Disclaimer: I do not own the wonder and magnificence that is Final Fantasy VIII
Chapter 34 – Battle for FH
"Get down!" Rian shouted and the SeeDs complied, ducking in time to avoid being hit by Cardinal as it soared through the air. The soldiers, however, weren't as lucky as three were thrown off the platform, splashing into the waters below.
Rian had pared up with Instructor Brandt and two others, a female Seed with curly black hair and a male cadet with thick black hair and dark skin.
Both the Instructor and the SeeD were in the front line, facing off about a dozen soldiers they had come across while heading towards the town. Meanwhile Rian and the cadet, who used a long bow as his weapon, stayed a bit behind for support. The opponents were down to three soldiers who stood a bit behind and raised their rifles to shoot the SeeDs from afar.
They never got a shot out.
The cadet shot three arrows simultaneously, catching one of the soldiers square in the chest while nicking the other two, one in the shoulder and another in the ankle. It slowed them enough so that the female SeeD caught up and slashed at both with her double-bladed hand blade.
"Good job!" Mark's loud voice reached even the farthest members of the squad as both Rian and the cadet approached their positions.
The instructor and the SeeD were currently checking on the few villagers they had just saved from the soldiers and by the time the other two joined them, the townsfolk were standing and fleeing for cover.
"They just got a scare, not a mark on them." Mark commented, looking ahead on the town which's commotion seemed far from finished.
"We should keep going." The female SeeD said, her voice soft and alluring though her tone betrayed some rush.
"Yes." Rian nodded. There was no time to waste.
As far as he knew, Schala and the others had already faced off half of the dispatched forces... He had to get to her as soon as possible.
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"SeeDs!?" Commander Crais let out in surprise.
The Sorceress's hate for SeeDs was well known to her underlings. She despised them so much she had ordered missiles to be launched at their bases. The fact that they were there... Could it mean some survived? Could they know of her plans and if so, were they there to stop them?
Whatever the case, even if Ellone wasn't in FH, killing a few SeeDs would certainly earn him some favour with the sorceress. Just three little girls, how hard could they be to handle?
The Commander smiled making Schala frown and the mayor whimper behind her. That was definitely not a good sign.
"It's SeeD!" He shouted suddenly, catching Schala by surprise as he slapped her blade off his way and jumped back to a more safe position. "Get them!"
Commander Crais' orders caused for an uproar to rise in his troops and the front line of soldiers, easily two to three dozens, advanced towards the SeeDs.
Dammit! Schala cursed under her breath. She had been careless.
"Protect the people." She shouted out to her companions as she raised her gunblade to parry the attacks of three incoming galbadian sabres.
She held her ground, she couldn't move freely since she had to stand between the soldiers and the mayor so her battle options were more limited than usual. Still she wouldn't let anything happen to the mayor of FH.
"I'm sorry..." She whispered low enough to be heard by the cowering Dobe shrinking behind her, and by the soldiers attacking her that stared in confusion. "But I have no choice."
Schala swung her blade as if there was nothing restraining her, forcing the soldiers to recoil from her. But instead of retaliating, she kept her ground as more soldiers joined them. She wasn't going anywhere. She wasn't going to let them hurt anyone if she could help it.
Dobe could only stare, motionless as the girl fended off the attackers without ever making an opening on a direct attack on him. He couldn't fully understand her behaviour or her words.
She actually gave them the option to leave, as if she didn't want any more bloodshed. She was a mercenary, such actions didn't make sense. And now, she was protecting him... He hadn't asked for that, there was nothing for her to gain from saving him. Wasn't that what mattered to mercenaries? Could she be different?
His attention was caught to his side as he saw an identical large number of soldiers going for the rest of the villagers but, as it happened to him, no danger ever came close. The other two female SeeDs stood between them, fighting off the soldiers with amazing skill.
The one in uniform danced around them, her weapons barely visible, like a blur such were their speed. Whenever a soldier would pass through their defence, he never got far as he was brought down by her swift sais. The other one, one that resembled more a boy than a girl, fought more chaotically but not less efficiently. Most of the soldiers facing her were instantly thrown back by her kicks and punches and those that remained were beaten up to unconsciousness.
The SeeDs were indeed a violent bunch but the mayor was forced to admit, despite the use of violence, what they were fighting for was...
"Ahh!"
The low cry made him turn back at the woman standing in front of him. Alone, she fended almost as many soldiers as the other two, most of which were already on the floor, unmoving. But she was in a precarious situation. Forced to fight as if she was against a wall, Schala's movements were severely restricted and she couldn't avoid an attack from cutting at her left arm.
Ignoring the sting in her arm she raised it, casting a blizzara spell that froze three out of seven remaining soldiers to the ground. Taking advantage of the momentary surprise that affected the soldiers, Schala twirled, focusing on her gunblade as she swung.
An energy pulse emanated from the blade as Schala pressed the trigger sending a shockwave that knocked all the soldiers down to the ground. Schala breathed deeply as all her opponents had been overpowered under the stunned stares of mayor Dobe and the galbadian commander as well as the rest of his troops.
Zanya and Xu had also dealt with their share. Zanya finished it with a punch to the ground releasing a quake spell, which made the soldiers surrounding them loose their balance. They made it easy picking for Xu's sais and Zanya's fists.
The SeeDs exchanged a look, checking that everyone was alright, before refocusing on the threat ahead.
Commander Crais was stunned. To think they could handle so many soldiers so easily. It seemed like SeeDs truly lived up to their reputation. Still, they were just three little girls, he refused to be defeated so easily.
Then he suddenly got a brilliant idea. How else to test SeeD's true strength than to face them off with one of Galbadia's state-of-the-art weapons? He locked his eyes with Schala's, a smirk back in his face.
"Bring out the Iron Clad!" He shouted to his troops.
Schala frowned, for more than a reason. For one, the commander's smirk gave her an uncomfortable feeling of familiarity, she later refused to acknowledge. On the other hand, his sudden confident attitude made her tense in anticipation, wondering what this Iron Clad thing was.
Her answer came soon enough as the ground began to shake as if something big was approaching. Xu and Zanya exchanged a curious and concerned look before turning ahead and stare at what the Galbadians had in store for them.
Over the slight elevation leading from the lower docks, something was definitely coming. A large blue armoured tank climbed the steps slowly, the loud hum of its engines practically smothering the sound of breaking steps, caving in to the weight of the heavy MRV.
The Iron Clad moved slowly but imposingly, enhancing the dread in the eyes of the habitants of FH and the tension of the SeeDs. Not even the dents or other obvious battle damages made the large armoured tank seem less intimidating, in fact, quite the contrary. It stopped in the centre of the plaza, practically occupying its whole, as Commander Crais stepped forwards from the soldiers' front line.
"Scared yet?" He said smugly, not loud enough so it was heard across the plaza but its meaning was clear.
"We got ourselves a big one!" Zanya let out, standing ready to engage though doubting her fists could do much damage to the heavy armour plating, no matter how dented it already was.
"We have to try to take the villagers out of here." Xu commented. "There's no way we can stop that thing from crushing them into pancakes." She whispered low enough that the people couldn't hear her.
The last thing they needed was panic to intensify further.
Zanya nodded in agreement, though she wasn't sure how they were going to accomplish that. Nearer to the middle of the plaza, Schala was thinking of the same. That thing wasn't going to be easy to destroy, at least before it could harm the people.
She had to think of something... and fast.
