The Empress! Has Returned! TO FF. N!!!
Yeah, I know it's been a long time since I updated this story. I would have posted sooner! Really! But ff.n had a little hiccup, so...
Also, it requires a very specific mood for writing, and I had to play some more FF8 before I could get into that mood. This story is very dark for my Golden Sun style. I write like this for FF8, but not GS... so it's a challenge! I like challenges!
Picard: Right. Next time try a challenge you can handle.
Shut up! Freeloader! All you other authors out there, NEVER voluntarily get muses! THIS *waves at Picard* is what happens!
Picard: *finishes another Mountain Dew*
Hurry up and do the disclaimer, you louse, so I can get on with this!
Picard: Uh-huh. *yawns* Do you honestly think she could ever come up with something as creative as Golden Sun on her own? Didn't think so...
Sheesh... some muse you are...
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Chapter 2:
Graduation
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"The match goes to Garet!"
"Ha ha, any doubts that I'm a 153 now, Hsu?"
Hsu and Garet had been dueling with their heavy blades for the fourth time that day. Hsu Ulmuch was a heavy student, with a round face and a bowl-shaped haircut. His hair and eyes were dark brown, and his whole body was rather ball-shaped. He, like Garet, was a Heavy Blade specialist, though his body was built from much less muscle than Garet's hardened frame. Hsu had scored a 145 on the Heavy Blade exam, but was unwilling to admit that a "pansy like Garet Jerra" had been able to outscore him.
Isaac had watched all four rounds with Jenna and Feizhi, Hsu's girlfriend. The two girls had ben declared as the judges for the sword fights, and even Feizhi admitted that Garet had wiped the floor with Hsu.
"There's . . . no . . . way that you beat me," Hsu panted, falling to his knees.
Isaac leaned back in his chair, stretching slightly and yawning. All four matches had ended this exact same way. Garet boasted, Hsu denied, Garet gloated, and Hsu challenged him to a rematch. It was getting to be very boring, and even more predictable.
"You just can't seem to beat me, can you?" Garet said, leaning over Hsu and grinning. "Might as well give up, Hsu Ulmuch. I've beaten you all four times now. I'm 153 material. You're not even worthy of a 145."
Isaac counted down silently. 3, 2, 1 . . .
"I demand a rematch!" Hsu yelled, looking up and glaring at Garet. Garet snickered.
"What, you want me to whup your sorry ass again, Hsu? Four beatings isn't enough for you? Why don't you just crawl back to Feizhi with your tail between your legs?" He grinned. "Or do you even have a tail?"
"I cannot allow a Valean like you to destroy my Xian pride!"
"Xian pride, huh? Xian shame, more like it," Garet said, grinning smugly. "You make the other people of Xian look bad, Ulmuch!"
"I demand a rematch, Jerra!"
"Hsu!" Feizhi yelled. Hsu looked up at her. "You have shamed me enough already, Hsu! Will you persist in making yourself look like a fool!?"
"Feizhi . . ." Hsu pleaded.
"Hsu, simply accept that Garet is better than you!" Feizhi continued. "By dueling and losing repeatedly, you are only demeaning yourself and me! You look no braver! Just stupider!" Feizhi, like Hsu, had a thick Xian accent. Her "l"s and "r"s occasionally got confused with one another, and her words were pronounced very choppily. She was the daughter of Xian's karate school headmaster. Her hair was dyed lavender, tied up into a ponytail. Her eyes were a violet-blue, with long eyelashes. Feizhi was one of the "au naturale" types: she never wore makeup, unless it was a very special occasion. Isaac suspected she'd be wearing some of her own bane during the graduation ceremonies later tonight.
"Feizhi, I must retain my honor!" Hsu said.
"How?" Feizhi demanded. "By losing again?" She shook her head in disgust, then turned around and stomped out of the practice court.
"About time," Isaac muttered under his breath. "Hsu was looking dumber by the minute. That should kick some sense into him."
Hsu stared after Feizhi. "Feizhi!" he bellowed. "Come back!" He turned to momentarily glare at Garet, then stood up and ran into the hall, grabbing his sword from the floor as he went.
"About time," Garet muttered, sliding his sword into the sheath on his back. "I was starting to get bored."
"You were starting to get bored?" Isaac said. "Consider us poor saps who had to watch you crush his pride again and again. It was torture!"
"I can't help it if Hsu's jealous of me and all my talent," Garet replied. "Hey, is it time for dinner yet? We've got the banquet before commencement tonight, right?"
"You've got it, Garet," Jenna said. She squealed slightly. "And then the ball!"
Garet and Isaac visibly winced. "Oh, right, the ball," Isaac said, wrinkling his nose. "I almost forgot about that."
"You two will both dance with me, right?" Jenna asked. When neither boy answered her, flames seemed to materialize in her eyes. "Right!?"
"Yeah, yeah," Garet and Isaac said together, "of course we will."
She smiled. "Well, then, I'm going to go get ready for the banquet." With that, she skipped off toward the girls' dormitories.
"Scary," Garet muttered.
"Yeah," Isaac said.
The two stood in silence for a moment before leaving the practice court and heading off in the opposite direction of Jenna, toward the boys' dormitories.
"So, what are we supposed to wear again?" Garet said. "I wasn't really paying attention when they told us last week."
