Xu

Xu is a non-playable character from Final Fantasy VIII. She is a SeeD operative who works in Balamb Garden and supports the Garden through overseeing field exams, and later works as an advisor of sorts for Squall Leonhart. She is friends with Quistis Trepe. She is implied to be one of the more senior SeeDs at the establishment.
==Profile==
===Appearance===
Xu has long straight brunette hair and brown eyes. She always wears the SeeD uniform: a black formal suit with gold and red accents, silver lapels, a red necktie, skirt, and knee-high black boots. Xu is never depicted fighting, so it is unknown what weapon she wields.
===Personality===
Xu takes her profession seriously, and always keeps her composure even when dealing with the belligerent Seifer Almasy, or when learning the Garden faces grave danger. She exudes professional demeanor in contrast to the more laid back Cid, or the impatient and bossy Garden Faculty. Xu supports Headmaster Cid over Garden Master NORG, but nothing changes in her demeanor or loyalty after Cid passes the command of Garden on to a new commander. Xu and Quistis are implied to be close friends. Xu is secretly an avid Triple Triad player, not even those who work close to her always being aware.
==Story==
At the SeeD examination, Xu is called forth to explain the scenario occurring in Dollet to Squad B: Seifer, Zell, and Squall. Quistis is also present as their instructor. Xu stays behind at the SeeD Assault Boat while the cadets move on to their contact points. After the exams, she berates Seifer for having acted outside of given orders during the operation, and calls his bid for a leadership position a joke. In a rare instance of submission, Seifer has no retort.
Later, when NORG tries to take over the Garden, Xu aligns with and supports Headmaster Cid, even threatening Squall's party when they, unaware of what's going on, run into her and do not immediately identify themselves as aligned with Cid. During the riot Xu has been running around keeping in touch with the SeeDs stationed around the Garden, but when she hears that missiles may be headed to the Garden, she tells Squall where to find Cid.
When Balamb Garden becomes mobile and Squall is given the rank of Commander, Xu, Quistis and Nida can be found at the Command Bridge, helping Squall by keeping things in order. Xu gives reports to Squall and talks about where they should head next. During the Battle of the Gardens, Xu coordinates Balamb Garden's defense and offense. Afterward, Squall leaves the Garden and his friends soon follow; it is unknown who is left in charge while he is away.
If he returns to Balamb Garden after obtaining the Ragnarok, Xu asks if Squall will let her ride on the "dragon-like spaceship" sometime; if Squall finds the Ragnarok during time compression, he can find Xu already there with the other Card Club members. When the party celebrates SeeD's victory over Ultimecia, Xu appears on Irvine's recording of the event and waves to him.
==Triple Triad==
Xu is an avid Triple Triad player, and has reached the rank of "Heart" of the Balamb Garden Card Club. She carries the rare level nine card, Carbuncle.
She unwittingly arrived in the future via time compression along with the other CC group members by boarding the Ragnarok and can be challenged to Triple Triad by finding the airship on the Kashkabald Desert. She is found on the boarding ramp and plays using Fishermans Horizon's rules and generic cards from levels 3, 5, 6 and 7, as well as random rare cards the player does not currently have in their inventory.
Xu is a good opponent to challenge to win boss cards in both endgame and before, playing cards that seem usually rare like the Jumbo Cactuar.
==Gallery==
FFVIII Xu Siege of Dollet.jpg|Xu debriefing Squad B before the Dollet Mission Exam.
SeeD Uniforms 4.jpg|Xu and Nida on the bridge of Balamb Garden.
==Etymology==
Xu is called Shou in the German version, and Shu in the French, Italian, and Spanish version.
de:Shou
it:Shu
pl:Xu
ru:Сю
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy VIII