"Kill them!" The Commander shouted, pointing ahead at them.
The villagers panicked and the SeeDs tensed as they saw the Iron Clad powering weapons.
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"Alright, we're lined in with our targets." Richards, the Shinra engineer, told the three in galbadian uniforms inside the control cabin of the Iron Clad, as he verified the controls. "Arm the weapons and prepare to fire!" He ordered and the sound of buttons being pressed was heard above the roaring of engines and devices, somewhat muffled by the cabin itself.
"Weapons charging up." One of the soldiers informed.
"This is it!" Another one said with high enthusiasm, making Richards smile.
Sure, militaries were all a bunch of idiots but he sure loved machinery. It pleased him that the soldiers were so eager to use the machine he had fixed. And with his supervision, they would take the armoured tank to the top limit of its ability.
"Alright!" Came an overly excited cheer. "Now how do I turn this thing?"
Richards' smile faltered.
What the hell?
"It's the panel to your left." The first soldier told him, receiving an "Ahh, right!" as a reply. "Ok, reacquiring targets!" He added as the tank began to turn.
"We're already on target!" Richards called out, approaching the controls. "What are you doin'...?" He inquired but the cock of a shotgun, and the feeling of the cold end of a pipe cut him short.
"Sorry, honey." Said a definitive female voice.
The man turned, staring as the soldier removed the helmet revealing flowing red hair.
"Slight change of plans." Inara added with a smirk, pressing Valiant against the man's chest. "Now if you just cooperate with us, you won't be harmed... extensively."
Richards suddenly realised what was going on. He stared at the other consoles, still being operated by the other two soldiers and saw as one of them, the one on the driver's seat, also took out his helmet.
"Ahhaahh! Finally some non putrid air!" Sorphan let out, taking a deep breath and cringing his nose at the smell of the cabin's interior. "Bah, not much better, but still..."
"Are we set?" Inara asked, looking over Quentin's shoulder – who had yet to remove his helmet – but always keeping her gun aimed at the engineer.
"We're ready."
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The Iron Clad began to turn away from the perfect angle it had, aiming at the SeeDs, ending up facing the soldiers instead. From galbadians to SeeDs to FH's townsfolk, everyone was utterly confused.
The weapon systems of the large tank powered up completely and its machineguns started to turn and, to the astonishment of just about everyone, they started to fire straight at the unprepared galbadian soldiers.
There was a new wave of screams as the men panicked and dispersed in chaos in the hopeless attempt to escape certain death. All around there were soldiers being hit by the gunfire, blood splattering all over the plaza's dust-filled floor. Even the commander had to hide behind a column to prevent becoming full of holes.
"What the hell are you doing!?" He shouted from his hiding place though it would be close to impossible for the people inside the tank to have heard him over the gunfire.
As the soldiers fell left and right by the makings of their own machine, the SeeDs shared, to an extent, their confusion. Weren't they supposed to be the ones being attacked?
"The hell is wrong with that thing?" Zanya let out, her fighting pose relaxed as they all just stared.
Schala shared her reaction as she observed, with some degree of confusion, the scene ahead.
The soldiers were being attacked by their own weapon... Could it be malfunctioning? Could, whoever was in control of it, be on their side? The latter felt more improbable, they had no allies among the Galbadians. Well, there was Congresswoman Caraway, but after the fiasco of the assassination mission, Schala doubted the woman was willing to use her influence on something like that.
Her ponderings had to stay for another time as she recovered from her surprise. Whatever was going on, they couldn't let this chance slip through their fingers.
"Zanya! Xu!" She called out to them, getting their attention. "Get those people out of here!"
The two SeeDs regained their senses and proceeded to lead the people away, taking advantage of the sudden and destructive distraction that had befallen the galbadian soldiers.
Schala looked through the corner of her eyes, the people leaving the plaza with her companions guarding them but she never lost notice of the battle field in front of her.
The soldiers seemed to have recovered from their initial surprise and were now attacking the armoured tank with everything they had, whilst others tried to escape that battle and head back into town. With the villagers still evacuating, she couldn't allow the soldiers to intercept.
"Run for cover." Schala said to the suddenly surprised mayor that for a moment feared to have been forgotten, but she had always been aware of him. "That way." She added pointing to the other side of the plaza, nearer to the abandoned train station and opposite direction of which the villagers had fled to and to which the soldiers now followed.
Too many soldiers were heading that way, she couldn't keep him safe if he tagged along. On the other hand, the station area was now clear of any threat. It would be less likely for a single person to get caught in the confusion than the large group that was there earlier. He should be safe there.
When the mayor failed to comply, Schala used her free and injured hand to force the man to his feet, causing for a couple of drops of blood to stain his colourful shirt. Ignoring the sting in her arm, she turned to the man.
"I said, run!" She repeated and pushed him back, the man almost stumbling but recovering and mechanically running the way he had been indicated.
Seeing as he was far enough, Schala moved swiftly to stand in front of the fleeing horde of soldiers. They had to stop but still managed to react and pull their weapons up to attack her.
The front line was too slow as Schala slashed through them, effectively halting the soldiers' movements as the ones still standing backed off from her and regrouped. Better prepared and organized this time around, the soldiers charged at Schala who quickly found herself surrounded.
As she had feared, even though the cries of dying soldiers filled the air, the ones in front of her were still too many. She fought them off, but with some difficulty despite no longer being restrained. Among the rain of gunfire, a bullet broke her protect spell, grazing at her torso and the soldiers advanced to take her out.
Schala could barely lift her blade for protection when two blurs came between them, falling the front soldiers.
"Never fear... I am here!" Zanya cried out in enthusiasm as she and Xu dropped in seemingly out of nowhere.
Schala stared for a moment to the women as they stood in front of her as she had done for the mayor not fifteen minutes ago.
"You're late." Schala commented as she stood, recovered from the previous overwhelming situation and the prompt rescue.
Xu spared her a glance as Zanya's smile just widened.
"You're welcome." She said with a smirk as the gunblader joined their ranks, standing beside them.
Xu could have sworn she detected an almost smile in the usually expressionless teen, but discarded her thoughts as she focused on the mass of soldiers ahead of them.
Schala might not been able to handle such numbers on her own, but she wasn't alone anymore.
The SeeDs stood ready to strike, their fearless expressions and threatening stances making the front soldiers flinch.
"Let's do this!"
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"Alright!" Sorphan cheered as the soldiers that hadn't the good sense to try and flee, fell by the dozens under the massive gunfire of the Iron Clad. Even most of those who'd ran didn't have much more luck.
"There's still so many left..." Quentin commented as he operated the guns controls, making a sweep of the area around them.
The soldiers outside the tank had started to fight back while taking cover behind the structures surrounding the plaza, though the heavy armour plating made little notice of the offence. Even so, the numbers of the galbadians was still so large, the instructor started to fear they would run out of ammunition before they could deal with everyone.
"Where are Schala and the others?" Inara wondered.
Previous to taking over the MRV, as well as after, the infiltrated SeeDs had noticed the presence of the other SeeD squad standing in front of whom seemed to be the habitants of Fisherman's Horizon. That was the only sign they needed to spring into action and take over the military vehicle that now decimated the troops it had once belonged to. However, in the confusion, the sharpshooter had lost track of them.
"I think they're upfront, on the way into town." Sorphan mentioned as, through the images in his console, he saw some commotion involving heavy magic in that area.