"Our uniforms, what else?" Isaac said. "After the ceremonies, we get," he held up his fingers and made a quote motion, "special," the quote-fingers went down, "uniforms to show that we're soldiers now." He shook his head, causing his blonde hair to fly out in all directions. "And then we go to the graduation ball, which'll probably last until three in the morning or so. I can't stand all these stupid balls this place has." He kicked an empty soda can to vent his frustration. "Spring ball, summer ball, autumn ball, winter ball, Valentine's ball, New Year's ball, there's no end to them! And what's our reward for working our asses off and graduating? Another ball! Stupid!" The soda can went flying across the hall and skittered to a stop behind a garbage can.
Garet grinned. "Ah, but look on the bright side. There'll be ladies there, Isaac, ladies from all over Angara who are invited to the graduation ceremonies!"
"Ladies!" Isaac spat out the word as though it was poison. "Pheh! You can have all the ladies. Knowing Jenna takes care of all the ladies I'll ever need."
The grin on Garet's face widened. "I think wittel Ikey has an wittel crush!" He grabbed Isaac in a headlock and began rubbing his knuckles into his shorter friend's scalp. "You like Jenna, don't you, wittel Ikey?"
"Augh! Garet, I do not! Let go of me!"
"Wittel Ikey is in wuv with wittel Jenna! Aw, how ceee-ute!" Garet pinched one of Isaac's cheeks and stretched it outward.
"No! No, I'm not!" Isaac grabbed Garet's arm, and, with much effort, managed to flip the heavier boy over his head. Garet was left gasping on the floor, while Isaac panted just above him. "You've known Jenna since you were two, Garet. She's your girlfriend, not mine."
Garet drew in a sharp breath. "And what makes you think she's mine, Isaac? She likes you more!"
"Whose class ring is around her neck, Garet?"
Garet paused for a moment at Isaac's query, but then quickly continued, "It's only because she didn't know you had one! She didn't know if you'd have enough money to get one; my parents bought me mine!" He began to get back to his feet.
Garet was the oldest child in a rich family from Tolbi. His grandfather was a close friend of Iodem, Tolbi's mayor, and therefore had many friends in high places. Garet had been sent to the Academy as a sort of disciplinary action; as a ten-year-old, there was no end to the pranks he performed on the other families of Tolbi. He had been caught doing things from destroying Iodem's personal library to trapping Jenna in a cave for three hours. His father had finally tired of his son's bad behavior and sent him away, despite his mother's pleading. Garet held no spite toward his father, however, and went to see his family during the holidays every year.
Jenna was also from Tolbi, though she had moved there from a tiny little country town called Kolima. Both her father and her mother had graduated from Angara Academy, her mother as a staff fighter and her father as a mace wielder. When their money ran low, they moved to Tolbi to live with Jenna's aunt and uncle. Garet and Jenna had both been only toddlers at the time, but immediately became friends. When they grew older, Jenna had become a constant target for Garet's pranks, and it was assumed by both of her parents that she would attend the Academy as they had. Neither Jenna's parents nor Garet's had predicted that the two would head to the Academy together.
"At least you have parents to buy things for you!" Isaac yelled. "All I have is a lowlife of a man that can't even be called my father!"
Garet's eyes became very, very round. "Isaac, let's not get into that," he said. "Please. I don't want to talk about your family; all that ever happens is that you get mad."
Isaac took a deep,rattling breath and continued walking toward the dormitories. "I'm getting dressed," he said to Garet, who jogged to catch up with him. "Then I'm heading to the main hall for the banquet. And don't expect me to stick around for the ball. I'm going to get a good night's rest."
"But you said," Garet panted, "one dance with Jenna . . . she made you swear, remember?"
"Did she? I don't recall," Isaac replied as he continued walking down the hall. The two were almost to the elevator; though they stayed in separate rooms, they lived on the same floor. "Well, fine then. One dance with Jenna. Then I leave."
"Man, you're a real party pooper, you know that?" Garet said. "I mean, it's not like you're getting a mission or anything. We're barely graduates. All the best jobs go to the older kids, the ones that have been out of school for a while." His tone of voice said, "In other words, not you."
"Well, you never know, do you?" Isaac stretched slightly, bending his arms back over his head. "Hopefully I will get a mission soon, and then I can blow this joint."
"You must be smoking that joint you're talking about if you think you of all people will get a mission," Garet muttered before narrowly dodging a pen Isaac had chucked at his head. "Whoa! Down, boy! I was joking!"
"Right." They had reached the dormitories;Isaac pressed a button on the elevator and the two climbed in. "Still, don't expect me to stay up all night."
"That's what graduation is about!" Garet replied as the elevator began to move.
"Whatever."
There was silence before Garet said, "Will you at least come see the all-nighter party? It took Jenna a long time to put together, you know, and she was really hoping you'd be there. . . ."
The elevator came to a stop, and the doors opened with a soft chime. "This is our floor," Isaac said. The two walked down the hall, stopping in front of Isaac's door."I'll talk to you about it later. During the banquet. Okay?"
Before Garet could respond, Isaac had vanished into his room and shut the door.
"Tch, that's Isaac for you, I suppose," he muttered as he walked to his own room.
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"Well, if it isn't the sharp-dressed man!" Garet said as Isaac sat down across from him and Jenna. His reply was an icy blue glare from underneath still-uncombed bangs and thick golden eyebrows.
"Couldn't you at least comb your hair for graduation?" Jenna asked.
Another glare. "Believe me. I tried." Isaac redirected his gaze to his empty dinner plate. "So when can we start eating?"
