Library: drool or stab?

[Zeyla Primrose]

Good Golly. Zeyla thought after that long night's sleep had been rudely interrupted by the sound of her alarm clock on her cell phone. Normally her father would call her before it even rang, but somehow she'd managed to escape that burden this morning. Though out student of the balamb had alot to do today as far as classes went, she had decided that early morning she would do something she never does and that is go to the library. Every SeeD needed to know their stuff after all and she didn't want to be left in the dust with her mother watching over her.

So that, was where she was by now. Her red haired intertwined in it's normal pigtail state, Zeyla read over the few Guardian Forces that were alotted to some students, the different things you could learn were just amazing to her, though she didn't really care about having to pick out this big book to do this. Why couldn't she just read a magazine with Laguna's picture in it? That'd be much simpler. Or even more so, Asher. Asher, was an older boy with really pretty hair, that she'd seen maybe once or twice (or twelve times) but she only thought he was kind of cute (or alot cute) but still, he would have no interest in a small girl like her. She only fathomed off in fantasy land for as long as possible, before she realized drool had formed on her lips getting a few snickers from other boys who thought they could be all cartoonish and laugh at her. She glared in their direction before she stomped her foot on the ground.

"Shut you face, before I use my Universal Insight on your barf brains."

Zeyla spoke in their direction crossing her arms like any teen girl with an attitude. She would not take any of their crap. She did after all carry her blade at all times. Even to the library.

[Asher Devias]

Asher had been up for some time and had already been to the infirmary and gotten the fifth degree of how he should be more careful. Psssht. How was he supposed to be careful fighting a T-Rexaur. Needless to say, he was most definitely a bit sore this morning. His ribs were bruised and it made breathing hurt, but at least they weren’t broken. Under he left eye was a small cut and there was a pretty decent one on his left forearm, now covered by a pristine white bandage. His eyes were droopy and it was in a tired mind frame that he shuffled into the library. Black boots shuffled across the floor and he really paid no mind to anyone, simply looked like he might be on a mission to catch a nap. His dark black cadet jacket almost dragged across the floor as it dangled loosely from his right hand. Two curved blades that he liked to call Saber Claws were strapped across his back over a tight fitting black sleeveless shirt, and of course he had his lucky gloves on.

Why was he in library? It was quite simple really, he had failed a test in Instructor Xu’s Negotiations and Diplomacy class, so she had sent him here and told him if he studied the material for three hours she would add it to his test score so he would pass. Asher walked up to the front desk and signed his name in where the librarian asked him too and nodded as she handed him a stack of books. This was really going to be shitty, he knew that already. Tossing the jacket over his shoulder he would grab the stack of books and make his way over to an empty table. The books were dropped and he sat down pulling the first one off the top and cracking it open. Three hours started and his mind attempted to wrap around and process the words before him.

It hadn’t been twenty minutes into the reading that Asher’s head slammed loudly down on the desk and he laid there for a second, palms flat across the table. A groan emanated from his form and he quietly cursed his life. Maybe Seifer would let him off the hook today for combat training, probably not. Especialy not after he had pick pocketed his phone last night… that meaning training was probably going to be hellish today. A snicker crept from his lips as he reached into his pocket and pulled out Seifer’s phone. It had totally been worth it though.

Looking up from the phone he would glance around the library, nobody that he really knew to well. A younger girl with crazy hair that he had seen around and some guys picking on her. It looked like she could handle her own thought. Quite a picture of teen girl attitude indeed.

[Zeyla Primrose]

Her eyes stopped when she saw that midnight blue hair saw, as Asher made his way through the door. Immediately all words were lost, but only for a moment as she watched him file into the library. Normally, Zeyla was very prominent with her words, but the feelings of a teenage crush simply overtook her limber body. Most young girls didn’t know how to control that flirty giggle, or the fact that they were trying oh so hard to get someone to like them, but Zeyla wasn’t even trying that. She was doing nothing, but staring and that was probably, no not probably, that was oh so totally weird. She wished she had one of those invisible shield right about now, to hide her from the world.

