Effloresce
I took the advice to keep writing. I'm pretty much coming up with ideas as I write, so you've as much of a clue about future plot twists as I have. So surely that makes it more interesting for both of us. Also, congrats to my mate Mike from Hope Of The States, who got to number 25 in the UK official singles charts with 'Enemies/Friends'. He won't see this story, so my positive comments won't go to his big bald head. Keep reading!
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'I don't feel alright
In spite of the comforting sounds you make.
I don't feel alright.
Because you make promises that you break.
Inside your heart.
Why don't we share.
Our solitude.
Nothing is pure, anymore.
But solitude'Mew-'Comforting Sounds'
The toll of the attack was terrible. Many of the new students, the future of SeeD, had been killed or seriously injured along with many of the current SeeD's. Squall had lost some of his dearest friends. Zell, Irvine and Quistis had been killed instantly. Selphie was in critical condition along with Rinoa, but Rinoa was almost certain to pull through. It seemed the only one not injured from the attack was Squall, at least not physically.
Squall was sat in the Cafeteria with two SeeD's. One was a guy called Sirion, he couldn't place a name to the girl who sat opposite him.
Sirion-"…Do you have any news then Squall?"
Squall-"None that I can share with you"
Girl-"Come on Squall"
Squall-"Sorry, I cannot breach protocol"
Sirion-"That's bullshit Squall. We lost friends in that attack, as did you, surely you can give us some information"
Squall-"…"
Sirion-"Damn it Squall!…Fine. Sara was right, your just a robot, programmed to follow orders. I don't think you even care about those who have died, just your next course of action"
Sirion and the girl left the table and Squall was left alone. It had been along time since someone's words had affected him, but what Sirion said brought tears to his eyes.
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The new White SeeD headquarters were under a small, seemingly dilapidated house in Winhill. The uniform was no longer worn, as to avoid unwanted attention. The headquarters were abuzz with activity. The hackers were uploading information from the gardens internal system, which contained detailed and private information of all the SeeD's and students as well as the gardens funds. The hackers had strict orders to change none of the information in the system, as there was no need to steal from the garden and a change of information could activate a hidden security system.
In the main office of the headquarters three suited men were examining a female, who was lying on a makeshift bed. The woman had been tranquillised, or she was in a deep sleep, as none of the scans and searches they did on her woke her up.
Second Man- "It's definitely inside her"
First Man- "You are sure?"
Second Man- "Yes, all tests proved positive"
First Man- "What stage is she in?"
Second Man- "The sorceress has taken over her body, but she still has control over a large part of her mind"
First Man- "Are you sure that this will work?"
Second Man- "Absolutely. The sorceresses power was harnessed before it was captured and altered to follow our strict order"
Third Man- "Has harnessing the power made it weaker?"
Second Man- "No. When it was released into the subject it grew stronger, stronger than when it was first captured"
Third Man- "Is she ready to be awakened?"
First Man- "There is no need. Let her sleep"
The first man kissed the girl and smiled smugly
First Man- "Dear Ellone"
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Squall and Laguna were sat in the waiting room of the infirmary. Although the chaos was almost gone, all of the beds were still full. There was an eerie ambience in the air of the infirmary, one of sadness and pain, but for others and not themselves. Many of the wounded had given up their beds to those with worse injuries and people were having long conversations to others who they had never spoken to before, and normally never would. Squall was reminded of the saying "Nothing shows the great strength of humanity like great sadness"
Laguna-"Squall"
Squall-"Yeah?"
Laguna-"Are you OK?"
Squall-"There are people around us doing a lot worse"
Laguna-"Yeah"
Squall-"Cid made a mistake picking me as a heir, I'm doing terrible."
Laguna-"You know that is not true. You expect too much of yourself, Squall. It is impossible not to be affected by this, you are doing a better job keeping things under control than I could ever do"
Squall-"I'm not. I am being told to help people, yet I am not able to give them information. I am stuck between human emotion and protocol, and I do not know which side to take. I am at a crossroad in my life. And for the first time, I don't know which way to go"
Laguna-"You will find your way. Why don't we see how Selphie and Rinoa are, I haven't seen them since the accident"…
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Cid was sat looking through the papers in his office. He looked at the picture stashed between a code of conduct notice and a letter advertising technical equipment. The picture was of Edea, Ellone and a boy about Ellone's age. They were all stood in front of the old orphanage smiling, wearing White SeeD uniforms. Cid smiled and took a sip from the fifth glass of whiskey he had poured himself that evening…
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A slow ending to the chapter but I wanted to add a bit of character to the um…characters. I want to develop them from the original game, and therefore some of the parts of the chapter, though necessary, were quite boring. A note on the snippets of lyrics, I had intended to do this from the start but I wanted to just get introductions out of the way. I won't put lyrics in for the sake of it, but if a part of the story reminds me of a song, I'll place a couple of lines. If you are interested in what any of the bands sound like, post something in the review section and I'll post a reply with a little information. That's all J