Welcome to Gaia! ::

Mimi had been on her way back to the inn when a shudder passed through her body and the electric sting of what she could only think was magical energy passed through her. She hissed and turned around. The inn was right behind her, and she could have easily ignored the feeling. Easily gone inside, taken a bath and went to sleep. But no. It was a feeling she could not ignore.

Suddenly, the ground rumbled and Mimi watched as rocks and pebbles bounced this way and that. The town's people - as few as there were - shouted in fear and uncertainty as they made their way into nearby buildings. Glancing down the center lane of the town, Mimi's eyebrows creased as a large dust cloud approached the town.

Realizing what it was, she quickly stepped back onto the porch of the inn and watched with mild astonishment as a large number of monsters tore past, frightened out of their minds. Stepping back into the street after the beasts had passed, Mimi tore off through the town, towards where the monsters had run from.

Eventually, Mimi could see a couple figures in the distance. Out of habit, she unsheathed her blade and continued running, it's length stretching out to the side of her. As she approached, Mimi skidded to a halt. Her eyes strayed to Rainer, unconciouse - and Isaac standing beside her - while the sorceress stood ominously nearby.

A soft but assertive voice in Mimi's mind cried out: Attack her! Before it's too late! Now, Mimi!

Mimi shook her head, trying to ignore the voice and dismissing it as a figment of her sub-conciouse. Standing in front of Isaac and Rainer, Mimi raised her blade.

"What do you want, Sorceress?"

In that short time, a thought came over Mimi. Her grandmother and her grandfather, their friends. At some point in their adventures, they had probably stood just like this, facing a sorceress. Not any sorceress, but the Ultimecia. Mimi tossed the thought aside. She highly doubted this Sorceress here would recognize her blood or her lineage.

Isaac had been attempting to shield Rainer from whatever the sorceress was about to try. The vapor showing him several happy memories, and a few bad. He blinked as Mimi began her rescue, a SeeD of his level should've been thinking at this point. He would have to discipline himself later.

"Mimi," Isaac breathed. Watching as the spire of ice erupted from the Sorceress' hand, he leapt forward knives in hand. Stabbing one knife into the front of the spike and shoving with his back to swing around and wedge another knife into the Blizzaga. Kicking off the ground and gritted his teeth with the effort and sheer coldness of the ice, trying to divert it as much as possible.

((Haha! I'm back in business. I can use the school computer labs the first four days of the week, so please forgive me if we play post tag over the weekends. I have to share computer time with my roommate on those days until I manage to get a computer of my own.))

James could feel the Sorceress's Power being used in the Fields of Esthar. He had to get out of the room, but how could he do so without causing too much trouble? Then it hit him. The cleaning crews had been around for a while. They all had keys to every room. They were also on that floor. So he ripped a piece of paper off the nearby notepad, scribbled something on it, and then slid it under the door and into the hall. In seconds, the door was opened.

"Thank you so much!" James said, as he practically through a few thousand gil at the man for letting him out of the room, "Thank you!"

And then, he was running. Faster than he had done so in a long time. He leaped down the flight of fourteen stairs without thinking, not losing any momentum at the bottom. The Innkeeper was completely dismayed.

Isn't he supposed to be upstairs resting? He certainly doesn't look like he needs it. The Innkeeper thought to himself as James bolted out the door. Everyone in the inn looked to him for an answer, so he responded saying, "Don't look at me. I'm just as clueless as the rest of you."

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"Doomtrain, I need you here now." James spoke to the air as he ran. Doomtrain would hear him though. He always did.

What is your bidding, Master. The agonizing voice of Doomtrain echoed in James's ears, a place where no one else could hear it, There are no enemies near you.

"I need a ride. Out to the plans of Esthar." Doomtrain wouldn't like that idea, "You're going to have to trust me that I can handle your powers, Doomtrain. If you've looked at all at my soul, then you know there's nothing you can do to me that I can't handle."

