[action]

[selphie_t]

[The last thing that Selphie could remember was Ultimecia's castle vanishing into a blinding white light. It had left her wandering in the never-ending sterility of Time Compression, calling out for her friends, for anybody. It truly felt as if each step was taking her farther and farther away from everything that she held dear until one day, it all appeared before her again. She stood there, injuries and all from the battle that were still healing in a dumbfounded state. She ignored the murmurs, the stares and the pointing fingers as her nunchaku slipped from her hands and clattered to the floor.

Leaving it behind, Selphie stumbled toward the directory where her life had begun to change and stared at it. It all looked the same but after not seeing it all for so long, nothing looked the same at all. She wasn't sure if she was dreaming or not but the dull ache she felt throughout her entire body had her leaning quite heavily towards this all being real. It was all real or a very cruel nightmare.

The map thankfully, seems to have remained the same and she veers off toward the left. She feels like hell and probably looks like it too but she honestly could care less as she started a slow trudge toward the infirmary. Was Dr. Kadowaki still there or was Selphie in for a surprise? She couldn't say for sure but those steps toward the infirmary were leading Selphie towards a new chapter in her life. She was exhausted and bone weary as she came to the door of the infirmary before too long. Of course, how long it takes her also depends on how often she gets stopped on her way there.

Eventually, she stepped within distance of the sensors and watched as the door opened.]

Helloooooooo? Anybody home?

Comments

[youngnobelman]

[Inside the infirmary is Touma, in a lab coat, sorting through some of the files; he glances up at the sound of the door opening.]

Can I help?

[He reaches for his glasses to have a look at the speaker, because oops, he forgot to refill his contact lens prescription.]

[elementofloyalty]

[A blue blur shoots by a dozen feet forward and a few up, leaving a rainbow wake behind it!]

[After a few moments, it zips back, but this time it stops, resolving into the image of a pastel pony, whose wingbeats are keeping it perfectly aloft in midair.]

Hey, have you seen a tortoise with a helicopter on his back around here?

[selphie_t]

[The rainbow wake definitely catches Selphie's attention as she stops to stare at the pony before it stops in front of her and asks about a tortoise with a... helicopter on it's back?]

Um... can't say that I have? I can't really say that I've seen many animals with wings on their backs or rainbow hair either but that's pretty awesome!

[elementofloyalty]

Oh. [Rainbow giggles a little.] You must be new here, huh?

[selphie_t]

Hi!

[She'll muster every ounce of cheer she has as she steps inside.]

Any chance I could get a bit of a patch up?

[selphie_t]

I grew up here, actually.

[Selphie blinks at the giggling a few times before she let's that one lie.]

Could you tell me what's going on around here?

[elementofloyalty]

I'm looking for my pet tortoise, Tank! He's probably off napping somewhere but I want to practice some sweet new moves with him! He's my combat pet, you know.

[It doesn't for a second occur to Rainbow that the girl might be looking for more general, and useful, information.]

[selphie_t]

Have you checked in the training centre? Although... your tortoise might be monster chow by now.

[She points in the opposite direction of where they are.]

It should be the green gate. Say... what year is it?

[elementofloyalty]

[Monster chow? Tank?]

[Rainbow looks at Selphie blankly for a long moment before bursting into laughter so fiercely she actually tumbles out of the air, spinning backwards to sprawl out on her back on the floor.]

Monster chow -- Tank!

[She does get control back -- or at least smothers herself down to more giggles as she hops back up, wiping a tear from her eye with a hoof as she rises back into the air.]

You have no idea how tough that guy is. It's in his name! Tank, get it? And I've been in the Training Center. I'm a cadet here too, ya know!

[selphie_t]

Aaaaaah, well then cadet, you might wanna watch your words because you're talking to a SeeD.

[It's time like this that Selphie wishes she had her ID card on her.]

Hey, I hear ya but there's some nasty monsters in there last time I checked.

[elementofloyalty]

How come you're a SeeD but you've never seen a pony before? I've been here for months, and I know Princess Luna was here waaaay before me.

[selphie_t]

[She merely shrugs. She doesn't know that she's been wandering in Time Compression for the past 22 years.]

I dunno. I was wandering around in Time Compression.

Do I need to go find the Headmaster or something?

[elementofloyalty]

Of course you were in Time Compression, that's how we all got here from our own worlds.

[She drops down to peer at Selphie more closely, then swoops around her.]

I still wanna know how come you're a SeeD if you just got here. How are you skipping the classes?

[selphie_t]

Because I graduated already! I passed the exam and everything.

I don't think you understand.

[elementofloyalty]

Of COURSE I don't understand! It's because you're not making sense!

[She holds out one hoof.]

You just got here.

[And now the other.]

But you already graduated!

I'm no egghead, but even I know that doesn't add up!

[selphie_t]

[Selphie tired and now she's getting cranky and contemplating skinning this pony and wearing her hide as a cape.]

Look. Is Cid still the Headmaster here?

[elementofloyalty]

[Good luck with that!]

Well yeah. I mean... hasn't he always been the Headmaster? I... heh, I may not remember everything from class, but wasn't the Garden his idea in the first place?

But if you're a SeeD, you might also wanna see the Commander.

[selphie_t]

[The Commander. Squall! He'll straighten out everything and give her some straight answers. Also, casting stop will solve your speed problems really quick, Rainbow Dash.]

Squall's here?

And if I'm a SeeD, I need to report to the Headmaster first.

[elementofloyalty]

Who?

[A blank pause.]

Oh, the old one. Naw, he's gone. There's a new one now.

[selphie_t]

The old one? What happened?

If Squall's not the Commander, I wanna see the Headmaster.

[elementofloyalty]

Sometimes... people come here, but they don't stay here.

[Rainbow's energy drains away.]

Maybe even a lot of the time. Lots of people go away.

[This being the first time Rainbow hasn't been going dash-fast the entire conversation, she actually notices what she's managed to completely fail to observe up till now.]

...hey, you're all beat up!

[selphie_t]

But Squall just wouldn't up and leave like that. Garden's our home. It's the only one we've got.

[How observant of you!]

Yeah, that usually happens when you're fighting Sorceresses.

[elementofloyalty]

Here, let me help you.

[She brings a hoof to her chest, then thrusts it at Selphie -- casting a Cure from her stock.]

Look...we were all brought here because of Time Compression, right? Well, sometimes we're taken away by it, too. No choice in it, just like there was no choice in coming here.

[selphie_t]

[Oh Rainbow, you have no idea how much you just helped Selphie right now.]

Thanks!

But I was born on this world. This is my home!

[elementofloyalty]

[Rainbow's jaw drops, and then she smacks her forehead so hard she actually lifts a foot into the air.]

Why didn't you SAY so! Now I understand!