Chapter 9 – SeeD Exam
Water Lily (on her knees): Please~~~ have mercy on me! Please give me more reviews! You have me down on my knees… isn't that enough? (Kowtows repeatedly)
Celestine: Woman! Have you no shame in yourself?
Water Lily: As long as I get my reviews… this little sacrifice mean nothing at all!
Celestine: Touché!
*Q*
The day of reckoning has finally arrived, and not a moment too soon.
This would be the second last chance Seifer would have to qualify as a SeeD. If he doesn't pass within these two tries, he can say his goodbyes to the Garden forever, unless the Headmaster changes his mind. This wasn't an optimistic possibility at all, given the inflexibility that the Garden practices when it comes to the rules. Come to think of it… the Headmaster had already bent the rules a little when he allowed Seifer to be readmitted, albeit under certain conditions.
However, I am sure that Seifer would do his best to pass on his very first attempt since his readmission, and not leave it to chance.
He must pass in order to prove his critics wrong. Those sniggering busybodies who call themselves SeeDs or cadets of the Garden… they do not put in even half of the effort he has in his determination to do well. What right do they have to judge him?
I would be surprised if he didn't get through. In terms of experience… that he has in abundance, more than any other candidate, and perhaps, even some of the SeeDs. As for the fundamental principles, his knowledge and expertise was built up gradually over the years due to repeated attempts at the exams, and having spent quite a lot of time in the library for the past month or so. The latter being a direct consequence of my irresponsibility… Hyne I'm ashamed of myself.
I think I'm even more nervous than he is.
Please, Hyne, on the account of his changed ways and my fervent wishes…let him pass. I swear to abandon my feelings towards Squall if you were to heed this prayer of mine. The same prayer which reflects in the heart of every one of his friends as well.
*S*
The SeeD exam… I dreamt of failing it every night since the beginning of
the week. I hate this feeling that I'm not fully prepared for it. Could it be
due to my glorious history of failed attempts?
Quistis gives me a look, and nods
firmly with a wide smile. Just the right dose for calming my jumping nerves…
I think she has a soothing, calming effect on me. I might even call her my lucky charm if I want to… hehehe that's a thought.
It's as if she's holding my hand, and telling me that I can do it.
Well, I sure as hell was not going to disregard my orders this time… there is no longer a need to prove myself to others… a need that had been such a strong influence in my actions before. Only because I know, and Quistis knows of what I am capable of.
And that, is all that matters.
However, it isn't to say that I wouldn't do my best. Of course I would. It takes an idiot to jeopardise what little chance that's handed out to him.
*S*
The field exam was to be held at Deling City, where the newly voted President Caraway, Rinny's estranged father holds position. He had enlisted the services of SeeD to curb the activities of a group of terrorists who had sprouted overnight, bombing a few shops here and there… and generally creating unrest among the citizens.
"Make sure that every single one of them is captured." He had specifically instructed.
He hadn't looked particularly pleased about it… from what was heard from Squall. Of course… these people HAD to create disturbances when he had barely settled into the all important seat… they were probably trying to upstage his rule.
There were three more candidates in my Squad taking the field exam… all rather young, around seventeen. And there I was at the ripe old age of twenty. So naturally I was made the Squad leader (besides some other reason we are well aware of.).
We had been standing at the ground-floor lobby waiting for instructions when one of them came up to me and decided to introduce herself.
"Hi. I'm Water Lily. Pleased to meet you. My specialty is the bow and arrow.) A fair girl with shoulder-length hair and weird coloured contacts came up to me and held out her hand. I took it a little warily.
"Seifer Almasy." I offered.
Strange… why do I get the feeling that I've seen her before? Oh… you idiot! She's from the Garden… of course I'm bound to spot her somewhere, only I just can't remember it!
"Psst Psst… Don't worry. You're going to pass." She whispered into my ear.
What the hey…? She's a candidate herself and she tells me not to worry?
"I'm Doug MacKenzie. How do you do?" A pair of steely greyish eyes stared into my own as if looking for a challenge… but having recently acquired a new sense of calmness, I failed to take the dangling bait.
"Pleased to meet you too. Seifer Almasy." I actually smiled at him. No point getting all worked up over a little staring incident.
"I know. My weapon is the revolver." He said, and suddenly broke into a warm smile that caused his steely eyes to turn into liquid mercury. "I'm sorry about that. Just wanted to prove some people wrong… the rumour that you'll blow your top over the slightest thing."
"No offense taken, although you really shouldn't have bothered. What people say is their business. I'm not going to work myself up into a stew just because of that."
"That is an admirable trait!" He nodded with approval, and gave a hearty laugh.
