A God from the Machine

    Taking the chick from Machina’s hand, she brought Lulu close to her cheek and gently nuzzled her, receiving a delighted chirp in return. Chocobos grew fast, so it was only a matter of time before Lulu would become too large to fit into her hands again. Deuce was going to cherish every moment with her like this, then make new memories once she becomes fully grown.

  “I see…” She never quite saw it from that perspective before. Ever since he and Rem transferred into the class, she and the others had been learning more and more about life other than what Mother had taught them. Hand was idly petting Lulu as she turned thoughts in her mind, weighing Machina’s words with them.

  “…It is frightening, isn’t it?” She’d always believed that so long as Mother was proud of her actions, there was nothing else she needed. But now, when she thought about it after hearing Machina speak his mind, there was the realization these were things to consider. If she were to perish in battle one day… Would even Mother forget her? The Crystal worked in mysterious ways and did not grant any favors. Everything she did, she did for Mother, Rubrum, and the class. To be forgotten by them all… “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to go quiet in the middle of speaking with you. I just started feeling somewhat… anxious, I suppose.”

A wave of guilt crashed over him when Deuce expressed her anxiousness. He didn’t mean for that to happen!

“N-no, you shouldn’t feel that way.” He hastily replied; his brain was scrambling to find the right words. Unless the person was Rem, he was never really good with consoling people. For someone who was a little too emotional at times, he was terrible at helping others with their emotions.

“I mean, yeah, it is frightening...but the only way to conquer that fear is to fight through it, right?” He hoped he was making sense. “I don’t like the idea of war. I don’t like the idea of people dying. Too many people have died because of this war, which means too many people have been forgotten.” He eyed Lulu, who was still bouncing around in Deuce’s palm. “But...as much as I hate the way things have turned out, I know I can’t change the past. My brother is gone. A lot of other peoples’ brothers are gone too - but, I can try to prevent more brothers from dying, right? I hate war, but the only way I can make it go away is if I keep fighting in it...and if it’s the only thing I can do to make sure peoples’ memories are saved, then I’ll do it.”

                                independent Deuce rp blog                                    of Final Fantasy Type-0

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                         “I was just desperate, that’s all.”

❝It is true that they are… extraordinary. However, that does’t discount you for a single bit. You wouldn’t be in this class if you were useless.❞

A part of him wondered if Rem would believe him if he told her that Kurasame comforted him during a time of need. Not that he didn’t appreciate it, of course - it was still just so surprising at how understanding the formidable Ice Reaper could be. The mask made it a little difficult to read his emotions sometimes, but this conversation made Machina look at his captain in a different light. It was nice.

“You really think so?” There was a thin shred of hope in his voice. Teachers always had a way of seeing things that you couldn’t. Maybe Kurasame saw something in him that he was yet to discover for himself. “Do...do you think I’m strong enough to be in Class Zero?”

  Shit! Though his Grand Delta had landed a hit at least, he now had to deal    with an inbound swordmaster, one with quite a chunk of skill. He knew he couldn’t   outright dodge Machina, that was physically impossible at this stage…He also   couldn’t use his bow for much protection either; even if he was to use it to try and   misdirect the rapier, it would only break the fragile bow in the process, and Trey   didn’t particularly want to spend time crafting another…His only real option was to   try and endure the hit, and beside the fact that the marksman was no sentinel, he   wasn’t about to get a sword stuck in his shoulder…His idea was risky, yet it just   might work…   Hastily, he freed his palm from his bow’s grasp and casted a Blizzard spell; it was   the school of magic he was most proficient in, after all, though he was one to use   such spells in rather unorthodox fashions. He then proceeded to encase himself in    a block of ice; just making an ice shield in front of him would be of no use, considering   the sheer force behind his thrust, so his only option really was to surround himself   in a block of ice of such a large volume that maybe, just maybe, it would halt the    attack. Ｔ✗ █║│➴

His eyes widened in surprise. Did Trey just...freeze himself?

By the time his brain made the connection, it was already too late to come up with a form of retaliation; his rapier made contact with the ice and tore a considerable chunk out if it but it wasn’t enough to pierce the archer himself.

“Good one.” He smirked. Smart, but risky move - now he was trapped...and Machina just so happened to be really good with Fire magic.