She stared across the room now back at the two boys who watched her and then they flicked something at her, and she immediately wanted to summon Siren on them, for the spitwad she’d just gotten in her beautiful hair that she almost shrieked for. Zeyla slapped her forehead trying to hide behind a book, as she glared at the two boys. If only she was able to attack other students she might feel better, but instead she could only fight in the training center. How incomprehensible was that. Not only did people not understand the beauty of flowers in the garden, but now they wouldn’t even allow to use your allotted skills in the library. Zeyla stuck her hand into her pocket, pulling out some sort of straw left over from the cafeteria and made a wad of her own, she’d show them. They weren’t the only one’s who knew how to spit. She grabbed hold of the edge of a piece of paper placing it in her mouth and shooting it through the straw in their direction before hiding behind the book again. Haha suckers. That’s when her eyes caught Asher again and immediately she felt like she was being childish and making a bad impression so she leaned up letting the wads from the two immature boys fly her way, as she just looked in his direction and waved.

“hi asher.” She managed with a giggle before ducking behind the book again, partly to hide from the wads. The other to cover her blush. Being a kid sucked.

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[Asher Devias]

While negotiating a hostage situation the best course of action is to not shoot through the hostage to kill the intended target… no shit huh? These books were a waste of time in his opinion. They were mercenaries for God’s sake! Not diplomats. It all seemed ridiculous to him. Shaking his head he slammed the book cover closed and looked around one more. He could feel eyes on him, but he just let the girl do her looking, no harm no foul. Asher leaned back hands coming behind his head and fingers lacing through each other to cradle his head. A soft whistle escaped his lips as he leaned back a bit, simply staring off into space.

A voice brought him back from his daze, snapping him back to reality as a girlish voice spoke his name followed by a giggle. He blinked a few times before looking over at the girl that had spoken his name. He was trying hard to put a name with that face, but nothing was coming to mind at the very moment. Instead he put on that trademark smirk and letting his arms drop from his head back to his sides. All four legs of the chair he had been sitting on would come back down softly on the ground and he would turn to return her greet.

“Hey there.”

Confident as always his voice was smooth, some would even say it had calming properties. But those people often hadn’t seen him in battle, or when he was going off on one of his rants. Dark, almost black eyes settled on her for a moment before drifting over to view the two guys spitting wads of paper around. One of them even turned like they were going to start shooting them at him. Asher’s eyebrow rose almost comically and he very deliberately reached down toward his boot and pulled free a small, black throwing dagger from its sheath. The black instrument of warfare was brought up and he tapped it lightly against his pale cheek, simply waiting to see if they would. His lips even curled into an almost psychotic looking smirk as he waited. Asher knew well the penalty of hurting another SeeD cadet, but he didn’t even have to throw the knife, most of the time he won out through sheer intimidation.

[Quistis Trepe]

It should have been a clue, the silence that became pregnant with tension, that someone had stepped into the library who was to be looked upon fearfully. Those who hadn't been reading suddenly found the inked words in books or digital ones upon screens deserving of intense perusal. Backs straightened where some had slouched and those boys who'd been shooting the spit wads suddenly froze with widening eyes. Yet, it was not Asher Devias's little knife that caused the effect. Instead it was the hand that suddenly reached in front of his face and snatched it from the Cadet's grasp.

"Asher Devias, did we not discuss the use of this before?" The hand that held it now, right in front of his nose, was slender with long tapering fingers. If that didn't give it away as a woman's hand then the feminine voice speaking in it's quiet no-nonsense tone should have. Lifting the knife above his head, stepping around to be in his view, Quistis tucked the object into a pocket of her SeeD uniform before crossing her arms over her chest.

Ice blue eyes peered at him from behind the small circular lens of silver-rimmed glasses as she waited for a response. The behavior of the two younger boys was not lost on her, as she'd been observing it from a corner of the library where she'd been giving a private lessons, and once that student had left decided to handle matters. Librarians were sometimes not the most observant of people and so she would have to talk to that one. Yet, the appearance of the black knife changed the course of her boots.

Now though she cleared her throat at the sound of snickers from the two boys who thought they were going to get off scottfree. "You two to the Headmaster's Office. Make sure to tell him the truth of your behavior for I will be later in my report."

Simultaneous groans brought the slightest uplift of one corner of her mouth as she stood there still watching Asher quietly. The sound of their dragging steps could be heard as they departed from the library and briefly she turned her attention to Zeyla Primrose,"How goes your studying, Miss Primrose?"

That tone made it clear she was genuinely interested and yet kindly censoring her for the giggle attitude. Walking over to the girl, she picked a spit wad out of her hair and then moved back toward Asher. One hand tossed the wad into a trash can while the other adjusted the silvercomb tighter to restrain her golden strands.

