Chapter 8
Finally, for the first time in her life, Yannie felt as if she had some direction. She knew what she was going to do. She talked it over with Cid, and since she now controlled her power, they had decided to let her stay at Garden, and train to become a SeeD. Cid wouldn't admit that it was for selfish reasons. He saw her potential, and wanted her on his team.
She studied hard. She spent much of her free time hunched over a book in the library in or in the training center. However, she easily defeated every opponent she faced. One strike of her magic and they were out for the count. She has also chosen a weapon, even though she didn't need one. She had opted for a traditional double mace. They had leather handles about a foot long and a chain the same length. The mace itself was the size of tennis ball, and had numerous spikes on its surface, about an inch long. Garden rules were that a student could not rely on magic alone, or for that fact weapons alone. A student has to have skills in both areas. Yannie had chosen the double mace for the reasons that it was easy to use, and could cause a lost of damage in close combat where it would be hard to use magic.
It was one week before she was due to take her SeeD exam. She had already passed the written exam with flying colours. She seemed to learn very quickly, and whatever she tried her hand at she was good at. She had made a few friends at Garden, and hoped that these friendships would not end like her last one. She often thought about Kira, the friend she had killed all those years ago. She prayed it would never happen again. One of the friends she felt a distinct affinity with was Gered. She no longer needed looking after, but he still hung around her.
Today was the day Quistis took Yannie to the fire cavern. It would be a simple procedure, especially for Yannie. Go in, cast some ice spells and beat a GF. She was still nervous. Battling monsters in the training center was one thing, but this was for real. She had prepared well though, and everyone had confidence in her. Her preparation differed somewhat from the other students. She needed to draw no magic, as if she had an unlimited stock of every spell, including high level spells such as aura and meltdown. Selphie, a strong magic user herself had been helping her develop her limit breaks. She also was amazed at how fast she learned. Yannie's life was better than it had ever been.
Squall's on the other hand was terrible. He had never felt so down in his life. He missed Rinoa terribly. He had tried contacting her, but every time he picked up the phone, he lost his nerve. What would he say to her? The one time he had let the phone ring, General Caraway picked up. He sounded strange, as if he was trying to hide something. He said Rinoa wasn't in. Squall could see right through it. If she didn't want to talk to him, why didn't she just say so? He spent much of his free time in his room, and rarely left. What was the point without Rinoa? She was the only one who understood him. She brought him out of his shell. Without her there, he regressed back to his old moody self. Irvine had tried to get him to come into Balamb one night. He snapped an angry "No!" and slammed the door in his face. They were all worried about him, but decided it would be best if he was just left alone.
Yannie stood and looked in the mirror of her dorm. She was wearing her new blue SeeD cadet uniform. It felt a but uncomfortable, but she would get used to it. She examined the detailed silver stitching on the cuffs and about the hem on the skirt. She saw her name in silver stitching on the shoulder- "Yannie Ocaspe". After what she had been used to wearing, she felt a bit conspicuous in something so elegant and well made. Her weight was now that of what should be expected of a seventeen-year-old. She had more colour in her cheeks, and her face was less pale and gaunt. She had had a hair cut, and her straight hair was now cut into a chin length choppy bob that flicked out a bit at the sides and back. She had now been at Garden for about six moths, and it had been five months since the Rinoa incident. Even she had noticed how odd Squall had been acting since she left. She often thought about Rinoa. Why did she hate her so much? Enough to try to kill her she thought. She was still looking for answers. She had no idea who had sent her this armlet. She didn't even know how to remove it. Frankly, she didn't want to. Whatever it was, and whomever it was from, it gave her the much-needed control, and that, she thought, can not be a bad thing.
There was one big question that loomed heavy on her mind. "Who am I?" She asked herself all the time, was not any closer to finding the truth. She wished she knew someone who could tell her. But she feared that this would be one answer she would need to work out for herself.
There was a knock at the door. It was Quistis.
"Yannie, it's time to go now." She opened the door. Quistis, a good judge of character, could immediately tell that she was nervous. "Are you ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be." She brushed herself down.
"That uniform really suits you."
"Thanks, but I'm not so sure." She tugged at her skirt.
"Don't be stupid." She gave her one of her warm smiles. "But I'll tell you what I think would look even better."
"What?" she asked.
