Another day, another chapter. Took me less time to deal with this one, mostly because of my college workload lightening for the time being. We're moving into the aftermath of the field exam now, and the focus will split again between the mortal and Ethereal realms as the arc continues.
Begin!
Book I, Part III: Mortal Conflict - Element of Treachery
Chapter VI—Future Preparations
[June 30, 2152 | Trabia Garden, Third Floor, Briefing Room | 8:30 PM]
The tension that had been running high in Trabia Garden seemed to bleed away as night fell over the complex, dissipating like the moonlight from outside against the artificial light within the briefing room. Of course, that was just the tension in the general populace - this room had its own stress circulating about it.
Onimaru Balthas' presence at a table tended to do that to people, especially people who hadn't been around the Paladin of the Sphere for very long. Some of the lower-ranked officers even joked that his ability to get on people's nerves accounted for at least half of his skill in combat.
"I don't see why we have to do this tonight," grumbled Onimaru, arms resting partially folded on the polished table. "The cadets can wait until morning to get their evaluations."
"Be that as it may, Onimaru, those same cadets just returned from a mission of great importance," Anita spoke up from beside him, her calm voice an antithesis to his gruff one. "It's only fair that we uphold our duty in the same as they theirs."
"Besides," continued Camdus, "it is still early. Surely you don't wish to shirk your duty for mere leisure time?" Onimaru didn't respond, muttering something under his breath that seemed to bring a small smile to Camdus' face, as well as eliciting a smirk from Albel Nox.
"Gentlemen - and ladies," the Senior began, eyes moving over the two women seated at the table, "I do believe that it is time we got down to business." At his nod, Katanas began to distribute small packets around the table to each gathered officer, one for each of the seven people present. Quietly, they opened the packets and removed the papers inside, taking the first and beginning to read over it with a critical eye.
"I suppose I'll begin," Camdus stated, looking around the table before turning his attention back to the sheet in his hands. "Cadet Squad A - Naoki Ishida, Sumiko Remiere, and squad leader Paine Zaraki. They appear to put a heavy emphasis on combat," he states, looking over at Katanas.
"You would be correct," the SeeD Commander replied, nodding. "From initial reports, I heard that they performed well in that role."
"Cadet Zaraki made a capable leader, I will admit. They managed to break fortified Galbadian positions no less than twice with relative ease and minor injuries."
"By storming right through the front door," Onimaru chimed in, turning a critical eye towards Camdus.
"True though that may be, that is the role to which they were assigned. If finesse had been required, I would've sent a different squad in their place."
"Such as Squad E, maybe?" said Anita, resting her clasped hands upon the desk.
"Precisely," Camdus said with a nod.
"Hmph...the fools were effective enough at following instruction," Albel said from the far side of the table, looking more or less disinterested at even needing to be present. Katanas nodded, affirming Albel's statement.
"While Albel is more...descriptive in his opinions, I agree. It appears that Squad A performed well in all matters expected of a SeeD. Are there any objections as to why the members of Squad A should not pass?
Silence reigned over the table for several seconds, prompting Katanas to turn back to the papers in front of him.
"Very well, then," he said, placing three papers off to the side and one sheet back into his folder, before nodding to Camdus. "On to Squad B's performance."
"Squad B was composed of Tetsuya Kurabasa, Locke Cole, and squad leader Benji Powell. Another combat squad, though it seems that they were more effective at mobile combat than stand-up confrontations."
"The latter they tried every chance they got, regardless," Onimaru added with a scoff, prompting Anita to roll her eyes.
"I attribute that to Powell's...unusual determination," Katanas remarked after a moment, turning to Onimaru. "Nevertheless, they also seemed to handle themselves well in the variety of conflicts presented."
"Not as well as Squad A, but admirable," Anita commented.
"Kurabasa would be better served on a Squad Designed for heavier offense," Camdus noted, "given his use of and skill with a gunblade."
"That will be noted and addressed in the future," Katanas replied. "Additional comments?"
