Welcome to Gaia! ::

The shop keeper came back out with a small wrapped package. "Oh good, I caught you before you got too far. A man left this for you. He also left a note, I haven't read it."
Isaac walked up to the keeper and took the items. "Thank you very much." Isaac even went to far as to give him a little bow. As the keeper returned inside Isaac opened the note:

'Dear Students,

I have something I really have to do. In the box is a small stock of items that will you help you all. I beg of you to continue on without me, I'll catch up don't worry.

~Your Teacher, James'

Isaac finished reading out loud. "I guess. James is leaving us on our own for a bit. At least he told us." Isaac had heard of several higher ranking SeeDs disappearing on a mission and reappearing later.

(I have an excuse too for when he gets back. Which he better because otherwise I probably won't be able to rp with him again...)

Rainer stood and studied the letter. Strange. Why would James leave so suddenly? He was the one who had followed her in the first place. Now he left her. And just when she wanted to spend time with him the most. This was supposed to be the time when Rainer reminisced with James about their past together; this was supposed to be the time when Rainer showed James that she remembered him and would never forget him again.

Rainer glanced over at Amara, then turned back to the letter. She did a double-take when she saw the look on Amara's face. First was a sneer, then was a darker look Rainer couldn't interpret. She quickly looked away so Amara wouldn't see. Rainer pulled away from Isaac and sat next to Mimi.

Why was Amara so... secretive? The girl was quiet, unsmiling, and frustrating. Rainer didn't know what to think of Amara. Well, for now she would ignore the gnawing feeling in her Sorceress part of her. Rainer was getting accustomed to the feeling of the power sweeping throughout her body, an infinitesimal moment away from being used. The power didn't like Amara, but Rainer didn't know what to make of it.

Amara whipped around from the others, for a moment uncaring as to whether or not she gave away her painfully obvious distaste for James. She adjusted the single leather strap holding her long glaive to her back, its blunt bottom hitting the ground with a soft thud as she paced forward in the opposite direction, her head raised to the sky as to distract herself from saying anything she would regret.

"Let's leave then, since he so requests it," She replied curtly, eager to depart if only for arriving at Esthar as soon as possible rather than fulfilling any favor of James's.

Fire engulfed the entire Galbadian Missile base... The young swordsman Kino, would be at his hands and knees, gasping for air.... Galbadian soldiers in far worse condition if not already dead. Kino's eyes, wide and fearful, stared at the ground in front of him, and would remain motionless in shock. The first words to come out his words were that of regret.... "Th-this... wasn't suppose to happen..." Cough! A little bit of blood would shoot out his mouth. A large figure would approach him as the ground shook. Red eyes now glared at him, almost pulling his attention with a will of it's own. As Kino's head would lift.... and his eyes would lock with another pair that remained in front of him.... Kino's pupil would grow smaller... it was ... 'real' fear.

Those were the events nearly a year ago... forever a mystery to the Galbadian, an incident that had remained unsolved... recorded as an event where everyone and everything died within the area... or so they thought....

"Man this wind is refreshing!" The young swordsman would shout excitedly. Kino now sat at the edge of a large building in Esthar, smiling pleasantly down at the city below before he looked towards the sky... "Perhaps... things will get more interesting..." He'd give a light shrug before falling back to lay down. "...Probably..."

Amara padded on silently through the Plains, relishing the feel of the light wind as it whipped her hair in snapping tendrils of black and red against her expressionless face. The Galbadian found it difficult to restrain her growing excitement that Esthar was near; she had needed badly to visit some old associates, ask questions she desperately wanted answered. As if an afterthought, hazel eyes flickered from the package resting in Isaac's hands to Rainer's traveling figure, a considerable distance in front of her. Her gaze narrowed toward the alabaster hair pooling down her shoulders, as if to taunt her; the girl's hands clenched into fists, unclenched, tensing irregularly with every breath expelled from her lips.

You can gather your wits again in Esthar. Away from her, at least temporarily...you'll regain some control over yourself again.

I want permanent control.


You wouldn't even know what that is, would you?

Amara sighed to herself, glancing again at the package held so carefully in Isaac's grip. She nodded in response to the relatively short SeeD's observations, finding it slightly peculiar the Plains were empty of any potential threats. But that wasn't the issue at hand, at least not right now, and not for her. There were bigger things than monsters on the horizon.

"Isaac," She began reluctantly, gaining more confidence as she pressed on, "Do you actually think James is going to come back? What if...that package is more of a parting gift? How do you know he's true to his word?"

Rainer glared at the horizon, angry at the city for not being near, and angry at Amara for doubting James. Before whirling to face Amara and snap at her, Rainer caught sight of the Malboro's nest as well. She uttered an unintelligible curse and drew her gunblade. She hefted it in her hands, weighing the chances of their getting out of this mess in one piece. Doubtful. One Malboro was bad enough, but a parent protecting a nest was a whole 'nother thing.

Just beneath her skin, Rainer could feel the Sorceress magic screaming for release. However, Rainer didn't know the first thing to directing the power, and she didn't have the faintest idea how to use it. Before, the power seemed to act of its own accord, and Rainer just did as it bid her. It came through instinct. Not through will. Scowling, Rainer halted and waited for the others to draw even with her.

"Well, do we go around or straight through?" she asked, not making eye contact with any of them.

It took all of Rainer's willpower not to run the girl through with her blade -- or her power, for that matter. Rainer's grip on her gunblade's hilt tightened so much that the hilt would have been crushed if Rainer hadn't relinquished the pressure on it. What did this girl know of James? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Taking a deep breath, Rainer released it. Don't rise to it, she thought to herself. Sensing her distress, Siren sang softly to Rainer, relaxing her further. Rainer's muscles relaxed, and she sagged visibly.

"You really shouldn't speak of matters you know nothing about," Rainer said coolly before moving on. There was a wail and Rainer knew it was from within. The power was screaming for release; it wanted to be let loose, both at the Malboros up ahead and at the vile girl behind her. Siren increased the volume of her song and the power settled a bit, though it still seethed through Rainer.

(...)

Isaac didn't reply to Amara, but he thought, "Not with what I know." Isaac nodded, several knives in his right hand, his left full with James' box. "Rainer, you go right. Amara, you go left. There's more hills there for cover. I'll take the middle. Sneak up behind them, if you're found you're on your own until the others find a better position. Go." With that Isaac leapt forward and roadie ran to a little bump in the terrain, showing the girls what he meant.