SeeD Exam [Wednesday Morning, Front Gate]

[the-seed-exam.livejournal.com]

[The SeeDs and those potential candidates who believed themselves qualified to graduate are given no particularly special warning or advisement. They had received their orders during the Monday morning announcement, and had had two days to prepare, ask questions, gather advice, or do whatsoever they needed to.]

[Now was the time to prove they had the discipline, strength, and capability that Balamb Garden required.]



[OOC: The thread will have several subthreads. The first two open ones are BEFORE SIX and SIX. If you are involved, please track this post so that you will be alerted of responses, new threads, or whatever.]

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BEFORE SIX [Arrivals and Mingling]

[the-seed-exam.livejournal.com]

[Some intrepid students, or their supervising SeeDs, might choose to arrive slightly before the required time.]

[Arrivals and Mingling]

[fierybluebird]

[Internally, Marco's a lot more nervous than he'll ever let on. This entire past month could attest to that for him. Outwardly though, he's a bit excited too. Finally finally, he could be a SeeD and go on missions and have a legitimate reason to run around a bit more freely. Besides, he can't let anyone else get nervous from his own nerves. Which means he's grinning and trying to keep everyone level.]

Good day for it, eh?

[swagneto]

I don't see a difference from any other day. [ That's not to say Erik isn't being reassuring, because Erik expresses his amusement and confrontation differently from others. His hand claps down on Marco's shoulder appreciatively, though the absence of a smile is likely to make Marco even more nervous.

Erik's solemn about it, serious about watching students he has been around, students that have grown into the cadets they are today. ]

[fierybluebird]

Ah, but it's a Wednesday. That already makes it different.

[See if you spot the joke in his deadpan, because it's there, but ridiculous as ever. The more dire the situation, the more deadpan joking Marco will get.]

[redcinemareel]

I suppose.

[Grell has gone through all this before. Preparing for the reaper exam and passing it could be tougher than this one. In her usual attire, Grell examines the ends of her hair idly. She just wants to get this over with already.

She has her chain whip, junctioned with Ifrit, blah blah blah SHE'S SO OVER EXAMS.]

[fierybluebird]

[Leans an arm on her shoulders.] Got plans for when it's over?

YOU SAW NOTHING

[rebellingheart]

[Rinoa's early even if her mun isn't and for once she looks unusually serious. Not only that, but she looks really quiet too and is she standing at attention already?]

[Rinoa's heard that points get docked for things like talking and such so she's currently trying to be quiet, because what if she fails just because she said hi to someone? She'd never forgive herself.]

[Basically she's one bundle of nerves right now. Someone should really come talk to her and get her to relax a little.]

[waylights.livejournal.com]

[ Elika sidles up, expression kind. She sees those ramrod-straight shoulders and thinks of her own exam. A bundle of jittery stress. ]

Nervous?

[rebellingheart]

[Looking up Rinoa shakes her head. That's one of the SeeD accompanying them on the trip, right? Is this some kind of test? Because what Rinoa remembers from the others telling her about their exam they got points taken off for talking during and before the exam. Maybe it doesn't count since they're early? This is all so complicated and since Rinoa's naturally bad at being quiet, she asks her about it.]

Do they still deduct points from your score if you talk? Because they used to when I'm from. Or at least that's what I was told anyway.

[Smooth Rinoa. Real smooth.]

[redcinemareel]

[NUDGES]

You're stiffer than the Commander~! [Of course Grell is peachy keen and giggling at Rinoa's nervousness. Relax~.]

[rebellingheart]

[Looking up Rinoa cracks a smile at that.]

I don't know about that.

[She's actually only a little nervous. This is her trying to act like a SeeD all stiff and proper and stuff. Not that any of her friends ever really do such a thing, but that's not the point!]

sob apologies for lateness

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Katara has also arrived early, dressed in her cadet uniform and an expression of worry obvious on her features. She tries her best to not let it show, though-- but she's not doing a very good job.]

Please pretend this was on time

[shops-a-lot.livejournal.com]

[Bulla arrives about ten minutes early. However, she's uncharacteristically quiet. She's a little worried about the test, even though she's confident in her fighting ability. Being able to fight is one thing - but she has to be able to carry out orders in a timely manner, too, and make good choices.]

[rebellingheart]

[Rinoa's quiet too so they make quite the pair. When Bulla shows up she naturally gravitates to stand by her friends side. She doesn't say anything, just yet, due to the whole no talking thing they'd heard about, but she does offer the other candidate a hopeful smile.]

[shops-a-lot.livejournal.com]

[Bulla greets Rinoa with a wave and a small smile of her own. She pulls up her sleeve, and Rinoa might catch a glint of her owl bracelet before she pulls her uniform sleeve back down.]

