Not a lot to say about this chapter. Just the introduction of another character, among other things. I'm finally back into an inspired attitude for writing now, so updates should be a bit more frequent now.
Book I, Part II: Mortal Conflict - The Zodiac Brave Story
Chapter IX: Decisions
[March 20, 2152 | Celsius, Second Level, Ben's Room | 9:00 AM]
"Hey, wake up!"
My first impulse upon hearing a yell from outside my door is to throw the nearest object at said door. Unfortunately, before I can do just that, my rational side takes over.
"...Huh?"
"Come on, Ben, get up! Don't you want to know the entrance exam results?"
It actually takes my brain a moment to process what was said, as I'm still halfway in the depths of sleep.
"Results...?"
And then it hits me. All at once.
"Results?! You mean they already have the results?!"
I'm out of the bed in a second, instantly almost wide awake. Reaching onto the table beside my bed, I grab my Garment Grid and slide it onto my wrist, spherechanging back to my Blade Knight dressphere before pulling open the door...to find both Yuna and Rikku staring at me, both looking far too happy for nine o'clock in the morning.
"They said they're going to announce them at ten! So, come on, or we're gonna miss it!" Rikku says, her voice practically overflowing with glee.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," I mutter, walking out of the room and following Yuna and Rikku, both of whom are essentially jogging through the Celsius now. My mind is racing through yesterday's events even as I run, wondering how in the world they could've assessed so much data so quickly.
I had left Knight's Hall at around two in the evening...and dead tired at that. The other half of the main exam, the magical examination, was nearly immediately after at three o'clock on the other side of the Garden's grounds, which made me wonder if that wasn't also a test. SeeD would also require people who had the ability to last in the field for a long time without rest if the situation required, so the stamina draining could just be another portion of the physical testing. Even so, I was hoping that I would have a little more time to rest than I ended up having.
Thankfully, the magical portion wasn't as draining, though it was still difficult. This test, unlike the physical exam, was done on a one-on-one basis, with one Instructor and one applicant in each area. The area designated for the test had been split up into pieces, with around eight applicants able to perform the test at the same time without fear of injuring anyone. Several other Instructors were standing by, apparently watching to make sure that nothing went seriously wrong during the exam.
My turn had come somewhere near the first third of the group, unfortunately for me. The Instructor took a minute to run down what the exam was supposed to accomplish, before simply stepping to a position behind me. For what I guessed was around the next thirty to forty-five minutes, I spent time slinging spells of all kinds, as well as trying my hand at magic manipulation. When I was done, unlike the physical exam, the Instructor gave a general assessment of my abilities based on what she had seen. Apparently, I had scored in the upper percentages of the applicants that had been seen so far. My knowledge of magic in itself was fair, with my variety of spells being excellent. My magical power was also higher than nearly any other applicant she had seen in a while that specialized in melee combat, more in the healing arts of White Magic than Black Magic. However, manipulation was my weakest point, as I was unable to perform anything but the lowest forms of manipulating magical energy.
Shaking the thoughts away, I step out of the Celsius with Yuna and Rikku, before heading inside the gates of Trabia Garden. Even now, I'm still impressed by how large the place is...and how it looks now that it's rebuilt.
"...You two realize what time it is, right? We're still forty-five minutes early, at least," I say, glancing over at my two female companions.
"I know that!" Rikku says, even as we walk into the main lobby. "Nothing wrong with being a little early, you know!"
"...A little, huh."
Mentally, I sigh. This is going to be a long morning.
[March 20, 2152 | Trabia Garden, Second Floor, Darius DeValle's Room | 9:14 AM]
A knock on Darius' door caught his attention, causing him to look up from the rifle sitting on his lap.
"Make it quick," he said dryly, turning his focus back to his gun as Will stepped inside the room.
"Good morning," Will said quietly, simply watching for a moment as Darius began to run a polishing cloth over the barrel of the rifle.