He reasoned Schala and the others would try and prevent the soldiers from fleeing into town and endanger the townsfolk that had just managed to escape. It was just the type of people they were.
"More soldiers are heading their way." Quentin suddenly noted. They seemed desperate to stay alive. "We have to think of something or else they'll be overwhelmed!" He added.
His concern for the well being of the SeeDs on the outside had only increased when he recognized Xu among them. Despite his concern and the situation they were in, Quentin couldn't stop but being relieved at the sight. Xu and even Schala's and Zanya's presence meant that the Garden had to be safe somehow, despite their inability to stop all of the missiles. As to how, that would have to wait. Right now, he just wanted to get everyone out of that situation safe and sound.
"Doesn't this thing have something that carries a stronger punch?" Sorphan wondered, remembering a highly troublesome cannon of sorts that had almost killed them back at the missile base confrontation.
Inara thought of the same as she suddenly focused on Engineer Richards, who had unexpectedly become coy.
"Now, now..." She started, pressing Valiant more forcibly on the man's chest and entering his field of vision. "Don't you hold out on us..." She said in a voice both alluring and threatening.
Richards swallowed dry. He wasn't usually a cowardly man, but under the circumstances he saw no other way out.
"The panel on the right of the driver..." He surrendered the info without resistance, resigning himself to the situation.
He never owed the military anything anyways, it was just an assignment.
"It activates the main weapon then you just press the large red button on top to fire it."
It wasn't worth losing his life for...
Inara stared hard at the man, making sure he wasn't pulling their leg. Even though there was fear and thought reflected in his eyes, she could tell he wasn't lying.
"Sorphan, honey." She called out, never wandering her sharp cobalt eyes from the galbadian as she already heard the tall young man stumbling with some buttons.
"Got it." He said as he continued to press buttons, setting the charge and aim for the weapon.
"Hit it!" Inara said, smirking as she could just see his expression though she wasn't looking.
"WOOHOO!!!" Sorphan cried out as he pressed the large red button.
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Schala looked back at the Iron Clad instants before the red eye at its centre front started to glow brightly. Not a second later, it fired a beam that burned through the soldiers' ranks, clearing everything in its path while leaving a scorched trail.
The SeeDs ducked as it reached even their position but in no way threatening their lives. Same couldn't be said for many of the soldiers attacking them as the stench of burning flesh filled the air. Panic ensued once more among the forces and they broke formation, scattering all over the place. The SeeDs took their chance to fight them off, eliminating the bulk of the forces with a combination of weapons, fists and magic.
Once the situation somewhat settled, Schala looked back at the blue armoured tank. She could have sworn she had heard a familiar cry in an equally familiar voice seconds before the laser fired. She shook her head and raised Revolver to parry an incoming attack.
She had to get her head in the game. Besides, there was no way... was there?
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"Commander Crais! You're alright, sir?!" A soldier by the improvised docks called out as he noticed the commander rushing from the, obvious, heavy battle zone.
The commander was slightly out of breath and his uniform was smouldered in several places. It seemed he barely just made it out of there alive.
"Status report!" The commander demanded more than asked, making all soldiers stand in line.
He was in a foul mood. He was never a cheerful man, but his men could tell something had definitely gone against his plans. Whatever was going on up there, it clearly did not benefit them.
"Sir! More than two thirds of our troops are unaccounted for." The soldier informed.
Most of those soldiers had been with Commander Crais himself, atop of the platform ahead. The same platform that seemed to be a real warzone from where they were standing.
"What about the soldiers in town?" The commander, again, demanded.
Several battalions had been dispatched to gather the locals and search for Ellone. Those men weren't involved in the battle, as far as he was aware, and the backup could certainly be welcome at that point.
"Sir! We haven't received any contact from them for a long while now." The soldier thought for a bit. "Around the same time as the commotion started up there, for that matter..." He added, wondering if and how the events could be related.
Commander Tauvo Crais froze as he contemplated the implications of that information. Could the SeeDs have reinforcements in town? Those three monstrous women could be only a decoy... there could even be SeeDs infiltrating the Iron Clad. That would certainly explain its rogue behavious. Was it possible the SeeDs could have known their intentions and planned that whole thing to overcome his forces?
It seemed close to impossible, but he couldn't consider any other possibility. The SeeDs were indeed dangerous wretches... they had to be thoroughly dealt with. He couldn't let them beat him.
"Sir...?" One of the soldiers started, temporarily snapping the senior officer from his thoughts. "Wh-What is going up over there...?" He wondered as the sound of gunfire continued to fill the air, accompanied now with several blasts.
"The Iron Clad has gone berserk and started to attack our men..." The commander said, almost absentmindedly as his thoughts roamed around possible courses of action.
He utterly ignored the soldiers' astonished cries as he continued.
"I can't let them get away with this..." He thought out loud before finally acknowledging his men. "What's the status of the Mars' main cannon?" He suddenly asked.
The soldiers took a moment to answer, which almost threw the senior officer into a fit but one managed to reply before he could snap at them.
"It's fully operational and ready to fire, sir!"
"Good." He commented as he advanced towards his battleship.
"Aim it at the plaza and fire."
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In the train station square, the battle continued, though it wasn't nearly as intense as it once had been. The Galbadian forces were reduced to less than a fourth of the original dispatched regiment and these numbers still dimmed by the second due to the works of the three female SeeDs and the Iron Clad, the attack MRV formerly in the service of the Galdbadian army.
Yes, formerly since the SeeDs doubted it was under their service now. Its actions had taken more soldiers' lives than their own.
Still, the soldiers continued to fight a losing battle, not surrendering even though it was hopeless. Either they were honourable or stupid enough not to admit defeat when it was so clearly obvious.
After the blue tank fired its main cannon once again, a loud explosion made everyone stop and look over to the side where the docked Galbadian fleet was located. The imposing shape of the GENS Mars was enveloped in thick black smoke and once that cleared, the sight was unimaginable.
The main cannon at its front had apparently blown up in a massive blast, damaging a good part of the bow and completely wrecking the twin side cannons that had previously been used to blow up some working towers.
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"It was about time! I thought that thing would never blow." Sorphan commented as the cabin of the Iron Clad barely rocked with the heavy explosion.
Richards stared at the SeeDs as, from their words he presumed they were responsible for the blow out on the GENS. The SeeDs must have planted explosives on the main cannon's systems hoping it would hinder the large battleship, crippling the galbadian's threat considerably.
And they were right.
These SeeDs were no mere pushovers, that was for sure. They had planned everything to the detail.
There was no way the Galbadian soldiers could regain the upper hand now. There was only one chance for them...
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"Shit! What the hell was that?!" Commander Crais shouted out, rhetorically of course, since it was pretty obvious.
"Sir! The main cannon just blew up!" One of the soldiers still replied among the rubble and ruckus.
The commander opted for ignoring him, more pressing problems in his mind than reprimanding the man.
There was an order that he had to ensue, an order he never thought he would have to relay in that place. He still couldn't believe it had actually come to that. He hated giving that order, but he had no choice.
"Sir, what do we do now?" One of the soldiers asked.
"Order the retreat, we're taking off!" The commander told everyone that heard him. "Prepare the ship for immediate departure."
"Whoever isn't fast enough is being left behind!"
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"Wow! The galbadians really know how to burn down the house." Zanya commented as the remnants of the explosion still filled the air with the scent of burned gunpowder.
