Disclaimer : I don't own anything.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Shane's POV)
Great. Just great. An over dramatic, over sensitive leader... Just what I needed. I thought darkly as I watched her long blonde hair sway back and forth as she ran off. Then I frowned to myself. Still... I know I was being too hard on her. Why did I say that?
Maybe it was because she wanted me to. It wasn't just her words, but the look in her eyes. She wanted to know how I really felt, but...I didn't need to go off on her like that. I just snapped. I saw it in her eyes. I hurt her deeply.
Ok, I know they're serious about all this. I mean, I think hiring SeeD and planning kidnapping missions pretty much marked just how serious this was, but their disorganisation was what got me so mad. I constantly found myself wondering if they knew what they were doing, or if it was really what they wanted, and I hesitated because of it.
And I didn't like hesitating or second guessing myself.
So... Why am I doing it now? I thought, forcing myself back to the present as Marah came rushing up to us with a look of confusion, having obviously seen the crying Forest Owls leader on her way up.
"...?" Giving me a questioning gaze, Marah was clearly unsure of what to ask or how to ask it, so she remained silent.
That's when the TV began to buzz louder and the static flickered. Turning to it, I felt my eyes narrow in confusion as I waited to see what was going to happen.
"Are they starting?" Marah asked cluelessly as the static image faded and cleared to show a podium with an anchorman standing behind it in a red draped room.
"T-Testing...1...2... Testing... Testing..." he said into the microphone before he looked off stage and his eyes widened a moment. "Ohhh!" Looking back at the camera, his eyes shone with awe. "P-People of the world! Can you see me? Can you hear me?" he asked excitedly. "Oh, this is incredible! Ladies and gentlemen, this is not a recording! This is an actual broadcast over the air!"
We can see that. I thought dryly as the anchorman sighed happily and waved his hands.
"Yes, it's been 17 years since a live broadcast has been possible!" Then he looked off stage again and turned serious, nodding before he turne back. "Oh, please excuse me... I seem to have lost my composure. We would like to present to you today a message from the lifelong President of Galbadia, Vinzer Deling. Ladies and gentlemen, President Deling!"
As he moved aside, an older man with greying, thinning hair stepped forward, dressed in a navy suit, and took the stand. He stared seriously out into the camera and nodded before beginning his speech. "Greetings. I am Vinzer Deling, lifelong President of Galbadia. Today, I stand before you to make the following proposition. We, the people of the world, have the power to end all wars."
Marah giggled and pointed at the screen before jumping excitedly. "See, see! It's a peace proposal to the world! I knew it!" she cried cheerfully.
I frowned at this and glared warily at the image before me. I doubt it. He's planning something. I thought suspiciously. Men like him didn't strike me as the type to invade a town, occupy it, pretty much enslave it, and then suddenly want peace. There had to be something in it for him. There had to be some kind of strings or secrets.
"Unfortunately, there are some trifling problems standing between Galbadia and other nations, and they must be resolved." he said pretty emotionlessly.
I knew it. I raised an eyebrow when there was a loud crashing noise on the other end of the image, but President Deling seemed to either not hear it or ignore it. What's going on? I began to get even more suspicious as to what was going on.
"I plan to convene with other nations' leaders immediately to resolve these problems." he continued after a moment. Frowning at something, he looked down at the podium before continuing. "At this time, let me introduce the ambassador who will be my representitive for the conference."
Dustin raised an eyebrow and frowned as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Man, all this just to announce an ambassador?"
"The ambassador is the Sorceress..." the President continued.
"...The sorceress?" I offered in confusion. Who's that?
Suddenly, a soldier ran in and aimed a gun off screen, and a flash of navy blue and a light, and the soldier fell to the ground, unmoving. There, in his place, stood Blake, grinning almost evilly as he shot two more guards and ran over to the President, standing behind him with his gunblade to his throat.
"Heeey!" Marah cried in recognition.
Dustin's jaw dropped. "Blake?!"
What the hell?! That idiot's gonna get himself killed and the rest of us in trouble! I thought, staring with wide eyes at the image in front of us.
"What's he doin'?" Marah asked warily as Blake took a step back, dragging the hostage President with him.
Another figure appeared on the screen and Dustin's eyes threatened to pop out of his head. "Instructor Hanson?!"
Tori Hanson stood there in her battle outfit, her whip wrapped around her waist as she turned her back to Blake and held her arms out, stopping the soldiers with a look of worry, bordering on panick. "Stay back!" she called urgently.
"Shane, what're we gonna do?" Dustin cried, bording on panic himself.
"For the last time, stay back!" Tori cried as gaurds approached. "You're only going to provoke him!"
"...Nothing." I said finally, staring at the screen unsurely. "Our job is to assist the Forest Owls. It's none of our business."