"Morning," Darius replied, glancing up from his work again. "So, what brings a Pillar of Reality to my room this early in the morning, hm?"
"The Aries Holy Stone," Will countered. "I need to collect the Stone from you, as the Mistress has instructed."
"Oh, that thing," Darius muttered, putting the cloth aside onto a table and picking the rifle up from his lap before placing it carefully onto the side of his bed. Standing up, he reached into a pocket, pulling out the small, sapphire-colored gemstone and holding it up to Will. "Here." A moment later, he tossed the gemstone over to Will, who caught it softly in one hand.
"I appreciate the cooperation, Mr. DeValle. The last person that I confronted about this was...troublesome about it, to say the least." Darius just smirked.
"I can imagine," he said, sitting back down. "Anything else you need me to hand over? Blackmail, some confiscated bits of equipment, stuff like that?" he continued with a lighthearted tone to his voice.
"No, I believe that is everything," Will replied, chuckling slightly. "I'll leave you to your work now."
A moment later, a spiraling orb of white light appeared around Will, dissipating and taking the Pillar of the Future with it in a brief instant. Darius watched the spot where Will was for a moment intently...before the smirk on his face returned.
"Huh. Can't believe that actually worked," he said, reaching over to the table and inserting a key into a locked drawer, the small drawer opening with a light 'click.' Reaching inside, he pulled out a small wooden box, intricately crafted and decorated with ornate symbols, before also unlocking it and opening the lid.
Inside was the exact same gemstone that Darius just handed Will.
"Ah...I guess even Pillars of Reality aren't perfect," he said to himself, picking up the Stone and examining it. "He should've guessed I was up to something, handing something like this over that easily."
With a smile on his face, Darius replaced the Stone and the box inside the drawer before picking up the cloth on the table and continuing to polish the rifle as if the entire exchange never even happened.
[Ethereal Plane, Fayt's Domain]
If Destine could've seen Fayt right now, or simply the look on her face, to be precise...she might have actually started to rethink her earlier action of draining away most of Fayt's energy.
For about two seconds, anyway.
Scowling, Fayt continued pacing the floor of her domain, the look on her face one of barely contained rage.
"Sis...I swear, I'll kill you for that...you had no right to pull something like that, you brat!"
"You're the brat."
Spinning, Fayt looked over...and came face to face with her sister, who was simply standing across from her with an apathetic expression across her veined features.
"How dare y-"
"Didn't Mom ever teach you any manners? I mean, really. You didn't even invite me in."
Destine paused for a moment, looking up in thought and putting a hand to her chin.
"Oh, wait...it might be because you're not strong enough to even open a portal here. Silly me. I completely forgot about how you must be feeling right now."
Fayt's face flushed in anger, and her jaw dropped open slightly in shock as she ran up to Destine. Lifting her hand back, she thrust a palm out towards her sister in an attempt to slap her across the face, but Destine simply held up her hand, catching Fayt's wrist and gripping it tightly.
"Mom must've not taught you any manners after all, sis...can't even respect your elders."
"You don't deserve it, you witch!"
"That's the best insult you can come up with? And you've been hanging around me for how many millenia now? Show some originality, why don't you," Destine retorted, throwing Fayt's arm away and then lashing out with her other hand, sending a blistering Firaga spell directly into Fayt and hurling her away. Fayt lay still for a moment before getting up, grunting in pain and running a hand over where the attack struck before vanishing. Appearing behind Destine, she cast a trio of spells at her unprotected back - Bio, Silence, and Stop. Destine simply held a hand up, a Shell materializing over her and blocking out the status magics, before turning to face Fayt again.
"You're telling me that you expected to go out and kill all those mortals you claimed you were going to kill at that level of power?" Destine asked, quirking an eyebrow. "At this rate, they'll die of old age before you ever get to them."
"Stop mocking me!" Fayt yelled, sending more waves of magic rippling towards Destine, this time Pain, Death, and Meltdown magic.
