Final Fantasy VIII: SeeD (OOC)

30 years after Squall Leonhart and his party defeated the Sorceress Ultemecia, life seems to have to returned to normal for SeeD and the Gardens. Today, SeeD Trainees from the recently rebuilt Trabia Garden are on a train bound for Balamb. In just a few short hours, they will take the final test, and those good enough to pass will embark on their careers as full SeeD Mecernaries.

Stretched out comfortably, Zeke Watanabe lay half asleep on a couch. The rumble of the Train, as it clickety-clacked down the rails toward Balamb Station, caused the couch to vibrate. Convenient, as this only served to make Zeke more comfortable. Zeke yawned a bit and turned to lay on his side, facing the back-rest of the couch before closing his eyes again. Taking the train was so boring. Zeke would have preferred walking to Balamb if it wasn't as far from Trabia as it was. The rumble of the train, though it made Zeke a bit more comfortable on the couch, also kept him awake due to the noise, "Ah damn it... when are they gonna invent trains that don't rumble so much? This trip is boring enough as it is without depriving me of my nap..." he complained, rolling on his back once more, his propped up on his left forearm. His right fell lazily to the floor, fingers grazing against the hilt of his katana, which lay still on the floor next to the couch. When was the train gonna get to the station already? It wouldn't have been so bad if Zeke could sleep over the rumbling. But noooo, the noise just had to keep him awake. Oh well, how much more annoying could it get? Zeke's eyes tried multiple times to fall asleep, but no go. Zeke was just too light of a sleeper (a good thing sometimes, but annoying as hell right now).

In the compartment next door, Alex had similar woes. She enjoyed the gentle rumble and the chugging and clanking sounds had become merely white noise over the long trip, but she still drifted in and out of sleep. Every now and then the entire train would jump as it struck an irregularity, which would jar her awake. She was tired from having to get up so early in the morning, but she had given up on trying to get any decent rest.

Alex sat with her chin in her hands on her own couch. A gentle sigh escaped her lips. She thought that she would be more exited at the prospect of graduating and becoming a full-fledged SeeD, but in reality she was just plain tired. Besides; she still had to complete the final exam, and no one knew yet what their assignment was going to be.

She tried to remember who else was going to Balamb for the test. She had seen that long-haired boy get into the compartment next to hers, but Alex couldn't remember his name. There were a few other faces without names she could recall, but none of her friends from Trabia had tagged along. She was the only one of them that had been eligible for this particular exam. The rest of them would have to wait for next time. The idea of not seeing any of them again for a long time brought on a twinge of sadness in Alex, but she did her best to push it aside.

Alex stood and crossed the tiny compartment to the window and stared out at the rapidly passing landscape. It had changed from the snowy plains and mountains around Trabia to the hilly grasslands dotted with small forests that surrounded the Balamb area. She watched the scenery go by, glad that the trip would be over before too long.

Rin sat on the train, leaning her head against the window. She was bored out of her mind, but now she was just tired. She hadn't been about to sleep the night before because she was nervous.
It had been a while since she was reassured of her 'talent', but she was still sure about wanting to join SeeD.
Sighing, she moved away from the window and began to look around, at nothing really, just simply looking around. After giving a long yawn she sat up straight in her seat. Glancing out the window she could tell they were near. "God, i havent even met anyone yet..." she thought to herself before messing with her short red hair.

::Phileo Arentus - Balam Garden Training Ground::

"Take off that silly coat Phil." Melody's voice rung loud and clear. "Are you still going to hold back? Tomorrow's your final exam." Her form was slender with grace and her posture carried a solid confidence. With one hand on her hip Melody continued to fidget with her chains out of habit. She was the one who trained him in the ways of the Unholy Renegade. Their style was the same and even their gears were similar consisting of the static armor, the limbs protection, and the dynamic armor, the chains and wires that connected each piece. Only hers were more feminine in design complete with steel high heels.

An artificial breeze blew through the Balamb training grounds and his caramel blond hair swayed gently. Phileo removed his outer garments to reveal an armor design much like hers down to the elbow blades and ankle blades extending from the four piece of armor at each limb.

"Ata boy." Melody's voice is ever so sweat. "Remember the day when you first started training under me?"

