Hey! I Could Be A Messenger From Hyne, Ya Know!-
A Misadventurous Romance Story
Chapter Two-The Message From Hell
AN~Sorry, this is still making me laugh. After a bit of a slow-starting first chapter, I'm moving along with the funnier parts, now. Thanks to those who have reviewed(if anyone has, I'm not on FF.net right now). Thus, I dedicate this chapter to you. ~tigerofthewind~
I was NOT about to be upshoted by an asshole. It had taken me at least an hour to get all the gum off of my dress. As it went, I wasn't even sure where the cause of my enmity had started from. I was always picked on by the other students, being called 'ditzy' and 'bimbo-bitch' and other nasty things that I'm sure they whispered at me when I wasn't looking or listening.
So why would ONE person make me so angry? Well, I didn't like the fact that he had outsmarted me. Man, that wasn't FAIR! He played dirty!
Well, I'd think of something good to get him back with.(I wonder if I could get any stuff out of the student records........)
I wasn't exactly a whiz with computers like Squall, but I knew my way around. Before long, I was hacking into Garden's student profiles.
"Selph! What are you DOING?!"(Darn it! Why'd stupid Zell have to show up right now, anyway?! Couldn't he see I was busy?!"You can't hack into the school's database! Squall'd lay an egg or something if he found out!"
The thought of Squall laying an egg, or laying anything in general, caused me to burst into giggles. A few of my students looked up from the test they were taking, and snickered. I hoped that no one heard about my hacking. That would be superly suck-ass.
"Fine, fine."I logged off of my account(BoOyaKaBooM!), and turned around to face Zell. As per his custom, a hot dog was his Ehrgeisz-clad hands."Should you be eating one of your own kind?"I asked, gesturing towards what once had used to be a fraction of a pig. Zell glared at me.
"I just needed to borrow your electric pencil-sharpener, damn,"he muttered. I shoved it across the desk towards him, laughing at his own job of teaching the junior classmen until lunch break."Hyne, one of the girls finger-painted all over the back row of computers, then little Eleis shoved three crayons into the sharpener and now it's jammed........"
He sounded older than what he actually was. I did have to admit, teaching little kids was something I never envisioned Zell doing with his life. Of course, he did his martial-arts classes in the evening, but I figured that maybe Quisty would take on the younger kids............nope. I couldn't see that, either. I could see it as something Rinoa would do, if she ever became an instructor. Maybe even me, I like kids.
"Sorry, Zell."Suddenly, I grabbed my Strange Vision from underneath my desk and smacked at a girl's hand traveling across the aisle to her friend. A folded-up piece of paper flew across the room in an arc. Everyone's favorite Chickenwuss looked a bit taken aback.
I found the whacking method pretty efficient, actually. After accidentally hitting myself with my nunchaku during my training, I know how much it hurts. And thus, the note-passing stops.
Zell snarfed down the hot dog in a gulp that would have made a Malboro proud. Then, tossing the wrapper into the trashcan near my desk, he waved and headed out the door.
He was a funny one, actually. Apart from being a total loser and a pig, I think I could like him. He's great to laugh at."OHHHHH, HYYYYYYYNE!!!!!!!!"
And he'd just realized that he'd left the junior classmen all alone in his absence.
On of the girls looked up from her test."Erm........what's wrong with Instructor Dincht?"
I grinned."Maybe he's laying an egg."Laughter all around.
Suddenly, the door to my room swished open. I was busy hacking away at the directory again, so I didn't look up. "Zell, what---"
".........Selphie."I spun around, quickly shutting off the monitor to my comp.
"Oh! Hi, Quisty! What's wrong?"I don't know why I asked. Quisty's face ALWAYS looks like that.
But today, something actually WAS wrong."Bit of disturbing news. Step outside, please."
"But I've got class, and---"
"It'll only take a second."Rather reluctantly, I abandoned my chair and followed Quisty out into the hall. As the doors swished shut behind us, I heard the faint noise of hurried whispers.
"What? They're taking a test."
"..............Esthar's built a Garden."
".........................................WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"Quistis quickly beckoned at me for quiet.
