[RP] Balamb Garden

Kallen Akaurasu

Kallen was enjoying the peace and quiet of the wind and seagulls, A Few others joined and waited outside with her but a few kept to themselves. Zell was one of the ones to join.

"Hmm I figured he'd be the last to show up, maybe hes not as "Goofy" as Squall said he was.." She thought to herself.

She got up and dusted off her clothes. Everyone was introducing themselves so she did to as a sign of respect to her fellow students and show respect to the SeeD's that arrived.

"I'm Kallen Akaurasu, I guess we'll be working together in this mission.." She tried to sound nice and all but it was hard for her since she only really knew Squall.

"I'm surprised people decided to come up here so early, I figured everyone would wait till we docked before coming up to the balcony. She said again.

She sat back down on the side of the floor, closing her eyes and pointing her head up listening to the comforting waves again.
 
"So we have Kaine, Kallen and chickenwuss here already" Stephen announced, knowing about Zell's short temper and choosing to mock him eveer so slightly "As i have Stated i am Stephen Hownam. and even though we could have left it until we had docked at FH, i figured it would be a good idea to get up here early and meet the other members of the team heading to Esthar as i'm normally a solo worker you see, so i need to learn peoples names and what not" Stephen added to his previous statement.

Striding over to the edge of the balcony he looked out over the passing scenery, placing his bag of stuff down next to him. his hear blowing with the breeze, Garden, a completely mobile fortress belonging to Seed, a Beacon of home in the dark times that have passed and surely a guide into whaat would hopefully be a peaceful future.
 
The seaborne breezes blew his hair back slightly as he watched the horizon for FH. Behind him, more people had arrived, introducing themselves. He had merely glanced at the first and, not seeing anything recognizable about him, simply left it at that. Following shortly after that was the charged blonde, Zell, ever the overly friendly sort. That simply made it more obvious. Alex's heart skipped a beat as the thoughts were connected - he would actually be going on a mission with Squall. Loosing a ragged breath he didn't know he had been holding, he closed his eyes and regained his composure.

Third to arrive was Kaine, the grey-haired boy from the Training Center. No doubt he would remember Alex from yesterday. At least there would be someone he could actually talk to instead of taking awkward and silent glances at him. The rest of them were introducing themselves, something Alex anted little of - only one of them had caught his eye and he already knew so his gaze remained at sea.

"I'm surprised people decided to come up here so early, I figured everyone would wait till we docked before coming up to the balcony."

"Some of us simply have little else to do at this hour for various reasons. Personally, I made sure most of my gear was ready last night seeing as I didn't have someone joining me. Though it may be bright, the ocean breezes are enjoyable, aren't they Kaine?"

Leaving the comment at that, he relaxed against the wall. Given that some of those on the mission were already appeared, it wouldnt be too far off the guess more would be coming.
 
"So we have Kaine, Kallen and chickenwuss here already"

Zell felt his fists clench and his chest puff outwards towards Stephen, but managed to restrain himself. Not so long ago Zell would have taken the bait and lost his cool. He was a different man now - more composed and collected. He gently smirked and glanced in Stephens direction,

"So, you've heard of me then?"

Past reputation aside, Zell still had a personality and could poke fun at himself from time to time. Friendly banter was part of the parcel whilst on the road, it was good to get involved. It helped him to relax rather than fill his mind with hypothetical problems.

"Hopefully the others will be here soon - although it wouldn't surprise me if some of them chickened out!"

Zell was speaking out loud, not directly addressing anybody. He was the most senior SeeD present and expected to see his comrades and friends soon. Expected and hoped. Yes, Zell was a skilled fighter and valuable member of SeeD, but he wasn't a natural leader. He knew it, and he had the feeling that the others knew it as well.
As he finished his thought, Zell noticed that Fisherman's Horizon was gradually coming into view. The unmistakeable feelings of adrenaline and excitement were beginning to course through his body.

"Come on! Are you guys as pumped as I am?"
 
