The silence in the classroom was so complete, if someone had been of the mind to drop a pin, it would've been heard as it hit the ground. Our parents were still gathered in front of us at my mother's desk, Tristen and Raven were huddled together in a corner and the rest of us just stared as if we had been frozen. Even after all the terrible things we had thought of that could explain what had so worried our parents, we weren't even close to ready for this revelation. Finally, I broke the silence.
"Sorceress?" I choked out, "A new sorceress?"
My mother nodded. "Yes."
"Holy shit," Vaughn whispered.
"Wha…" I started, but couldn't think of the words, "How? Why?"
"We assume that her powers were dormant until recently," my mother answered.
"She's the one who led the attack on FH?" Tal asked.
Squall nodded. "We don't have much information, but we assume that when her powers awakened, she decided to use them for one evil purpose or another. Why she chose to take over FH is a mystery to us, but we hope to find out soon."
Those of us sitting at the desks all looked at each other as we once again fell silent. None of us had any idea what to say. We had never had to deal with a sorceress threat. The last one had been over twenty years ago and now here we were, come full circle. This was insane.
"What do you plan to do about her?" Raine inquired.
"Well," Squall replied, "First of all, we're going to put the Garden on the move. The sorceress knew who we were in FH and we think she might come here to attack us. If we stay on the move, she'll have a harder time finding us. We also want to warn the other Gardens, so as soon as all SeeDs have returned; we're heading to Trabia. We'll work on our strategy later. The main thing right now is keeping Garden and it's occupants safe."
I glanced over at Kayla and saw that her face had paled dramatically since we'd entered the classroom. I wouldn't have been shocked if my face wasn't as pale or worse. This was some crazy stuff they were laying on us and just because we're SeeDs doesn't mean that we're not afraid. Evil sorceresses mean bad news.
"If you guys don't have any more questions," my mother spoke, "you're free to go, but under no circumstances are you to leave the Garden. We'll be on the move within the hour."
All of us stood up, almost in unison, and stiffly made our way to the door. I looked around and felt like I was walking with a crowd of zombies. To be truthful, I felt like a zombie so I guess I fit right in. A new sorceress. I didn't even know how to react to that. I was scared, definitely, but I was also half numb.
As the group of us made our way to the elevator, we remained silent. Without a word, the eight of us split into two groups of four and rode down to the first floor. Kayla, Tal, Vaughn and I went down second and when we exited, the Dincht's and Raven were already walking back towards the dorms.
When we stepped out of the elevator cab, the aura of weirdness seemed to dissipate and Kayla spoke. "Well, what are we gonna do now?"
The three of us looked at her, not quite sure if she meant about the sorceress or about our day.
"I, for one, am starving," Vaughn commented, "Let's get some breakfast."
The rest of us agreed and we followed him to the cafeteria. When we entered, the place was only beginning to be packed by the morning meal eaters but enough girls were present to giggle and wave to Vaughn. He smiled absently and waved back, but didn't tip his hat or stop to talk to any of them. Kayla hobbled over to a table while we got breakfast.
After sitting down with the trays of food, the four of us ate in silence until finally Tal said, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm really freaked out about this whole thing."
"Don't get all worked up," Vaughn counseled, "It's just a sorceress. That's what SeeD does, eliminates the sorceress."
"Shut up Vaughn," Kayla snapped, "You're just as scared as we are, you're just too much of a wuss to show it."
Vaughn stared at her in surprise. "Whoa. What's wrong with you?"
"You don't need to be putting down on Tal just because he admits his feelings," Kayla insisted.
"Sorry." Vaughn held his hands up as if in a show of peace, "I didn't mean to make fun of your boyfriend."
"He's not my boyfriend!" Kayla shouted.
"Sure seems like he is."
"Shut up!" I interrupted, "Both of you!" The Kinneas siblings fell silent. "We have enough on our minds without worrying about you two fighting. And I'm pretty sure Uncle Irvine and Aunt Selphie would not want to hear that the two of you were jumping down each other's throats at breakfast."