"A proper SeeD uniform." Yannie looked up and smiled.
"Yeah, I think so too." They both chortled.
"Lets go." Said Quistis. "Those monsters don't wait forever." They made their way to the main gate.
**************************
The fire cavern was not at all like Yannie had imagined it. She had thought it to have a grand entrance, engraved into the rock, in the style of a gothic archway. Not a small cave opening in a cliff side. There were no longer any Garden Faculty guarding the entrance, as Cid had dismissed them all after the infamous NORG incident.
"Is this it?" Yannie asked puzzled.
"Not quite what you were expecting was it?" Yannie shook her head. "Are you sure your ready for this?" She nodded. "How is your status?"
"One hundred per-cent."
"Perfect. Let's begin." Quistis unravelled her whip and Yannie unhooked the clasps on her belt and removed the double maces. With one in each hand, she followed Quistis through the entrance.
The first thing to hit Yannie was the heat. It was like opening the door to an oven. She could hear the bubbling of the lava pools and a terrible sulphur smell like rotten eggs. It was dark inside, and it took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the light. She then saw her target destination. It seemed so far away, and she had only ten minuets to reach it. Her first instinct was to run away, but then she thought about all the training she had received. She had junctioned Blizzard to her elemental attack and Fire to her elemental defence. She could cope. If Quistis believed in her, she could believe in herself.
The first monster they came up against was a Bomb. It floated in the air, prepared to strike.
"Remember what I told you about elements?" asked Quistis.
"Fire and Ice are opposites." She replied.
"So...?"
"Attack Fire based monsters with Ice."
"Go on then." Yannie was extremely apprehensive. This was the first real monster she had faced. There was a real chance she could get hurt if she failed. She summoned up her strength and let loose with a triple Blizzaga, all at the same time. The monster didn't stand a chance. It fell to the floor
"Um, Yann..." Quistis bit her lip. "Ever heard of overkill?"
"Sorry." She smiled. She was so relived. She had won her first battle. She felt as if she could take on the world.
They continued through the cavern. Quistis needed to do anything. Yannie obliterated every opponent they came up against. They had reached the target with six minuets to spare. Plenty of time Quistis thought, to beat this boss.
Yannie knew what she had to do. She walked up to the lava pit and shouted
"I wish to challenge you!" Out from the pit came a huge demon like creature. He had scaly skin and horns. His big red menacing eyes glared at Yannie. Floating in the air he shouted
"Who dares disturb Ephret?" Ephret was actually a distant relative of Ifrit, whom Squall had already defeated and had as an ally. He looked at Yannie. "You!" he fell to the floor. Yannie and Quistis both looked shocked.
"Wha...?" She looked at Quistis. "I thought I had to fight him." But Quistis had passed out on the floor. Yannie tried to move towards her, but she was rooted to the spot. Ephret was on his knees in front of Yannie.
"Allow me explain." Came the booming reply from this disgraced demon. "You do not need to fight me."
"Why not?" he lifted up his mighty head.
"Because I feel the power you conceal."
"How can you tell?" asked Yannie, shocked.
"Us GFs are mostly pure energy, manifested into a sentient being. Being made of power, we can sense power."
"So why won't you fight me?" Yannie tried to step forward but was still immobilised.
"You don't need me. Your future will take a different path than you intend."
"How?"
"One should not know ones own future. We all have a purpose to find. Each man must find their own in time." There it was again, her Purpose. "I have been sentient for many thousands of years, and countless generations. I always believed that you would come. You will serve a great purpose. Everyone has a purpose, some greater than others, but none the less important. If I tell you yours, your life will not take the path intended for you, and thus, your life will be a waste."
"How do you know all this?"
"We live on a separate plane from mortals. There is no time, nor space. Yet time and space is everywhere, and nowhere. We see the past, the present and future. Mortals can not comprehend the dimension we live in."
"What is my purpose?" she shouted out.
"I must go now. Take the path destined for you. You have no understanding of your importance."
"Wait! Come back!" But the great beast had gone, disappeared into the pit from whence he came.
"What just happened?" asked Quistis, rubbing her had, sat on the floor.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." They both walked out of the fire cavern, Quistis assured that Ephret was not going to battle them.
When outside, Yannie asked "Did I pass?" Quistis did not answer. She looked puzzled.
"I don't know." She rubbed her head. "I think so."
