My god!! I'm not dead! Who woulda thunk it?? Check out the end of the chapter for a Glossary for all the asterisked words. Now, INTO IT!!
Ch 6 – Tension On All Fronts…
Zell and Emily looked up to see one of the doors open, allowing a smug looking Trish to walk out.
Walking over to Zell, she placed a hand on her hip and smirked. "If it's going to be like this the whole way, then I'm defiantly gonna like it here."
"What do you mean?"
Trish's smirk grew mysteriously. "Nothing…" looking over to Emily, her smirk turned to another smile. "Hello! I'm Trish."
"Emily Strange." Emily muttered, still in a funk from her conversation with Zell. "Nice to meet you."
Trish looked at her as if to say what crawled up your ass and died, bitch but didn't say anything, opting to walk over and sit next to Zell. Shifting closer, she cupped her hand over his ear. "What's her story?"
Zell sighed, before taking in a breath. "Her name's Emily Strange, sister of the man who almost assassinated President Justice early last year. We've run into each other a few times before."
Trish cocked an eyebrow, seeming to come to a conclusion. "Ah…you guys were lovers once, huh?"
Zell's impassive face turned into a frown quicker then you could say 'Haste'. "No way!" he cried, as if to spit out rotten T-Rexaur burgers
Trish watched Emily roll her eyes and sigh.
Shaking her head, Trish settled back to wait for the rest of the team. Evidently, Emily was the last addition to this freak-show – and seeing how she was using make-up, Trish was certain that 'freak-show' was the way it would be defined.
Although SeeD has somewhat of a dress code, the Disciplinary Committee barely ever holds it up. It's better for a warrior to be comfortable in whatever dress he deems fit, wether it was leather and chains or satin and lace. If it improved your fighting ability, SeeD was able to over look certain clothing boundaries…as long as it didn't stumble into the perverted.
Emily was dressed in black leather from head to toe, metal buckles at almost every hinge of her body. Her face jewellery was also in, earrings and studs seeming to line almost every aspect of her ears, nose and mouth, which was almost chalk-white through use of makeup. She was also dressed to fight, her dark gloves wrapped snugly around her hands. She looked like a pale devil, sad yet deadly at the same time.
Trish shivered. If this is what they accept into SeeD, thank gods I didn't join when I had the chance.
Everybody looked up to see Julius emerge from his room, Veronica slung over his back as usual. He walked over to the trio sitting on the benches and placed Veronica down gently, before sitting down next to Trish.
Emily looked at the giant swag standing upright in front of her and snorted, cocking her eyebrow. "What the hell is that thing?"
Trish looked down at her shoes, remembering when she had snuck a peek when Julius had fallen asleep. "Trust me – you don't wanna know."
Julius looked at Trish. "When did you…?" He shook his head. It would have been inevitable. He frowned at Emily, forcing a smile onto his lips. "I don't think we've been introduced. You're…Emily?"
Emily looked at him, her look of amused confusion turning to simple amusement. "That's right. Ask the Hunter more about me if you want to know." She muttered, before turning away from them, shifting in her seat so she couldn't look at them anymore.
Julius looked at her back for a second, before turning to Zell, cocking his thumb at her and opening his mouth to speak. Before he could say anything, however, Zell sighed and held up his hand. "I'll tell you later, man." He muttered tiredly. "I'll tell you later."
Julius looked left and right, thoroughly confused, before shrugging and settling back into his chair, deciding to drop the subject completely. He pushed his spectacles back up onto the bride of his nose and said nothing.
Squall opened the door of his room and strolled out, shutting the door behind him succinctly. Looking over to Zell, he moved over to him, clipping his gunblade back onto his waist as he walked. "The doctor said I passed." He announced, his voice unemotional as usual, before taking a seat on one of the benches further away.
Julius snorted and shook his head, speaking to himself. "Just like the reports said. As cold as ice."
Trish frowned too. "What's his problem? Didn't he take his vitamins today or something?"
"Leave him alone, guys." Zell said with a sigh. "It's just the way he is."
"Well, I think he ought to wake up and smell the roses every now and then." Trish muttered. "Look at him! He looks like he could win a staring competition with a statue! And what's with his clothes? He looks like Goth Girl over there…"
"I said drop it, okay?" Zell growled, beginning to get agitated. "I don't give you shit for being over-talkative and dressing like a cheap harlot, do I?"
