Cactus Jack - An FFVIII RP

[Atma]

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Chadwyck / Violet​

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Nothing was normal today, not to anyone. Tension hung as thick as fog in the air with both instructors barking out orders more harshly and the students jittering on the edge of nerves. Not even the sweet smell of flowers in the summer carried on a blanket of gentle breeze was enough to calm the uniform clad souls of the academy. As the three ring tone echoed across the red construct all motions seemed to seize up and turn all eyes skyward toward the emanation of the voice in anticipation of this event that had haunted each and every one.

It was clear that even the announcer was suppressing some mix of excitement and anxiety as they gave a stuttered call of, “C-could all candidates for the SeeD exam please report to the Far East Galbadia Station for departure in five hours …” The trailing off of the distinctly young student’s female voice and the rigidness of the announcement signified she was reading from a script. There it was, a continuation. “…All candidates are reminded that they must have obtained a Guardian Force before embarking on the exam!” She’d picked up pace quite considerably so one was safe to assume something lingered quite heavily on her mind. It could’ve been nerves, it could’ve been a loved one departing on the exam but with the atmosphere and rigid discipline of Galbadia Garden nobody would slip even to give a good luck message.

This being the second Red SeeD exam ever held it the pressure was heavily on. All anybody knew about the past Red SeeD exam was that barely four of the twenty candidates dispatched had returned to G-Garden. It had been a big blow to the morale and the reputation as a whole of both students and the institution as the purpose of the Red SeeD was to have double the produce rate. The pressure was beyond mounting. Little did the students know, this exam would lead to more than a mere change in fates ...

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Leo was awoken abruptly by the announcement. He'd overslept, training out on the Monterosa palteau until sunrise had taken it out of him. As he pushed back the white sheets he smiled, he'd already obtained his GF, the Black Moomba. That left him five hours to kill, the teen muttered some vague encouragement to himself as he showered and dressed in his uniform in prep for the exam later on. Looking over his groggy self as he brushed his teeth in the small bathroom mirror it dawned on him.

He'd volunteered as an assigned escort, instructors worn thin by some new agreement put forward the Deling Jr. and all SeeD were assessing the exam area, he was technically qualified by his high mark and obtained GF of his own. Spitting the minty foam into the basin and dashing out of his dormitory with a struggle to pull on his jacket he called out at himself, "Sure Leo! Volunteer to be the escort for extra credit!" As his footsteps echoed down white hallways, down the steps to the first floor and along to the red terminal in the centre on the main hall.

Leaning on the terminal he was panting somewhat, shaking himself a little to wake up. Glancing about he couldn't see anything beyond the few glances he'd garnered, some stares. They knew he was on the exam today but they seemed more afraid than eager to wish him luck. Straightening himself up to full posture and composure wit the accompanied sigh he commented in his head...

After all, they say this exam is cursed after the way the last one went. People were probably worried it would pass to them too. It was a ridiculous and old fashioned notion but with the disappearence of so many key figures in the world, who could be sure what was right and true anymore?

 

[Chadwyck]

“C-could all candidates for the SeeD exam please report to the Far East Galbadia Station for departure in five hours …” The trailing off of the distinctly young student’s female voice and the rigidness of the announcement signified she was reading from a script. There it was, a continuation. “…All candidates are reminded that they must have obtained a Guardian Force before embarking on the exam!”

Violet Credence wiped the sweat from her brow and leaned on her blade, the remains of a monster laying at her feet, a puddle of blood forming from the wounds on its remains. The girl exhaled loudly, stretching out her arms before lifting her blade again and slinging it over her shoulder.

"Five hours, huh?" She mumbled to herself as she walked from the training center back into the main hall of G-Garden. She had moved to the Garden five years prior after the sudden death of her brother; she used it as an opportunity to remove herself from the home she had shared with him, it was full of nothing but painful memories after the incident.

The young gunblade specialist began heading to her dorm room to shower after her morning workout. On a normal day she'd be in the training center almost frequently, but she figured that the best use of her time now would be resting as much as possible before the exam. This was the chance she had been waiting for, to become a SeeD and help people who needed it most.

She smiled as she passed other students that she recognized, a few of them had become good friends and a couple of times she was stopped for a quick chat, though there was so much tension in the air that little was said and her friends quickly excused themselves.

"What's everyone so jumpy for?" She wondered aloud as she tossed her gunblade on her bed and grabbed a change of clothes, she was eager to get out of the sweaty tank-top and sweatpants she had been working out in, but it was still too early to get dolled up in her SeeD uniform. "They can't honestly believe in that whole curse thing, can they?"

Balamb Garden and the staff thereof that had disappeared flashed in her mind. Squall Leonhart had failed to make an appearance at the reopening of Trabia Garden, and that was the first time that anyone noticed anything was wrong. Maybe there was something going on that was bigger than she knew. "Bull," she said flatly, as she stepped into the shower, "as if that has anything to do with the SeeD exam." It was true that she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, but it was probably just nerves. So few had made it through the last exam, and this was going to be her first big operation, it was only natural to feel a bit on edge.

She brushed her teeth and changed into a casual outfit to wear around before the exam, a pair of ragged, old jeans and a violet tank-top with a black coat that went down to her thighs. She didn't bother with her hair, unlike most girls, she usually just let her short, brunette hair fall where it pleased; it only got messed up when she was training anyway.

She returned to her room and threw on a pair of white, canvas shoes with a few marker drawings on them before she grabbed her gunblade, sheathed it, and started the trek back to the cafeteria.

