehead, clearly feeling the bandages that had been wrapped around it. Images of her earlier training session suddenly assaulted her mind. She frowned.

"Yeah, that didn't go so well in my favor. Still, SHE should be in the hospital with me! I got her right back. I couldn't have been imag-"

"Ah! Looks like you've finally come to. Good!"

A voice startled Amber out of her reverie. She turned her head towards the source, only to be greeted by the sight of Dr. Kadowaki. She was a portly middle-aged woman of average height, with her hair always tied up in a bun. She was almost never seen without her white lab coat. Amber had her fair share of trips to the infirmary already (None as bad as this though), so the two of them were pretty well acquainted.

Sitting up on the bed, Amber greeted the doctor with a slight nod. "Hey there doc, sorry for being such a handful this morning. Didn't think it would go that far…"

"Yes, well, once I heard the news, I knew it was going to be either you or Krystal Jung. Or both if the man upstairs had a sense of humor."

Amber scowled at the mention of her rival's name. After everything that happened…she just didn't need this right now. "I know what you're thinking, but it was only supposed to be a training session. It's not like I have anyone else to spar with around the academy. I mean, I CAN find others, but no one else uses a gunblade."

Sad as that was, it was true. So many cadets at SM Garden, yet not a single one of them bothered to pick up a gunblade. Besides Amber and Krystal of course. The weapon was certainly a strange one: blade of a sword but the hilt had a gun action built into it. Despite that, they were more 'sword' than 'gun.' You couldn't fire at long range, but as the blade is about to go through an opponent, you could pull the trigger and a round sends a shock wave through the blade, increasing the damage. It was the type of weapon that required very precise timing. You probably needed some natural talent to handle it too, so it was understandable that not many students would be willing to pick it up as their first weapon. Unfortunately, that meant that the only two gunblade specialists in the entire academy were constantly at each other's throats.

Dr. Kadowaki was worried. She knew Amber and Krystal sparred often. Hell, that's why she was so well acquainted with the two cadets. They ran themselves to the ground trying to one up each other. Their rivalry was common knowledge at this point, so no one really batted an eye when the two would come in battered and bruised.

However, seeing Amber this morning….it was just a matter of time that at least one of them would get hurt so badly.

"Hey, Dr. Kadowaki? Are you alright?" Amber asked. The doctor had a far off look in her eyes, and it made her a bit nervous.

"Yes, I'm alright Amber. But you should really be more concerned about yourself right now." The doctor eyed the injured young cadet for a bit before speaking again. "You both went too far."

"But she-"

"Let me finish." The doctor glared at Amber, who ended up swallowing the rest of what she had to say.

"This isn't some friendly rivalry anymore. I don't know what happened and I don't care to. But this needs to stop. You've drawn blood, and it's not just scrapes and bruises, this is a serious matter. At the rate you two are going someone is bound to get kicked out. Or worse."

"There isn't anything to it Dr. Kadowaki, seriously!" Amber ran out of excuses a while ago already.

"That huge gash between your eyes tells me otherwise."

The silence that followed was deafening. Amber loathed admitting it to herself, but the doctor did have a point. Still, a part of her, the stubborn part that was blinded by pride and seething rage, wasn't taking it very well. Amber let out a sigh, choosing to remain silent. Deep inside she knew that Dr. Kadowaki was only trying to help, and she appreciated that. But Amber just didn't think that the doctor was the right person to talk to about all this. She turned her gaze to the window. She was done talking.

Noticing that her patient was unwilling to discuss things any further, Dr. Kadowaki turned away, a look of disappointment on her face.

"Your instructor will come by later on to get you. Be prepared for that…I'm sure she won't like this anymore than I do. Also, that injury of yours…even when it fully heals up, the scar will remain."

No response.

"Well then, I need to check on my other patients. I can't babysit you all day after all. Be more careful next time Ms. Liu. Please."

After hearing the door close and the footsteps slowly fade away, Amber finally let her body relax. Saying this wasn't the best day of her life was an understatement. Amber slipped back into the covers of the bed, her mind recalling everything that went down that morning, painful as it was to think about. She just couldn't get it out of her mind. Maybe, just maybe…it could have gone differently.

____________________

A smirk was plastered on Krystal Jung's face as she pointed her gunblade right at her opponent, taunting her.

Amber, the opponent in question, glared daggers at the younger cadet.

The two of them had a strange relationship as far back as they could remember, ever since they entered SM Garden as children. They were both orphans of war, and for a while that similarity bonded them together. But as they got older…things changed. Amber, despite her occasional abrasiveness, grew up being a stickler for the rules who got in trouble more for opening at the wrong time than anything downright malicious. Krystal grew up into something of a silent rule breaker. She was talented, no doubt about it. But every single one of her teachers agreed that she was difficult to deal with. They eventually grew apart as friends, but somehow got closer as rivals. When Krystal got in trouble, she would drag Amber down with her, and they would both get in trouble. Amber, not one to back down, would devise some scheme to get Krystal back. It was harmless at first, just youngsters being childish. But it just continued to escalate, until fists got involved. And when the time came for them to pick their first weapon, it was no surprise that choosing the same type just made things worse.