[Asher Devias]

If anyone knew Asher, then they knew most of the time he cared little for rules and regulations. In fact he would have already been a SeeD by now if it wasn’t for his bad behavior and his penchant for ignoring orders, especially during field exams. The young man let the knife leave his grip, half expecting someone to come up and grab it from him. He never got away with much around here anymore, not near as much as he used to anyway. And it surprised him even less when it was Instructor Trepe that was claiming the death inducing instrument form him. It seemed that she had special Asher rader and always knew what he was acting up. It never ceased to amaze him. Asher leaned back in his chair once again, feet coming up to rest on the desk. The air of arrogance that most likely reminded her of his best friend and mentor crashed through the air around him.

“Ahh Instructor Trepe, what a wonderful surprise… I really enjoyed the last class I had with you. And I was simply showing these young Cadets a lesson in combat psychology.”

Oh, he was bluffing, he was lying, he was being Asher. Those smooth tones weren’t foreign to many of the instructors’ ears around here. It was well known that he was a silver tongued devil of a lad. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. Perhaps he could get away with it this time. Perhaps not. Only time would tell. His arms would dangle for the back of the chair, fingers tapping gently on the black cord wrapped handles of his Saber Claw knives; hopefully she wasn’t going to claiming these too. He never knew. A glance to his side and his eyes would fall on the young girl that had greeted him and he would only smile. Maybe he was simply showing off? Yeah, he was showing off.

Those dark orbs would swivel back to Instructor Trepe’s form, meeting hers while that trademark smirk splayed out across pale lips. He had a crowd before him and the library was at the very moment his stage. He wasn’t going to let them down, especially not after they had most likely heard all the rumors that filtered down through the ranks of Cadets at this school, no, he wouldn’t disappoint.

[Zeyla Primrose]

Sliding her hands over fiery colored pig tails, Zeyla would quickly glance back to her book when the instructor turned her attention towards her. Usually Zeyla, was noticed as the girl who knew just a little bit too much about technology. She even had keys to a ship she hasn’t even learned how to fly yet ( a little small, but a girl’s gotta start out somewhere) and this typically gets looks from many of the other students. As not many her age, even think about having a ship yet. So when the instructor noted her by name, initially her heart began to pound, she’d never been one to get in trouble, even though she didn’t mind at times, when she ran her mouth just a little more then she should, but what was your typical fourteen year old to do? She could either lash out at the instructor for assuming she wasn’t doing what she should, or she could continue to work and let Asher put on his show, which immediately would draw her attention from any book. Those amber colored eyes would flicker in his direction and gain a smile from her, as she watched him, focusing dismally at him, she couldn’t let him take all the blame, and besides if anything it might get her alone with him. A girl could dream couldn’t she?

As she analyzed over what she just thought she knew she couldn’t do that though, if she did happen to let herself get into trouble. Then she would not only hate the manual labor, but at the same time her dad would tell her she was disappointing him, and since her mother’s death that’s all she felt she was doing. It was much harder on a younger girl’s soul to suffer through her mother’s death, and one promise she had made was to make the memory of her mother a good one. Part of the reason she hated the headmaster’s wife, but that was another story for another time. As she watched she simply mimicked his smile before adding in a retort of her own.

“I’m sorry for my giggly behavior ma’am. I was oblivious to my noise being loud and disturbing other’s. I simply didn’t note that you were being disturbed, but in the same token. Those guys were spitting wads at me, it’s kind of hard to study, with balls of spit landing in your hair.”

She groaned before turning her eyes back to the book. Finding her page rather easily, studying suddenly became a lot less boring.

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[Quistis Trepe]

Trouble was dealt with as deserved in the eyes of Quistis and Balamb Garden. Both of the boys would get a stern talking to be Headmaster Cid and then given an assignment of manual labor. Cleaning grease traps always made one think twice about their actions. Except for Asher Devias it seems. Quistis easily noted the similiarities between this one and Seifer Almasy. He'd been a troubled student at one time and her foolish lack of being able to help him had seen him...well, had seen him help a Sorceress. Still, to this day, she blamed herself for that.