"Why do I get the oddest feeling I've forgotten something?" She asked herself as her confidence wavered ever so slightly, then the last part of the message replayed itself in her head. "Son of a motherless goat, I forgot about the GF!" She cursed herself for being so foolish, she had been planning to go all week leading up to the exam, but every time she reminded herself to go, she was distracted by something or other.

Ignoring her initial destination and opting to skip breakfast, she ran to the main hall as quickly as humanly possible. Wonder which instructor is going with me? There aren't that many around anymore.

She noticed another student leaning at the terminal, panting a little as if he'd just run a marathon. "Hey," she began casually, "you heading out to get your GF last minute too?"

 

[Yoshimitsu]

Justin swore as his hand slipped, spiking a part of his blonde hair in completely the wrong direction. He spared just enough time to glare upwards at the announcement before working to rectify the mistake. Simple enough, just a bit more gel and some very firm fingers got his spikes pointing in the direction he wanted them to. He barely registered the announcement during this. The SeeD test wasn't news to anyone, not really. They'd already been briefed once before. The only new information was the time to meet, five hours away. Justin gave his hair a once over, satisfied with the general aesthetic of it, before leaving his en-suite and headig for his wardrobe. Someone stirred on his bed, clearly only just waking up.

"Alright, you're gonna have to go, I've got the SeeD test later and need to get ready," he said clearly as the guy in his bed sat up.

He rummaged through some of his clothes, deciding against anything too nice since he was planning on spending the day preparing. Shame he didn't have much in the way of scruffy cothes. He pushed his shirts to one side, then his t-shirts, then his jeans. He started to doubt that he even had anything that he wouldn't miss if it got torn up. Maybe being a SeeD wasn't such a good idea, though it was as good a plan as any. Finally, he settled on the cadet uniform. A white t-shirt, muted blue jacket and dark cargo pants. The Galbadia Garden insignia was sewn on to the arm, but otherwise it was pretty unremarable. He decided to abandon the t-shirt though, keeping his black vest on instead. One thing he was grateful for was the Garden's choice of jackets. His came with a spear-holder attached to the back.

Galbadia Garden was a lot bigger than Trabia, so he hadn't felt the need to sneak out quite as much here. Well, sort of. The rules were a lot more strict as far as general etiquette went. His years on leaving Trabia Garden undetected had prepared him well enough for his excursions to Deling City, but he'd heard the horror stories of those who'd been caught. No one deserved being put on toilet cleaning duty for the entire Garden. Not with the sheer number of toilets that were there. Justin shuddered.

Once he'd pulled his jacket on, the guy had gotten out of bed and come up behind him, arms snaking around his waist. Justin, for his part, wasn't really that bothered. He let the guy kiss his neck, but continued adjusting his clothes until he was happy with the general aesthetic. One side of his vest tucked in and the sleeves of his jackets rolled up. He turned around and let the guy kiss him on the lips this time, but pointed at the door as soon as they broke apart.

"Sorry, really gotta get ready for the test," Justin insisted, his voice slightly more forceful this time.

"Sure thing. Give me a ring sometime," the guy said with a wink.

"sure sure," Justin replied. Not likely. If he didn't even remember the guy's name, he definitely wasn't going to remember his number.

The blonde boy rummaged through the drawer on his bedside table, pulling out a pair of large sunglasses. He went back to his mirror and adjusted his hair, keeping his side-fringe just above one of his eyes and putting the sunglasses on his head. Some of the spikes were pushed back, but his hair still looked fine. The gel would make the spikes just spring back when he put the shades on properly. Satisfied with his appearence, he took his spear from its place leaning against the wall and slid it into the holder on his back. Without any further deliberation, he left his room and locked the door behind him.

Galbadia Garden may have been bigger than Trabia, but Justin had already made sure to learn the layout as soon as he arrived. After all, knowing the short cuts and, more importantly, the hidden exits was key to escaping after curfew. He almost couldn't wait to pass the SeeD test just so he could escape the place. Being cooped up for too long drove him insane. Admittedly, he never cared for the rules. Galbadia Garden has established a few rules regarding after-curfew action. He ignored them thoroughly. Nothing kept him locked up. Not as far as he was concerned.

He headed to the Training Centre, recently installed after Balamb Garden's proved to be so useful for students. He fully expected it to be crowded with all of the cadets preparing for the exam later, unless none of them had acquired their Guardian Forces yet. Trabia hadn't focused on getting them, Justin had just been incredibly lucky. He'd been attacked on his way to one of the towns in the middle of the night. Tougher monster than he was used to fighting, too. Big thing. Lots of teeth and claws. Half way through the fight, Justin had been desperate for some kind of edge. On the off chance, he attempted to draw some magic from the monster. Instead of a spell, like he expected, he sucked a living creature out. It had automatically assigned itself to him, and he found himself able to both heal himself and fight back with water-based spells. Usige had been junctioned to him since.

The training centre, modelled after Balamb Garden's jungle-themed centre, was the same as ever. Monsters hiding in the foliage, students walking obviously to lure an attack. Justin passed through the metal doors and leaned against the doorframe, wondering just who was lurking around and preparing for the afternoon's test.

 

[Toru]

(OOC: Chadwyk: This is my first time doing a really cold - hearted character, so keep in mind the talk the characters have isn't my judgement of your character, but Charles' - I just wanted to show an initial gauge of Charles' personality at the start of the RP ^^'')

A 'cursed' test... what are these people, fools? The Rocketblade wielding Charles South thought to himself, his titular weapon sheathed in its holster, which was up by a black leather strap around his shoulder. Hastily pacing down one of the 2nd floor corridors of Galbadia Garden, Charles made his way to the center terminal, where he would kill a little time, before heading out to the Training Area, where he would go through some sequences before his deciding moment, the very thing that was on his very focused mind, and giving him the slightest of nerves, despite his straightforward and blunt way of thinking.