+The welcoming he received from arriving wasn‘t as he thought; it was much better. Kaine could already tell that missions would be so much more…simpler than classes. Most of the people seemed mature enough for this assignment, at least to Kaine they did. Yet, how were they able to chat so calmly? Kaine personally felt butterflies smacking against the very walls of his stomach. The nervous anxiety was quite distracting, so much in fact, that Kaine basically ignored “Karate Kid”. His half-answer was a muttered noise- not unlike “Uhmp”. Kaine’s stride past most of his apparent team-mates, taking his place beside Alex- Kaine sat on the railing side. His bag had been dropped to on his left, a slight metallic “ding,” echoed quietly. Obviously, Spitfire’s blade had tapped the ship’s metal body. Yet, this was far from Kaine’s brain. For such a confident guy why was Kaine beginning to freak out, if only slightly? Luckily enough, Alex’s inquiry to Kaine broke the ol’ grey-head’s over analysis. +

Though it may be bright, the ocean breezes are enjoyable, aren't they Kaine?"


“Uh… Oh, Oh yeah… They’re pretty calming, but… I’ve always loved that salty smell of the sea. It’s nostalgic.”
　
+He responded to Alex within minutes. But, that childhood admittance had slipped out. His nerves opened a door to, perhaps, his mind. That wasn‘t good in Kaine‘s eyes. Once the fact one member was anxious, the collective team could be potentially shaken. While this wasn‘t necessarily true, Kaine already had this hardwired in. Therefore, Kaine began to exercise calming- yet not noticeable- breathing techniques. Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth. While not exactly a specific cure, the breathing tactic helped. +
　
“…So, Al‘… get a good sleep?”
　
+Again, Kaine’s verbal connection was outstretched towards his apparent “buddy” on this mission. No eye contact was made, for Kaine’s eyes found ‘metal more attractive’ in the form of the ships very steel. Ignorant as it was, it was just his habit. In fairness, he could just be silent. Be then, silence leads to distrust, and distrust leads to arguments, which lead to mission failures. But then, he heard Zell’s call. Yet another distraction+

"Come on! Are you guys as pumped as I am?"

“…I guess…”


+In reality, pumped wasn’t the word for Kaine’s excitement. It was his first mission, after all. However, those pre-mission jitters had screwed him over bad, very bad indeed. Maybe a little time with his teammates might help.+
　
 
“Uh… Oh, Oh yeah… They’re pretty calming, but… I’ve always loved that salty smell of the sea. It’s nostalgic.”

Alex turned his head just enough to watch Kaine from the corner of his eye. The grey-haired boy's voice had wavered slightly. It could've been from many things - nerves, anxiousness, a dislike for social situations, someone here he didn't like; there was probably a reason he had come over to stand next to Alex. Quietly, he watched Kaine in the silence that followed. He wasn't surprised when he started concentrating on his breathing - he had done the same sort of thing when he was a kid.

Back then, before he had the stamina from SeeD training, after you ran awhile you got winded and inevitably, you started breathing through your mouth to get oxygen back into your system. He had always slowed down then and forced himself to breath correctly - in through the nose and out through the mouth to regulate it again rather than just keep going like his friends. He still did it when he had run for too long. Once you'd practiced it for long enough it was just like normal breathing other than the air of concentration that had to be invoked - you had to know it to see it.

Paired with his comments from yesterday, it was probably nerves - this was supposedly his first mission. Completely understandable.

“…So, Al‘… get a good sleep?”

Definitely nerves - you rarely tried to strike up a conversation unless you were confident or nervous and the way his voice sounded, he was nervous.

"Not unless I get screwed into it," he said with a smile.

It was the truth. Most nights he was restless, tossing and turning under dreams of Squall, only getting a decent sleep when he came in exhausted or had just had rampant sex. Regardless he woke up feeling refreshed in body but his mind always seemed tired.

Turning his attention back to Kaine, he had to admit the younger man was kind of attractive, in the way that a baby ruby dragon was - cute but fierce, maybe even playful. Alex's hand twitched slightly as the thought entered his mind that he could flirt with Kaine at this very moment. His eyes shifted to the others. They seemed to be set on there own things but all he really needed was attention to be brought to him. But that was on a contact basis - no doubt he could find a time for that on the train to Esthar. On a verbal basis...