It's funny how people can offer you support and encouragement at the most unexpected times and places.
"My name is Nobunaga Saitou. My skill is the Saitou-Hajime Ryu technique, my weapon the Japanese sword." A dark-haired, slitty-eyed dude with a sword half his height attached to his belt, he bowed at ninety degrees at the waist as if towards an opponent at a Kendo (Japanese Fencing) competition.
I glanced at the sword, and actually felt kinda glad that I wasn't at the receiving end of it… even though he hadn't taken it out of the sheath yet.
"Interesting weapon you have there. The name's Seifer Almasy." I offered my hand.
He took it immediately and performed the obligatory shake.
"Don't be deceived by my appearance. I always feel like intimidating a person I first met by performing some kind of formality, just to see his reaction. So far… you're the only one who passed the test with flying colours. Call me Nobu… it's easier to pronounce that way."
I hardly thought so… but I guess I'll go along with him.
As I speak, an announcement reports that the train would soon arrive at Deling City. We started to get ready for our departure from the train carriage.
"All the best to you guys. I hope we all pass." I turned around and said my piece before stepping out of the carriage.
They looked at each other with pleasantly surprised expressions.
"But of course, you wouldn't want to outshine me, would ya?" I said with a smirk, and they all burst out in lusty bouts of laughter.
It was strange how they had all known that I had meant it as a joke, but I suppose that I'm glad they did.
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The actual mission in itself went in an uneventful manner. So uneventful it was… that I really didn't know the purpose for the despatch of SeeD personnel. The local citizens could have done the job themselves. It turns out that these "terrorists" were actually a bunch of youngsters trying to protest the new government's many newly imposed rules.
According to the intelligence gathered from Squad B, there were no actual casualties, human or otherwise that resulted from the bomb scares. The only damage that was done were a few shops here and there, and these had been vacant at the time of the bombings.
But instructions were instructions. Reluctant as we were, we still had to capture the culprits and hand them over to the Galbadian government.
As I prodded one of those along to the "Prisoner" truck, his eyes suddenly went wide with anxiety as he stared towards one of the shops.
It had been put up for sale and so no one was inside. But a bunch of kids were playing noisily in front of it.
The townspeople had thought it safe to let them out, since the bombers had already been captured.
"There's still a bomb left in the garbage can beside the shop! Lemme go!" He struggled to wriggle out of my grasp, with little success of course.
"WHAT?!! How long until it blows?" My grip on him tightened considerably as I mentally realised the implications and consequences of what he had just said.
"Between two to three minutes! We didn't realise that kids would be playing near the shop! We only thought of leaving one last mess for the government to clear!"
"Save your stupid explanations for later!" I growled.
Turning to look around for another SeeD or cadet, I found that I was the only one who had a remote chance of preventing a tragedy from happening… for all others had gone off to the truck to guard over the "prisoners" and prevent them from escaping.
I suppose we were all too careless and hadn't thought about the possibility of such a thing happening.
No time to waste… I muttered to myself.
Running towards the children, I shouted at them to get away from the place, that a bomb was going to explode.
To my relief, all of them started scurrying off to their mothers in assorted directions.
The relief abruptly turned to that of anxiety when I saw that one of them had remained in her position, unmoving like a stone sculpture.
A little girl, around four years of age from the looks of it sat there bawling her eyes out, unwilling or unable to move.
"Hey, why aren't you running off like 'em? Dontcha know the bomb's gonna blow any minute? You don't want to become little pieces of stuff do ya?" I rushed towards her, cold sweat covering my forehead.
"B…but I cyant get up… M…mister…!" She sobbed, looking up at me with cornflower eyes that reminded me of someone dear to my heart.
"Alright, don't cry. Big Brother Seifer'll get you out of here in no time." I said, squatting down and scooping her up in my arms.
But before I could take a step, something told me that it was going to blow, now.
By instinct, I shielded the little girl with my body.
A deafening blast, followed by pieces of hot somethings flung out from the shop's direction, one of them hitting me on the head.
Everything started to blacken… but not before I heard her voice calling my name……
Sorry, Quisty. I'm going to have to let you down again……
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Author's Notes: The Saitou Hajime I mentioned above is actually a character from Rurouni Kenshin, or otherwise known as Samurai X for those of you who watched the anime. He does not belong to me, neither does the manga, the anime, the plot, the story, the idea, the characters. The actual name of the technique is the Gatotstu stance, and not some Saitou Hajime Ryu crap I mentioned above. And no… it isn't a form of Kendo. It is a deadly sword technique. Oh… too much info… you can guess that I'm a fan of his hehehe.