concoursec | Office Hours 3: Office Hourser

Entry tags:

Office Hours 3: Office Hourser

Character(s): Snow and whoever else shows up.

Location: Second floor, the training classrooms

Rating: PG

Open/Closed/Finished: Open

Summary: Once again, Snow is holding office hours!

Didn't matter if you were in his classes or not, really. Snow had claimed a classroom during free hours in the evening, and casually put around word that he was free to talk about any concerns, questions, problems, or general comments the students might have. His class, any class, whatever.

Of course, fellow SeeDs and Instructors could drop by too.

Unusually, this time around, Snow's actually at a desk, writing something. The world might possibly be coming to an end.

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"Tickles a little," he said, shrugging. "Water and ice spells are a little cold, and protect spells are sort of like getting bumped into on a crowded street. Drawing the Eidiolon out, though..."

He fell silent, the expression on his face distantly haunted. "It's like getting your soul ripped out. It's terrible. I think if anyone ever managed it, I'd end up dead. Luckily, they seem pretty much impossible to get out, but..."

Snow sat up straighter, like he was shoving that topic behind him physically. "No memory loss, though. That happens because you Junction GFs in the mind, right? L'cie brands don't affect our minds, though."

Noting the clear look of unease on the other's face when speaking of the Eidolin, Cid didn't press the issue any further, even if he remained curious about it.

"I trust they have done no lasting harm to you?" he asked after a moment. At least, it was good to know he hadn't lost any memories during the course of these tests.

"I'm fine! 'Course, I don't know if that's out of respect from them, or just because they don't want to break or turn a potential weapon against a Sorceress..." But the thought didn't bother him much even if it was the latter.

"I would hope that it's out of respect. After all, you volunteered yourself, correct?" Cid looked at him with raised brows. "It would be poor behavior to do otherwise."

"The alternative was probably being attacked endlessly. You wouldn't believe how bothered people can get when you have the gall to save them from monsters with magic." Just the faintest trace of bitterness crept in at the corners of his words. "If I didn't agree to it, or protested too much..."

He shrugged. "It all worked out, though."

Ah, so more like he was coerced into it under the guise of volunteering. The people of this world seemed just about as understanding as those in Cocoon were to those from Pulse.

"Do you still allow yourself to be experimented upon now, or was this a brief series of tests?"

Oh, he knew what he was getting into. Bad choice, but better than no choice and perpetual enmity. Besides, he liked to think that the other branded l'cie had a place here because of what he'd gone through.

"Once they figured out they couldn't duplicate the brand, they let me come here. I don't think I'd mind helping out again if they had another lead."

Snow, ever the hero.

"Your tolerance and patience for such things knows no bounds." Cid smiled, albeit without humor. "I do not think I could have or would have treated them with such civility were I placed into your situation.

"How do you manage, hm? Such displays of generosity..."

"That's easy. I just imagine what I'd hope for on Cocoon, if someone from another world managed to show up and maybe had the way to solve our problems locked up in their head or something. If I can make a lot of people's lives out there a lot better, why shouldn't I?"

He lifted an eyebrow at Cid, though. "Same thing you were trying to do, give Cocoon back to the people, right?"

Edited 2011-08-16 01:12 (UTC)

Cid sighed and chuckled quietly.

"You think too highly of me," Cid replied, the smile on his face growing a little warmer. "There are measures that I would be more than willing to take for Cocoon, but as a stranger in a new world..." He shook his head lightly. "I cannot say that I would be all that willing. Perhaps with time, but initially? Highly doubtful."

"Hey. I see a man who was willing to fight for what he believed against impossible odds... and probably someone who'd rather have had some testing done on his brand than get hunted," he said with a grin. "Besides... on the one hand, what if they'd figured out some way to get them off? Or at least stop them from advancing? Not very likely, but I wouldn't want to give up the chance.

