Final Fantasy VIII: SeeD (IC)

Xeynar · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Xeynar** on Wed Jan 13, 2010 6:07 pm

Phil had followed him? That was unexpected, to say the least. Zeke and Phil hardly knew one another that well, so the Renegade’s apparent concern was a bit of a surprise. Zeke shook his head, as if trying to shake off the sour attitude he had. Leviathan was right. He needed to be professional about this. If he spent his whole career expressing emotional outbursts like the one he had way back when in Balamb Garden, then he would disgrace himself as a SeeD.

”You shouldn’t be surprised. You’re a team, remember?”

It became apparent that Elia and Eva had also stayed behind, for they entered the room behind Phil. Zeke had no idea why they chose to stay, but Phil asked a question that somewhat answered Zeke’s.

"What do you[all] think?" Arentus directed his question to all three of his team while playing with the voucher between his knuckles. "Is it really a possibility that us SeeDs were hired simply for us to enjoy ourselves and to witness the Lunar Cry?"

Phil had a point. Why the hell would anyone hire a team of mercenaries to enjoy a party? The whole thing began to sound fishy now that Zeke thought about it calmly. But then, the Estharians had made it a cultural tradition to keep everything as a big secret.

“If you’re asking ‘is there a possibility?’, then yes. There’s always a chance that we really are in for just another party. But when you put it that way, then it just seems like there are a few details missing,” Evangeline answered logically, though it was obvious in her voice that she was still putting a lot of thought into it. “For example, why the miscommunication? If they were really that grateful, why didn’t they simply tell we were coming for a party?”

”Tch. That’s an easy one. They didn’t tell us because they knew we wouldn’t show up for another party. How much more obvious could it get?”

“Think about it, guys. The headmaster would have never agreed to send us here just for a party even if Esthar was paying us double,” she said, finally stuffing hands into the pockets that had been craving them for a while now. “If you ask me, it was all just a big ruse to get us out of there. It’s got Kryse’s name written all over it,” she said with a smirk. She had no idea that he was just as shocked at the team, but the explanation made perfect sense in her head.

”She may be right. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this were his doing. If he wanted to see us so badly why didn’t he just come to Trabia with us instead of dragging us here under false pretenses? Jerk.”

Elia then left the Ragnarok, leaving Zeke with Phil and Eva. Through out the entire discussion, Zeke had been quiet, not saying a word aloud. Elia had pretty much spoken for him in terms his thoughts on what was happening, so he didn’t figure there was much reason in voicing his opinion. In any case, Zeke leaned back in the chair he was sitting in and crossed his legs. Regardless of Esthar’s hidden purpose (if there was one), he still had no interest in attending another party. His demeanor made it pretty obvious that he was still irked by the whole damn thing.

souloe · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **souloe** on Wed Jan 13, 2010 9:53 pm

::Phileo Arentus::

"...seems like there are a few details missing...”
"Tch, That's an easy one..."

Having parked, Ragnarok no longer had on its heaters to warm the cabins. A cool mist escaped Arentus as he breathed in the cold Estharian air. Considering the level of technology it should be warmer once they enter its true confines. Eva and Elia both voiced their opinions and only Zeke remained silent. Phileo did not try to stop Elia but continued the conversation with those who remained.

"There is no proof," he began with the obvious, "of any foul play from our client. However, considering additional pay outside Garden jurisdiction and a mission that does not align with the hiring fees, I can only suspect that something will happen during the Lunar Cry... maybe even before." Phileo paused to let his words sink. "If we are wrong, fine. Else, we should probably take some initiative and prepare a contingency plan. We are professionals," Blue eyes looked at Zeke for a split second, "so lets not tarnish our name[SeeDs] by making elementary mistakes or being caught off guard." Arentus paused shortly for their reaction before continuing.

"Zeke, can I count on you to be in charge of the Ragnarok? We may need it during, maybe even before, the Lunar Cry. Evangeline, can I count on you to find a map of Esthar, emergency rendezvous point with Ragnarok and potential escape routes from three locations? The Garden, our lodging, and the site to watch the Lunar Cry. I will scout for more information. There is no need to bring this up with the others," Hinting the possibilities but masking it with a sound argument, "since we may not even need the precaution. But, lets make sure our first mission together will not end in an epic failure." Arentus paused once more for feed backs or perhaps just a nod before continuing.

"With this," referring to the voucher in hand, "we won't be able to complain even if our mission is now SS class difficulty. It may do us well to arm ourselves with Estharian technology." Arentus didn't look directly at Zeke but the SeeD should be able to tell that Phileo was subtly offering him a reason to avoid the Garden tour. "I'm hoping to get a feel of the technology used by Esthar's Garden... but otherwise, I believe we have time until our 'mission'."

With that Arentus readied himself to leave wondering if Eva or, though less likely considering his demeaner, Zeke would join him. Either way, Phileo departed to catch up with Kryse's tour.

Makokam · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Makokam** on Wed Jan 13, 2010 10:39 pm

Wolf lagged behined as he considerd what Kryse had said. He knew what he said was true, and perhaps he was reading too much into other peoples worry, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

"I'll give you 50 gil if you pick a fight with someone and torture them until they sing the Galbadian national anthem."

