Amaye slowly followed Terasu and Zann. She was a bit nervous. If she passed, she would become a SeeD. Not only her dream, but also her father's as well.
Zann looked at Amaye. "You okay, man?" Amaye shrugged. "I'm not sure."
Terasu chuckled. "Butterflies in your stomach?"
"More like a few Elnoyles..."
Zann and Terasu chuckled as a tall, brunette girl approached them. "Hey, Kefira!" Terasu called to her. Kefira smiled and joined them as they walked toward the Directory.
"Hi, Kefira..." Amaye said, somewhat monotonely. Kefira looked at Amaye. "What's wrong? You sad or something?"
Amaye shook her head. "A little nervous, maybe..." she truly inherited her father's personality; she was only occasionally "happy".
Kefira nodded. "It's perfectly fine to be nervous just before a big exam like this... Anyone know where we're going, anyway?"
Terasu shrugged. "We're supposed to be told as soon as we all assemble in front of the Directory. The Headmistress is supposed to brief us or something... that's what I heard, anyway..."
Amaye had always wondered where she would be taken for her Field Exam. She remembered her father occasionally telling her stories of his; telling her that he was almost killed by a giant spider-like robot; this she hardly believed.
They walked on for a few minutes and reached the Directory where everyone was. Instructor Almasy was surprisingly there, holding his long, black Gunblade. He was dressed differently, also, wearing a gray trench coat and a blue cross t-shirt.
Amaye looked him over a little, noticing his new outfit. He looked over at her, giving her a dirty look. She diverted her eyes and looked at the wall instead.
The bell of the elevator could be heard as a woman stepped out. She walked down toward the Directory; she was very beautiful for being "old". She had long blonde held back into a clip, all except for her long bangs, which stayed down. She had a few gray streaks here and there, but this just added to her beauty. She wore silver framed glasses that matched with her silver and blue Garden uniform.
She cleared her throat. "Good morning, SeeD candidates! As you may already know, today is Balamb Garden's Field Exam!" a couple of claps were spread across the small crowd of people. "Everyone, please assemble at the docks in Balamb, and await vessle assignings. Remember, SeeD is a valuable asset to Garden!" She gave everyone a sweet smile. Instructor Almasy looked like he was going to be sick.
The Headmistress gave one goodbye smile and turned, walking back toward the elevator. She got in and took it up. Seifer looked at the group of people. "Listen up! Everyone is responsible for their own stupid actions out on the field. If any of you get hurt, make sure you report to the infirmary and all that stuff when you get back." He looked the crowd over once more. "Get lost, already!"
Some people scattered away; Amaye stood in one spot waiting for them to get out of her way. Instructor Almasy noticed her and walked over to her.
"So, Miss Leonhart.... feeling confident?" he said coldly. Amaye turned to look at him. "Confident enough to pass." she muttered. He glared at her. "...When the time comes, your little friends won't be able to protect you. I know you're weak... I have seen you in training. You won't last one minute out there."
She shrugged. "Say what you want, Instructor... I don't get discouraged so easily." His upper lip curled as he turned around. "How about.... if you somehow make it out alive, we have a little fight... A *friendly* fight, of course," he said sarcastically, "that'll prove your strength to me... I won't bother you anymore about being weak... that is, of course, if you win."
She thought about it for a moment. "Fine..."
==============================================================
Rinoa walked back out into the living room, suitcase in hand. She noticed Squall had dozed off in his chair. She shook her head while walking over to him.
"His highness sure is sleepy," she said rather loudly, waking him up. He opened his eyes. "...Sorry... I couldn't help it." She smiled. "It's okay. Come on, I already got your stuff packed."
He nodded. "Think Amaye's taking her Field Exam yet?"
She shrugged. "I hope so... It'd seem kind of awkward if we were to show up with her still there."
He nodded once again. He couldn't stop reminiscing through his memories. He couldn't stop thinking about Amaye and how much she must have grown. He or Rinoa haven't seen her in over five years.
She sighed. "I wonder how she looks now.... In every letter I send to her, I ask for a picture...She's never sent one..." it was as if she were reading his mind. Squall stared at Rinoa for a moment, trying to picture Amaye looking like her.