"Shhhh, shhhh. We don't want word to get around. Squall's doing research on it, and sending a letter to Laguna about what the hell it is they're doing. Garden's are neutral territory, so we can't sack them for anything yet, but........."
She paused, as if she were trying to think of a way to rephrase something so it didn't sound so bad.".............The only problem is............well, Seifer's the Commander of the new Garden."
(What?! NO WAY!) I couldn't think. That was impossible, wasn't it?! Well, I couldn't say that. It had been over a year since the stuff with Ultimecia. There definitely would have been enough time to build a new Garden, and with Esthar's technology............."What are we supposed to do, Quisty? Man, this is BAD!"
"Well, you know how Gardens are privately funded, right? Well, the first thing we want to do is to find out who's funding this Garden. That's why, we need a spy."
"A sp---"I stopped and saluted, as 'Commander Leonheart' suddenly came walking up behind Quistis. She turned and saluted, too.
"Good morning, Commander,"said Quistis, all formal-like. I like that tone. It makes me envision a giant stick up her bum. Even Squall looked a bit amused. I, however, went for a different approach.
"Mornin', Squall!"I said cheerfully, and he laughed. Not very loudly, but laughed nonetheless.
"And to you, Selphie,"he said, staring at Quistis so she would get the message. Suddenly, he grew official."Tilmitt. I have an assignment for you."
"An assignment? But I'm not a SeeD, and---"
"Yes, she's an instructor,"added Quistis, looking as confused as I felt. Squall shrugged.
"Are you listening, or not? Selphie, I want you to infiltrate Esthar Garden, find out who is funding it, and tell us of any illegal actions that they might be preparing to initiate."His expression darkened, until he looked more like the Squall I had known when we first had met."If Seifer's in charge, then that makes things a little more diffucult for us. That means Esthar's gotta be up to something---he wouldn't just do this on his own."
"Erm........but what am I supposed to do?"I piped up, looking at them anxiously. I had to admit it, I was nervous. Squall and Quisty looked like they were about to tie themselves up in knots, like the people I had seen on TV.
"Tilmitt, you are to pose as a SeeD instructor applying to Esthar Garden, gather reliable information on the subjects we've brought to your attention, and relay the information back to us. I've booked you a train across the Horizon Bridge---next train won't be for a week, so you'd better get moving."He nodded at me."Good luck."
And then he walked away, just like that! If wind and a tumbleweed had blown by where Quistis and I had been standing, I wouldn't have been surprised."Well, jeez. He coulda just said that I was a spy."
And Quisty and I burst out laughing.
**************************************************************************** ***************
"The message from hell?"Irvine asked me, after I had finished telling him my story."Sounds bad."
"It was."We were sitting at a table in the cafeteria, me trying to eat something and not die of nervousness before I left on the train. It was hard. Ever since Squall had told me of my newest mission, something had been bothering me. It wasn't the mission itself, covert ops and disguises and stuff weren't any trouble to me.
Maybe I just ate too many hot dogs.
"Well..........."Irvy looked a bit embarrassed as we stood up to leave."............Nothin' left but to be careful, I guess."
That was his way of saying:'I'm worried about you. Don't get yourself hurt.'
See? I knew him pretty well. Together, we headed out of the cafeteria. Just as we were about to make a right turn to head to the front gate, that's when the thought occured to me. I smacked myself on the forehead(which hurt a lot, now that I think about it) and made a left instead, heading for the elevator that led to Squall's office(formerly Headmaster Cid's office, but he prefered to make the sub-basement downstairs into his office).
"Duh!"I shouted to Irvine."HOW can they expect me to do this?!"He was baffled, but I knew what I was talking about."SQUALL!!!"I bellowed, bursting through the door to his office. He'd been looking through some papers with a expression that was both bored and tired on his face, but when I flew in, he looked up with a worried frown.
"Selphie? Is something wrong? If you don't hurry, you'll miss your train-- -"
"I can't do it!"I shouted at him, my happy-go-lucky demeanor vanishing for an instant."Didn't you guys think that Seifer might see through this?! I mean, he KNOWS I'm a student here, for Hyne's sake!"