"Why?" Destine replied, taking the Pain and Death magics on the Shell around her before countering the Meltdown with a Blizzaga. "It's fun."
A moment later, Fayt found herself on the ground again, courtesy of a chain of third-tier spells - Waterga, Thundaga, and two Firaga spells. For a moment, it looked like Destine was going to attack Fayt again, but then she stopped, putting a hand on her hip.
"Looks like Mom's calling...wonder what she wants now," Destine muttered, rolling her eyes. "Probably something silly. Sorry, sis, but I've got places to be and things to do. Have fun with the mortals."
Giving a smile that was almost too sweet, Destine vanished as Fayt climbed back to her feet. Her clothes were ruined, hair and skin a mess from the battering of third-level magic attacks, but she simply gave a short growl before holding a hand up, the white energy of healing magic lacing over her and mending the wounds as quickly as they were inflicted. In seconds, it looked just like Fayt had never been attacked at all.
"...I can't believe her nerve. Waltzing in here like she owns the place..."
Still muttering to herself, Fayt held her hands out as energy began to shimmer in them. The Pillar still exuded tremendous energy, even after the draining Destine inflicted, a fact which became evident as some of the energy began to swirl and meld in front of her.
"Well, if I can't do it myself, looks like I'll have to do it the old-fashioned and clichéd way...even though that's not a whole lot of fun..."
[March 20, 2152 | Trabia Garden, Second Floor, Classroom 4-C | 10:01 AM]
I've been sitting in this classroom for the past 45 minutes or so, along with all of the other hopeful applicants that I saw during my entrance exam. When Yuna, Rikku, and I arrived on the second floor, we were greeted by a member of the faculty, directing us to separate classrooms based on the branch that we hoped to enter. Yuna and Rikku went to one room, while I came here.
I'm fairly sure that the twitchy feeling I'm having right now is a perfectly normal reaction to all of this.
"May I have your attention, please."
A figure walks into the room as the words are spoken, looking over all of us calmly. The figure is dressed in what appears to be a Trabian SeeD uniform, a dark blue suit and black shoes similar to Balamb's blue uniforms. What appear to be some sort of military ranking pips are displayed clearly on the shirt's left chest area, and teal lines accent the collar, bottom of the jacket, and around the edges of the sleeves.
"Applicants whose names are called, please follow me once all the names have finished being read."
If my heart wasn't already in my throat from just being in this room, it is now with those words from the faculty member. Silently, I stand against the wall, waiting as the list of names begins being called. Some of the applicants just smile, some pump their fists in excitement, and some seem like they're about to cry out of sheer joy. On the other side of things, however, are the ones who didn't make it. Some look disappointed, some angry...while some look as if they don't particularly care what the results are.
"Benji Powell."
Even as my name is called, I can feel one of the largest smiles I've ever had creeping across my face, but I don't show anything outwardly besides the smile. Reaching up to my neck, I take hold of the blue pendant hanging there, looking down at it with a smile.
"If you could see me now...if only you could be here to see this..." I murmur, letting the pendant drop and standing straight once again. My only thought now is whether everyone else made it in. Everything around me seems to mute as I think, lost in my own little world now because of what this one announcement now means to me. Even as the speaker finishes and people begin to leave the room, following the faculty member outside and down the hall, I simply fall in step behind them, still semi-oblivious to the happenings around me. In my mind, nothing can ruin this moment for me.
'I did it. I'm a SeeD cadet.'
[March 20, 2152 | Dollet, Chez Figaro | 11:42 AM]
A sole male figure sat quietly at a table inside Chez Figaro, looking over the room with something resembling disinterest.
"Even I'm not this late," the figure muttered, taking a sip of a glass of water in front of him. The room was full, the fairly high-class restaurant in Dollet being a popular place for middle-class, upper-class, and Dollet nobility alike. Exquisite, three tiered chandeliers were placed at several areas around the room's ceiling, reflecting the white light around the room and making the room appear to glow and shine as the light bounced off of the hanging glass.
