The rhythmic sway of the waves rocking the aquatic troop transport as it crossed from Balamb to Dollet was enough to lull Jonas into a sense of comfort as he leaned back into his seat, eyes closed. The past thirty six hours had gone by like a blur, from his SeeD exam to this very mornings trek through the Alcaud Plains to the port city of Balamb, and now they were just minutes away from reaching the beach and ultimately combat against Galbadia. Jonas let out a deep breath as he opened his eyes and scanned the interior of the cabin again, there was seating for six, three leather clad spaces on each of the cabins lengthy walls. In between them on the forward wall a single screen displayed information about Dollet's streets and important choke points that Galbadia controlled. ” Won't be much longer now. ” Jonas broke the silence between himself, Gil, and the three others that were aboard their craft. ” Countdown timer on the screen says we'll land in less than five minutes, this is kinda wild right? ” Jonas continued as he let out another deep breath, feeling his anxiety begin to rise.
— OOC Talk: And so it begins, again.
4:54 pm April 30, 2020
sanarian
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posts 108
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Post edited 11:57 pm – April 30, 2020 by sanarian
At some point on the ride Gil had let himself drift off, lulled into a sense of comfort by the rhythm of the waves. It wasn't until Jonas broke the silence that he quietly began to wake, his returning senses slowly bringing life to the world once more. It was the near silent hum of the engine that he noticed first, next was the faint chill in the air, and last came the smell; the scent of tension hang heavy in the air. At last he finally began to open his eyes, letting the vague comfort of sleep leave him completely and moved to lean forward in his seat. “I guess so,” came the flat reply; truth be told he had only caught the latter half of whatever Jonas might have said. Then Gil opened his mouth as if he were about to say something, but a glance at the few others who sat in the cabin with them brought him to a dead stop. It was at that moment he realized they were all part of the same deployment, which meant that they would likely all be expected to work together. Instead of words came a quiet groan of disappointment as he let his head sink into his right palm. Jonas notwithstanding the rest of the cadets somehow always seemed to find a way to get in the way, and he couldn't believe that was going to change now that they were all SeeD. If anything it was him who would be expected play nice.
Jonas was not surprised by Gil's short reply, he had come to expect that from his friend—It was just the way he was. As he mulled over his own original thought for a moment the lights in the cabin suddenly shifted from a natural white to a deep crimson red. Jonas jerked his head quickly to the forward screen which now replaced the maps and arrows with live video footage from the front of the craft. You could see Dollet's famous harbor slightly to the north jutting out from the coast. The late afternoon sun, pink and amber in color reflected off the waves but his focus was on the city itself. Dollet was battered and smoke was rising from several areas of the city, it was clear that the damage had already been done. ” This is awful. ” Jonas said aloud, a statement. ” It looks like so much is already in ruins. ” He continued when the screen folded upwards and the hydraulic pistons went into motion opening the front doors to reveal the same scene that had just been looking at on the video screen. The taste of ocean water and the tang of the salty air settled into Jonas' palette as he slowly began to stand, ready to hit the beach, and for whatever came next.
— OOC Talk: And so it begins, again.
5:55 pm May 2, 2020
sanarian
Member
posts 108
4
Post edited 12:57 am – May 3, 2020 by sanarian
Chapter 3: Friction
Gil was still lost deep in thought, desperately trying to conceive of a way to avoid what he felt would be an inevitable confrontation with the rest of the squad. Before he could come up with a solution to that particular problem, however, the transport's lighting suddenly changed to a deep, almost bloody shade of red. Gil quickly lifted his head from his right palm and then followed Jonas' line of sight to the viewscreen and with it the situation at Dollet.When his eyes fell upon the screen he felt his stomach twist into a knot; the damage was severe, and smoke billowed from multiple locations all across the city. Somehow a part of him had expected the city proper to be safe, that SeeD would arrive and they would repel Galbadia's troops before they managed to do any real damage. Now that those hopes lay shattered Gil felt as if he were drowning in a boiling sea of rage, lost to all sense of self-restraint. This city had never truly been his home, but the closest thing he had to family thought of it so. Maybe they weren't blood, maybe he had only ever been a burden, but that didn't change their importance in his eyes. “Jonas,” he spoke quietly, desperate to keep what little control was left to him. “keep the others out of my way.” Gil finished hotly, the intent of his words clearly written upon his face. Gone was his almost trademark ever-present stocism, and instead those crimson eyes seemed to smolder as if they might catch fire at a moment's notice. Without another word he rose from the seat and quietly made his way to the weapon rack before stepping out of the transport and onto the beach. With a single hand he lifted the massive blade onto his shoulder and started to move. As a child he had let the Galbadian's have their way, done nothing to protect the city despite his abilities, but not this time. This time he would tear every Galbadian he came across limb from limb.