Squall shrugged."Who else can I send? It's not a matter of competence, Selphie---it just seems like out of all of us, you're the one who Seifer doesn't really know that well---or hate. Chances are, it'll be someone of a smaller ranking who interviews the instructors, anyway. I'm just saying, you might not be recognized. And if you are, then pretend like your loyalties have gone from Balamb to elsewhere."
Irvine clearly had no idea what was going on. Tipping his hat at the two of us, he took his leave."But Squall,"I protested,"I JUST saw him, yesterday! He was in FH with Fujin and Raijin. You mean to tell me that he knew what was going on the whole time, and didn't even gloat?"
Squall looked interested."Really? Then that means for sure they're hiding something, if they would keep Esthar Garden such a secret up until now."He shook his head firmly."Sorry, Selphie. You've GOT to go on this mission. I don't care what you have to do to succeed, but make sure that you do."He turned his attention back to the papers. "Dismissed."
"But I---"
"DISMISSED."His tone clearly said that the matter was settled. Defeated, I headed downstairs from his office and borrowed one of the cars from the Balamb parking lot. Still brooding, I drove down to Balamb Station.
"One ticket for the one-way trip across the Horizon Bridge,"I said mutely, drawing a laugh from the ticket salesman.
"One-way, hunh? You got a death wish, or something? There ain't nothing there but plains and dangerous monsters. Most people go for the view of the Great Salt Lake. If you're hopin' to get into Esthar, forgeddaboutit. They don't let anyone but those techno-freaks though."
"Techno-freaks?"I was suddenly interested. Happy to be able pass through gossip, the ticketseller leaned closer to me confidentially.
"Yeah, those people from that place on the Horizon Bridge. You know, Fisherman's Horizon. Heard a bunch of them packed up and went to Esthar not long ago."
(Yeah, but I wonder why? To keep up maintenance on the Garden? To even, finish building it?)"Well, I'm not from FH."I thought quickly."Ummm, I'm just going camping for a few days. I'll pick up another ticket on the other side of the Bridge."
He seemed to buy it(yes!). Shrugging disinterestedly and ruffling his paper back up, he idly shoved a train ticket in my direction. It smelled of badly cooked Balamb fish. I hated to imagine the noises that he made when there wasn't the hustle and bustle of Balamb to drown them out.
I wished that I could take the SeeD private car. But since I was supposed to be going incognito, I had to pass. Instead, I walked up and down the length of the train, singing my little 'Train, train, take us away' song.
Truthfully, I wanted to be a musician someday.
Finally, the train pulled into Esthar. I desperately wanted to make a report to Squall about what I'd heard from the ticketseller, but I didn't dare risk it with all those people around. One woman was already looking at me oddly because of my song.
I went one way, the tourists went another. They were headed for the Great Salk Lake, which was boring in its entirety; I was heading...........
I didn't know. Squall never told me where the location of this 'Esthar Garden' was. Well, no sweat. I could just send a transmission to Squall and ask him the rough location of the new Garden, and............
"Ack!"Before I could pull out my laptop, a giant Malboro appeared, drooling out of it's red, spike-teethed mouth and waving around it's sickly- looking green tentacles.(Oh no!) That one thought had time to run through my mind before a nasty greenish-black gas came zooming for me, and---
"Ow!"It spit on me! But where was it? They were everywhere..........."Ow!"This time, I hit myself with my own nunchaku. The aftereffects of Sleep and Confuse wore off. But oh, I was so MAD!!!
I started hitting like a maniac, but I couldn't stop! Not even to cast Esuna(which I couldn't because I was Silenced) or to use a Remedy! Plus, I didn't even cast a Cure spell on myself!
On more hit, and it would finish me off. Poison was slowly coursing it's way through my body............ My feet and torso and the greater part of my arms were turned to stone.............
Oh, great! I was gonna die before I even started my mission, and all because I forgot to Junction before I went out!
Something flew from out of nowhere and hit the Malboro. I could barely see it, because the stupid thing had cast Blind on me, too. I was gonna make it pay, even if it was the last thing I did.............