Sometimes, I can be as scary as my mother and both of them mumbled apologies. We fell into silence again.
Are you all right Mistress?
Yes Ember, I'm fine. Why?
Because I don't think you are. This sorceress thing has you worried, doesn't it?
I hesitated before replying. During the last Sorceress War, tens of thousands of people were hurt or killed by the hand of Ultimecia and her puppets. I don't want to see that happen again.
An image of my father under the evil witch's control flashed through my mind and I shivered.
Ah, I see. You are worried about your father.
He was controlled by Ultimecia all those years ago, why not by this sorceress as well?
Yes, but the only reason your father joined Ultimecia in the first place was because he was a lost child and wanted to protect his Matron.
How'd you know that?
In addition to reading your mind, I also have access to your memories.
You're just full of surprises, aren't you?
Ember didn't answer and I turned back to my half cold breakfast burrito. The thought of this new sorceress corrupting my father once again played through my head and I shivered uncontrollably. I flinched when I felt a hand on my arm.
"You sure you're okay?" Vaughn asked with concern.
"Yeah," I assured with a weak smile, "I'm fine. I'm sure everything will turn out okay."
"No problem," Vaughn agreed, flashing me a smile of his own, "Garden will send SeeDs to take care of this sorceress. We'll go, exterminate her like the bug she is and it'll be done."
I nodded but didn't have Vaughn's faith in the simplicity of the mission. It seemed to me like everything that could go wrong would in a situation like this. Suddenly, the intercom chimed and Headmaster Cid's voice floated out.
"Good morning Balamb Garden," he said cheerily, "This is Headmaster Cid speaking. I hope all of you are enjoying your morning so far. Now, here's Commander Squall Leonhart."
The intercom microphone could be heard changing hands and then Uncle Squall spoke.
"Yesterday, a SeeD group was sent to FH on a routine mission. This morning, while still in FH, the team encountered a new enemy, a sorceress by the name of Lantana."
Around the cafeteria, gasps of shock filled the air.
Squall continued. "We believe that the sorceress is a threat to Garden and therefore, are mobilizing as soon as we can. Be prepared to be mobile within the next half hour or so. Because we are preparing to move, no one is allowed to leave Garden. Those who are in Balamb are being rounded up as we speak and brought back. As soon as everyone has returned, we will depart for Trabia Garden. That is all."
The intercom fell silent and a hush filled the cafeteria for a few moments before it erupted into full-blown conversation about the information that they had just received. The room, which was normally only filled with idle chatter, was now abuzz with talk of the sorceress and if she would attack Balamb Garden.
"You know," Tal started, "the sorceress could attack any time. I think it would be a good idea to keep our weapons with us all the time."
"You're right," I agreed. We had hurried to the front gate so fast this morning that none of us had thought to bring our weapons. Suddenly, I was in a big hurry to strap on my sheaths. Just feeling the weight of the Sais on my hips would make me feel better.
"I think I'm done eating," Kayla commented, even though her plate was still half full of biscuits and gravy, "I think I'm gonna head back to my room and get my nunchaku."
I could tell that she was thinking the same thing I was. "Yeah," I agreed, throwing away most of my breakfast burrito into a nearby trashcan, along with Kayla's food, "I'll come with you."
"Wait for me." Tal threw his trash away as well and stood up with us.
"Cale and Luke should be getting back soon," Vaughn commented, "I'll see you guys around."
We nodded and the three of us hurried out of the cafeteria and to the dorms. Without a word, we each entered our own room and collected our weapons, then met back out in the hallway.
"Well," Tal began, "Now what?"
Kayla and I looked at each other and shrugged.
"I don't know," I admitted, "What should we be doing?"
"Is there anything we can do?" Kayla wondered.
None of us had an answer to her question.
-----------------------------------------------
Ten minutes later, we were sitting in my room, trying to pretend like it was just another normal day, when the intercom rang to life.
"Attention everyone, the Garden will be mobile in ten minutes. I repeat, the Garden will be mobile in ten minutes. Please secure all belongings and prepare for the weather in Trabia. That is all."
