It was a rather nice walk to the Balamb Garden. Easy, it was not, since more than five insect's Vincent's imported knowledge recognised as Bite Bugs had attacked him. He easily chopped them down, getting the grasp of the sword's use. The 'memories' of Kenjutsu, or swordmanship came to his mind's flow, and he used those to come victorious over his battles. Vincent even went as far as parrying the Bug's 'love' bites, and counterattacking rather brutally, cleaving the bugs in half.
Smirking cockily now, he walked to the Garden's entrance. I can definetely enjoy this.. He thought. His PS2 had told him that it wasn't going to be the same thing as the video game, and that he should be keeping an eye out, but, frankly, Vincent didn't give a damn. If he could take down a rather nasty monster unjunctioned, he couldn't wait to see what he could do with a GF on.
He walked the gate, down a short staircase, past a beautiful collection of pools, waterfalls and shrubbery, the wide concrete avenue leading out from the front entrance and walked to the attendant of the front entrance. Vincent couldn't help it but think that the place was too similar to a supermarket, with the bars glowing red and blue, indicating whether you should push or pull.
The old man behind the plexiglass nodded in acknowledgement, and the teen nodded back before pushing a blue bar and walking his merry way. There, he stood gaping the second he walked down a long lane and into the open, circular ground that was the interior of the Balamb Garden.
The first level was just open space, with many walkways arranged like the spokes of a wheel that lead to the Facilities, like the Infirmary or the Cafeteria. In the center of the first level were the elevators connecting to the classrooms.. Vincent counted four elevators.
Hmm.. He mused silently, in the game you only see and use one.. Does that mean that the Garden has changed? Or that due to the different point of view I get to see them? Either way, it's not that bad.. Heh, I think I should check out the facilities at some point..
Separating the central platform from the walkway was a raised pool that surrounded the elevator platform. Ornate and beautiful fish statues acted as fountains for the pool. The water filtered down underneath the walkway to spill down into an outer pool that ran underneath the connecting walkways to the various facilities. Throughout the expansive room were numerous plants and shrubs. Combined with the flowing water and the general student life, these gave Balamb Garden a vibrant, lush atmosphere, that of an indoor paradise.
Two way too beautiful to be real girls walked past Vincent, and smiled chalantly. "Good morning", they chirped in unison, and Vincent returned the smile and wish.
Please, if this is a dream, don't let me wake up yet.
Suddenly, his stomach decided to intervene, and growled. Hmph. I get ultimate sword moves, but can't be given a slice of pizza, it seems. He decided to walk to the cafeteria, if not to eat, at least meet someone. The second he walked down the corridor, however, and was about to enter the room, a cold hand with rather long fingers fell on his shoulder.
Turning, rather startled, he came face to face with what he recognised as a faculty member.
He wore a heavy red robe, hood, and yellow hat that covered his whole face. "You're Vincent Marko," the Faculty deadpanned, to which Vincent nodded. "Don't you have class at this time?" He asked, and Vincent could feel accusasion radiating off the short man and on him.
Vincent nodded once again, getting a rather unpleasant memory of his headmaster smiling at him, knowing that Vincent was a bug in front of his omnipotence.
"Yeah, I do." He said, defiance brought to his voice.
The faculty member tensed, and the teen thought the man would burst off in a berserking rage, but soon enough the robe-clad person relaxed. "If that's the case, make haste to your class!" He hissed, and spinned to take his leave.
"Asshole," Vincent muttered, but decided to comply to the orders he had been given. This could affect many things, like his SeeD rank or chance to actually become a SeeD. He wouldn't afford that, and, plus, that guy could stand in front of him again later in the 'game'. He'd get vengeance then, he guessed, and ran to his classroom.
Taking the elevator to a balcony, and then crossing an ornate bridge connecting the classrooms to the central elevator shafts. The classrooms were positioned on the second level, in a ring around the central elevators. To reach the elevators, one had to cross the bridges connecting the shafts with the classroom hallways. There were a good hundred feet between the first and second levels, so one on the bridge was offered a spectacular sweeping view of the interior of Balamb Garden.
A view which Vincent decided not to enjoy. More Faculty could be lurking, he thought, and these won't be as polite as the one before.
He reached class 6-D, which his mind recognised as his own, and walked to knock, when he found that the doors were automated. So, he stood there startled, hand raised to knock, and the students in the class stood there, watching to the reason of the lesson's disruption - him.
The imported SeeD cadet brought his raised hand behind his head, scratching it in awkwardness, when he heard someone clearing her throat. That someone was Quistis Trepe, as he recognised.
She was a beautiful young woman, about the same age and height as Vincent, clad in a black uniform with gold trimming, a knee-length skirt, and boots. She was blonde, with long hair that hung down either side of her face in front, and done up in the back so it doubled back on itself before coming down. She wore glasses over her large, blue eyes, which rolled as she looked at the teen at the classroom's door.
"May I ask why you decided to honor us with your presence in the class's last minute, mr. Marko?" She asked, her voice serious, and her posture stern.
Vincent brought his hand down and shrugged. "There was a hot-dog two-for-one offer at the cafeteria," he said, brushing the matter already off, and deciding to joke around a bit.