I was Berserked, too, of course. The thing darted around and hit it again. Maybe it was because I couldn't see straight, but from my point of view, it was the fastest thing I'd ever seen. The Malboro screamed in anger(and maybe pain, I hoped it was pain because I was so MAD!).
It screeched and fell to the ground, so I could believe that it was dead. But the instincts in me still wanted to fight, so I targeted the thing that had prevented my untimely demise!
Luckily, it blocked my attack. I think I woulda felt bad if I had killed it."Hyne, Tilmitt, take it easy!"
What? I knew that voice........ Whatever it was, it cast Esuna on me. I dropped to me knees, using Recover as fast as I could. Man, that was nice. I'd forgotten what it had felt like to be status-free........ Shaking my head to clear any cobwebs that might have built there, I climbed to my feet.
It was Seifer. I jumped to my feet in a flash, drawing my Strange Vision again. He gave me a clearly disgusted look."They send you all the way out here, and you can't even fend off a lousy Malboro?"
"Butthead,"I muttered, but I was ever-so-unfortunately in his debt, and thus I put my nunchaku away. Then, remembering the mission, I added:"No one sent me."
"Right."He gave his 'I'm-totally-righteous' smirk."Don't tell me you came out here for the view. Admit it, puberty boy and the headmaster sent you out here to spy on me."
"You think I'd actually do it?"I bluffed, managing to sound angry and not scared that my cover would be blown. "When I truly can't stand you? Not for all the gil in the world, butthead!"
He seemed to contemplate that for a second. Then, he crossed his arms stubbornly over his chest."Then, explain. Don't tell me you've never seen the Great Salt Lake before, because I know you have."
"Erm........."How was I supposed to get into Esthar Garden again?! Man, not now!"..........I came for a job as an Instructor, that's all."
The smirk again."Sure ya did, Tilmitt. Like I'd let you apply, anyway. Send a spy right into the heart of my operations? Hah!"
"Oh, so you WERE up to something bad!"I had him there. It gave me great satisfaction, I will admit, to see him splutter and try to save himself from the hole he had dug.
"What---no, I--- Ah, forget it."He shrugged."Fine. I'll let ya apply. But only because we don't have a nunchaku specialist, yet. But there's somethin' I wanna know, first. Why'd ya do it? Leave Balamb to head out here? Chickenwuss piss you off one too many times, or somethin'?"
I thought hard. I don't know why I hadn't thought of this before. I mean, it's not like I'd thought that he'd just come straight out, tell me everything I needed to know, and I could take the train back home with a full report. No questions asked."............I got tired of everyone not believing in me."As I spoke, I was surprised to find out that part of me was actually telling the truth. Woah! Megaly-weird, hunh?"Squall wasn't giving me enough shots to try and prove myself. I was tired of being an instructor who only taught her students through books. I think kids should have hands-on training."
"Hmm........"It was strange to see Seifer actually THINKING.".............Don't think I won't be keepin' an eye on you, Tilmitt. Until I know where your loyalties lie, I'm gonna be your shadow. You'll be lucky if you can take a piss without me standing outside the door banging on it and yellin' at you to hurry up."
Damn. There went one of my plans, down the drain."Fine,"I said, as bravely as I could muster."I don't have anything to hide."
And I started walking away. But as much as I didn't 'have anything to hide'............I didn't know where I was going, either.
The asshole that was Seifer started laughing."The other way, Tilmitt!"
Sighing resignedly to myself, I went to follow him.(Man),I thought.(Irvine was right. That WAS the message from hell. Now I've got to spend Hyne-knows-how-long with this butthead as my boss! Well, just you wait. Bringing down your stupid Esthar Garden is the perfect revenge!)
I laughed evilly to myself, as we headed over the Great Plains of Esthar.