The Red SeeD Test.

Why the test was deemed to be cursed due to one bad run frustrated Charles quite a fair bit. Scowling as he recalled the rumors, he failed to hear an aspiring new pre - SeeD (much like him, but not as new) wish him a "good luck" with a smile on his face. Even if Charles had noticed, he would have probably brushed the young one away with a glare and a slight grunt - either way, his fast walk blowing a slight, silent breeze of despair onto the boy's side was enough to bring him down.

Despite the repeated mentions of the doomed test, Charles was very confident that passing this test was definitely possible, considering his position of being part of a handful of talented pre - SeeD students, and the fact he viewed nearly everything through a looking class tinted with overconfidence.

Pausing a second to let the automatic doors at the end of the pristine corridor open for him, Charles paced out into the spacious terminal; a usual haunt of his. He particularly enjoyed the pleasant bright glow given off by the machine in the center, where the bright orange glow reflected off the circular dome of a ceiling, giving the area a calm, quaint but warm vibe. Slowly pacing up to the balcony, he spied a familiar face. Parting his medium length black hair, Charles looked down to see a youth by the name of Leo, or so he had been told. He was going to be one of the SeeDs assisting this year's test. Considering the fact he was at the terminal this early, and that the test was in a few hours, he found it odd for him to be there. Either way, he made his way down to the first floor.

The first floor appeared a lot larger when you were actually on it, although you would think that the view from the second floor would make it seem much bigger. Taking a sit on the edge of the terminal platform, he took some time to gather himself; prepare himself mentally for the upcoming test. As he sat for a few minutes, a girl had ran up to him, talking to Charles quite casually.

"Hey you heading out to get your GF last minute too?"

Charles sniffed a little, before slowly opening up one eye, with an expression like he had just looked upon a fool. Opening his other eye and slowly standing up, he looked down at the girl - she was using a Gunblade. This, if only slightly, interested Charles.

"I am not, no. If you are getting one so late, I presume you are taking the Red SeeD test, no?"

Charles started to walk past the girl, saying a few solid words before leaving.

"If you are leaving acquiring your Guardian Force at this time, I pity you. It appears that you really are going to need some luck for this test..."

Dusting off his shoulder, hoping his words left some impact on the girl, Charles decided to head back to his dormitory, where he would dress himself in some more comfortable clothes before the test, before brushing up on his skills a little bit in the training room.

---

The Granaldo let out an ear - piercing screech, obviously affected by the heavy, precise wounds from Charles' powerful attacks. Charles looked down at the almost empty ammunition belt fed into his rocketblade, and decided that firing a cartridge at the beast to finish it off would make for some good practice - besides, he had much more available ammunition in his room. The beast screech once more, and swept across the training room to try and take a piece out of Charles with fierce, dangerous fangs. Charles, his side facing the flying insect, brought his sights to the Granaldo in front of him. Lifting up his heavy rocketblade with his left hand and taking aim, Charles pulled the trigger above the handle of the weapon, The machine quickly unloaded the round, as it sped down the barrel through the middle of the blade, and hit the Granaldo right in its center, engulfing the monster in a small explosion. The power hadn't effected only the beast, however. The recoil had left Charles about fifteen feet away from the corpse of the insect - firing with one hand was still out of the question. Despite this, Charles brought the powerful weapon up to him, and pulled the small operational rod on the chunky guard of the blade, which ejected the remains of the smoking cartridge onto the ground. The opposition was dead, and Charles' training was finished, for now.

Walking out of the training room, he got a quick glance of someone he knew a lot better than the other people he'd saw today - Justin. Although their relationship wasn't exactly secure enough to produce a decent friendship, their equal strength when it came to combat was enough to keep the two in a stable rivalry. With a sharp nod, Charles hastily passed the teen, heading to the dorms.

For now, Charles decided it would be best to stay in his room, and wait until it was time to meet up with everyone else for the second Red SeeD test.

 

[Johnny B3]

(OOC: This is my first time Roleplaying on Pokecharms If I make any mistakes please point them out to me anyway you like because then I can improve)

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" Screamed Faust at his bedroom wall, he then shook his head to clear it, jabbed at the wall, then walked briskly to his closet and pulled out one of the lab coats he'd grown so accustomed to over his brief lifespan, the slightly sadistic student threw it on over his exposed upper torso, he then examined his heavily scarred body he knew which scar was what, what it represented and when he had got it as he had inflicted them upon his own body,he smiled as he looked at them each one had increased his own potential.

The blonde haired teen then made a move towards the back of his closet pulling apart, he looked at his row of scalpels, smiled then his glance slid to left of the scalpel set, his eyes lit up as his gaze settled on Hells Breach, his darling hand crafted weapon, he pulled it out and caressed it pulling it into his chest cradling it lovingly.

Then the scarred student remembered why he was screaming at the wall "I forgot again." Faust sighed to himself "He was mine, they took him from me, just before the exam, for my antisocial behavior" He grimaced as he remembered his dismissal from the last red seed exam,then again maybe it was a sign, maybe i was meant to go through with a better group a stronger group he thought to himself cynically clearly they didn't understand how the world worked like I doHe slung hells breach across his back then smiled as he left his shared room, he closed the door carefully, "No need to damage that beautiful woodwork" He exclaimed to no one in particular, the violet eyed student got a puzzled look from one of his peers across the hall, he whistled as he walked down the corridor he looked out the giant windows and smiled he left the hallway and entered the center hall.