He turned to see Elia smiling up at him, a curiously mixed expression of friendship, sarcasm, anger, and desperation. Despite the whole situation he couldn't help thinking, "This girl is beautiful."

"I don't think our clients would appriciate that," he responded as, despite it going against his nature, he laughed at the image of him dangling one of these academics over the edge of the walkways by the legs yelling, "Sing it!"

He motioned with one hand for her to go ahead of him, a silent "ladies first".

Esthars Garden was deffinetly unique, though it didn't suit him. If he had had to study in these sterile halls he would have gone mad and run screaming within a week.

However, the training facility immedietly caught his attention. The ability to fight anything or anyone whenever you want? He sighed at the thought of how much money he could have saved if he'd had access to this technology.

"So want to try it out?"

Before he could restrain himself, Wolfs hand shot up like an over eager students, "Yes, yes I would."

"Okay. What do you want?"

Wolf thought about it. He could fight anything. He could fight a legendary monster, hell he could fight Ultimicia if he wanted. He glanced over at Elia and remembered what she'd said before they entered the Garden.

"Can it do battle recreation?"

"Sure, what were you thinking of?"

He smiled broadly, "How about Galbadias attack on Balamb?" He pointed to Kryse and Alex, "You can fight for Balamb and," he threw an arm around Elia, "We'll fight for Galbadia."

StandardFiend · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **StandardFiend** on Wed Jan 13, 2010 11:56 pm

It wouldn't be long before Alex's neck grew sore, as it constantly swiveled her head back and forth to take in everything that encompassed Esthar Garden. It was remarkably similar to how she'd imagined it, but then again, Esthar had a rather uniform look and she didn't expect the Garden to deviate from it.

So Kryse was offered a job here in Esthar... Alex couldn't help but wonder why he had gone through with the SeeD exam if this was the place he truly desired to be? Why had he not simply stayed in Esthar and gone the path of the scientist? Joining the Garden and signing up as a SeeD candidate no doubt would have hampered such plans, so why the sudden change of interest?

At the very least, the prospect of Kryse staying in the field to do his work, and even possibly joining the new SeeD squad for their next mission, was comforting. It meant he wouldn't be cloistered in this place, growing old before a bright screen in a dim office. Still, she wondered what exactly his interaction with the team would be like: would his accompaniment be on a permanent basis, or just the once?

Alex realized she was thinking far too much, and was drawn back to reality as Kryse introduced them to the Garden's virtual training center. No way; what magical power had brought her imagination to life here? What a remarkable coincidence that she had envisioned just such a device. And given that, there was no way she would pass on an opportunity to try it out. It seemed to her like a once-in-a-lifetime sort of deal, as she'd never see such a thing again once she returned to Trabia.

Elia had joined the trio somewhere along the Promenade, having caught up to them after her discussion with the others in the Ragnarok. Regarding that, Alex understood Zeke's frustration and no doubt mistrust of the Estharian officials at this point, but she could not condone his rather violent outburst. He was a SeeD, after all; a representative of his Garden. His actions reflected poorly on Trabia, but Alex imagined that the Kessler and his men would not look too much into it. There would probably be some level of understanding on the director's part, at any rate. She hoped Zeke, Phileo, and Eva would join them and see what wonders her home city offered before being shipped back to the snowy mountains. Alex would hate for them to miss out.

Wolf smiled broadly. "How about Galbadias attack on Balamb?" He pointed to Kryse and Alex, "You can fight for Balamb and," he threw an arm around Elia, "we'll fight for Galbadia."

Alex crossed her arms and cocked her head, glaring into Wolf's eyes as a sinister grin crossed her face. "You remember who won that battle, don't you?" She pulled Kryse to her in manner similar to Wolf with Elia. "You're on."

A glint in Alex's eyes told Kryse she wouldn't accept no for an answer. She would hardly refuse an opportunity to show up Wolf--even better if she could do it in front of Elia.

SuperVixen · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **SuperVixen** on Sun Jan 17, 2010 9:34 pm

For the fleeting moment, Elia was glad for the company for a moment. She’d been isolating herself from the group more and more since the incident at the hotel and it didn’t take much of a psychiatrist to realize that the girl was probably more than just a little lonely at the moment. She was so quick to blow people off for any reason that she found herself alone more often than even she cared for. Wolf, for one, didn’t seem to mind her intrusion into the group and quickly roped his arm around her, pulling her into something of a dare against their teammates.

“How about Galbadia’s attack on Balamb?" Wolf’s suggestion, however, was one that almost faded the cocky grin from the blonde girl’s lips. It wasn’t much, but just enough that someone might have been able to catch the subtle shift of the look on her face for just an instant.

Nice one, Wolf. Why don’t you bring up that time that our country’s entire military suddenly feel under the influence of an evil sorceress and attacked our superiors, not to mention the legends we all grew up idolizing? It was one of the moments that she felt torn between her home in Galbadia and the Garden that had really raised her. Then again, choosing the war that had existed two generations ago between Galbadia and Esthar might have hit a little too close to home considering who was on each side of the war game.