The three of us looked at each other, relief evident on all of our faces.
"Good," Kayla said finally, "As soon as we're on the move, I think all of us will be able to relax."
"I think you're right," I agreed. Tal nodded as well.
"We should get our stuff secured before take-off," I suggested.
"Yeah."
Kayla and Tal left my room and I went about making sure all the breakable things in my room were safely stored away. I put my family portrait into my nightstand to keep it from falling over and stored away a few knickknacks I had gathered over the years. Once this was done, I sat down to wait.
Five minutes after the first announcement, another announcement was made, saying that Garden was departing for Trabia in five minutes. Tal and Kayla came back not long after the announcement and the three of us waited for the last announcement that would tell us it was time to depart. We heard the engines of the Garden hum to life in the basement and a few minutes later the final announcement was made.
"Attention everyone, we are now leaving for Trabia Garden. Please, for your safety, remain seated until the Garden is in the air and traveling smoothly. That is all."
Underneath the Garden, the engine began to rumble louder and the huge school slowly lifted off the ground. It was a little bumpy at first, like it always was, but as soon as we were airborne, the ride smoothed out and the Garden's movement was barely detectible. When it was once again safe to stand, the three of us let out a cumulative breath of relief.
"Finally," Kayla sighed, "We're moving. It'll be pretty hard for that Sorceress Whatever to catch us on the run."
She was right and we all knew it. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I smiled. "Well, what should we do until we get to Trabia?"
"I think we should find our parents and see if they need our help with anything," Tal suggested. He was such a suck-up sometimes.
"Okay," I agreed after a moment.
"I guess we have nothing better to do," Kayla relented.
The three of us left my room and set off in search of our parents, which was no easy task. Because all of them were so important to Garden, they hardly ever stayed in one place for long and the only time you could find them in their rooms was if it was the middle of the night and even then sometimes they were working. We decided to check my mom's classroom first. Because of the move to Trabia and the sorceress threat, classes were cancelled for the day. We found the room deserted.
Our next stop was the third floor offices where Uncle Squall spent most of his time. We were informed by his secretary, Adia, that she hadn't seen him all morning. After the failure on the third floor, we went back down to the first and went to the library, hoping Aunt Cammi would be there and would know where our parents were. The only people in the library were cadets and SeeDs checking out books, the air headed librarian who our brothers and Cale had been flirting with and Kit, who was putting returned volumes back on the shelves.
"Hey Kit," I called as we approached. She turned from her task and smiled at me.
"What can I do for you Kaisa?" she asked.
"Have you seen our parents?"
She frowned. "No, not since the meeting in your mom's classroom. Why? Is something wrong?"
"No," I assured, "We're just bored so we were looking for them to see if them needed any help with anything."
"Sorry," Kit apologized, "Haven't seen 'em."
"Thanks."
We left the library and after a brief debate on where to go next, we agreed on the cafeteria, hoping Uncle Zell was there getting some hotdogs for breakfast. Easier to predict that the others, Uncle Zell was in line for the many meat treat when we entered.
"Uncle Zell, have you seen our parents?" Kayla asked.
"Not since we all split up, just before the Garden took off," he answered and bounced around eagerly, waiting for his turn at the counter.
"Do you have any idea where they might be?" I inquired.
"Probably all over," Zell told us, "They were going to prepare things in case we're attacked and stuff." Uncle Zell's attention turned from us and focused on the cafeteria lady as he came to the counter. "Yeah, I want 10 hotdogs please."
The cafeteria lady sighed. "Zell, we don't sell hotdogs for breakfast. How many times must we tell you that?"
"But I wrote up that petition and had everybody sign it!" Zell whined.
"That wasn't enough to convince us that hotdogs are an essential part of breakfast."
Not wanting to be around at the aftermath of this conversation, I started edging away. The others followed. "Thanks Uncle Zell."
He didn't acknowledge that I'd spoken and continued to argue with the cafeteria lady. After we left the cafeteria, another brief debate led us to the infirmary, where we found our moms. They were helping Dr. Kadowaki pack up supplies in case she had to grab them and run in the middle of an attack.