Jonas had gotten to his feet, pulled his blade from the wall next to where he sat and sheathed it across his back as he moved forward cautiously into the opening that was the front of the landing craft. His left hand felt for the hold which he grasped and used to steady himself as the aquatic transport glided over the waves and the beach neared. He heard Gil speak his name and turned to face him, his eyes were fire. He could only nod in the moment to his friends request, sensing that something deeper lay ahead of them now. He turned back to watch as Dollet neared, looking again at how the dark smoke clouded the otherwise beautiful sunset. ” Here we go. ” Jonas said aloud as the craft slid forward and stopped abruptly with a jerk as it hit the beach. ” That's probably our commanding officer, lets go. ” He continued as he took a step out onto the sand, pointing towards the stone stairs many meters ahead of them where a group of uniformed SeeDs stood, motioning for them to hurry across the beach to them.
— OOC Talk: And so it begins, again.
6:36 am May 5, 2020
sanarian
Member
posts 108
6
Chapter 3: Friction
By the time Jonas' words registered with him Gil was almost halfway across the beach, but when they did he came to a sudden halt, pausing to take a deep breath in an attempt to regain some semblance of self-control. Abruptly he realized the futility of the attempt to reign his emotions in, but all the same he chose to take another brief moment before starting forward once more. When he began walking it was clear from the outset that he was heading toward the group of uniformed SeeDs; he wouldn't ever admit to it, but the idea of facing disciplinary measures on his first official mission concerned him far too much to ignore their commanding officer. At the same time those furious embers continued to burn in his gaze, giving an air to him that felt dangerous, perhaps even borderline insubordinate. When he came up to the group Gil shifted uncomfortably, his weapon still resting heavy upon his shoulder. “Orders?” Gil questioned tersely, though between his manner and the fire burning in his eyes it felt more a statement than a request.
Jonas let his right arm reach in a futile gesture as Gil went forward onto the beach with little thought or hesitation. Taking a step off of the transport his own boots hit the wave soaked sand and sank under his weight as he started to move after Gil completely forgetting the others. The shadows of the beach front buildings cast the upper beach in growing darkness as Gil stopped briefly and, after taking a breath stepped into those shadows calmly. Jonas didn't halt, reaching Gil just as he had approached the group of SeeD and requested their orders. ” These two look pretty gung-ho, must be some of those kids that just got the promotion. ” One of the bigger men said as he cracked a smile which instantly caught of look of ire from the one who must have been the commanding officer. ” Those kids are your backup. ” The stern woman quickly interjected. ” We need you and the rest of your group to head into the city center and help recapture it and the bridge to the mainland. The Galbadians have set up several points that spiral out from the central square and have been holding them. If we can push them out of the square and back across the bridge we should be able to control the city. ” The commanding SeeD said as she was pointing towards the city, clearly suggesting that Jonas and the others move up and take the fight to the Galbadians.
Jonas was nodding and thinking about the maps he had seen of Dollet. He knew the city was set up like a wheel with the spokes as the main streets that led into the center of the city which the Galbadians would surely have fortified by now. What he couldn't figure out is why they were here again, why the would want to recapture Dollet. ” Well I guess we should get moving then. ” Jonas said as he tried to catch another glimpse at Gil's eyes, trying to figure out where his mind was.
— OOC Talk: And so it begins, again.