“Knowing these two, the thing is probably rigged,” she said with a devious smirk fired back at her Estharian teammates. Well, one teammate and one almost teammate. “I guess that’ll just make it even sweet when we beat them at their own game.” Elia Barron was seemingly back in full fighting form, judging by the playful fire in her eyes and the taunting smirk.

Makokam · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Makokam** on Tue Jan 19, 2010 1:55 am

When Alex jumped at his suggestion, he quickly glanced at Elia to see what she thought before glancing back to see Alex clinging to Kryse in both a posessive and challenging manner. He didn't know how much of that, if any of it, was directed at him. He did know what he saw on Elias face though.

"Yeah," he responded to Alexs jab, "I know who won. But thats just because we were born about thirty years to late to win it," he shot back.

Before they entered the holographic training ground Wolf pulled Elia aside, "I know this a sore point for a lot of us, but we Galbians are fighters, warriors. We're always looking for a fight. It's in our blood. It may not have been a good war, but it was the only one we had."

He turned away to follow Kryse and Alex in. He didn't fault his fathers generation for their actions. He was just going to find a better fight.

Jag · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Jag** on Wed Jan 20, 2010 8:22 pm

“All right, preparations are ready. Remember, we make our move during the second phase. We can’t afford to lose, gentlemen, these are not the kind of people to piss off. Failure is not an option. By late afternoon, the people of Esthar will know fear.”

The words trickled into the wig planted firmly in Balian’s ear as he adjusted the armor covering his body. He stomach churned as he caught a glimpse of his own reflection in the glossy control panel off to his right. His body was the same one he’d always had since the battle and SCORPIA’s technicians had done their bidding, but it was the light-colored, futuristic suit of armor that almost caused him to wretch. Just the thought of donning Estharian armor was bad enough – seeing the nightmare in motion was worse than he’d imagined.

Still, he had to hand it to his sworn enemy. The armor was designed to absorb a great deal of impact pressure without yielding any of the pressure cargo beneath while still offering a great deal of mobility. Estharian battle tactics and the general training of their soldiers had always been far behind that of the military-state of Galadia, but they were made more than formidable as opponents because of the dangerous leaps in technology they had been able to make throughout the decades of their silent standoff.

Finally, a chance to make up for that disastrous accident in Deling City. Glad to see that someone is finally taking action.
There are no such things as accidents in war, only shifts in tactics.
I shouldn’t have to remind you that the little “shift in tactics” back there cost him his life.
You think you want revenge any more than I do? Our mind, my body, your power. Today we strike on enemy soil.
Can’t wait.

The fusion process made Balian unable to remove the junction with Ares the way that SeeD mercenaries were able to do when they needed the privacy of their mind separate from the powerful entities with whom they normally shared their bodies. As a result, Ares was a constant companion in every thought and emotion that surged through his mind, often blurring the line between their personalities and thoughts so much that Balian could hardly tell which of them was speaking. For now, they were both of the same goal.

The retrofitted Estharian armor included a small panel and readout installed on the man’s right forearm. Ducking down under a hatch and checking the information scanning across the screen, Balian frowned slightly. There was a lot of reliance on technology for this mission, so much of the success and failure to hinge upon the abilities of computer technicians that knew nothing of death at close range. Still, everything seemed to be working perfectly. For now.

What would seem to the Estharians as a small piece of glitched coding in the shield system was actually a dormant portal that fed all the necessary information into Balian’s armband. The result came in the form of access codes and all the technical information he and the rest of the SCORPIA team would need to bring Esthar and its Lunar Cry to its knees.

Making his way to the first security-sealed blast door, Balian simply held up the armband to the panel and watched in quiet awe as the two machines began to communicate like old friends. Just as soon as he contemplated giving up on the idea, the door emitted a breath of air as the seal broke and the Galbadian SCORPIA agent found himself walking undetected thus far into the heart of Esthar.

Dalmar · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Dalmar** on Wed Jan 20, 2010 10:40 pm

The Training Center was an impressive construct 450 ft in length, 320 ft in width and 30 ft in height. The walls, floor and ceiling were made up of thousands of hexagonal tiles, each containing a Liquid Crystal processor capable of generating a holographic image as complex as the human body. In order to create a believable world the system provides a total sensory experience, from the feel of the wind to the smell of the world around you; all five senses are faithfully represented. It has even been said that the illusion is so real that even the sixth sense can fooled. In fact it is nearly impossible to discern a human hologram from its real life counterpart. This has led to some controversial issues involving human and hologram interactions. One such enthusiast even wrote a digital novel titled 'My Boyfriend is an Avatar'.