"What are you guys doing here?" Aunt Selphie asked as we entered.
"You aren't hurt, are you?" my mom questioned, peering at us closely.
"No," I assured, "We were bored and Tal suggested that we find you and ask if you needed help."
"Aw," Aunt Rinoa cooed, "You're such a sweet boy Taylor, but we don't need any help. We've got everything under control."
"It's Tal, Mom," Tal reminded. He hated being called "Taylor" worse than Luke hated being called "Lucian" and almost as much as Uncle Zell hated being called "Chicken-wuss."
"Sorry," Rinoa apologized, "I forgot. Tal." she corrected.
"Well then," I began, "Do you know where our dads are?"
"Probably off killing each other somewhere," my mom quipped.
"Or at least adding more scars," Aunt Rinoa offered.
"So they're in the Training Center?" I surmised.
"Yes," the three of them answered in unison.
"Okay," I waved as we left, "See you later."
"Bye!"
We left the infirmary and walked around the Garden to the Training Center. Because there was no way they could leave the Garden to train at the moment, quite a few SeeDs and cadets were inside, but most stayed around the outer edges, insuring that they only fought Grats. We knew that our dads would be farther in so we cautiously pushed through the foliage until we found them smack dab in the middle of the TC. My dad and Uncle Squall were standing facing each other, their gunblades locked in between them. Uncle Irvine stood to the side, watching. None of the men noticed us and we sat down to watch.
"I've got 5 gil that says my dad kicks your dad's ass," Tal whispered and pulled a five gil bill out of his pocket.
I smirked in that patented Almasy way and pulled out a bill of my own. "You're on, Leonhart."
With a grunt, my dad shoved his gunblade harder against Uncle Squall's, sending the shorter man stumbling back a few steps. Squall recovered quickly and rolled out of the way as Hyperion came crashing down on him. In mid-roll, Uncle Squall kicked my dad in the side, sending him sprawling to the TC ground. I gasped in horror as the blue blade of Lionheart descended on my dad but my fears proved unfounded. My dad rolled out of the way and flipped onto his feet. With a smirk at Squall, he rushed forward, his Hyperion in front of him. The two gunblades collided with a crash and shower of sparks, and once again they were locked in a stalemate like when we had first encountered them.
"Give up Leonhart," my father snickered, "You can't beat me."
"I've done it before," Squall reminded, "I'll do it again."
This time, it was Uncle Squall who made the first move. He dropped to the ground and rolled between my dad's legs, then sprang up behind him. My dad barely had time to swivel around and deflect the blow Uncle Squall had intended for him.
"Not bad," Seifer complimented as they struck and parried.
"Thanks."
By now, both men were sweating but neither appeared to be getting tired. Knowing that his coat was eventually going to be a problem, my dad managed to slip out of the gray piece of clothing while still defending against Squall. The coat landed a few feet away from us and I scrambled forward to get it so no one would trip over it, then hurried back to where we were sitting. The two men were concentrating so hard on each other that they still didn't see us.
"Quit showing off," Uncle Squall admonished about the coat trick.
"Showing off for who? You?" My dad chuckled. "I'm flattered Squall but you're really not my type."
"You know, that's your problem Almasy," Uncle Squall told him with a slight smile, "You always did talk too much!"
With the last word, Uncle Squall lunged forward at what he thought was an unprotected part of my dad's body. Contemplating his move, my father blocked the shot and managed to knock Lionheart from my uncle's hands. The huge blade spun up into the air and impaled itself in the ground inches from where Uncle Irvine stood. He looked at the blade in shock, then back at the combatants. My dad now had Hyperion up against Uncle Squall's neck and was smirking superiorly.
"Looks like I win again," he grinned.
"Not bad," Uncle Squall praised, "you anticipated my move. I admit defeat. You win."
"Of course I do," my dad smirked and sheathed Hyperion.
From the edge of the battlefield, the three of us began to clap.
"Looks like you've got an audience," Uncle Irvine commented as he brought Squall his gunblade. They looked over at us.