"Besides, now? I'd do it for all the students and friends I have here who are great people. Maybe they can get back home. Or be safer here. That's worth it to me."

"Well, I suppose I have you to thank for not needing to suffer making such a decision then, don't I?" Cid chuckled. "Come to think of it, I don't believe I've ever asked if you were the first to arrive here...

"You speak as though you were, but I may as well ask to make sure."

"Good question, actually," he said, frowning down at his desk as he drummed his fingers on it. "Time Compression sort of means we can't ever really tell, right? And since I was in Esthar for a while I missed a lot people when they first arrived here, like you and Light and Sazh. But I was the only person from Cocoon -- or Pulse -- in the Garden when I first took the Instructor position. Hope showed up a few months after that."

"I suppose it would make it rather difficult--one never knows if you're living in the same span of time as another," Cid commented. A wry grinned pulled at his lips, as a thought occurred to him. "I do wonder what time compression does to one's age. Slowing it down or speeding it up...

"Perhaps we shall never know. But I suppose it would only be of importance if one keeps track of birthdays."

"Never was entirely sure when mine was anyway," he said, waving the thought aside. "I have it pinned down to a few different possible days, but I can't just ask my parents, so who knows? I'm passed the last one that matters anyway, and so is..."

He paused. A thought had just struck him, one that frankly he wish hadn't.

And so is... ?

Cid tilted his head slightly, curious as to where Snow was going with that comment. He said nothing in response, merely giving the other an inquiring look. If the other didn't want to continue down that train of thought, Cid wouldn't protest, even if his interest was piqued.

Snow wasn't the sort who could really let things drop that easily, though. "Just thinking that they have the same birthday, but only one Instructor Farron is going to have a good one."

"I'm of the mind that the Lieutenant considers herself above such trifles in the first place," he mused, gaze drifting for a moment. "This is, of course, mere speculation on my part. I doubt she'd answer a query of mine were it of that nature."

His lips curled briefly into a smile--bitter.

"Yeah, I'm sure that's what she tells herself up here," Snow said, tapping his temple. "But she's not as emotionless as she wants to think she is. I don't think it'd do any of us any good if we threw some bash for Light someday and she spent the unacknowledged. Not that she wants any attention from us, but in general."

"Are you sure that is the case?"

It wasn't exactly a kind suggestion on his part, but as kinder avenues of changing Claire's mind were all but gone, Cid wasn't beyond using... less than pleasant means to get her to see her faults. He was a man driven by goals, after all, and if he was honest with himself, there was a touch of exasperation in his dealings with her now--not that he would ever admit that to anyone.

"Those who are stressed are often far easier to crack."

Man, Cid, what did she do, replace the raisins in your bran with corn?

"I've seen her crack." He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. "I can take it, but I don't want her turning on anyone else. Hope and Vanille might get hurt... and Light or Fang would just give back what they go. Either way it's bad news, for all of us."

"The point is not to provoke her to the point of lashing out--just enough to expose her vulnerabilities," he corrected. Cid offered Snow another small smile.

"You see, I do not wish to see her return to her Cocoon to be used and slaughtered like a sacrificial lamb by Barthandelus, and if it's something I can only accomplish by doing her harm, then so be it. I consider it the lesser of two evils.

"Civility, in the end, appears to have too little an effect on her, and as she may be taken away at any time, I believe it imperative to work quickly," he finished with a slight wave of the hand. Cid rose from his seat and started for the door, pausing halfway there to look at the other once more. "I do not ask that you agree with my beliefs, of course. You are free to do and think what you will, if you wish to act at all."

He took a few more steps, stopping at the door, but he didn't turn around this time.

"As I said before, Snow, you think too highly of me. Rest assured, however, that I will not seek to cause your friends undue harm in the process," he added before taking his leave, departing after a final nod of the head.

...Had he just pissed off Cid Raines?

...Snow was gonna be dwelling on THAT one for a while.

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Office Hours 3: Office Hourser

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