"It doesn't seem to be the galbadians' lucky day, does it?" Xu added as the three SeeDs stood to the side of the plaza, every soldier surrounding them dealt with and only a couple of dozens were left, hiding from the Iron Clad's line of sight behind a column.
Schala was forced to agree with her two companions. First their weapon turns against them now their battleship blows up... the soldiers were running out of options.
"Wait! Don't shoot us anymore!"
Huh?!? Schala turned to the small group of surviving soldiers, stunned as she saw them lower their weapons and coming out of hiding with their hands up. Xu and Zanya shared her astonishment. None had ever seen a galbadian giving up.
"We surrender!" The forward man shouted out, mostly addressing the large blue tank. "Please don't kill us. We won't fight anymore."
Both the SeeDs and the soldiers looked at the MRV attentively as its machineguns still turned menacingly, but no bullets came out.
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"Do we have to?" Sorphan almost whined, looking back inside the cabin of the Iron Clad for guidance of his companions.
He was having fun blowing stuff up. He wanted to keep at it, but going after passive adversaries, was rather boring... it killed the buzz.
"Sorphan..." Quentin felt the need to say, staring back at the chirpy tall brunet though his reprimanding stare lost its edge through the helmet he had yet to remove.
"Now, now, honey." Inara intervened. "Acts of slaughter aren't nice."
Richards stared wide eyed at the path the events and that conversation were leading into. They had already slaughtered countless soldiers and she was just saying that now? Sure, they had been armed and fighting back before, but still her words made no sense. At that point he couldn't tell what was worse... The carefree tone in which that conversation was taking place or the disappointing expression of the insane young man behind the controls.
"Aww... I know, I know..." Sorphan wailed, turning back to his consol and searching for the right buttons to press.
"Drats..."
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The soldiers let out sound sighs of relief as the machineguns stopped spinning and the weapons powered down. They had, by the grace of Hyne, escaped the same fate as their companions and could only be grateful for that.
However, their relief was short lived as, even though the Iron Clad had powered down, the three SeeDs, who had also handled their fair share of their fellow soldiers, approached them. The short blonde one carried a worrisome smirk.
"Well, aren't we lucky?" Zanya wondered out loud as she stepped nearer to the unarmed soldiers, who tensed considerably at her arrival.
She was obviously referring to the kind souls manning the heavy military MRV that had spared the soldiers lives. With the air on that woman, the men could only wonder if the SeeDs were going to be as merciful.
"What are we gonna do with them?" Xu wondered, her eyes shifting from Zanya to Schala.
Zanya's smirk grew more disturbing, making most of the soldiers shiver. That did not bode well for them.
"I wonder..." Zanya started again, widening her eyes and giving off a really wacked vibe which could rival with Sorphan's anytime.
"Zanya." Schala voiced out, making the blonde shift her stare.
Schala was looking at her intently but not in reprimand. The soldiers were scared enough and the martial artist seemed to be enjoying it.
Zanya stared back for a bit before she sighed in resignation. She knew what the gunblader was mentally transmitting to her. She also knew it already, she was just teasing them a bit... Still...
"Oh, alright... Party-pooper..." She let out jokingly, making sure the galbadians heard every word.
Schala closed her eyes and shook her head. Zanya just couldn't resist one last chance to frighten the soldiers... how childish.
Abandoning all pretence, Zanya looked back at the soldiers, all packed up, nervous and twitching. They were almost two dozens...
"We're gonna need some rope."
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"Let's go men! Hurry up back at the Mars!" A senior soldier called out to the few of his subordinates that were still roaming the streets of the town.
The ruckus near their docked ships had not passed unnoticed, less alone the major explosion on the battleship. He didn't know exactly what had happened but if it was half of what had happened to him and his men, well. Let's just say he wasn't surprised when the retreat order reached his ears.
The soldiers under his command were searching for Ellone in town when they were suddenly taken aback with the appearance of several people that, contrary to the locals' beliefs, began fighting and even defeating them. He managed to identify the uniforms they wore as SeeD, which was beyond troublesome. The sworn enemies of Sorceress Edea, despite their reduced numbers, had driven the galbadians into running.
Their ruler was right to attack them, they were barely human...
"Get a move on or the ship will leave without us!" He added, knowing full well that would indeed be the case if they were to delay much further.
Commander Crais was everything but a patient man. He wouldn't hesitate to leave them all there to die.
"C'mon! Move it! Move it! Mov..." He kept calling out till he was suddenly interrupted by a red blur knocking him out of consciousness.
Cardinal returned to its master's hands as the SeeDs sprung into action. The fight against the soldiers had been going smoothly even before the loud blast that threw the galbadians off their game. Though curious, the SeeDs, cadets and Rian still had to handle the military threat, especially when practically the whole population of FH came running up the ramps crossing the town. They were now all cooped up near the mayor's house though the mayor himself was nowhere among them. One other team of SeeDs and cadets had stayed back to protect them while Instructor Brandt's and Nida's squads pushed back the soldiers.
Now they seemed to be stampeding away, running as if their lives depended on it. Mark would have them belief that was a normal behaviour when fighting him, to which there were some snorting and taken back reactions, but as that officer shouted out it became clear what was going on.
The galbadians were fleeing.
"That's a good thing, right?" Rian wondered aloud. "We don't have to fight them all. When they leave the town will be safe." He concluded.
The SeeDs reactions, however, didn't seem so optimist.
"Will it?" The SeeD with curly black hair wondered as her tense pose didn't relax.
Rian narrowed his eyes. What did she mean by that?
"Kid, we can't let them escape." Instructor Brandt cut in, getting ready to make chase to the soldiers.
"How come?" A female cadet of Nida's team asked.
The dark blue haired girl, carrying a heavy mace stepped forward, her thoughts on the same wavelength as Rian's.
"If they just leave..." She started but halted as Nida placed his hand on her shoulder.
"It's not so simple, Carol." He stated, looking ahead at Mark that simply nodded in agreement.
"If we let the galbadians escape, they'll report back to the sorceress." Mark informed, making the others suddenly understand the full extent of the situation. "They'll tell her that we're here and she might retaliate in a more forceful way."
"What we're doing now won't mean anything if the full Galbadian military attacks or launches missiles at this place." The female SeeD added.
"That's why it is imperative that the galbadians don't escape." Mark concluded.
Rian and the cadet girl resigned with the situation, however...
"It might be too late for that..." The male cadet with thick dark hair and skin commented as he looked in the distance.
The others' stare followed his and they saw what he meant. The battleship was growing smaller. It was backing up from its docked position. The Galbadians were leaving Fisherman's Horizon, sealing the fate of the habitants and of the soldiers they left behind.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
"Alright! All tied up and pretty." Zanya let out proudly.
The little under two dozen soldiers that had laid down their weapons, had been tied up and gagged together with a long string of rope Xu and Schala had no idea from where Zanya had dug up in such a short time. If they posed no threat before, they now resembled new born kitties.
"Well, now that that's done... what now?" Xu wondered, looking back towards Schala when a loud rumbling sound caught her attention and everyone else's in the plaza.
They all turned towards the location of the sound, ending up starring at the form of the damaged GENS as it powered its engines. The large battleship started to move away from the docks quick to be followed by most of the smaller and faster attack vessels that had joined it on arrival. It seemed the galbadians were turning tail and running, much to the dismay of the surrendered soldiers that realized they had been abandoned by their companions.
"What do we do now?" Zanya wondered aloud as the ships were too far gone to be caught up by them.
