http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam Simple:Press Forum Version 4.0.4 http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p148 SeeD/Esthar Forum http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p148   Chapter 1: The Exam
    Jonas had lunged into his closet head first, his hands moving swiftly pulling and pushing items of clothing back and forth. Socks fell to the floor and rested by his feet, followed by a stack of assorted papers and a magazine; Weapons Monthly with a gunblade on the cover. He sighed almost defeated when he glimpsed the gold embroidery of his dress jacket's collar. Jonas leaned in, grimacing as he stretched. He coaled the collar around his finger and with a pull jerked it free and pulled it into the light. It was wrinkled and his pants seemed nowhere in sight, he would have to take a chance.
   ” Shit, Instructor Trepe is going to chew me out but this is going to have to do. ” He said as he slipped the jacket on and began to button it up, doing his best to 'wipe' the wrinkles away. ” Alright let's hit the cafeteria. ” he said as he turned to Gil, shrugging his shoulders at his appearance.
The sounds of chatter drifted from the Garden cafeteria as Jonas neared, he stopped for a moment attempting again to push out the wrinkles in his jacket before entering. There were several cadets scattered around the large room, most in full uniform, all engaged in conversation. None seemed to notice Jonas or Gil as they entered.
   ” You hungry? ” Jonas asked, craving a dog.     —
OOC Talk:
—     ]]> Fri, 16 Oct 2015 22:48:53 +0000 http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p147 SeeD/Esthar Forum http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p147    Silence was the only answer to the suggestion, though Gil continued to follow Jonas. Old memories and wounds that had yet to heal left him to wander his thoughts. As the pair made their way to the dorms the only sound was that of the rhythmic click of their boots. By the time they had reached their dorm Gil had managed to break free of his inner musings, returning to the present once more.
   In stark contrast to the other half of the room, Gil kept his own section of the room quite tidy--if a little sparsely decorated. The only thing that decorated his area was a plain wooden end table that stood by the bed's head, and on top of it were two bookends. A large variety of books stood between them, ranging from novels to textbooks. Only one thing stood out of place, a curious silver necklace which hung from the table's drawer handle.
   Gil stalked quietly over to the end table and removed the necklace from the drawer's handle, then slipped it into the drawer itself. Afterward he moved to his own closet, and pulled the door open. Just like the rest of his personal area the closet was neatly sorted save for a large, black case emblazoned in silver with a pair of wings. On the side of the case were two steel latches, and a handle to carry it with. Gil quickly undid the latches and opened the case to reveal an imprint on both ends of the trunk, clearly intended to house a rather large sword. With practiced efficiency he released the strap that held his greatsword to his back, and casually placed the weapon within the trunk before he shut it.
   Once he was finished Gil fetched the appropriate attire from his closet before closing the door. Without saying anything
Without pause he removed his coat and threw it on the foot of the bed, followed shortly by his shirt--they didn't have the time to spare to worry about being tidy. As he removed the shirt he revealed a frightening amount of scar tissue that adorned his torso, some of which appeared to be almost symmetrical, while others seemed to be claw marks. Only a few moments later they disappeared beneath the fabric of his clothing as he finished changing into more appropriate attire. "You ready, Jonas?"
]]> Sat, 10 Oct 2015 06:29:04 +0000 http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p144 SeeD/Esthar Forum http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p144   Chapter 1: The Exam
    Jonas listened as Gil spoke, lightly resting his body against one of the concrete columbs that lined the walkway. Gil seemed distant, but quickly regained control of his faculties and put the conversation to rest, though not before revealing a small tidbit about his past, a fact that Jonas took as a victory and gained ground for the future.
   ” Yeah, you're right let's get changed and head down to the cafeteria. ” Jonas said with a lighthearted smile as he pushed his weight from the column and started walking once again, his boots clicking in a rhythmic pattern as he neared the entrance to the dorm.
The dorm rooms were all small, and mostly uniform in their design. Two beds, one on the left and right wall and straight ahead a desk with a window that let light into the room. Each room possessed two small closets for the cadets to keep personal items. Jonas's bed was cluttered, his closet door open and littered with clothing and books. A poster of a a young woman singing before a large crowd in Fisherman's Horizon was tacked to the wall by his bed, as well as an assortment of magazine pictures of women, swords, and cars. Jonas signed as he eneterd, realizing that finding his dress clothes might not be that easy.