AN~Well, the end of the second part! What'd everyone think? Hee, interesting plot development! Esthar's starting a Garden! Why? Don't worry, all the loose ends will tie themselves up in time! Selphie's still planning revenge! Why can't she just drop it?! Heh. Yeah, well, expect a Chapter 3 soon in the making! ~tigerofthewind~
Chapter Two-The Message From Hell
AN~Sorry, this is still making me laugh. After a bit of a slow-starting first chapter, I'm moving along with the funnier parts, now. Thanks to those who have reviewed(if anyone has, I'm not on FF.net right now). Thus, I dedicate this chapter to you. ~tigerofthewind~
I was NOT about to be upshoted by an asshole. It had taken me at least an hour to get all the gum off of my dress. As it went, I wasn't even sure where the cause of my enmity had started from. I was always picked on by the other students, being called 'ditzy' and 'bimbo-bitch' and other nasty things that I'm sure they whispered at me when I wasn't looking or listening.
So why would ONE person make me so angry? Well, I didn't like the fact that he had outsmarted me. Man, that wasn't FAIR! He played dirty!
Well, I'd think of something good to get him back with.(I wonder if I could get any stuff out of the student records........)
I wasn't exactly a whiz with computers like Squall, but I knew my way around. Before long, I was hacking into Garden's student profiles.
"Selph! What are you DOING?!"(Darn it! Why'd stupid Zell have to show up right now, anyway?! Couldn't he see I was busy?!"You can't hack into the school's database! Squall'd lay an egg or something if he found out!"
The thought of Squall laying an egg, or laying anything in general, caused me to burst into giggles. A few of my students looked up from the test they were taking, and snickered. I hoped that no one heard about my hacking. That would be superly suck-ass.
"Fine, fine."I logged off of my account(BoOyaKaBooM!), and turned around to face Zell. As per his custom, a hot dog was his Ehrgeisz-clad hands."Should you be eating one of your own kind?"I asked, gesturing towards what once had used to be a fraction of a pig. Zell glared at me.
"I just needed to borrow your electric pencil-sharpener, damn,"he muttered. I shoved it across the desk towards him, laughing at his own job of teaching the junior classmen until lunch break."Hyne, one of the girls finger-painted all over the back row of computers, then little Eleis shoved three crayons into the sharpener and now it's jammed........"
He sounded older than what he actually was. I did have to admit, teaching little kids was something I never envisioned Zell doing with his life. Of course, he did his martial-arts classes in the evening, but I figured that maybe Quisty would take on the younger kids............nope. I couldn't see that, either. I could see it as something Rinoa would do, if she ever became an instructor. Maybe even me, I like kids.
"Sorry, Zell."Suddenly, I grabbed my Strange Vision from underneath my desk and smacked at a girl's hand traveling across the aisle to her friend. A folded-up piece of paper flew across the room in an arc. Everyone's favorite Chickenwuss looked a bit taken aback.
I found the whacking method pretty efficient, actually. After accidentally hitting myself with my nunchaku during my training, I know how much it hurts. And thus, the note-passing stops.
Zell snarfed down the hot dog in a gulp that would have made a Malboro proud. Then, tossing the wrapper into the trashcan near my desk, he waved and headed out the door.
He was a funny one, actually. Apart from being a total loser and a pig, I think I could like him. He's great to laugh at."OHHHHH, HYYYYYYYNE!!!!!!!!"
And he'd just realized that he'd left the junior classmen all alone in his absence.
On of the girls looked up from her test."Erm........what's wrong with Instructor Dincht?"
I grinned."Maybe he's laying an egg."Laughter all around.
Suddenly, the door to my room swished open. I was busy hacking away at the directory again, so I didn't look up. "Zell, what---"
".........Selphie."I spun around, quickly shutting off the monitor to my comp.
"Oh! Hi, Quisty! What's wrong?"I don't know why I asked. Quisty's face ALWAYS looks like that.
But today, something actually WAS wrong."Bit of disturbing news. Step outside, please."
"But I've got class, and---"
"It'll only take a second."Rather reluctantly, I abandoned my chair and followed Quisty out into the hall. As the doors swished shut behind us, I heard the faint noise of hurried whispers.
"What? They're taking a test."
"..............Esthar's built a Garden."
".........................................WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"Quistis quickly beckoned at me for quiet.