"Can we really let them get away?" Xu added with concern.
Schala had mixed feelings about what to do faced with this new development. On one side, she herself had given them the chance to leave before. However the implications of them running back to their sorceress in shame could be disastrous for the people of FH.
Whatever the case, there didn't seem like there was much they could do.
Schala stepped forward but whatever thought was on her mind it was cancelled when the sound of mechanically opening doors reached her ears from across the plaza. She and the other SeeDs turned as a door on the Iron Clad suddenly opened up. The three women tensed, reaching for their weapons as they were unsure of what to expect.
It was a fact that whoever operated the tank wasn't a friend of the Galbadian Military, but that didn't mean they could be trusted. Without knowing who they were, the SeeDs couldn't allow themselves to stand down.
They tensed further as a man in dirty, greased overalls climbed down from the MRV. Rather forcefully, almost as he had been pushed out the door, the man stumbled to his feet, barely managing not to fall. He seemed annoyed, glaring back at whoever remained in the darkness inside the armoured vehicle and only then did he turn. His stance tensed as he saw the SeeDs ready to attack at the slightest provocation.
He stepped lightly back towards the tank, slightly raising his hands in surrender only to be pushed forwards, and falling this time, as someone else exited the Iron Clad. The man in military uniform only made the SeeDs tense even further, standing with their weapons up.
The soldier ignored the complaints of the other man as he stood, and just kept starring ahead at the three women, or so it seemed despite the helmet. He almost looked confused till he seemed to realise something and raised his hands to his head. Seeing the SeeDs react to his sudden movement, he continued but slowly till he got hold of his helmet. Keeping moving slowly, the man removed his helmet, dropping it by his side while long, flowing blond hair was released, waving at the sound of the wind.
The three women across the plaza froze where they stood, lowering their weapons in shock. Realization came much after. Their eyes widened, they could only stare at the familiar expression in Instructor Trepe's face.
Of all the people they could expect to exit the blue armoured tank, he had to be the last one to ever cross their minds. And if he was there, that meant...
As soon as that thought was able to cross Schala's mind, she had her answer. Sorphan, already without a helmet, all but jumped out of the Iron Clad, taking a very deep and slightly comical breath of fresh air, coughing soon afterwards due to the intense gunpowder and burnt scent that filled the area of the recent battle. Right after him came a giggling Inara, also in galbadian uniform and without a helmet. She seemed to be laughing at the tall young man's antics in his search for clean, non smelly air, something he had been craving for the past few days and failing to acquire.
With the two women still stunned and the infiltrated SeeDs exposed, no one noticed anything else till Quentin was suddenly tackled. Xu ran and jumped into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck causing him to twirl around to avoid being knocked over. He laughed till he couldn't, Xu's lips crashing into his as they shared a passionate kiss that was a long time coming.
Sorphan and Inara took all two seconds to register the events, with the red headed woman smiling openly.
"Now that's what I call a welcome." She commented, sending a side glance to her companion who in turn, refused to meet her eyes.
With that, Zanya snapped out of her surprise and followed the senior SeeD's example, running towards her long lost friends. Thankfully for them, when she came close she didn't tackle them. However their relief was short lived as she grabbed the two – Xu had yet to let go of Quentin – into a bone-crushing-bear-hug that had them begging her to let go.
All the while, Schala observed from a distance. Saying she had been surprised with that particular development would be quite the understatement. Even her thoughts had drawn a blank and when she came too, she was amazed she hadn't lost grip on Revolver and it still rested in her lowered hands.
She realized, though didn't fully acknowledged the reasons behind it, that she had been worried about her companions' fate. Not only that, in that particular moment, she was relieved and truly thankful they were actually alright. She remained where she stood, for a long while unable to step forward and join the happy and loud reunion, uncertain if she wanted to.
"And that's..." Zanya talked and laughed as did all the others – Xu finally letting Quentin breathe – and only then did she notice a certain absence.
She looked around till she saw her, still on the same stop and still looking as if she's just seen a ghost... or three.
"Hey! Schala!" She called out, snapping the woman from the numbness she had slipped into.
Schala focused her eyes on them, seeing as the martial artist waved her over.
"C'mon!" She called again with a wide smile.
Hesitant for just a moment, Schala's grip on her gunblade tightened before she sheathed it and started to approached the cheery group. Placing one foot in front of the other, she didn't demonstrated the same enthusiasm as the two women before her, but just one look into her eyes could reveal she was no less emotional than them.
Inara could swear there was an unshed tear at the corner of her eyes that in a blink of an eye, was gone as if it was never there.
When she got to them, she still didn't know what to say, causing for a slightly awkward silent moment to ensue.
Should she tell them she was happy to see them? Happy they were safe? Happy or relieved? She couldn't tell the difference at this point...
"Some things never change..." Quentin's voice broke the silence and the awkwardness as everyone just started laughing.
Everyone but Schala who didn't understand why they were so amused. Reasoning that it must still be the after effect of the giddiness of their reunion, she opted to ignore it completely missing Quentin's insinuation.
That reaction only made them laugh some more much to the confusion of Richards and the tied up soldiers. Schala just rolled her eyes, waiting for them to compose themselves when something else caught their attention.
"Schala!" The SeeDs all turned towards the call, finding Rian on the other end as he and a bunch of SeeDs and cadets rushed inside the plaza.
"Rian...?" Schala let out, wondering why he was there and how had he convinced headmaster Cid into letting him return to the town crawling with galbadian soldiers.
However, her questions would remain on hold as someone else intervened, changing the target of the recently arrived fighters' attention.
"Rian!" Sorphan cried out in utter cheerfulness, making the raven haired young man stop for a moment as he registered the scene ahead of him.
Hundred of galbadian soldiers dead and spread all around the plaza... A couple of dozens tied up near the pillars... The mayor cowering and otherwise unmoving, but breathing, near of what it seemed like the entrance of an abandoned train station... Schala, Xu and Zanya relatively unharmed near a huge and menacing looking blue armoured tank... Near them were at least three more people in galbadian uniforms but without their helmets... they kinda looked like...
"Sorphan...? Inara...? Quentin...?" He let out, wide eyed at the recognition.
He forgot all about what had and was still happening all around him as he rushed towards them.
"By Hyne, you're alright!" He cried out as he got to them, hugging them and cringing as Zanya wanted a part on the continued happiness, almost crushing all their bones.
"How did you get here? What happened? Why are you wearing those things...? Are you alright?" He asked amid compliments, hugs and pats in the back.
The recently reunited SeeDs could only laugh at the string of questions the young man just shot out, though in a more coherent way contrary to Sorphan's usual way...
"Hey! Easy there, tiger!" Inara let out with a smile, placing her hand on the young man's shoulder.
"We'll explain everything." Quentin added.
"I'm afraid that will have to wait." A strong, tough voice made them turn to acknowledge the remaining members of Rian's team.
"Mark..." Quentin whispered, the fellow instructor's seriousness turning his smile into a frown.
"It's good to see you guys are safe, but we have more pressing matters at hand." He noted.
"What's the problem?" Sorphan wondered.
The galbadian threat on FH had been nullified due to the joint efforts of all the SeeDs. The soldiers were on the run, so there shouldn't be any problem for a while.
"The Galbadians' escape places us in a tricky situation." Mark continued. "When they return to the sorceress and tell her what happened here, you can be sure there will be retaliation."