~~Le Memoire~~

"Wake up Phileo." Melody's voice was slightly tense that day. "Aren't you going to avenge your parents?" She challenged. Other than her gears, Melody's attire was exactly the same as today's. Her top consisted of a black and blue tight shirt and her lower body was covered by jeans made with a more elastic design. Protecting her hands were black and red gloves that exposed the fingertips. While he did not know for a long time, Arentus now understands that her words of challenge were an attempt to open his locked heart.

But the him in his youth had died after the incident though his heart continued to beat. His eyes were desolate and his only response to Melody was a silent treatment and a single thought that he kept to himself. Avenge? Who? I was the cause of their deaths. Am I to kill myself?

Melody is not a patient women.

"Hey, emo princess lets play a game." The smirk on her face certainly meant that she was up to no good. But he didn't care. She could kill him for all he cared. "We'll play a simple game of tag." Melody's face literally transformed. Her mischievous anticipation and that sadistic smile on her face alerted some survival instinct within Phileo. I must not get caught by this woman. His instincts told him. But against his better judgment Arentus stood perfectly still. "Oh, did I mention? The loser will be punished..."

~~*~~

Phileo shuttered and his brow released cold sweat. That was not something he wished to remember. Melody was a practitioner of an inhuman melee art... the Onizan. The fact that she is wearing full armor this time around meant that she was not going give any slack. Her face twisted into that same sadistic grin and, though he held her with the highest regards, her voice sent a chill down his spine. "We'll play a simple game of tag." She quoted from memory. "And the loser will be punished."

Arentus instantly vanished fleeing deeper into the training grounds. Over the years he had learned better than to be caught by Melody or to fight her head on. Nothing good ever comes out of being caught by that sadistic renegade.

"Let the games begin." And Melody, too, vanished as she chased after Arentus.

The world passed by in a blur of greens, browns and blue as the train sped down the tracks. There was a time when trains carried you from destination to destination at a slower pace, the idea was to have a scenic route, but now it was all about getting to places on time, even boats moved at impressive speeds. Kryse watched the blurring canvass with little interests; he was excited as much as he was nervous about the upcoming test. What could it be? He wondered. SeeD tests could be anything, he heard many different stories; they could be as simple as defending Winhill from the never ending monster threat, to complex military operations.

“It’s good that you’re excited, but try not to be overly so when you arrive. Remember Attitude counts toward your final score.”

Ah yes, his newly acquired companion, he never knew they were so talkative. It was odd; having another presence in his mind. Normally he’d be on his own but due to the dangers SeeD encountered, it was a requirement. All SeeD were to Junction with a Guardian Force, they were even judged on how well their first encounter went. Judgment was the main focus here, but for Kryse it was a bit different. Most cadets have fight a GF to prove their worth but not him. Diablos was given to him.

Diablos was his father’s GF. It was with pride and regret that he turned over the dark demon to his son. Diablos would be a powerful ally but the main reason for turning him over to Kryse was the Soul Eater ability. A dark and seldom used ability, it was seen as a saving grace for the young man’s unique condition, but with every blessing comes a curse. Kryse would have to be very careful.

“I know. I read the guidelines. We are to be professional in our appearance and actions. I think I can manage that.”
“Hmm…perhaps, just try not to let the girls walk all over you. Honestly if I’d known you were this spineless I’d have never agreed to be your Guardian.
“There is nothing wrong with being a gentleman.”
“You say gentleman, I say wuss.”
“When I want your opinion I’ll ask for it.”
“It’s ok, you and I both know it’s just an act. What you really want to do is…
“I’m ending this conversation now!”

Suddenly Kryse was very aware that he was being watched, in fact all eyes in the car were on him. Smiling weakly he slumped down in his seat and grabbed a magazine. “They can’t hear you can they?” He said under his breath.
Nope
“You’re a real bastard.”

Now arriving at Timber Station. Please gather up your belongings and disembark when the light turns green. We hope you enjoyed the ride and wish you a pleasant stay.

Timber was the last stop before Balamb, but in order to get there he had to transfer to another train. With ticket in hand he made his way through the busy terminal to the connecting train. As he stepped aboard he decided against taking one of the rooms. It was only a short distance to Balamb so the main car would suffice. Setting his pack at his feet he leaned against the wall and waited for the train to disembark.