Kryse was more than a little surprised at Wolf's suggestion but even more so at the willingness of the others. His own suggestion would have been less complex and more of a demo of what the system was capable of, but this was good too. It wasn't like he could say no, not after the look Alex gave him anyway. A reenactment was out of the question though, in order for this to be fair both sides needed to be on equal ground. Galbadia lost but if he changed the rules of play either side could be the victor. After a moments though he came up with an idea. “Alright, but it won't be a reenactment. Instead we'll make it a contest. Each side will have a key figure they must capture or subdue; in this case it'll be Squall Leonhart and Seifer Almasy. Think of it like a live action chess match where the king is fully capable of destroying you.” Pausing a minute to let that sink in he spotted Phileo coming down the hall.

With Phileo joining the group the balance was off. The young professor thought for moment. “Welcome to the training center Phileo, I believe you just provided an interesting variable. We were about to run through a little game of 'Capture the Leader' would like to join us? Of course if you do, you'll have a different goal than the four of us. If you decide to play you'll be a Wild Card. The Wild Card is implemented when you have an uneven numbers of players. Their job is to be an obstacle for the two teams. Should the Wild Card capture a player, they are held for five minutes. It's possible for a team member to rescue another but bear in mind that doing so may give the other team an advantage,” he paused to await a response.

StandardFiend · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **StandardFiend** on Fri Jan 22, 2010 12:41 am

As Kryse explained the rules of the game the team would play, Alex crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. It was as if he had been the one to suggest the game in the first place, having had it all planned out in his mind for days before.

"Uh... exactly how much time do you usually spend in here, Kryse?" she asked softly, with a bit of a mocking tone. "Anyway, it all sounds good to me, I guess. I never was very good at chess, though."

Alex took a few steps around the training center, taking in its vastness, confused by its utter plainness. Some part of her wished that her fate had been different ten years ago, that she had come to this Garden rather than be shipped off to Trabia. There was so much to see--far too much to take in in one visit. The intricacies of the machines escaped Alex, but she felt that could have been different, too, had her upbringing been more Estharian.

But then again, there was that outfit... both of those outfits, actually: the silver suit Kryse had first appeared in, and the formal regalia he had boasted afterward. Alex could hardly picture herself in either of them. At the thought of living her life in those, an upbringing at Trabia Garden didn't seem so bad after all.

"How does this hologram thing work, anyway? Like, how do we feel stuff, and smell stuff, and taste stuff....... you know, if the opportunity should arise. How does a computer generate those sensations?

"Maybe more importantly, what if one of us dies in here? How is that going to work? And I hardly need battle scars this early in my SeeD career."

souloe · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **souloe** on Wed Jan 27, 2010 1:07 pm

((sry bout the delay, was a bit caught up irl))

::Phileo Arentus::

The gates to the hanger closed in a mechanical sequence and when he found the skies of Esthar, the frozen tundra had vanished leaving only the sight of the technological wonder they Estharians called home. It was certainly cold, considering their geographic location, but it was probably one machine or another providing a more suitable environment.

The ride to the Garden was swift and Arentus did not pause for wares though he did feast his eyes on the sites racing by the window of his seat. It was... amazing. Entering the garden a staff greeted him.

"How can I be of assistance?"
"I'm looking for Kryse and the SeeD team that was supposed to have arrived a little earlier."
"Kryse," The voice began spewing relavent information about his status and current mission. For some reason... the staff didn't quite seem human.
"hello?"
"hello."
"Where can I find Kryse?"
"System indicates that Kryse and three other SeeD members are currently in the Training Center."
"Thanks."
"I am glad to be of assistance."

Walking forward Arentus suddenly noticed the 'staff' he talked to was somewhat static as though meant to be identified as something not human. A computer hologram... not that Phileo had ever seen one in Balamb. Using the map and subsequent AI holograms Arentus found himself in an impressive construct 450ft in length, 320ft in width and 30ft in height - according to the same voice that had toured him during his short time roaming the Garden.

"Welcome to the training center Phileo, I believe you just provided an interesting variable. We were about to run through a little game of 'Capture the Leader' would like to join us? Of course if you do, you'll have a different goal than the four of us. If you decide to play you'll be a Wild Card. The Wild Card is implemented when you have an uneven numbers of players. Their job is to be an obstacle for the two teams. Should the Wild Card capture a player, they are held for five minutes. It's possible for a team member to rescue another but bear in mind that doing so may give the other team an advantage,”

"Did we walk into some kind of game?"

"So... my role is to act as the renegade and my job is to take out anyone I see?... take out both teams?" Arentus summarized as best as he could about the current game and wild card proposal. His eyes almost sparkled and a large grin revealed an excitement neither hidden nor disguised. "Sure, that sounds fun. So... how do I 'capture' a player? Incapacitate them? Tag them? Mark them with a brush?"

"You're going to test out Melody's move aren't you?"
"Oh that? Well, we'll see."

EikouNekoChan · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **EikouNekoChan** on Sun Jan 31, 2010 10:22 pm

So much for feeling welcome. Elia made her feelings clear, not just about the situation but about her opinion of Evangeline, clear when she left the Ragnarok. Defiant and spiteful, Eva’s fellow blonde seemed to have a strong dislike for Evangeline’s diplomatic way of thinking. If Eva couldn’t work this out, it would probably prove to be a problem in missions to come. But knowing Elia- having not only trained at the same garden and read Elia’s file- the missions themselves would probably be the remedy for Elia’s disrespect. Probably.