"Powell could stand to have a more thorough grounding in tactical planning," Anita said. "His improvisational skills are good, but further training in tactics and leadership could serve him well in the future."
"Both he and Cole seem more suited to reconnaissance and light combat than heavy engagements," Camdus added. "With more training, both of them could make excellent scouts and tactical operatives."
Katanas gave a quiet nod, looking around the table again. "Then are there reasons as to why Squad B should not pass?" No response came from the gathered command officials, and Katanas put away the sheets pertaining to the members of Squad B.
"We'll continue on, then. Next...Squad C."
The atmosphere in the room seemed to shift considerably as Katanas spoke, moving from the somewhat casual and overall positive feel to a mood so tense that it was almost palpable.
"Squad C was composed of Shuyin Mishima, Uriko Kurabasa, and squad leader Yuki Kurabasa," Camdus reiterated, glancing around the table. Both Albel and Onimaru's expressions twisted into scowls at the mention of Uriko's name, but Albel spoke first.
"Witless woman. She doesn't deserve continued training, much less joining SeeD."
"It is...regretful that Uriko let her personal issues get in the way of carrying out her duty," Camdus said with hesitation. He hated speaking ill of others, regardless of the circumstances, but he agreed with Albel in the fact that Uriko's actions were completely unprofessional and very reckless.
According to the report he'd gotten from Captain Beoulve, the girl had charged straight into a room with no regard for her safety or that of her squad, to say nothing of moving ahead without any such order from her squad leader. Both were traits that were actively discouraged in any professional military - SeeD being no exception.
"Her actions were nothing short of suicidal!" Onimaru objected loudly, slamming a fist on the table. "She could've gotten herself and her entire squad killed!"
"We're all well aware of that fact, Onimaru," Anita said quietly, trying not to add to the tense atmosphere around the table. "Yelling is not required."
"It is safe to say that, at the very least, she will be continuing SeeD training," Katanas stated, folding his arms. "However, if her actions as a whole were detrimental to her squad's performance, then the actions of her comrades were nothing short of exemplary."
"That's another thing," Onimaru continued, lowering his voice again out of the interest of continued good conduct. "Why the hell was a child placed in operational command of a SeeD cadet squad on a field exam of this caliber? Yuki Kurabasa should not have even taken the field exam at her age, and here she was given a leadership role! Think about the kind of example this sets!"
Well, continued good conduct for about three seconds, anyway.
On the other side of the table, Katanas DeValle merely smiled. "I had a hunch."
Something about the way he said the words managed to unnerve most of the Paladins present at the table, but Onimaru Balthas was undeterred.
"...You put a child in charge of a SeeD squad...on a hunch?" Onimaru seethed, his body language radiating fury as he stood up in agitation. "By Hyne, what were you thinking? Moreover, what gave you the right to authorize such a decision!? The implicat-"
"Actually, mister Balthas," Darius Sr. interrupted, his tone level and his expression professional, "I authorized that decision. Do you wish to challenge my ruling?"
Onimaru paused mid-statement, his attention turning to the Headmaster of the Garden. He coughed lightly into his hand and retook his seat, his fury washed away as surely as if someone had doused it with water, though his face remained locked in a furious expression.
"If you don't mind my asking, Commander," Anita broke in, "why exactly did you recommend the Kurabasa girl for early graduation?"
"A good question," Katanas said, unfolding his arms and instead clasping his hands in front of him. "Yuki Kurabasa, as you may or may not be aware, has shown considerable talent in all areas of study, particularly magical studies; her scores in magical manipulation were among the highest in all classes she attended, in fact. She appears to be at least as talented, if not more so, than many cadets who would normally take the field exam. Hence, I felt that it would be a good idea to allow her to...how shall we say, advance her studies in a timely fashion."
There was a long pause among those present before Anita finally nodded.
"Given her performance, it appears that you were right."
"Are there any further questions on the matter?" Katanas asked, looking around the table to be met with a chorus of nods and disinterested stares - the latter mostly from Albel. "Very well, then. Any other comments on the squad's performance, or that of individuals within it?"