12:14 pm May 5, 2020
sanarian
Member
posts 108
8
Post edited 7:14 pm – May 5, 2020 by sanarian
Chapter 3: Friction
When one of the bigger men of the group spoke up Gil instinctively tightened his grasp upon the blade's handle, while his right hand clenched into a fist as that overwhelming rage sought to steal away what little self-control he had mustered. Yet before he could cause trouble a stern-looking woman interjected and began to issue orders. They were to push into the city and force the Galbadian forces back to the other side of the bridge, and take control of the city square. It was simple enough to declare their objective, but even in his current state of mind it was difficult to envision how they could make it a reality. Chief among these concerns was that the Galbadians would have deeply entrenched their forces, fortified their positions, and made ready to thwart any attempt to reclaim the city. Due to the unique shape of the city enemy forces could easily call for reinforcements and any would-be assault force would quickly find itself in a crossfire, probably resulting in massive casualties for the attacking force. It was foolhardy to push straight in, no matter how Gil chose to look at it. Until his friend spoke Gil continued that train of thought, his rage briefly forgotten as he continued to assess the situation and the task at-hand. Wordlessly he began to follow after Jonas, his rage finally tempered; it still burned in his chest, and it wasn't likely he would be able to reign in his fury when they confronted the enemy, but at least for now he had some semblance of control. Until they were out of earshot of the others he had remained quiet, but once they were a safe distance away Gil reached forward and tapped Jonas on the shoulder. “Jonas,” Gil paused for a moment, a wicked grin spread across his face. “if our forces push straight in we're going to be torn apart.” For a moment he remained silent, content to let that fact sink in, before he continued to explain what he had in-mind. “I say we move to outmaneuver the enemy. If we can get onto the rooftops we can outmaneuver the enemy instead, at least until they catch onto what we're doing, and help the main force gain a little ground without risk of being outflanked.” At that Gil paused for a moment to scratch at the back of his head and sigh in exasperation. “If we do this we're definitely disobeying orders though, so we'd probably be in some pretty hot water if we don't prove our merit.”
Jonas felt the tap on his shoulder and instinctively stepped back from the group of officers who seemed content with the orders they had given. Gil had that glimmer in his eye—the one that only meant trouble for them in the long run—and his mind seemed to be racing with possibilities. When he finally spoke his plan Jonas couldn't help but be impressed, it made the most sense even if it meant getting a scolding after they had captured Dollet's city center. ” That's really not a bad plan, and I'm going to be honest the idea of just picking one of the avenues with buildings right up to the sidewalk and no place to find cover seems a bit dangerous. A show of force to Galbadia, sure, but we're going to suffer casualties. ” Jonas said as he watched the SeeD officers start to break up and motion for all the SeeD parties who landed to start up the stairs. Jonas knew that more transports had landed at different parts of the city and would all likely be starting inward down the streets towards the center. ” Couple problems though. One we have to slip away without being seen somehow and two we're going to have to find a way up to the rooftops. You have any ideas? ” Jonas continued as he started up the concrete stairs that leveled out halfway and made a ninty degree turn before starting upward again, finally reaching the paved streets of Dollet. Ahead of them the Officers were splitting the other SeeD into groups, some having already started down the curved road that would lead to the next inward spoke. It appeared they were meant to follow the first group through the immediate archway that would lead into a market district, and for the time being at least it would seem they would have to follow.
— OOC Talk: And so it begins, again.
1:04 pm May 5, 2020
sanarian
Member
posts 108
10
Chapter 3: Friction
Gil was just a few steps behind Jonas on the concrete steps, which let him speak in little more than a whisper so as not to be overheard by the others. “Nothing ideal, but I have a few. No matter what we'll have to follow for a bit, there's just too many people to break away as is.” A brief pause as they reached the turn in the middle of the staircase. “Once we've split into our individual teams is when we should prepare to make our move, but we'll need be quick about it. We need to find a building with a collapsed roof, there's bound to be at least one or two with how much damage has been done to the city. Alternatively anything with a balcony on the top floor will do just as well.” A momentary pause for breath before he continued. “Once we've found something that fits along those lines we'll have to creep in–we can't be too far back, or they'll start to suspect something, but if we're too close there's no way we'll go unnoticed. When we're inside we have to move, and move fast, Jonas. If we're too slow and our team engages the enemy before we're in position we'll have really fucked this up. I want to avoid losing any comrades here, not be the cause of it.” A few moments after they reached the top of the staircase he had finally finished laying out the outline of the plan, and let out a sigh of relief at having done so. This was probably the most he had spoken within a single conversation in what must have been weeks.
