Chapter One :: Call to Arms

[Reese]

Reese rolled his eyes at Stardust's request.

You're going to be at a television and radio broadcast station, and you want a truck and a megaphone to spread word? How about just using common fucking sense... ?

He pushed away from the wall for the last time at Squall's announcement. "If any of you have any questions about DotNA, Timber, whatever... I'll be just outside the lobby. Come find me."

He moved around the table and exited the room.

[Lawric]

Lawric grimaced slightly at Jax's remark, and how the entire discussion moved forth without a hitch. In truth, he probably should be grateful for the way Ridean deftly intercepted his outburst and stole away attention. But he wasn't. It just made him feel even more frustrated, more angry, and more sick about the whole thing. He felt as if he were teetering on the edge of panic. We will die. He had just announced it in the most blunt and outspoken way he could, and no one had so much as batted an eyelash.

Even Jun's presence beside him wasn't enough to keep his manic train of thought at bay. In this moment, she was one of them. She was one of Squall's robots.

Jaime and Van can't go down into the DotNA Headquarters. They can't. He can find someone else with restorative spells. A SeeD, not a couple of civilian girls. This is ridiculous.

He sat mute in his chair without regard to what was going on. After they all left, he would talk to Squall and Seifer alone.

[ST]

<sup>At this point, feel free to have your character leave the room and do whatever. I'm going to give it a few days before closing this thread and starting the new one -- just to give you guys a last chance to ask Squall & Seifer questions or make suggestions or anything like that. I realize not everyone visits the board every single day so I wanna make sure everyone has a chance to finish here before moving on.

Of course if you have a question but it's not something your character would ask, you can always just ask me OOC. Like if you're confused about any part of this, just post it in the comments thread or shoot me a message or something ^_^.</sup>

[waterlily43]

GARHG SORRY MONSTER POST >_< That's what you get when a block gets unblocked
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Jun sat quietly in her chair, her back ramrod straight, eyes focused on a spot in the table in front of her. She had been startled into silence by Lawric's words, and the conviction behind. For him to even say the "die" word, she could not begin to imagine what else was going on inside his head.

She raised her eyes, turning slightly to look at him. Tried to say something that would be of comfort to him, like Jax did, but her mouth refused to yield any. He had drawn a clear line between them, clearly exacted in the wary, slightly hostile gaze that he threw her way. You belong on the other side, it seemed to scream at her.

But could she blame him? Not at all. The Opps didn't have any agenda in this. They were only roped in to help fight against Garden's own enemy, and it was truly a high risk operation that could mean the loss of their lives if anything went wrong. SeeDs were trained to think that death was accepted as part of a mission risk, especially SeeDs of the elite team but the Opps weren't. Lawric's clearly drawn line was spot on. They were different.

"Headmaster, may I make a request?" She spoke up in a clear voice. What she was proposing next would not be viewed in a favorable light. She had to steel herself to do it. "May I request that the Opps members be allowed to reconsider their participation in this mission? I put forward this request because the Opps are not trained in the way that SeeDs are. In that we always know each mission poses the threat of death, some times very highly so, and we have been conditioned with this kind of mindset from the very beginning. It would be unfair to expect the same of the Opps."

She knew very well that the mission was highly dependant on the Opps and even if they could get someone to fill in their voids, they would be new members and didn't have the trust they had of the Opps. As such she knew her request would probably be viewed as a source of disturbance. But if the Opps were going into this without agreeing or committing hundred percent to it, they would be at an even greater risk of failing.

Jun sat back, looking intently on the Headmaster's face and avoiding any other people's glances.

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Jaime stared at Jun. A welling dislike started crowding her chest. It probably showed on her face as well.

Who the heck does she think she is? She probably thinks we aren't good enough for the mission!

"No thank you, I agree one thousand percent to participate in this mission. I don't know about the rest of my Opps buddies but I haven't forgotten it was WEISS BASTARD who killed Signe and Able and would've buried Law nine feet underground if it weren't for the Sorceress Goddess. And since the bombing was the doing of Dotna I am more than glad to give a hand in bringing them down. So there."

[Blaze Sanaku]

Blaze hid her laugh behind her hand when Zacke asked to be the "leader" and was shot down. Well ok, he didn't outright ask to be the leader, but it was so obvious he wanted to be.

SO typical Zacke. The defeated look on his face was priceless. But Blaze knew he'd end up breaking out his "WELL I SAY THIS!" attitude the minute they got to Timber, regardless of what Squall said and she was looking foward to that. She couldn't wait to see him argue against Reese. It was why she didn't bring up a huge argument about being on Reese's team, she knew Zacke wouldn't put up with Reese's leadership and that would be absolute pure entertainment!

"Self-absorbed headcases, huh? Talking about yourself?" Blaze asked Zacke innocently. "Oh and as far as I'm concerned, this is going to be the most hellish, torturous mission Reese will ever experience. He doesn't have clown hair to back him up."