"Have you ever been to Esthar, Kaine? It's quite the technoshock if you haven't."
 
“…I guess…”

The youngster was clearly nervous and who could blame him? Kaine actually reminded Zell of himself a few years ago. Slightly reserved and nervous, but with a lot to offer. He had heard that Kaine was quite the skilled fighter, but was yet to witness it. He hoped that the chance would not present itself although there was a part of Zell that wanted to see him in action. Before the two had a chance to converse, Kaine had begun talking to Alex. They seemed at ease with each other, so it was safe to assume that they had met previously. Stephen was the other party member on deck, but was seemingly inside his own head, preparing for the mission.

The sun was now beating down intensely onto the deck, making Zell's leather gloves warm to the touch. He gently pulled each glove further down and clenched his fists, making sure that the fit was sufficient for battle. The gloves were top quality design and never seemed to be anything other than perfect fit. They weren't everyone's first choice of weaponry, but Zell had made them his own and was a formidable opponent for any foe. To keep sharp, he always killed time by sparing with the air, working on his dexterity and footwork at the same time. He did this whilst peering over the edge of the deck, letting the crash of the waves keep him calm.

A few minutes passed before Zell finished sparring, after which he glanced at his watch, "9:30. Where is everyone? Cid is gonna be pissed if they're late."

He couldn't help but wonder what had kept the others. It was rare for Zell to be so prompt, and it was just as rare for the others to cut it so close; Quistis especially. Fisherman's Horizon was now fully in view and was approaching quickly. Searching his memory, Zell tried to remember how long it took to get to the train station. It wasn't a huge trip, but it wasn't actually a place where he had caught a train before. His only experience involved them walking on the tracks in the direction of Esthar. It was a huge relief that they had transport this time. The journey along the track would be treacherous and exhausting otherwise.

The time which was going so quickly had seemingly ground to a halt. Zell was excited and couldn't wait to get started, so naturally his enthusiasm started to ooze out,

"Steve-O!" Referring to Stephen, "This your first time visiting Fisherman's?"

There was no way Zell could keep himself to himself in this kind of social context - he would go crazy. Stephen was virtually a stranger to Zell, but it didn't stop him, and in his mind, why should it?
 
Squall Leonhart

Squall Finished working on his Lionheart, It had been so long since he used it last that the workings were a bit sluggish but a little oil fixed the problem, he reassembled his trusted sword and placed it on his side like he normally did. He looked up at the clock to see it had just turned 9:30.

"Well it took longer than I thought it would, The others should be there by now..." He spoke to himself.

He Got up and began to run towards the Elevator, He wasn't one to be in a hurry but he'd rather not get lectured by Quistis or Headmaster Cid again, He ran up the stairs and entered the elevator hitting the 2nd Floor button. The Elevator slowly rose to the 2nd Floor, it stopped and the doors open, he runs down the hallway and stops outside the door, hearing voices on the other side he was hoping one wasn't Quistis or Cid.

Squall Opened the door and the bright sunlight hit him in the face forcing him to squint and put his hand over his eyes. He saw that Zell, Kallen, and other Students were there but not hardly any of the "Old" Group.

"I Figured everyone would have been here by now.." He spoke.

((LOL Sorry for the Tarty Post on Squall, been busy irl looking for work again Dx))
 
Stephen took note of Zell Sparing with thin air as he did often from what Stephen had heard, then after a while he walked over. "Steve-O!" Referring to Stephen, "This your first time visiting Fisherman's?" to Stephen smiled and took a deep breath in "no Zell, it isn't" Stephen informed him "this is my third visit to Fisherman's, the first time was during one of my first missions as SeeD which sparked a section of my memory to reveal itself to me that i was born there, the second time was when i went back there to search for my history, anything i could find would help me, a relative, somebody who knew me as a child even a friend of the family and the third is now." Stephen explained "and this time i am only passing through on my merry way to Esthar"