"What of Mishima's performance?" Anita asked, looking between Camdus and Katanas curiously. "Did he perform to expectations?"
"His combat skills were good, neither lacking nor excelling in any particular area, but his ability to stay calm under pressure and follow orders was exceptional," Camdus explained succinctly. "He remained cool and collected despite the tension between the two Kurabasa girls, as well as acting quickly and decisively during his squad's subsequent ambush - his actions likely saved Uriko Kurabasa's life."
"At least the good reports from that squad's performance outweighed the bad," Katanas said, nodding at Camdus' assessment. "All in all, satisfactory. Squad D's report is next."
"Tidus Kuroda, Rikku Katsuragi, and squad leader Silvia Conrad," Camdus replied as he read off the squad roster. "Well-balanced in all aspects, if I may say."
"Kuroda was somewhat overeager and careless at times, though," Anita said calmly. "Also, there is the matter of his grades..."
Off to the side, Onimaru chuckled, his earlier carelessness seemingly forgotten. "Kid barely passed his magic classes, and even then it took serious help from his classmates."
"He seemed to have a distinct lack of interest in several classes, yes," Camdus admitted, "but that does not mean that the boy is not intelligent. Far from it, in fact - he did very well in physically-focused classes, for example, and showed a keen interest in certain tactical aspects."
"Aspects which he then failed to follow on the battlefield," Onimaru countered. "At least he wasn't quite as bad as the Kurabasa girl."
"You believe it would be more beneficial to have him redo his training, then?" Camdus asked, already anticipating Onimaru's future statement. His face stern, Onimaru nodded. Camdus' eyes shifted to Katanas then, and the SeeD Commander cleared his throat quietly before speaking.
"Regretfully, I believe I must agree with mister Balthas on this matter," he said, looking at Camdus. "It would likely benefit him greatly to have a second training period - graduating him now may be a mistake that could cost both him and the squad or squads he is placed on in the future."
"I concur, but I'd like to propose an alternative solution," said Anita. "What if we had him transferred to Galbadia Garden to further his training? As it was previously mentioned, he shows little interest in magic - one wonders why he'd apply here, in that case - but focusing on his strengths might be beneficial."
There was a pause as the idea was considered, and one by one, each nodded or assented agreement.
Katanas nodded at Anita. "Then it's settled. What of the other two cadets?"
"Miss Katsuragi showed great skill in stealth and evasion," Camdus said. "In addition, though it did not come up in the mission proper, instructors from her tactics classes reported that she often came up with unusual and well-thought plans for entering hostile areas."
"Potential candidate for special operations?" Anita prompted, looking over at Ellie Night, who had been quiet throughout the entire briefing so far.
"Perhaps," the older woman replied after a short pause, inclining her head slightly. "I also took notice of miss Roethe from Squad E." An approving nod came from Katanas even as Camdus continued.
"As for miss Conrad, her skill with magic is comparable to Yuki Kurabasa's - potentially greater. She consistently achieved some of the highest grades in each magical class she attended, and was no slouch in other subjects as well - a very talented individual in all areas."
"I'm sure her father expects no less from his only daughter," Katanas commented. "Zeo Conrad himself was quite the fighter in his younger years." Behind him, Darius Sr. chuckled quietly to himself for a moment as Anita spoke up again.
"Then it appears you have no qualms with passing the other two members of Squad D?" she said to Katanas.
"I do not."
"Then on to the final squad," Albel said, his voice clearly and gruffly indicating that he was ready for the meeting to adjourn.
"Certainly. Squad E was composed of Lenne Kaibara, Sephrenia Roethe, and squad leader Yuna Kaname. They proved extremely adept at misdirection and infiltration - proof of that lies in the fact that they captured twenty-three Galbadian soldiers, several of whom were command officials, over the short duration of the mission. Also, they neither inflicted nor took any casualties; all soldiers were brought in without major injury, thanks to miss Kaibara's skill with curative magic."