And now here they were.

Amber charged first, not wanting to give Krystal time to think. A storm was beginning to brew around them. There was no sign of light as the clouds completely blocked out the sky. Being out on the training grounds during weather such as this wasn't sane. In fact, it was dangerously stupid, especially without supervision from an instructor. They needed to finish this match quickly.

The clashing of their blades was being drowned out by the thunder roaring in the distance as the storm continued to intensify. Sparks flew from their swords each time they collided, looking like small forest fires. Amber locked her blade with Krystal's, intending to forcibly push her back. Krystal managed to dig the heels of her boots into the ground, preventing her from getting pushed further.

They stayed locked like that for several seconds, trying to outdo one another using sheer physical force. But it wasn't enough, and seeing that there was going to be no end to the stalemate, Krystal quickly pulled back and did a side-step, as Amber struggled to regain her balance, the sudden action throwing her off.

Krystal took the opportunity to swipe at her foe, the swiftness of her blade cutting through the air as she swung down hard.

Amber had no chance of dodging, so she lifted her sword up to parry the blow. It worked, and gave her enough time to collect herself and launch a counterattack. She ran right towards Krystal, swinging fiercely, forcing her opponent to go on the defensive. Amber brought her sword down again and again in a never ending barrage, pulling the trigger on her gunblade every few hits or so.

Beads of sweat began to roll down Krystal's face. The hits her gunblade had to endure was nerve-wracking. It was a fast weapon, but it wasn't built to endure constant pressure. Amber knew this, which is why she could feel that she was gaining the upper hand.

The rain that was pouring down was making it more difficult for both combatants to keep their balance steady on the rocky terrain, but they endured. They were soaked down to their bones, but neither one was willing to admit defeat or call off the fight.

This wasn't a training session anymore, and they both knew it. They were lost in their own world at this point. No voice would be able to reach them…not until one of them was down for sure.

Krystal was in a corner, and she had to get out of it. Amber showed no signs of slowing down. The younger cadet decided right then that she had no choice.

Amber was at a complete loss. One minute she had Krystal on the ropes, the next she was flying through the air.

Though her gunblade had absorbed most of the impact, the fire spell Krystal used was still powerful enough to nearly knock her unconscious. It was definitely a mid-level spell at least.

As if possessed by something, Krystal took slow, deliberate steps towards her fallen rival.

Amber's vision was blurry, but she could hear the approaching footsteps, even amidst the rain. She struggled to her feet, only to collapse back down on one knee, her sword gripped tightly in her hand as she used it to keep herself propped up. She could barely lift it at this point. Those constant attacks had her drained. The adrenaline was probably what kept her going. Getting knocked off her feet like that was probably what got her body to realize that she was using energy that she no longer had. It caught up.

As she looked up, Amber could make out Krystal's figure standing in front her. She could see the sword rising up, and everything else after that seemed to happen in slow motion.

One swing was all it took. Right in between the eyes.

It sliced through her skin so fast that Amber didn't even register the pain or notice all the blood streaming down her face. She felt nothing except fury.

Finding her second wind, Amber lunged at her rival, putting all her newfound strength into one last swing. The sword carved right into Krystal's face, the triumphant smirk the younger girl wore gone as soon as it came. She howled in agony, dropping her blade and holding her face in her hands. The blood wouldn't stop falling.

Amber collapsed into a heap, absolutely exhausted. Before blacking out, she could hear shouting and hurried footsteps. Probably faculty. If she had the strength for it, Amber probably would have rolled her eyes. They were a bit late to the party.

The young cadet closed her eyes, falling into unconsciousness.

____________________

"Our scars….like a mirror." Amber noted. She recalled hitting Krystal almost exactly where the younger girl had hit her. "Right between the eyes...huh. As if we needed anything else in common."

Looking to the side of the bed, Amber noticed the large rectangular casing with a silver lion's head symbol etched onto it. Her eyes lit up immediately. She lifted the case to the bed, lightly tracing the symbol with a finger before unlocking it. Lifting the lid revealed Amber's precious companion, her gunblade Revolver, looking as pristine as the first day she got it.

"Someone must have cleaned it before putting it in here." Amber assumed. With all the muck and grime from the storm, the gunblade must have been filthy. "Maybe Dr. Kadowaki, or one of the staff. Have to remember to thank them later."

Amber couldn't help but wonder how Krystal's gunblade was doing.

In her eyes, and possibly Krystal's as well, the only silver lining to come from this feud was the fact that, despite them both having a gunblade, they were different models. This meant they could focus on a different fighting style to set each other apart.