"how about you Zell, have you been back there in the past three years?" Stephen questioned unsure of how Zell would react, "as far as i know your last trip here ended with you, Squall and the gang heading towards Esthar by foot, how fun for you guys" not much had been shared between the two hand to hand combatants previous to this mission and Stephen didn't think there would be, the pair were to different, Zell loud and excitable, Stephen calm and collected. Stephen also used his feet in combat, which Zell slender did. Just after Stephen asked his question he noticed Squall came through the door to the balcony and Stephen spun around leaning on the banister he looked at Squall "well If it Isn't Cid's Golden boy." Stephen announced loud enough for Squall to hear "how you feeling today Gunblade master" Stephen added to his statement smirking.
 
Last edited:
Zell was surprised that Stephen had visited Fisherman's Horizon, not once, but twice. For some reason he had gotten it into his head that most people of Balamb Garden hadn't ventured outside of its prestigious walls.

"how about you Zell, have you been back there in the past three years?"

It was then that Zell realised, he had not been an any kind of expedition for a long time. Perhaps it was the experience of his last Ultemicia-based journey that had tainted the idea of travel. He wasn't sure what the reason was, but it was disappointing. Ever since he was a child, Zell had been determined to take advantage of each moment he had. Settling for the routine that Balamb Garden had recently been offering was causing him to grow stale.

Before Zell had the chance to respond, he and Stephen noticed Squall walk in. Stephen threw some form of quip towards Squall which Zell didn't hear, but judging by the smirk on Stephens face it was quite a tongue-in-cheek comment. Ignoring Squall's presence for the time being, he continued with the previous conversation with Stephen:

"Uh, no. I haven't been to Fisherman's in about 3 years." Zell replied with a solemn look on his face.

"It's a great little place though. Most of the local's are friendly - apart from the mayor and his wench of a wife."

Although 3 years had passed since his last visit, the impression that Martine and Flo made on Zell was very fresh. At the time, SeeD were doing nothing but helping Fisherman's Horizon survive, and they were nothing but hostile. Zell could always feel the bile bubbling in his stomach whenever he thought of those two.

He turned his attention back to Squall who had only just joined them group on the deck. He walked up to Squall's side and spoke quietly towards him,

"We're about 5 minutes away from Fisherman's. I hope you're prepared for anything - I don't know what these are capable of in a fight, so we need to have each others backs."


 
Squall Leonhart

Stephen Threw a remark over to Squall, as usual he ignored the taunt, he didn't get provoked by the little "smart" remarks people tossed at him for whatever reasons that they had.

Zell walked up to him and spoke quietly.


"We're about 5 minutes away from Fisherman's. I hope you're prepared for anything - I don't know what these are capable of in a fight, so we need to have each others backs."

"I'm aware Zell, I'm prepared for a fight if we get attacked for whatever reason... Just try to keep your cool if anything happens, the last thing we need to do is have another fight in FH..." He Responded back to him quietly.

He was worried Zells emotions would get the better of him again, FH Wasn't the most friendly place to SeeD or any military that passed by, The people only wanted peace and Squall didn't want to disrupt their peaceful lifes again.

"I really hope we don't have to disrupt their peace again... They've finally been able to rebuild their lives.." He spoke to Zell before walking off towards Kallen and rests on the wall like he normally does.
 
"Not unless I get screwed into it,"


“Well…you gotta tire yourself out somehow.”


+Smut, straight from the get go. Sure, Kaine was something of an idiot when it came to picking up signs, but ol’ grey head knew what ‘screwing’ was… Not that he’d actually experienced the thrill himself. Though, that was the great part of going to a mercenary academy was easily the apparent lack of a sexual grapevine. Kaine quite literally believed that nobody cared about his status, but obviously he was wrong. Whichever way one looks at it, they all were going to a high school. Who’s going out with who, whom is banging whom, it’s all of the utter most importance. Kaine was just ‘lucky’ enough not be a member of a clique of friends, so the gossip about him: The horrible state of his dress sense, his stupid grey hair, his lack of an apparent girlfriend, never reached his ears. That second of flashing normality of teen hood was brought to a sudden end by Alex‘s next question:+


"Have you ever been to Esthar, Kaine? It's quite the technoshock if you haven't."