The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them, and for a moment there was a small feeling of satisfaction that bubbled within Zell's stomach – before a sharp stinging pain associated with the sound of one-hand clapping rang throughout the room, Trish's slap slamming straight into Zell's face. Her horrified look confused Zell – she obviously couldn't take the abuse she dished out. "Bastard!" She spat, before getting up and sitting next to Julius, plopping down beside him and crossing her arms, a sulking look on her face.
Julius looked at her – before turning to Zell, placing a hand next to his mouth to shield his words from a fuming Trish. "Looks like somebody needs to apologise, dude." He muttered, the humour evident in his voice.
Zell was feeling slightly sheepish about his words – but he needed to stick up for Squall. "I'll apologise to her after she apologises about what she said about Squall."
"Then you'll never get an apology, Hunter." Emily muttered, her words like stinging daggers in Zell's ears. "Women never do wrong – men must always apologise. It's the way the world works."
"Now how the hell does that work?!" Zell bellowed, before Rinoa slamming the door behind her interrupted him.
Everybody watched as she made a beeline towards Squall, sitting down next to him. She was obviously upset, and Zell forgot his anger to listen in to the conversation. Even in the dead silence, Zell had to fight to hear. Squall had picked the furthest bench away from the group. "…I broke the…obviously upset…lying bitch…" Rinoa was muttering to Squall, who was taking it all in like he had heard it all before.
"…Patience…didn't know…power too much…"
His coolly delivered and carefully chosen words seemed to calm her down somewhat, and she snuggled up to him carefully, relaxing in his arms as he hugged her comfortingly.
Emily shook her head at the display, before leaning forward, looking over at Zell. "What now, fearless leader?"
Zell sighed. This whole leader thing looked like a piece of cake when Squall was doing it – but Zell was beginning to see why Squall was always in a grumpy mood. "I suppose we ought to go see the Commander now. I'm pretty sure he'll want to brief us."
Julius stood up immediately. "Lets do it." He murmured, picking up Veronica and slinging her over his shoulder before moving to the elevator. Everybody else took heed, Squall and Rinoa next to climb aboard, before Trish stalked in, evidently still pissed off at the tattooed fist-fighter.
Zell was about to join them before he felt a hand on his shoulder holding him back. "Remove it before I take it off at the wrist." He growled.
Emily took her hand off him and walked around him so that she could look him in the eye. Her expression was serious, the playful aggression that usually filled her eyes now replaced with a lost look. "You seriously think we'll be able to pull this off?"
Zell fought through the frustration and shrugged with a smile, covering his surprise at the uncharacteristic question. "Sure, why not?"
She narrowed her eyes, as if to say don't play games with me, but she turned and walked into the elevator without another word.
Zell blinked for a second – what the hell was all that about? – before shrugging and walking into the elevator, pressing the up button and allowing the doors to close, their ride beginning.
* * *
"Report, doctor."
"Sir, they have all finished their tests and are now making their way to your office now, sir."
"Good. Have the results been confirmed yet?"
"Almost, sir. Obviously it's been a few years since she's had to use Time Compression power, but she seems more then capable."
"Excellent. Keep me posted on her statistics, and the other's as well."
"Of course, sir."
* * *
Zell opened the door for the waiting room and gestured for everybody to go in. "You guys wait here. I'll go find the Commander and tell him we're ready to go see him."
"I'll go with you." Squall muttered, disengaging himself from Rinoa and walking over out of the room.
Zell paused for a second, before shrugging. "Fine by me."
* * *
They had been walking for a few minutes before Squall sighed. "You're lost again, aren't you?"
"Love the people, not the place, Squall." Zell muttered, nodding to another person who waved at him. "You know I have as many fans here as I do at Balamb?"
"Watch yourself, you're beginning to sound like Irvine." Squall chided…before the rare humour dissipated to his usual monotone. "Besides, this serves my purposes too."
Zell stopped, turning to face his old friend. "What do you mean by that, buddy?"
Squall looked at Zell with a look in his eyes. Zell couldn't decipher it – something crossed between confusion and humour. "Zell – do you really think we'll be able to pull off something as big as this?"
"What? You think I can't do it?" Zell muttered defensively, crossing his arms. "I did pretty well with Sam and Deling…"
"It's not that. I have complete confidence of your fighting skills…" Squall said, shaking his head. "It's just that…Time Compression was hard on all of us. But something like Universal Compression? Come on…there are too many unanswered questions that have to be asked."