"Shhhh, shhhh. We don't want word to get around. Squall's doing research on it, and sending a letter to Laguna about what the hell it is they're doing. Garden's are neutral territory, so we can't sack them for anything yet, but........."
She paused, as if she were trying to think of a way to rephrase something so it didn't sound so bad.".............The only problem is............well, Seifer's the Commander of the new Garden."
(What?! NO WAY!) I couldn't think. That was impossible, wasn't it?! Well, I couldn't say that. It had been over a year since the stuff with Ultimecia. There definitely would have been enough time to build a new Garden, and with Esthar's technology............."What are we supposed to do, Quisty? Man, this is BAD!"
"Well, you know how Gardens are privately funded, right? Well, the first thing we want to do is to find out who's funding this Garden. That's why, we need a spy."
"A sp---"I stopped and saluted, as 'Commander Leonheart' suddenly came walking up behind Quistis. She turned and saluted, too.
"Good morning, Commander,"said Quistis, all formal-like. I like that tone. It makes me envision a giant stick up her bum. Even Squall looked a bit amused. I, however, went for a different approach.
"Mornin', Squall!"I said cheerfully, and he laughed. Not very loudly, but laughed nonetheless.
"And to you, Selphie,"he said, staring at Quistis so she would get the message. Suddenly, he grew official."Tilmitt. I have an assignment for you."
"An assignment? But I'm not a SeeD, and---"
"Yes, she's an instructor,"added Quistis, looking as confused as I felt. Squall shrugged.
"Are you listening, or not? Selphie, I want you to infiltrate Esthar Garden, find out who is funding it, and tell us of any illegal actions that they might be preparing to initiate."His expression darkened, until he looked more like the Squall I had known when we first had met."If Seifer's in charge, then that makes things a little more diffucult for us. That means Esthar's gotta be up to something---he wouldn't just do this on his own."
"Erm........but what am I supposed to do?"I piped up, looking at them anxiously. I had to admit it, I was nervous. Squall and Quisty looked like they were about to tie themselves up in knots, like the people I had seen on TV.
"Tilmitt, you are to pose as a SeeD instructor applying to Esthar Garden, gather reliable information on the subjects we've brought to your attention, and relay the information back to us. I've booked you a train across the Horizon Bridge---next train won't be for a week, so you'd better get moving."He nodded at me."Good luck."
And then he walked away, just like that! If wind and a tumbleweed had blown by where Quistis and I had been standing, I wouldn't have been surprised."Well, jeez. He coulda just said that I was a spy."
And Quisty and I burst out laughing.
**************************************************************************** ***************
"The message from hell?"Irvine asked me, after I had finished telling him my story."Sounds bad."
"It was."We were sitting at a table in the cafeteria, me trying to eat something and not die of nervousness before I left on the train. It was hard. Ever since Squall had told me of my newest mission, something had been bothering me. It wasn't the mission itself, covert ops and disguises and stuff weren't any trouble to me.
Maybe I just ate too many hot dogs.
"Well..........."Irvy looked a bit embarrassed as we stood up to leave."............Nothin' left but to be careful, I guess."
That was his way of saying:'I'm worried about you. Don't get yourself hurt.'
See? I knew him pretty well. Together, we headed out of the cafeteria. Just as we were about to make a right turn to head to the front gate, that's when the thought occured to me. I smacked myself on the forehead(which hurt a lot, now that I think about it) and made a left instead, heading for the elevator that led to Squall's office(formerly Headmaster Cid's office, but he prefered to make the sub-basement downstairs into his office).
"Duh!"I shouted to Irvine."HOW can they expect me to do this?!"He was baffled, but I knew what I was talking about."SQUALL!!!"I bellowed, bursting through the door to his office. He'd been looking through some papers with a expression that was both bored and tired on his face, but when I flew in, he looked up with a worried frown.
"Selphie? Is something wrong? If you don't hurry, you'll miss your train-- -"
"I can't do it!"I shouted at him, my happy-go-lucky demeanor vanishing for an instant."Didn't you guys think that Seifer might see through this?! I mean, he KNOWS I'm a student here, for Hyne's sake!"