Finally, for the first time in her life, Yannie felt as if she had some direction. She knew what she was going to do. She talked it over with Cid, and since she now controlled her power, they had decided to let her stay at Garden, and train to become a SeeD. Cid wouldn't admit that it was for selfish reasons. He saw her potential, and wanted her on his team.
She studied hard. She spent much of her free time hunched over a book in the library in or in the training center. However, she easily defeated every opponent she faced. One strike of her magic and they were out for the count. She has also chosen a weapon, even though she didn't need one. She had opted for a traditional double mace. They had leather handles about a foot long and a chain the same length. The mace itself was the size of tennis ball, and had numerous spikes on its surface, about an inch long. Garden rules were that a student could not rely on magic alone, or for that fact weapons alone. A student has to have skills in both areas. Yannie had chosen the double mace for the reasons that it was easy to use, and could cause a lost of damage in close combat where it would be hard to use magic.
It was one week before she was due to take her SeeD exam. She had already passed the written exam with flying colours. She seemed to learn very quickly, and whatever she tried her hand at she was good at. She had made a few friends at Garden, and hoped that these friendships would not end like her last one. She often thought about Kira, the friend she had killed all those years ago. She prayed it would never happen again. One of the friends she felt a distinct affinity with was Gered. She no longer needed looking after, but he still hung around her.
Today was the day Quistis took Yannie to the fire cavern. It would be a simple procedure, especially for Yannie. Go in, cast some ice spells and beat a GF. She was still nervous. Battling monsters in the training center was one thing, but this was for real. She had prepared well though, and everyone had confidence in her. Her preparation differed somewhat from the other students. She needed to draw no magic, as if she had an unlimited stock of every spell, including high level spells such as aura and meltdown. Selphie, a strong magic user herself had been helping her develop her limit breaks. She also was amazed at how fast she learned. Yannie's life was better than it had ever been.
Squall's on the other hand was terrible. He had never felt so down in his life. He missed Rinoa terribly. He had tried contacting her, but every time he picked up the phone, he lost his nerve. What would he say to her? The one time he had let the phone ring, General Caraway picked up. He sounded strange, as if he was trying to hide something. He said Rinoa wasn't in. Squall could see right through it. If she didn't want to talk to him, why didn't she just say so? He spent much of his free time in his room, and rarely left. What was the point without Rinoa? She was the only one who understood him. She brought him out of his shell. Without her there, he regressed back to his old moody self. Irvine had tried to get him to come into Balamb one night. He snapped an angry "No!" and slammed the door in his face. They were all worried about him, but decided it would be best if he was just left alone.
Yannie stood and looked in the mirror of her dorm. She was wearing her new blue SeeD cadet uniform. It felt a but uncomfortable, but she would get used to it. She examined the detailed silver stitching on the cuffs and about the hem on the skirt. She saw her name in silver stitching on the shoulder- "Yannie Ocaspe". After what she had been used to wearing, she felt a bit conspicuous in something so elegant and well made. Her weight was now that of what should be expected of a seventeen-year-old. She had more colour in her cheeks, and her face was less pale and gaunt. She had had a hair cut, and her straight hair was now cut into a chin length choppy bob that flicked out a bit at the sides and back. She had now been at Garden for about six moths, and it had been five months since the Rinoa incident. Even she had noticed how odd Squall had been acting since she left. She often thought about Rinoa. Why did she hate her so much? Enough to try to kill her she thought. She was still looking for answers. She had no idea who had sent her this armlet. She didn't even know how to remove it. Frankly, she didn't want to. Whatever it was, and whomever it was from, it gave her the much-needed control, and that, she thought, can not be a bad thing.
There was one big question that loomed heavy on her mind. "Who am I?" She asked herself all the time, was not any closer to finding the truth. She wished she knew someone who could tell her. But she feared that this would be one answer she would need to work out for herself.
There was a knock at the door. It was Quistis.
"Yannie, it's time to go now." She opened the door. Quistis, a good judge of character, could immediately tell that she was nervous. "Are you ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be." She brushed herself down.
"That uniform really suits you."
"Thanks, but I'm not so sure." She tugged at her skirt.
"Don't be stupid." She gave her one of her warm smiles. "But I'll tell you what I think would look even better."
"What?" she asked.
"A proper SeeD uniform." Yannie looked up and smiled.