She laughed at Squall. "What's wrong...? Do I have something on me or something?" He shook his head. "No...." his voice trailed off.
She shrugged. "Typical." She picked up her suitcase, along with Squall's and carried them to the door. "...Let's just view this little family get-together as a vacation, okay?"
Squall nodded. "I'll try to..."
==============================================================
Laguna sat in a seat at the front of the ship. He watched as the sky whipped around them, ripping the clouds up. He had always been amazed by it, for some odd reason.
Ellone sat next to Laguna, naturally. She, too, watched the sky whip around the front of the ship.
Laguna coughed a couple times. "...Elle?" He instantly grabbed Ellone's attention. "Yes, Uncle Laguna?" He sighed. "When I.... you know...." he didn't want to see the look on her face whenever he mentioned himself and death in the same sentence, "...Well, I just want you to know that I'd like to be with Raine... Right next to her..."
Ellone nodded, trying not to cry. "I'll make sure that you're put there... don't worry about it." she smiled flakily. Laguna felt assured and leaned back in his seat.
A few moments later, a cheerful, squeaky, female voice got on the PA. "We'll be arriving in Winhill in just a few moments. Please remain seated until we have come to a complete landing!"
After a few seconds, the engines shut off as the Ragnarok landed. Ellone unbuckled her seat belt and got up. She put her hand on Laguna's shoulder and smiled just before leaving the room.
She walked to the exit and got off the ship, making her way into Winhill. She smiled softly at Raine's pub, remembering all her memories as a child. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind as she continued down the street toward Squall and Rinoa's house.
After a while of walking, she stood in front of the white faded picket fence sealing off the path toward their house. She slowly pushed the gate open, starting up the small hill. She took a deep breath, walking up the porch steps of their house. She straightened her dress and knocked softly on the door.
The door opened. Rinoa stood, smiling at Ellone. "Hey, Elle... how's everything been going for you?" Ellone shrugged. "Same as always... you guys ready?"
Squall appeared behind Rinoa. "...Yeah, we've got everything packed... Is Laguna going to walk all the way up the hill?"
Ellone put her hands on her hips. "He may be old, but he's not crippled." Rinoa giggled.
((Muwahhahah... CLIFF HANGER!! Until next time!!))
Zann looked at Amaye. "You okay, man?" Amaye shrugged. "I'm not sure."
Terasu chuckled. "Butterflies in your stomach?"
"More like a few Elnoyles..."
Zann and Terasu chuckled as a tall, brunette girl approached them. "Hey, Kefira!" Terasu called to her. Kefira smiled and joined them as they walked toward the Directory.
"Hi, Kefira..." Amaye said, somewhat monotonely. Kefira looked at Amaye. "What's wrong? You sad or something?"
Amaye shook her head. "A little nervous, maybe..." she truly inherited her father's personality; she was only occasionally "happy".
Kefira nodded. "It's perfectly fine to be nervous just before a big exam like this... Anyone know where we're going, anyway?"
Terasu shrugged. "We're supposed to be told as soon as we all assemble in front of the Directory. The Headmistress is supposed to brief us or something... that's what I heard, anyway..."
Amaye had always wondered where she would be taken for her Field Exam. She remembered her father occasionally telling her stories of his; telling her that he was almost killed by a giant spider-like robot; this she hardly believed.
They walked on for a few minutes and reached the Directory where everyone was. Instructor Almasy was surprisingly there, holding his long, black Gunblade. He was dressed differently, also, wearing a gray trench coat and a blue cross t-shirt.
Amaye looked him over a little, noticing his new outfit. He looked over at her, giving her a dirty look. She diverted her eyes and looked at the wall instead.
The bell of the elevator could be heard as a woman stepped out. She walked down toward the Directory; she was very beautiful for being "old". She had long blonde held back into a clip, all except for her long bangs, which stayed down. She had a few gray streaks here and there, but this just added to her beauty. She wore silver framed glasses that matched with her silver and blue Garden uniform.
She cleared her throat. "Good morning, SeeD candidates! As you may already know, today is Balamb Garden's Field Exam!" a couple of claps were spread across the small crowd of people. "Everyone, please assemble at the docks in Balamb, and await vessle assignings. Remember, SeeD is a valuable asset to Garden!" She gave everyone a sweet smile. Instructor Almasy looked like he was going to be sick.