Doomtrain didn't reply. The trail of purple flames appeared down the center street of the small town as James ran, and in the distance the sound of a train horn could be heard. James got out of the main stream, still running, just in time for his Guardian Force to catch up and blow past him. With one great leap of faith he through himself in the direction of the train, grabbing for anything to hold on to.

Surprisingly enough, though, he was sucked into the train. Then, he was moved to the top. In the distance he could see the aura of the Sorceress; it hung over the fields like a Black Cloud. It was powerful, and it almost completely smothered the auras of his three students. Their's were the only light in the area.

"God I hope we get there fast enough." James said to himself. Doomtrain sounded in his ear saying, We will, Sorcerer Gunnar.

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The sound of Doomtrain's Horn echoed in the ears of Isaac, Mimi, Rainer, and Leagh alike. It came from over the hill, just before the train itself came into view. James rode atop the train, waiting for the right time to leap from it and aid the students that he held so dearly.

And the time came, right before he was sidelong with the battle. He leaped from Doomtrain, landing almost directly next to Rainer. Mimi and Isaac were already fighting. This put a frown on James's face because he had been hoping to get there before that had happened. But, sometimes things just didn't work out like they were planned. The best he could do now was to try to fix any damage that might be done to his students.

His first target was Mimi. With eyes trained for use in combat, James could see that she had taken a hit from what looked like a Blizzagan Ice Dagger, the same Blizzaga that Isaac was handling. A rejuvenating feeling took hold of Mimi's entire body, doubling all of her strengths and healing her at the same time.

The second target was Isaac. Isaac had been brave to handle a Blizzaga spell the way he did. That, or there was no other option. (It was common knowledge amongst the SeeD that you can't handle a third level spell like Blizzaga directly. It wasn't healthy, and it was extremely dangerous.) So, tapping his Sorcerer powers a second time, a powerful warmth filled Isaac. Isaac would not longer be able to feel the cold of the Blizzaga spell. In fact, the sheer warmth radiating from his body would actually melt it. And as soon as the Blizzaga was gone, Isaac's body temperature would return to normal.

And finally he extended a hand to Rainer. She was still on the ground, just staring into space. Mimi and Isaac were going to require her help in order to defeat Leagh. That was for certain.

"Your friends need you, Rainer." James's voice was calm, so much so that the serenity of it was almost empowering, "Stand up, and aid them in this battle. It is a battle meant to help save you."

((I bet none of you were expecting that, were you. ^_~ The way I see it, if there can be Sorceresses, then there can be Sorcerers. They're just a lot more rare, and they never really show themselves. It'll make the story more interesting, won't it?))

||AHA! Welcome back Maker! And you're right: I wasn't expecting it. When I read it I was thinking... "Mother father... I didn't see that coming!" But that was pretty cool, though. ^_^||

"Fool SeeDling," Leagh sniffed. "Ultimecia was a fool. That is why she is dead. You think I shall be wounded by the fact that you brought up Ultimecia? No. Every Sorceress after Ultimecia know what a fool she was and we have done everything not to follow in her footsteps." Leagh's lip curled into a sneer, marring her beautiful face. "Unlike you." She lazily flicked her hand, dismissing the gout of fire Mimi sent her way. "Though I must say I think your father was better at fighting than you."

Leagh growled in irritation as James appeared. He thought he would be able to save the day? Her growl quickly disappeared as she realized James for what he truly was.

Again, Leagh backed away, though this time she wanted to. Sorcerers were completely different from Sorceresses, and while she hadn't heard of a Sorcerer in thousands of years, there was no doubt about this one.

"Get away from me, filth," she snarled. But then he turned to Rainer, who still sat there in a daze. Azhure's face flashed in Leagh's mind, knowing that if Rainer got up, she and James would overpower her.

Leagh extended her arm towards Rainer.


