This is it! The beginning of the exam chapters! Okay enjoy this chapter folks, any of the characters mentioned from the game are being borrowed from Squaresoft, obviously, and my characters belong to me (also kind of obvious). Please review. Thanky swanky!
Xaria took a deep breath, stretching her arms above her head and jumping quickly into the air a few times, very nervously. Looking around she began to walk slowly and gracefully towards the center of the hallway. She was the first one to meet at the large computer board in the main hall of Balamb Garden. Having gotten up two hours earlier than usual, going to the cafeteria before it was even open, washing and pressing her uniform, and nervously flitting through books she couldn't take it anymore, and therefore, was a half hour early to her field test. The only people who were at the board were Instructor Barak, Nida, Xu, and, to Xaria's surprise, Headmaster Cid. Reviewing all that she had studied about previous field tests, she was surprised to see the Headmaster at the board so early, as she had thought he only came at the end of the explanation to say a few inspirational words to the eager cadets. Xaria let the nosy side get the better of her and casually walked behind a potted plant in an attempt to overhear tidbits of the conversation.
"…So she's not back yet?" Xaria heard a woman's voice inquire. Probably Xu, seeing as she was the only female present.
"No, not yet…" Headmaster Cid responded in his quiet but somehow powerful voice.
"It's not like her to just take extra vacation days. Quite out of character," stated Instructor Barak rather huffily, "I can't continue to take her classes." Xu frowned at the Instructor.
"Well, I don't think she's out there for fun. After all, she did check out of her hotel after the required 6 days…" said Nida. Xu nodded, as did Headmaster Cid.
"Good point," said the Headmaster, "According to my records she checked out of where she was staying exactly on schedule, just like she usually would." Instructor Barak sighed,
"She probably just decided to go somewhere else, she's young and she probably felt as if she deserved a vacation." Xu snorted at this statement.
"If you knew her at all, you would know that she didn't even want to go on this vacation. In fact, she's probably never had a vacation in her life," Xu retorted. Headmaster Cid gave a stern look to both Xu and the instructor before they actually started an argument.
Xaria furrowed her brow in thought of who the four of them might be talking about. Then it dawned on her, 'Quistis…'she thought. Quistis had been on vacation when they administered the written exam, and Xaria hadn't given thought to how much time Quistis would be taking off. Between the written test and her Limit discovery, it hadn't crossed her mind that Quistis was missing. It had been 11 days since the written exam, 'Nida just said that Quistis was supposed to have ended her vacation after six days..." Xaria turned her attention back to the conversation at hand.
"…in FH haven't seen her in days," Nida was finishing. Headmaster Cid stroked his chin, deep in thought.
"Well if the authorities there haven't seen her, have you notified to surrounding areas?" asked Xu
"Maybe she got lost?" suggested the instructor. Xu covered her mouth and coughed to disguise a snort. Instructor Barak shot her a slight glare regardless. Headmaster Cid cleared his throat.
"Well, there's nothing we can do for right now. Quistis is a trained SeeD and if that weren't enough is also a survivor of the recent Sorceress War. I'm sure if she were in imminent danger or if she had, by chance, stumbled into something truly disastrous, she would have contacted us by this time. Now then," he continued, pausing for a moment to clear his throat and soften his tone of voice, "We have a SeeD field test to administer. I'll shall return to my office for a few moments before returning to wish the cadets luck." And with that the headmaster turned on his heels and walked up the stairs towards the elevator. Xu, Nida, and Instructor Barak all nodded and saluted as they watch the Headmaster leave. Sighing Xu shrugged her shoulders as Nida gave her a look of concern.
"I can't believe that she would be as irresponsible as to not contact us. Something must have happened to her and I don't think that the headmaster is taking this seriously enough," she said rather morosely. Nida shrugged in sympathy,
"I think deep down, he's probably just as worried as you. After all, Quistis is one of Edea's adopted children. I know that all of the Garden students are supposed to be like 'children' but I think Quistis holds a special place in Cid's heart that won't let him express his concern. He can't let it conflict with his job." Xu nodded at Nida's statement and Instructor Barak nodded also, although his back was turned as he was watching the arrival of a student for the test. Xaria gasped from her potted plant position and quickly scurried out of the SeeDs' view. Not looking where she was going she quickly found herself on the ground, having crashed into someone.
"Are you okay?" she heard a familiar voice asking. She found herself looking up into the smiling eyes of Tibor. Blushing slightly, Xaria stood up, ignoring the helpful hand that Tibor reached out towards her.
"I'm fine," Xaria responded with a slightly forced brightness as she dusted off her formerly pristine uniform.
"I always knew you'd fall for me," Tibor quipped. Xaria rolled her eyes and smiled.
"That was horrible," a slightly deeper voice from behind Xaria chimed in. She turned around to see Calder. "You should really work on your pickup lines, my friend," he added. Xaria tried furiously, and rather successfully, not to blush.
"So…" she said, clearing her throat, "Are you guys nervous about the test?" she asked as they began walking towards the computer board. Calder and Tibor both shrugged.
"Not really."
"It'll be okay, I'm sure." Xaria rolled her eyes once more as she noted the boys' inability to admit an emotion. She noticed, despite their nonchalant responses, that Tibor's eyes would not meet hers, and Calder's foot had begun to tap aimlessly, now that they had reached the board and were standing still. Xaria noticed Ainsley and Pyri standing in a group with Moss and Ryo. Ainsley caught Xaria's eye and waved. Xaria enthusiastically waved back noticing that both Pyri and Ainsley had been restored to perfect health thanks to the multiple Curaga spells that Doctor Kimuri had aquired.
Nida waited patiently for all of the cadets to arrive. Once he was informed by Xu that all of the cadets had come, he began the introductory speech. The cadets would be divided into teams and sent on a mission in Timber. They would be briefed on the various parts of the mission on the train ride to their destination. Xaria nodded and swallowed. She suddenly felt a hand in hers squeezing it slightly. Turning around she saw Tibor, looking just as nervous as she felt. Looking down at his hand inheres she squeezed back and smiled.
Headmaster Cid's speech was a blur and Xaria soon found herself on a train towards Timber, not really remembering ever getting on it. She sat with her group, which included Ryo's best friend Moss, and another girl named Kaori. They made up C squad, out of four squads, A, B, C, and D. Ainsley, Tibor, and Calder had all ended up in B squad, while Pyri and Ryo had been placed in the D squad along with another cadet named Brelan. Xaria watched as the scenery rushed by, and then saw the train door open as Nida walked in to brief them. She took a deep breath and focused on Nida, trying to overcome her nerves.