“Well…No. I’ve never visited Esthar personally. I’ve seen pictures though. As for the techno shock: we are on a float school/boat…Not much else to experience, in a technological sense…”

+The conversations, they seemed to be calming him. To mellow his anxiety and dispell those sinister thoughts that tingled at the back of his mind. The idea of his death scared him, quite like most humans. Yet, he refused to reveal any more in his body language than he already had. Kaine wasn‘t some little girl; he was a trained soldier, a mercenary without reservations. A man-made killing machine…At least he told himself that. The history of this world was riddled with war. With death. But human‘s weren‘t built for killing; they were born for living. And boy, did Kaine need to live. He‘d never even been completely wasted, never had sex…never really had friends.+


+With a back-cracking yawn, Kaine sat himself up in his makeshift seat atop the steel floor of Balamb GARDEN’s deck. His hands attempted to regain some feeling by expanding and contracting speedily, as numbness took them for a minute or so. Kaine lastly began to regulate his breathing properly. The nose-inhalation was still used, but in less of a panicky sense. He finally looked normal- cool as a cucumber.+


“…What about you… Is this a walk-in mission for you??”


+Kaine asked, the wavering in his voice simply dissolving with each progressive word. No more worry, just the conversation. That was good, great for Kaine. But, even the thick grey-haired guy knew the conversation would eventually turn to much more personal matters. Thing like that always propped up, even if they hid themselves from the shine of daylight. Yet, whenever Kaine did bring subjects like ‘social standing‘ or ‘virginity‘ up, he dashed in the slightest hint of melancholy and distant-observation into his responses. He may not care much for others statuses, nor his own, but his lack of a history embarrassed him nevertheless.+
 
“Well…No. I’ve never visited Esthar personally. I’ve seen pictures though. As for the techno shock: we are on a float school/boat…Not much else to experience, in a technological sense…”

"Most pictures won't do it much justice since they were before Esthar cut itself off from the rest of the world. As for Garden itself, it's impressive compared to Timber or Deiling but Esthar will outstrip it, especially if you get to see the Ragnarok. And of course there was the Lunar Base a few years ago. It's definitely different than what anyone outside the city is used to."

The Lunar Base was one of the more interesting parts of Esthar's history. He had read some of the archives around it when he had been there and talked with some of the locals and had a general idea of it. A space station built for observing the moon and also watching the frozen Sorceress Adel. About three years ago, it had crashed under a stream of monsters from the moon, dragging with it Adel. During that, Lunatic Pandora had begun moving to Tear's Point where it had seemed to draw the monsters to it. That was about the extent of the records that could be accessed. Several monster reports came afterwards but it was to be expected if an influx of them had occured. There were always rumours floating that a second Lunar Base would be built but so far, it had just simply been hearsay.

“…What about you… Is this a walk-in mission for you?”

"Not really, no. I've gone there on a number of missions, most recently a few weeks ago, despite returning only a few days back. I also tend to take my longer off times there. They're still somewhat xenophobic when it comes to outsiders but after Laguna and SeeD started working together following the Lunar Cry, they take to us better. It's also a better place for my kind - no run down back rooms like in Deiling."

He paused for a few seconds, looking out at the fast approaching FH before returning his gaze to Kaine, his fingers playing with the bangle at his wrist again. Kaine seemed to be relaxing more, probably with his mind off the idea of the first mission and instead talking about Esthar. Collected would be the world Alex would use, maybe not calm but under control.

"If you want, I can give you a tour if we get some time away from the mission there - if it is a real mission. Maybe show you a few of the more interesting places around the city. You know the 'secret area' in the Training Center? There's a few places like that in Esthar. Not as natural but still beautiful. Maybe you can take your flame there when you get some off time."
 
Tch. Thought. Thought always delayed Quistis Trepe and her plans. She was briskly walking towards Fisherman's Horizon. She had both students and adults alike to shepherd. She couldn't afford to set a bad example. Thankfully, she had a reasonably fast walking pace and caught up to the others just in time. She was late, but not irrevocably so.