Faust looked around the hall and smiled, he wasn't the only one making a last minute GF run by the looks of it, his hand instinctively gripped hells breach, it felt so familiar to him, it was an extension of his own arm no longer just a weapon that he had cobbled together, then he moved towards the main area where he saw Leo standing, he smiled as he recognized him he waved toward him and greeted him "Yo Leo, are you on escort duty today? I got one before the last exam but you know the reason why he's gone, I miss him, although I need to get him back before this exam, do you mind escorting me too?"

 

[Atma]

OOC: For anyone worried about friendships. It's a school, we're all at least aware of each other and have heard things.

After barely seconds of waiting time that reasonably polite girl he recognised was approaching him through the bustling crowds and chatter. Violet, if memory served the ocean eyed teen correctly. It was clear that she was taking the test too, the same way people avoided her was enough. Straightening himself up a little so not as to be caught out by one of the few instructors left on the premisis, upon her getting closer a polite smile was given with an answer in a friendly tone of, "I'm afraid not, I'm on escort duty today as all staff and SeeD are busy. The instructors left here are pretty much doing what they can to keep classes going." Leo purposely failed to mention an instructor had tipped him off that it might boost his overall SeeD grade by ten marks but hey, no harm done to her. "I'm fully prepared and equipped with a GF of my own and already familiar with the test location. I passed with high marks so I'm well qualified for these situations."

It wasn't that Leo felt a particular attraction to the girl or was trying to show off, he wanted her to be confident that he was prepared to make sure everyone under his care was safe if things took a turn for the worst - let alone him getting them to the GF.

A quick glance gave him the glorious image of her weapon of choice. A gunblade specialist. It wasn't that Leo hadn't wished to use one but simply his natural skill was leant towards a disposition of firearms rather than swinging a blade about, even then it was extraordinary to see a gunblade user as opposed to the typical sabers used by the G-Army and many in Garden.

Soon enough the brunette's train of thought was splintered by the rude rich kid who'd practically bought his way into Garden instead of using skill he already had, it wasn't any of his business what other people would do to get into the Garden of course, so this stayed on the inside. While trusted to lead others Leo refused to lose his temper, he had to ignore his attitude.

Before long Charles had left and the familiar sight of his friend Faust came waltzing down the stairs. "Faust!" Called out the smiling faux-teacher half raising a hand to wave then recalled his duty for this morning before standing much more formally and taking a more serious expression as the crystal bells of the Garden chimed clear.

Waiting for the bustle of students to subside left the trio waiting for at least five minutes, the mix of perfumes on girls and cologne on typical Galbadian boys eagerly vying with each other in competition became all the more evident when one closed their eyes, a habit to which the gunslinger was often guilty of when idling time by with a matter on hand or deep in thought. At the end of the short stretch of time Leo spoke in a serious tone with all casual demeanor dissipated.

"The alotted time for students to meet here has expired, I will be your replacement instructor for today. Full names and four digit student ID. Numbers if you please." The male stood awaiting a reply as he had been informed their departure was to be entered in the main terminal in case of, 'the unlikely event that they should fail'.

 

[Chadwyck]

"Ah, I see, I was just wondering who was going to be assigned to be my escort for the test," Violet began with a slight bow of courtesy, realizing that he was, temporarily, her superior.

"That'll be alright," she started with a dismissive wave, "I wouldn't even bring an escort if the Garden didn't require it. You don't need to worry about me, I'm more than capable of taking care of myself." She sort of blurted it out when the boy, Leo, mentioned being fully prepared for the situation. It wasn't that she didn't like having a partner for the test, but she preferred relying on her own strength while on the battlefield. She didn't like having someone watching her back, she was more than capable of handling it. Still, she felt a twinge of guilt for being so rude, she hadn't meant to seem so cold. "Uh, I'm sorry about that. I didn't... I just mean that I'm sure that it'll be fine, I've always relied on my own strength. But thank you for your support."

And then, to make matters worse, the spoiled brat Charles had to show up and begin his godawful showboating. He mentioned something about already having his GF and how, if she was just going out now to obtain her GF then she would definitely need luck to pass the test. This, of course, pissed her off. "We'll see who needs luck on their side when I finally decide to kick your pompous ass!" She called after him, debating whether or not to chase him down and break his nose, but then another boy arrived on the scene.

Faust, Violet recalled, she remembered seeing him countless times. He struck her as a bit eccentric, which was probably why his name stuck with her so easily. She didn't even have time to greet him properly before the bells chimed to signify the end of class.

It amazed Violet every time how the halls could so quickly descend into chaos, every student rushing from one class to another and avoiding a tardy. Girls chatted loudly with one another, boys ran down the halls, couples walked hand in hand making stupid looking faces at one another. It was the place that she had called home for the past five years, but some aspects of it still felt so alien to her, her brother's death had made her grow up fast. She was always more reserved than most kids, but that never hindered her in making friends, at least so long as she was off the battlefield.

As the halls quieted down again, Leo was immediately in his official escort mode. Alright, guess it's about time we get things moving, anyway. She crossed her arms while she waited for his pseudo-instructor speech to end. "Violet Credence, gunblade specialist, ID number seven-four-six-seven," she repeated efficiently, officially and almost robotically. It was one of the first things you learned at G-Garden - how to identify yourself according to the records that the instructors all had of you.

Now let's make this quick, she wanted to add, I'd like to have a little rest before the exam.

 

[Johnny B3]

Faust walked up to where Leo was standing smiled a greeting at him looked at the other person who was there, gave them a glance up and down then smiled with recognition, Violet Credence, gunblade wielder, age 17 and reliable in a fight, excellent so it's not only me who needs to go out and get a GF, excellent Faust had compiled a backlog on everyone taking the red seed exam and anybody who had reason to pique his interest, Violet was both due to her weapon specialization. He essayed a smile at her to gauge her reaction and how she felt about him, he could tell alot from a reaction to a smile, he liked to disect the response time, the body language and how they actually react.