Squall shrugged."Who else can I send? It's not a matter of competence, Selphie---it just seems like out of all of us, you're the one who Seifer doesn't really know that well---or hate. Chances are, it'll be someone of a smaller ranking who interviews the instructors, anyway. I'm just saying, you might not be recognized. And if you are, then pretend like your loyalties have gone from Balamb to elsewhere."
Irvine clearly had no idea what was going on. Tipping his hat at the two of us, he took his leave."But Squall,"I protested,"I JUST saw him, yesterday! He was in FH with Fujin and Raijin. You mean to tell me that he knew what was going on the whole time, and didn't even gloat?"
Squall looked interested."Really? Then that means for sure they're hiding something, if they would keep Esthar Garden such a secret up until now."He shook his head firmly."Sorry, Selphie. You've GOT to go on this mission. I don't care what you have to do to succeed, but make sure that you do."He turned his attention back to the papers. "Dismissed."
"But I---"
"DISMISSED."His tone clearly said that the matter was settled. Defeated, I headed downstairs from his office and borrowed one of the cars from the Balamb parking lot. Still brooding, I drove down to Balamb Station.
"One ticket for the one-way trip across the Horizon Bridge,"I said mutely, drawing a laugh from the ticket salesman.
"One-way, hunh? You got a death wish, or something? There ain't nothing there but plains and dangerous monsters. Most people go for the view of the Great Salt Lake. If you're hopin' to get into Esthar, forgeddaboutit. They don't let anyone but those techno-freaks though."
"Techno-freaks?"I was suddenly interested. Happy to be able pass through gossip, the ticketseller leaned closer to me confidentially.
"Yeah, those people from that place on the Horizon Bridge. You know, Fisherman's Horizon. Heard a bunch of them packed up and went to Esthar not long ago."
(Yeah, but I wonder why? To keep up maintenance on the Garden? To even, finish building it?)"Well, I'm not from FH."I thought quickly."Ummm, I'm just going camping for a few days. I'll pick up another ticket on the other side of the Bridge."
He seemed to buy it(yes!). Shrugging disinterestedly and ruffling his paper back up, he idly shoved a train ticket in my direction. It smelled of badly cooked Balamb fish. I hated to imagine the noises that he made when there wasn't the hustle and bustle of Balamb to drown them out.
I wished that I could take the SeeD private car. But since I was supposed to be going incognito, I had to pass. Instead, I walked up and down the length of the train, singing my little 'Train, train, take us away' song.
Truthfully, I wanted to be a musician someday.
Finally, the train pulled into Esthar. I desperately wanted to make a report to Squall about what I'd heard from the ticketseller, but I didn't dare risk it with all those people around. One woman was already looking at me oddly because of my song.
I went one way, the tourists went another. They were headed for the Great Salk Lake, which was boring in its entirety; I was heading...........
I didn't know. Squall never told me where the location of this 'Esthar Garden' was. Well, no sweat. I could just send a transmission to Squall and ask him the rough location of the new Garden, and............
"Ack!"Before I could pull out my laptop, a giant Malboro appeared, drooling out of it's red, spike-teethed mouth and waving around it's sickly- looking green tentacles.(Oh no!) That one thought had time to run through my mind before a nasty greenish-black gas came zooming for me, and---
"Ow!"It spit on me! But where was it? They were everywhere..........."Ow!"This time, I hit myself with my own nunchaku. The aftereffects of Sleep and Confuse wore off. But oh, I was so MAD!!!
I started hitting like a maniac, but I couldn't stop! Not even to cast Esuna(which I couldn't because I was Silenced) or to use a Remedy! Plus, I didn't even cast a Cure spell on myself!
On more hit, and it would finish me off. Poison was slowly coursing it's way through my body............ My feet and torso and the greater part of my arms were turned to stone.............
Oh, great! I was gonna die before I even started my mission, and all because I forgot to Junction before I went out!
Something flew from out of nowhere and hit the Malboro. I could barely see it, because the stupid thing had cast Blind on me, too. I was gonna make it pay, even if it was the last thing I did.............