Chuckling echoed through the classroom, and Quistis brought order by clapping her elegant hands twice. "Alright," she said, "class is over." As the students gathered their belongings, she locked her eyes with a student to the back, and spoke again. "And Seifer! Do NOT injure your partner while training. Be careful from now on."
The person in mentioning only banged his hand on his desk, and got off in order to leave. Quistis then spoke more softly. "Squall, Vincent, I need to talk to you." As Vincent moved to comply, Seifer got in his way. For a long second that seemed like an eternity to him, the blonde scarred teen, dressed in a grey trenchcoat with red cross patterns decorating the sleeves, a SeeD cadet uniform underneath, and the Hyperion kept in his arm smirked at him, and got out off the class. Vincent glanced back, but the gunblade weilder had already left.
He turned back, to see Squall discussing softly with Quistis, and three other cadets observing the conversation. Vincent recognised those as Trepies, Quistis' fan club. Shaking his head at their stalking behavior, he moved closer to the black leather clad teen, whose facial scar mirrored Seifer's. His coat had white fur on the shoulders, and it reminded Vincent of a lion's mane. Brown bangs fell over the man's azure eyes, and his hand layed on top of his trusted weapon, a gunblade..
The gunblade was an impressive weapon to say the least. Baptised as the Revolver by it's owner, it was sheathed in it's scabbard tied in Squall's left side of his waist. The weapon was a combination of a sword and a handgun, which allowed it to charge effective concussive blasts by it's blade, dealing massive ammounts of damage.
"Have you two gone to the Fire Cavern yet?" asked Quistis. Squall shook his head in denial, and Vincent replied with a simple "no". The blonde woman leaned to the front, looking at the two men to the eyes. "Any excuses?"
"No, not really" They replied.
Quistis clucked her tongue. "Then let's get going," She replied. "I'll be waiting for you down at the front gate, so come down when you're ready." With that, Quistis walked out of the room, waving to the trio of Trepies as she passed through the doorway. Squall moved to follow, and as he reached the door, he could hear a few mutterings from behind him.
"I . . . I'm so jealous! Maybe I should take that subject too . . ." one person said, sounding appropriately envious.
"Alone with Instructor Trepe . . ." another envious person muttered, unsurprisingly male.
"If anything happens to Instructor Trepe, the Trepies will get you back!" called the last of the trio. Squall glanced over his shoulder at the girl who threatened him, and shrugged at her remark before stepping through the door.
Vincent laughed, at the trio, which glared at him before taking their leave as well, leaving him alone, and moved to his desk. If he knew what was going on, his GFs, or Guardian Forces would be waiting for him to get them.
He sat down on the desk he recognised as his own, and pressed the touch screen, bringing the computer attached to it back to life.
Setting his name and password, he logged into the and chose the GF option amongst others, such as news, tutorial, and such.
The screen faded to the only the background, and, after a second, it brought up the following message.
Login: Vincent Marko confirmed.
GF data for Vincent Marko . . .
Searching . . .
GF registered under Vincent Marko are:
GF Valefor
GF Fernir
Vincent blinked. What the hell?
Normally, he - Squall - would find two GF, named Quatzecotl, an elemental of lightning, and Shiva, the elemental of ice. That was not normal. Had the PS2 changed things? It certainly seemed like it.
While he stared on the "Receive: Yes/No" Option, a cell phone rang. He recognised it as a cell phone, for it sounded exactly like one, and because the brief sound played twice, before he located it by hearing. Looking under his desk, he found a small drawer, which he pulled open, to find inside the noise maker. He flicked the cell phone open, and answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Good morning, Vincent! How's life?" Sounded the PS2's cheery voice.
"Not bad, I suppose. What's the deal with the importing stuff from other games?"
"Originality is the key, buddy!" The PS2 giggled. "Cut it out, PS2." He growled. It was not that bad, really, but the happy-go-lucky-ness the PS2 carried annoyed him.
"Oh, pu-lease," it sounded, "It's not like you dislike it, right?" She asked, feinting sadness. She was hitting bullseye. Indeed, Vincent liked the importing idea.
"Yeah, I guess."
"Ok, I'm downloading the Junction basics to your brain now, give me a sec." She responded immediately, and Vincent felt his eyes fall as he lost conciousness. Before his body's weight pulled him to the ground, however, Vincent regained his mind and a grip of himself. "Ok," he shouted, shocked, before calming down. "What now?"
"It'll come to you naturally." She said, and the male was sure she was smiling. "Oh!" She yelled. "I forgot! Don't call me PS2, I have feelings, you know?"
Vincent allowed himself a grin. "What should I call you then?"
"How about.. Ririn!"
Vincent exhaled suddenly. "Ok, Ririn it is, Ririn." The 'girl' on the other side of the line chuckled, and spoke. "Ok, I'm off. Talk to you later! Keep the cellphone." With that, as suddenly as she spoke, the line was cut off.
The teen pocketed the cellphone, and turned his attention back to the screen. His mind filing with knowledge over those two creatures and ways to junction them, he pressed the "yes" button as an answer to the "receive?" question.
Small it was, but not to shabby, eh? Sorry for not updating sooner, job took it's toll on me. Ok, people. I gave you a good time, now pay me! Not by actual money, dummies, review!
Until next time.