As a whole Faust disregarded any type of formality, he felt that it clouded things, built walls that in time became insurmountable no matter what, this was the reason he chose to forgo a shirt his lack of formality was also the reason he chose to do so many self experiments this demonstrated his lack of self formality, the only time he was formal was to start up a relationship then he abandoned all pretenses.

Thell for lesson chimed and the bllonde haired teen automatically closed his eye's. He couldn't handle crowds, they disoriented him so much chaos no organising the sound alone was enough to throw him off every observation he could make, he raised his hand to his face and started to count, it was the only way he knew to block out the world at large, the repetition the easy to follow pattern it completely blocked everything out he got to one hundred open his eyes and blinked and muttered to himself "That could be extremely detrimental to my health in the near future, especially in a batle situation." he sighed to himself and carried on with his musings "Maybe the hightened adreneline in a combat situation will have that time slowing effect you see in so many of the modern movies, doubtful but possible because in comparison to my normal times of reaction the adreneline will boost my reflexes, I'll have to study that."

Faust shook his head to clear it again, dislodging the line of thought he was on, then he realised it was time to go he was going to get his hands on a source of pure energy a ripple of could tore through his scars, he was ready, he closed his eyes and drank in the anticipation, he exhaled heavily and grinned at Leo the anticipation shining in his eyes, Leo he smiled the laughed quietly to himself.

"Well lets get this show rolling then shall we?" Faust queried Leo "Also does the extra formality come from the position of power or because it's expected of you?" he pulled hells breach off from hi back and planted it next to him and rested aloofly on his staff he grinned agai he then took an air of seriousness on and qouted "Faust Mephisto, scythe specialist, ID number 4266" the number rolled off his tounge from the amound of times he's had to repeat it.

 

[Atma]

Giving a nod to each in turn as the serial number that represented their past, present and future was recited, Leo turned about with a slight swish of his hair and keyed in the respective I.Ds into the keyboard of the cool glass touch screen that made up the central terminal. From what he'd heard, the addition of ther terminal and incorporation of a Training Area had made this place all the more reminiscient of Balamb, or so the transfers from that way would say.

Turning about to face them again, Leo drew in a deep breath and began walking, assuming the other two were familiar enough with their training to follow suit. Having auspiciously zipped up his jacket while facing the terminal to give the impression of a neater authorative figure - even for a amount of time, the ocean-eyed youth elected to look about for any prying eyes. The halls and corridoors were devoid of life. This was a rarity within itself considering the vastly mixed timetable of the students, leaving Leo to simply deduce it must be because of the stigmatism surrounding the exam. They could think what they pleased as the ambitious gunslinger intended to make sure everyone made it back alive and well from whatever battle field awaited.

As he paced toward to exit of the red-gold school and felt the calm passing of the wind he began to talk. "Have either of you ever heard of the Feathered Serpent before?" The male's tone was rife with a sense that Leo posessed extensive knowledge on the subject. Naturally he couldn't be sure if they'd any idea of what he was talking about as the legend died away in most places excluding obscure texts and carvings. At one point it had been a popular subject but never lived long enough for the mainstream to remember it.

 

[Johnny B3]

Faust watched Karu key in their codes and student I.D he grimaced slightly, he hated the fact that his entire past and all his personal details could be accessed at a moments notice. He tensed slightly as he saw his student picture flash up on the screen, he messaged the bridge of his nose and turned away.

As he turned his jacket flared out behind him "Slightly excessive" the blonde haired man said to his coat "Really was there any need for all of that dramatic activity?" he shook his head and clapped his hands to clear his thoughts, he followed Karu along the corridor towards the entrance he, brushed his shoulder as he walked along three paces behind him, three paces he explained to himself is a reasonable distance First it's respectful to the temporary leader, second It allows me to defend our back and third i can spring to his side if necessary.

"The feathered serpent you say?" Faust queried Karu, he then racked his memory banks and his knowledge of myths and urban legends to see if he knew any thing about it, Norse? No, Celtic? No, the cult of Bahamut? No. "I've got no idea" Faust admitted "Would you care to enlighten me?"

 

[Yoshimitsu]

"Train all you like, Charlie boy, bet I still get a higher score than you," Justin snarked with a wink and a grin, keeping his easy stance. Charles was an interesting one. Always so serious, following the law to the letter. Even his combat style was rigid and focused. No room for adaptability or quick changes, just the same rehearsed moves over and over. Justin didn't have the patience for that. He was much more comfortable just doing whatever, in all aspects of his life. Fighting wasn't orderly and perfectly timed, it was brutal and changing and just as likely to end with him dead as it was anyone else. That little bit of risk, of adrenaline, was worth the cost his carelessness gave him. He smirked as Charles left without replying, and leaned back against the metal gate.

He moved just in time, grabbing a handle on the gate behind him and kicking up. He swung smoothly so that he was crouched on top of the metal, just as something below him crashed into it. The thing, one of the more common species. Plantlife that had latched on to an animal host and taken over, then bred. Tentacles that ended with sharp, steel-hard leaves, a gaping mouth like a venus fly trap's, swaying from side to side on its short, stubby legs. A Grat was no problem for Justin. He had been hoping for something a bit tougher. Still crouched, he pulled his spear from its holder on his back and held it steady, ready for the fight to begin.

"Let's see what you can do, big boy."

