Not Strong Enough To Stay Away
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy 8 belongs to Square Enix.
The rest of the train ride was uneventful, Quistis got a little bit of rest before the train arrived to their destination, Timber. Waiting for them at the station, was a man in a yellow vest with a cardboard sign that read the word "Seeds"
"Ahem, I'm instructor Trepe from Balamb Garden." Quistis introduced herself, the man smiled and urged them to follow him. The group was lead to a yellow colored train, the man doing a funny knock on the door before it opened up.
"This way, Sir!" He bowed, beckoning for the instructor to head inside.
Quistis entered the train, after giving the man an odd look, and greeted by a young brunette man wearing a blue jacket. "Hello, I'm Zone, leader of the Forest Owls, we're glad to have you on board with our campaign." He extended his hand, which Quistis shook agreeably.
"I'm instructor Trepe, leader of our group. This is Squall, and Seifer." She introduced her students, each simply nodding at the man instead of shaking his hand.
"The man that brought you here is Watts, and our only other member is in the back room right now, we just call her Princess." He informed them, "As you've been briefed, we are going up against a logging company destroying our forests. The company is backed by a Galbadian business woman we've yet to identify, at least, confirm her true identity. She signs all her documents with one name; Edea. She's a lady wrapped in all sorts of mystery, we've sent letters to her for months imploring with her to stop the logging, but never once has she replied back."
"The only real solid intel we have are on the bosses on the job. A man named Mr. Murry Biggs is the head hauncho, who has a second in command named Mr. Howard Wedge. What we want to do, is try and set up a meeting with them, since their boss won't try and negotiate with us. What we have trouble with is getting in contact with them, every time we go in to have a chat with the bosses, we're kicked out of the area by big burly loggers. That's where you come in. You're trained for this type of thing, get the loggers to let us in and we'll take care of the rest."
"How do you want us to handle the loggers? Talk alone may not get us the results you want. Are you prepared for physical conflict should it come down to that?" Quistis asked of the leader.
"Normally, we'd not condone violence, but it's past that point. Do what you have to do." Zone informed her.
"Alright, so when would you like to try and set up this plan?" Quistis asked.
"As soon as possible. We can take the train up to a close point where the logging is done, but we'll have to hike a mile in the rest of the way." He told her, which Quistis was unconcerned with.
"Alright, let's get this train moving." She watched as the leader went to the front of the train, manually operating the vehicle.
"Alright, Squall, I want you to make sure all your equipment is ready. Seifer, I know you're more interested in a scuffle, but we're going to try and use you as a diplomatic solution. You're a stout guy like the loggers will be, perhaps they'll listen to you. If they won't see reason, then and only then, do we use force. Understand?" She eyed her blonde student wearily.
"Sure, whatever. You know it's gonna be a fight, but I'll try and be the poster boy for diplomacy." He sarcastically laughed, walking away to go talk with the man named Watts.
Squall was also walking away, headed down a hall that lead towards where she assumed the Forest Owl's rooms were. "Everything alright?" She called after him, wondering what he was doing.
"Fine." He gruffly replied over his shoulder, continuing his way down the poorly lit hall.
Quistis took it upon herself to go over the Forest Owl's intel, looking over a map of the logging area, looking over documents that legalized the logging within the forest. She kept herself busy the whole ride until the train came to a stop. Once it stopped, all Hell broke loose.
For one, Squall came out of the hall, with a familiar girl clinging to him, riding the man who was known for being a grump, piggyback style. It was very weird, seeing Squall smiling lightly as he came into the main area, setting her down and holding her hand. Of course, Quistis wasn't the only one noticing the pair touching one another. Seifer, who'd been talking to Watts while drinking a soda, spat out his mouthful of carbonated liquid to stare with appalled eyes at the odd couple. The noise he made caused the two to look at him, Squall with disinterest while Miss 'Clingy' had a somewhat uneasy facial expression.
"Hey Seifer." She waved lightly with her free hand, the other still tightly holding onto Squalls.
"Sup." He slurred, crossing his arms and pulling in his emotions, his face a blank slate.
"Alright, lets head out." Quistis spoke, getting everyone's attention as Seifer lead the way out of the train. They were surrounded by trees, in a heavily forested area. A simple logging road was to their left, the road they needed to follow for a mile to reach their destination. Quistis hurried up her pace, leading in the front with Seifer.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She tried asking, receiving a heated look.
"There's nothing to talk about, Teach. Just drop it." He spoke coldly to her, which hurt Quistis a little, but she bit back the small emotional pain. They were on a mission, distractions like this weren't good, and she needed to be the strong leader to pull all this off successfully.
"Stay focused." She lightly reminded him, before slowing her pace, walking in step with Zone.