His arm was still a little sore from the impact, but it didn’t ache too much to not be able to cast anything. He jumped a few feet back for his own safety and crossed his rapiers in front of him, chanting Fira.

The red and orange flames spiraled forward, relentlessly at Trey’s ice shield. It didn’t take very long for the block to dissipate completely. Machina just hoped it was enough to deal some damage.

    The entirety of his monologue was listened to in silence, turning his words over in her head. It was admirable, how much thought he put into this. It was easy to tell it was something he felt strongly about and Deuce found it to be a good thing. A good handful (if not everyone) in Class Zero remained cool and collected most of the time, and while that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, having a new classmate that actually wore his emotions on his sleeve the way Machina did? There was a refreshing feeling from that. Proof that he wasn’t just some war machine, but actually human. If only more people could be like that… 

  Attention returned to Lulu when he redirected the topic. As much as Deuce would have liked to comment on what he was saying, she’ll wait a moment first. “Yes. If I hadn’t decided to visit the ranch that day…” Voice trailed off to think about what might have happened instead and she frowned at herself. Clearly nothing good would have happened. She shook her head to free herself of those thoughts before looking back up at Machina with a smile once more. “I’m just glad I did.” Several small changes had come since volunteering to care for Lulu when she had first hatched; now, the flutist even kept a diary that she would write in everyday. She could actually experience what it was like to genuinely care for someone that was neither Mother nor one of her classmates. Lulu had, as funny as it sounded, opened up her eyes to new experiences in life. Who knew that beingresponsible for a small animal’s life could be such a rewarding experience, emotionally?

  “About what you were saying earlier… I think it’s wonderful, the way you feel about memories and names. I hope that you can do it, remind everyone of the importance. I myself have never been content with the Crystal wiping our memories of the deceased. I am certain that if you really work toward it, you’ll become something great, Machina. You have the passion and I know you’re strong. We have all seen you and Rem hold your own after all.. I will quietly cheer you on~”

“Sounds like you were at the right place at the right time.” He continued to pet the small bird. “Now that I’m taking a closer look at her, she is a bit small...but that just makes her all the more special.” He turned to his classmate and held his hand out to her - the hand Lulu was sitting on. “I think it’s your turn to hold her.”

Deuce’s opinion on the Crystal erasing memories surprised him. He had the impression that Class Zero agreed with memories being lost. Arecia’s children were definitely a strange bunch. They don’t know basic things like cemeteries or social protocol. It seems like the only thing they actually do know about is fighting - and they do it exceptionally well.

“Some people think that it’s ridiculous, but I think it’s important we remember those who passed - even if it’s nothing more than just their name.” He shrugged his shoulders. “The one thing I find scarier than death is being alone...and being forgotten. What if I lived a full life doing good things for other people, only for people to forget those things once I’m gone? It all seems so pointless...”

 The male bowed in respect, then paused as he twirled his bow once removing    it from his torso, in his usual manner before using this spell. In almost a split second,   a magic arrow was summoned to rest in his gentle fingertips, lined up perpendicular   to the bowstring, his azure eyes closing in order to focus. A magenta aura surrounded   him, as a white magic circle formed.      “—LETS SEE how you fare then. Grand Delta…” Ｔ✗ █║│➴

Good grief. Machina had seen this move before. Trey never misses when he uses this!

The ground beneath his feet began to glow violet, and then bright pink. The boy squared his shoulders and scrambled towards the nearest edge, lunging forward and tucking into a quick dodge roll just as soon as the floor shook and erupted into clouds of smoke.

He didn’t come out totally unscathed, though; a part of his leg was caught in the explosion and now he was left with an aching shin bone - but it was nothing a quick Cure couldn’t fix.

“Tch-” He pivoted and tightened the grip on his rapiers. If Trey wanted to start big, then he was going to do just the opposite: chip away at his defenses until there was a big enough opening to land a harder blow.

Machina crossed the arena in record time and thrust his weapon towards his opponent’s shoulder; a crucial area for an archer.

continued 

  Pleased that he might finally practice with someone new, and a closed   range fighter at that, the male took his bow from around his torso and held   it in his palm, his gloved hand wavering on the string. Facing off against    Machina may prove entertaining.      “—WOULD YOU LIKE the first move?” Ｔ✗ █║│➴

He eyed the bow in Trey’s hands and tried to think of a way to approach his opponent. He was skilled at long range, so naturally the best way to attack was to fight his way until he was close enough - but he knew Trey wouldn’t let him close in that easily. The archer had something up his sleeve. He had to be careful.