Justin threw his spear down, the tip embedding in the ground just behind the plant creature. He lunged down, grabbing the spear and swinging around, his foot smashing into the Grat's open jaws, then planted his foot and tore the spear from the ground, the blunt end battling away a tentacle as it shot for him. He danced backwards, his spear twirling easily between his fingers as he waited for the Grat to attack. The thing about Grats was that they were predictable. Even going on instinct, which smarter creatures made a bit challenging, their movements were easily observed and their attack plans simple. As it drew it's mouth back, Justin swept the point of his spear across the ground. Water erupted upwards, catching the Grat's stomach fluids before they could hit him.

Justin aimed carefully, then threw his spear through the water. A shrill cry told him he had hit his mark. As the water fell again, he saw the Grat staggering, tentacles batting uselessly at the spear embedded in what looked like the thing's chest. Justin jumped forward, flipping neatly over the plant and grabbing his spear on the way. A second cry told him tearing the spear out had hurt just as much as planting it in. He shook the green goo that he guessed was the Grat's blood from the blade then turned his attention back to the staggering creature. It clearly wasn't going to fight back any time soon. Oh well.

"Let's see if anything bigger turns up," he commented to himself, leaning against the metal gate again.

 

[Toru]

The ceiling in Charle's dormitory room was a mundane sight - something he'd gotten used to after spending a lot of his alone time here, lying on top of his comfy bed pondering many different things that had happened through his time in The Galbadia Garden. What he was pondering now, whilst his favourite track (Serenade in Balamb) played from a music player on his desk, was what he said to that girl... as Charles recalled, her name was Violet. He'd been thinking about this for a while now.

Did Charles even gain any self satisfaction for showing pity towards the girl? Was he really just showing how isolated he really was through his harsh outer shell? Closing his eyes and shaking his head to disregard the thoughts, Charles got off his large bed, and prepared to go back out of the dormitories. The squad who were going out to receive their Guardian Forces had probably left by now – this saved the stuck up lad the trouble of dealing with Violet. He made the decision that he would go back to the Training Room. Although Charles didn’t rise Justin’s comment before, he felt that it would be entertaining to prove him wrong with what he said. It would bring him one step ahead in their competitive relationship. Charles took some time to replenish his Rocketblade’s ammunition belt and attach the leather holster to himself, but eventually made his way back to the training room.

"Let's see if anything bigger turns up."

Charles slowly walked towards Justin, and stopped within talking distance. Due to his timely arrival, Justin wasn't exactly talking to himself.

"So, you're looking for some more things to slay too? If that's the case, let's see if what you said before is actually the truth. I have grown tired of waiting for the fools obtaining their Guardian Forces. What say you to a hunting contest? We'll have 1 hour. The one who takes out the most monsters in the training room shall be considered the victor."

 

[Atma]

With the three sets of footsteps sounding gently filling the brief pause as the passed through the barriers, a small smile passing over Leo's face at the confirmation of his suspicions. A chance to fulfill his temporary role to a further extent, an oddly satisfying sensation was building. Glancing back to see Violet and Faust following along the familiar path so many students walked out onto the Monterosa Plateau to practice ... Now it was different. The addition of a Training Centre in the remodelling of the Garden after the clash left the pleateau a lot emptier.

Interjecting from his own thoughts Leo informed the SeeD candidates, voice betraying his casual interest in this history of such things, "The Feathered Serpent is one of many mythological entities known to have once lingered along the Montegalbadian Coast in the times when people were carving the walls of this plateau into temples and habitable structures. As you are both no doubt aware, we are to head on to a temple dedicated to this being." The different texture of the plains soon met the trio's heels, the effectively substitute teacher confidently picking up a brisque walk toward where the monsters were easier to pick out, in the vague direction of where he'd been at barely a week hence. The mere thought of the ruins caused him to run swiftly through his plan of action as at least Violet matched to a trained pace instructedly two steps behind his own. Another spout of information came as Leo halted. "Once we reach the temple we'll agree on a mutual time limit that will suit everyone's abilities. For now however, I need to gauge you both."

The sentence was truly as much a distraction as a notice with their teacher picking out what blue eyes deemed the best test of their skill. A few moments preperation fell before a small volley of quick draw shots thudded into a Belhelmel's pendulum body, prompting it to hurl itself towards the group with resounding laughter, a peppering of thunder spells leaping forth from the air before it with twin Blood Soul cohorts drifting either side of the creature with eyeless gaze. Leo himself weaved to the side of a singular bolt with four still yet crackling in the air as he looked to each of his companions, the creature having aimed two to a student.

 

[Johnny B3]

Faust picked up on the general shift of Leo’s body language as soon as they reached the plains, he couldn’t help but wonder what caused it. Is it nerves? He thought quietly to himself, no Leo wouldn’t get antsy over something like this, would he? As the blonde haired teen brushed the hair out of his eye’s he began to question everything he knew about Leo, he quickly stopped questioning Leo’s character and chuckled silently to himself, silly thoughts he’s a strong one.

Then Faust snapped to attention as he heard his pseudo teacher mention the feathered serpent, he wondered why temples were dedicated to it, he then decided it was for one of two reasons: the first and in his opinion the most likely was that they feared the serpent and that they made offerings to it to appease it and protect them from the storms, the second was that they were being over superstitious for no reason other than a bad night at the seafront, but that would have to be sustained so the first is most likely.

Faust was about to ask why they were going to the temple, that’s when Leo stopped dead in place this brought to an immediate attentive state, he twirled on the spot quickly to survey what the threats were in the immediate area, he spotted the monsters as Karu let loose the barrage from his Cactuar pistols. Faust shouted a quick warning to Violet as he spun hells breach from his back.