"The headmaster has to give a speech," Garet said. "Wow, for once I know something Isaac doesn't! That's a shocker!"
"It's a shocker that you know much of anything at all!"Jenna interrupted, smirking.
"Jenna! I'm hurt!" Garet put a hand over his heart and leaned back. "My heart! Tis broken!" He continued to lean back before finally overbalancing and falling out of his chair. A loud crash accompanied the folly, and soon everyone was peering at that table to see just what had happened.
Garet turned red and promptly got back into his chair, muttering under his breath and keeping his eyes downward.
There was the sound of silverware tapping against a wineglass, and the whole dining hall grew silent. People turned around in their chairs as the headmaster stood up.
"Graduates," he said, picking up his wineglass and holding it out, "I propose a toast to you. To your health, your happiness, and your future."
All through the room, wineglasses raised in the air, clinking against one another as murmuring filled the hall. The wineglasses were soon returned to their rightful places on the tables, and silence prevailed once again.
"I have seen you all grow up," the headmaster continued, briefly pausing and pushing his glasses up his nose. "I have seen you mature from naive children into intelligent adults. All I can say is that I am proud. Some of you came out of choice, others did not. The time you spent here belonged to me, your instructors, and your training. The years of your life that lie ahead of you are yours to do with as you will. Enjoy them. Treasure them. They are the most precious thing you will ever have, and before you know it they will be gone.
"The thing I want least is for you to regret those years. Live your lives to the fullest, for you do not know when you will die. Who is truly happier: the old man who has lived long but done little, or the young adult dying after a full and satisfying life? You may answer that question yourself, and it is up to you which one of those options you become. Choose wisely."
He coughed once, cleared his throat, and continued. "This is truly the first night of the rest of your lives. Before, your lives belonged to the Academy. I now return them to you. What will you do with them, my students? My . . . children? For that is what you are to me; you are all my sons and daughters, and watching you grow up and graduate is like watching hundreds of my own flesh and blood do the same."
Isaac glanced up from his plate to see that the headmaster was beginning to cry.
The headmaster wiped his eyes with his napkin, though the tears refused to leave. "Ah, I'm getting too old for this," he muttered. He looked up again, out over the dining hall full of graduating students. "I will remember each and every one of you. Go out into the world. Do your work, whether you decide to continue as a soldier or try another occupation. Enjoy your life while you have it. And above all, remember yourself. Your identity is more important than any sum you can be paid to become someone else. Never compromise who you are for any reason."
He picked up his wineglass again, raised it to them, and said once again, "A toast to you."
He returned to his seat, and the banquet began.
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The ball was even more boring than Isaac had anticipated.
If it had been even mildly entertaining compared to the graduation ceremony itself, he might have enjoyed it. However, he had found that it was even more dull and excruciatingly boring. Even the banquet had been more entertaining. At least someone had showed an emotion during that, and there had been food as well.
Not that Isaac himself was much of one for emotions. Snipers had no emotions. Remorse was too much of a risk to develop any emotion, especially love and pity.
He did, on occasion, feel irritation, which he was experiencing at the moment. One dance with Jenna; that's all he was here for and then he would leave. He had decided not to attend Jenna's party. He wasn't feeling well at the time and thought some rest might do him some good.
He briefly wondered if boredom could drive a person into sickness, or if his illness might perhaps be psychosomatic.
"You're looking well," a man's voice said.
"What?" Isaac looked up to see a taller man than himself in a tuxedo. His hair was all tumbling blue locks over his shoulders, while his eyes were a sort of aqua blue. He was very thin and apparently nowhere close to Isaac in sheer amounts of muscle. His skin was paler than Isaac's own, and a small blue gem was on one side of his collar.
"Mercury Adept?" Isaac asked, taking note of the stone. All Adepts in Angara were required to wear them, in case their services were needed. Isaac himself was wearing a golden one on his right shoulder.
"Yes. And you, you're Isaac Sol. A Venus." Isaac blinked at the man.
"Don't believe I've had the pleasure," he replied. "You are?"
"Alex Merka." The man held out his hand. "From Imil."
"Do you work for the Academy? In the recruitment offices, maybe?" Isaac asked, shaking Alex's hand.
Alex laughed. "Oh, no. I'm just a friend of some of the students here. I wouldn't work for the Academy. I'm too much of a . . . free agent, so to speak."
Isaac frowned. "A free agent?"
"Wild card, whatever you will call it." Alex smiled. "Though that's sort of what you'll be as a mercenary, isn't it?"
"Right." Isaac tried to shake off the odd feeling that had settled over him. "If you don't work in the recruitment offices, then how did you know my name?"
"Oh, you're quite a popular student," Alex said. "Kyle--the headmaster, you know--just can't keep his mouth shut about you, my young friend."
Psynergy. That was what was wrong. Someone very close by was using Psynergy. But who, and where? Isaac didn't dare look around, for fear that this Alex man might think he was rude. "I'm honored that the headmaster speaks so highly of me, sir."
"Oh, you shouldn't be surprised. From what I've heard, the headmaster already has a mission lined up for you, Isaac Sol. But that's what you want, isn't it?"
"I--" Isaac started. It was no use. He couldn't focus, not with Psynergy that close and that strong. He was beginning to get a headache to accompany his stomach pains. Rubbing one hand over his forehead, he said, "I'm sorry, sir, I'm not feeling very well. Please forgive me."