   ” Ah shit. ” Jonas said as his shoulders sunk.     —
OOC Talk:
—     ]]> Sat, 03 Oct 2015 20:29:06 +0000 http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p142 SeeD/Esthar Forum http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p142    When the topic became the focal point of their conversation, Gil made a frantic effort to his emotions in check. A crushing torrent of feelings, long forgotten had begun to assault him. "For a bit," Gil quietly declared, pausing for just a moment to regain his voice. "I don't remember much, but my sis--" Gil's voice caught then, and he seethed at the emotions the memory brought to the surface. "This isn't the time, we have better things to do right now." Gil announced with more than a hint of finality. As they walked Gil gingerly brought his hand up to the flat pommel of his greatsword, and lightly traced the engraving etched upon it, as if hoping to find comfort in it.
]]> Sat, 03 Oct 2015 06:57:14 +0000 http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p139 SeeD/Esthar Forum http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p139   Chapter 1: The Exam
    Light cut in diagonally through the column lined passage way that connected Balamb Garden proper to the dormitories, casting shadows like the rungs of a ladder across the paved walkway. Jonas stopped as Gil's words entered his thoughts, Gil had never spoken much about his life before coming to Balamb Garden—something that Jonas had always known not to pry into, having felt that boundry before.
   ” You lived in Dollet? ” He found himself asking, hoping that his question would not turn Gil's mood. ” I've been there a few times myself, I was always curious when I read the exploits of Squall and the other instructors time there and the fight with Galbadia ten years ago. He continued, hoping that by including something of his own would entice Gil to share more, though he was almost certain that he would brush it off as he always seemed to do.     —
OOC Talk:
—     ]]> Wed, 30 Sep 2015 16:00:36 +0000 http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p137 SeeD/Esthar Forum http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p137    Gil was perfectly content to simply listen while Jonas spoke, trailing just a step or two behind his friend as they started on their way. As the pair passed through the automated doorway, and into the main hall, it struck him that silence hung heavy in the air. It was fairly obvious that most of the older students were participating in the trial today, but even so it was bizarre to see the garden so empty.
   When Jonas brought up Dollet such thoughts were forced out of mind. An intense mixture of emotions could briefly be seen on his face, before he let out a grunt and regained his composure. “I lived there for a little while, until Galbadia's invasion. I traveled for a while after that until I came here.”
]]> Thu, 24 Sep 2015 03:42:05 +0000 http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p135 SeeD/Esthar Forum http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p135   Chapter 1: The Exam
    The cool air of Balamb Garden's garage rushed into the transport as Gil opened the door and stepped out. Jonas followed behind, reaching for a well placed hand grip to steady himself as he lowered his legs to the pavement.
   ” It looked like the entire class was up for the exam today, some of them will have to pass. ” Jonas replied matter of factly, motioning for Gil to follow him as he started towards the exit. ” We should probably go clean up and maybe get something to eat, It'll probably be a few hours before they call us. He said as he walked through the door, which wooshed open as he approached.
Balamb Garden seemed quiet, or at least much more quiet than usual as Jonas walked into the main circular hub. Usually this place was full of activity but only a few cadets were out today, mostly younger students who were new to SeeD, most of which Jonas did not know by name. As Jonas reached the intersection he turned to the right, casually making his way to the dorms.
   ” I've never been to Dollet, have you? ” He found himself asking Gil as the Dukedom was on his mind.     —
OOC Talk:
—     ]]> Sun, 20 Sep 2015 20:50:07 +0000 http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p134 SeeD/Esthar Forum http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p134    Gil listened intently while Jonas spoke, though one might have assumed otherwise were they to judge by his carefree posture, or the fact that his ember eyes were tightly shut. A sudden shift in the terrain shook the transport, and he let it slide him onto his side while at the same time he lifted his legs onto the other end of the seat. "That really is too bad for you," Gil replied with a disinterested murmur and a half-grin. "you'd never let me live down the near certain embarassment."