Evangeline put those thoughts aside and turned back to Zeke and Phileo. Zeke remained silent, though his skeptical expression made Eva figure he probably agreed with Elia. The blonde hoped that it was only the mission he agreed on, not Elia’s opinion of the blonde dragoon.

Phileo broke the silence and recommended they take precautions to be sure they weren’t caught off guard if the LCE went haywire. As much as Evangeline wanted this to be exactly as the Estharians portrayed it, Phileo’s plan made perfect sense. It was better to be safe than sorry.

“…Evangeline, can I count on you to find a map of Esthar, emergency rendezvous point with Ragnarok and potential escape routes from three locations? The Garden, our lodging, and the site to watch the Lunar Cry. I will scout for more information. There is no need to bring this up with the others since we may not even need the precaution. But, let’s make sure our first mission together will not end in an epic failure." Phileo instructed and ended with a recommendation to upgrade their equipment using the vouchers given to them upon arrival. Evangeline nodded before he turned away to follow Kryse’s tour.

Evangeline began to walk after him, but then remembered Elia’s comment about how things could go wrong. So she turned back to retrieve her glaive. Her eyes passed over her teammate on their way to her bag. Zeke was going to be alone for a lot of this mission, and with the rocky start…Evangeline kinda felt sorry for him. Knowing how he was, he probably wouldn’t appreciate what he’d call pity.

“Y’know, the event’s not happening for awhile. You have time to go to the shopping mall; getting some Estharian weaponry sounds like a good idea,” She suggested as she gripped her glaive in one hand. “I’m headed that way. Why not come with?”

Xeynar · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Xeynar** on Mon Feb 01, 2010 12:00 am

Zeke sighed and stood up from the chair, "Why the hell not...?" he said with a slight bit of hesitation in his tone. He wasn't about to buy another sword, but the one he did have could probably use some fixing. There was a good reason Zeke would not simply replace it. Katanas were very challenging to make, and the one Zeke wielded was forged in a very traditional manner. Even if Esthar did produce the type of sword Zeke used, it was probably something that came off an assembly line. Just one of a million copies. Traditionally forged swords had more character and were viewed by fighters like Zeke to be more valuable.

Still, Zeke had no problem with wanting to have his sword spruced up by Estharian technology. It wouldn't become a computerized weapon or anything, but the blade could still be reinforced by whatever ingenious material the Estharians used to make their armor and weapons so durable. It would probably cost a pretty penny, but the Estharians did just hand Zeke 25,000 gil to spend, so he would very much be able to afford the cost.

"You must really be regretting the score you gave me after what happened back there." said Zeke out of nowhere. He was just making conversation, even if it was a bit of a touchy subject, "Guess I'm not much of a SeeD after all... maybe the old man was right." the last part kind of trailed out without him really meaning to say it out loud. Of the team, Zeke's past was the only one still in any obscurity. Everyone already knew who Elia was, and Kryse came from an influential Estharian family. It seemed like Zeke was the only one who had not shared his family life or past with any of the others.

Not that he wouldn't tell them if he were asked. Zeke simply remained quiet about it because no one bothered to ask. He wasn't about to make himself sound like some kind of sob story. If they weren't interested in knowing who he was, then he had no reason to bore them with the story.

SuperVixen · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **SuperVixen** on Mon Feb 01, 2010 10:00 pm

So what if their game was a dark reminder of days better left forgotten? After all, it wasn’t like the big Estharian party was going to give her any better chance at training and honing in her skills. For now, it was better than nothing and more than suitable as a means to vent her frustration about being sent to Esthar under false pretenses. The young woman allowed her mind to drift back to Aiden for a moment, the tall figure of the Galbadian shoulder that had so suddenly appeared at Trabia Garden like something out of a strange dream. Elia didn’t like chaos in her world and her brother randomly appearing again was a wildcard factor she hadn’t been anticipating.

Then again, it was all just wasteful thinking at this point. Aiden would be on his way back to Deling City by now and there was no telling when their paths would cross again. Now that the team’s missions would be based out of Trabia, there was little chance of getting to go back home again – not that there was much of a home really left for any of the Barron children, not after they had all scattered to the four winds of war.

“Time to show us all what you’re made of, hot shot,” she said with a teasing smirk at Khevan. The girl reminded herself once again that this was a game, but another memory rolled into her mind. She had no idea what to expect from this Khevan. Sure, he was a SeeD, but she’d already met several of veteran SeeDs that Elia felt sure she could handle in combat. The two on the other side of the battle – not to mention Phileo roaming around – had proven their lethality in battle already and Elia knew what they could do.

Dalmar · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Dalmar** on Sat Feb 06, 2010 6:13 am

In a small white room off to the side of the Training Center sat two individuals. One was a promising scientist and rising SeeD, the other also a SeeD, was an expert sniper known for her ice cold stare. Kryse looked over at Elia who sat across from him, “well, that went well.”

