themainframe | [Video] ♞ Fire Cross III

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[Video] ♞ Fire Cross III

[ Watch From 00:05:33 - 00:06:37 and 00:07:30 to 00:10:23 or read below.

There's a podium with more microphones than necessary. Behind it is a man in a suit, making a rather political speech about how the "people of the world have the power to end all wars." There's the sound of something breaking in the background, but the man continues on regardless, rambling on about how an ambassador, the Sorceress, is a necessity. Again there's another noise, this one screeching in the background, followed by more sounds of things breaking before Seifer bursts on into the scene. Two Galbadian soldiers make an attempt to apprehend him, but he disposes of them quickly, taking the suited president hostage. Feeling as though Seifer has apparently lost his mind, a woman in red—Quistis—orders Squall to come and assist her.

The scene cuts out briefly, to when Squall, Zell and Selphie finally arrive. Quistis insists that Seifer needs to be restrained, so Squall makes an effort to calm him down. ]

What do you think you're doing?

It's obvious, ain't it? What are you planning to do with this guy?!

...Planning to do?

I get it! [ the blond, Zell, exclaims. ] You're Rinoa's...

[ Seifer immediately cuts him off. ]

Shut your damn mouth! Chicken-wuss!

[ Quistis explains the situation: ]

He broke out of the disciplinary room, injuring many in the process.

YOU STUPID IDIOT!

Be quiet.

[ And then Zell blows it: ]

Instructor, I know! You're going to take this stupid idiot back to Garden, right!?

Shut up! NO!

[ The president understands now. Seifer is from Garden, as are Quistis, Zell and Selphie. Now he has someone to blame. As the president explains how he has them all in the palm of his hand, Seifer shakes his head. Great. ]

I see... So you're all from Garden. Should anything happen to me, the entire Galbadian military will undoubtedly crush Garden. You can let go of me now.

Nice going, Chicken-wuss! You and your stupid big mouth!

[ Which obviously means he's not letting go. Zell seems horrified. ]

Take care of this mess! Instructor and Mr. Leader!

[ Seifer, with President Deling still at... gunblade point, back out of the room with Quistis following. In the next room, a masked woman in dark clothing appears from out of thin air and approaches Seifer. As if pitying him, she murmurs: ]

...Poor, poor boy...

Stay away from me!

Such a confused little boy. Are you going to step forward? Retreat? You have to decide.

Stay back!

[ Quistis runs in, but the woman, the Sorceress, paralyzes Quistis. ]

The boy in you is telling you to come. The adult in you is telling you to back off. You can't make up your mind. You don't know the right answer. You want help, don't you? You want to be saved from this predicament.

Shut up!

Don't be ashamed to ask for help. Besides, you're only a little boy.

I'm not... Stop calling me a boy.

You don't want to be a boy anymore?

I am not a BOY!

[ Angry, Seifer releases the president, who scrambles to leave. ]

Come with me to a place of no return. Bid farewell to your childhood.

[ Squall and the others finally enter, but are paralyzed as well. After making his immediate, rash decision, Seifer waves goodbye to his peers with his gunblade and disappears with the sorceress. ]

[ Seifer is frowning down at his D-Terminal. It wasn't so terrible. It could have been much, much worse; at least it isn't something that Squall doesn't remember, otherwise he'd be screwed. ]

At least I can say I was on the first live television broadcast in seventeen years. You can just disregard everything else since it wasn't even interesting, let alone important.

[ Although... it's weird seeing himself like this. He knew he'd made those decisions and acted like a lunatic, but was he really taken in by the sorceress, his matron, that quickly? ]

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Really? Not even like..recreationally? That's...

*blank stare*

Seriously?

Hold up, you...Nah, come on. Really? Not a single fight? You're not busy all hours of all days, you're gonna get rusty. Or fat. Or bored.

If you want recreational sparring, go talk to Squall.

[ He doesn't comment on the other things... because she's right. Mostly. He's still fit. But his gunblade and brawn are useless here, except to perhaps pry open a locked door. Maybe someday he'll admit to himself that it's just because she's not Squall. ]

Besides, I have to be in the mood to do it and right now I'm not.

[ He's Balamb's #2 brooder, so who knows when he'll be "ready." ]

Well, I can understand havin' to get in the mood, it can get kinda personal. [ She remarked with a slow nod. ]

I already fought Squall, though, so the suggestion is kinda moot. I just thought you'd be a fantastic challenge. Guess I'm wrong, though. It'd be kinda in bad taste to spar with a guy that's not really in shape to do so.

I wouldn't wanna fight with someone that's got no chance of winnin'. No real challenge there.

[ Deliberate ruffling? Her? Nooo. ]

Edited 2013-09-16 14:10 (UTC)

[ He doesn't just take the bait. No, he takes the bait and runs fifteen miles with it. ]

You think I'm not in shape enough to kick your ass?

[ He realizes at that point that he basically did what he used to call Zell out on all the time. That doesn't help soothe his temper. ]

I ain't number 2 against him! I'm half the reason Squall can even hold his own in a fight.