"Oh, don't apologize!"Alex said. "I'm afraid Ply isn't too good with sickness, and you should have Cure since you're a Venus, correct? Alas, I don't believe that does much good either. I'm only sorry I can't help. I'd best be going, then. Come, Sheba, let's go."
Someone came around from behind Isaac. She nodded to Alex, then turned to face Isaac himself. The girl was short but pretty, perhaps fourteen or fifteen. He hair was blonde, cut so it slanted against the back of her neck and framed her face. Her eyes were a vibrant violet, and she wore a small violet gem tied around her neck, indicating that she was a Jupiter Adept.
"So this is the Isaac you've been talking about, Alex?"
"Yes, this is him. Isaac, this is my adopted sister, Sheba. A Jupiter, as you can see. She's one of my best advisors."
The Psynergy sensation had not stopped, and Sheba was staring at Isaac like her amethyst eyes could bore holes in his skull. The headache got worse, and Isaac almost doubled over with pain. Instead of doing so, he managed with a wince. "I'm sorry, sir, lady. Miss Sheba, it's a pleasure to meet you." He held his hand out to her with a great deal of effort.
She didn't move. "The pleasure is all mine," she said, still staring at him.
"Now, Sheba, it's not nice to stare,"Alex said. Sheba immediately looked up at him, and Isaac felt the pain in his head subside almost instantly.
It couldn't have been Sheba who was using Psynergy.
Could it?
"We'll take our leave, then, Isaac," Alex said. "I hope you begin feeling better soon." He and Sheba walked away in the direction of some of the school recruiters.
Isaac rubbed his forehead, then returned his attention to his stomach, which now hurt more than ever. Briefly he wondered if he had accidentally overeaten, but left the thought in the dust when he looked up to see the headmaster standing over him.
"Good evening, Isaac."
"Good evening, sir." Isaac straightened from his hunched position. "What can I do for you, sir?"
The headmaster handed him an envelope. "Read that. Tell no one of its contents unless you plan on taking them as well. And good luck." He vanished into the crowd as quickly as he had come.
Isaac looked at the envelope for about a minute before finally opening it and reading over the paper enclosed. His hands shook; he nearly dropped it.
He had a mission.
"Garet! Jenna!" he yelled, running out onto the floor. He was free to choose whether or not he could have a team, and he wasn't planning on going anywhere without his friends unless he had to. "Garet! Jenna! I need to talk to you now!"
He found them in the middle of a dance, whispered the news to them, and yelped when Jenna engulfed him in a shrieking hug. Garet stood there with his hands on his hips, shaking his head.
"Well, I guess I was wrong. You did get a mission. You sorry dog!"
"You two are coming with me," Isaac continued, talking very quietly and quickly. "We'll all go; I can bring a team, and I'll be damned if I'm not taking you two!"
Garet and Jenna stared at him for along minute before Garet whooped and joined Jenna in the hug.
Isaac ended up staying on the dance floor for a much longer time than he had originally intended.
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So, what did you think?
Never mind, I know what you thought! "ALEX AND SHEBA?!?!" No, they're NOT a couple. I'll have a little cutscene with them in the next chapter... I think. Maybe. I'm flying by the seat of my pants here. Besides, Alex SAID she was his adopted little sister... don't you trust him? D
A note about Psynergy: I know in the games, Isaac and the others could see Psynergy at work. In this world, it's a bit different: you can FEEL Psynergy, as Isaac did in the ball, but you can't distinctly SEE it.
Any guesses as to why Alex is even there? And any more guesses on the person who wants to hire Isaac?
Review Replies:
Gay Witch: Glad you liked chapter 1. I'm a little bit of an FF8 obsessee, as you might have guessed... Laguna rocks!I loooooove Laguna ^_^ Yes, I am getting a *few* quotes from FF8. I'll let you know what they are.... See? There's already a couple down there.
Bubonic Woodchuck: Interesting name. O_O anyway, I'm glad you liked it and I hope this chapter met your satisfaction as well.
dog-eared hanyou: Don't worry, they'll both show up... ^_^ How can I leave Picard out? Thoguh I'll most likely call him Piers. Don't freak out! It's just easier to type and fits this AU world a bit better...
Akachi: Kraden? Now THAT's a thought O_o
Tiger Dauthi: This was partly inspired by "Dark Heart," you know! MORE ON SILENCE, DAUTHI!! MORE!!
hi: Glad you liked it; I hope you liked the bit of depth I added to Garet and Jenna here.
Triad Orion: Babi, that's a good thought. To tell the truth, I'm still workingout the details of the client's identity ^_^; so.
heatherthegreatone: Another Babi guess! We'll have to see, won't we? I tried to explain Garet and Jenna for you a bit, hope it me your satisfaction. And as for the Ivan guess... O_o That's scary...
Midnight C: Ah, yes, that's all right if you don't want to guess. So here's chapter 2, hope it was good...
Viktor Mayrin: *blushes* Amazing? That's a very nice word...
***QUOTE DISCLAIMER: "Whatever" is often used by Squall of FF8. ***
***Headmaster Kyle's "Ah, I'm getting too old for this" is also said by Headmaster Cid in FF8.***
Review.... or else. D I'll sic Picard the freeloader on you.
Picard: Yeah... whatever. *drinking a Mountain Dew and playing Zelda video games*
Picard! Go... sic em or something!
Picard: blah blah review blah blah....