"It's just like when we had to go through the Time Compression, Squall. Hell, Laguna set all that up, and you know how well his plans usually work out!"
"It's just that…are you sure we can take three complete strangers through the Arch?"
Zell did a double take in surprise. "You're worried about Julius, Trish and Emily?"
"Contrary to popular belief, Zell, I do care about my comrades. You've obviously hand picked them as the best of what they do…but they haven't been properly trained yet. We need to give them a few weeks of training…maybe put them through a Time Compression simulator…something like that."
Zell shook his head. "Squall…this isn't like you. You know perfectly well that I chose them because of that! These people are the most likely to succeed, not only because they are the best, but also because they have shown to withstand certain…pressures…within their lives."
"…You mean the Desert Of Time?"
Squall's monotone voice spat the words out as if they tasted bitter. It had been his doubts of the return that had spun him into the Netherworld of Time, his mind replaying all the shocking events that had lead up to Ultimecia's defeat – Rinoa's death, her possession by Ultimecia, the numerous deaths of his comrades – they had all been played over in his mind, the side-effects of the GF usage warping them into what they hadn't been, until finally he couldn't take it, couldn't take the pain of watching all the people he had grown fond of being changed into hideous masses – and had forcibly pulled himself into a void.
Into which he had become as he had always been before – alone. Alone in his own world, with nothing of his own. Broken and bleeding, he had began to walk, each step like a nail hammering home on the lid of his coffin – the slow realisation that nobody would or could come for him, that ultimately he was on his own – no Selphie, no Irvine, no Quistis, no Zell – no Rinoa.
It had only been Rinoa's stubborn refusal to give up on him that had allowed her to check the vacuum of Timelessness, to find what had once been a great fountain of paramagical energy reduced to nothingness from fatigue, wounds and the self-contemplation of his own life. And it had been that way that she had descended on him, her wings out and open like an angels, to whisk him away, back to the field of flowers in which they had promised to return to, if they were ever separate.
Zell knew about it all.
It had taken Rinoa a full week to find him.
"Nothing like that is going to happen, man. I'm not sure about Emily, cause I don't know her that well, and Julius might go over the edge if he ever loses Veronica – but I do know that Trish, myself, Rinoa and you will be able to withstand something like that happening again. We've got the experience, and I think Trish has a bit too much willpower for something like Universal Compression to worry her. You have my word on it."
Squall nodded slowly…before waving the conversation off. "Whatever. Lets find the Commander and get this over with."
Zell nodded with a smile, allowing Squall to take the lead.
As they began to pick their way through the maze of corridors that Zell had managed to get them lost in, Zell couldn't help but smile at the way Squall was acting. Thinking of everybody else but himself…typical Squall behaviour. Trust him to worry about people he doesn't even know.
A dark voice crept into the edge pf his mind, toying with him. He certainly worries about Rinoa though, doesn't he?
Zell's face twisted into a grimace. Diablo always had a way to stick the knife in. He's got good reason, Diablo. He's her Knight. He's basically sworn to protect her!
Oh, of course.
Zell paused. …That was rather easy. I would have thought that you would have goaded me some more.
No, boy. I think I will let you think about it some more. About how vehenomously he would protect her. About how he would do nothing to keep her from harms way. About how he would most likely abandon his friends in order to carry his mission to protect and serve.
Zell shook his head. You think too much. Squall would never abandon his friends.
Oh? So that's why he allowed you to be captured by Sam and Irvine? Why he asked you to risk life and limb for his pathetic father?
Just shut up, Diablo. You're beginning to annoy me.
The request shut the demon up, but his work had been done. The Gravity God had planted the seed of doubt in Zell's mind, and he looked at the silent gunblade expert in a new light. Would you…?
"It's here." Squall muttered, finally coming to an elevator with the Galbadian seal embossed on it, pulling Zell from his musing.
The martial artist heaved a breath, before walking forward, pressing the button. The door opened without hesitation, as if it had been waiting for them, and Zell shot a glance at Squall, winking at his friend with a smile. "Lets get this over with!"
* * *
Trish was still in a shitty mood at Zell, and was doing everything in her power to convey this to the others. "God, I can't stand him! How he thinks he's all high and mighty?! I bet I could make him bow and scrape, just like all the other men I had bow and scrape before me! I tell you, he wouldn't be so good if he were taken down a peg or two! He should feel a bit of shame – that'll put him in his place!"