Amber's Revolver was a heavier type of gunblade that required the use of two hands to be at its most effective. The extra weight made it slower, but it was able to tank a good deal of damage, as well as give it out in return. Krystal's gunblade, the Hyperion, was the exact opposite. It was lighter in comparison to the Revolver, and could be wielded easily with one hand. The design was made with speed in mind, and that's exactly what it was. While it lacked the Revolver's raw power, it made up for it by being swift and more precise.

"I wonder…I mean, if I picked up a different blade, a lighter one…" Amber considered the possibility for a brief moment, but shook her head. "Nah, I'll just have to keep working on my own style. Switching after coming so far, that's stupid. I'm just tired."

The cadet was about to settle back into bed, when the door to her room suddenly few open.

"What, couldn't be bothered to knock?" Amber knew she was being an , but she just wanted to be left alone right now.

"Don't give me that attitude. Dr. Kadowaki told me what happened. If anyone should be upset, it's me." A woman clad in the SeeD formal attire appeared in front of Amber, her long black hair cascading below her shoulders, and her bangs covering one eye. Beautiful as she was, it made her seem even more menacing than usual. Especially with that death glare she was sending the young cadet's way. If looks could kill, Amber would have died a thousand times over by now.

Instead, it just made any previous trace of annoyance disintegrate, and be replaced by the feeling of danger and the fear of injury upon her person. Amber knew the woman too well. Despite still being rather unsteady on her feet, the cadet hurriedly got up from the bed, saluting immediately.

"Instructor Song! Forgive my rudeness, I didn't know it was you. It's just that what with everything that's happened today, I…I just, uh-" This was one of the few times Amber was at a loss for words.

"Just save it Liu. You can think of a way to kiss my later on when you're running laps." Instructor Victoria Song was not the type of woman you wanted to mess with if you knew what was good for you. She was a prodigy, joining SeeD at the age of fifteen and then becoming an instructor at the age of seventeen. And now here she is a decade later. At this point in her career she has completed enough missions to be considered a hero, even by SeeD standards. Young cadets looked up to her as a type of role model. Sure, she scared the hell out of them when they weren't paying attention in class, but Instructor Song was someone the students strived to be like one day. Amber was one of them.

In all honesty, she wasn't THAT much older than a lot of the students, and sometimes a daring new cadet would make the mistake of not taking her seriously because of it. But they wise up soon enough. The last student broke down crying in just under a minute. Amber wanted to chuckle at the memory, but now wasn't the time.

"When you say laps…."

"I mean run around the entire academy."

"For how long?!"

"Till the end of time. You finished?"

"…."

"I thought so. Now get dressed. We depart for Fire Cavern now."

"Fire Cavern? The test is today?" Amber blinked several times in confusion. Fire Cavern is normally used as a testing ground to see if a student was ready for the SeeD field exam. She could vaguely recall being told that she was going to take the test this morning…

At the bewildered look on the young cadet's face, Instructor Song let out a tired sigh. Amber could feel tightening again as her teacher approached her. She closed her eyes on reflex.

"Maybe if you didn't get yourself knocked out this morning, you would've remembered. Not only that, but you'd be doing your test on time as well." The instructor's voice was a bit softer than usual, even though it still had that biting edge to it. Though her eyes were still shut tight, Amber could feel a warm palm press itself gently onto her bandaged head.

"…You and Krystal have always been such pains in my . Gifted for sure, but hell…just be lucky that the Headmaster has a soft spot for the two of you. I don't quite understand it myself. He must see something in you kids that's hidden from the rest of the world. Kind of like the dark side of the moon." Humor laced Instructor Song's voice at the last remark.

Amber slowly opened one of her eyes, then the next when she figured it was safe to do so. It was rare to see Instructor Song like this, but she had her moments.

The older woman gave a small smile, as if sensing what Amber was thinking. "Don't get used to it." She removed her hand from Amber's head, the stern look on her face back, as if it never left.

"Amber Liu…do not forget that you represent not only me as your instructor, but SM Garden as whole. You are a soldier-in-training, and therefore must learn to conduct yourself as one. You have massive potential. There's no doubt you would be an excellent SeeD…but I'd like to see you get your act together before that happens."

High praise AND a metaphorical slap to the face, but Amber took it for what it was. Coming from someone like Victoria Song, it meant a lot.

"Understood Instructor Song. I'll do my best."

Instructor Song nodded in response. "See to it that you do. Well then, enough talk, I suggest you change out of that hospital gown and into your uniform. I got you a new set." The instructor threw a clean cadet's uniform onto the bed. "Your old uniform was falling apart at the seams. Figured you could use a new one. Anyway, I'll wait for you outside by the gates." And with that, Instructor Song her heels and left the room.

Amber stood there for a minute, trying to take in what just happened. She turned to look at her new uniform, then to her Revolver. After what seemed like an eternity, the cadet nodded, making a personal vow to herself.

There was a renewed determination in her eyes.

"I can do this."