"Miss Roethe was mentioned earlier before. Her alchemical specialty would prove an invaluable addition to special operations, would it not?" Katanas inquired, looking across the table at Ellie.
"Indeed it would. I will keep my eye on her and see how she performs. If all goes well, I may offer her a position within our ranks. I'm sure Commander Tormin would be pleased to have another operative under his command."
"If what he told me earlier today is any indication, he seems to have his hands full with just his three - especially Liou," Katanas remarked with a chuckle. Both Anita and Camdus smiled - they were very familiar with the demolition-happy soldier, given stories of his exploits bordered on the legendary within the halls of Trabia Garden. How much of it was fabrication and exaggeration versus fact remained in question, but they were sure that the stories weren't all merely empty words.
"Returning to Miss Kaibara," Camdus began after several seconds, "I believe that it might be best to nudge her training in the direction of medical care. She showed a noticeable disdain for harming others, even given the circumstances, and she seems much more proficient in the healing arts compared to her combat ability."
"Battlefield healing is an area that could always use more practitioners," the Senior replied, speaking up again for the first time in a while. "We've had a large decrease in cadets specializing in medicine and curative magic as of late, and it has shown in mission results more than I would like."
Katanas nodded his agreement, glancing over at his father. "I'll speak with her myself later about the matter, sir."
"As for Miss Kaname," Camdus continued, "she showed exceptional skill with her weapons of choice. With Miss Roethe's help, she was able to incapacitate nearly every group of soldiers they captured with minimal risk, avoiding any unnecessary injuries on both sides."
"It appears we stumbled across another exceptional set of candidates this year," Katanas said, turning to face his father as the headmaster clasped his hands atop the table.
"Indeed we have. The instructors have certainly been doing their jobs with great attention to detail. The fact that we have only two cadets unable to graduate out of fifteen is testament to their fine work," he said, raising a hand to his mouth in time to stifle a cough before continuing. "Unless there is anything else to address here, I believe that it is time we adjourn this meeting. Katanas, you may announce the results whenever you are ready."
"Of course, father," the SeeD Commander acknowledged as he and the others began to rise from their seats. The tension was over, and the citizens of Galbadia City could once again rest more or less at ease. For those cadets who made SeeD, however, the real test was only just beginning.
[Ethereal Plane, Location Unknown]
For a moment, all she saw was darkness, and then the world became light once again.
Even for a Pillar of Reality, one who held enough power to mend minor tears in the fabric of space-time, traveling into such a place as where she currently was still impressed her to a slight degree. It could be called many things - a fold in space-time, a ripple in reality existing outside of the whole - but perhaps the most succinct definition would be a sort of "pocket dimension." Very few entities had the necessary power to create such a thing, with primarily the leaders of the Ethereal Plane, Nether Plane, and Soul Society being capable of the act. This particular plane outside of reality, however, existed for a very specific purpose.
It held no true name within the Ethereal Plane itself, but those imprisoned within it as well as those who maintained it - Odin and his loyal guard - had given it a name of sorts. Over the millennia of its existence, it had come to be known as "The Void," as no creature, demon, or other entity imprisoned within had ever escaped. It was a plane reserved for criminals and traitors, and in that respect, it had served and continued to serve its purpose.
In appearance, the realm was extremely simple; there was no need for true complexity in a prison, after all. Most of the immediate space that could be seen was taken up by a massive structure, an unimpressive stone building only notable for its size. The rest of the area surrounding it was barren, devoid of any life at all.
The Pillar of Destiny began to approach the building at a calm pace, her face as devoid of expression as the desolate plains were of life. As she walked, she felt the familiar magical barriers that warded the building beginning to reach out to her presence...before they stopped, removing their influence as quickly as they had touched her power. The magical barriers themselves were of a special nature, designed to suppress the magical energy of certain individuals at will - in this case, those of the prisoners held within. None of the posted guards, members of Odin's vaunted Ethereal Guard, so much as turned to face her as she entered the structure, walking past them at a calm and steady pace. She had a specific purpose for being here, but she was in no hurry to see it accomplished. Her plans would proceed at her leisure and hers alone.
