Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ ZDC - Esthar Interval ❯ Chapter 1 - Here we go... ( Prologue )

Chapter 1:

"I don't get why YOU want to go though!" Laguna's voice echoed throughout the presidential office in the mighty Esthar City, the sun just beginning to rise beyond the distant skyscrapers, the shadows being elongated and distorted in the morning light.

"You said it yourself, Esthar needs to get more involved in world affairs if we're gonna avoid a war, besides, having some powerful allies will give us an edge against Galbadia if push comes to shove."

The other speaker in the room was just about to turn 16. He was every bit his father's son, sharing Laguna's jet black hair, although it was cut a lot shorter and spiked up, his face seemed to hold a compellingly earnest expression of honesty at that moment in time, yet there was a mischeviousness about him that one couldn't place. His clothing was that of a typical Esthar teenager, if a little more showy and revealing, a very low cut tunic showing off his upper body, the sleeves missing revealing his arms. The outfit finished with baggy pants and some bulky sneaker/boot hybrids, the whole thing done in Orange and White, with a silver the chain-chord that criss-crossed across the front of the tunic, holding it together, but making sure not to obscure the lithe athletic body beneath.

"Nix, I didn't mean for my own son to go to garden, Hyne, look. Just, stay in Esthar, it's safe here, besides, all your friends are here." Laguna Loire was no more eloquent in his speech with his son than with anyone else.

"Dad, what friends? The only guy that'll talk to me other than to suck up to you is Carver" Nix Loire gestured behind him to the statue-like figure silently observing the conversation.

Laguna was stuck for words. He looked over his shoulder for support, sighting two almost polar opposites, Kiros and Ward. Neither said anything, Kiros shifted his ever so slightly, a minuscule shrug. He turned back to the pair of adolescents, and regarded Carver.

His full name was Samuel Carver, but made it very apparent that he didn't like to be called by his first name. He was the stereotypical Gunblade fighter, tall, quiet, intimidating, but by no means ugly. His soft cappuccino skin was a direct contrast to nix's, his black hair instead of being gelled and spiky was the same length, but curly. His deep brown eyes spoke of a lot of intelligence, wisdom, and of a buried loss.

Slung over his back was his Gunblade, the strap running across his chest, the chain from the end of it glinting slightly in the sun. A chain-mail vest was all that covered his torso, again sleeveless and again leaving very little to the imagination. Two low-slung belts cross ed the front of his pants, black leather and weighed down with ammunition for his weapon of choice. A pair of low-slung pants like Nix's completed the attire along with some heavy duty boots, both of which were brown with orange highlights. Keeping his hair from his face was a black and orange headband, another ring of similar material circled one wrist, and tears in the knees of both legs of his pants showed that he was most definitely not afraid to get hands-on with a situation.

"Carver, what's your opinion in all of this?" Laguna asked, the confusion mixing richly with his voice.

"Nix is right. Esthar needs all the friends it can get. Us going to Balamb Garden will give Esthar a good idea of just how competent SeeD are, and indeed if they are another threat or an Ally. As for sending your own son, well it'll let Garden know that Esthar is placing a lot of trust in them, this could be the opening we both need to reopen communication. His safety is immaterial, I'll be there, and its not like Galbadia will find out if we keep it quiet. The whole membership doesn't have to know, just the headmaster and the few other faculty that'll be interacting with him." Carver finished his dialogue, causing Nix to grin widely. He could always count on Carver to fight his corner with him.

Laguna sighed, exasperated and turned to look at Nix once more.

"You're not going. It's as simple as that. You're too important to go play SeeD, and as your father it's my job to prot-" Ward's hand on his shoulder cut him off. Laguna turned around, looking at him as if to shout at the former prison janitor too, but one look at the eyes told him all he needed to know.

"Fine, but I'm sending attendant out first to make sure they'll take you, Carver's going to be with you, and I want to station some people in Balamb Town."

Nix was about to object, but Carver coughed politely, cutting him off. He got the message too.