"She can order another missile launch and wipe the town out of the water." Nida added as he stood next to the instructor, most of the other SeeDs and cadets checking on the prisoners.
"That won't happen." Inara contributed, a sly smile on her face.
"We can't be sure of that." Nida replied but the red headed woman's confidence made him wonder.
"Actually, we can." Quentin provided, confirming to Mark that there was more to that story than what they knew of.
"To answer your second question, Rian..." Inara continued with a smile and approving nods from her two companions. "We nearly got blown up... when the missile base self destructed."
The surprise in the SeeDs was more than obvious.
"There won't be any more missiles coming out of that place EVER!" Sorphan added with a smile that seemed to indicate he enjoyed blowing it up.
"That must have been cool." Zanya wondered, her destructive vein popping up.
"It really was!" Sorphan provided with a wide smile and a laugh.
The reunited SeeDs sported a wide smile filled with pride, though Quentin's faltered first.
"Though we weren't able to stop the last launch heading for Balamb..." He said, though his apprehension wasn't as severe as it could be, considering... "How did you get here? What happened to Garden? The missiles..."
"Garden's safe." Schala spoke for the first time in a while, feeling it was her information to tell.
After all she left those three to go to the missile base as she went back to Balamb Garden to try and save it. Even as the outcome was somewhat and completely unexpected, they had ultimately accomplished their goal.
"But how?" Quentin insisted.
Even if their messing around with the error ratio of the missiles had made all the rockets miss the Garden, which was rather unlikely, that wouldn't account for the SeeDs' presence in FH.
"You won't believe it if we told you." Zanya commented, a tricky smile on her face.
True, even if they told them that the Garden, through the works of an ancient centraian device, rose above the ground gaining the ability of mobility and, after actually moving away from the missiles, crashed into the ocean and drifted till it crashed in FH, no... They probably wouldn't believe them.
"Well, that's one good news..." Mark continued, breaking the casual moment. "But that doesn't get us in the clear."
All eyes were once again in the older instructor.
"That was just one GENS. As far as I know the Galbadian Armada has 5, that is 4 more." He informed, making the SeeDs cringe in realization.
If they were to return with five battleships with ranged capabilities and packed with soldiers, FH would be wiped from the map.
"Though that being the Mars, it was the more offensive vessel in the fleet, the others are not to be taken lightly." He added. "It's too late to stop the GENS from regrouping with the rest now. We must prepare a defence or, perhaps better yet, evacuate the civilians."
That really did seem like the best option. Schala knew there were few SeeDs and able cadets on board Garden to fend off such galbadian numbers. Part of their success that day had been the element of surprise and the fact they weren't expecting any resistance. Next time they wouldn't be so lucky. They would come at full force for a massacre. And if the sorceress were to join the soldiers...
She looked to the side, to the large blue tank. Not even that could be decisive in the defence of the town. They might not have any other choice than to evacuate them into Garden...
"Hah!" Zanya suddenly let out, startling most that were deep in thought. "Those are not our only choices!"
Everyone just stared as a truly worrisome smirk covered the martial artist's face. Whenever she got like that, it meant someone would have to rebuild something...
"I have an idea!"
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
"Are we in range to send a communicate to the Sorceress' fleet?" Commander Crais questioned the soldiers in the damaged bridge of the GENS Mars.
"Not yet, sir." The soldier sitting in the communication console informed as he checked readings and equipment. "The long range antenna was damaged in the blast. We have people working on it right now to get it up and running as fast as possible."
"Good." Was all he could say.
Even with the events passed, the soldiers hadn't completely lost their spirit and had returned to their duties promptly. That was good, it was one least thing for him to worry about as he prepared physically and mentally to face the sorceress with his failure. It wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation...
He could just imagine the expression on his big brother's face. That initial mocking grin that would shift to a truly dreadful one. Those SeeDs were going to regret crossing him. The GENS Jupiter, commandeered by his brother, General Bialar Crais, was the largest battleship of the entire armada. Even as the Mars was the better armed, the Jupiter was by far more imposing.
It was almost worth his defeat to be able to see his brother crushing those wretched women. He would have his revenge soon enough.
"Commander Crais, sir!" The call from one of his officers snapped the commander from his musings and thoughts of SeeD mutilation as he turned to face him.
"What is it?" He snapped back, annoyed to have his mental images interrupted.
"Sir! We're picking up an unidentified object in the water, moving at great speed towards us." The soldier informed.
That certainly got his attention.
"What is it? A ship? A torpedo? What?!!" He demanded, hovering over the soldier as to see the screens.
He got a glimpse of something too long to be a projectile and too thin to be a vessel, but if in a second it was there, in the next it was gone.
"What'a?!" The Commander and the soldier both let out as suddenly the screen was empty of any contacts.
"Where did it go?" Commander Crais asked, keeping his stare on the visor as if it had been just an illusion.
"I don't know, Sir." The soldier confessed, him also confused. "It's like it was just swallowed by the sea..."
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
The waters a good five kilometres behind the retreating small armada, suddenly became restless as a dark snaky shadow, flowing swiftly beneath its surface, suddenly fused with its surroundings. It disappeared from sight in the watery mass.
The sea then began to rise quite ominously, raising high above the usually possible. So much that whoever would stand on top of the nearby ships could no longer catch a glimpse of the Horizon Bridge behind it.
The long high bridge that stretched from horizon to horizon and stood as tall as a good 50 metres above sea level became veiled by a colossal wave travelling at an unimaginable speed and quickly gaining on the unsuspecting galbadian armada.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
"Sir!" Another soldier called out from the communication console, clear across the bridge from the radar station.
The commander still had his eyes glued to the screens, searching for the phantom image of a possible attacker. After what had come to pass on that day, he felt he couldn't ignore even the vaguest thought of a threat and somehow, that mirage on the radar felt to be more than just an echo.
He had a really bad feeling about that.
"Sir!" The call came again, making the commander finally tear his eyes from the radar screens.
"What?!" He barked out, angry at the insistence.
That had better be important... for the soldier's sake...
"Sir...!" The man hesitated for just a second before continuing. "The accompanying ships have reported a wave forming behind us..."
"Is that it?!" The commander shouted. "A wave?! We're at sea, waves are normal!" He snapped back, returning his attention to the radar.
"But, sir..." The soldier tried but cowered as the commander roared in anger.
"Don't waste my time!"
Silence fell on the bridge, no fly daring to buzz as one could almost cut the commander's irritation with a knife.
The man by the communication panel replaced the headphones in his head, being once again showered by cries of panic from the smaller attack vessels that accompanied the GENS path.
He was forced to choose between ignoring their terrified screams or facing the terrorizing rage of their commanding officer...
"..."
"... Sir...?"
"That's it!" Commander Crais rose from his leaned position behind the radar controller – who took a deep breath for the first time in several minutes – and turned, stomping his way towards the communication console.
"How big a wave can it be?!!" He snapped, ripping the headset off the man's head, almost dragging the head behind it, and placed it near his ears, ready to shout out at whoever was making such a fuss.
"..."
His anger died down instantly as the truly horrified screams of his men froze him in place. He dropped the headphones and rushed outside the bridge, out on deck as the echos of shrieks of dread and alarm sounded inside the cabin...
"No freakin' way!"
"Speed up, we have to go faster!"
"Mars, what do we do?"
"We need help!"
"Just go faster!"
"Mars, please give some indication..."
"We're gonna die! We're gonna die!" We're definitely gonna die!
