Disclaimer : I don't own anything.
Note : I bet you're all wondering where Hunter is, huh? Well, I'll warn you now that were won't be any 'brotherly love' between him and Blake, since Blake is a main antagonist through most of the fic. But if you'd like to know, he comes in next chapter.
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(End of Dream World, Shane's POV)
Shaking my head as I slowly stood up, I waited a moment as the dizziness faded before opening my eyes to find Dustin pacing in the forest and Kapri looking at me in relief. I looked to Marah and Tori and watched as they woke up, realizing they must've been there with me. I knew that their minds were inhabiting the bodies of Zack and Jason, I just didn't know who was who.
"Was it Tommy again...?" Dustin asked knowingly, seeming to have calmed down somewhat from his fear of Balamb Garden being destroyed by Galbadia.
Marah nodded. "Sir Tommy's in big trouble! I hope he'll be ok...!!"
"Doesn't seem like the first time for you all." Tori mused as she straightened her hair and outfit, checking to make sure she still had her whip. "What is this?"
If it were just me, I could tell the others it was all just a crazy dream... "We'll just be wasting our time trying to figure it out. Let's keep going." I suggested.
"Yeah, let's go!" Dustin cried with a grin. "We're almost there!"
Marah, Dustin and Tori headed off, deeper into the woods, leaving Kapri and I alone. Once they were out of earshot, she turned to me and bit her lip. "Um, Shane? I think I may have said too much. I'm sorry." she apologized before racing off.
Frowning to myself, I nodded. Why couldn't I stay mad at her? Shaking my head, I watched her retreating figure before running after her and the others. Forget about it...
(Galbadia Garden)
We made it to the Garden in no time. The Forest had been fairly easy to deal with, since most of the monsters were fairly easy. Then again, I said most. There were a few giant man-eating plants with spiked tentacles called Ochus, and some monster that strange resembled smaller, green and blue dragons with straight tails that had sharp edges on either side.
Yeah, well, we ran from them.
Walking into the Galbadia Garden's entrance, I noticed that it seemed bigger then Balamb, and was set up much differently. The outdoor section we walked along had many students walking to and from the Garden, and some even flew in strange, flying machines, a dark green color. The machines seemed to mostly surround them with arm controls, and gatling guns.
I'd never seen anything like it before.
I think, I would've been suspicious if it hadn't been for the fact that the students in them wore orange jump suits, showing that they were only in a class.
Also, the uniforms were different...a little. Definitely more...flashy than ours, but basically the same colors and such. The guys had the navy blue uniforms, and so did the woman, with them having the choice of a shot, medium or long skirt.
"Wow...completely different." Marah mused in awe.
Dustin nodded with an impressed look. "Sure is quiet."
Shrugging, I smirked. "...I like it." I said easily. Quiet. I prefer quiet, so yeah, I like this Garden.
Of course, Kapri seemed to love my comment and began to giggle as she held her stomach.
With a determined nod, Tori turned to me and offered a somewhat uncertain smile. "Could you leave this one up to me? I've been here several times, and I know the headmaster very well. I'll go and explain our situation."
As Tori left and walked into the Garden, I watched as the others all seemed clueless as to what to actually do. I could tell from the way they stayed near me that they'd chosen to pretty much follow my lead.
"It's totally different from Balamb and Trabia Gardens!" Marah said, still in awe as she checked out the place.
Staying where we were for a while, I eventually got tired or waiting and headed into the Garden to look around. Speaking to many students and faculty, many of them just told us useless information or not to bother their class.
Walking up behind two girls that were walking down the hall, I slowed and walked behind them, listening in to what they were saying.
"You hear about the sorceress being appointed ambassador? Well, I hear there's gonna be an Inauguration Ceremony pretty soon." one girl said to the other.
The othe girl nodded. "I heard the sorceress has the ability to brainwash people. I wonder if it's true...?"
With a nod, I filed that little bit of information away and headed off, making my way back to the main hall of the Garden, which was in a circular shape and had four exits from it. It also had a second floor above it, and in the center of the room, a bright beam of light shot down from a skylight, and I saw the faint glowings of a draw point. Walking over, I drew Double from it and waited as Marah, Kapri and Dustin did the same before the draw point emptied.
Double is pretty much what it sounds like. It allows someone to cast twice the magic every time they have to cast a spell. There's also a spell out there called Triple but it's very rare that you run into either a draw point or a monster that carried that spell.
"Attention, SeeD part from Balamb, please report to the 2F Reception Floor."