10 min ago

Balamb Garden had been cleared of the first wave of Galbadian soldiers and it was time for a counter attack. The ground shook as the two massive structures collided with each other throwing students and staff about. The end result would force both Gardens to the ground. Now the real battle could begin. According to history this is when Squall and his team invaded Galbadia Garden, but for the purpose of the simulation, he stayed behind with Zell as back up. The others were not included.

Kryse and Alex came up with a plan of attack while Wolf and Elia no doubt were doing the same. Phileo lurked on the battle field biding his time, he needn’t worry about the fighting going on around him, they were more concerned with the war at hand though it didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun. After a brief discussion Kryse and Alex figured their biggest threat would be Elia, her position as a sniper made her very dangerous. The young scientist decided he’d be the one to get her attention while Alex made her way across the battlefield to infiltrate the enemy Garden, he’d catch up as soon as his teammate was clear. At least that was the plan…

They ran into battle then split up in two different zigzagging directions. The young scientist had augmented their reflexes with Haste to give them an edge and he was enjoying the results. Alex was an amazing athlete even though her movements were greatly enhanced, his teammate still moved with finesse and grace as she easily dispatched enemy soldiers. Breaking away from his teammate he began to scan the upper reaches for the sniper. Elia found him first. The first shot rang out and a soldier fell before him. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face as he stopped dead. With a grin he looked up at a balcony about eighty yards out and waved. There wasn’t time to fool around though, a group of enemy soldiers had advanced on him. Good for him and bad for them. It was good for him because they would act as shields to the sniper. She wouldn’t fire on her own team. It was bad for them because they would all fall to his blade. When they fell he had a surprise waiting for his enemy teammate.

An ominous glow illuminated Nexus as he pointed the split bladed weapon at the balcony. For the briefest of moments he wondered what went through her head when she saw the glow of the Core Gun hidden within the blade, he’d like to think it was something along the lines of “oh shit” but it was probably something like “damn Estharian technology” Kryse fired, but not soon enough, before the beam left his weapon he saw a muzzle flash; he listened for the report but it never came, nor did the crack of thunder from the air rushing in to fill vacuum left by the energy beam.

Now

The room was devoid of decoration but it did have its comforts. On three walls were a row of bucket seats lined in white leather. A three-way video screen hung from the ceiling to allow anyone staying in the room a good view of what was going on in the Training Center. Half the balcony had been blown away by Nexus’ blast and he could see Seifer on the ground, wondering what had happened. Elia had a similar look, so he answered her unasked question. “We were Coded. This is the Re-spawn Room. During some games we use this room as a penalty box, there is usually a forty five second wait before we teleport back to the game, hence the name Re-spawn. It was an interesting outcome though, who’d of thought we’d take each other out?”

Before any answer could come there was an announcement over the communications system. All Trabia SeeDs are to report to briefing room 1-A immediately

“Freeze simulation.” Kryse said as the announcement repeated. On the monitor all activity had stopped, he saw Wolf confronting Phileo…and was that Squall KO’ed on the ground beside them? Checking another monitor he could see Seifer frozen in place in a half fall and Alex standing before him. It was a shame it had to end so soon. The announcement sounded again. Turning his attention back to Elia he said, “Guess you guys should get going.” Before she left he handed her data pad with a detailed map of Esthar and it’s key facilities.

SuperVixen · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **SuperVixen** on Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:44 am

The holographic interface and the rush of technology that consumed them as they began the simulation sent a sudden sensation of nausea through Elia Barron’s body. She simply wasn’t used to the bursts of electricity and the digital world that presented itself, forcing her body to take a few moments to orient itself to Esthar’s training facility. As soon as things began, however, the blonde-haired girl quickly settled into the exercise. Pulling the trigger was simple, easy. There was something to be said for knowing that it was all a game, just an electronic representation of a person rather than the real thing like she’d faced back at the hotel in Deling City.

Still, there was something surreal and almost horrifying about how easy it was to line up the digitized Balamb SeeDs in her sights and pull the trigger. These were the same students she’d lived with most of her life, the same instructors that had pulled her through the worst of times. Now she was cutting them down like petty fiends.

Soon enough her focus shifted to Kryse cutting through the waves of the Galbadian assault. Before she was even able to rationalize taking the shot or contemplate moving to a new nest in the interest of avoiding being pinned down, a flash of white carried her to a nondescript room, staring back down at the same young man she’d just tried to kill moments before. It was strange, seeing him and pulling the trigger so soon after he’d come to her rescue when real lives were on the line.

“Well, if somebody has to kill me, I think you’d be my first choice,” she said with a toying smirk. Normally she would have been much more upset about losing the game, but something about the way it had come together so quickly and the frustration she’d carried from the switch-and-bait trip made for a much more relaxed girl than what would have been expected.

The announcement startled the young woman, Elia giving a slight jump as confusion began to set in. It took a moment for her to remember that she was a “Trabia SeeD” now, not a daughter of Galbadia or a Balamb student. That was going to take some getting used to.

“No rest for the weary,” she said with a sigh, snatching up the rifle and throwing it over her should as she began to head to the door. Clutching the data pad, the blond-haired girl turning slowly as she lingered at the door.