As if hearing my words, Tori turned to the camera and ran closer to it, her desperation showing on her face as she panted a bit. "Timber team, are you watching? Get over here right now! You have permission! I need your help!" she cried as the camera shut off.
"Shane?!" Dustin cried.
Marah stomped her foot. "Squad Leader!"
Nodding to them, I remained silent as we ran for the tower. It only took us a couple of minutes until we burst upon the confusing and shocking scene, staring at Blake who looked torn between whether he should be laughing or panicking. He still held the President hostage, with his gunblade around his throat, but strangely, the man didn't seem the least bit worried.
In fact, he almost seemed inhumanly calm.
"We need to restrain him!" Tori hissed in a worried voice as Blake eyed us all with a wary smirk.
I took a step forward and glared at him calmly, hiding the pounding of my heart. If he slips...if he kills the President, even by accident, we're all dead... "What do you think you're doing?" I asked calmly. What the hell are you thinking? my mind demanded.
He sneered and shook his head. "It's obvious, ain't it?!" he shot back, clearly agitated. "What are you planning to do with this guy?"
Frowning, I crossed my arms over my chest. "...Planning to do?" I repeated in confusion before it hit me. That's right. He knows Kapri. Is that why he's here? Was this Blake's sick way of helping her out? Doing her a favor?
"I get it!" Dustin cried, his eyes lighting up in understanding. "You're Kapri's..."
"Shut your damn mouth!" Blake yelled angrily, waving his gunblade wildly. "You chicken!"
Tori stepped forward then. "He broke out of the disciplinary room, injuring many in the process." she said quietly to me.
"YOU STUPID IDIOT!!" Dustin screamed, shaking violently with supressed anger.
Dustin, please... "Shut up." I said emotionlessly to him.
"Instructor, I know!" he cried. "You're gonna take this stupid idiot back to Garden, right?"
"Shut up!" I repeated as he finished that sentence. "NO!"
But it was too late.
The President had heard all this and smirked like he'd found his wildcard out of this mess. "I see...you're all from Garden." he stated coldly. "Should anything happen to me, the entire Galbadian military will undboutedly crush Garden." He then glanced over his shoulder at Blake who was seething with rage at Dustin for his outburst. "You can let go of me now."
Ignoring him, Blake tightened his hold, pressing his gunblade more firmly against the man's throat as he shook angrily and glared daggers at the brunette SeeD. "Nice going, you dumb chicken!" he yelled. "You and your stupid big mouth! Take care of this mess, Instructor and Mr. Leader." he said mockingly to me and Tori as he carefully backed out of the room and we watched helplessly.
(Normal POV)
As Blake backed into a backroom with the hostage President, he noticed the off colored air in the room and the faint, sweet smell of jasmine. No, wait... he thought suspiciously, hearing the sound of light footsteps and releasing his hostage instinctively as he spun with his gunblade out.
That's not air... It was some sort of light violet mist, filling the room and almost choking it.
Blake could feel his mind becoming fuzzy as the footsteps grew louder, as well as a faint sound of bells ringing lightly with every step.
The sense of power...!
Frowning, he held his blade ready as the President grasped at his throat and ran off as fast as he could. What the hell?! This wasn't normal! Why did he suddenly feel caged, but strangely, have only a weak urge to fight it?
"...poor, poor boy..." a soft, feminine voice cooed, sounding faintly Japanese, as the steps grew to a halt a moment. He's strong... He'll suit perfectly.
Opening his mouth to speak, Blake closed it when he realized nothing was coming out. Who...? Who's there and why?
The sound renewed and a woman stepped through a wall around a corner. Walking forward, she stopped in front of Blake and gazed upon him with glazed, empty black eyes. Her face and body showed no emotion, but her mind was filled with a sadistic pleasure as she stared at the young man in front of her.
So lost... Perfect. He shall serve my purposes well, as does this one... she thought darkly, allowing a faint, fake, comforting smile to form on her face as she took a single step forward.
Taking a quick step back, Blake's eyes widened and he held his blade out, his finger over the trigger. "Stay away from me!" he cried in a panicked voice as he looked around wildly. What he was looking for, he wasn't sure. Was it a means of escape? Looking for someone to come rushing to his aid? Perhaps a better weapon to take on this obviously powerful woman?
"Such a confused little boy..." she said in her soft voice, stepping into the light.
Blake frowned at this. She looks so familiar. he thought suspiciously.
The strange woman had long black hair tied up into a bun on her head and wore a strange headdress with strands of beads hanging from the sides of it in colors of red, yellow orange and black. She wore a long black, formfitting gown with a deep neckline and long black gloves that covered her arms entirely. Behind her, there was a long, translucent, black train that dragged on the ground behind her, and black metal spikes stood out from the back of the gown itself in a fan shape.
What got him, though, was her face. The eyes had a tint of yellow to them and seemed so emotionless, but overall, he knew that he somehow knew this woman.
