(Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Final Fantasy or it's related content and this is mainly a fictional universe set a few years after the event of the game. All characters are made up. Any resemblence to any characters, names or personality types is entirely coincidental.)


Chapter 2: Esthar Polytechnic


Halfreck stood at the gate of the Polytechnic Training Facility. Which she read from the large plaque on the gate's wall. Looking at the building's structure. She would wonder how many floors there were and where her class might be. There wasn't anyone outside the building and Halfreck knew she had to go inside before she was late, which she might have already been. She would then take a deep breath and with an ounce of courage, she walked pass the gate. Hoping there was still time for her to get to class. The shiny glass doors would be automated to open as she got closer. Walking inside she would be greeted by an information booth with an aged woman would be sitting behind the counter as she didn't bother to even look at Halfreck as she remained typing on a computer console. Halfreck felt slightly shy but went to ask the woman where she would find her classroom.

"Uh excuse me?", Halfreck questioned.

The woman at the desk would remain typing for roughly one minute before stopping.

"Yes?" blinking, as she stared blankly at Halfreck.

"Umm, I am supposed to start here today. I was wondering where my class might be.", Halfreck would say as calmly as she could.

Hal thought to herself about how the woman made her an extra minute late.

The woman would reply, "Oh? What might your name be?"

she'd type on her computer as she waited for Halfreck to respond.

"Halfreck Aspellia" would then wait, "I'm supposed to be in Instructor Klausmen's class." would look to the side slightly.

The woman at the counter would continue to type before anwsering her, "Your rather late. I don't think this is acceptable behaviour on your first day. You will have to go and get a late permission slip on the 3rd floor in the admissions office and return here before I can give you your class schedule.".

Halfreck stared at the woman momentarily before anwsering, "Okay. So, how do I get there?".

The woman at the counter would sigh softly, "You go over to the elevator, the only other door in this room and you take it to the 3rd floor and take a right on your way out and then a left, another left, turn right when you reach the adjoining hallway and then take a right and then a left and another left. Be certain not to lose your way. You'll also need this card to use the elevator.", the woman would then push a card into the half cylinder metal chute opening.

Halfreck was memorizing her route as she took the card., "Okay. I think I got it. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Would then leave in a hurry and make her way to the Admissions office. She would use the elevator to go to the third floor.

As she entered the hallway, she noticed it would have multiple rooms and hallways leading into other areas of the building. She would then proceed down the hallway, looking inside the windows of the rooms she'd see students working projects already, using equipment she hadn't seen before, while other rooms didn't have windows and seemed to for storage. Halfreck wondered to herself why they would make the Admissions office so difficult to find, as she seemed to think going to grab a late permission slip on another floor was stupid. Although she'd finally found a panel that read Admissions. Going inside she'd see another woman who was roughly the same age as the woman she'd met in the lobby area. The woman was also typing on her computer console as Hal walked in.

"Hi. I am here for a permission slip. May I please have one?", Halfreck would say softly as the woman seemed to keep typing to herself.

"Yes. I've been informed. Here you go."

pushing out a pencil-like object.

"You can fill it out down in the lobby.",

The woman would tell Hal as she replied, "Okay, thanks. I'll do that." taking the object and leaving, as the woman would then continue to type on her console, not bothering to say anything to Halfreck as she left the room. Walking back through the hallways. She noticed a classroom that seemed to have a lecture going on. It wasn't something she wasn't used to but there was a diagram of some odd creature on the class display that seemed to catch hal's attention. Enough to make her stop and stare. The teacher would soon notice as he seemed to look straight at Hal, while walking over to his desk. It would draw the attention of a few students as they seemed to look back at her. Hal would feel slightly nervous as the window she was looking through would immediately blacken preventing her from seeing anything else. Hal seemed to feel not only slightly disappointed but a bit nervous that she caused a distraction. Though she noticed the students were a bit older than she was and knew it probably wasn't a class she'd be going into anytime soon. As she continued to walk back to elevator. This time she would avoid looking into the class windows. Finally back in the lobby area she'd hold out the pen-like object and pushed the only button on it, as a holographic display would appear from the side of it. It already displayed the time of Hal's arrival and her homeroom and teacher's name but certain things needed to be filled out like why she was late and her biometric signature. Which she was able to type out on the holographic keyboard as she held the device with her other hand. While also giving her thumbprint as her signature. The woman seemed to ignore Hal while she stood infront of her. Hal would turn off the device and put it into the metal chute.