The figure at the table seemed almost...out of place in the restaurant. His appearance was vastly different to most of the formally dressed patrons in the room, with a blue vest left open over a white shirt, matching blue pants held in place by a light brown belt, and dark brown boots on his feet. His blond hair was combed neatly, with a blue headband around his forehead and several longer strands of his hair dangling over the top of the headband. Overall, his appearance, while neat and well-suited to the outside of the city, seemed much different than the rest of the room full of suits, dresses, and other formalwear.
"I was starting to think you were going to walk out on me, Locke," Angel said suddenly, approaching the figure's table and taking a seat. "Sorry I'm so late."
Locke Cole, the treasure hunter from Terranigma himself, simply shrugged in response.
"I wasn't just going to walk out, you know. I know it's not like you to be late," he replied. "So, how'd things go between you and..."
"Ben."
"Ben, that's right. Well?"
"He's here," Angel replied.
"Here at the restaurant?" Locke asked, looking around at the seats nearby briefly.
"No, just here in Gaia. It didn't take me that long to track him down, and once he figured out what was going on, he didn't have much of a problem with coming."
"Yeah...what's so important about him being here, anyway?"
"Don't look at me. Freya just told me to find him, so I did. I guess she knows something we don't."
"Who's this 'Freya' you keep mentioning, anyway?" Locke asked Angel, taking another sip of his water.
"Just the creator of reality as we know it. Terranigma? Yeah, she made that," Angel replied with a small smirk. Locke coughed a moment later, wiping water from his mouth quickly and trying not to choke.
"You're pulling my leg, aren't you," he muttered, looking over at Angel.
"Nope."
"You know, you really shouldn't say things like that while I'm drinking something. You're gonna cause me to choke and end up being the death of me."
"Sorry. But you asked me, you know. What am I supposed to do, not answer?" Angel retorted, shrugging slightly in his chair.
"You could warn me! Say something like, 'Hey Locke, you might want to put the water down before I answer...', or take the glass out of my hands, or something!" Locke said. There was a smile on his face even as he said the words, though.
"I think watching the look on your face amuses me, really," Angel added. "So, I take it you've just been hanging around Dollet since I left?"
"Mostly," Locke answered, drinking more of his water. "Not a lot else I could do. This city seems to be the only one around out here."
"That's true. I do have an idea, though, if you're interested."
"I'm listening," Locke said, putting his glass back on the table.
"I'm going back to Trabia tonight. If you want, I'll buy you train tickets, and you can come back with me. Sound good?" Angel suggested, looking over at Locke for an answer. Locke didn't answer immediately, glancing around the restaurant silently as he thought the offer over.
"Alright, I'll go. Been wanting to get out more anyway."
"I doubt you're too happy staying around the same place for a long time. Think of it as a vacation," Angel said. "We'll see some sights, take some pictures, get some postcards...you know. The usual."
Locke chuckled a little, finishing his glass of water and placing the empty glass back on the table.
"Minus all the things you just said, right? Plus the whole 'getting ourselves in more trouble than we can possibly handle' thing?"
"Exactly. Sounds just like a normal vacation, if you ask me." Angel countered. Locke simply rolled his eyes.
"And I've been wondering all this time how you manage to get yourself into trouble..." Locke mused sarcastically. Angel gave a short chuckle at that before standing up from his chair, replacing it underneath the table.
"Anyway, I've got some things to take care of before I leave Dollet. We can catch the last train out of here tonight, and we'll be back in Trabia before tomorrow evening. Okay?"
"Got it," Locke replied, standing up and beginning to follow Angel out of the restaurant after leaving Gil on the table for the meal that he had barely eaten any of.
That's right, kiddies. Locke Cole is in the house. There's a reason this story is called Dimensional Legend. Locke is the exact same Locke from the FFVI storyline, as well. How and why he's here, as well as his association with Angel...well, that won't come for a while now. There's still plenty more storyline to go through before that gets revealed. As always, please read and review.