The President... Hadn't he said something about introducing an ambassador? The sorceress? Was this her? It had to be, who else could it be?! But...that wasn't how he knew her. It felt like he'd met her a long time ago...
Then he was faintly reminded of his dream. The one thing he always wanted most in life, was to be a knight for the sorceress. And if there was no sorceress, he just wanted to be a great bodyguard. A protector. A saviour.
A hero.
"Are you going to step forward?" she asked with an amused grin. "Retreat? You have to decide." she stated calmly, taking another step forward.
Decide... But, I... No... He couldn't think! Shaking his gunblade wildly, he aimed at her once again, glaring angrily at her. "Stay back!"
There was another sound of footsteps, but these sounded a little heavier and like they were running. Frowning, Blake looked over his shoulder and saw Tori running towards him, a look of anger, confusion and worry etched into her beautiful face. Sneering to himself for his thoughts, he watched as she was hit by a blast of energy and knocked into a nearby wall where she laid stunned, watching the whole thing but unable to stop it.
I won't allow those accursed SeeDs to interfere! came a dark thought as the woman lowered her arm, noticing that the boy had turned back to her and was watching her suspiciously and with confusion. With amusement, she also noticed a faint hint of concern in his eyes as his face turned, briefly, back to the SeeD before it returned to her.
"The boy in you is telling you to come. The adult in you is telling you to back off." she said calmly, taking another step forward and smiling victoriously. "You can't make up your mind. You don't know the right answer."
No...I don't. he thought with a mental frown, staring at the woman in confusion. But, how'd she know? Can she read me? Shaking his head, he took a step backwards, feeling a cable from one of the cameras at the heel of his foot. Why does she look so damn familiar?!
"You want help, don't you?" she asked as she tilted her head a little.
Blake bit his lip. I...I dunno. I...ye-no, NO! I don't want... I don't need help!
"You want to be saved from this predicament."
"Shut up!" he yelled, finally having enough of her soft taunts. Stop it!
She smiled again and took a step forward, bringing herself right in front of Blake, whom she noticed, didn't raise his blade to stop or try and kill her. "Don't be ashamed to ask for help." she said sincerely. "Besides, you're only a little boy." One I can easily bend to my will. Join me...
"I'm not..." he said quietly, fighting the urge to sheathe his blade and join her so easily. "Stop calling me a boy." he tried to demand, biting his tongue when his voice came out shaky and weak. Wait... Looking at her closely, he felt his face drain of color as he finally realized who she really was.
This seemed to amuse the stranger. "You don't want to be a boy anymore?"
"Stop calling me a BOY!" he yelled, shaking with rage.
It's time... "Come with me to a place of no return." she said gently, noticing how the fight in his eyes faded and he seemed to really be thinking about it. "Bid farewell to your childhood."
This... Is this my chance to fulfill my dream? What about Garden? Instructor Hanson... Kapri... NO! All they've ever done is humor me or humiliate me! I'm tired of being nothing but a joke to everyone! I'll show them! Looking up, he watched as she raised her hand, feeling power surge through her, and hearing protesting grunts from behind him.
Realizing that more people had entered the room while he was battling his thoughts, he turned to find Shane, the messenger girl, that chicken wuss, and the Instructor, all kneeling on the ground and frozen. They had looks of anger and confusion on their faces, and were obviously struggling against the paralysis spell, but were unable to break free.
Yes... I'll show them. I'll show them I'm a hero! I'll put that Shane in his place. he thought darkly, allowing a sick smirk to come over his face as he waved cockily at them before walking away with the woman. I'll be Matron's knight! I'll protect her, even as they all turn against her! How could they?! After all she's done...
Noting the faint pruple flash in his eyes, before it disappeared, the woman smirked to herself. A little influence... That's all it took and now I have yet another puppet. Let us see what this one is capable of. she thought evilly as she followed him through the wall, the portal closing up behind him. The wall rippled with energy before it lightened and solidified, the purple mist emptying quickly from the room and the SeeDs once again able to move.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok, I KNOW some people will wonder why he called her 'Matron'. That'll be explained in future chapters, as well as his thoughts on how they 'betrayed' her and 'after all she's done...'. And you'll also find more explanations for probably a lot of your questions. Just stay tuned to the later chapters. It'll likely take until around chapter 30 or so before certain things are explained, so please be patient. I don't want to give it all away right away.
I hope this explains a little to Blake's mindset and why he acts the way he does. I always found that character to be a confusing one, so I hope I am able to explain enough to help you figure it out.
I think I just figured it out... You know how Billy's always in pain? I was thinking, it could be a stomach ulcer, or maybe he just has a REALLY weak stomach for battles and stuff... It was never explained in the game, so feel free to use your imagination.
Hope you like it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"He was so angry when he found out it was only the three of you dispatched to Timber."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
R+R please.
Thank you everyone.
Tenshi