Rinoa sat in one of the comfy chairs in the waiting room, watching Trish stalk back and forth with mild amusement. "You shouldn't say that about Zell. He's really a nice guy."
"Bah! What would you know?! You've got Mr. Silence as your boyfriend! That must be a real hoot! A rock as a partner!"
"What did you say about Squall?!"
Emily sat back, watching as the two woman shot glances at each other, the paramagical energy within the room beginning to rise as looks the woman shot smashed into each other. She found it highly amusing, and didn't even try to hide her smile as the scene unfolded before her. "I'm really loving this! I hope one of them kills the other one!"
Julius pointed a finger at Emily, deciding it was high time to diffuse the situation. "You, be quiet. And ladies, please, sit down!!"
Julius hadn't even known how he had gotten into this predicament. He had thought it would have been a simple mission – as simple as going through Universal Compression could get. From what he had read from the quick glance he had gotten from the file when the SeeDs had busted down his door, all they needed to do was find someone in the other universe and assassinate her. Simple, right?
What he hadn't figured on was having to baby-sit three beautiful women as the only other male presence in the room decided to make themselves scarce.
In the four years since the Trabia incident, Julius had shied away from female contact. His love for Veronica was too powerful, he kept saying to himself. But in actuality, he feared falling for another woman. He kept himself celibate for her, and made himself stay away from woman, secretly ashamed when he thought impure thoughts of other.
Right now, the voluptuositys he had before him was all but breaking his will.
To his left, her hands balled into fists at her side and trembling with anger, was Trish, the golden-haired thief even more stunning clean then when they had met before. He had been amazed that she had wanted to sleep beside him – him, a man who carried his dead girlfriend around in a massive block of ice!! Her hair bounced naturally as she stabbed a finger at Rinoa, the perfectly manicured nail not needing polish to look beautiful as another verbal insult erupted from her full red lips. Her blue eyes blazed erratically, and he thought he would disappear within them…
…Before he looked into Rinoa's. Her flawless good looks had taken his breath away the moment he had first saw her, her cute smile on her face as she floated down to earth, her white wings gracefully flapping to lower her decent. She had looked like an angel, her perfect features seeming to be enhanced by her smoking white eyes. He had felt a bit of static spark from her as his meaty paw engulfed her petite hand, feeling her magical energy flow as he pumped her hand up and down. Amazingly, her beauty seemed to upgrade to an even larger level when she was in human form, her deep brown eyes sparking with uninhibited humour and glee as she bubbled her way towards you. It amazed him why she continued to stay with Squall – he must have a profound affect on her for her to love him so much.
Which brings him to Emily, the pale Goth laughing quietly as Trish and Rinoa had their stand-off, holding her sides as she sat in her chair to Julius' right. Her purple lips was turned into a small smile, lighting up her otherwise dreary-looking face. Julius could tell there was some kind of woman hidden beneath all the jewellery and makeup – he saw it when she looked at him with those deep, cold blue eyes. Her beauty was a hidden one – a masked one. She acted tough, and covered it up with the marks and the make-up – but it was all a call for help, and Julius couldn't help but realise that.
He shook his head suddenly, forcing the ideas away angrily. Bastard! He thought to himself. What about Veronica?! What would she think if she knew what you were thinking?
He stood to his full height, looking down at the two woman, who looked like they were about to get it on – Rinoa had two hands with fire burning within them, and Trish looked about to tele-frag* the Sorceress – and stood in-between them. "Ladies, please!!" He cried, holding his arms out. "Lets just wait for Zell and Squall!!
Rinoa looked like she was able to spit blood, but Trish calmed down. "You're right, Julius. We'll wait for the Misogynist* and Silent-Man." With that she plopped down in her chair, crossing her arms and replacing the rage on her face with a sulking look.
Rinoa looked like she was about to retort – but gave up, the fire in her hands puffing out in short bursts of smoke, sitting down in a chair across the room and crossing her arm.
Emily sighed unhappily. "Damn, I was sure I'd get to see some fur flying today…" Suddenly her mouth stopped working, and she glared at Rinoa who had her finger pointing out from under her elbow, the Silence working just as well as if she had slapped her across the cheek with it. The fury within Emily's eyes was indescribable – but she simply crossed her eyes and fumed, unable to say anything.