"There's no way we survive this! Death is coming"
"Mars!!"
The Commander heard no more as he exited the bridge, circling around it so he could see the stern of the ship and what was behind it. His eyes widened in shock that he didn't even acknowledge the presence of a couple more soldiers that had followed after him.
All he had eyes for was the sea. All he could see was the sea rising up towards them. A gigantic wave that covered his entire field of vision and more.
Such a monstrous wave that rose up and threatened to swallow them whole.
"We have to go faster..." He said, apparently to no one in particular since he didn't seem aware of the men behind him.
Several other smaller attack vessels that usually kept to the GENS' pace had already sped forward in a vain attempt to escape the tsunami's destructive path.
The soldiers behind the commander were equally frozen, one almost jumping out of his skin as Commander Crais suddenly reached out and pulled him up by his collar.
"I said, GO FASTER!!!"
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
The smaller attack vessels' speed was quickly matched by the accelerating GENS Mars as its engines roared into activity far beyond what they had been designed to. The galbadians grew desperate for survival, stretching their technology past its limits in the slim chance to be able to outrun the enormous wave that seemed to follow after them, almost as it had a will.
From the watery mass, a shape suddenly reappeared out of nowhere, seemingly forming out of the water itself.
Leviathan screeched amidst the waters, diving under the wave and swimming swiftly beneath the surface as if it was a part of the sea. He quickly reached and passed by the fleeing galbadian armada, going farther in front of them in the blink of an eye.
Once he had quite the few kilometres of distance between them, instead of fusing back into the sea, he went up. Leviathan irrupted through the surface, rising above sea level while twisting and turning as to face the advancing fleet.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
"We're gaining on the wave, sir!" A soldier informed as he popped his head inside the door of the bridge.
They had driven the engines to the max and beyond, making the engineers fear and cringe on the possibility of them breaking up from exhaustion. Still, it appeared to be worth the risk. The giant wave that tormented them was falling behind on the chase. They might just survive that ordeal after all.
"What the hell is that?" A soldier on the front edge of the bridge let out as he gripped tightly on the binoculars he held in front of him.
He spotted something coming out of the waters ahead of them. It was nothing like he had ever seen, almost like a giant, blue snake...
What is it now...? Commander Crais could only think as he approached the man's position. Any and everything he could possibly imagine going wrong had come to pass on that day. What could possibly happen now to worsen their terrible situation?
"Give me that!" The commander spat as he reached the other man and all but snatched the binoculars out of his unwary hands.
He looked through the lenses, not knowing what to expect anymore. He saw the same snake as the other man and for a long moment he could have sworn the creature was staring back at him.
He removed the binoculars, looking at the distance as they approached the beast hovering high above the waters. What could possibly be that thing, he had to wonder.
Movement from the creature made him look through the binoculars again and he could only drop his jaw at what he saw...
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
Leviathan screech loudly, the shrieking sound almost reaching the advancing armada. As if in response, the waters raged beneath him and receded, starting to rise behind him.
A new colossal wave grew slowly to the height of its sister but contrary to her, it remained abnormally still in place as if a barrier kept it from advancing, only moving upwards towards the equally blue skies.
The Sea Serpent stared hard against his master's targets, the ones he had been in charge of wiping form the face of the earth.
Once the wave was of satisfactory height, Leviathan screeched again and started to move, snaking forwards. The risen waters obediently followed as if an invisible dam had been broken. The wave came crashing forward, gaining in speed as they drew near the vulnerable fleet.
With the end eminent and no escape in sight for the galbadians, Leviathan disappeared into a rain of water that served to further fuel the frightening tsunami as it loomed over the vessels.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
"Commander, what do we do now, sir?" The men shouted, even daring to shake their commanding officer who refused to move.
"SIR!" All the calls were utterly ignored as he seemed to only be able to mumble barely coherent words.
"It's over... there's no point trying... death is upon us... it's over..."
"Sir! Snap out of it!" One of the soldiers had gone to the point of slapping the man but it was no use, there was no reaction whatsoever.
"Leave him, he's lost it!" Another soldier yelled out. "Turn the ship! We'll try to outrun its length. Maybe we'll just make it!"
Most of the soldiers had already resigned to their fates, much like the commander, but a hand full of them still had the will to live, however quickly fading, and followed his words. The GENS turned to the side, searching for a way around the wave but they couldn't even glimpse the end of the tunnel.
As the large battleship turned, all the occupants of the bridge saw was water. Water beneath them, water to both sides of them... Water in front of them...
The edges of both waves had gathered and now advanced towards them. Surrounded from all sides, the Galbadians could only curse their luck and fate.
"It's over... We're dead."
The dual colossus crashed together, crushing everything in between them in a midst of chaos, destruction and some explosions. The sheer force and pressure of the waters obliterated the galbadian armada, dragging its remains under into an eternal watery grave...
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
"And that's that. Problem solved." Zanya stated rather pleased with herself, stretching her muscles as if she had done all the work. "We got nothing more to worry about those galbadians."
"Geez, girl... I hope I never get you mad..." Mark had to comment, though not without a sense of surprise and admiration.
That particular girl had never been very smart, brawl over brains, she thought with her fists and spoke with her feet, usually on someone else's mouth. To see how much she had grown as to think to do something like that. Sure, the path of destruction she'd leave behind would always be there, and getting wider by the second, but she had certainly grown, and not only more destructive.
The other SeeDs cheered and congratulated her on her accomplishment and on the new GF she had acquired. Leviathan was also awkwardly pleased with the praise and the attention, his previous master everything but a complementing man... well, being.
With the giddiness dying down, it was time to get back to business.
"We should head back, report to the headmaster." Mark reasoned, getting everyone's attention, especially the recently reunited SeeDs.
"Cid is also here?" Quentin wondered, confused as he was under the impression he would never leave Garden.
"Of course." Nida replied. "You should probably also want to go back to Garden. You must be tired." He added, not fully realising how strange that sentence sounded to the absent SeeDs, or knowing and teasing them.
"I don't understand." Inara stated, voicing her companions' thoughts as they only nodded in agreement.
"You'll see." Xu added to the mix, finding the confused look on Quentin's face extremely adorable.
She couldn't wait to see his face when he first glimpsed at the mobile form of the Garden.
"Yeah, you're totally gonna trip over it!" Zanya added, keeping smiling widely.
"Oh c'mon, tell!" Sorphan insisted but Zanya refused, turning and walking ahead as to avoid the dreadful persuasive powers of the tall brunet, who immediately proceeded to pout.
"Ahmm... What about this thing here?" The cadet, Carol, wondered, obviously referring to the large armoured tank all dented and beat up that stood in the middle of the plaza.
"Ohh, right!" Sorphan let out as he hopped over to it, stretching his arms as if to hug it. "Can I keep it?"
He sounded as if the Iron Clad was a stray dog and he wanted his parents to let him feed and care for it, instead of a weapon of massive destruction.
When he got no general answer, he focused his gaze on Schala, doing his puppy-dog eyes. Half-expecting that, Schala looked away before getting hit with the full effect.
"You'll have to talk with the Headmaster about that..." She quickly dodged the responsibility over the matter. "For now you can leave it there. It's not like anyone is gonna take it for a joyride." She added.
The only one that could even think about doing something like that was Sorphan himself, so as far as the rest of FH's population was concerned, no one would even go near that thing if they could help it.
"Ohhh... alright..." He let out, resigned and immediately Inara went to him to reassure him.