I was Berserked, too, of course. The thing darted around and hit it again. Maybe it was because I couldn't see straight, but from my point of view, it was the fastest thing I'd ever seen. The Malboro screamed in anger(and maybe pain, I hoped it was pain because I was so MAD!).
It screeched and fell to the ground, so I could believe that it was dead. But the instincts in me still wanted to fight, so I targeted the thing that had prevented my untimely demise!
Luckily, it blocked my attack. I think I woulda felt bad if I had killed it."Hyne, Tilmitt, take it easy!"
What? I knew that voice........ Whatever it was, it cast Esuna on me. I dropped to me knees, using Recover as fast as I could. Man, that was nice. I'd forgotten what it had felt like to be status-free........ Shaking my head to clear any cobwebs that might have built there, I climbed to my feet.
It was Seifer. I jumped to my feet in a flash, drawing my Strange Vision again. He gave me a clearly disgusted look."They send you all the way out here, and you can't even fend off a lousy Malboro?"
"Butthead,"I muttered, but I was ever-so-unfortunately in his debt, and thus I put my nunchaku away. Then, remembering the mission, I added:"No one sent me."
"Right."He gave his 'I'm-totally-righteous' smirk."Don't tell me you came out here for the view. Admit it, puberty boy and the headmaster sent you out here to spy on me."
"You think I'd actually do it?"I bluffed, managing to sound angry and not scared that my cover would be blown. "When I truly can't stand you? Not for all the gil in the world, butthead!"
He seemed to contemplate that for a second. Then, he crossed his arms stubbornly over his chest."Then, explain. Don't tell me you've never seen the Great Salt Lake before, because I know you have."
"Erm........."How was I supposed to get into Esthar Garden again?! Man, not now!"..........I came for a job as an Instructor, that's all."
The smirk again."Sure ya did, Tilmitt. Like I'd let you apply, anyway. Send a spy right into the heart of my operations? Hah!"
"Oh, so you WERE up to something bad!"I had him there. It gave me great satisfaction, I will admit, to see him splutter and try to save himself from the hole he had dug.
"What---no, I--- Ah, forget it."He shrugged."Fine. I'll let ya apply. But only because we don't have a nunchaku specialist, yet. But there's somethin' I wanna know, first. Why'd ya do it? Leave Balamb to head out here? Chickenwuss piss you off one too many times, or somethin'?"
I thought hard. I don't know why I hadn't thought of this before. I mean, it's not like I'd thought that he'd just come straight out, tell me everything I needed to know, and I could take the train back home with a full report. No questions asked."............I got tired of everyone not believing in me."As I spoke, I was surprised to find out that part of me was actually telling the truth. Woah! Megaly-weird, hunh?"Squall wasn't giving me enough shots to try and prove myself. I was tired of being an instructor who only taught her students through books. I think kids should have hands-on training."
"Hmm........"It was strange to see Seifer actually THINKING.".............Don't think I won't be keepin' an eye on you, Tilmitt. Until I know where your loyalties lie, I'm gonna be your shadow. You'll be lucky if you can take a piss without me standing outside the door banging on it and yellin' at you to hurry up."
Damn. There went one of my plans, down the drain."Fine,"I said, as bravely as I could muster."I don't have anything to hide."
And I started walking away. But as much as I didn't 'have anything to hide'............I didn't know where I was going, either.
The asshole that was Seifer started laughing."The other way, Tilmitt!"
Sighing resignedly to myself, I went to follow him.(Man),I thought.(Irvine was right. That WAS the message from hell. Now I've got to spend Hyne-knows-how-long with this butthead as my boss! Well, just you wait. Bringing down your stupid Esthar Garden is the perfect revenge!)
I laughed evilly to myself, as we headed over the Great Plains of Esthar.
AN~Well, the end of the second part! What'd everyone think? Hee, interesting plot development! Esthar's starting a Garden! Why? Don't worry, all the loose ends will tie themselves up in time! Selphie's still planning revenge! Why can't she just drop it?! Heh. Yeah, well, expect a Chapter 3 soon in the making! ~tigerofthewind~