So much for that...
Yeah, I know it's been a long time since I updated this story. I would have posted sooner! Really! But ff.n had a little hiccup, so...
Also, it requires a very specific mood for writing, and I had to play some more FF8 before I could get into that mood. This story is very dark for my Golden Sun style. I write like this for FF8, but not GS... so it's a challenge! I like challenges!
Picard: Right. Next time try a challenge you can handle.
Shut up! Freeloader! All you other authors out there, NEVER voluntarily get muses! THIS *waves at Picard* is what happens!
Picard: *finishes another Mountain Dew*
Hurry up and do the disclaimer, you louse, so I can get on with this!
Picard: Uh-huh. *yawns* Do you honestly think she could ever come up with something as creative as Golden Sun on her own? Didn't think so...
Sheesh... some muse you are...
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Chapter 2:
Graduation
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"The match goes to Garet!"
"Ha ha, any doubts that I'm a 153 now, Hsu?"
Hsu and Garet had been dueling with their heavy blades for the fourth time that day. Hsu Ulmuch was a heavy student, with a round face and a bowl-shaped haircut. His hair and eyes were dark brown, and his whole body was rather ball-shaped. He, like Garet, was a Heavy Blade specialist, though his body was built from much less muscle than Garet's hardened frame. Hsu had scored a 145 on the Heavy Blade exam, but was unwilling to admit that a "pansy like Garet Jerra" had been able to outscore him.
Isaac had watched all four rounds with Jenna and Feizhi, Hsu's girlfriend. The two girls had ben declared as the judges for the sword fights, and even Feizhi admitted that Garet had wiped the floor with Hsu.
"There's . . . no . . . way that you beat me," Hsu panted, falling to his knees.
Isaac leaned back in his chair, stretching slightly and yawning. All four matches had ended this exact same way. Garet boasted, Hsu denied, Garet gloated, and Hsu challenged him to a rematch. It was getting to be very boring, and even more predictable.
"You just can't seem to beat me, can you?" Garet said, leaning over Hsu and grinning. "Might as well give up, Hsu Ulmuch. I've beaten you all four times now. I'm 153 material. You're not even worthy of a 145."
Isaac counted down silently. 3, 2, 1 . . .
"I demand a rematch!" Hsu yelled, looking up and glaring at Garet. Garet snickered.
"What, you want me to whup your sorry ass again, Hsu? Four beatings isn't enough for you? Why don't you just crawl back to Feizhi with your tail between your legs?" He grinned. "Or do you even have a tail?"
"I cannot allow a Valean like you to destroy my Xian pride!"
"Xian pride, huh? Xian shame, more like it," Garet said, grinning smugly. "You make the other people of Xian look bad, Ulmuch!"
"I demand a rematch, Jerra!"
"Hsu!" Feizhi yelled. Hsu looked up at her. "You have shamed me enough already, Hsu! Will you persist in making yourself look like a fool!?"
"Feizhi . . ." Hsu pleaded.
"Hsu, simply accept that Garet is better than you!" Feizhi continued. "By dueling and losing repeatedly, you are only demeaning yourself and me! You look no braver! Just stupider!" Feizhi, like Hsu, had a thick Xian accent. Her "l"s and "r"s occasionally got confused with one another, and her words were pronounced very choppily. She was the daughter of Xian's karate school headmaster. Her hair was dyed lavender, tied up into a ponytail. Her eyes were a violet-blue, with long eyelashes. Feizhi was one of the "au naturale" types: she never wore makeup, unless it was a very special occasion. Isaac suspected she'd be wearing some of her own bane during the graduation ceremonies later tonight.
"Feizhi, I must retain my honor!" Hsu said.
"How?" Feizhi demanded. "By losing again?" She shook her head in disgust, then turned around and stomped out of the practice court.
"About time," Isaac muttered under his breath. "Hsu was looking dumber by the minute. That should kick some sense into him."
Hsu stared after Feizhi. "Feizhi!" he bellowed. "Come back!" He turned to momentarily glare at Garet, then stood up and ran into the hall, grabbing his sword from the floor as he went.
"About time," Garet muttered, sliding his sword into the sheath on his back. "I was starting to get bored."
"You were starting to get bored?" Isaac said. "Consider us poor saps who had to watch you crush his pride again and again. It was torture!"
"I can't help it if Hsu's jealous of me and all my talent," Garet replied. "Hey, is it time for dinner yet? We've got the banquet before commencement tonight, right?"
"You've got it, Garet," Jenna said. She squealed slightly. "And then the ball!"
Garet and Isaac visibly winced. "Oh, right, the ball," Isaac said, wrinkling his nose. "I almost forgot about that."
"You two will both dance with me, right?" Jenna asked. When neither boy answered her, flames seemed to materialize in her eyes. "Right!?"
"Yeah, yeah," Garet and Isaac said together, "of course we will."
She smiled. "Well, then, I'm going to go get ready for the banquet." With that, she skipped off toward the girls' dormitories.
"Scary," Garet muttered.
"Yeah," Isaac said.
The two stood in silence for a moment before leaving the practice court and heading off in the opposite direction of Jenna, toward the boys' dormitories.
"So, what are we supposed to wear again?" Garet said. "I wasn't really paying attention when they told us last week."