[Lawric]

Jun's request in their -- his -- defense, did nothing to calm Lawric's nerves, and Jaime's subsequent indignant outburst only made things worse. He found himself so grated by her haughty speech about Signe and Able and revenge that he almost felt hostile toward her. He wanted to turn around and tell her to just shut up for once in her Hyne damned life, but of course he couldn't bring himself to do that. He sat and stewed in his own special mixture of shame and anger.

They would have buried me. Exactly.

You idiot. he thought of her. You stupid, stupid girl. He couldn't believe her overwhelming enthusiasm to jump into this. This isn't a prank on Estharian patrol units. This isn't rigging the train to make the Governer late for his appointment. This is not a job for 'Opps,' this is a job for SeeD. This is DotNA fucking Headquarters, Jaime. She claimed it to be for Signe and Able, and in a way, for him. Ironically, her enthusiasm hurt him. He felt as if what he had been through really taught her nothing. He felt disregarded. He felt that Signe and Able were being somehow disregarded, too. He felt as if the losses they had endured, all of the sorrow they must have felt, and his own inner suffering... She was standing here carelessly proclaiming her allegiance to this half-cocked SeeD bullshit, seemingly having forgotten it all. All of the pain.

How many more burns before we finally learn not to play with fire?

Squall hadn't answered the two women yet, he seemed to still be taking in and weighing each of their words. Lawric stood, his chair sliding back. He moved from the room silently, glancing only at Jaime on the way out.

[ST]

Squall cleared his throat slightly, his gaze settling on Jun the moment the door closed behind Lawric.

"You need not make any such request, Ms. Kuroki. I said at the beginning of this meeting, before anything else, that you may all leave at any time. Reconsideration is a standing offer. And of course, anyone who isn't absolutely sure they can handle this should definitely withdraw. I encourage it."

He looked away, addressing the room.

"Any other questions before we close this meeting?"

[vanesse]

Vanesse followed Lawric with her gaze, frowning empathetically. She thought he would be more enthusiastic about this since this crisis was definitely in tuned with their cause. More so now that they would be putting end to DoTNA for the sake of the oppressed.

/Oppressed? Balamb Garden? They strike me more as slave workers if you ask me./

Don't start.

Lawric started for the door and for a split second, she thought he scowled at her. Looking to her side, she realized where the look was intentionally directed.

Is he mad?

"Jaime," Vanesse mumbled to her, nudging her friend lightly to make her look Lawric's way. Once the door closed, she then heard Squall's encouraging response.

We didn't have to do this. Seeing Lawric like that, she started having second thoughts.

[Hadrian D'arcell]

"Any other questions before we close this meeting?" Squall yet announced.

"Sir, I do." Hadrian came answering again, wearing the same expression he was wearing the last time he asked a question.

"You really....don't mean that, do you?" He smiled. "If you encourage them any further, the Opps mght really withdraw. And that wouldn't really be good, considering half of your operation lies on one of their teammates." He briefly glanced at Deo and the other two girls, Jaime and Van, on the other side. "And what's worse is, we can't fail, we can't waste time, and we need both teams to do this cra...thing." He counted in his fingers and paused.

"Hmm...what else...Sooo...what I'm trying to say is, you wouldn't really close this meeting until you're sure everyone wouldn't back down once we're on the field now, don't you?" he asked in a sing song voice.

"Since, You want us, your chance to get even with DoTNA, to not fail---or die. I'm right, ain't I?" He grinned.

Commander is hella sure noone will back down, that's why he could talk like that. Hadrian thought.

[stardust]

Stardust let out a grunt. Why did they have to invite half-hearted people for this mission? And why did Reese agree to do this? He could've just escaped when he got the chance. There was nothing to gain here.

/Aren't you the same?/ Diwata giggled. /Didn't you say you don't care about this anymore. Don't pull out later./

Stardust leaned back on her chair. As if she could do that. She could hear Hadrian being a smart-ass again from across her. In all honesty, she was with Jun. She didn't want to deal with reluctant guys like Lawric once the time comes. It was better to make it clear early before they arrive at Timber.

Though Hadrian sounded annoying with his choice of words, Stardust's current thought was in synched with his. She wondered why. She remained silent to listen to Squall's reply.


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Haha I know why she's in synched with his thoughts XDD

[ST]

Squall regarded Hadrian with a blank stare, mutely watching him ramble on. He patiently let him finish, and a few seconds of silence followed before Squall opened his mouth to speak.

"If members drop out, we will reevaluate our plan and make the necessary adjustments. I am very prepared to face that situation. I am prepared for anything." he replied calmly. "Are you not? You seem anxious, D'Arcell." At those words his eyes challenged Hadrian, the ghost of a smirk lurking at the edge of his mouth.

[Hadrian D'arcell]

Did he just make stoic Squall smirk?? LMAO
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Hadrian looked down and laughed slightly. Squall Leonhart smirked. That was just wrong.

Lifting his gaze, he replied. "No Sir, wrong word." He shook his head. "Just that, are you saying we'll reevaluate the plan in the middle of the mission once someone bails out?" he asked. "You plan to open a line with us 24/7 just in case someone decides to screw up the plan? How about when things get really dirty? You sure you can reevaluate the plan as quick as 5 seconds?"

