Boy, I haven't put anything out in a while. I hope I'm not too rusty at this.

ON WITH THE SHOW!

It's time for the show VERSUS!

Edea is sitting in the center of the stage with two rows of seats on either side of her. On her left are the red seats and on her right are the blue. She smiles and stands up to greet the audience. "Welcome! I am Edea, your host for the show called VERSUS!"

The crowd applauds. She bows, "Yes, this is the show where controversial topics are discussed and debated over with the high celebrities and experts in those particular topics. Now, let us introduce our first guest."

An announcer continues, "She is a practicing white wizard, opposite her twin brother's apprenticing: She is Porom!"

Porom walks on the stage blushing bashfully and waving as she takes a seat in the blue chair. The crowd cheers for her. "We love you Porom!" She blushes.

"Next, he is the Captain of the Highwind, Cid!"

He jumps onto the stage and struts confidently to a red chair and sits down. Big cheers and hoots greet him as he grins and lights up.

"Next,a boy with many talents, Gau!"

Gau crawls onto the stage and turns to look at the audience. His eyes go wide and he starts to jump up and down."Wow, all for Gau? ROAR!" The crowd goes wild. He runs back and forth across the stage until Edea tells him he has to sit down. He takes a seat next to Porom. She looks at him hesitantly, but he just grins back at her.

"Next, famous for his hit show, Life with Birds and Beasties, it's Cait Sith!"

He bounces onto the stage and is greeting with huge applause. "OH! You like me, you really like my show! Hee Hee!" He sits next to Gau, or rather parks his moggle beside him. Gau looks at him and sniffs. Cait Sith smiles. "Meow!"

Gau quirks his head. "You a stuffed cat?"

"Oh!" Cait Sith gasped.

"Next, we have the Commander of Balamb Garden, and hitting big with his show I Want to Believe, Squall Leonheart."

Many girls in the audience scream and cry. He shakes his head as he walks out and sits next to Cid.

"Finally, she is the Queen of Baron and master White Wizard, Rosa!"

She walks out gracefully and sits next to Squall. It's the guys turn to whistle and yell. As everyone settles down, Edea walks up to a gong and begins. "Ok, today's topic is…" She hit's the gong. BRAAAA!

"White magic and Black magic, is one stronger than the other? We will also discuss Effect magic, should it stand on its own or be split into the two main groups? Let us start with Porom." Edea sits back down and focuses on the young girl.

Porom starts off a little shaky. "W-well, I know my focus is on white magic and I have to say it has never let me down. I believe it has a good defense edge to it and even if you have holy as one of your only offensive spells, cure, heal, and slow can work wonders. White magic is a great aid to any battle, ask anyone who has been in one and I'm sure they will tell you that they would never have made it out without a healer."

The crowd applauds for a moment and she gets more confident. "And let us be frank, who isn't frustrated when it comes to killing zombies or undead creatures?" She gets more applause for this. Rosa nods her head in agreement. Cid looks up at the ceiling as he ponders this, rolling his cigarette. Squall crosses his arms and just shakes his head.

"I think effect magic should not be in its own class, it's much easier when it's available for the black and white wizards to train with it in their schooling. It has been this way since the first wizards and I think it would be wrong to change a tradition of training. Most status magic was given to the white wizard, although nowadays black wizards have their own as well."

Edea leans over to her. "I am sorry Porom, but I must ask you to wrap up your argument."

Porom nods to her and continues. "Yes, I think they should be specifically separated by defense and offensive effects and given to black and white wizards." She lets out a little sigh of relief and settles back into her chair. Edea smiles at her and turns to the screen.

"Very good, now let us hear from Rosa. Would you like to begin?"