The streets turned from pavement to cobblestone as they passed through the towering stone archway that led into the city proper. On either side old stone buildings, many storefronts with apartments or housing above followed the curved line of the street towards the center of Dollet. The buildings along the outermost band of the city were mostly undamaged, though the towers of billowing smoke could still be seen blanketing the skies ahead of them. Jonas started to slow his pace, allowing the others ahead to carry on a few meters away, enough space that he and Gil could talk more freely. ” There might be some buildings around here with rooftop access as well, we just need to keep our eyes open. ” Jonas replied to Gil's earlier ideas about reaching the rooftop level. Ahead Jonas spied a stone arched bridge that connected two buildings above street level. ” If we could get up there to that causeway we could probably boost up to the roof. ” Jonas said as he motioned ahead of them, wondering if they could find a way into that building without being noticed.
— OOC Talk: And so it begins, again.
7:05 pm May 5, 2020
sanarian
Member
posts 108
12
Post edited 2:05 am – May 6, 2020 by sanarian Post edited 2:06 am – May 6, 2020 by sanarian
Chapter 3: Friction
As they made their way into the city proper Gil couldn't help but think back on his childhood; these had been the nearest shops and storefronts to home when he was a child, and he had spent more than a little time here. It was discomforting to see the street so devoid of life that the boiling rage threatened to break his peace. “Over there on the left, you see that bar sign?” Gil asked with a vague gesture with his free hand. “I remember it from when I was a kid, the owner would let me come in to play Triple Triad. As I recall we should be able to access the causeway from the second floor; when you're ready let's make our move.”
The bar was located on the left side of the street, it's stone edifice still lit with the neon sign that signified it's name, The Shining Bomber. Jonas nodded to Gil, trying to figure out how they could separate themselves enough from the others to enter the front door of the bar. It was at that moment that the explosion happened, ahead of the group of SeeD the cobblestone exploded upwards with such force and loudness that Jonas felt himself thrust back towards the buildings. Ahead he watched as the Galbadians came forward and met the group of SeeD that had been leading them. The gunfire began shortly after, deafening everything else around them. ” Gil come on! ” Jonas said aloud, unsure if his friend could even hear him or not over the sounds of combat as he grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him towards the door of the Shining Bomber, pulling it open and diving inward as the bullets sent splinters of wood flying all around them. ” Let's not waste any time. ” He continued as he got to his feet as quickly as possible, taking little time to scan the bar itself, only looking for the stairs that would lead them to the upper level.
— OOC Talk: And so it begins, again.
8:44 am May 19, 2020
sanarian
Member
posts 108
14
Chapter 3: Friction
When the cobblestone burst apart the whole world seemed to devolve into utter chaos. Gil felt, rather then saw, a deadly piece of shrapnel whiz past his face. It set his heart pounding in his chest, and with it an overwhelming drumming noise that seemed to drown out even the incessant ringing in his ears. All of this served only as fuel for the fire, and it was then that he felt something snap as he lost what little control he had left. It was by sheer chance that Jonas had chosen that exact moment to grab hold of Gil's collar and drag them both into the pub and dragged the both of them into the pub amidst a hail of gunfire. “What the hell?!” Gil cried out as he was dragged into the bar half-stumbling as he was forced to attempt to keep pace with Jonas. Gil vehemently stared daggers at Jonas, his teeth grit as he struggled to reel in an overwhelming anger that was now deprived of its target. “Damn it all.” Gil cursed as they made way for the stairs to the second floor.
Jonas had found the stairs quickly and through the sounds of gunfire and explosions that now came in from the outside he pulled himself up and moved. Reaching the stairs Jonas took them two at a time as he pushed himself upward into another room that housed several of the green felt topped tables and wooden boards used to play Triple Triad. For a brief moment he thought about how much he had enjoyed the game itself but quickly found himself pushing those thoughts away as Gil climbed the stairs behind him. ” Over there, that door probably leads to that arched walkway we saw above the road. I'm sure we can get up on the roof from there. ” Jonas said as another explosion shook the entire building. Jonas reached the door quickly, pulling the brass handle inwards with a twist, letting in the sounds of the gunfire outside. They would have to be careful outside, and get on the roof as quickly as possible.
— OOC Talk: And so it begins, again.