While Mimi and Isaac were fighting Leagh, Rainer just sat there, staring into space. She took no notice to the events unfolding around her, even as James arrived and healed Mimi and Isaac. All she could see was her memories of James, finally returned to her. Even though it hadn't been more than two days, it had hurt her and James quite severely. Rainer blinked, realizing the pain she had brought to her best friend. Tears welled in her gold-white eyes and she wiped them away angrily. She revelled in the fact that she could remember everything now; she could now see a younger version of James in her mind: She was young as well, and James still towered over her. They were laughing over something that had happened to Rainer during training, and eating at a small cafe in Dollet. Rainer smiled ruefully; what she wouldn't give to be normal and have those days again.... Normal? Rainer frowned. Events came rushing back to her in a jumble and Rainer quickly snapped out of her reverie to see James standing over her, hand held out to her, like he had done so many times before...

"James!" she cried, oblivious once more to the battle surrounding her or the Sorceress behind her, pointing at Rainer ominously. Rainer grabbed his hand and stood, smothering him in an embrace that didn't quite work. Shorter than James, her arms only reached the side of his arms and her face was buried in his chest. Rainer squeezed James, blissful to the point that she almost didn't notice the pain searing her left shoulder. Rainer frowned.

This isn't what a hug is supposed to feel like... Rainer looked over her left shoulder and gasped as she saw the huge icicle piercing her arm.

"What...?" Rainer whispered, eyes drifting toward Leagh. Leagh grinned wickedly and reached for her with both hands. Rainer convulsed, sending the icicle deeper, and fell and the icicle dug even deeper. However, that was the least of her worries: Invisible hands worked their way around her neck, cutting off her hair. Sorceress she may be, but she couldn't provide her own air. But she could fight back.

Summoning her last reserves of energy, Rainer blasted Leagh with green light. The force knocked Leagh off her feet and threw her against the ineffectual barrier Rainer had made earlier. This broke the spell on Rainer and she took a ragged breath as she struggled to sit up. The icicle was killing her, almost literally. The point was coming out the front of her shoulder, and the iciness made her arm numb. Rainer frowned. At least the cold made the bleeding minimal; stupid Sorceress. She probably hadn't even realized that. Rainer sat on the ground, glaring at the crumpled form of Leagh. She would have been glad to take out the icicle, but that would probably result in more damage. Rainer grimaced and tried to stand. The icicle weighed her down. The pain was getting to the point that Rainer's vision was getting spotty. Then Siren sang her song to Rainer, soothing her and taking her mind away from the pain. Rainer sighed, relaxed, and let her Sorceress powers move to heal her. The icicle started to melt and the huge chunk fell to the ground. Rainer's wound closed over, though it left a scar that Rainer would find troublesome in later years because of the stiffness in her shoulder.

Rainer stood wobbily, grabbing onto James' arm for support.

"How do we defeat her?" she rasped, watching the comatose form of the Sorceress. It didn't seem plausible that she could be killed by any ordinary means, and Rainer didn't know what to do. So, like before (and Rainer was thrilled that she could remember that there was a before) she turned to James for help.

||Eck, sorry for the super long post... I got kinda carried away... sweatdrop ||

Rainer frowned, unsure of what to do. James said a lot but didn't actually tell her anything. Except for the last three sentences. She was a Sorceress now, whether she liked it or not. And the sooner she accepted it, the sooner her powers would help her more. Rainer sighed and relaxed her hold on James' hand. She wasn't ready to let go of him just yet.

Within her, Rainer's Sorceress powers were recognizing the danger and instinctively roused to face the threat. However, Rainer suppressed the alien power, not sure how to use it, and not knowing if she could use it without destroying anything. Then she frowned. She had used it. Just now, to get rid of the icicle. And to put up the barrier that Leagh so conveniently smacked into.

Taking a deep breath Rainer faced Mimi and Isaac.

"What do you think, guys?" Rainer asked, unsure. "I don't really know how to use my powers, but if you think I should try, I will. I'll just need your support... Okay?" Rainer pleaded at them with her eyes, not knowing what to do. James was making her do it on her own, pushing her out of the nest, if you will, but she at least needed their support.

((FOUND A WAY TO JOIN! YES! ...Sorry, this is a long post. Never again. xd : You all seem to be fond of long posts though...!))

In the congested streets of Esthar, a girl was screaming.