"Yeah, I think so too." They both chortled.
"Lets go." Said Quistis. "Those monsters don't wait forever." They made their way to the main gate.
**************************
The fire cavern was not at all like Yannie had imagined it. She had thought it to have a grand entrance, engraved into the rock, in the style of a gothic archway. Not a small cave opening in a cliff side. There were no longer any Garden Faculty guarding the entrance, as Cid had dismissed them all after the infamous NORG incident.
"Is this it?" Yannie asked puzzled.
"Not quite what you were expecting was it?" Yannie shook her head. "Are you sure your ready for this?" She nodded. "How is your status?"
"One hundred per-cent."
"Perfect. Let's begin." Quistis unravelled her whip and Yannie unhooked the clasps on her belt and removed the double maces. With one in each hand, she followed Quistis through the entrance.
The first thing to hit Yannie was the heat. It was like opening the door to an oven. She could hear the bubbling of the lava pools and a terrible sulphur smell like rotten eggs. It was dark inside, and it took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the light. She then saw her target destination. It seemed so far away, and she had only ten minuets to reach it. Her first instinct was to run away, but then she thought about all the training she had received. She had junctioned Blizzard to her elemental attack and Fire to her elemental defence. She could cope. If Quistis believed in her, she could believe in herself.
The first monster they came up against was a Bomb. It floated in the air, prepared to strike.
"Remember what I told you about elements?" asked Quistis.
"Fire and Ice are opposites." She replied.
"So...?"
"Attack Fire based monsters with Ice."
"Go on then." Yannie was extremely apprehensive. This was the first real monster she had faced. There was a real chance she could get hurt if she failed. She summoned up her strength and let loose with a triple Blizzaga, all at the same time. The monster didn't stand a chance. It fell to the floor
"Um, Yann..." Quistis bit her lip. "Ever heard of overkill?"
"Sorry." She smiled. She was so relived. She had won her first battle. She felt as if she could take on the world.
They continued through the cavern. Quistis needed to do anything. Yannie obliterated every opponent they came up against. They had reached the target with six minuets to spare. Plenty of time Quistis thought, to beat this boss.
Yannie knew what she had to do. She walked up to the lava pit and shouted
"I wish to challenge you!" Out from the pit came a huge demon like creature. He had scaly skin and horns. His big red menacing eyes glared at Yannie. Floating in the air he shouted
"Who dares disturb Ephret?" Ephret was actually a distant relative of Ifrit, whom Squall had already defeated and had as an ally. He looked at Yannie. "You!" he fell to the floor. Yannie and Quistis both looked shocked.
"Wha...?" She looked at Quistis. "I thought I had to fight him." But Quistis had passed out on the floor. Yannie tried to move towards her, but she was rooted to the spot. Ephret was on his knees in front of Yannie.
"Allow me explain." Came the booming reply from this disgraced demon. "You do not need to fight me."
"Why not?" he lifted up his mighty head.
"Because I feel the power you conceal."
"How can you tell?" asked Yannie, shocked.
"Us GFs are mostly pure energy, manifested into a sentient being. Being made of power, we can sense power."
"So why won't you fight me?" Yannie tried to step forward but was still immobilised.
"You don't need me. Your future will take a different path than you intend."
"How?"
"One should not know ones own future. We all have a purpose to find. Each man must find their own in time." There it was again, her Purpose. "I have been sentient for many thousands of years, and countless generations. I always believed that you would come. You will serve a great purpose. Everyone has a purpose, some greater than others, but none the less important. If I tell you yours, your life will not take the path intended for you, and thus, your life will be a waste."
"How do you know all this?"
"We live on a separate plane from mortals. There is no time, nor space. Yet time and space is everywhere, and nowhere. We see the past, the present and future. Mortals can not comprehend the dimension we live in."
"What is my purpose?" she shouted out.
"I must go now. Take the path destined for you. You have no understanding of your importance."
"Wait! Come back!" But the great beast had gone, disappeared into the pit from whence he came.
"What just happened?" asked Quistis, rubbing her had, sat on the floor.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." They both walked out of the fire cavern, Quistis assured that Ephret was not going to battle them.
When outside, Yannie asked "Did I pass?" Quistis did not answer. She looked puzzled.
"I don't know." She rubbed her head. "I think so."