After Guardians

[slasher]

Tempest Satyr looked out the window of his office. How much his world changed in just fifteen years. He was once a respected Guardian. He had been with his best friend since the begining. Until the end. For years he couldn't close his eyes without seeing those final moments. The moment that he failed. He looked at himself in the standing mirror at the corner of his office. He didn't look like a warrior. His shoulder length black hair was pulled into a tail and well washed so that it reflected the light from the room lamps. He set his eyes forward. They seemed to glow with a strange determination.

He looked at the suit he was wearing and tightened his tie more. He looked, in his mind, rediculous. "She said wear a suit."he said to himself. "Why did she say where a suit?"

He sighed and walked over to his cabnit. He pulled out a shimmering long sword and tied the belt and sheath to his side putting the sword in. He turned back again. "There that is just a little more like it."

****

Levi was in the stables where the chocobo slept with his motorcycle. He worked with the tools his 'Uncle' Draven had gotten him when he came to the Academy. He had gathered most of the parts for this Machina he was finishing over the piriod of time when he lived amongst the Al Bhed. The once hated enemies of Yevon.

He had grown up barely believing in the teachings. Sin had killed his family and if it hadn't been for two lonly Al Bhed scavengers, his Uncle Draven and Aunt Relinia, he would have starved. He knew he wasn't Al Bhed and wasn't really related to Draven and Relinia who had raised him since he was three. Though he loved the Al Bhed. The customs, the people, the language, the love of Machina.

He enjoyed working with Machina. Though he could never see himself fight using one of the many Machina weapons he had seen over the years. His was the sword which wasn't as random or clumsy as Machina weapons. He reached into the bag and pulled out another tool using it to adjust the wheel bolts. He looked at it and read the gas tank. He smiled looking at the Al Bhed on it, Bnatydun, which in the common tongue was Predator.

He smiled again sitting astride it and kicked the starter hearing to motorcycle roar to life. He shouted a loud Yes! and shut the bike down. He looked at the clock. His face dropped as he picked up a rag quickly wiping at his hands and face. He pulled his black leather jacket on and grabbed his sword rushing to the beggining of the year assembly.

Madison dismounted her Chocobo, being careful of it's left wing, not wanting to hurt it. She unloaded her bags and set them down on the ground. Two steps forward brought her to the chocobo's head and she fed the thing a few greens patting it's head pleasurably.

Then she turned. Her father was staring at her, his eyes twinkling, a slight smile plastered to his wrinkled face.

"I can't believe you're finally leaving me," he touched her face ever so slightly, "you're still just a little girl to me..." She laughed small,brushing her hair back behind an ear. She was 16, most youth started at the academy at 12 or 13. She had held off because her father needed help at home. Then he had taken a new wife only 3 months ago, so she was allowed to start here. It was a bitter sweet feeling really, she loved the fact that she'd be learning under some of the best instructors, but she hadn't been away from her father more than a few days since she was born, feelings of fright and sadness swelled up inside her.

"It's alright dad, i'll be fine...and so will you right?" He nodded an affirmative and smiled, then he hugged her, one of his bear hugs, "I love you." he whispered. After a breif moment, she pulled away smiling, "I love you too dad." A tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away quickly with her hand, grabbing her bags at the same time, "can't be late!" she answered and ran off, turning the corner behind the main building. But she stay right there, watching her father load up and leave...oh how she would miss him.

She probably would be late, she thought, if her father had just not been so stubborn and used a hover! but her father was very much against machina, and she knew it. She hurried off to the dorm she'd be using and set her stuff inside, the other occupant had already put their stuff inside.

"all students and faculty report to the arena for the Year's Greetings" came the voice over the machina speakers. She got outside, just in time to realize, she didn't know where she was going...oh well, it was quite obvious, everyone else was flocking to the north-east side of the campus.

She soon found that the campus was quite huge. She kept to herself on the walk over there...but couldn't help notice some of the guys were very nice... looking anyways. Well she'd find out soon enough, she was finally at the grounds.

Alicia sat on the ground next to the arena. many of the other children were crying...how pathetic...she hadn't cried when they left! She was a brave, brave big girl and could take care of herself. She had put her stuff in her dorm already, the other person hadn't arrived yet...she hoped she was nice...well nothing to do now but...wait...

[slasher]

Levitan quickly slid into his seat. He sat with such force the chair rocked from side to side. He smirked looking up to the stage. He was the last one to get in before the assembly started. Tempest looked down on him. "Glad you could join us Mr. Michaels."

Levi smiled some. "You know me Mr. Satyr, last minute is always the best minute."

Tempest smiled at the boy who he had known for years and nodded. "Everyone welcome to this new year at the Guardian Academy. You are already set apart from your comrads on the outside. You have taken a step and made a decision to be something more then you ever were."

The kids looked up at this man some with awe, some with doubt, and others with knowledge. "Being a Guardian isn't the easiest of lives you can choose. It can be hard and you will have to make sacrifices. Once the code of the Guardian was to protect the Summoner even at the cost of your own life. Lives were all to often given in that pursuit. Now oure creed reads Protect Spira even at the cost of your own life. I hope one day all of you live up to the protecting of Spira part of our code."

There was applause in the hall. When is subsided Tempest once again looked out at his charges. "In one week I have an announcment. An announcment that will change the face of this school. Something that has not happened since the founding of this school six years ago. I can tell you this year at the academy will be different to say the least. Dismissed."

There was loud applause as some kids began to get their things together. Levitan decided to go over see the first day of the first years weapons training. Then he would take the bike out into the country side and enjoy himself.

He walked in seeing a younger girl using magicks against a dummy oponent. He walked over to her slowly. "Your really good with that. The magicks thing."

She turned around and smiled at him with a nod. "Thanks."

"But what will you do when an opponent is stronger then your magicks or immune? Or what if you run low on magickal power?"

She looked at him confused. "What do you mean?"

He smiled. "There are fiends and beast that are immune to magickal charms. And if you use to much it weakens your charge on it. You cannot always rely on what is your primary attack. Hit the dummy with your staff."

He watched the girl swing at the dummy and hit it on a hard spot. He smiled and took her hands in his and started manipulating the staff. "Ok these are the weaker points on some fiends and especially on humans. You want to focus on those especially." He stood up and watched her do it. He ruffled her hair and walked off. He saw Tempest looking at where the scene was and write down notes.

Kumiko Ishida stepped off of her hover, her shiny blue hair glinting in the sunlight like water. Her slate grey eyes pierced her surroundings, mindful that she had missed the meeting and had no idea where on campus she was supposed to sleep. She saw a man not much older than her, showing a girl how to attack a dummy. She figured he'd at least know what to do.
Kumiko ran after him, tapping him on the shoulder. "Um, can you help me?"