SeeD Cadet Elia Barron, Balamb Garden

The day was growing and Elia Barron was getting restless. The small dormitory had never been her favorite place in the world, but now the feeling of the walls closing in was worse than ever. The irony of her battle with claustrophobia wasn't lost on the young woman -- trained as a sniper to squeeze her way into the tightest of positions to wait for the perfect shot. Still, there was simply too much stress and anxiety hanging over Balamb Garden and its cadets preparing for a chance to become SeeD. She needed somewhere to breathe, some way to escape the pressure.

"See ya later, boys," she said, running her hand slowly over a framed picture on the desk next to her bed. The picture featured four siblings -- three young men and an all-bones childhood version of Elia on the end. The two oldest boys were in Galbadian military uniforms, something the other boy would soon trade his school clothes in for. The picture was a constant reminder, a driving force.

Elia Barron's blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail as she stood at the entrance to the training center. A pair of brown pants covered her lower body with a short-sleeved green shirt that mirrored well the natural foliage of the Garden's fiend-focused training ground. Covering her torso was a lightly-padded black vest, left open in the front and riddled with pockets. Tucking back a few loose strands of hair that played before her icy blue eyes, Elia exhaled deeply and stepped inside.

Twenty minutes passed like seconds for the seventeen-year-old girl as she perched on a medium-height branch of a tree overlooking the path of the Training Center. The idea of picking off a shot at an angry T-Rexaur brought a devious smirk to her lips, but a new quarry came into sight as an old friend came into the focus of her icy hues, apparently having just been through the ropes in the center. Phileo Arentus wasn't someone that Elia felt like she knew well, but living at the Garden and going to school together for years stood for something, didn't it? He'd have to learn to play with the team if he was going to make a good SeeD, right? Whatever his faults, Elia couldn't deny that Phileo trained harder than just about anyone -- other than her, that is.

Slowly, Elia moved in silence as she brought the rifle butt to rest comfortable in her shoulder. An ice iris lasered through the scope of the rifled, bringing her armored comrade into the sights of the trained weapon. Elia Barron didn't remember what it was like to miss.

"Bang bang, you're dead Arentus," she called out down the barrel of the rifle with the hint of a devil's smile playing on the corner of her pursed lips.

Surprisingly enough, Zeke had managed to fall asleep. The couch was obviously not as comfortable as a bed, but it must have been a pretty damn good one if Zeke could fall asleep on it. The trouble with being a somewhat light sleeper was, that you tend to move around more than others do in your sleep. Sadly, Zeke demonstrated this drawback when he moved just a little too much and wound up face-first on the floor with a thud, "Wah!!! What the?" a startled Zeke blurted out as he woke up. He scrambled about, inadvertedly kicking his katana under the couch, until he plopped down on it's cushion again, this time not even bothering to lay down, "Damn, stupid couch..." muttered Zeke as he crossed his arms, then looked out the window to see where they were.

They were in Balamb by now. It was easy to tell because the the usual snowy, mountainous region of Trabia had transformed into the grassland hills of Balamb. It likely wouldn't be long before the train reached the Balamb Station, at which Zeke and the other Trainees from Trabia would have to exit and then be driven the rest of the way to Balamb via truck. Zeke sighed to stretch his legs with a walk about the train. Only... where was his katana? Zeke scanned the floor where he layed it and found it had been moved, "Oh shit..." said Zeke before he started frantically looking around. Right now, that katana was the only weapon Zeke had and, if he lost it, would have to go unarmed until he could afford to purchase another one, "Where is it? Where is it! Damn it!"

Alex's head spun to the left as a thud and a muffled cry reverberated through the compartments. What was that boy doing over there?

Alex checked the tiny clock above the door to her apartment. She had been on the train for two hours, which meant that it would be arriving in Balamb in less than fifteen minutes. She decided to change into her uniform. She wanted to be ready to go as soon as she arrived at the Garden later in the day.

The uniform was fairly comfortable, but not particularly stylish. Alex especially hated the purple ribbon that was exclusive to the female suit. At least it wasn't an obnoxious yellow one, like the Balamb students had to wear. She pulled it taught, cinching the collar of her navy blue blouse. She freed her pinkish hair from beneath the shirt and combed her fingers through it once or twice.

Alex took out a small pocket mirror and looked herself over with it. The uniform didn't exactly flatter her, but she looked like a presentable SeeD candidate, and that's all that mattered for now.