She screamed, but she was unheard; unheard by all but the frantic pulsating of her own heart, the ripping, tearing pain of her jarred mind as her innards screamed and her bones shook against the very confines of her flesh. Amara allowed a low, convulsive shudder escape her parted, trembling lips; her hands flew to her raven hair and gripped the temples in a vice, her knees coming into sharp contact with the refined asphalt beneath her. Sweat dribbled down her flesh, discoloring her dark complexion into a waxen mask of pure agony, heat rippling through her body, adrenaline bursting in her veins, budding her blood with blooming flames of hatred. A low, rippling snarl seared through her entire being; Diablo was screaming in rage, his bestial cry ripping apart her composure and causing her to nearly faint in the midst of the crowd and its few stunned passersby who bothered to give the slouching girl their attention.

So many of them. So many...and so soon.

They dare twist their sickening faces before us? They dare lay themselves prone to my wrath?

In the depths of her mind, Diablo's snarling visage flickered across the blinding, incredible agony of her overwhelmingly panicked senses; the glistening fangs beneath the ebony flesh, the piercing saffron eyes gleaming with bloodlust, the hypnotic churn of his leathery wings as they enveloped her frail senses, sought to calm her sudden agonized mind with an empowering, predatory numbness...

Channel my strength. Regain control. Do it now, Master.

Her breathing slowed; the sweat trickled in rivulets across her dampened skin, her golden eyes bright as she raised her head with slow, steady flexes of her bones. Amara knew better to stand upright at once; she would fall, like so many times before, fall and panic again, let herself slip into her sudden web of defeat, her loss of control upon her own instincts; and such a thing was dangerous...dangerous, especially, for the innocent thrum of life surrounding her. She did not wish to be the one to mar her glaive with martyr's blood. Not again.

Never again, Diablo, do you hear me? Never again.

The hiss of compliance shook through every fiber of her being, brought a sudden current of cold composure to the blank chaos of her mind. Slowly, the numbness of her body receded as she became aware, again, of her surroundings; she was still lying on her knees, still lying against the streets of Esthar. Her cheeks flooded with blood at the realization that many eyes had been upon her while she suddenly collapsed; she pulled herself to her feet with the faintest trace of struggle, snarled at the hesitant wariness of the crowd gathered before her as she faltered, slightly, then, finally steadying herself, walked forward through the streets at a quick pace. The girl's boots dug almost violently into the ground below her, gloved fists clenched as if to subdue a bit of the rage gnawing at her composure.

After a moment of steady walking, wiping the sweat from her brow with a casual flick of her wrist, Amara allowed the warm sun to trace its rays of light upon her squinting face, her breathing caught to a steady, gentle lilt as she continued to walk. Her path was clear to her; a map strung delicately within every neuron of her brain. The Estharian wilderness was not very far, as she had just traversed its very grounds a mere hour ago. Diablo's wings beat to a steady rhythm deep within the back of her mind, propelling her legs forward to abnormal speed, her eyes sharp, focused, and the exact shade of the guardian force which served her.

"It's too early," The girl murmured as she came steadily closer to her destination, her scarlet duster flapping against the wind, stray strands of black and red hair falling into her strangely stoic face, "...much too early."

Her hand enclosed about a crescent-shaped gem dangling at her throat; she caught it forcefully in her grip, squeezing tightly, knuckles white as clenched teeth. Long, strenuous minutes passed as fluidly as if they had just escaped her in mere seconds; in this state, it was easy for the girl to concentrate, easy for her to find her way towards the sudden onslaught of wilderness in every direction, across the plains and through the grass towards the sickening presence at the end of her trail.

The bright-eyed SeeD's innards came to a boil as she neared, caught the trace of clustered voices so close to her steadily walking body. At the sound of the human conversation, her tensed posture relaxed; she exhaled her bated breath, sharp eyes scanning the area before her like an eagle's; and, with slight reluctance, willed herself to walk forward towards what could only be fellow SeeDs.

Well, this isn't exactly what I would call a welcome wagon, is it?

