Disclaimer, the places or people in this fanfiction do not belong to me (except Gem Darkheart) all characters etc belong to someone else. (But I want them!)
No work on this day.
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP-
"Ugh..." She groans, rolling over and consequently, off the bed. It was the next morning, and with all of her long trek the day before, she felt as if she hadn't had enough sleep. She lets her shoulders sag and face rest against the cold, rather uncomfortable carpet that was her floor. Although she had had no nightmares, she had not slept too well. Hauling herself to her feet, she looks around for a hairbrush.
It didn't matter how many times she woke up, there was always something bad to wake up to, and that always annoyed her. As her gaze scans the room, she notes how bleak and uninteresting everything is, no pictures, no items, nothing. Not even any movies or books. Her room mate a CD player, along with CDs and some paperwork. Obviously she didn't feel comfortable in the grey room, seeing as there wasn't a spare inch on her walls that wasn't covered by some kind of photograph or picture.
Groaning, she raises a hand to her forehead in exasperation. Although Selphie had been kind enough to take her clothes shopping, basic items like a hairbrush, or toothpaste had been unhelpfully forgotten, which left her in a minor situation.
With no idea how to earn money around her Garden life, she pushes the thought away for now, borrowing her room mate's belongings fore now.
The girl she was with seemed to keep her distance from the temperamental femme, which was understandable and desirable. With soft silver/blue hair and warm sapphire blue eyes, the medium built girl seemed to have a few friends, to which she always hung out with, so she didn't see much of her.
Quickly heading to the shower and letting the cold spray wash over her, she ponders on the future. She always had cold showers; it made her appreciate the warm ones. Besides, she was a naturally cold person, so a cold shower suited her just fine. Once she's done, she wraps a towel firmly around her body and goes to get dressed. Once she's done, she checks the time.
8:13
Oh dear.
Quickly tying up her boots, she bolts from the room, grabbing her key card on the way. She was supposed to be in the classroom at 8:15, so she had to run. Streaming up to the second floor, she slides into a seat at the back left corner, she rests her back against the wall and puts her feet on the chair beside her, preventing anyone from sitting beside her. Not long after having entered, a fairly young woman walks in, wearing SeeD uniform and carrying some papers. Her hair was quite long and blond, done up into some kind of intricate bun. She had glasses and a commanding air about her. She seemed quite nice, and from the looks of things, she knew the book, and nobody could successfully screw her around. She introduces herself as Quistis Trepe, and began the introductory lesson.
Period 1
Period 2
Period 3
Period 4
Period 5
Period 6
Monday
Weapon
Weapon
Weapon
Weapon
Free
Free
Tuesday
Magic
Magic
Weapon
Weapon
Free
Free
Wednesday
Weapon
Weapon
Magic
Magic
Gymnastics
Gymnastics
Thursday
History
Geography
Psychology
Psychology
Free
Free
Friday
Art
Art
Art
Art
Gymnastics
Gymnastics
"Sit down please class. Thank you. Before we start, anyone who's surname begins with any letter from A through L please remain here, all others, go to the room across the hall."
At her words, quite a few people switch classrooms, many entering and many leaving. The chair beside Gem remains unoccupied, and Gem herself simply waits for the room to fill with its correct occupants.
"Now, everyone sure they are in the correct room? Good. My name is Quistis Trepe, and I will introduce you into your timetables and answer any questions you may have. This lesson will be three hours long, which is quite unusual, but this is all for you."
She clears her throat and starts the register. Once she's done, she indicates the panels before them.
"Please enter your names into the space provided. This will be your personal computer, and these will be your seats whenever you enter this classroom for a lesson like this, which won't come often, the beginnings and ends of terms alone. Once you have entered your full name, your computer settings will come up. You may have access to the Garden information at all times, and the information can be very useful, so please read it when you have the chance. Everyone done?"
A murmer of acknowledgement fills the air for a brief period.
"Okay. Highlight the box saying 'personal settings' and you will see a box in which to enter a password. This will make sure that none but yourself can enter your files. However, that doesn't mean lock yourself out. Make sure you type something that you will remember, and make sure you have spelt it correctly."
The sound of typing is heard, and Quistis waits patiently for them all to finish.
"You should now have a lesson planner appear on your screen. There is a selection of lessons you can choose, and a variety of times. Simply move the lesson name onto the time space that you want it, and we'll see what we can do. You do have free reign over your timetables, but if things are not to our pleasing, times and lessons may be altered. Most lessons are a double period. You must have one single lesson of both geography and history, and more will be available, depending on what you wish to achieve once you finish the schooling and become SeeD. Start."