Rosa nods, "Thank you, I must admit I have to disagree. I believe the recent debate to give status magic it's own field is the correct path. I think that it is the strongest magic being that it is both offensive and defensive. Don't get me wrong, I have been able to survive a battle on my own using only white magic, however, the edge I have had in these instances was that status magic was at my disposal. I would use haste, slow, stop, muddle, and with reflect and blink or image as some would say, I have defeated my enemies. I owe a lot to our ancestors for teaching us these spells and I believe now is the time to honor status magic and give it its own category. "

The crowd applauds and she bows to them in thanks. She continues after they settle down. "As for black magic vs. white, I have to say…well, status magic!"

Edea takes over again. "Thank you Queen Rosa, by the way, I love your outfit."

"Oh, why thank you."

"Next, let's talk to.." She looks at Gau who looks ready. "Gau!"

"OOGA! ROOOOOAAAAARRRR!"

Edea jumps slightly at this but regains herself. "Oookay…Cid."

Cid looks up from inspecting his boots. "Huh? Oh, the best strategy I've had is to learn all kindsa white magic and with my weapon at it's strongest, KICK SOME A-"

"Uh please refrain from using any offensive language please." Edea jumps in.

Cid blinks with a slightly hurt expression. "Uh, okay. Ah, I don't know much about effect magic but I think it's in it's own class because it come from different materia." he finishes with a yawn.

Edea nods and looks over at Squall " Alright, Squall it's your turn."

Squall takes a deep breath before starting and looks at the other guests. "Well, I know--" he coughs suddenly as he breathed in Cid's smoke. He glares at him but continues as his look goes unnoticed. "We all use magic differently and it varies from continent to continent, in this case, world to world, but I believe black magic is better." There's a small murmur that runs through the room, but it stops quickly.

"My Doomtrain and Diablos use status in a way, but it can't really categorize as status or black being that I bring it up with a GF. So that leaves black and white magic. I feel black magic is stronger, in a sense that when you talk about strength, you are judging something to be most effective in eliminating an obstacle in the most efficient and quickest way possible before you risk you and your party from be hit with a harsh attack or a KO. Black magic does this by far, with the most positive results." Squall leans back and lets out another sigh.

Surpisingly, he gets a huge applause. Edea smiles and thanks him. "Finally, let us hear from Cait Sith and afterwards, I will let you debate with each other until time is up. Please, inform us of your thoughts, sir."

Cait Sith purred with content. "Thank you. Meow! The best thing is good debilitating effect magic. Then the enemy is yours for the taking. Also, status magic is essential to building the perfect defense against other magic users of this kind. Oh I know things are immune to this magic but most are not. Even if you have no other kind of magic… it will give you an attacking advantage."

The gong is struck making Caith Sith squeak. "Alright," Edea begins. "it is time for the free-for-all round. Please try not to get physical."

Porom starts first frowning at Squall. "I must disagree with Squall, you can't simply think of a battle that way, there are too many other objectives such as taking care of your comrades."

"Well, I could say the same for you. You must take care of your comrades by avoiding such severe attacks from happening by taking out your enemy as quick as possible. What if you came across a creature that absorbs holy or has no effect? What are you left with? You're nothing without your twin brother." Squall counters. He looks at her intensely.

Porom is taken back. "But I'm just an apprentice right now." Her voice wavers.

Squall can see where this is leading to. (Oh great, a crybaby.) "Ok, let me rephrase that. I'm not judging your skill personally. Alright, lets say this, suppose your were equally matched and this creature absorbs holy, your one offensive spell, are you just gonna hit it with your stick?"

Squall soon realizes he hasn't fixed the situation and the little girl's face scrunches up and tears begin to well up. "(sniff) I can try. WAAAAAHHH!"

Rosa gets up and quickly goes over to comfort her. She throws a disgusted look Squall's way and he just stares back indifferent. "Now look what you've done!" She pats Porom's head and nudges Gau to switch seats. Gau gets up but takes Cait Sith' s. "Wait, that's my-"

"Kitty go over dare. Smells like plastic. Go wif other smelly things."

"OH!" Cait Sith tries to protest but gives up and sits next to Squall. Rosa continues to comfort Porom.