The first bolt cackled towards him almost mockingly, he side stepped it almost lazily and watched as the ground where he had been standing fizzed and sparked, “Interesting my good friend, I forgot you could do that, how careless of me?” He spoke to the Belhelmel almost laughing, he then rushed forward towards the second bolt smashing a thunder stone he had acquired during his last GF run into his weapon, swinging Hells breach into the bolt absorbing it into it, he then spun to the left and brought it laughing as he did into the jaw of one of the Blood Soul’s.

 

[Chadwyck]

Violet felt a twinge of guilt whenever she noticed that she was zoning out. It wasn't that she didn't care about what her pseudo-teacher had to say, it was that she was too focused on the test itself. This whole 'acquire a GF before the test' thing was a load of bull, anyway. Still, she managed to pay attention for long enough to catch the bit about the Feathered Serpent and it being a subject of worship or something along those lines. How it possibly mattered was beyond her, they just needed to find the stupid thing. Guilt, again, she should really cut the guy a break, just because this whole thing was stupid wasn't his fault. She had a habit of pushing her attitude off on the nearest person.

That's when she heard the part about gauging them both. "A pop quiz? Really?" But her sarcasm fell on deaf ears, as Leo fired quickly in the direction of a trio of monsters. Violet rolled her eyes, and followed that action with a sigh as Faust shouted some sort of warning at her. Unnecessary, Violet could hold her own on the battlefield, a fact she was about to prove. Gauge them, huh? Then she'd be sure to put on a good show.

She quickly rolled aside and avoided the first bolt of lightning, and as she came up from her roll she slashed her gunblade through the dirt and fired a round, causing a small volley of earth-shards to block the second lightning bolt. She was on her feet running before the debris had even cleared, leaping up and bringing her blade down toward the second Blood Soul, as Faust was moving toward the other.

Deal with the small fries, take them out of the fight, bring down the Belhelmel afterward with as seamless a transition between targets as possible. Easy and a decent enough show of skill, provided nothing went awry.

 

[Atma]

Leo bounded back a few more steps, confidently astride with guns ready incase his comrades required any help. Preferably the cool eyed male would let them take care of it completely yet the unsettling worry of them being hurt sat in his gut. This was not the time for emotion however, and a more analytical mindset was adopted.

Surveying the initial moves he began to string together a surmisation. The initial reaction spoke to him, portraying Violet as a more tactical fighter and Faust as the more brute force warrior he knew him all too well to be. Never-the-less, this was only their initial response. Faust's bloodthirst as usual outshone his oh so quaint mockery of the Belhelmel's spell, this potentially being the reason for his option to go for the fleshy option of combatants with Violet's decision to attack the other weaker entity being tactically sound even if this was not within her intent.

Their choice to do this did on the other hand leave the Belhelmel free to retaliate on the half of his severed allies, the first of which had Hells Breach lodged inbetween it's jaw prompting a piercing screech and spray of what blood the vampiric creature had stolen today, before a shotgun-like spray of short bolt exploded the head of the creature. The second had its frontal lobe severed in twain and a deep laceration administed to the lower jaw, delivering the corpse unto the ground with a thud, the body fading away as all monsters on the plain do.

The steel buzzsaw leader spun about, emitting a cry that prompted a burst of several fireballs to rain down. It was nothing they couldn't handle, provided they'd been keeping up with their training.

 

[Johnny B3]

Faust grinned with grim satisfaction as the blood souls head exploded, he giggled as he saw the blood fly, “More, more, more, hahahahaha!” the sight of the blood aroused his darker more violent nature. He spun Hells Breach round like a blades on a windmill.

He turned to look at the Belhemel and saw it spin, “Well that’s new my friend, wait you’ve always done this now I know what you’re doing.” He draws Hells Breach back and plants it into the ground he then uses his weapon to back flip away from the Belhemel, the Belhemel screamed and roared back at it knowing it wouldn’t have any effect on the mindless creature, and then the fire rained down on him.

The blonde haired teen recoiled back from the fire balls, the fire erupted in front of him and lit up his coat he spun his coat flaring it out behind him putting it out, got to be careful he thought, then the grass caught light “Ooh now that’s pretty” Faust mocked the creature “I bet you can cast Meteor too, you’re pathetic, just pathetic, I’m not even GF’ed up.” He ran his hand through his hair and laughed once more. “Shall we dance?” he asked casually.

He closed his eyes and took a breath in, he needed to calm down before his bloodlust completely took over and he started to cut up his friends. Thank the heavens that I left those scalpels in my room. I did didn’t I? He panicked and quickly patted himself down, nothing, he knew that he would have completely lost it if he had the scalpels with him. “If I cut them” he explained to the monster “I would’ve been kicked off again and I can’t get kicked off again.”

Faust then gripped the upper handle of his weapon and ran towards the Belhemel taking the opportunity to attack after its brief snapback from the cast, he licked his lips in the anticipation of more blood, he anticipated the spray but he knew the hit wouldn’t kill the thing This one will be tougher than the other two, he analyzed the creature as he moved forward.

 

[Yoshimitsu]

"Ease up, Charlie-boy, not everyone can be as perfect as me," Justin replied with a smirk, thrusting his hands into his pockets. "But you want a competition, you got one. Let's go."

He stepped through the metal gates and walked towards a computer terminal next to the elevator. The entire training centre had been built in after the first Red SeeD mission, partially as an extra form of preparation for SeeD candidates and partially to bolster the public image of Galbadia Garden that had been in decline ever since the Sorceress War. The lowest level of the Garden, the third basement, had been completely converted into a multi-environment facility that contained various excess species, both local and foreign, to try to help deal with the results from the Lunar Cry. It had been a pretty win-win situation, all things considered. At any rate, it gave students some decent readiness of what combat would be like.