"How long have you three been there?" Uncle Squall asked as he sheathed his own gunblade.
"A few minutes," Kayla replied as we stood up.
"Did you see me kick Leonhart's ass, baby girl?" my dad questioned.
"Yep," I replied, "Which reminds me…" I turned to Tal. "Pay up."
Tal mumbled something incoherent, then gave me the five gil. I smiled and put it in my pocket with my own money.
"So, what brings you guys out here?" Uncle Irvine inquired as we joined them in the middle of the battleground.
"We're bored," I explained, "so we're just wandering around."
"Oh hey," my dad started as I handed him his coat, "I have something for you. I found it in FH in the ruins of the BGH251F2." He reached into one of the pockets and pulled out an orangish-red object that looked as if it were on fire at the moment. He handed it to me. "It's a Running Fire, for your Limit Break."
"Cool," I whispered as I stared down at the item in my hand. I closed my fist around it and concentrated until I felt the magic from the item enter my mind. The words "Gatling Gun" whispered faintly in my head for a second, then faded. When I looked at the object again, the magic had left it, leaving it nothing but a gray piece of metal.
"Thanks Dad," I smiled. Gatling Gun was going to be a useful addition to my Blue Magic repertoire.
"No problem," he assured.
After a few more minutes of conversation with our dads, we left the Training Center with absolutely no idea what we were going to do. It was weird. When the Garden was on the ground and we could leave anytime we wanted, we never did but now that we couldn't leave, all three of us were itching to go somewhere.
---------------------------------
By lunchtime, we were about a half hour away from Trabia and the three of us were still bored out of our minds. It was hard to believe that a few hours ago we had been terrified of a sorceress attack. At the moment, we would've given anything for a little action.
At lunch, we were reunited with our brothers and Cale, who had been wandering around in much the same way we had, although I'm pretty sure most of their time was spent in the library.
"Hey, good to see you," I snickered as they walked by with their lunches, "Have fun in Balamb last night?"
"Tons," Luke answered with a sly grin.
"You must be broke by now huh?" I joked, "What's a good hooker go for these days? 2000, 3000 gil a night?"
"Like I'd have to buy a hooker," Luke chuckled, "Cale maybe, me, never. The ladies love me."
Kayla and I burst out laughing.
"You are so delusional," I told him.
"Whatever."
The three of them sat down at a nearby table and ignored us as they ate. Tal, Kayla and I ignored them as well and had our own conversation.
"So, what are we gonna do once the Garden touches down in Trabia?" Tal asked after taking a bite of his hamburger.
"I'm going monster hunting," I told him, "I'm gonna fight some Gaylas so I can get a Mystery Fluid for my Limit Break. I'd like to build up a few more Blue Magic spells just in case we do get attacked in the near future."
"Speaking of Limit Breaks," Kayla said, "my mom said that next time I can use it, I should try to cast Full-Cure. Pretty awesome, huh?"
Tal and I nodded. Kayla's Limit Break was the same as her mother's, Slot.
After we finished our lunch, we sat around in the cafeteria, talking about Trabia. Fifteen minutes before we were scheduled to arrive, the intercom chimed to life.
"Attention everyone, we will be arriving in Trabia in fifteen minutes. I repeat, we will be arriving in Trabia in fifteen minutes. In a minute or so, you will feel a faint vibration as the Garden leaves the ocean and moves onto the continent of Trabia. The tremor will pass quickly and is nothing to be alarmed about. That is all."
The intercom fell silent and we looked at each other.
"So, should we go get dressed for snow?" I asked.
"Yes!" Kayla cheered. She loved Trabia almost as much as her mom did.
"Let's go."
The three of us left the cafeteria and went back to our dorms to change. Because it was so cold in Trabia, I opted for a pale yellow sweater, blue jeans, brown ankle-high boots, black gloves and a heavy brown winter coat that reached down to mid calf. Once I was dressed in my wintry outfit, I went next door to Kayla's room.