Julius sighed happily and sat down next to Veronica, patting the swag with his hand. Well, I think I did that right, right hon?
* * *
"And that's the deal, gentlemen. You go through, assassinate this Sorceress, and get back home. Simple."
Zell snorted. "Sure. Simple. As simple as a bullet to the brain, sir."
Squall decided not to say anything, deciding to delve into the file he was handed when he entered the room.
They sat across Commander Carpenter's desk, battle plans and field reports lying strewn all over the place. Commander Carpenter was, obviously, not a very organised person.
The quality of the reports, however, was outstanding. Full field statistics on the three 'foreign elements' who had come out of the Arch, as well as a full breakdown of their armour and weaponry. A full description of the world beyond the Arch – what the SeeDs saw of it, before they were taken out – and tapes of the whole expedition from the hesitant start to the gruesome finish.
Squall looked up at Carpenter. "Sir, where are the bodies of the men who came through? According to your reports you took them away for tests. That would have been a good three days ago."
"Yes, good question Commander Squall. As the report tells you, we've taken their bodies to our best research facility and performed autopsies, as well as taking very careful care of their clothing and armour. Their clothing was much like our own casual clothing – the armour must be worn over them, evidently, like a uniform. Almost none of them had any personal effects – save for the man who had the picture of the army in his pocket."
"What about the armour? You've called it…Orihalcon?"
"Omihalcon*. It's designed to perfectly wrap around the wearer, almost like a second skin. We don't even know how it works – it seems to have a life of it's own, adjusting to any person's size and shape. We figured it to be some kind of magical item – but when we tested it for paramagical elements…there were none."
Zell and Squall sat up in their seats, their eyes wide. "None at all?! That's crazy!!" Zell exclaimed.
Any and all things within the world had paramagical energies coursing within them, even rocks and metals. It is their paramagical energies that allow for draw points and magic's to be used – the magical properties have to come from somewhere!
But in all their years of training, Zell and Squall had never heard of an item that had no magical energies flowing within them, especially not an item that could do what the reports said it could!
"Would this explain how the men were able to make it through the Arch without losing their weaponry?" Squall asked after getting over his initial shock.
Carpenter nodded "Yes, it would seem so. Their weapons were made of the same material too."
"Where are these suits of armour?"
"They've been analysed in the R&D* projects development department within Trabia, the only Garden nearest to the Arch. Their people have made some impressive discoveries…"
"Like what?" Zell asked, shifting closer. I thought I'd fall asleep, but this is getting quite interesting!
"Well, the helmets that the men were using seemed to house the energy sources. Within the helmets were HUD* sources built into the visors which showed their opponents magical and physical properties."
"It could tell how strong their opponents were?" Zell asked, his voice incredulous.
"Yes. That's why we had such a hard time taking them down. The armour also has the ability to change it's surface, from reflective to an almost impenetrable surface, making the armour as hard if not harder then Adamantine."
Zell sat back in his chair, his mouth wide open.
"Not only that, but Orihalcom also has the ability to heal. Emily managed to break the arm of one of the assailants – but the armour allowed his arm to move, the metal forming around his arm and working much like a bone."
"How many are left?" Squall asked.
Carpenter leaned back in his chair. "Three of my best Forbidden SeeDs managed to bring one of them to his knees with three consecutive Flares, and Emily had to obliterate one with an Ulitma – the last was taken down by one of my snipers. Got a shot in when a SeeD with a Sai managed to take off his helmet. So what we got are two complete sets, as well as a double-headed axe, a big sword, and dual Katanas."
Zell and Squall looked at one another, and in a rare moment of unity between them leaned forward a little. "We'd like to see this armour…" Squall began.
"…as soon as possible." Zell finished.
Carpenter smiled. "I thought you'd asked for that. Trust me when I say, you'll do more then look at it."
* * *
Squall and Zell walked into the waiting room, looking at the scene before them and frowning.
Trish stood in the corner of the room next to the wall, her fist raised in what looked like the launching of a punch. Emily sat in her seat, her arms crossed, the evident paramagical signals coming from her signifying a Silence. Julius stood immediately, walking over to the two men and grabbing Squall by the shoulders. "Oh thank Hyne you're here! You gotta do something about her!"
Rinoa sat/floated in her chair, her wings folded behind her, her eyes blazing a bright smoking white as she continued to pout like she had done for the last half an hour.
