Ch 5, Hall pass
Getting to the Caraway Mansion was one thing, getting inside was another matter. It started as any other routine exchange with a subordinate.
The six SeeDs (counting Rinoa) proudly declared themselves. Galbania's soldier nodded in a business-like manner and stood at parade rest, feet shoulder-width apart and hands clasped behind his back.
"I see. General Caraway anticipates your arrival as per successful negotiations with Garden. However..." The teens instinctively groaned. "There has already been one case earlier today of individuals claiming to serve Garden's interests attempting to breach high-security areas. Whether they actually did originate from Garden is unclear, but they were certainly not the SeeD team under contract. General Caraway is not a fool; naturally he has taken precautions."
Those who had stayed awake now yawned. It had nothing to do with them if someone used Garden's name to sneak around - - whether it was another liberating rebel or some lone initiative, conflicting factions were all over the place. One more player on the stage meant nothing to them....
"What do you want us to do?" Quistis continued. "We're covert, uniform-free for a reason, and certainly no ID we carry would mark us as agents."
"That's alright. You'll just do something that proves you are who you claim to be - - through skill. The Tomb of the Unknown King is a large monument north of town; go there and bring back proof of making it all the way inside." The adult folded his arms and waited as if the kids were supposed to scurry off just because he said to.
"Good thing one of us has already been there."
They all turned to Vash, including the guard. "Well? Find any treasure there?"
"Yes, there was this beautiful waterfall right in the center of the cavern, and it made me want to just sit there for hours. Plus there was the satisfaction of helping a wise soul in need...."
"Uh, he means treasure as in loot. Boo-tay!" Selphie clarified.
"Oh. The only material things I found were these gifts." He brought out cards with four numbers and the pictures of Minotaur and Sacred. "Are they valuable? Do these count?"
Zell and Squall looked on hungrily at the Triple Triad aces. The guard couldn't care less. "I don't take interest in cards," he sniffed. "Spend thousands of gil assembling a good deck and then you might as well flush it down the toilet once the next game comes out. It's a bigger racket than the gambling market, I tell you."
Quistis' temper wasn't faring too well. "Who cares! If going to the Tomb won't prove anything what do you want from us?"
"Something only a SeeD would be able to do," he assured. "How about... capture the Tonberry King?"
"Are you serious?"
"Are you saying you can't do it?" he challenged back.
"On the tiny chance we are who we are, don't you think it's more important for us to get in a planning session with the general as soon as possible without your hindrance?" Quistis steamed.
"Hmph. Well, if you are really SeeDs you could... prove the existence of UFOs photographed in Unexplained Mysteries and Occult Fan magazines!"
The teens just fumed. "What do you expect us to do, chase around those fields with weird crop circles while we wave around Elixirs as bait?"
Zell stepped up. "Let me make this clear." For this occasion he chose to do a mob goon impression. Go Zell! He jerked a thumb at Quistis and smiled toothily to the security guard. "The lady sez you's tha nuisance-type obstacle what's standin' in between us and our objective. Dis ain't exactly a clever-type position fa youze ta be in."
"Okay, okay, I give! I'll call it a guarantee if you ... bring the Black Materia."
The most peaceable among them was close to letting go. Vash felt an intoxicating upsurge of power, a pure pulse through his cells. Any minute now his body would start glowing, and then consciousness would be borne away into blackness. The last time that had happened his right arm had leveled a whole city to rubble and blown apart half of the fifth moon. The world he grew up on- - some had forgiven him but none could forget.
"( No, not here. )"
Don't fight it, murmured a voice as deep as a canyon and as rich as earth itself.
"( No...)"
Ride this out. It'll take care of all your problems.
"( Please... don't... )" The godlike one gave a helpless plea. If the voice had had a physical form, he would beg on his knees and hold on with all he had.
At the very least, you would not be further troubled by this ... mortal.
"( Let- this- stop- now! )"
But vision closed in leaving only a tight narrow tunnel connecting his sight to this world. Soon Vash's cells would begin to glow in consuming nuclear fusion.
Instead his body was wrenched from the physical plane entirely-- no longer part of this dimension! What was going on?
The ground beneath where he had stood rippled upward, and a ten foot dome of earth and sidewalk supporting the security guard elevated - - thanks to the Shrine Brothers below. On their hands the half-sphere lowered for more momentum and then hurtled into the sky. The guardian forces watched its vertical flight with smug satisfaction. And now the brothers engaged in a family ritual as old as time to see who would finish off the deed - - rock paper scissors. Bigger, younger Minotaur lost the flip to smaller yet more impressive Sacred. "Every time," he groaned. Sacred laughed, cupped his hands, and Minotaur stepped a hoofed foot in so he could launch. His punch rocketed through the midair disk, crumbling it.
Vash came to and found no actual destruction to the sidewalk or street. Thanks to dimensional overlap the only thing truly affected was - - the Galbanian soldier! The legendary gunman rushed forward to check vitals.
The guard was still conscious and also able to stand on his own. The two guardian forces roared amusement in Vash's head. He could feel them giving a high five in there.
The guard was as dazed as having a slug in the jaw but that was all. "I believe you; you can pass."
Told you we'd take care of troubles from him, the GFs chuckled.
* * * * * * * *
Da author: 01/23 Not much to say here 'cept I'm glad you're still reading, whoever you are, and that the chapters titles have taken on a school theme again for some reason. You know what's next- homecoming.