When she let me in, she was dressed as well, though not quite as warmly as me. She wore a green mini-dress that stopped about three inches from her knees and had thick straps, black, knee-high boots, black gloves and a tan fur lined coat that almost touched the ground.
"What do ya think of my outfit?" she asked as she hopped around in front of the mirror.
"I think you're gonna freeze to death," I told her, "Why are you wearing a dress?"
"Don't worry," she assured, "this coat will keep me toasty warm."
"Whatever you say."
A knock at the door drew out attention. "You guys in there?"
"Yes!" we called in unison and I opened the door for Tal. He was wearing black jeans, a white T-shirt, black gloves, black boots and a black fur-lined jacket almost identical to the one his father wore.
"Aw!" I teased, "Little boy's dressing up like his Daddy!"
"Shut up," Tal scoffed and pushed passed me into the room. I chuckled and stepped away from the door. It slid shut behind me. Tal caught sight of Kayla's outfit and whistled appreciatively. "Whoa Kayla, nice outfit."
"Keep your tongue in your mouth," I instructed, earning a blush from both of them and a glare from Tal. I looked down at my watch. "We should be landing in about five minutes."
As if on cue, the intercom spoke. "Attention everyone, we will be arriving in Trabia in five minutes. I repeat, we will be arriving in Trabia in five minutes."
"Man, you'd think she'd get tired of making all those announcements," Tal commented, referring to Xu who, except on special occasions, made all the announcements over the intercom.
"She must like doing it or I think she would've asked for another job by now," Kayla said.
"Trust me, she likes the power of it all." I knew because Xu was one of my mother's friends and she loved feeling like she was in charge. I wasn't very fond of her because Xu hated my father. I tried not to be around when she was.
"Anyway, judging by how restless everyone has been since leaving Balamb, I'm gonna guess that most people are gonna want off the Garden when we land," Tal deducted, "So unless we want to get trampled, I suggest we get to the gate now and secure a place towards the front of the crowd."
"Good idea," I acknowledged. The three of us left Kayla's room and went to the front gate, where a small crowd had already gathered. We integrated ourselves with the others and slowly moved towards the front to avoid the risk of being squashed by a run-away crowd. We were within the first twenty people when we heard the Garden's engines winding down as it lowered towards Trabia.
"Attention everyone. We are now landing in Trabia. I repeat, we are now landing in Trabia. The Headmaster has approved of leaving the Garden, but you must return by 1430 hours. We will be departing for Galbadia Garden at 1500 hours. That is all."
The Garden slowly lowered until it settled into the soft snows of Trabia. After a few seconds, the engines wound down and then shut off completely. A minute or so passed and then the front gate was open, allowing the flood of SeeDs to exit the moving school. Since we were relatively close to the front, we were within the first ten or fifteen off the Garden.
As we stepped out into the snow, a light wind gusted around us, sending chills across my exposed face. I shivered, but also smiled. "Let's find some Gaylas."
"Whoo-hoo!" Kayla called loudly and the three of us trudged deeper into the Trabia Snowfields. We weren't walking long when the unmistakable wail of a Mesmerize, a small, antelope-like monster, cut the air. Within seconds, we were in the middle of a herd of three.
"You guys ready?" I asked.
"Yeah!" the others agreed.
"Okay, since Kayla can't really fight, she can draw or act as healer," I dictated. When we fought low level monsters for item gathering, one of us would attack, one would draw spells and the other would act as healer incase we needed a Cure or Esuna. "What do you want to start out with Tal? Fight or passive?"
"Fight," Tal answered, as I knew he would.
"All right," I agreed, "I'll draw. Kay, you heal okay?"
"Okay."
Tal checked his Blaster Edge and smirked. "Let's go."
He began attacking the Mesmerizes, while I drew spells. These Mesmerize were mid-level, so I was able to draw my fill of Cures, Esunas and Lifes, while Tal repeatedly attacked with his Blaster Edge. After about five minutes, the last monster fell, leaving us with about twenty Mesmerize Blades to distribute evenly among us. We picked up our treasures and moved on.