"My apologies," she spoke curtly. "I was making some last minute preparations." In truth, she had actually packed lightly. Her whip, the Save the Queen, and a couple of changes of clothes. She trusted that everything else would be supplied on location. Walking up to Zell, she spoke quietly. "Is anyone else late, Zell? I'm cutting it rather close as is. Anyone else who isn't here may be left behind."

Holding the pommel of her whip tightly in one hand, she stared anxiously into the distance for any latecomers. In recent years she had become more controlled and reserved, but truancy still concerned- no, outright worried- her. Truancy and latecomers in general could be anywhere. The wildlife around Balamb Garden was nothing too frightening but every so often something more would come up.
 
Squall was as confident as ever but had the usual tone of caution, as if he didn't want Zell to get too carried away. It was something that Zell had gotten used to but didn't care for too much. The relationship the two of them had was a complicated one but could be likened to a brotherly situation - even if Squall didn't want to admit it.

"Keep my cool? Puh-lease! I'm not the same guy I once was, Squall."

Zell wasn't offended by Squall's lack of belief, more disappointed. Even after all these years he hadn't managed to shake his reputation of the hot headed clown.
Choosing not to prove Squall right by arguing, Zell chose to leave the conversation at an end. It just so happened that Quistis had appeared anyway - just as Zell was beginning to think that she wasn't going to show.

"Is anyone else late, Zell? I'm cutting it rather close as is. Anyone else who isn't here may be left behind."

Seemingly Quistis had not been in contact with the remainder of the missing party and as a result knew nothing of where they were.

"Who knows. We're minutes away from FH, so I'd say if they're not here by now, they won't be here at all. Headmaster Cid still has to come and give us our final briefing before we leave anyway, so let's see if he knows something that we don't."

Even if the others weren't coming along for the ride, there was still a good mix of experience and freshness on deck. Zell did wonder how Squall would function without Rinoa, but that was a thought for another time.
 
"Most pictures won't do it much justice since they were before Esthar cut itself off from the rest of the world. As for Garden itself, it's impressive compared to Timber or Deiling but Esthar will outstrip it, especially if you get to see the Ragnarok. And of course there was the Lunar Base a few years ago. It's definitely different than what anyone outside the city is used to."


“Right…I guess I’ll see it when I see it…”


+His reply was quick, yet accordingly friendly. He hadn’t known what else to say, in fairness. He’d barely caught what Alex was refering to with the likes of “Ragnarok” and “Lunar Base”. He just nodded his head and smiled. Kaine‘s general interest in history was stretched fairly thin. He had a somewhat slight knowledge of the likes of the Sorceress Adel, but definitely not as much as he should have. Wasn‘t his fault sleep needed to be caught up on, or that his physical upkeep needed extra shifts to hit peak. Then again, Alex seemed fairly interested or knowledgeable in such a subject. Kaine figured he could ask assistance, if the time for it came. +


"Not really, no. I've gone there on a number of missions, most recently a few weeks ago, despite returning only a few days back. I also tend to take my longer off times there. They're still somewhat xenophobic when it comes to outsiders but after Laguna and SeeD started working together following the Lunar Cry, they take to us better. It's also a better place for my kind - no run down back rooms like in Deiling."


“I remember hearing that in History class… Laguna, He’s the president, or chancelor, or emperor…Or something, right??”


+His question, while it seemed somewhat “blonde-esque”(as one would say), was quite literal. He was naming off different types of government heads, and Kaine wasn‘t sure which was the correct one. A perfectly normal and common question. With another sigh, he stood himself up. Those nerves had now turned into slight restlessness. Kaine actually hopped on the spot, shaking his worries from his hand…Sure, he looked somewhat stupid, but whatever. While doing this, Kaine gave this apparent “new comer” a glance. Another one of Squall’s crew. The blonde chick. With a mental “pift”, Kaine turned back to his current conversation, having slightly blanked out while Alex spoke. Luckily enough, Kaine caught the invitation at the right moment.+


…show you a few of the more interesting places around the city. You know the 'secret area' in the Training Center? There's a few places like that in Esthar. Not as natural but still beautiful. Maybe you can take your flame there when you get some off time."