Obviously it wasn't without it's risks, so the faculty had installed a series of cameras around the centre, as well as dispensed wristbands to anyone who went in. Admittedly, people like Justin and Charles rarely bothered with the wristbands since they'd already acquired their Guardian Forces and little could really pose too much of a challenge to them. They had a second use, though. By inputting their student ID number and synching up with another student, they could start a competition mode. Every monster brought into the centre had been implanted with a chip that released a small number of nanobots into their bodies which would also be passed on through breeding. The wristbands were equipped with censors that linked up to the nanobots to detect whenever a monster was killed and transfer the data back to the wristband. By synching up with another student, the kills could be catalogued and compared after a set time limit was up. There was even a leaderboard for the entire Garden. Both Justin and Charles ranked pretty high, with only instructors and previously-qualified SeeD above them.

They had a second use, too. They monitored the vital stats of the student wearing the band and fed it back to a security station. If any student's vitals indicated that they were in severe danger or stress, whoever was on standby could alert one of the instructors assigned to the area as to their location. There had only been a small number of incidents like that, and no casualties. That was why Justin never took one. He liked the risk of a life-or-death battle, especially against something like a T-Rexaur or a Granaldo. No safety net for him.

Justin tapped a few keys and a pair of wristbands fell out of the slot below the monitor. He took one and tossed it to Charles, sliding the other on to his left arm. It had a small keyboard consisting only of numbers, a confirm and a back button. He punched in his ID number, then set a time limit of an hour. Once synched up with Charles, the pair walked back through the metal gates.

"If you think you can keep up, Charlie-boy," Justin said, punching the confirm button on his wristband then sliding his spear out of its holder again. "Let's go."

He didn't wait for a response, instead choosing to run into the foliage that surrounded them. The number of times he and Charles had gotten into trouble for actually sparring instead of using the training centre to compete... Actually, he'd lost track. Pretty sure he couldn't count it on his fingers though. It was more fun that way, though. Sure, they'd never actually come to any kind of answer to who was better, but it was an easier way of judging themselves against each other. He spun round, the tip of his spear shearing a Bitebug's lower jaw clean off and the blunt end knocking it away from him, then carried on running. Everyone knew tougher enemies were further in, and tougher enemies meant more points. He glanced at his wristband, and it flashed up with a one. One point. Bitebugs were just ridiculous. Based on which gate he'd entered, he judged the trees to thin out not too far from where he was. Spears were great but they tended to get caught on stuff in forests.

Something winged shot past him, white and dark blue. Well, he guessed it was winged, but the tail that tried to whip him as it went past told him it definitely wasn't. He jumped, the long appendage missing him by an inch. As he landed, he planted the tip of of his spear in the ground and a surge of water blasted up from underneath the ray-like monster, knocking it off-course. He tore his spear from the ground and spun again, this time sending out a wave of water that crashed down on the Gayla from above. He didn't want to run the risk of it letting loose with electricity so he ran in close, twirling his weapon as he did. A quick, but strong jab brought the point of his spear through the Gayla's head and punctured its brain. He swung his spear around again and flung the now-dead Gayla corpse towards a Grat that had lunged out of the foliage for a surprise attack, then planted the tip of his weapon into the ground, causing a surge of water to explode upward from underneath the plant creature.

 

[Toru]

The quickly spreading sound of an explosion echoed through the vast underground training room. Following the loud noise, the giblets of a bitebug's corpse flew out of the foliage and rolled lifelessly onto the dirt ground. Charles rolled out of the leaves and vines, letting a small amount of smoke and a used cartridge eject from the rocketblade as he pulled on the operational rod of his precious weapon, holding the weapon at his side in preparation.

Another kill of several to come, Charles picked up a running pace - the faster he could get to the deeper areas of the the grounds, the better - he'd be getting more points for himself, and preventing Justin from seizing more. Charles quickly glanced up, and quickly reacted to the Raldo diving at him. Jumping up and swinging the rocketblade in a direct, precise slide, Charles cut straight through the Raldo and continued storming through the jungle - like area, cutting, chopping and exploding anything that tried to come near him.

Charles took a moment to glance at his wristband - an above average score, as expected of the arrogant bladesman. Justin was good, but Charles had a feeling today he was going to decimate his blonde - haired rival's score. The two of them had always seemed to be about on par when it came to combat - when both of their pros and cons were compared through combat, there was normally a fair draw. This time however, would be different. Charles had tried a different maneuver today with his taking down of the creatures, following a route through the shrubberies that would hopefully lead Justin into taking different routes to try and prevent Charles from slaying any beasts, although this route, despite not being perfectly planned beforehand, should (or in Charles' perspective will) throw the spearman off course, leading him into areas which Charles had already cleared. After all, just running about slaying things randomly will not yield the highest amount of points in a competition like this. Sheathing his rocketblade and glancing at his wristwatch for a quick break, he revised his score and looked up for the bright center beacon at the top of the underground dome; the beacon was used to give students an idea of how far away they were from the center of the training area. Charles was very far away, but this didn't bother him.

Until he heard a roar. Right behind him. Charle's pulse flew straight up, signaled by the shrill beeps from his wrist monitor. Turning around and drawing his weapon, he glanced upon a mighty beast. It seemed to be a larger T - Rexasaur. In fact, this was one of the few current parent T - Rexasaurs, responsible for the birth and raising of the younger Rexasaurs that were supposed to be taken down in groups. Then it came to Charles, as he fixated his glance with the Mother T - Rexasaur.

"Yes. This is my chance to prove my power as a Garden Student. I shall crush my opposition and take victory!"