"Our uniforms, what else?" Isaac said. "After the ceremonies, we get," he held up his fingers and made a quote motion, "special," the quote-fingers went down, "uniforms to show that we're soldiers now." He shook his head, causing his blonde hair to fly out in all directions. "And then we go to the graduation ball, which'll probably last until three in the morning or so. I can't stand all these stupid balls this place has." He kicked an empty soda can to vent his frustration. "Spring ball, summer ball, autumn ball, winter ball, Valentine's ball, New Year's ball, there's no end to them! And what's our reward for working our asses off and graduating? Another ball! Stupid!" The soda can went flying across the hall and skittered to a stop behind a garbage can.
Garet grinned. "Ah, but look on the bright side. There'll be ladies there, Isaac, ladies from all over Angara who are invited to the graduation ceremonies!"
"Ladies!" Isaac spat out the word as though it was poison. "Pheh! You can have all the ladies. Knowing Jenna takes care of all the ladies I'll ever need."
The grin on Garet's face widened. "I think wittel Ikey has an wittel crush!" He grabbed Isaac in a headlock and began rubbing his knuckles into his shorter friend's scalp. "You like Jenna, don't you, wittel Ikey?"
"Augh! Garet, I do not! Let go of me!"
"Wittel Ikey is in wuv with wittel Jenna! Aw, how ceee-ute!" Garet pinched one of Isaac's cheeks and stretched it outward.
"No! No, I'm not!" Isaac grabbed Garet's arm, and, with much effort, managed to flip the heavier boy over his head. Garet was left gasping on the floor, while Isaac panted just above him. "You've known Jenna since you were two, Garet. She's your girlfriend, not mine."
Garet drew in a sharp breath. "And what makes you think she's mine, Isaac? She likes you more!"
"Whose class ring is around her neck, Garet?"
Garet paused for a moment at Isaac's query, but then quickly continued, "It's only because she didn't know you had one! She didn't know if you'd have enough money to get one; my parents bought me mine!" He began to get back to his feet.
Garet was the oldest child in a rich family from Tolbi. His grandfather was a close friend of Iodem, Tolbi's mayor, and therefore had many friends in high places. Garet had been sent to the Academy as a sort of disciplinary action; as a ten-year-old, there was no end to the pranks he performed on the other families of Tolbi. He had been caught doing things from destroying Iodem's personal library to trapping Jenna in a cave for three hours. His father had finally tired of his son's bad behavior and sent him away, despite his mother's pleading. Garet held no spite toward his father, however, and went to see his family during the holidays every year.
Jenna was also from Tolbi, though she had moved there from a tiny little country town called Kolima. Both her father and her mother had graduated from Angara Academy, her mother as a staff fighter and her father as a mace wielder. When their money ran low, they moved to Tolbi to live with Jenna's aunt and uncle. Garet and Jenna had both been only toddlers at the time, but immediately became friends. When they grew older, Jenna had become a constant target for Garet's pranks, and it was assumed by both of her parents that she would attend the Academy as they had. Neither Jenna's parents nor Garet's had predicted that the two would head to the Academy together.
"At least you have parents to buy things for you!" Isaac yelled. "All I have is a lowlife of a man that can't even be called my father!"
Garet's eyes became very, very round. "Isaac, let's not get into that," he said. "Please. I don't want to talk about your family; all that ever happens is that you get mad."
Isaac took a deep,rattling breath and continued walking toward the dormitories. "I'm getting dressed," he said to Garet, who jogged to catch up with him. "Then I'm heading to the main hall for the banquet. And don't expect me to stick around for the ball. I'm going to get a good night's rest."
"But you said," Garet panted, "one dance with Jenna . . . she made you swear, remember?"
"Did she? I don't recall," Isaac replied as he continued walking down the hall. The two were almost to the elevator; though they stayed in separate rooms, they lived on the same floor. "Well, fine then. One dance with Jenna. Then I leave."
"Man, you're a real party pooper, you know that?" Garet said. "I mean, it's not like you're getting a mission or anything. We're barely graduates. All the best jobs go to the older kids, the ones that have been out of school for a while." His tone of voice said, "In other words, not you."
"Well, you never know, do you?" Isaac stretched slightly, bending his arms back over his head. "Hopefully I will get a mission soon, and then I can blow this joint."
"You must be smoking that joint you're talking about if you think you of all people will get a mission," Garet muttered before narrowly dodging a pen Isaac had chucked at his head. "Whoa! Down, boy! I was joking!"
"Right." They had reached the dormitories;Isaac pressed a button on the elevator and the two climbed in. "Still, don't expect me to stay up all night."
"That's what graduation is about!" Garet replied as the elevator began to move.
"Whatever."
There was silence before Garet said, "Will you at least come see the all-nighter party? It took Jenna a long time to put together, you know, and she was really hoping you'd be there. . . ."
The elevator came to a stop, and the doors opened with a soft chime. "This is our floor," Isaac said. The two walked down the hall, stopping in front of Isaac's door."I'll talk to you about it later. During the banquet. Okay?"
Before Garet could respond, Isaac had vanished into his room and shut the door.
"Tch, that's Isaac for you, I suppose," he muttered as he walked to his own room.
*****************
"Well, if it isn't the sharp-dressed man!" Garet said as Isaac sat down across from him and Jenna. His reply was an icy blue glare from underneath still-uncombed bangs and thick golden eyebrows.
"Couldn't you at least comb your hair for graduation?" Jenna asked.
Another glare. "Believe me. I tried." Isaac redirected his gaze to his empty dinner plate. "So when can we start eating?"