"I tried to break them up, but they're both so stubborn!" He said, watching as Squall pushed past him and walked over to the sullen Rinoa. He crouched next to her and placed a hand on hers, which she squeezed.
"Did you Stop Trish, Rin?" He asked, his voice much like the one of a disappointed father.
…Yes… she replied irritably.
"Are you going to turn her back soon?"
She started it Squall! I swear she did!
"Are you?" Zell asked, walking forward with his arms crossed.
Rinoa looked down at Squall, who stood and moved next to Zell, the two of them looking down at her. She sighed sullenly, before lifting her left hand and clicking her fingers.
Smack! "Ow, my fucking hand!!"
You're all mean. Rinoa pulsed in a spoiled tone as she stood/floated, pointing a finger to Emily as well.
Emily looked up at her with murder in her eyes, moving for the door immediately. "Do that again, Sorceress – and you're dead." She spat, before stalking out.
Julius seemed evidently relieved, letting out a long breath as if the pressure from within the room had suddenly been released – before watching as Trish, cradling her hand, sidled up to him – and threw herself into his embrace. "I hurt my haaaaaand!" she squealed, bawling into his chest as he looked down at her in shocking confusion.
"What's that got to do with me?!" He cried as she cried into his shirt. He looked up as Zell made his exit, Squall and Rinoa following close behind. "Hey, what am I supposed to do with her?!"
Zell stuck his head back around the corner. "Cast a Cure, kiss it better and get a wriggle on! We'll meet you at the front entrance in a few minutes." He winked at eh blond hacker before departing.
"This is why I don't mix with girls…" Julius muttered to himself, taking the injured hand and casting Cure, the green glow of the magic bathing her hand as it was emitting from his palm. "…They're trouble."
Trish evidently didn't hear him as she looked down with wonder at her hand, which was miraculously healed, the bloody scratches on her split knuckles now gone. She looked up at him, covering her disappointment of having no excuse to be close to him with a look of wonder. "How'd you do that?"
"It's just a Cure magic. You've never seen magic before?"
"Of course I have you big dope!" She said with a smile. "Thank you!"
Before he could stop her she jumped up, standing on the tips of her toes to plant a big kiss right on his mouth, her lips pressing against his as she grabbed his shirt to pull him down…
He placed a hand on her chest and shoved her away. "Stop that!!" he found himself crying.
"I…I'm only saying thanks. You don't have to look so hurt."
"Well don't, alright! I have a girlfriend which I love very much, and I don't think she'd like it if you did that!"
"What's she gonna care?! She's just a big lump of ice, you big dick!!"
The words were out of Trish's mouth before she could stop them, and immediately she placed a hand on her mouth. "Oh my gods…I'm so sorry…" she whispered. Sure, fooling with him was on the agenda – but he obviously held onto the woman very hard. She moved forward with her hand out to consol him – only to have him to bat it away, his face as stoic as…as the other guy, Squall.
"Don't be." He growled, moving over and placing a hand on the big swag…before lifting it up and onto his shoulder, turning his head slightly to acknowledge Trish's presence. "Come on. They'll be waiting for us."
She paused slightly…before following him.
* * *
Well, I'm back!! Hope I haven't been keeping you waiting for toio long!!
I tell you, being out of the game has really thrown me off course! But I'm beginning to get my groove back, so not to worry – I'll be updating ASAP!!
A bit of a glossary –
HUD – Heads Up Display. Being a bit of a DBZ fan, I figured the Universals ought to have some kid of Scouter device – it's just cool. Tele-Frag – anybody who has played Quake has had this doen to them at least once. It's when the teleporter reassumes his/her position in an organic substance. Reality cannot support two organic substances at the same time, so the teleportee survives. Suffice to say, the organic substance doesn't. Misogynist – my ex-girlfriend calls me this a lot. It's when a male puts down a female by saying degrading things about females in general – 'god, you're such a woman!', and so forth. R&D – Research and Development. Lots of my older readers would know what this means, but most of the younger ones wouldn't. It's a place where a certain item is researched before being developed to become better. Orihalcom – my quick tip-of-the-hat to an Anime movie called Spriggan. The main character of that movie also wears Orihalcom – but it doesn't have the same properties it does in the FF8 world that it does in Spriggan. Check out Spriggan – kick ass movie!!