Ice blue eyes stared at him as he tried one of his charming little lines on her which earned a shake of her head,"Cadet, do not try that on me. I know who you take your lessons from. They didn't work on me when he tried them." Actually, they had just frustrated her to no end. The squabbling between Seifer and Squall had driven her nearly insane, and back then she hadn't known completely why. Not until the return of their memories courtesy of Ellone Loire. Now though she'd be damned if she saw Asher go through what Seifer had.

She was completely aware the young man had a dislike of rules and regulations, both of which had seen him fail his last exam, and she raised a brow as she stated coolly,"Perhaps if you paid attention more in your classes you'd be a SeeD already, Cadet." It was harsh, but that was Quistis. Blunt and straightforward. Turning her attention to Zeyla Primrose, a slight smiled appeared,"You aren't in any trouble, Miss Primrose. Those boys will be handled accordingly. Next time all I ask is that you take the matter to the librarian before trying to handle it yourself."

It was a gentle, kindly reprimand considering her tone of just seconds ago at Asher. That gaze moved back to the young man as arms crossed again,"Do I need to take all of your weapons from you? We had this talk once before. They do not come out in any place except your weapons class and the training center. Your blatant disregard is going to continue seeing you as a Cadet when Miss Primrose here becomes a full-fledged SeeD." That was meant to make a point considering Zeyla's age in comparison to his own.

Though it was likely to not make an impact. Perhaps she should have Seifer have a little chat with him and make him see that this behavior was foolish. These rules were in place for good reason.

[Asher Devias]

“I was simply trying to prove a point, that sometimes physical violence isn’t need. Simply the threat would suffice, I thought you would be proud of me Instructor, refraining from a fight by using something I learned in your class… Jeez, forgive me for trying to put what you so wonderfully teach to good use.”

That smirk stayed on his face as he watched her reactions; she rarely did fall for his lines. She seemed almost immune; then again she had grown up with Seifer. But the moment she mentioned his failing of the SeeD Field Exam that smirk dropped from his face and room suddenly became deathly still. Asher’s eyes narrowed as his right hand clenched into a fist while it rested over the back of the table. He’d seen in differently, he didn’t follow the orders exactly, but in his opinion the moment he broke the order he was protecting the lives of his fellow students and the instructors that had accompanied them on the mission. The next words were literally spat at her seething with a venomous anger.

“No, I would be a SeeD if you fucking bozos knew how to freelance and back one of your own. I saw something was wrong and corrected the situation, even though I went outside the rules to do it and just like I told the others, my decision saved my comrades and the instructors when I did it.”

They both knew what he was referring to, his killing of a civilian that had been detained under the suspicion of being a spy and transmitting the location of the mercenary strike force to their enemies. Asher had been guarding him and questioning him, he knew that he was lying and without a doubt in his own mind was carrying some type of transmitter on him giving off their location. The Rules of Engagement stated that absolutely no harm be done to civilians and as little collateral damage done as possible. Asher completely changed the RoE when he promptly put one of his knives through the heart of the spy. In the end he was going to be expelled from Balamb Garden, but Seifer had convinced them to give him another chance. He was heavily reprimanded and ended up failing the exam, as well as earning a lengthy amount of time doing manual labor and psychological evaluations. He still believed that he had done nothing wrong, contrary to what his superiors felt.

[Zeyla Primrose]

Zeyla looked on at both participants and her mouth simply dropped. She’d never heard anything said by an instructor like that before, and even worse never by a student. She did realize that these things happened. It’s just she’d never witnessed them herself. It was hard for her to actually understand the SeeD ranks and everything that went along with them. To say the least she was a bit naïve about the happenings around here, not because she was dumb, but just because her father have overshadowed her life that much. Some things she knew a lot about, other’s she barely knew anything of. Either way though, this was something she didn’t expect. Most of the time she figured that instructors would be cheering on their students, and though in Asher’s case, it was hard she figured, but because of her small little crush on the blue haired boy, she really was biased in his defense. Maybe later on down the line she might see that he is crazy. Or perhaps, she was seeing the truth, though she wasn’t sure of what was happening, it was hard for her to think right now. Especially, with Quistis watching her every move. It made it hard to even think straight.

She shifted in her chair looking down at the book trying to not get any attention back on herself, for her own selfish reasons, plus she couldn’t afford going to headmaster Cid’s office today. Her father would be calling in a few minutes if she did and he would know that she wasn’t doing what she told him she would. Besides, he only needed one excuse to bring her back home and she couldn’t give him that. She was going to do what she had to in order to avenge her mother, and to become what her mother once was, would do that trick for her, at least she thought so.