"Okay, fine… and thanks Dad." Nix smiled genuinely, a smile that couldn't help but make anyone's day.

=-(*)-=

3 hours later, a quarter of the way around the globe, there was a very sleepy Garden. Almost all of the students and SeeDs were gone, plus half the instructors for the summer. The faculty members were taking the time to clean the place up ready for a new year, and headmaster Cid was reading through the invoices for the renovations, suppressing a grimace. NORG was not going to be happy. A new noise accompanied the birdsong outside his office, the steady rhythm of some sort of heavy machinery, muffled by the glass. He dismissed it as another bit of the work going on within the Garden, and carried on reading through the numerous bills.

Three minutes later, Xu came skidding into his office, out of breath, and still managing to pull off a passable imitation of the salute.

", Sir! There's something, err…landing in the Quad, I suggest you come quickly!"

Cid looked up, blinked, tilted his slightly and replied "What?

Xu repeated herself, slower, careful to not mispronounce anything. A few seconds later they were in the elevator and on their way.

The strange aircraft was a cross between a helicopter and a harrier, and it had set down slap bang in the middle of the Quad, Faculty members ushering the few students away, and a spartan ring of SeeDs surrounding the aircraft with their weapons drawn. Cid and Xu rushed through the double barrier just as the doors started opening. The craft was of obvious Esthar design, as confirmed when the 4 Esthar soldiers marched out, immediately followed by 2 Moombas, then a short Shumi tribe member, strangely enough dressed in Esthar clothing.

The Shumi walked past its entourage and stopped directly before Headmaster Cid, the two Moombas trailing after it. "I am Attendant; Liaison from the President of Esthar. He sends his greetings, and asks that you give me a moment of your time concerning 3 new students."

Cid was for once lost for words. Fortunately however, Xu stepped in "Of course, if you'd please step this way?"

=-(*)-=

That night, all was peaceful at Fisherman's Horizon. Lying halfway up one of the solar collectors staring up at the Stars were Zell Dincht and Puma Crowings. Zell had his hands resting behind his head, and Puma was resting his head on Zell's stomach, softly pointing out all the star formations. Zell and Puma had spent the summer back at Puma's home in Fisherman's Horizon, and still had a few weeks left before the new term started.

"Zell, you know if there's going to be any missions for us?" Puma asked tentatively, already knowing the answer. Puma was a first year SeeD, which meant hall duty, Zell's job from last year, but Zell would in all probability be sent out on missions this year, Puma would not.

"We'll probably have to track down the remnants of the Forest Spiders at some point, that's what Squall and Seifer have been doing all summer. But I don't expect anything in the immediate future, besides, I hear Cid's got some big changes in store for the garden's hierarchy this year, it should be interest-." Before he could finish, his SeeD standard issue cellphone interjected. Sighing, he fished it out of his hoodie pocket and flicked the lid up putting it to his face in one practised motion.

"Dincht." He answered.

"Mr. Dincht, there is a light assignment for you and Mr. Crowings. Is he with you?"

Cid's voice sounded very excited, even over the phone-line.

"Uhh, yeah, he's right here. What's the assignment Sir?"

"You are going to firstly wait for Miss Tilmitt and Miss Guthard to return from Centra, they'll be heading to your location. Shortly thereafter you should proceed to the abandoned Esthar/Galbadia trainline, and wait at the FH horizon. Within about a day or so, there will be two people coming to FH via that train line. You will pick them up and proceed directly to Balamb Garden preferably via boats, avoid Galbadia if you can. Once here bring them directly to my office, oh and you are Team leader for this mission."

Puma's spiky short crew-cut red hair brushed and tickled Zell's other hand as he shifted to look up at Zell, eager to hear the news.

"Yessir, we'll get them to you."

"Make sure that you do, Zell. See you when you get home."

The call ended and Zell looked down at Puma, his expression clouded.

"What's up? We got a mission?"

"Yeah…"

Why are you so glum then?" Puma asked, confused.

"We've got to do the mission with Selphie…."

=-(*)-=