“Kryse,” her voice spoke with a sense of hesitation and hidden agenda that was normally absent in her intense and brutally-honest approach to any conversation. “You know…we all were really upset when you decided not to come with us.” Another long pause, a deep sigh through partially-clenched teeth beneath fair and smooth skin. “I just wanted to say that…you know…Nevermind.” Elia’s inherent personality seemed to kick back in just before any truth escaped the icy barrier.

“See ya around, Salmance. I’ll be sure to avoid balconies for a while.”

Makokam · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Makokam** on Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:36 pm

As soon as the game began, he heard Elia say, "Time to show us all what you're made, hot shot."

"With pleasure."

The world around them suddenly disolved into light, color, and...pixles? For a moment it was like being in a colidascope and was rather nauseating. When the world was recognizeable again Kryse, Elia, and phileo were gone, though if he understood what Kryse was saying earlier, it was just the computer creating holograms to make him think they weren't there.

"I think it'd be best if you stayed were you could keep an eye on Seifer and take out anyone trying to capture him while I go after Squall."

Elia was setting up her snipers nest almost before he finished speaking.

Wolf called over"Don't get k-" what was the word Kryse had used? "coded!" and ran off, junctioning his magic into speed.

Within a minute he was in Balamb, mowing throug SeeD cadets. It wasn't challenging, or fun, but there were just so damn many of them he didn't really have a choice. They were probably programed to swarm him. It took him a minute or so to work his way through Balambs counter attack and find Squall.

The near legendary SeeD was more or less what he expected, though he was frustrated by his inabilty get through his defenses. Even though he was attacking with two weapons, Squall was fast enough block everything he threw at him. He considered throwing away the balanced junction and going for just speed to get around them, or power to just smash through them. But he had a feeling Squall wasn't giving his al yet. He could always... no he didn't need that, not yet, not if Squall was holding back.

Somehow Squall managed to lock both of his weapons with his one gunblade(he was going to have to learn how to do that), so Wolf kicked him in chest. Squall flew back a few feet before getting his feet back under him and stumbling back.

(tbc)

Makokam · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Makokam** on Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:45 pm

Wolf was amazed by the level of detail the computer could generate. Everything looked real. Squall panted for breath just as he did, and he could even see by the set of his eyes that Squall was preparing to end this fight.

They charged each other simultaneously, Wolfs weapons held behined his back and Squalls dragging along the ground. As Squalls blade came up, Wolf leapt forward, his legs spread wide and his weapons crossed together underneath him. Squalls blade caught between Wolfs as he leapt over the strike, their weapons sparking and shrieking as Wolf slid across the gunblade to deliver a ferocious headbut.

Wolf growled as Squall dropped his blade and cried out, bringing his hand up to his face. Wolf didn't us his weapons to finish it, he simple swung a fist around and smashed it into the side of squalls head and sending him into darkness.

Wolf let out an explosive breath before sheathing his weapons and bending to pick Squall up and toss him over his shoulders.

"Put him down!"

Wolf turned just in time to see a foot smash into his face.

He crashed to the ground, half landing on Squall, before he got a good look at his attacker; a blond man with a tatoo on his face.

"I don't know what you think you're doing with him but it's not happening."

The man, if Wolf had time to think on it would have recognized him as Zell, the proceeded to work him over with his fists.

Wolf was no slouch in a fight under any cirumstance, but fist fighting was not his specialty and though he did spar with monks at Traibia for their benefit, he was no match for a master. He got a blow or two in, but he took the lions share of damage.

After being knocked to the ground yet again, Wolf managed to sweep Zells legs out from under him. He scrambled to his feet while calling to his GFs, "I need everything to strength. NOW!" He grabbed Zell by his collar and, with boosted strength, slammed him into a wall, cratering it, with one smooth overhand cast.

Makokam · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **Makokam** on Sat Feb 06, 2010 9:18 pm

Zell seemed to be stuck there, in the cratered wall, upside down, for a moment, before his legs peeled away and his whole body flopped to ground, landing him on his head. Wolf stood there, panting deeply, having not moved since he let go of Zell.

Once he was sure that he wasn't getting up, he moved to throw Squall back over his shoulders. "Balance it between speed and stamina, I want get out of here fast"

He moved out at a fast pace, and seemed to have a clear path back to Galbadia. When the entrance to the garden was within sight though, someone stepped out from behined a bush. Wolf starred in incredulous annoyance, it was Phileo, "Seriously!?"

souloe · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **souloe** on Sun Feb 07, 2010 6:26 pm

::Phileo Arentus::

"All Trabia SeeDs are to report to briefing room 1-A immediately."
"I guess we're out of time. We'll have to settle this another time." Arentus grinned reviewing in his own mind the details of the simulation. "Lets find..."

Phileo was about to finish when he realized that the others were actually rather close now that the simulation sequence had been cancelled. "Elia, wait up." Turning to Wolf and Alex, Arentus motioned simply for them to head over. Still, Phileo wondered, did they expect the entire team to be here? Or do they know that two more are currently at a separate location? And there is the question of why they were summoned. The client has already made it clear they were here on a vacation has he not? Questions upon questions cycled through the Unholy Renegade's thoughts.