"It's ok, honey." She told him in a sweet voice. "I'm sure Headmaster Cid will let you keep it."
"You really think so?" He wondered, truly sounding hopeful to which the red headed woman could only smile and nod.
They walked away leaving the remaining SeeDs, cadets and Rian looking at them with odd eyes. Some things indeed never changed, though to be honest some should...
"There's also some attack vessels the galbadians left behind by the docks..." The male cadet with a bow commented once the commotion was gone. "That and the prisoners..."
"You're right Ori." Mark nodded, turning to the black haired SeeD that was guarding the tied up soldiers. "Hey, Sue!"
The woman turned to acknowledge the call, nodding her head to indicate she was listening.
"Round them up for transport. We'll lock them up in Garden and figure out what to do with them later." He yelled back and she nodded, instructing the others near her to help her getting the soldiers ready to move.
"As for the ships, we can leave them there and pick them up later, like with the tank. No one should mess with them." He added to the remaining SeeDs.
With everyone in agreement, they started to move to return to Garden. Sorphan and Inara had stopped ahead, realizing they didn't know where they were supposed to be heading, and Quentin walked hand in hand with Xu who, Schala assumed, wouldn't let go of that hand any time soon.
Schala, however, stayed still, her eyes suddenly catching sight of something she had almost forgotten about.
"Schala, aren't you coming?" Zanya called out as she, once again, had been the only one to notice the gunblader had stayed behind.
Their attention drawn, all turned back to face the brunette who slowly turned her head to face them.
"Go on ahead, I'll catch up in a bit." She told them, shifting her gaze to whatever had caught her attention.
When the SeeDs followed her eyes and saw what had gotten her focus, they figured out what was going on. Mayor Dobe sat still as a mouse in a corner of the plaza. He still seemed pretty shaken up with the whole events of the morning.
Schala had something to do, something to say and their presence would not be necessary, even dispensable for that, so they took their leave and moved to abandon the plaza.
All except Rian who insisted in speaking with her before he returned and let her have her conversation with the mayor. So, as Sue, Mark, Nida and the cadets moved the restrained soldiers out of the plaza, Rian stepped in Schala's line of vision, almost startling her as she didn't notice he hadn't left with the others.
"You gave me another puzzle piece, you know?" He simply said, making her frown as she didn't follow. "And I didn't even had to struggle very hard to get this one either." He added with a smile.
She was getting confused, and she didn't like that feeling.
"What are you talking about?" She asked him and his smile softened.
"You're happy."
That three word reply wasn't nearly as satisfactory as she wanted. It didn't even make sense. In which context? She didn't get it...
"You looked and sounded very happy." He elaborated. "Happy to see them safe. Happy to have them back."
I did? I am? Schala wondered, her frown deepening as she pondered it. Well, she was relieved to see them again, she had already reached and accepted that conclusion. She wasn't sure happy was the right term for it...
"I've rarely seen you with such honest, unclouded eyes..." He added, standing closer to her.
Schala barely realized he was standing just centimetres away when she raised her head and came nose to nose with him. She was somewhat startled but didn't move forward or back. She had grown used to his presence, it no longer bothered her so.
"You were happy." He repeated, keeping her stare with his dark chocolate eyes.
Not for the first time, Schala found something relaxing and alluring about that peaceful and affectionate stare. It made her feel... nice.
"Maybe I was." She confessed, to both him and herself.
She was happy they were safe, that they were back near her. She had missed them more than she cared to admit. It felt good to have the gang back together.
"You absolutely were." He stated. "It's only normal. They're your friends after all."
Friends, huh... Schala wondered. Yes, she supposed they were... she had grown to depend on them despite her greatest efforts, she was the first to admit THAT. Though it would take a while for her to say it out loud.
"I wonder..." Rian started barely above a whisper, barely loud enough for the girl to understand him. "Would you be so worried if I had gone and so relieved and happy at my return..."
Huh? Schala wondered, not having caught all of his words. She was about to question him but he raised his eyes and smiled as if he hadn't realised he had spoken out loud, however lowly it had come out.
"I'll meet you back in Garden." He added and left the same path the others had taken, back into town, though she could no longer see them now that she looked.
He had said something, she was sure of it, but she hadn't understood it. Something inside of her accused some curiosity but it wasn't strong enough for her to chase after him and ask about it. It probably wasn't anything important, she reasoned.
Her attention then returned to the mayor as he still remained in the same spot she had practically forced him to go in the beginning of the battle. He was frozen in place, either in shock of the violence of what he'd seen or astonishment of surviving such an ordeal.
In either case, she couldn't leave things at that. She had to talk to him, try to make him understand.
She thought of a lot of things to say to him on her short trek to his position, but once she got in front of him and his debilitated face rose to meet her, only a few words came out.
"I'm sorry..." She paused for a moment, detecting some confusion in his eyes. She was glad to detect anything, he seemed rather dead to the world.
The older man lowered his head, either in thought or understanding. But that wasn't all she wanted to say.
"I'm sorry not for what we did..." She repeated, making the mayor's eyes focus but not meet her gaze, "... but that we had to do it."
There was nothing she'd want more than to respect the locals' wishes and not resort to violence to solve matters such as these. She wished she hadn't the need to stain the streets with blood but... if presented with the choice of fighting to protect the people or not fighting and letting them die, she would fight... every single time.
Having spoken her peace, Schala turned to leave but halted as she heard the mayor standing behind her. She half turned to face him. His face still seemed a bit out of it, but was considerably better.
"I understand..." He said and started to walk away.
He might understand what led her to do what she did, but that didn't mean he had to accept it, she pondered. That was good enough, at least for her.
He continued walking, slowly, speaking again though never breaking his pace.
"Our technicians will start working on your Garden as soon as you want." He simply said as if it was not that important and left at a steady slow pace.
Schala breathed deeply in newfound relief. In the back of her head she feared the mayor would kick them all out of town for fighting, even if it was to save their lives. Seemed like he really did understand her. She was glad for that.
She started walking herself, finally making to leave the blood stained plaza. She wanted nothing more than to go back to Garden and wash out the stains into a nice warm bath.
"Well said..." An old male voice suddenly sounded from somewhere near her just as the Mayor fell out of sight.
Looking to the side, Schala saw an old man in green overalls at the bottom of the ramp that rounded and rose above the train station plaza. The man seemed unscathed almost as if he hadn't been involved in the events that had just taken place in that very spot. Come to think of it, Schala couldn't recognize his face among the locals they had rescued, not that she looked very closely.
Ignoring the lack of recollection, Schala focused on his words. Had he been listening in on their, rather one sided, conversation?
Ignoring her musings, the old man continued.
"On both sides, I should add."
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AN.: Hello people!! As promised, I didn't take so long to update as the last time. Aren't we proud and happy? XD
I liked writing this chapter so I hope you liked it too :). It was fun to make a gun-crazed Sorphan (thanks Rosy for the inspiration in your Selphie and a certain rocket launcher ;P) and the Iron Clad turning against the soldiers was a classic I couldn't ignore. After all, if the SeeDs were hiding inside the thing, the least they could do is wreck some havoc ;P. As for the part after that, I wanted to bring out Levi and do that scene in the sea where the ships are swallowed by giant waves... that was cool ;P
Thank you for reading, I hope you liked this one (though shorter than the latest ones). Feel free to return whenever you wish.
Take care and...
Read ya later
Revir **