+A flame? Kaine? He mentally guessed that he looked like a girlfriend sort of guy, maybe his ‘dazzling‘ good looks gave it away? That wasn‘t exactly likely, but a guy could always dream. With another stretch-this time, his left shoulder- Kaine decided upon his answer. It would be fine to get around Esthar, especially with a free tour. Plus, maybe he could find this ‘flame’ here? He'd quite like a girlfriend. Someone he could have fun with. Plus, chick's always dig RIPPED army guys... Or,atleast the movies say so. Kaine debated this in his mind for quite a while, as shown by his sloppy reply.+


“Huh?? Oh, sure. That’d be pretty helpful, man.”


+With that, Kaine gave a quick smile to Alex. With a thumbs up, he set about turning to the balcony. With a little grip, and a lot of balls, Kaine decided to simply sit upon the steel railings. The bars seemed quite sturdy, and Kaine needed some heart racing action- even if it was only a little chance to fall off. Yet, one notable subject was his lack of another question. While the nerves had dissipated, and a mellow composure had set in, Kaine still needed some sort of meditation. He was heading off for a mission soon and-however much it looked so- Kaine wasn‘t here to become socially popular. With a barely audible mutter, he cranked his head back with the slightest of clicks ringing off while he spoke+


“…I wonder who else is gonna show up?… I seem like the only newbie around here…”
 
after Zell had walked over towards Squall, Stephen crouched down and unzipped his bag, to check he had everything, he caught a glimpse of the blade Disk, with his gloves and footwear next to them, Stephen's suit was already on, but it was hidden well from the other Seed, by his clothes. He gllanced over his shoulder as Quistis came out and began talking to Zell, he then re-zipped his bag and stood up to look at the other Seed, he knew off the fighting style of some of the other Seed around, and for others he had no idea, he could see weapons around, obviously Squall's Gunblade, Quistis' Whip, Zell's glove, he took note of a sword that had horizontal lines on it, clearly something personalized about that, Stephen was sure he would find out.

Reaching into Stephen's pocket, he pulled out a packet of gum and put a piece in his mouth, chomping on it merrily, "So, everyone ready for the upcoming trip, its awesome that we practically get aholiday to Esthar because the president wants to see us, there isn't really much of a mission-esc feel to this does it, It's strange really" Stephen announced with a smirk trying to lightten the mood around the area as everyone seemed tense.
 
“Huh?? Oh, sure. That’d be pretty helpful, man.”

Alex allowed himself a small smirk at Kain'es answer. He was already well on his way - a subtle drop, an invitation and then... It was the long pause that was the most gratifying - it meant that Kaine didn't really have anyone, giving Alex the opening to slip in. He watched with hidden interest as Kaine repositioned himself on the steel railing, making sure to discretely look him over once more. Perched on the railing, Alex could almost see the troublemaker aura that permeated the air around Kaine.

'I wonder how he is in bed...'

The thought leapt unbidden to his mind and he shoved it back into void it had come from. It was definitely not where he needed to be right now, not on a mission at least. Maybe after they had gotten the specs from Laguna he could devote some attention to it but not here, and certainly not with an audience. His deliberation was broken by the question of where the thought had come from, and he had a good idea of where; it was something to deal with later though on the train to Esthar more than likely.

His reverie was disturbed by Kaine's mutterings.

“…I wonder who else is gonna show up?… I seem like the only newbie around here…”

"We're approaching FH rather quickly; if anyone else is going to show up, now would be the time. I suspect Cid will arrive shortly to send us off."