"So, your 'Princess' use to date Seifer?" She asked, knowing that it probably wasn't wise to talk of that just now, but they did have a mile of hiking ahead of them…
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"Seifer and her use to be an item a year ago. He was the one who cut things off with her, and I think, that she might have been mad that it wasn't her that did the breaking up. She met Squall while talking to your headmaster Cid. I know that it might make things difficult during this mission, but you've got to try and keep your students focused." He emplored.
"I'll do my best, but in return you have to keep your member in check as well. While we're in conflict with the loggers, I don't need her stuck to my students back, expecting a piggyback ride." She informed the other.
"The Princess….She's a little hard to rein in some times." Zone confided with her, which made Quistis glare at him, "But I promise to do my best!" He offered, her look frightening him.
"Good." She nodded, slowing her pace even more to have a talk with Squall and his new found 'friend'.
"Hello, we have yet to be formally introduced, I'm…"
"Quistis, I know. Squall told me who you are." The teenager smiled, "I'm so glad that you picked him to come on this mission! Though truth be told, I could have done without the other one." She nodded towards Seifer.
"Well, had I known what I do now, I'm sure Seifer would have wanted to stay at the Garden as well." Quistis commented, turning her gaze back over to Squall.
"Due to the fact that you are on a mission with your new found 'friend' involved, I just want to remind you that I really need your attention to detail on this mission. Messing up on your first real mission will not make for a good, solid career as a Seed." Quistis was trying to be nice in her warning, but it appeared to only cause Squall to become even more distant.
"Whatever." He shrugged, not even looking at her as he spoke.
"Alright." She conceeded, truly disliking so far how this was going. If Squall wanted to be a dick during this mission, it was his career down the toilet.
Quistis quickened her pace again, until she was walking side by side with the stone faced Seifer.
"I'm on your side, Seifer, just so we're clear." She commented, not hearing a verbal response from him but noticing he nodded his head a little.
The trekk was long, but eventually they made it to the logging site, with different heavy machinery such as bulldozers and forklifts throughout the area. By her account it was somewhere between noon and one, some of the men were sitting at plastic, collapasable benches, eating lunch.
"Alright, let me lead." She spoke to the group, entering the area and headed towards the small, brand new mobile home that undoubtedly held the bosses quarters and office. She was abruptly stopped by two tall, muscular men in hard hats and tank tops.
"Are you lost?" One guy asked, while the other kept quiet, eyeing the group suspciously.
"We'd like a meeting with your superviser." Seifer spoke, placing himself in front of his instructor, staring the men directly in the eyes.
"Well, they're busy, come back tomorrow." The talkative fellow commented, meaning that things were going to get physical.
"Listen, I know it's your lunch break, and bosses have to eat too, so how about you just let us in, and then we'll be out of your hair." Seifer tried to persuade the man, and for a moment, Quistis thought the logger was considering his words.
"Nope, you have to leave, insurance purposes and stuff." He was making shit up now.
"Zone, get ready." Quistis warned, making both loggers eye her wearily.
"Listen, I hate to be a prick, but I have to insist we get in here." Seifer spoke, moving closer and making the two guys back up a bit, he was rather good at intimidating people.
"Leave. NOW." The logger warned, to which Seifer answered him with a quick punch to the face.
"Now Zone!" Quistis yelled, swooping around Seifer to gut punch the logger who hadn't said a word, while Seifer beat on the other. From the corner of her eye, she could see the three Forest Owls rushing past.
"Squall, take over here!" Quistis ordered, backing away from the logger to go clear a path for the running Forest Owls. She entered the nearest bulldozer and started it up, aiming it towards the mobile home/office, the Forest Owls taking shelter behind her as she carved a path, scaring off loggers with her driving.
She was taking a quick glace behind her to check on Seifer and Squall, when she felt the machine hit something solid. She turned her head to look at the mobile home, she had ran straight into it! She put the dozer in park and turned off the key, ushering the Forest Owls into the office and shutting the door behind them, guarding the door and watching as big, burly men started stalking towards her.
"Bring it!" She began to unwind her whip. It was a chain whip, meaning that it wasn't just made of leather, it had metal along its length, which made it very hurtful when it snapped against vulnerable human flesh. She waited, timing the groups pace until they were at a perfect distance. She lashed out, hitting three people at once with her weapon, causing the others who hadn't been hit to back off.
"Listen, they just want to talk with your boss. If you all just settle down, no one has to get hurt." She tried reasoning with them.
Pride being their downfall, not wanting to relent to a female, they came at her. Quistis was quick and precise, slashing at them with trained control over her weapon. Pushing some back while causing others to fall down indefinitely.
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