Turning to the others, I nodded and began to search our way to the said point. It probably would've been easier if we'd known anything about this Garden, but since we did, it was a trial and error thing. Searching many corridors, we ended up back in the main hall a few times before we finally found the place we were looking for.
Heading into the large, lavish room, we each relaxed the best we could. Marah paced by the large window, staring out it. Kapri sat on the couch, pulling her legs up to her chest again and placing her head on her knees. Dustin sat on a couch across from her with a worried look, and I stood by the side of the doorway, my arms crossed over my chest and leaning against the wall.
"I wonder if there's a Garden Festival here, too." Marah mused out loud, looking lost in her thoughts.
Kapri nodded. "So Tori attended classes here?" she asked me.
I shrugged and remained silent. I mean, I didn't know, why was she asking me?
"How long are they gonna make us wait?" Dustin muttered as he nervously shook his leg.
A few minutes later and Tori walked in looking triumphant. Everyone turned to her with expectant looks as she moved to stand by the coffee table in the middoe of the couches.
"How'd it go?" I asked curiously.
She grinned. "They understood our situation." Then she turned to Dustin and bent down to look him in the eyes. "And Balamb Garden is safe. The attack on the President in Timber, was classified as an independent action. There was an official notice from the Galbadia Government saying that Balamb Garden is not to be held responsible."
"So... Blake's taking all the blame?" he asked hesitantly, looking torn between jumping for joy or feeling guilty all over again.
She turned grim at this. "The trial's over and the sentence's been carried out."
Everyone's face paled at this and I felt my legs grow weak. Taking a step back, I casually leaned against the wall and frowned deeply as the silence reigned in the room.
Blake...dead? No, that's not right. I almost grinned at the thought if I didn't feel so worried. Blake wouldn't stand for that. He would've found a way out is what he would've done. But still, the thought that he was dead... I never hated him, I don't know why I fought him. Maybe because it almost seemed like a habit. To hear that he'd been... It didn't seem possible.
"...He was executed?" Kapri asked softly, tears filling her eyes as she stared at Tori, hugging her legs even tighter to her chest as she looked down and her hair fell into her face, obscuring our vision of it. "...Of course he was. He attacked the President. He...He sacrificed himself for the Forest Owls..." she muttered brokenly.
Tori pursed her lips before sitting beside Kapri. "It was your group that got him involved in all this." Her tone was sad, but held no accusation. It was simply making a statement. "You're a resistance faction, right? You must have been prepared for the worst. I'm sure Blake was prepared, too." she winced at saying his name but managed to keep her composure. "So don't think of it as Blake sacrificing himself for you."
Getting up, Tori shook her head. "I'm sorry. I'm not good at this. I guess that wasn't much consolation."
"You really hated Blake, didn't you Dustin?!" Marah yelled angrily.
He looked hurt at this and let his head drop as he nodded before shaking his head. "Yeah, but... He was from Garden... He was one of us... If I can, I wanna get revenge."
At that, Marah looked apologetic and sighed with a sad expression on her face.
"I...don't have any good memories of him." Tori looked ready to break. Tears filled her eyes and she scrubbed tiredly at her pale face with the heels of her hands. "I've seen some troubled kids, but he was beyond troubled. Well, he wasn't really a bad guy."
I let my head drop, listening to them talk about him like he was dead. Something told me he wasn't and I knew he wouldn't go that easily, and yet they all already believed he was gone and wasn't coming back. Was this how they'd act if I was to die? No, I shook my head, not wanting to think about that. For one thing, I'm not even close to any of them, so they wouldn't mourn, and another, I wouldn't want them talking about me like this!
"I...really liked him." Kapri said with a shaky voice, wiping away tears as she smiled weakly. "He was really full of confidence, smart... Just by talking to him, I felt like I could take on the world."
Tori shot a small, surprised look at Kapri before nodding and looking thoughtful.
"You're boyfriend?" Marah asked curiously.
I frowned behind their backs at that. Why did I feel jealous when that was brought up? She could date whoever she wanted and I wouldn't care. No, I would but I shouldn't. Closing my eyes I sighed silently and refused to think about it.
"I don't really know." she admitted with a small smile, pain and confusion overcoming her face. "I...I think I was in love." She winced a little at saying that and I caught the brief, pained glance she sent in my direction before she buried her face in her legs again. "I...wonder how fe felt...?" she finished quietly.
"Do you still like him?" Marah continued.
Glaring at her a moment, Kapri closed her eyes and sighed. "If I didn't, I wouldn't be talking about it. It was only about two weeks ago... I was...new to the area..."