She glanced up at the clock again, but the soft squealing of metal as the train began to slow down gave the answer she sought. They were pulling into Balamb station now. Alex's heart beat a little bit faster. It was still a long drive from the town to Garden, but still, the moment of truth, when she found out whether or not she would advance into the ranks of SeeD, was fast approaching.

As the train continued to lose speed, slow enough that Alex didn't lose her balance while wandering her small cabin, she stuffed her civilian clothing into her one and only small bag and zipped it up. Alex then dropped down onto the couch and waited for the train to come to a complete stop.

‘Ten minutes,’ he thought as he leaned against the wall. Ten minutes till light would break through the darkness that engulfed him. The dark never bothered him, not even when he was younger. It was calm and soothing and certainly nothing to fear, yet so many were afraid of it. Too many horror stories no doubt. The main car was illuminated a short while later as the train exited the subterranean tunnel that separated Timber from Balamb. ‘Nine and a half, well I was close.’

The train pulled into Balamb Station and came to a stop, the air breaks hissing loudly. Reaching down he picked up his pack then exited the main car into the hustle and bustle of the busy terminal. Other trains were arriving as he made his way through the crowd. Ahead of him he could see a familiar face waving her arms trying to get his attention. ‘It can’t be, is that.’ he thought as he walked up to the young woman. “Greetings Mr. Salmance, a room has been prepared for you at the Balamb Hotel. There is a package waiting for you at the front desk.”

He couldn’t believe it. Esthar had sent someone ahead of him and not just anybody, before him stood the head of the R&D division, Lynova Siegel. What a mind this woman had, her creative genius rivaled that of Odine himself. “Dr. Siegel?”

“I’m glad to see you arrived safely. You left before I could deliver the finished product. Kryse, make us proud and treat her with the same care you do your training model. Now that I’ve done my part I must get back. If I stay away too long the lab will fall apart.”

It was finished? This was great, not only was he going to be taking his final test but he’d be using the prototype. Excitement took over and he rushed passed the doctor. “Have a safe trip back!” he called out as he ran.Lynova crossed her arms and shook her head then left the terminal and headed for the port where Ragnarok was docked.

<><><>
The hotel was just ahead. As he made his way rapidly through the town he thought he saw another familiar face. She was leaving the terminal with a group of others and from the look of it she was a cadet. The name escaped him but he felt he should know it, bah…it didn’t matter right now, and there was a much more pressing matter to attend to. Once at the hotel he recomposed himself. The last thing he wanted was to look like a kid in a candy store. He walked up to the front desk and spoke professionally. “Greetings, I’m Kryse Salmance, I believe you have a package for me?”

“Ah Mr. Salmance, welcome to Balamb.” The man at the front desk said as he reached behind the desk. “Ah, here we are,” he said pulling up a long black case which he set on the counter along with a keycard to room 3-B. Kryse took the card and grabbed the case handle then headed up stairs, but not before nodding his thanks.

Once in his room he set the case on the bed and his pack on the floor, he’d need to change before he left for Balamb Garden but that could wait a minute or two. Flipping the latches on the case he slowly raised the lid. It was beautiful…he stared at the ebony blade more then pleased. There were many different Gunblade types but none were exactly alike. Gunblades were customized to suit their users fighting style. Lifting Nexus from the case he held it aloft. The balance was perfect and it was surprisingly light compared to the original Revolver. After a thorough inspection he set the blade aside.

Opening his pack he removed his disassembled training model and set it aside then lifted up the covering protecting his uniform. This would be the last time he had to wear it. Good thing too, being the only one from Esthar he’d stick out like a sore thumb. Why did they wear such flashy uniforms anyway? Every time he wore it he felt like he should be at a UFO Convention. The thing was one piece and bright silver for crying out loud! At least it was comfortable, though he may not feel that way wearing it in public.

After donning the uniform and attaching the wide belt with gunhilt holster he equipped Nexus. There was a full length mirror in front of him. A maniacal laughter erupted in his head and he got the distinct impression that Diablos was rolling on the floor. The uniform just had to have a hood didn't it? It had a mask as well but he refused wear it, though perhaps wearing it would spare him any real embarrassment. After thinking it over he decided remaining hidden was a good thing. Another bout of laughter ensued after putting on the mask. “Thank you Diablos, my humiliation is now complete.”