   While it was by his own design Gil was rather disliked by the majority of his peers, though he saw it as a small price to pay in order to keep his secret safe. More than that he truly enjoyed the plentiful solitude, and for times when he didn't there was always Jonas--who, unlike the rest, hadn't been turned away by his cold, harsh attitude. As the transport began to slow Gil half-heartedly sat up, and when it came to a full stop stood and opened the hatch before exiting the vehicle. Once he was out Gil let loose a heavy yawn, while stretching his sore limbs. "You think any of the others will pass?"
]]> Sat, 19 Sep 2015 15:19:21 +0000 http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p131 SeeD/Esthar Forum http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p131   Chapter 1: The Exam
    Jonas felt a tense rush of emotion come over him, his mind wandering forward past the graduation once more, wondering what lay ahead in his future. He could feel that Gil seemed more at easy with the concept, he was clearly more concerned with the social requirement of a graduation ceremony that the dangers and unknowns that war presented. It dawned on Jonas how completely different they were, he had always known, but under the circumstances it was only more obvious.
   ” Doubt it will be much of a ceremony honestly, it's not every day they force us all through exams in one day, promote us the same evening, and send us into combat the next morning. ” He replied to Gil's concerns as the transport shifted lunging him forward for a moment before the suspension leveled out. ” It'll probably just be some sort of address from Headmaster Leonheart. He continued as the transport started to slow, reaching the entrance into Balamb Garden's inner vehicle garage, coming to a jarring stop a few moments later.     —
OOC Talk:
—     ]]> Sat, 19 Sep 2015 12:03:04 +0000 http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p129 SeeD/Esthar Forum http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p129    Gil sat haphazardly in the seat, content to just relax after their trial in the Fire Cavern. It had been a very long day, and it wasn't even over yet. Still it was worth it to become a member of SeeD--or rather, to learn the skills necessary to become one. As a child he had often read stories about Sorceresses and their Knights, and he wondered if perhaps that had been part of his motivation for joining the program in the first place: to become his own Knight, to defend himself from those who would do him harm.
   As these thoughts darted through his mind they rode in silence, until at last Jonas broke the silence. Gil slowly opened his eyes and then sat forward. For some reason they were alone in the transport, and already on their way back to the garden. Perhaps the women had taken his comments more seriously than intended. "I'd rather skip the celebration entirely." Gil muttered as he collapsed back into the seat, suddenly aware that the Fire Cavern had probably been the easy part for him compared to what waited at the Graduation Ball.
]]> Fri, 18 Sep 2015 02:02:02 +0000 http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p127 SeeD/Esthar Forum http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p127   Chapter 1: The Exam
    Gil had come back quick, and before Jonas could get in another jab they were both interrupted by Instructor Trepe who quickly pointed out the transports. Jonas motioned as if he were about to speak, only Gil to jog off towards the vehicles leaving him.
   ” God damn it. ” He scoffed as he started towards the transport, taking his time.
It took Jonas several minutes to reach the distant vehicle, his mind wandering from Gil to the adventure ahead, realizing as he reached the transport that it would be his last ride as a cadet, his days as a student would be over by nightfall, and upon daybreak he would be shuffled away to war. Jonas placed his hand on the the side of the truck as he leaned to climb in, steadying himself physically but unable to do the same mentally. He met eyes with Gil and wondered if he too had realized how much their every day life was about to change, for the briefest moments he lamented this loss of normalcy but quickly pushed the feeling down, hiding it away for a lonely night.
   ” I hope my dress suit is clean. ” He broke the silence, noticing that it was just he and Gil as the transport started to traverse the hilly road that would take them back to Balamb Garden.     —
OOC Talk:
—     ]]> Thu, 17 Sep 2015 15:58:16 +0000 http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p125 SeeD/Esthar Forum http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p125    As he watched Jonas' expression shift to one of sheer terror, his words painting an frighteningly poor image, Gil flashed his friend a sadistic yet still playful grin. Without a moment of hesitation Jonas had tried to play it off, to make it seem like a joke in poor taste, but from what Gil could gather things weren't going smoothly as intended. "You're right, Jonas, my apologies. The truth is you're more of a layabout then a lecher." Gil spoke in a low, intentional whisper, so that only Jonas would hear him. "I think you'll turn her opinion of you around, and if you can't... well she can't possibly like you any less, right?"