Toning her out, I bit my lip. 'I liked him'...' He wasn't a bad guy'... 'He was one of us'. They already accepted him as dead, and I didn't know what to think. I snorted silently and offered a pained, half smirk. Blake...you've already becoming nothing but a memory.
Then I frowned deeply and felt my heart clench painfully. Will they...Will they talk about me this way if I die...? 'Shane was this and that'. Using past tense, saying whatever they want? So... This is what death is all about... I watched as they clearly mourned someone who might still be alive. As they gave up hope and decided not to even look or find out for sure.
They just gave up!
They're just going to leave him, possibly alive, alone. I shook my head violently at this and pushed off the wall with a deadly glare. ...Not for me... I WON'T HAVE IT!!!
"Shane? What's wrong?" Tori asked in worry, standing up as I noticed everyone was staring at me in worry and confusion.
I didn't care. "I won't have it!" I yelled, swinging my arm in front of me and pushing her back when she tried to approach. I won't have it! I won't let you get close to me and just give up on me at the first sign of trouble! You'll just abandon me!
I won't be abandoned!
Not again!!
"W-What?" Dustin asked in confusion.
Marah Stared at me with wide, shocked eyes. "Have you gone mad?!" she shouted.
I glared at all of them. "I won't have anyone talking about me in past tense!" I won't let you in!
Running out of the room, I raced past multiple Galbadian SeeDs until I made it into the main hall, where I was stopped by an unexpected voice and froze, spinning around and looking up to the second floor to see who called me.
"Yo! Shane!"
Above me stood Eric and Taylor. They looked around and looked confused before exchanging glances and shrugged, turning and running off and soon appearing through the doorway in front of me.
"What're you doing here?" I demanded in confusion. Blake's lackeys. They might not know... Great, and I'll be the one who has to tell them, won't I?
"What am I doin'?! I'm a messenger, ya know?" Eric cried with a crooked grin. "Brought a new order from Headmaster Kanoi, ya know."
A new order. Could be just what everyone needs to take their minds off... But... "What kind of order?"
He shrugged at this. "I dunno. Gave it to the head honch here. Just did what the Headmaster wanted, ya know?"
Taylor slapped him on the arm and nodded. "EXPLAIN."
Scratching the back of his head, he nodded in return. "We were suppose'ta go to Timber, but the trains aren't running. So we had no other choice but to come here. Kinda relieved to see you guys here."
"BLAKE?" Taylor asked expectantly.
I felt my eyes widen at this and sighed sadly. With the news going around, I could tell them the truth of what I thought, but would they listen? Would they believe me? "I think he may be dead... I heard he was tried in Galbadia and then executed..." I said simply. Let them draw their own conclusions.
"LIES!" Taylor yelled with a grin.
I felt my head shoot up and watched as the duo seemed nothing but amused by the news.
Eric even began to laugh and Taylor shook her head with a grin. "That's gotta be a lie, ya know? There's no way he'd put up with a trial, ya know?! Or an execution for that matter! It's just not Blake, ya know?" Eric gasped between breaths.
Looking away, I almost felt relieved that someone else felt the same way as me. Somehow, sitting patiently at a trial and then waiting calmly for them to kill him, didn't seem like the Blake I knew.
"FIND!"
I turned back as Taylor got a serious, determined look on her face. Eric took one look at her and nodded with a grin of his own.
I always felt respect for them, and this made that respect grow. Unlike a lot of people, they've always stood by Blake's side and were there for him. They were true friends. Even in the face of his possible death, they refused to believe it and were about to go searching for him. With a nod, I mentally wished them luck.
I also knew that they wouldn't return to Balamb. The only reason they stayed there was for Blake, and with him gone, they had no reason to remain.
Watching as they left, I allowed myself a small smile as I thought to myself about how lucky Blake was, to have such good friends. No matter what, they'd never just abandon him.
"Attention, SeeD party from Balamb, please assemble in front of the main gate."
Looking to the speaker I sighed and turned, heading for the main entrance and knowing I'd have to deal with my teammates. Making it to the reception area, I spotted Tori who walked over with a look of concern towards me before she sighed. "Ok, it's time to meet. Let's go."
We ran out to the main entry where the others waited for us and rejoined them.
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I'm nearing the end of the first quarter of the script. Hmmm... a new mission.
I tried to jump into Squall's head to get these thoughts for Shane, and I hope it slightly explained why he's colder to other people.
Hope you like it.
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"This is Hunter Bradley. He will be your sharpshooter."
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R+R please.
Thank you.
Tenshi