<><><>
He didn’t say a word as he walked to the waiting transport. He could only imagine what the other candidates were thinking. At least nobody he knew was here, then again if there were someone they'd be in the same boat as him being from Esthar and all...unless they were from Trabia? It couldn't be... It was the same face from before why did she look so famiair? Almost like an older version of... Yep, the mask was a great idea.

"There it is! Hah!" said Zeke snatching the weapon from under the couch. Great, and it only took him... "Oh crap!" the train had already stopped and was actually making the last call for people to board. Apparantly the next destination was Deling City. No way Zeke was getting stranded on a way trip to home (as in where his family's dojo was).

It became a race against time as Zeke scrambled to get his uniform on. He hated uniforms. They made everyone look so... clone-like. He hated being like everyone else. That was why he akways slipped oddities into the uniform's color pallet. It was easy to notice that some of the colors in his particular uniform were off, but that was how Zeke liked it. No doubt that would probably bring his final score down, but he hoped his finely tuned sword-skills would make up for it.

Back in Trabia, Zeke was not only the oddball, but also fairly known for being one of the best (there was never a contest to ultimately decide) sword fighters among the other sword-using cadets. It wasn't like Trabia was overflowing with swordfighters. In fact, Zeke was the only cadet that used Katana and the Watanabe Swordsmanship. Other sword-wielding cadets (of which there were few) would use normal longswords or the occasional gunblade. No doubt, physical fighters from Trabia were not very common. Most of Trabia's Cadets liked using magic.

Zeke rushed out of the room as a couple other people came in. They could tell he was SeeD, but Zeke heard them comment that he looked different from the others. Something like that was a compliment in Zeke's eyes. He broke into a run as he exited the train (as it was pulling out, no less), and pushed past people the best he could to get to the truck.

"Crap crap crap crap! Stupid couch, making me lose my stupid sword and making me late for the stupid transport!" grumbled Zeke as the truck came into view, "Come on... don't leave me..." Zeke practically prayed as he tried to run faster. If he had to walk to Garden then he may as well skip the test altogether and go back to the Dojo, because he would have never made it in time.

::Phileo Arentus - Training Grounds::

"Bang bang, you're dead Arentus," A familiar voice called out.

Elia? Suddenly a hand stabbed forward only barely missing Phileo's face. Shit. The hand instantly clawed backwards aiming to tear through the very target it had missed the first time around. The first strike was tight and the second was worse. The dangling chains made it almost impossible to dodge at such close proximity and his blood trinkled down the wound.

"ah ah aah." Melody taunted disapprovingly. "Gotta pay attention Phil."

Following his dodge Arentus arched back switching his hands for feet and sent his legs up aiming a blow from below. Quickly she took a half step back to dodge and then rushed forward readying a blow of her own.

Phileo quickly retracted his knees and shot them forward again at the approaching Melody only to be caught and thrown over her head. Following with the momentum Melody, still holding onto his feet, leaped forward to sit on Arentus forcing his heels to almost touch his back.

"I.Caught.You." Melody almost sung the words.
"Interference. That was Interference Mel." Arentus complained.
"Oh? So you think your enemies will wait for you to attack?"

Arentus could not return any words.

"Now... what did I say again? Right, losing needs to be punished. Hey Elia! Come over will ya? Can you give Phil a nice pat to cheer him on?"

The silver-suited, masked man drew stares from all of the other students seated in the large transport. He was the only one dressed in such a fashion in the truck, and no doubt everyone else wondered just what his deal was. Alex couldn't suppress a gentle giggle when the masked figure looked at her.

The truck started to pull away from the lot, but it had hardly traveled ten feet before a little voice in Alex's head told her to check her ankles. She obeyed, and realized a most unfortunate mistake. Oh, no... Her bag was missing. She had left it outside. Chatting with one of the other students while waiting for the go-ahead to board the truck, Alex had entirely forgotten to pick it up again.

Alex sprang to her feet and pounded on the door to the driver's compartment. "Stop the truck!" she pleaded. There was a jolt that jarred everybody in the transport as the driver stepped on the brake. The door popped open and a frustrated woman in a SeeD uniform--probably an instructor from Balamb Garden--poked her head out.

"What is it?"

Alex felt extremely foolish. "I- I'm sorry. I forgot something."

The instructor narrowed her eyes, then turned to the driver and whispered something to him. She looked back at Alex and said, "Make it quick, cadet."