He looked around at the others who had gathered on the deck. Most of them seemed adept fighters, with the exception of the one young woman whom he hadn't seen in a SeeD test yet. He had seen Zell come in and he was just now noticing Quistis. As his gaze fell across the rest of them, his thoughts abandoned him as he laid eyes on Squall. He felt the familiar tug on his heartstrings the same as he always did when he saw the older SeeD only this time he was actually within a few metres of him. His fingers began fidgeting with his bangle again, turning it around his wrist. The smirk fell from his mouth and he closed his eyes, watching lewd scenes scroll past his mind's eye of the years of unreturned infatuation.

Nails dug into the flesh of his forearm and he opened his eyes to see his own fingers clamped down there. Painfully, he removed them, leaving indents on his skin where his nails had been. Letting go of the breath he hadn't known he was holding, he took a several slow, controlled breaths, bringing his mind back to order. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't go up to Squall, not here at least, let alone any other time. It wasn't a passing fancy but something he had held onto for years... Slowly his thoughts were brought back to Kaine's question.

"...If you're a SeeD, you're not new, whatever your rank may be. You've seen combat already - you're experienced now, maybe not as much as some of us but you've got it. And Laguna is the President by title, though it seems he got almost full power."

There was a small pause as FH continued to fill their vision.

"We're supposed to be getting on a train once we get to FH. If you want to, you can join me in the cabin. It doesn't seem you do well in social situations - you've been talking with me this entire time," he said with an amicable smile.
 
Headmaster Cid

​

A couple of hours had elapsed since the announcement was made and Cid was mentally readying himself to brief the SeeD's and candidates alike. However much Cid knew of Laguna, and worked with him in the past, he couldn't help but feel uneasy about certain aspects of this "mission". Why did Laguna deem it necessary to speak to the exact same SeeD's that were involved in the Lunar Cry? Why did they have to be there so soon? Cid had a few questions in his mind, but could get none of the answers he wanted until his SeeD's arrived in Esthar.

Cid sat at his desk and balanced his head on his clenched hands - pondering various things. He signed and sat upright, with a frown across his face. Something was seriously troubling Cid, and it was Laguna who was at the hub of his troubles. Something had seemed off about him, more so than usual. It frustrated him to no end that he couldn't get the answer he yearned for, but knew that he had tools at his disposal.

Noticing the time, Cid left his office and headed towards the deck on floor 2. In his hand he held a piece of paper with several names on it - the most notable being Irvine, Rinoa and Selphie. As he approached the door of the deck, a young student greeted him with an enthusiastic smile and salute.

"Thank you for tending to this area - I have one more favour to ask of you. Please take this piece of paper. On it are the names of several SeeD's that are due to join this expedition. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, these people will now not be travelling to Esthar. I regret that I have been unable to contact them , but I have other plans for them which do not involve Esthar. Should they find their way here, please send them to my office. Thank you once again."

Cid patted the student on the shoulder and proceeded through the door. The deck was populated with the students and SeeD's that he expected to see - minus the others that were included on the list he had handed to the student outside.

"Good morning everyone. Relax for now, I will the address the group once we arrive at Fisherman's Horizon, until then, please ready yourself."

Cid gently smiled and stood back from the group, surveying them and assessing the atmosphere. This was a group full of talent and speciality, each one of them had a specific skill that made them valuable. The one member of the party that Cid was particularly interested in talking to before the briefing, was Stephen. Knowing of his covert background and abilities, Cid saw Stephen as the perfect candidate to gather some information for him, before they were in too deep.

"Stephen, may I have a quick word?" ​
 
((ooc: im sorry for my absence and if i could properly excuse it i would give you a reason here unfortunately i cannot so lets just move on shall we?, yes i know this post is short but i had little time to come up with an answer having only read this 3 minutes ago))
Mercy Kodashi - Dormitories

Mercy had heard the announcement but had got so caught up in her training that she had forgotten to check the time. It was already half 9 when she got out of the shower, giving her only half an hour to make it to the other side of he garden and to the entrance where the others were no doubt waiting. She got dressed in a rush and grabbed her bag of equipment. She ran at her full speed not stopping for anyone, vaulting over people and objects that crossed her path. She made it to the carpark just as the headmaster appeared. She joined the group and fell to her knees "D-did i miss anything?" she said with a gasp for breath
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top