SIX [The beginning]

[the-seed-exam.livejournal.com]

[At precisely six, a lone object in the dark skies above shines with sunlight, so high up that it catches the dawn before the land below did. A moment later, it vanishes as it plunges into the darkness below.]

[The sound of wings on the air becomes gradually louder.]

[Without warning, the massive form of Guardian Force Bahamut drops from the sky to land heavily on the ground in front of the front gate. Cold disdain shines in its eyes as it looks down on the assembled group, then crouches low to the ground. One massive, taloned forepaw opens; on it sits a disc, with an obvious button on it. This, it offers to whatever brave soul will dare step forth and take it.]

edit

[eggplantallergy]

[Gakupo had prepared for this day since hearing about it. This was it. Time to put all his classroom knowledge and experience and training to work. Of course he's nervous, but he's pretty sure he's as prepared as he can get.

Shiva is junctioned, along with various other healing, offensive, defensive, and indirect para-magic. There are a few potions on his person, but carrying a bag for extra is too much for battle. He checks his weapon at his side, Miburi, the most colorful sword of all time, and noisiest, to make sure it's sharpened and cleaned. And there. He's been checking it every five minutes.

And then he hears wings from a distance, perhaps before anyone else.

Gakupo looks up and sees nothing at first, but knows something is there. With a startled jump, Gakupo stares slack jawed at the Guardian Force that lands. It's huge! Is that...Bahamut? It looks like it's holding something, and not attacking. At first Gakupo looks around for a few moments before stepping forward, thinking it best to take whatever it is.

If he gets attacked, then...oh well? He has healing spells.]

[fierybluebird]

[At the sound of wings, Marco has own out instantly. First because regeneration is good, secondly because flying is good, and thirdly just in case it happens NOT to be something that desperately wants to kill them all, if it has wings, maybe he can talk to it. Oh look, it's Bahamut.]

Anyone want a Guardian Force? [There's a small smirk on his face. Perfect. He'd been a little worried about meeting that "5 required" limit.]

[eggplantallergy]

[Gakupo looks behind him and sees Marco, looking sparkly as ever.]

I'm not certain we can keep it.

THE JOURNEY THERE

[the-seed-exam.livejournal.com]

[Normally the ride in the Ragnarok is smooth and seamless, the masterful airship slicing through the air effortlessly. And so it is for the majority of this flight, as the Ragnarok powers through the sky practically around the world, to the small island that the Commander and his companions had discovered twenty years ago.]

[Then, without warning, a massive wall of clouds appears through the cockpit windows moments before wind and rain slam into the airship like a massive fist, sending the ship veering wildly to one side. Unfastened objects (or passengers) go flying, as from up front a howl of shock erupts from the cockpit.]

THE JOURNEY THERE

[fierybluebird]

[Well... there goes Marco. Ricocheting to the side as a distracted and slightly confused blue phoenix. So much for hiding his other side. Eh, most of the people here know him by now. Anyone else getting knocked over there might get a face full of fluffy blue phoenix feathers. Don't worry though, they don't burn, just feel warm and soothing.]

[swagneto]

[ Lovely. Of course Erik would get a face full of feathers. He brushes them aside, rocketing along with the ship veering. His attention's spread out too thin for him to do anything, especially with a ship of this size and far too many distractions for Erik to interfere.

He may be indifferent to helping them, but when their survival is at stake, Erik prefers to risk nothing. Despite all the shaking, his first attempt is to make sure those strapped in remain there. ]

ON THE ISLAND

[the-seed-exam.livejournal.com]

[The airship at last limps downwards to a dock, nestled snugly in a massive cavern on the side of the island. As the hatch opens, a gangplank extends outwards to meet the edge of the dock. There, at the edge of the pier, stood the robed, hooded figure from the invitation.]

My Master bids you welcome to the SeeD Exam. Are you all present and accounted for?


[OOC: Keep threading in the storm thread, but in the interest of moving along we will assume they made it through!]

[shops-a-lot.livejournal.com]

[Bulla looks around and nods.

No thanks to that storm. she thinks to herself.

She's not sure if she's supposed to let the Instructors answer that question or not, so a nod is the safest bet. She doesn't want to fail the exam for something stupid like speaking out of turn.]

[eggplantallergy]

[The trip was really rough, but Gakupo is very thankful to have gotten there in one piece. Once they leave the airship, it dawns on him that they are close to doing their mission.

...are they allowed to talk, though?! Rinoa said something about points being docked off for talking but...he really liked talking! And if they didn't answer, then how will this hooded person know they're ready?

DILEMMA!]