"There there, he didn't mean it, the bad boy."

"But I did mean it. I'm trying to make a point!" Squall argues back. (What is with these girls?)

Cid meanwhile has fallen asleep in his chair, his cigarette very close to being burnt to the filter. Cait Sith has situated himself and jumps in.

"Me-ow! It's like I said before, debilitate!" He stops to ponder this. "I guess a little bit of offensive would help." He snaps his paws. (Can he do that?) "Wait! I've not come across a beast that wasn't weak against some kind of status effect."

Apparently, the others have not heard the cat. Squall continues to defend his argument. "How are you going to kill your enemy if all you know is healing attributes? At least with black magic you've got fire and ice and other sorts of means to eliminate your foe. There is not one enemy that I have come across that some black magic didn't have some kind of effect on it."

"I believe status is the way to go. I have heard of your spell Meltdown. It is not black magic, it is clearly status and you can't do without it when going up against dangerous enemies." Rosa counters back.

"See! I was right, or at least I'm being agreed with." Cait Sith throws out but again goes unnoticed.

"Yeah, but if it's at an equal match, how hard do you think it will be to confuse it or silence it? Besides, one hit to itself and it snaps out of it. Poison effects will only get you so far and that's taking into account that poison goes in as a status effect or black magic effect." Squall sits back up and stares hard at Rosa.

Rosa doesn't back down. "Then use holy! It can't be weak against both."

Gau jumps in. "GAU SAYS GO HOME SQUALL, TOO NOISY! HA HA HA HA!

"Shut up!" he snaps back. Gau sticks his tongue out at him.

"Gau use monsters on da Vedlt. Magic not necessary."

Squall pleads with his arms spread. "Why is he even here?" He decides another approach.

"You use monsters, correct?"

"Yeah, monsters Gau's fwiend."

"Ok, what's better a curing monster, an attacking monster, or a monster that just dings around throwing confusion or going berserk? Cough, cough! Somebody put out that cigarette!" Squall chokes up and waves the grey smoke away.

Cid wakes up and puts out his stub. "Hey," he says lazily, "where are we at? Is our side winning?"

Cait Sith shakes his head sadly, still feeling the sting of neglect. "I don't think that's how the show operates, Cid."

Cid looks at him,"when did you get on our side?"

Porom, having regained her voice, comes back for her argument. "You have to be persistent! Just keep on a pattern and you can win!"

"What pattern? If you mean to make a measly attempt at attacking then curing yourself, it won't work" Squall retorts.

Porom starts to tear up again. "(sob) But not if I fight and mix it with a little magic."

Cait Sith put his paws to his cheeks. "Uh oh, she's at it again."

"I'm not doing it on purpose." she whines flailing her arms helplessly.

Cait Sith nodded with sympathy. "We see your point, but maybe you should work on your accuracy, hmm?"

Porom "…." She begins to wail.

Rosa comes to her aid. "Leave her accuracy out of this! She's a child she doesn't have the battle experience we have yet! Don't cry, Porom it's just a machine."

"Oh!" Cait Sith has had it crosses his arms, refusing to help anyone anymore.

Cid let's out a big laugh. "HA HA HA! That's funny! Cheer up, sis! I kinda fight the same way only I got a lance technique at back me up." He begins to light up another cigarette, but Squall takes a swipe at it.

"Gimme that cigarette!"

"No, give it back you teddy-boy wanna-be!"

"At least I look like I take a shower."

"Anyway I'm sticking to status!" Cait Sith added.

Suddenly Ifrit appears out of nowhere. "NOW THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Everyone goes quiet at the surprise drop-in. Edea speaks up. "Well, I'm afraid that is all the time we have. Good arguments all around, although there doesn't seem to be a clear definition of which magic takes first place. So I deem it all a tie. Squall, it was great to hear you stick up for your beliefs all by yourself. That's it for today's show tune in next time."

Notes- Hmm, I don't know how to feel about this chapter's tone. Let me know what you think.