   Instructor Trepe chimed in then, cool and collected as ever, before she ordered them to hurry so that other students could begin their own exams. With merely a shrug Gil silently followed Jonas out of the cavern and into the blinding light of day. Unlike his friend however, Gil didn't bother to shield his own eyes from the sun, but rather continued forward half-blind while his eyes adjusted to the sunlight.
   Only a short ways away he caught sight of the transports that would ferry them back to the Garden. Gil broke into a jog without a word to anyone, making his way toward one of the empty transports. Once inside he quickly moved to the far end and collapsed into the seat, then sunk into it and let go of the tension. If he had waited for the others Jonas surely would have made him wait until at least Gwen had stepped inside.

]]> Sun, 02 Aug 2015 09:46:03 +0000 http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p123 SeeD/Esthar Forum http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-4/#p123   Chapter 1: The Exam
    Through the fatigue Jonas made a face of sheer terror as Gil's words painted a picture of his own sensibilities that he did not want Gwen to hear. He attempted to nod nonchalantly towards Gwen, as if to suggest that Gil shouldn't say things like that in her presence, though he quickly realized that he had failed when he caught sight of her expression, one of revulsion.
   ” Whoa whoa, you know that's not true buddy, you're such a jokester! ” Jonas tried to play it off, his hands locking at the fingers behind his head as he have off a fake laugh. ” You're a terrible wing man... ” He mumbled as he leaned in towards Gil, his teeth showing.
   ” That's enough boys. ” Instructor Trepe chimed on, her expression as cool and collected as ever. ” I've got several more exam's to administer today, so let's hurry and get back to the entrance and get you three back to the Garden. ” She continued as Jonas caught his first sight of daylight in what seemed like ages, though it had only been perhaps an hour.
Jonas exited into the rolling green field that surrounded the Fire Cavern, the light hurting his eyes. He squinted and shielded them from the sun as he made his way back towards one of the transports that was waiting, assuming that would be ferried back to the Garden.     —
OOC Talk:
—     ]]> Mon, 27 Jul 2015 16:23:33 +0000 http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-3/#p121 SeeD/Esthar Forum http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-3/#p121    Gil trailed behind the others in silence, still inwardly seething at the way things had turned out. Until the battle with Ifrit he had wholeheartedly believed that if he were alone, with none to see the truth of things, he could overcome anything. Now such a belief, such overwhelming self-confidence, felt like little more than childish arrogance. For him this was something brand new; to be unsure, to be insecure, to be afraid that others could still hurt him.
   As the group pressed onward to the exit such thoughts continued to hound Gil, until at last Jonas spoke to him and he was thrust back to reality. “I can't say I wasn't concerned for you,” Gil quietly replied in manner-of-fact fashion as they emerged into the main cavern chamber. “usually I have to do everything for you, since women seem to invariably attract your full attention.” At the very end he increased the volume of his voice, to make sure that the others would hear, before offering his friend a wry smirk.
   Even if that had actually been the case, he came to realize, Jonas had always been at his back–even before Gil had thought of him as a friend, he had been intent upon making sure that Gil wasn't a complete outcast. For some strange reason that revelation brought him some small measure of relief, despite his newfound insecurity.
]]> Mon, 27 Jul 2015 13:25:13 +0000 http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-3/#p119 SeeD/Esthar Forum http://dystopiapro.com/ffviiiannihilation/forum/seedesthar-forum/chapter-1-the-exam/page-3/#p119   Chapter 1: The Exam
    Jonas watched Gil from afar, seeing the exhaustion emanating from his body, realizing that he had truly spent all of his energy going toe to toe with the Guardian Force. As he walked towards the chamber's exit he felt his own muscles aching, he remembered this ache, the utter fatigue from the conflict and dehydration from the Fire Cavern's heat. He remembered the last time he was here, barely staggering out of the chamber, the other two in his test group both being carried out by instructors, this was a wholly different feeling.
   ” Wow. Gil, we.. we're going to be SeeD ” He spoke to his friend as he reached chamber's exit, resting his hand on the rock wall as he squeezed through the crack back into the man cavern. ” Tomorrow we'll be deployed, this is crazy. ” He continued to speak as he followed Instructor Trepe back through the cavern towards the daylight.     —
OOC Talk:
—     ]]> Sat, 25 Jul 2015 12:12:32 +0000