“I don’t want you to go easy on me.” Machina smirked, flexing his fingers as he summoned his rapiers. “You’re more than welcome to go first.”

    “Oh?” Now that there was interesting. Interesting and surprisingly innocent and cute. And here she thought Machina might not be the type to sit on either side of the fence, but clearly she had been wrong. It was pleasing to be sure. “…I like that. ‘Without a name, you might as well not exist.’ Though I suppose not everyone will share your sentiments.” 

  Offering him a gentle smile, attention was drawn back to Lulu when he inquired about her, looking back down at the energetic fluff. Thank goodness the weather was so nice that the small being could enjoy it fully.

  “Yes… I named her Lulu. They thought she was going to die when she hatched because she was so small next to her brothers and sisters. I volunteered to take care of her and now she’s as healthy as, well.. as any other chocobo!” Gaze falling back to the fledgling, the bird chirped again, knowing it was being talked about before hopping closer to Machina and peeping up at him. “I think she wants you to pick her up.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle ruefully. “You’re right about that - about people not agreeing with me, I mean.” His eyes lazily watched the chicks dawdling around in the hay. “Sometimes I think people forget that there are others out there who have their own thoughts and feelings.” One of his hands unconsciously tightened into a fist. “This war has taken so much from everyone, including their humanity. I want to remind them, somehow, that even though hundreds of lives are being lost almost every day, those lives deserve to be remembered and respected somehow.” His gaze shifted upwards, towards the cloudless sky. “The Crystal may wipe our memories of the dead but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to remember them either. That’s why having a name is important - it’s a reminder that someone existed, once upon a time.”

He realized that the conversation had taken a dark turn, but thankfully Deuce’s chocobo gave him a reason to change the subject. “Really? That’s good to hear. I’m glad she’s doing much better now. She seems to have a lot of energy.” When his classmate pointed out that the little chocobo wanted to be picked up, his eyes widened slightly. “Huh? Oh...”

He glanced over to where Lulu was hopping about, and he leaned over the fence a bit more so he could extend his arm to her. “Here, Lulu.” He clicked his tongue softly, and he smiled when the little chick made her way to his palm. Her delicate footing tickled his skin.

“She’s really sweet.” Machina gave Deuce another coy smile before petting Lulu’s head with the pad of his index finger. “So you two have known each other since the very beginning, hm?”

    Relief filled her face as smile appeared. Good, so there was a handful of cadets that felt this way about the birds after all. She had figured it wasn’t just her and Ace who seemed to have these kinds of feelings, but Machina? Granted, it was mostly because they scarcely had spoken outside of class and missions.

  “I am glad to hear that.” Squatting down, she glanced at Lulu again then back up at Machina and laughed softly. “Since we have permission can breed chocobos, would you name the new ones? So many end up not having names because no one seems to care much. They say once you name something, you start getting attached, and… well, you know how that can be seen as positive and negative, being attached to a chocobo.” A pause then a shake of her head. “N-not that I believe there’s anything wrong with being fond of a particular chocobo, believe me.”

His cheeks were tinted a slight pink. Deuce didn’t know that Machina had already picked up the habit of naming the chocobos at the ranch. Well..since she mentioned it, he might as well fess up.

“Actually...” He raised a hand to rub the back of his head. “I always name the new chocobos. I like to come here a lot - y’know, to clear my head. Whenever an egg hatches, I give the chick a name.” He made his way over to the chick pen, leaning over the wooden gate and smiling at the tiny balls of feathers hopping around in the hay below. “Every living thing deserves to have a name. Without a name...you might as well not exist.”

He turned to her and gave her another small smile. “Connecting to other living things is never a bad thing...at least in my opinion it isn’t. Is that chocobo yours?”