He shrugged. "But sure if you want us to have a walkie-talkie style of communication then I'll gladly arrange that. Who am I to judge my assigned superior afterall." He nodded knowingly. "I just don't understand why you don't want to confront everyone's standings right now so we won't have to deal with it in the future."

Anxious, he says...Tch. Just ask everyone their damn thoughts already.

[ST]

"Alright, first of all, I suggest you take a more respectful tone of voice with me." Squall cleared his throat, regarding Hadrian with general distaste. "Let me start by saying this: D'Arcell, I chose you as hacker on this mission because, unfortunately, you are the best. But there are others who are capable, and I can have you replaced. You are not my only option, simply my most efficient one. So don't get too comfortable with your attitude.

"Now, in response to all of that interrogative senseless prattle you so disrespectfully spewed, you must understand that the mission is not mine. It is yours. In saying I will reevaluate the mission, I obviously meant reevaluations will occur in the here and now. Not mid-mission; that is absolutely ridiculous. Furthermore, whatever kind of chaos you find yourselves dealing with out there is not my concern -- and no, I will not be available through a miracle radio device to help you deal. I am to send you in with a mission plan and set of objectives, and I am doing everything I can right now to accomplish that. It makes no sense for me to ask everyone in this room one by one whether or not they are in. This is a rather large decision to make, and we have had about half an hour to discuss it. Asking everyone to make a decision at this point would be unreasonable.

"In conclusion, I am Headmaster and Commander, and if you don't think you can deal with my way of doing things, you are certainly welcome to get the fuck out of my sight."

[Hadrian D'arcell]

I love it when we don't know what's gonna turn out next XD
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There were three things that just didn't sit well with Hadrian as he listened. One was how annoyingly impressed he was with himself for blowing Squall out of his professional role, two for confirming how utterly irrelevant they were to Balamb Garden, and three for proving how foolproof this Holy plan was.

"Reevaluations will occur in the here and now.."

What the hell do you mean by that? He wanted to dismiss us and this is our only chance to reevaluate?

"Futhermore, whatever kind of chaos you find yourselves dealing with out there is not my concern."

Hoh? What's this? This was certainly news to him.

"...and no, I will not be available through a miracle radio device to help you deal."

All in all, the idea Hadrian got was Balamb Garden....Doesn't and will not care jack sh*t about what happens to us once we're out there? Everyone was welcome to pull out and screw the mission anytime, and they would be left alone to deal with the repercussions. The reevaluation jargon Squall was babbling should be done 'here and now' and (he was ready anytime too) should they miss that, they were out on their own.

Why don't he just go ahead and do this himself? Balamb seemed to be forgetting that they couldn't waste this mission. Or maybe that was just him.

Nevertheless, Hadrian had just about enough of this nonsense and Squall's last words pushed him to the edge.

"Hahaha..." Hadrian stood from his seat. "I was hoping you'd say that, actually." He looked at the Commander. "You saying you don't care what becomes of your SeeDs once we get there?" He smirked. "What the hell are we? Guinea pigs? You said so yourself, if one group fails, we ALL fail. If you're planning to risk this 'fragile' mission by telling everyone they can bail out to their heart's content, then damn right, I have a problem, Sir. I think Gemma will do great. Having four bodyguards, noone will refuse. "

He shoved his chair out of the way and headed for the door. "Allow me to get f*ck out of your sight," he spat, slamming the door shut.

/Repercussions./ CQ threatened.

Heh. Go right ahead. Report me to Trabia all they want. I'd even like that. Deport me back. That would be even great. I'm not betting my life for someone who disregards his toys. This wasn't the first time this happened to him afterall. This wouldn't be the last too.

"He thinks he's all that because he's done it all tch." He walked towards the lobby and placed his hands in his pocket. "Insane."


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Let's just see what happens from here. XD He didn't act out of character.

[waterlily43]

Jaime turned to glance Lawric's way at Van's nudge. He was directing a look at her that Jaime had never seen on his face the entire time she knew him. It wasn't the kind of annoyed frown he had when she tried to push his buttons. This was different. It was hostile, like she had done some unforgivable thing but what? It was enough to send a shiver down her spine, she was that shocked and scared by it. What did she do to have this kind of response?

The verbal battle between Hadrian and Headmaster went unnoticted by Jaime. She had to find out. Just sitting here and having that expression imprinted in her mind made her uneasy, a feeling that couldn't stop billowing from within.

She pushed her chair back, only dimly aware that Hadrian had left before her.

"I'm going after Law." She whispered to Vanesse, and stood up.

"Excuse me. I'll be back soon." She half-mumbled, making her way for the door.

Once she was out of the room, she could see Lawric stalking ahead furiously. She streaked past the one red-haired figure in front of her almost bumping into him in her haste.

"Lawric! Wait up!" She called out. No sign that he had heard or acknowledged her. "Lawric Michealangelo!" She yelled at him when he didn't seem to have the intent to stop. "What's wrong with you? Turn around and talk to me!"

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