She seats herself at her desk and checks their subjects on the screen before her. Most people picked the least, and easiest subjects that they could, while others with higher goals, picked many more lessons. She picks her lessons carefully, trying to do as much as possible without over exerting herself, and so leaving a small amount of time to rest.
Gem's subjects are as shown:
That was a very full timetable, especially compared to others. Most people had four periods a day and a day off, whereas Gem didn't have any day off, any late mornings, instead, she had two full days. Today however, there would be an exception.
"If you have finished that, then begin the tests for each of your allocated subjects. They will place you in your respective sets." Quistis instructs from the front. "I will see what I can do about your chosen times and lessons, so please begin with the history and geography tests."
Gem begins her geography test, and is pleased to note, that half way through, a pop up box appeared, alerting her to the acceptance of all of her lessons.
As the instructor asks if there are any questions, and helps those who need it, Gem continues with the tests, getting a low grade in history and geography, but that was expected, seeing as all the stuff she may have been taught in school was lost from her mind. She new a little, but not nearly enough. Even so, with no mental disabilities, she manages to keep out of the bottom set. She didn't know; she wasn't stupid. She gets a similar grade for history, although magic theory she is in a middle set. Weapons theory, she did remarkably well, getting into the top set. Psychology was in the top group as well, so her groups were varied. The practical examinations wouldn't take place until the actual lessons, which would begin the next day, which was a Tuesday.
By the time she had finished all of her theory tests, it is the end of lesson, and the rest of the day is given off, so people can get used to their surroundings and get their required books and items.
Gem simply leaves the premises, she didn't know if she was allowed to take a Garden vehicle, so she talks to the man at the kiosk.
"Am I allowed to borrow a Garden vehicle please?" She asks uncertainly.
"Yes, of course you can madam. Car or bike may I ask?"
"Uhm...bike please."
She is handed a small silver key. "Number 1. The black one just over there." The man points to a cool black bike, with twin exhausts and a thin, sleek body, to which Gem walks over to.
"Thanks!"
She calls, before riding off.
She'd never ridden a motorcycle before, certainly never expected to be allowed to drive such a beautiful one as this, but she had often dreamed of doing so, had always wanted to. Despite her inexperience, she stays upright and steady, going a little bit too fast but not caring. She didn't know how she could earn money around a small place like Balamb, so she'd have to go and find out. Maybe she could find that kind woman...Mrs Dincht. She would probably lend a helping hand. With that thought in mind, she continues on down the road that led to the town.
Upon arrival, she gets quite the surprise. Quite a large mob seemed to be chasing someone through the streets. Curious and a little concerned, she locks the bike and goes to take a look.
The mob appeared to be quite an angry one, but who or what they were chasing, she couldn't see. Trying to gain a little height and find out, she starts climbing a wall and eventually she is on the roof of a building. What she sees shocks her greatly. It seemed to be a man, she couldn't tell his age but he looked around his twenties or thirties, trying to get away from the large group of people. Some had weapons, but the man had nothing. She didn't understand why they were advancing on him.
The blond haired male seemed to be hurt, he was bleeding and stumbling, but the mob kept on chasing him. His attire was that of someone who may be homeless. Ripped and torn shirt and trousers, covered in mud and grime. People yelled abuse that she didn't understand, but the blond guy obviously did, seeing as he flinched and lowered his head in shame. It was a pitiful sight. As the guy looked up, she could see a long scar that ran down his face at angle, from above his right eye to below his left, crossing the bridge of his nose.
"Sorceress' knight! Sorceress' knight!" The chant started up.
Frowning in confusion, she knew not what to do. Caught between helping the man, and leaving him. They wouldn't be doing this for no reason, but was it her place to interfere?
Stuck between what to do, she lets her instincts drive her, and she jumps from the roof of her building, kicking away a knife that had come within inches of impaling her, and the man behind her.
"Go!" She says to the guy, who just stares at her dumbly.
With his total inaction, she growls and ducks an attack, grabbing the man's arm and tugging him down a small alley. Assuming that the girl was an enemy to themselves, and an evil person because she was with him, they continue their attacking and the mob follows behind them.
Continuing to drag the unhelpful guy along with her, she pulls him around a corner, getting them well and truly lost, but hidden in the endless alleyways. Finding a very dark turning, she takes it and they stop in a dead end. Light filters in through the gap at the top, but it was still a little dark.