The reactions of the prisoners to the sight of the Pillar of Destiny were many and varied. Some begged her for release, others cursed her as the reason they had been incarcerated regardless of the truth of the statement. Still others held an indifferent eye, caring little what an Ethereal being was doing within the walls. None of that mattered to her as she approached her destination, yet another of the innocuous and identical cells that lined the seemingly never-ending hallways of the Void's construct. The prisoner inside was a male of comparable height to Destine's own, with shoulder-length dark hair and eyes that were a mix of gray and silver in coloration. His clothes were nothing remarkable, with white gloves, a slightly-tattered gray shirt and long dark pants overlaid by a roughly knee-length, high-collared coat colored white with black lining, as well as dark-colored shoes that completed his attire. A distinguishing characteristic, however, was the object around his neck that seemed to resemble a lower jawbone, worn as if it were a necklace.
"Pillar," the prisoner muttered, a bored expression across his face as he slowly stood from his position on the floor. "What do you want?"
"You sound as if you're unhappy to see me, Manes," Destine responded, a fake smile plastered across her face. She'd heard of what the demon had done to earn himself a position within these halls - millennia ago, when the Order of Grim Angels still existed within the Ethereal Plane, he had been part of a group of Nether Plane denizens that led an attack on a vice-captain of the Order. Unfortunately for those same denizens, they had been foiled by the timely arrival of the captain of that squad, and sentenced to captivity in the Void as a result.
"Given that your presence likely serves only to reduce my already tenuous calm, yes."
Destine turned and started to walk away, only stopping for a moment to look back at Manes.
"That's too bad, then. I thought you'd enjoy hearing a proposition for freedom." As she started to walk again, the sound of Manes walking towards the edge of the cell could be heard, and she smiled as she heard his voice from behind her.
"...You have my attention, Pillar. But make it quick."
Destine smirked as she turned back to the demon, folding her arms.
"Here's the deal. To put it simply, I need support. Taking over this dump won't mean a thing if I'm alone in the endeavor - Fayt didn't consider that fact in her bid for power."
"And you want me to assist."
"Exactly. Your freedom, in exchange for your allegiance."
Manes kept his face perfectly level as he considered the offer. It seemed to work out nicely...for the Pillar. He, on the other hand, would simply move from one prison to another, in a manner of speaking. That had to be the entire reason why she was offering such a deal. Still, he reasoned, if he was free from the Void, he had all the time in the world to enact an escape from her control...
"Very well," he said. "I'll accept your offer."
"I'm glad you see things my way," Destine replied, the smirk on her face never leaving - that had been almost too easy. It wasn't as if he had much choice in the matter, however; any sane individual would realize her potential for leadership immediately.
She stopped that thought as soon as it began. "I'm starting to sound like my sister," she thought to herself, turning away from Manes once again. "I'll be back for you later. Right now, other things require my immediate attention."
"Just don't go back on your word - you Ethereal beings are all alike."
"Why would I lie? I did say I needed help, after all."
Manes said nothing in response, but Destine could hear footsteps in his cell as she walked away, suppressing a chuckle of satisfaction as she did so. She'd let the demon wait it out for a bit, and then go back for him after other matters were attended to. He didn't have the power to refuse, nor enough to be a threat to her - factors which made him an excellent starting point for gathering a base of supporters. Slowly, she'd approach others, each more powerful and influential than the last...and by the time anyone realized what she was doing, it would be too late. Even Odin wouldn't be able to stop her in the end, she thought as she headed towards the exit. It would all fall into place, exactly as she had planned.
From a secluded corner, arms crossed over his chest, Will waited and watched until she was gone, mulling over what he had heard just moments before.
Once again, Will is sticking his nose where others feel it doesn't belong. It may be his job, but Destine won't be too happy when she finds out.
I had bits of trouble with the first part of this chapter, mostly because of having to pick it up and put it down again so much this week because of college. Once I finally got uninterrupted time today to finish it off, I had no more problems at all. As always, please read and review.