6:35 pm February 25, 2021
sanarian
Member
posts 108
16
Chapter 3: Friction
Gil trailed just a step behind Jonas as they made their way through the pub and up the stairs. Outside the heated sounds of battle continued to rage, yet the furious hammer of his own heartbeat in his ears overwhelmed it all.All that mattered to him was to find someone at whom he could direct his wrath; those monsters that would threaten the closest thing he had to a home, just so that they could sate their own greed without regard for the lives of others. Once the door was opened Gil immediately pushed his way past Jonas. Once he was in the open he hefted his greatsword over his head at an angle, with his left forearm bracing the weapon halfway down the blade. “Use it to get onto the roof, then you can help me up.”
Jonas shuffled his feet backwards as he staggered for a moment when Gil pushed past with a zeal he hadn't seen in his friends eyes in some time. It only took Jonas a few moments to realize what Gil's plan was, and with a nod of his head Jonas turned back into the Triple Triad parlor and quickly put as much distance between himself and the door as he could. Taking a deep breath Jonas pushed off with his right foot and with surprising acceleration was up to speed before he passed through open doorway. Leaping with his left leg Jonas took to the air, ignoring the nearby gunfire as he pushed off Gil's blade and with what he assumed was a thrust upward from Gil, took to the air. It seemed to happen in slow motion, but was over in seconds, as Jonas landed cleanly on the red tiled roof of the building, letting out a held breath. ” Damn! That was awesome! ” He found himself exclaiming as he lowered himself to the edge of the roof and extended his right arm downward, waiting for Gil.
— OOC Talk: And so it begins, again…again?
1:12 pm February 28, 2021
sanarian
Member
posts 108
18
Chapter 3: Friction
With bated breath Gil held his stance as he waited for Jonas to move into position; briefly he thought that Jonas might have reconsidered–he couldn't see much with the blade positioned as it was–but a sudden, crushing weight upon the flat of the blade quickly dispelled that notion. With the combined stress of both Jonas and the weapon upon him Gil could feel his arms about to buckle; but from somewhere nearby the sounds of continued battle struck him. With that a fresh surge of anger burst forth to provide a strength he didn't know he had, and with everything he could muster Gil pushed back to provide a bit more leverage to help Jonas onto the roof. “I'll take your word for it,” Gil languidly replied; it was plain that he had overexerted himself with that particular display. With a pained groan he pushed through the discomfort, placing one hand on his blade's spine as he offered the handle to Jonas. Once his weapon was up Gil reached out to Jonas and prepared to scale up onto the roof.“I swear, if you drop me….”
— OOC Talk: It's the story that never ends, it goes on and on my friend~!
Jonas took Gil's sword by the hilt, pulling it up with a heave of strength and after setting it flat on the red tiles of the roof he moved back towards the edge, leaning over to grasp Gil's skyward held arm. With another heave Jonas pulled Gil up high enough that he could grasp the roof himself and pull himself up the rest of the way. Taking a few breaths, Jonas turned to take in the sights around him. The spoke like streets that cut between the seas of crimson red tiles all conjoining at the main bridge to the mainland, just north west of where they were positioned. ” Okay, if we keep low enough we should be out of sight of any troops on the ground, All we have to figure out is how to cross some of the gaps between here and the square around the bridge. ” Jonas was thinking out loud, hunching over as he started along the spine of the roof towards the bridge. Ahead the tall brick facade of the Dollet Hotel stood higher than all of the buildings around, he hoped that there was no one stationed on the roof. ” Come on, lets get moving. ” Jonas looked back to Gil before he picked up the pace.
— OOC Talk: On and on, and on, and then off, but on again after that.
3:02 pm March 10, 2021
sanarian
Member
posts 108
20
Chapter 3: Friction
Once he was high enough up the wall Gil took hold of the roof's edge and pulled himself up. Afterwards he was content to simply sit there for a time, taking the chance to rest while he could. When Jonas had finished taking survey of the area and begun to speak Gil forced himself onto his feet and reached for his weapon; he brought the heavy blade to rest upon his shoulder, and then simply waited for Jonas to decide on their next course of action. Gil didn't move an inch, nor say a word, he simply stood there listening to the distant echoes of battle. It wasn't until Jonas urged him to get moving that Gil snapped out of his reverie and started after his friend, quickly adjusting his pace to match Jonas' own.
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