She was just hoping that this conversation would be over soon. The fear of getting into trouble, kept her from doing anything at all.

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[Quistis Trepe]

"I'd like it better if you would have left your weapon where it belonged and taught the lesson that you do not fight here. Go tell the Librarian and let them handle it. We don't practice our tactics inside Balamb."

Behavior between student and Instructor was generally civil. For example, Quistis was being civil while Asher was having an outburst. As usual. The boy would never become a SeeD if he didn't learn to control that temper of his. Without even intentionally trying she had provoked him. Apparently those classes weren't helping much after all. Asher Devias was still here only due to Seifer's intervention. He'd felt that the kid deserved a second chance after breaking such a huge rule. Quistis hadn't exactly disagreed. There was potential in this one, but not if he didn't learn.

"Your blatant disregard was the problem. There were other avenues you could have chosen. Did you ask the civilian why he was? Did you consider that it could have been blackmail? There are many reasons. The ask questions later method does not cut it." Purposely her voice was kept at a discreet level so that only he would hear it. She did not need others within the library overhearing this conversation. Stepping forward, a bit closer, she watched him quietly a moment.

Quistis did understand that the situation of a spy was dire. She'd have been concerned as well. Though she would not have put a knife in the civilian's heart. There were ways to manipulate the man into transmitting only what they wished or using him as a lure. However, Asher did not take the time to consider anything.

The man's family could have been held hostage. His killing one civilian could have put the lives of others in danger. It also brought questions to SeeD that was not needed. He did not take the time to think, he just reacted, and that was a problem. Sighing softly, shaking her head, she let her blue eyes lock on his own,"Will you ever learn that your way is not always the right one? That rules are in place for the protection of everyone? That includes not only civilians, but other SeeD as well as the gardens. We already have enough to cover considering the situations of the past."

Quistis doubted Asher would ever learn though. Sadly, it seemed that he was destined to forever remain a Cadet unless something was done. She wouldn't give up though. That idea of a chat with Seifer was sounding even more tempting.

[Asher Devias]

“I always carry my weapons. You can have them after you pry them from my dead fingers.”

That was the answer as it always was, he would never give them up willingly. Especially not the pair of curved daggers he had strapped to his torso now. They were the first daggers he had spilled blood with in combat, he wouldn’t ever let them go. As far as Asher was concerned he was controlling his temper, he hadn’t thrown anything, smashed anything, or hit anybody, so in his opinion he was still in control. The Berserk Rage wasn’t upon his body yet, but if this kept up it was a possibility that it would be making a cameo soon.

“Oh no… I didn’t spend 2 hours with him contemplating how I was going to open his arteries and watch him bleed out. Of course I asked him! He was lying, I knew, he knew it, everybody knew it! The guy wasn’t giving it up. And anybody who is going to put my comrades’ lives at stake deserves to die. Besides, we didn’t exactly have time to try to blackmail him or his family and we didn’t even know who his real family was to take as hostages! You know what, fuck it… I’m not going to explain myself to you; we’ve already been through this. Maybe you people need to learn sometimes bad things need to happen for good things to transpire.”

Asher got up from the chair calmly, well at least calmly on the outside, deep down he was a raging maelstrom of emotion, but he wasn’t going to get kicked out of Garden because one instructor goaded him into it. No, it wasn’t going to go like that at all. He was done with this conversation; he had made a decision in the heat of battle and had dealt with the consequences. He was after all a mercenary, even if he never became a SeeD, he would go straight freelance. Picking up his jacket he pulled it over his torso and started out toward the door, but stopped and turned back around and reached into his pocket. Pulling out Seifer’s phone he tossed it in Quistis’ direction.

“Give that to Seifer for me, I’m sure you’ll be talking to him about this later. I’ll be in the Headmaster’s office; you don’t have to tell me to go.”

Offering an apologetic nod in Zeyla’s direction Asher didn’t wait for an answer from Quistis and simply turned his back on her and walked out of the library, much to the wide eyed stares of his fellow cadets and librarians. If they kicked him out he would still become a soldier, or maybe even an assassin a snicker escaped his lips as targets already started to form on a mental list. He was too good at what he did to give it up, SeeD or not.