Chapter 12 – Old tricks, same success
Author's notes: Weird title, I know. The brain isn't functioning too well… can you guys let me off one more time? Pretty please? I'm depending on you!
@FinalFantasyXIII@FinalFantasyXIII@
"Hello? This is Quistis Trepe, on mission code oh-two-eleven-fifteen-Esthar reporting back to base. I am requesting for backup, as the enemy has captured my squad and I presently. May I confirm who it is I'm speaking to please?"
She listened for a brief moment.
"Xu? Can you get Squall please? This is an emergency. What? He's on a mission to Galbadia? All of the SeeDs were dispatched somewhere else? When is the soonest we can expect backup? Three days? Alright… mmm hmmm… okay. I understand. I'll think of something myself. Thanks a lot. Bye."
She switched it off with a sigh, looking down at the floor for a moment.
"Well, I guessed you've heard it. Three days. It might be too late. I think the G.M is planning to do something with us, or to us." Frustration crept up in her voice as she looked up and informed us of the bad news.
"Yeah… why else didn't she release us, or kill us straight away then?" I nodded in agreement.
"Squall and all the other SeeDs were dispatched? That's strange." Seifer said.
"Yes. Xu was the only one there to secure the Garden. It appears that this mass-hypnotising affair isn't only happening here in Esthar. It affects Deling, Timber, Dollet… everywhere except Balamb Town and Shumi Village! The SeeDs have been dispatched to help the respective Gardens deal with it."
I could feel relief coursing through me, as I heard her say that Balamb Town had been spared. I have no idea how I would have reacted if my Ma were to be involved in this mess!
"That's strange. Could it be that the G.M is behind all these?" I rubbed my head, trying to get a clear picture out of the sudden surge in information.
"She may be trying to take over the world, if she has the power to do that. This I do not doubt, seeing that she is able to command and influence such a large group of people." Seifer said.
"Hyne forbid! It would be too traumatic for words! The whole world worshipping her? All of them drinking wheat grass juice and overdosing on jasmine incense? I do not allow it!" I couldn't stand the thought of that being a possibility!
"You've missed the whole point, Zell, but neither do I wish for that to happen. We have to find a way to escape by ourselves, then go back to the Garden and come up with some solutions." Quisty advised.
"Yes, that is probably the most effective way!" A unanimous agreement came from Seifer.
"How do you propose we escape then?" I asked.
"Hmm…"
The three of us "hmm-ed" for a while, trying to come up with something.
"I know! We'll do it the old way… the method we used when you, Sefie and I were locked up in the Desert Prison!" I said, jumping up to enforce my plan.
"Which is…?" Seifer asked with a funny expression.
"Well, Quisty and Sefie acted sick so that the guard would come in. Then I beat him up, took back their weapons, and the rest is history!" I explained.
Seifer and I stared at Quisty.
"What? You want me to act injured? You think that this will work twice? The guards here might not be as stupid as the one at the Desert Prison!"
"You never know without trying!" Seifer tried to persuade her.
"I happen to have some ketchup with me. It might look more convincing." I handed out a packet of ketchup, which had probably been lying limply in my pants pocket since our last lunch at Balamb Garden.
"You expect me to smear THAT on my face? Why do you keep such things anyway? This must have been what, at least two weeks old?" Quisty snorted in disgust at my offering.
"But it's the only chance we have, and we gotta make it look real!" I urged her.
"If this doesn't work, I'm going to kill you! No need for D to do that!" She grabbed the packet, tore it open, and smeared it all over her forehead, being extra careful not to get any of it in her hair.
"There, happy?" She glared at us.
"Thanks, Quisty. Your great sacrifice will go down in SeeD history… no, the history of mankind!" I gushed gratefully.
"I'd rather it remain unknown." She muttered, lying on the ground in position.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Seifer, who must have been keeping this in for a long time, burst out uncontrollably.
"SHUT UP!" We both shouted.
Seifer stopped immediately… he wouldn't want to get killed by Quisty, I was sure.
"Ready?" I asked, and she nodded.
"Guard! Guard!!" I pounded on the door heavily, shouting at the top of my lungs. "My cellmate's injured! Help!"
I was on the assumption that there must be someone outside guarding us.
Sure enough, the door opened a moment later, and one of those burly men who captured us appeared.
"What is the problem here? Quit yelling and pounding at the door like some mad dog!"
I'll deal with you later! I thought to myself as I gritted my teeth.
"Please, sir. Our friend is injured. She fell and bumped her head against the floor, and now she's unconscious!" Seifer quickly said. Maybe he was afraid that I might blow up? He has such little confidence in my self-control. But then again, given my colourful history of rash behaviour, I had probably brought this upon myself.
And don't forget that he was a victim of you lack of self-control before. A voice reminded me. How annoying. It sounded like my own… hah.
"Yeah, please take a look at her!" I added.
The guard eyed us suspiciously, and crouched down to check on Quisty.
Seifer and I advanced slowly towards him.
"After you!" He backed away, letting me do the honours.
"With pleasure!" I said, and dealt a heavy blow to knock the man out cold before he could even say "Huh?".
"There, didn't I tell you it would work?" I smiled in complacence.
"Yeah, yeah. It's all due to your oh-so-smart ideas. Now let's get out of here, before a certain D catches us and locks us up again!" A none-too-pleased Quistis ushered us urgently towards the door.
"Here, use this to wipe the sauce off." I offered her the napkin that was in my pocket as well.
"What are you, Doraemon? Why do you keep everything in that pocket of yours?"
"HAHAHAHAHAHA! DORAEMON? That's a good one, Quisty baby!" Seifer let out a great laugh.
"Let's just go." I muttered.
We crept like cat burglars along the dark corridor of what must have been the underground level of the building. But there was no one else out there. They could either be praying or protesting outside the President's Residence. Usually, this place was like a ghost town when the herd was out there.
"A little too easy, don't you think?" Quisty whispered.
"Just watch our steps, and we'll be fine!" I whispered back.
"Move faster! We don't want to get caught!" Seifer, who was walking between us, hissed loudly.
We finally reached the stairs, and climbed up to the ground level.
I looked around. The coast was clear.
I made a dash for the entrance, the other two following suit as well.
Quisty was right… it was too easy for us.
*
WL: To be continued…
C: Again? You seem to be very fond of leaving the ends untied!
WL: What do you want me to do? That's the way my brain functions!
C: You better watch yourself.
WL: Why? Cos "Santa Clause is coming to town"? *snigger*
C: THAT is such a lame joke! Don't say I never warned you!
WL: You never warned me!
C: I can't be bothered with you!
Leaves in a huff.
Author's notes: Doraemon is the main character of a popular anime series by the same name. It's about this blue robotic cat (named Doraemon, what else?), which seemed to be able to take anything out of his pocket to solve the problems of his owner. I also don't own it, the idea, the anime, etc etc… like so many others before.
I know… I've said in the third chapter that the disclaimer would be the last one I'm stating. But since I keep borrowing other people's stuff to use, I jolly well can't waltz around without saying it, can I? So there you have it.
Tata… come back tomorrow for next chapter, cos my brain is officially dead for the day.