Alex nodded her thanks and went back through the passenger compartment. She kept her eyes forward, embarrassed as hell, and ignored the few agitated sighs from the other students. She opened the back door and hopped out. Circling the truck, Alex located her bag on the pavement a few feet from where the vehicle had been parked a few moments ago. She ran over and picked it up.

As she stood, Alex noticed another figure running toward the truck. She looked at the vehicle, then back at the jogging student. Hopefully the instructor would not let the truck leave without her, so she remained outside. She waved her arm frantically at the boy, whom she knew by appearance was a fellow cadet from Trabia--the same one who had ridden in the room next to hers on the train. "Hurry up," she mumbled under her breath.

All apologies, posted in the wrong topic.

Elia Barron, Balamb Training Grounds

The devil's smirk still played on the lips of the young woman as the SeeD beckoned her down from her hiding place in the tree overlooking the battle. She couldn't help but admire the speed and grace with which the SeeD and her protege fought -- Phileo Arentus would never understand how much Elia Barron envied him for his connection to the older woman and how she constantly made him better.

"interference? Psh," she breathed, blowing strands of blonde hair out of her fair-skinned fair, icy blue eyes lasering in on the boy's grounded face. "That's what a good sniper calls...opportunity." The tightly-honed sniper rifle found its way to a sling-back position over her shoulder again, off left hand sliding into the pocket of the padded vest that almost protected her figure from the eyes of the world.

"You know," its almost unfair, Elia said, actually sliding down onto the ground and pulling up, her face resting next to Phileo's on the ground. Her voice carried a teasing song in the movement of her lips. "Every day for you is a like a SeeD field exam, how are the rest of us supposed to keep up?"

Zeke was huffing and wheezing by the time he had finally caught up to the truck. If it hadn't been for the girl who had forgotten her bag, Zeke would have been left behind with no hope of making it to the exam in time.

"Whew..." panted Zeke, tossing his bag and sword into the truck then taking a moment to catch his breath, "...too close."

The instructor who had authorized the stopping of the truck glared annoyingly at Zeke, "For your sake, I hope tardiness is not a regular thing for you. Now get in the truck..." she glanced at Alex, "...both of you!" she snapped before returning to her seat.

Zeke climbed aboard and extended his hand in an offer to pull the other student aboard, "Thanks for the stalling..." he would whisper her, "...I owe you big time," he then spoke a little louder, "I'm Zeke." he would say, introducing himself to her before snatching up his bag and weapon and plopping down in the nearest seat.

"We're from the same Garden, right? I think I remember seeing you around..." he said casually, letting his legs rest at a wide slant to the floor to make humself more comfortable. No doubt the instructor would, sooner or later, glance back and then yell at Zeke to straighten up. Oh well. At least he'd be nice and comfy while it lasted.

"Alex," the girl said as she allowed Zeke to pull her up into the transport. So, Zeke was his name. It felt like she should already know that, seeing as how they were taking the exam together, but Alex didn't really know very many people outside her own circle of friends; it wasn't a small circle, but a fairly tight one. Alex nodded in response to his question as she passed him on the way back to her seat. "And I'll hold you to that, by the way," she added.

After playing part in the training games that were always going on with Phileo and his mentor, Elia made her way out of the training center and checked with the faculty member that was stationed in front of it. "Any idea when the cadets are going to arrive from the other gardens?" It was clear that something was weighing on the young woman's mind. The exam, the elaborate ball that would follow the night after -- something.

"Elia Barron, Balamb Student No. 47514?" The visored figured asked, verifying that she was in the right place before answering. "The schedule is not rigid. Students will be arriving throughout the day." The brush off response was all she was going to get for the day.

"Some help," she muttered before taking off down the main hall, stopping for a moment by the library to see if any of the books she wanted had been checked back in. Nothing. So, the sniper specialist continued, sliding through the gated entrance to Balamb Garden and through the walkways that led to the front gate and the pathway to the rest of the island. She was restless, bored. Most students were busy studying for the last of their exams, worrying about the upcoming field text. Elia just wanted something to break her concentration, something new.

((oops, I guess I missed my turn didn't I?))

::Phileo Arentus - Punishment for the loudmouth::

Phileo's body shook involuntarily at the thought of a woman touching him. He has a weird phobia to a woman's touch no thanks to Melody and her sadistic routines. But ironically, due to their constant training, Arentus' body has built some resistance to her touch and her touch alone.