The Headmistress gave one goodbye smile and turned, walking back toward the elevator. She got in and took it up. Seifer looked at the group of people. "Listen up! Everyone is responsible for their own stupid actions out on the field. If any of you get hurt, make sure you report to the infirmary and all that stuff when you get back." He looked the crowd over once more. "Get lost, already!"
Some people scattered away; Amaye stood in one spot waiting for them to get out of her way. Instructor Almasy noticed her and walked over to her.
"So, Miss Leonhart.... feeling confident?" he said coldly. Amaye turned to look at him. "Confident enough to pass." she muttered. He glared at her. "...When the time comes, your little friends won't be able to protect you. I know you're weak... I have seen you in training. You won't last one minute out there."
She shrugged. "Say what you want, Instructor... I don't get discouraged so easily." His upper lip curled as he turned around. "How about.... if you somehow make it out alive, we have a little fight... A *friendly* fight, of course," he said sarcastically, "that'll prove your strength to me... I won't bother you anymore about being weak... that is, of course, if you win."
She thought about it for a moment. "Fine..."
==============================================================
Rinoa walked back out into the living room, suitcase in hand. She noticed Squall had dozed off in his chair. She shook her head while walking over to him.
"His highness sure is sleepy," she said rather loudly, waking him up. He opened his eyes. "...Sorry... I couldn't help it." She smiled. "It's okay. Come on, I already got your stuff packed."
He nodded. "Think Amaye's taking her Field Exam yet?"
She shrugged. "I hope so... It'd seem kind of awkward if we were to show up with her still there."
He nodded once again. He couldn't stop reminiscing through his memories. He couldn't stop thinking about Amaye and how much she must have grown. He or Rinoa haven't seen her in over five years.
She sighed. "I wonder how she looks now.... In every letter I send to her, I ask for a picture...She's never sent one..." it was as if she were reading his mind. Squall stared at Rinoa for a moment, trying to picture Amaye looking like her.
She laughed at Squall. "What's wrong...? Do I have something on me or something?" He shook his head. "No...." his voice trailed off.
She shrugged. "Typical." She picked up her suitcase, along with Squall's and carried them to the door. "...Let's just view this little family get-together as a vacation, okay?"
Squall nodded. "I'll try to..."
==============================================================
Laguna sat in a seat at the front of the ship. He watched as the sky whipped around them, ripping the clouds up. He had always been amazed by it, for some odd reason.
Ellone sat next to Laguna, naturally. She, too, watched the sky whip around the front of the ship.
Laguna coughed a couple times. "...Elle?" He instantly grabbed Ellone's attention. "Yes, Uncle Laguna?" He sighed. "When I.... you know...." he didn't want to see the look on her face whenever he mentioned himself and death in the same sentence, "...Well, I just want you to know that I'd like to be with Raine... Right next to her..."
Ellone nodded, trying not to cry. "I'll make sure that you're put there... don't worry about it." she smiled flakily. Laguna felt assured and leaned back in his seat.
A few moments later, a cheerful, squeaky, female voice got on the PA. "We'll be arriving in Winhill in just a few moments. Please remain seated until we have come to a complete landing!"
After a few seconds, the engines shut off as the Ragnarok landed. Ellone unbuckled her seat belt and got up. She put her hand on Laguna's shoulder and smiled just before leaving the room.
She walked to the exit and got off the ship, making her way into Winhill. She smiled softly at Raine's pub, remembering all her memories as a child. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind as she continued down the street toward Squall and Rinoa's house.
After a while of walking, she stood in front of the white faded picket fence sealing off the path toward their house. She slowly pushed the gate open, starting up the small hill. She took a deep breath, walking up the porch steps of their house. She straightened her dress and knocked softly on the door.
The door opened. Rinoa stood, smiling at Ellone. "Hey, Elle... how's everything been going for you?" Ellone shrugged. "Same as always... you guys ready?"
Squall appeared behind Rinoa. "...Yeah, we've got everything packed... Is Laguna going to walk all the way up the hill?"
Ellone put her hands on her hips. "He may be old, but he's not crippled." Rinoa giggled.
((Muwahhahah... CLIFF HANGER!! Until next time!!))