"Here you go. I filled it out."

the woman would stop typing and turn to grab the object and turn it back on, while reviewing it,

"Mmm... Okay. I'll add this into the database."

she would then add her thumbprint and give it back to Halfreck.

"Here you go, make sure you give this to your Instructor."

and would then give her another pen-like object as well as another card.

"This has your class schedule and this is your official hallpass card. It will grant you permission to go only the floors specified."

Hal would have almost forgotten to give back the card she was given. Putting it into the chute as she grabbed her stuff. Hal would then reply,

"Thank you."

As the woman went back to typing she'd reply,

"You need to take the elevator to the 58th floor."

Hal would try not to sigh as she left for the elevator.

When she got into the elevator door, she'd use newly given card to open the door and would then go to sit down on the round seat. Before the elevator itself would activate to start it's journey upward. Hal would have a moment of peace overlooking the city's outline as she started to ascend upward. Taking a breath, Hal would try to lessen her choked feeling she got from dealing with the woman in the lobby, both her and the woman in Admissions had made her feel somewhat choked due to there attitude and run around which she felt was done on purpose. She would then be able to see past some of the other buildings as she got past the 46th floor. Getting a glimpse what was on the outside of the city. Hal would then take alook at her schedule and used the holographic pen to find out what classroom she was looking for. Soon after the elevator would stop. She would then get off the elevator and would slightly rush to her classroom. Halfreck took a deep breath again as she reached the door and knew she didn't have time to waste rushing through the door immediately upon reaching her classroom. The Instructor would be half way into his lesson, as the students seemed to be listening intently to him while some were on there computer consoles.

"So what was Dr. Odine trying to accomplish when.."

he would stop as he saw Halfreck,

"Uh yes?"

staring at her as she entered the room. The entire class would look over at her as well. Halfreck would suddenly feel a chill go down her spine,

"I'm late. I'm supposed to be in this class."

would then hold up the pen object, as though the Instructor would know what it was. He would look slightly questioning,

"What is your name?"

walking over to his desk, as he checked his class attendence. Halfreck would reply,

"Halfreck Aspellia"

she would then try to ignore the staring from the other students as some of them seemed to go back to typing and looking at there consoles. Halfreck would then start walking towards the teacher.

"Yes, I believe you were to be seated next to Echo Fran over in the 3rd row, to the left."

looking up to Echo, she seemed to wave slightly as Hal could see the empty space beside her. She felt slightly lucky to have a seat next to the wall. Halfreck would then return her attention to the teacher as she gave him the permission slip as he quickly reviewed it.

"Okay.. that seems to be in order. I hope you don't make a habit of this. We don't usually allow more than 2 lates."

as he then seemed to type information into his console.

"Your terminal should have everything you need on it. Please review chapter 3 as we have already started without you. We're reviewing Dr. Odine's work on the Lunatic Pandora. Should you need any help refer to the glossary page. You can always ask for help from Echo if you get stuck and you can call me Instructor Klausman."

Hal would nod, "Thanks.".

Instructor Klausman would say aloud, "Everyone welcome Halfreck Aspellia to our class.".

Halfreck would start to walk over to her console, as Echo seemed to show some excitement as she made her way up the stairs. A few students would whisper to one another as Hal walked by them. Halfreck would softly sigh as she got to her desk. Instructor Klausman would resume talking to the class.

"Where was I? Oh right.. What was Dr. Odine trying to accomplish when he decided to make the Lunatic Pandora for Sorceress Adel?"

waiting for someone to anwser his question. Upon sitting down in her desk, Echo would look at her, as she asked cheerfully,

"So what made you late?".

Halfreck would reply, "It's a long story."

Turning on her console as she put her card and holographic pen down while taking off her satchel and putting it on the ground to sit against the wall. Halfreck would then ask,

"What exactly did I miss?" trying to avoid the subject being asked about.

Echo would reply,

"Nothing much, just stuff about the sorceress war."

Halfreck would sigh as felt compelled to read the first 2 chapters as quickly as she could. Echo seemed to dance in her chair a little,

"Wait until we have break. I'll have to introduce you to the others.".

Hal would reply,

"I'm not sure I want to be introduced to the others."

Hal would then sigh.

"Nonesense. After that wonderful entrance, I'm sure everyone will want to get to know you.", Echo chimed in.

Halfreck would then ask, "Are you always this annoying? ..Are you on any meds?"

Echo would frown, "Of course not. I'm always this happy! I never let anything get me down."

Halfreck would then sigh again as she knew it was the start of a very long school year.