❝I will say this: you don’t have it easy, and you never did. Neither did Rem. Yet, your efforts dictated you to be in this class. No, you didn’t ride on Arecia’s coattails, but you earned your way here. Give them time: the only ones that have been in their orbits have been Arecia and each other. ❞

He hated asking for help. To him, asking for help meant weakness - because if he was anything stronger, he would’ve been able to handle things on his own. Class Zero hardly needed any help from others. Even Rem seemed capable of holding up on her own. He thought he was able to handle it - he was the top student in the school, once upon a time. Then Class Zero happened and suddenly he’s a novice all over again.

“...” He bowed his head as he digested his captain’s words. A part of him was surprised Kurasame had something mildly comforting to say; he didn’t look like the doting type. Nevertheless, it was nice to hear.

“I always feel like I’m not doing enough. That’s the problem.” He kept his eyes trained on his shoes. “You heard what happened during the liberation campaign, right? How just three of them took down a l’Cie without any help? Well, I was there when it happened. I saw it with my own eyes. Class Zero possesses a power I will never understand. I’m not like them. I don’t know if I ever will be.”

@twinexcaliburs

    “They believe she’s going to be the smallest of them all, not fit for battle. Do you think it wrong of me to be relieved to hear that?” 

  Azure eyes watched the fledgling continuously chirp and jump, fluttering her little wings each time she rose into the air. It wasn’t her plan to stop by the stables after class, but Lulu had been cooped up too long in her room. It was only best she brought her out again.

Deuce was the last person he expected to run into here. Ace, sure. Rem? Sometimes. But Deuce? Hardly. He didn’t even know she owned a chocobo. Were cadets even allowed to have pets?

“No, not at all.” His voice was soft, leaning towards slightly awkward with a hint of surprise (he was still trying to process the fact that he was speaking to her, seeing as they never really interacted much outside their missions). “It’s nice to have a chocobo live out its life as a regular chocobo, instead of shipping it off to some war.” He always thought using animals in fights were unfair. They didn’t even know there was a war going on, so why get them involved?

❝Cadet.❞ Each cadet had their own tone from the commander assigned to them, but the one he was referring to was Machina. ❝You all took a beating, it looks like.❞

It wasn’t the prettiest of missions. Long story short, it was a recon excursion gone wrong: the enemy discovered them just as they were beginning to make their way out of the camp, and he and his teammates had to fight their way out. Luckily, Machina and his group made it out with only a few minor injuries - but they weren’t minor enough to go unnoticed, apparently.

“Sir-” He cleared his throat, squaring his shoulders and looking Kurasame straight in the eye. “-the mission was a success. We ran into a few, er…inconveniences, but everyone made it out in one piece.” He couldn’t help but feel guilty, even though he knew it wasn’t anyone’s fault their cover was blown. He was an elite cadet - a Class Zero cadet. He should’ve handled the situation better. There was no room for sloppiness.

“When did you want me to hand in my mission report?” He tried his best to sound formal, but now he couldn’t stop thinking about what he could’ve done to prevent the disaster that happened earlier.

❝You can leave it atop my desk for now. I’ll review it tonight and hand it back tomorrow. Although something’s telling me there’s something else on your mind, cadet.❞

“Sure thing. I’ll get right on it - expect it in the next couple hours or so.”

There was no use trying to hide anything from Kurasame. The man never had to say much to get his point across. Machina figured that from all the years he spent on the battlefield, he had honed his people-watching skills. That piercing green stare spoke volumes.

He kept his arms hidden beneath his red cloak, hoping his commander wouldn’t see him nervously fidgeting, “I guess...I guess I just can’t stop thinking about how today’s campaign went.” He let out a heavy, airy sigh. “It was going well...but something just fell apart in the end. I can’t help but feel like it’s my fault...” The guilt swelled inside of him once more. “Do you...do you think I’m holding Class Zero back, at all? Sometimes I feel like I’m not holding up my end of the bargain. What if I’m not doing enough?”

It wasn’t like him to be so open with his emotions - his insecurities, in particular - but there was something...trustworthy about Kurasame. Machina hadn’t been in Class Zero very long - he received his transfer notice maybe a little over two months ago - but he figured that he would’ve seen the impact of his contributions by now. Rem, at least, was visibly getting along with the rest of the class. He, on the other hand...well...that was a different story. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to fit in with them - he wanted to, almost desperately so - it was more of the fact that he just couldn’t find that connection with them like Rem had. Maybe his commander had a few words of advice to help get the ball rolling.