As soon as she stops moving, the guy pulls from her grasp and backs away.
"What are you doing!" He yells.
She says nothing, becoming cold and non reactive as she did so often after she had a nightmare.
"How can you touch me? Knowing what I am. What I've done?" His voice is a little less angry.
"Because I don't care."
"How could you not care!"
He sighs, raising disturbingly battered arms in exasperation. Looking at her intently, he frowns.
"You don't know who I am do you?" he asks quietly, a hint of disbelief in his voice.
"No. I don't. Should I?"
"Everybody knows who I am. Even kids of two years old fear me."
"You don't look all that fearsome. You just need a bath and new clothes."
The guy chuckles quietly. Gem says nothing.
"Why is the whole town trying to chop your head off then?"
"Because I was the sorceress' knight."
"What's that?" She asks, and much to her surprise, the guy laughs out loud.
"Did you hit your head or something?" He laughs.
Gem says nothing, but lowers her gaze to the floor. The man, realising that he's hit the nail on the head, is torn between laughing, crying and comforting her. It was funny, so much so that he could cry, because the only person who would talk to him, or help him, is someone who had no idea about him. The irony was unbelievable. In the end, he settles with apologising quietly, only a little arrogance in his words.
He shakes his head, and she raises her icy gaze to him. Her eyes...they seemed so similar to someone he knew. He pushes the thought away. He didn't know anyone anymore, not anyone who didn't want to see him dead anyway. He growls a little, and takes a few steps away from her.
"Go home kid." He says coldly, turning his back to her.
"Why?" She responds calmly, folding her arms over her chest.
"Just go." His voice is a little angrier.
"No." Her answer is blatant.
"Why not, dammit!" He rounds on her angrily.
"Why should I? You can't tell me to do anything." She shrugs. "But if that's if you want, whatever. I only came here to look for a job, so..." She shrugs again and turns to the exit.
"What the hell would someone like you want a job for?" He mutters. "You look loaded."
"That's because it's not my stuff." She says. "I have no money, so I need some, 'kay?" She raises an eyebrow at him.
"So why are you hanging around then? I'm not a walking piggy bank am I?"
She shrugs "You rather I left you there to get poked and prodded with sharp implements?"
"Actually, no."
"Well then." She raises her eyebrow at him, daring him to try and win the word contest.
The male growls quietly, rolling his eyes.
"Brat." He mutters.
"Bastard." She replies, accompanied by a low chuckle. Never had she been in this kind of situation, and despite its total unfamiliarity and queerness, it was rather amusing and pointless.
"Do you know where I can get some cash?" She asks.
"Nope."
"Real helpful."
"Born to hinder."
"So I see" She says snidely.
Heading once more for the exit, this time, the guy doesn't stop her. This really hadn't helped her. If everyone thought she was with this guy, then her chances of getting a job, or money, was slim to none. However, this was soon to be proven differently. Upon approaching one shop, she recognised the person as the one who tried to stab her. Kinda hard to forget a guy who'd been close to stabbing you. His eyes widen in alarm, and he fiddles around the counter, stuttering like a fool. A handful of notes and coins are shoved into her arms, and she looks surprised.
"P-please don't hurt me!" The guy wails, ducking beneath the counter.
She is about to try and explain, to give the money back, but the shutters are closed on her.
Turning around, she sighs, pocketing the money after attempting to get the guy to open up. There was a lot of cash there, so she does place a lot of it around the side entrance. That left her with quite a lot more money, which was just what she'd set out for.
Unaware of what she'd gotten herself into, she manages to find her motorbike, and drives back to Garden. Parking, she smiles to herself for a moment, pleased that she'd not crashed once. The smile soon slips however, and a frown creases her delicate features. Handing the keys to the man, she is surprised at the time. She'd spent nearly two hours in Balamb. Obviously, she'd run around those alleyways for a lot longer than she'd thought. Shrugging, she heads straight to her dorm, intent on catching more sleep. Silently, she prays to Hyne that she'd get plenty of /rest/ not just nightmares, because otherwise she'd be better off staying awake.
With heavy pockets, and a heavy head, she changes into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and gets into bed.
That is the end of chapter two! I hope you all enjoy, and I'm sorry for all the typos, the wordy thingy has screwed up, so singular letters don't make any alert or nothing, and I'm naff at rechecking. Don't worry, I will make these a lot better sometime, I tend to suck at descriptions, I just assume everyone understands. Love reading really descriptive stuff, but I can never seem to become descriptive. Probably because I have no storyline or sommat, Hehe. .