About forty-five minutes and fifty Mesmerizes later, we still hadn't run into a Gayla. We trudged now in silence and groaned as another swarm of Mesmerizes jumped out of nowhere.
"Dammit!" Tal cursed, "I'm getting really tired of these things!"
"I've got enough Mesmerize Blades to last me a life-time!" Kayla complained. It was true. The three of us had all the Blades we could carry.
"I'm full of Cures, Esunas and Lifes," I informed.
"Me too," Tal agreed, "And I even refined my Cures into Curas, and have a hundred of those too!"
We girls nodded in agreement.
"What do you say we roast these little guys?" I asked with a sly grin.
"As long as I don't have to look at another Mesmerize Blade," Tal agreed.
My grin widened as I called, "Ember!"
Next to me, Kayla shouted, "Blayze!"
Both GFs materialized in front of us, then yelled, "Crimson Volcano!" in unison. We watched dispassionately as the Mesmerizes were burned to a crisp and then hammered with stones. Once the assault was over, the sisters disappeared, leaving behind a charred mass of Mesmerize but thankfully, no Blades.
"That was overkill, don't you think?" Tal asked as we moved on.
"Maybe they'll think twice before they try to attack us again," I said.
We moved towards Trabia Garden, where it was housed inside a semi-circle of mountains. As we were approaching our own Garden, a shrill shriek filled the air that was different from the Mesmerize but still recognizably a monster. I knew what it was.
"A Gayla," I informed, eyes shiny with anticipation. Sure enough, the white and black striped monster swooped out of the air and hovered in front of us, initiating the attack.
"I'm fighting this one," I called to my friends, "You guys decide who will draw and heal."
"I'll draw," Kayla suggested, "My magic is more powerful."
"I'll heal," Tal said.
"Let's get me a Mystery Fluid."
This particular Gayla was a high level specimen, which meant that Kayla was able to draw Meltdowns from it. None of us had yet acquired the spell, so it was a treat to be getting some of them. I could've called Ember and toasted the snow monster but then Kayla wouldn't have been able to draw the spells, so I settled on slowly and methodically slashing it with my Sais. After about ten minutes, the monster finally gave up and fell to the ground. It spasmed once, then lay still. After disappearing, it left behind what I had been looking for all along, a Mystery Fluid.
"Yes!" I exclaimed and picked up the prized possession off the snowy ground. I held it in my hand and concentrated until I felt the magic integrate itself into my mind. Once the magic was gone from the Mystery Fluid, the item disappeared into a puff of smoke.
"Ready to head back to the Garden?" Kayla asked. The snow was making it hard for her to use her crutches. She kept slipping on the icy ground.
"Yeah," I nodded. "Thanks for the help, you guys."
"No problem," Tal assured with a smile.
We trudged back to the Garden, successfully dodging any monsters and boarded about ten minutes before we were required to be back. Since there was nothing to do but wait for departure, we settled down on one of the benches along the main hall and watched people as they walked by. At about 1427 hours, our parents returned from Trabia Garden.
"So, how'd everything go?" I asked my mom as we fell into step with them.
"Fine," she assured, "We told Headmistress Aislynn of Trabia Garden about the sorceress and she decided that it would be a good idea to put her Garden on the move as well. They'll be leaving before nightfall."
"Are they coming with us?" Kayla asked.
"No," my mom answered, "It would be too risky for us to travel together. It would make us too sweet a target for the sorceress. Anyway, you guys better get back to your rooms, we'll be leaving soon."
We said goodbye to our parents and then made our way back to our dorms. This time we congregated in Tal's room, which we had never done before because, as a cadet, he had shared a dorm with a rather unpleasant boy named Kevin, and we waited for the departure from Trabia. About twenty minutes after we had talked to our parents, we were informed via intercom that we would be leaving Trabia in ten minutes. We were told again in five minutes and then five minutes after that, we were airborne and headed towards Galbadia Garden.
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I know this chapter was kinda boring. It was supposed to go along with the next chapter, but that would've made it waaaaaaayyyy too long, so I decided to split it up. Next chapter will have some action, I promise.