As she caught sight of the small gathering of SeeDs, her unfaltering gaze regarded each with silent appraisal. She willed a small, slightly amiable yet constantly distant smile to grace her face, clasping her hands behind her back to hide the sudden forceful shaking of her enclosed fists. A stray finger traced the long shaft of the glaive strapped to her back, as if for lingering comfort.

"Well, this is surprising!"

Amara's informally-clad figure was absent of any trace of standard SeeD apparel; yet she preferred it that way, and usually found it unnecessary to explain her identity to her former fellow students. This, however, was an entirely different situation, one she should handle with utmost care.

"I didn't expect to see other SeeDs here," She began brightly, curiosity peaking her voice to an uncharacteristically amiable high, "What with Esthar Garden flying away and everything! I just transferred there, too...do you have any idea what happened? Were you going there?"

She paused, as if awaiting a reply from the group before her. It quickly became apparent to Amara that she was forgetting common courtesy; she bit her lip and silently scolded herself for her abruptness, gazing at the two men and women before her with a careful mask of apology.

"I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself yet! My name is Amara Ambrose."

As her smile swept upon the four, her blood went cold and frigid in her veins. For a moment she allowed her golden eyes to lock upon the alabaster-haired girl, the man supporting her; the tips of her fingers burned slightly, yet she feinted a look of sudden concern at Rainer's slightly slumped frame. Then her saffron gaze fell to the ground, and bile rose within her throat at the sight of the crippled figure.

Diablo's grip upon her mind was all that retained the SeeD's control. Instead, Amara gasped in shock.

Better not to interfere. Not yet.

"...What just happened?!"

Amara nodded curtly towards James, her breath catching slightly at his rank.

So he's strong, and formidable. Did he just take down this sorceress? No...

Her eyes flickered momentarily to the apparently comatose figure upon the ground, crumpled and utterly forgotten by James as he spoke, as if she had never inquired as to what just happened to the group of SeeDs before she interrupted. Perhaps it was a mission...a special one as well, no doubt, seeing that this James was involved--though an odd one nonetheless. Amara lowered her eyes for a moment, keeping her inquisitive gaze adamantly away from Rainer as she spoke.

"I am a Rank 20 SeeD. I've been transferred from Galbadia, and when I came here, the Garden was just...gone."

She replied rather quickly, never oblivious to the fact that Esthar and Galbadia were not on the best of terms; yet it wouldn't do her any good to be dishonest with the only SeeDs nearby.

Not completely dishonest, at least.

"And it is nice to meet you as well, James," The girl hastily added, inwardly scolding herself yet again for her lack of manners.

She was not used to being so polite, simply because she was one that preferred to work alone. But this was a different matter entirely; she was stranded in Esthar, and the only SeeDs she found were with a sorceress...

And more, it seems like.

The feeling of Diablo's sharp claws ran across her spine, making her body tingle unpleasantly in a reminder to keep herself as calm and composed as possible. Amara wished she could physically assault the damned Guardian Force, yet nevertheless her lips curled into an amiable smile while her mind brimmed with confusion.

Amara nodded yet again to Isaac, appraising him for a moment; he was relatively young for his rank...she would have deduced him to be about eighteen or so, yet nevertheless he was quite short. This group was ever the one for eccentrics; she doubted a single person was completely normal in every aspect of their lives, each one seeming a sort of prodigy.

And so whomever cast them together in such a group would have a painstaking mission for them in mind. I wonder...

Again, Amara's thoughts turned with slight revulsion to the sorceress on the ground; bile rose to her throat and she smiled tightly at Isaac.

"Well, I'm guessing that every Garden has some sort of self-defense mechanism. It wasn't really a huge surprise to me that Esthar could fly. Though why they would, is beyond me. Unless they're fighting with Galbadia..."

She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, sweeping black and red hair from her yellow eyes, her duster flapping against the grass like a feminine trench coat. Lying was always as easy as the careless flick of a wrist, a smooth trick of the tongue. The Galbadian found herself growing more and more calm by the minute, able to properly breathe without fidgeting and almost as normal as before.

Almost. Though what would happen if I stayed around...I cannot honestly say.