***Memory
"So this was Estharian technology."
"It's quite well made."

Phileo found himself in the famous mission that was the debout of the Legendary SeeDs. Galbadian soldiers swarmed from one end and Balambs SeeDs from another. Arentus could even recognize some of the faces and would have been in awe at the level of detail were he not in the heat of battle.

"Behind you!"

Gauging by the shadow Arentus moved 24 cm to the right just as a solid blade sank beside his shoulder only barely missing him. But before the blade's full swing, Phileo pivoted in for a quick counter attack. Holding his hand like a blade he swung up striking the soldier's throat collapsing his trachea. And as the soldier was being lifted off the ground Arentus' other hand, like a claw, jabbed itself into the soldier's chest using both hands to direct the body into an incoming SeeD drawing bubbles of light as the soldier fell through the sky.

"Only twenty scan?"
"Hey, I'm not Melody remember? Even though she says rather than focus on the hand focus on multiple points... its not as easy as she makes it."

Ducking down a blade sliced through bits of his hair. Letting his hands replace his feet, Arentus kicked up aiming to disarm the enemy when suddenly a 'Fire' caught him on the leg.

"Too careless. SeeDs work as a team. You should know better than anyone."
"Quiet you."

Pushing himself away Phileo brought his legs down like an ax against the caster cracking his skull before clamping it with his other foot and sending it back to the one with the blade. His movements were weakened by the damage but Arentus made do. The advantage of a SeeD on a battle field is that they can Draw unlimited amount of spells from the enemy. And with SeeDs as opposition, the variety increased significantly.

"ooo, You're getting better at Melody's technique."
"Focus Siren."
"But you already have a full stock of Scans. You've also healed your leg and taken a full stock of cures. Not to mention haste. You should have no trouble by yourself now. If you do... oh how Melody will love to drill you back into shape."

His GF knew his fighting techniques and his capabilities. Afterall she lived with him so many years fighting and training along side hiim. She was a gift from Melody and not once had he taken her off. Thus she was fully aware that if and when he junctioned the full stock scan to his ears, Phileo was able to hear his opponent in a fashion similar to dare devil able to see 360 degrees without needing the eyes. It was the technique Melody had called 'Shingan', the heart's eye that could actually extend to any of the senses.

Moving with the cover of buildings Arentus knew that Elia, as a sniper, would cause a problem to his solo mission. But when Kryse obviously thought the same thing, Phileo dashed over to where he knew from SeeD history that Squall's party would be. Key players of the story likely drew the Galbadian Team over. The turning point if Wolf could disarm the legendary SeeDs. And Phileo was right. Racing ahead Phileo had situated himself in a location where he predicted Wolf come to.

"Seriously!?" Arentus could hear the annoyance in his voice.
"Not so glad to see your fellow SeeD?" Phileo mused with the rhetorical question. Gauging their distance Arentus took a simulation blade and pointed it at Wolf. "Do you have what it takes for one more?" He paused for a moment giving Wolf time to drop his load and prepare. The legendary SeeD dragged like luggage... now that was not something you see everyday.

Taking a step back and pulling retracting his blade so the reflection of his eyes ran its length Phileo held his left hand near the tip of the edge and bent his knees into quite obviously a ready position. He was preparing one big move or another; That much was obvious. His eyes gauged Wolf's frame and upon that reflection one could almost see a spark ready to ignite.

"All Trabia SeeDs are to report to briefing room 1-A immediately."

***

EikouNekoChan · **Tips:** 0.00 INK by **EikouNekoChan** on Mon Feb 08, 2010 6:53 pm

"Why the hell not...?" Zeke peeled himself from the chair, causing Evangeline to smile. It was good to see Mr.AntiSocial actually accept an invite to spend time with someone.

The two headed out of the hangar and outside towards the nearest teleporter that would take them to the Shopping Mall. As they neared the transport, surprisingly enough, Zeke spoke up.

“You must really be regretting the score you gave me after what happened back there. Guess I'm not much of a SeeD after all... maybe the old man was right." The statement he made surprised Evangeline even more. Zeke Watanabe didn’t strike her as someone who admitted his faults. But then again, she didn’t know him very well yet. Eva looked at him with a sarcastic smirk and replied.

“I might’ve given you a lower score if I’d known you’d react so immaturely.” Then she gave him a smile, turning off her sarcasm. “It doesn’t matter anyways. I seem to recall hearing stories about a certain young SeeD with similar immaturity issues who ended being a Garden Headmaster.”

She paused for a moment and looked at Zeke. “No matter what you’re dad has told you, you’re meant to be on this team. You just need to work on your diplomacy a little,” She said to him in a slightly chiding tone before continuing into the teleport station, turning momentarily to wave for him to hurry up.

((Giving Ken a chance to post in reply before I have a messenger from Esthar Garden come to fetch the two.))

Final Fantasy VIII: SeeD (IC)

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A Better Fight

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