"The headmaster has to give a speech," Garet said. "Wow, for once I know something Isaac doesn't! That's a shocker!"
"It's a shocker that you know much of anything at all!"Jenna interrupted, smirking.
"Jenna! I'm hurt!" Garet put a hand over his heart and leaned back. "My heart! Tis broken!" He continued to lean back before finally overbalancing and falling out of his chair. A loud crash accompanied the folly, and soon everyone was peering at that table to see just what had happened.
Garet turned red and promptly got back into his chair, muttering under his breath and keeping his eyes downward.
There was the sound of silverware tapping against a wineglass, and the whole dining hall grew silent. People turned around in their chairs as the headmaster stood up.
"Graduates," he said, picking up his wineglass and holding it out, "I propose a toast to you. To your health, your happiness, and your future."
All through the room, wineglasses raised in the air, clinking against one another as murmuring filled the hall. The wineglasses were soon returned to their rightful places on the tables, and silence prevailed once again.
"I have seen you all grow up," the headmaster continued, briefly pausing and pushing his glasses up his nose. "I have seen you mature from naive children into intelligent adults. All I can say is that I am proud. Some of you came out of choice, others did not. The time you spent here belonged to me, your instructors, and your training. The years of your life that lie ahead of you are yours to do with as you will. Enjoy them. Treasure them. They are the most precious thing you will ever have, and before you know it they will be gone.
"The thing I want least is for you to regret those years. Live your lives to the fullest, for you do not know when you will die. Who is truly happier: the old man who has lived long but done little, or the young adult dying after a full and satisfying life? You may answer that question yourself, and it is up to you which one of those options you become. Choose wisely."
He coughed once, cleared his throat, and continued. "This is truly the first night of the rest of your lives. Before, your lives belonged to the Academy. I now return them to you. What will you do with them, my students? My . . . children? For that is what you are to me; you are all my sons and daughters, and watching you grow up and graduate is like watching hundreds of my own flesh and blood do the same."
Isaac glanced up from his plate to see that the headmaster was beginning to cry.
The headmaster wiped his eyes with his napkin, though the tears refused to leave. "Ah, I'm getting too old for this," he muttered. He looked up again, out over the dining hall full of graduating students. "I will remember each and every one of you. Go out into the world. Do your work, whether you decide to continue as a soldier or try another occupation. Enjoy your life while you have it. And above all, remember yourself. Your identity is more important than any sum you can be paid to become someone else. Never compromise who you are for any reason."
He picked up his wineglass again, raised it to them, and said once again, "A toast to you."
He returned to his seat, and the banquet began.
*****************
The ball was even more boring than Isaac had anticipated.
If it had been even mildly entertaining compared to the graduation ceremony itself, he might have enjoyed it. However, he had found that it was even more dull and excruciatingly boring. Even the banquet had been more entertaining. At least someone had showed an emotion during that, and there had been food as well.
Not that Isaac himself was much of one for emotions. Snipers had no emotions. Remorse was too much of a risk to develop any emotion, especially love and pity.
He did, on occasion, feel irritation, which he was experiencing at the moment. One dance with Jenna; that's all he was here for and then he would leave. He had decided not to attend Jenna's party. He wasn't feeling well at the time and thought some rest might do him some good.
He briefly wondered if boredom could drive a person into sickness, or if his illness might perhaps be psychosomatic.
"You're looking well," a man's voice said.
"What?" Isaac looked up to see a taller man than himself in a tuxedo. His hair was all tumbling blue locks over his shoulders, while his eyes were a sort of aqua blue. He was very thin and apparently nowhere close to Isaac in sheer amounts of muscle. His skin was paler than Isaac's own, and a small blue gem was on one side of his collar.
"Mercury Adept?" Isaac asked, taking note of the stone. All Adepts in Angara were required to wear them, in case their services were needed. Isaac himself was wearing a golden one on his right shoulder.
"Yes. And you, you're Isaac Sol. A Venus." Isaac blinked at the man.
"Don't believe I've had the pleasure," he replied. "You are?"
"Alex Merka." The man held out his hand. "From Imil."
"Do you work for the Academy? In the recruitment offices, maybe?" Isaac asked, shaking Alex's hand.
Alex laughed. "Oh, no. I'm just a friend of some of the students here. I wouldn't work for the Academy. I'm too much of a . . . free agent, so to speak."
Isaac frowned. "A free agent?"
"Wild card, whatever you will call it." Alex smiled. "Though that's sort of what you'll be as a mercenary, isn't it?"
"Right." Isaac tried to shake off the odd feeling that had settled over him. "If you don't work in the recruitment offices, then how did you know my name?"
"Oh, you're quite a popular student," Alex said. "Kyle--the headmaster, you know--just can't keep his mouth shut about you, my young friend."
Psynergy. That was what was wrong. Someone very close by was using Psynergy. But who, and where? Isaac didn't dare look around, for fear that this Alex man might think he was rude. "I'm honored that the headmaster speaks so highly of me, sir."
"Oh, you shouldn't be surprised. From what I've heard, the headmaster already has a mission lined up for you, Isaac Sol. But that's what you want, isn't it?"
"I--" Isaac started. It was no use. He couldn't focus, not with Psynergy that close and that strong. He was beginning to get a headache to accompany his stomach pains. Rubbing one hand over his forehead, he said, "I'm sorry, sir, I'm not feeling very well. Please forgive me."