Really? [ She asks with a casually dismissive tone, arching a brow and giving him a dubious once over. ]

From where I'm sittin' there's two guys, both with the same scars. One of them got up off his ass and had a proper go. The other one is just finding limp-wristed excuses not to do something.

I mean if you were fit to fight, you wouldn't turn down a perfectly friendly invitation to stretch your legs and let off a little steam.

Yeah. "Friendly invitation."

[ It's everyone. Everyone thinks Squall's better than him, without even knowing their history. Why? Why can't they look at the two of them and think he's the better one? He's not the one who needed to be carried to the infirmary. And even when he does lose, he doesn't need someone else to pick him back up again. ]

Look, I don't need to prove myself to you.

[ It won't change anything. She'll still think Squall's the better swordsman; the better fighter; the better whatever. It takes some effort to reel in his temper. ]

Take it to mean whatever you want.

[ Nah, Seifer, don't worry. Roze is better than that. Usually. Sort of. Maybe. ]

Alright! Alright, geez. [ She laughed, raising her hands in a gesture of surrender, green eyes glittering with mirth. ]

Calm down, Princess. I'm just pickin' on ya. Squall and I have a little arrangement. We duke it out when he's bent. He popped me in the eye. We don't have some kinda circle-jerkin' club. Didn't even use swords. Probably will at some point but it ain't this epic Fight Club and we don't share epiphanies over soap.

[ He would get the references, but the tone of her amused sarcasm was enough to signal she'd really meant nothing by any of it. Or at least nothing negative or judgmental. ]

I don't judge anyone without a show, Princess. You included. I get not wantin' to show your hand. Play the cards close to your chest and no one knows when you're gonna take the pot. I would never just assume someone was better than you.

Never.

Look. I was just flirtin'.

[ There's the meat of it. ]

I like fightin' good-lookin' guys. Its more fun than beatin' up girls, hands down. I don't really do well just...tellin' guys I like 'em. So I smack 'em around a bit instead. Sometimes it gets it out of my system.

Sometimes it doesn't.

Whatever. [ She muttered, scratching her front hairline, tousling her bangs and looking off to the side. ]

You don't have to get bent outta shape over it.

[ She hit too much of a sore spot. Sure, he'll get over it... but not right this second. Roze says she's always bluntly honest about how she feels, and he's experienced that first hand countless times. Even so, for some reason, it's hard to believe she's being honest now and it makes him feel like a dumbass. ]

I get it.

[ Doesn't it already make him number two in a way? She's been sparring with Squall. Oh well. He could deal with being number two in looks. That didn't matter to him nearly as much as beating Squall in a sparring match. ]

I do, so you can quit explainin' yourself.

Hm. I messed up... [ She mused, side-eyeing him before inclining her head to him. Bowing on screen wasn't quite as effective as bowing in person, but it didn't change the meaning and effort any. ]

I'm sorry. You're pretty fuckin' awesome, Brave Sir Almasy. Princess Roze is a brazen idiot.

[ She cocks her head enough that he can see one smiling green eye through a fringe of soft pink bangs. ]

I can't help it. You're good-lookin' and delightfully grumpy and it just gets my skirt in a bunch. Its practically a direct challenge. Fightin' you would be the best first date ever.

I bet you're good, too.

[ Her bow makes him slightly arch an eyebrow. Man, it's been ages since he's been in a situation where people bowed. Xu and Quistis to Cid... and that was about it. He sure as hell didn't do any bowing. ]

Ain't "delightfully grumpy" some kinda oxymoron? And yeah, I'm pretty good. One of two gunblade specialists in my entire school. It's too complicated of a weapon for everyone else.

[ ...Still number two. ]

Not my idea of a first date, though.

Nope, "happily grumpy" is an oxymoron. Delightfully is my reception and grumpy is your expression. I like that you're so prickly. Its wonderfully charming, and deeply individual.

[ She winks, curling half her mouth into it and clucking her tongue softly as she fires a finger-gun at him before glancing off thoughtfully. ]

Hm. I didn't fight Squall with his blade. We just duked it out blow-for-blow in the park. Lotta pent up rage between us, but he was in a real fit and I was just tryin' to help. Its what I do, y'know. Help friends when I can.

I'd like to see what this gunblade hullabaloo is all about. Awful fancy. And if only two people got it down, that's pretty fuckin' legit. You're a regular bad-ass. That'd be like me bein' the only kid skilled with a katana back home. I just can't imagine it...kendo class is always full.

[ Interest piqued. ]

Well, then you'll just have to introduce me to a proper first date.

[ He rolls his eyes at her. Prickly being charming and deeply individual? ]

It's mostly because there are also guns in my world and it's hard to block bullets with a sword. Hard, but not impossible. As for the first date thing, you'd find it dull and boring. You probably wanna leave it at that.

Hey, I don't find spending time with anyone dull and boring! Don't discount me like that. Just because I like life to be exciting and fighting me is a prerequisite to hooking up doesn't mean I can't enjoy normal things like normal people.