Elia Barron. Her hair waved under the artificial wind as she beckoned down from her hiding place. Sometimes, Phileo would see a strange look in her icy blue eyes. Admiration? Disguist? Longing? It was something he could never quite figure out.

"You know,"

And her frame slid onto the ground with her face resting next to Phileo's. A cold sweat dropped from his brows but he was composed enough. And Elia knew. She knew the line that would cause a reaction despite how he doesn't actually mind otherwise. They've known each other for a long time now.

"Every day for you is a like a SeeD field exam, how are the rest of us supposed to keep up?"
"Trust me, don't envy what you don't have. This sadistic wo..." SMACK!

An evil grin and a pumped up anger radiated in an demonic aura just above him. Melody's voice, taunting, sadistic, and unforgiving asked.

"What. did you say!?? I didn't quite hear you, say it again."

Fear welled up in his heart. "uh..uh... I said, this dis wonderful and most beautiful person in all the earth will train anyone to be the best of the best."

Melody's smile was still awkward. "mmm, mmm, not bad but it looks like you haven't had enough punishment yet. Elia! Lend me your hand! We will give Mr. Arentus a nice massage on the back."

Phileo's eyes turned white and he literally just fainted on the spot.

"Stupid brother, who do you think I'm doing this for?" Melody sighed. Then she turned to Elia. "Take care of my kid brother during the exam tomorrow okay? In exchange, I'll give you training session." Melody winked before getting up off of Arentus. "Just leave him there, he'll come to eventually. If he miss the exam tomorrow though... I'm going to give him a thorough beating."

Eventually, Elia and Melody both departed. Arentus opened one eye and his gaze darted around to his surroundings. Clear. Picking himself up he hurried to catch up to Elia past the gates of Balamb garden.

"That's cold Elia. You could have at least woken me up."

Elia Barron, Balamb Garden Front Gate

A genuine smile began to play on the young woman's lips at the sound of the voice as it approached her from behind. Elia had found a comfortable position on the railing that sat to the side of the Garden's front gate, her legs tucked underneath her, interlocking with the lower rail as hr body found a balance higher. Eyes were closed as the world passed her by, the girl remaining perfectly still, hair moving somewhat with the wind like the leaves rustling in an otherwise stoic tree. It was like a form of meditation, one that she practiced from a nest before taking any shot.

It was broken, of course, by the annoyed grumblings of the fellow cadet on his way to join Barron, but the interruption was less like a jolt and more along the lines of a gentle waking from a light slumber as the girl responded before opening her eyes. "You looked tired. Besides, you're adorable when you sleep after getting pounded by a woman." The smile was more of a teasing smirk now as her eyes opened, body shifting more to accomodate for his presence. "And, honestly, it was better that I was there -- you think that Melody would have taken it so easy on you if it was just the two of you alone?" Phileo's mentor had a reputation for being ruthless -- one of the reasons she was one of the best.

Elia's mind was drifting forward as a few students passed by, scurrying on their way to and from the various points of the Garden. "I've never seen Trabia Garden. I heard one of the instructors talking about it, said that you can see see the scarring on the ground around it from where the missles hit during the last war." The war was a sore spot to mention for the young woman -- the daughter and brother of Galbadian soliders, raised in the heart of Deling City.

The transport stopped upon the familiar girls request, it was a good thing too. Had they not stopped, one of the students would have been left behind and from the look of it the student was from the same Garden as the young woman. When she spoke her name, broken memories came flooding back. How was it, one forgets such things? She was a childhood friend…no an acquaintance was more accurate. He never really knew her so calling her friend was a stretch, though as a child it probably didn’t matter.
I sense a moment of deep thought coming on

Life was different as a child. Everything was black and white. If you met someone and they were nice you called them friend, you didn’t care who they were, only that it was nice to have a companion. It isn’t like that anymore. As maturity sets in, the lines of black and white begin to blur revealing the one color all children are blind to…gray.

How we see through this gray defines who we are and what we will become, but there is still a place we can find the simplicity of black and white.
The field of battle.
Exactly. In battle you are either ally or enemy. Your allies trust you to watch their back and you trust them to watch yours. It’s a bond that forms almost immediately.
Indeed.

The transport would be arriving soon so he leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes and waited for the disembark command.