"Oh, don't apologize!"Alex said. "I'm afraid Ply isn't too good with sickness, and you should have Cure since you're a Venus, correct? Alas, I don't believe that does much good either. I'm only sorry I can't help. I'd best be going, then. Come, Sheba, let's go."
Someone came around from behind Isaac. She nodded to Alex, then turned to face Isaac himself. The girl was short but pretty, perhaps fourteen or fifteen. He hair was blonde, cut so it slanted against the back of her neck and framed her face. Her eyes were a vibrant violet, and she wore a small violet gem tied around her neck, indicating that she was a Jupiter Adept.
"So this is the Isaac you've been talking about, Alex?"
"Yes, this is him. Isaac, this is my adopted sister, Sheba. A Jupiter, as you can see. She's one of my best advisors."
The Psynergy sensation had not stopped, and Sheba was staring at Isaac like her amethyst eyes could bore holes in his skull. The headache got worse, and Isaac almost doubled over with pain. Instead of doing so, he managed with a wince. "I'm sorry, sir, lady. Miss Sheba, it's a pleasure to meet you." He held his hand out to her with a great deal of effort.
She didn't move. "The pleasure is all mine," she said, still staring at him.
"Now, Sheba, it's not nice to stare,"Alex said. Sheba immediately looked up at him, and Isaac felt the pain in his head subside almost instantly.
It couldn't have been Sheba who was using Psynergy.
Could it?
"We'll take our leave, then, Isaac," Alex said. "I hope you begin feeling better soon." He and Sheba walked away in the direction of some of the school recruiters.
Isaac rubbed his forehead, then returned his attention to his stomach, which now hurt more than ever. Briefly he wondered if he had accidentally overeaten, but left the thought in the dust when he looked up to see the headmaster standing over him.
"Good evening, Isaac."
"Good evening, sir." Isaac straightened from his hunched position. "What can I do for you, sir?"
The headmaster handed him an envelope. "Read that. Tell no one of its contents unless you plan on taking them as well. And good luck." He vanished into the crowd as quickly as he had come.
Isaac looked at the envelope for about a minute before finally opening it and reading over the paper enclosed. His hands shook; he nearly dropped it.
He had a mission.
"Garet! Jenna!" he yelled, running out onto the floor. He was free to choose whether or not he could have a team, and he wasn't planning on going anywhere without his friends unless he had to. "Garet! Jenna! I need to talk to you now!"
He found them in the middle of a dance, whispered the news to them, and yelped when Jenna engulfed him in a shrieking hug. Garet stood there with his hands on his hips, shaking his head.
"Well, I guess I was wrong. You did get a mission. You sorry dog!"
"You two are coming with me," Isaac continued, talking very quietly and quickly. "We'll all go; I can bring a team, and I'll be damned if I'm not taking you two!"
Garet and Jenna stared at him for along minute before Garet whooped and joined Jenna in the hug.
Isaac ended up staying on the dance floor for a much longer time than he had originally intended.
***********************
So, what did you think?
Never mind, I know what you thought! "ALEX AND SHEBA?!?!" No, they're NOT a couple. I'll have a little cutscene with them in the next chapter... I think. Maybe. I'm flying by the seat of my pants here. Besides, Alex SAID she was his adopted little sister... don't you trust him? D
A note about Psynergy: I know in the games, Isaac and the others could see Psynergy at work. In this world, it's a bit different: you can FEEL Psynergy, as Isaac did in the ball, but you can't distinctly SEE it.
Any guesses as to why Alex is even there? And any more guesses on the person who wants to hire Isaac?
Review Replies:
Gay Witch: Glad you liked chapter 1. I'm a little bit of an FF8 obsessee, as you might have guessed... Laguna rocks!I loooooove Laguna ^_^ Yes, I am getting a *few* quotes from FF8. I'll let you know what they are.... See? There's already a couple down there.
Bubonic Woodchuck: Interesting name. O_O anyway, I'm glad you liked it and I hope this chapter met your satisfaction as well.
dog-eared hanyou: Don't worry, they'll both show up... ^_^ How can I leave Picard out? Thoguh I'll most likely call him Piers. Don't freak out! It's just easier to type and fits this AU world a bit better...
Akachi: Kraden? Now THAT's a thought O_o
Tiger Dauthi: This was partly inspired by "Dark Heart," you know! MORE ON SILENCE, DAUTHI!! MORE!!
hi: Glad you liked it; I hope you liked the bit of depth I added to Garet and Jenna here.
Triad Orion: Babi, that's a good thought. To tell the truth, I'm still workingout the details of the client's identity ^_^; so.
heatherthegreatone: Another Babi guess! We'll have to see, won't we? I tried to explain Garet and Jenna for you a bit, hope it me your satisfaction. And as for the Ivan guess... O_o That's scary...
Midnight C: Ah, yes, that's all right if you don't want to guess. So here's chapter 2, hope it was good...
Viktor Mayrin: *blushes* Amazing? That's a very nice word...
***QUOTE DISCLAIMER: "Whatever" is often used by Squall of FF8. ***
***Headmaster Kyle's "Ah, I'm getting too old for this" is also said by Headmaster Cid in FF8.***
Review.... or else. D I'll sic Picard the freeloader on you.
Picard: Yeah... whatever. *drinking a Mountain Dew and playing Zelda video games*
Picard! Go... sic em or something!
Picard: blah blah review blah blah....
So much for that...