[ She pauses, frowning faintly before rubbing her cheek and looking off to the side. ]

I fight people because I want to know they can take care of themselves. Life is tough and full of bullshit, and I want to know if I'm not always there to take care of them, they'll be safe on their own.

Anyone can talk a big game, but I'll always be worried if someone can't put their money where their mouth is.

I'm always gonna worry about some people.

Its nice not to have to worry about others, though. Then I can focus on other stuff. Like havin' a good time on "dull and boring" dates.

[ Better than thinking about them dying because they got mixed up with someone that dukes it out with monsters on the daily. ]

[ Seifer gives her a heavy sigh, then retrieves his Crest from his coat pocket. ]

Look. This is the Crest of Sincerity. It's physical proof that I'm honest about the things I say. So if I say I can handle myself, it means that I can. I know my limits, so you don't have to worry about me.

[ ...He doesn't know his limits. He's just a lucky bastard who can still stand after surpassing them. ]

And I'm tellin' you you'd hate it. It'd probably be traditional. Mood lighting, candles, food good for feedin' each other.... Romantic things like that.

...

I've never actually been on a date, y'know?

[ She looks at him quietly for a long moment before shrugging and looking off to the side, jaw cocked as she runs her tongue along her teeth on one side and shrugs. ]

I'm probably a shitty date anyways.

[ Subject change. That's new. ]

I dunno what kinda stuff you guys fight where you're from, but I imagine maybe humans fighting with swords doubling as guns have probably got their leg up on the monster market...so maybe I'll try takin' someone at their word.

I don't like it though...

Then again I'm a normal human here too, so I suppose in this case I got no business judgin'. Hm. Might have to change my tactics 'round here.

[ He's quick to correct: ]

It's not a gun; it's a vibro-weapon that doesn't fire projectiles.

[ Just because he latched onto that one thing doesn't mean he wasn't paying attention to the rest. He's latching on because he doesn't want to deal with the more difficult things right now. ]

[ Was that relief in her expression? Possibly, but come and gone too fast to know for sure. ]

Well, you won't fight me, but would you mind showin' me your uh, gunblade some time?

I promise its not a double-entendre. I just like weapons. You can see Ikebana if you like? She's gorgeous.

Do you know how to use a katana?

[ She named her sword after flower arranging.... Oh well. Better than Griever. ]

Yeah, you can see it. I'll even let you hold it. It's heavy and should technically be wielded in two hands, but one can suffice. Katanas, though... never used one, but it can't be all that different than a gunblade. They both function as swords.

[ Yeah just wait til she explains that one. Its actually kinda morbid! =D ]

Hm.

[ She bites her bottom lip, hard, eyes watering with the effort not to say anything. He can see the strain of it in her slowly furrowing pink brows, and he can see with the dam finally breaks with a juvenile snicker. ]

Two hands, huh? [ She asks, fanning herself for effect. ]

Be still, my beating heart.

[ That's it. He throws his hands up in the air, but at least he keeps his grip on the D-Terminal. ]

Real mature.

[ ...Says an immature person. ]

[ She laughs, snickers and sticks the tip of her tongue out between her teeth, nose wrinkling at him. It takes her a minute, adn while she can't stop grinning, eyes glittering with mirth, she's at least capable of speech. ]

Still, best mental image.

I look forward to learning how to handle it.

*snrk*

No but seriously, I do. I mean, look forward to seeing a gunblade and all. Maturely. Promise. I'd be fine with you giving Ikebana a test run. I'm curious about the form of a broadswordsman in the handling of a katana. They require a different sort of finesse from heavy swords or rapiers. They've got this neat category all their own.

Too bad she's not actually here. She'd love you.

[ He'd tell her he's developed pretty good wrist strength over the years of inappropriately handling Hyperion, but he can only imagine the type of comment she'd give him in return. ]

My gunblade used to be great. I could take down any monster with it. Pisses me off, how ineffective it is here. So yeah, no harm in letting you swing it around.

[ Again, "letting you handle it" or "letting you hold it" probably wouldn't work out right now. ]

[ she could tell he was choosing his words a little carefully, and it only amused her more, but she didn't comment. ]

Same with Ikebana, you're welcome to try it out. I can show you some of the basic moves used in the kendo lessons. Since you're already skilled with a sword you oughta figure it out pretty quick. Only difference is a katana can snap right in two if you swing bad. S'why we use practice swords for years.

Maybe you can help me with some basics of handling a gunblade?

Its not fighting, so its not cheating.

Sounds good to me. I never mind adding a few more skills to my repertoire.

[ With his gaze to the side, he frowns, his eyebrows furrowing. ]

Maybe it'll come in handy someday.

[ She gives him a curious look, wanting to press but thinking better of it. She'd already pushed him quite enough for one day, and he's been a sport with her, despite her inability to speak without innuendo and flirtation at any point.

Of course her lips quirked when he mentioned adding more skills to his repertoire. She'd love to help with that.

Sometimes she wondered if she had a mild form of Tourette's. ]

I'll drop you a line a few days once I've got everything figured out and settled, yeah?

You won't forget, will you? Promise, we'll do this?

[Video]

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