fandomhigh | Battlefield Tactics, Thursday

Entry tags:

tactics

Battlefield Tactics, Thursday

This time, the students' visit to the Danger Shop would reveal a teacher. Kerrigan stood atop a rock, her arms crossed and her bearing very, very steady. "This is a practical course," she said. "Nobody's going to teach you how to run an army in seven easy steps, so I hope that's not what you had in mind when you joined us here."

She raked her eyes over the kids. "Practicals," she said. "The goal is for you to start thinking creatively through experience." A pause. "Or something like that. You, and you. You, you..." She pointed at a few random students, pairing them up one with the other. "Team up. On the other side of this ridge is a small army. We have higher ground, they've got numbers. Near the back of their encampment, against this very same rock, is their food supply."

"You're all outnumbered. So the trick is to starve your enemy. It's going to be hard for them to find another way out of this valley and set up a steady supply route. You've got some Danger Shop explosives to take care of the whole thing, but don't abuse the Danger Shop safeties."

One more glance their way.

"Now go."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"As long as everyone does their role in an efficient way, we shouldn't have much of an issue." Magic casters were rarely the ones on the front rows, but they were very valuable when it was about tricking from afar.

"Have you seen Zack's Buster Sword?" He figured that nearly everyone should have seen it at least once. "Mine is very similar. Same size, but it's actually six swords on one." He lowered his voice so only Karla would listen. "I also used a Buster Sword, so anything that resembles that would work for me. I still remember how to use firearms perfectly though. And explosives as well." He was no demolitions' expert, but Shinra didn't train idiots...well, alright, Cloud had made sure not to fall into the goon category entirely.

"We only need to decide if we want to go head first into battle or take a less violent approach. Or do the whole waiting strategy and see them die slowly." He was okay with any strategy...but he didn't sound too convinced on Kerrigan's approach either.

"I don't have anything like his sword," Karla said, sounding apologetic. "I have some knives and a cinqueda and that's about it for weapons." She called the cinqueda in anyway, to show him. A slim, small blade, it was definitely more suited to a thin female than a male of Cloud's size. "You can have it if you want it," she offered. "For class, anyway."

She peered down at the army. "I don't like starving them out," she admitted. "Not unless we can give some of them a chance to surrender or defect. It's too slow. There are...other, quicker options if we want to kill them all without engaging in a fight."

She shouldn't feel so awful about this. Dead was dead, right? And wasn't it better to have a quick and painless death, rather than a prolonged or violent one?

"I'll take it, for the class." As if he would run away with a tiny sword like that. "I'm trained to use swords. The size preference...that's Zack's fault." As in 'I thought I was him for a long while' fault, which wasn't really Zack's fault. Confusing stuff...

Cloud peered as well, and then gave Karla some sort of warm smile. Some sort. "I hate wars. I don't like to see people suffer. I understand sometimes we have to fight and kill anyway...but I would be the first trying to avoid a situation like this."

So yeah, he felt as awful as her. Maybe a little more. "They will shoot on sight, though. And if it's a war, it means we are defending something, and many someones that have put their lives on our hands; when it comes to either them or us, sometimes we do things we wouldn't otherwise." Way to be deep, and slightly depressive.

She hadn't really thought he'd walk away with it. Stupid classes and dreams that had her on edge. She gave him an apologetic shrug as she handed it over. "I hope it serves well, then," she said quietly. "You'll wield it far better than I would, I'm sure."

Karla found herself warming to him a bit as he shared his feelings on war. Their views were pretty similar, at least as far as he'd shared. "I agree completely," she said. "We're here to defend and protect and that takes precedence over guilt."

Considering she'd be going home to start a war, it was best she learned this lesson now.

"And who knows? If we take out this chunk of their army, perhaps they'll be willing to talk peace." Raising her chin a bit she said, "I talked to our teacher. Their water supply comes from bottles and a single, shallow pool in the valley. I'm a Black Widow. I know poisons. Once we destroy their food supply, they'll be drinking more water to make up the difference. I would rather offer them a quick and painless death if I can."

Please ignore the way her voice shook when she said that, okay?

As if he would have imagined himself accepting it. Although, in his mind, it was better than anything. Cloud simply nodded at her as he hold it, taking in the blade's weight, details and range.

"Just learn to hold your guilt when needed, and let it flow when needed too." He knew what guilt did when held back for too long. Hell, he was a hypocrite for telling that to Karla.

Cloud took a brief look at the area again. "I see. Their situation is terrible." They were stranded, without the ability to reach the enemy without the chance of taking heavy loses, and with precarious food sources. "It would either force them retreat or try for an attack; if their numbers are reduced, they won't stand a chance." And nervous, nobody fought well with their mind clouded in fear.

Cloud extended his hand and gave Karla, one moderately strong shoulder squeeze. Only one; there weren't big encouraging words, smiles, kind looks, or anything. If he were on her position he would have despised being treated like a useless, frightened child. His gaze was pretty meaningful. You are a strong person. Act like one. And as fast as he had done that his hand retracted, face unchanged. "We should look for an easy access point...I'm Cloud, by the way." He didn't remember sharing names with her, even if he had introduced himself before.

"Karla," she replied, giving him a smile. "And thanks." Whether for the pep talk, the shoulder squeeze, the understanding...she wasn't going to say. Did it really matter in the long run?

She straightened her shoulders, pulling her chin up. "What are you looking for in an access point?" she asked. "Ignore terrain. It won't matter. We can walk on air all the way down if we have to."

Cloud had learned to take the positive feelings and not worry about the rest; sometimes you just needed to feel good. So he flashed a short smile -and that was like the fourth time since he had arrived that he smiled- and stopped himself for telling her not to worry. No need.

"Somewhere near the lake, first." He made a face of the idea of walking in the air; it sounded tricky. "The explosives should be distributed on some vital points. Whenever they would gather, when the weapons are stored, and ultimately when they tend the wounded." He was sounding cold and professional, even if he wasn't an assassin. The sigh at the end sort of ruined his cool though. "And then remind ourselves this is a simulation."

"I'll be doing that a lot anyway," Karla muttered. "I'm kind of full up on guilt right now, thanks."

She impatiently blew her bangs from her eyes and continued to study the movements below. "What do you think of stealing some of their supplies as well. Anything we can bring back to our side will be useful, I'm sure. And once you've laid the explosives, I'll cover them with sight shields as well. No one will be able to see them until they explode."

"If you ever need to talk...I prefer to listen." People were always telling stuff to him anyway. "Only if you want." He was way too concerned about sounding like a creeper.

His reply came as he kept looking at the army down below. "That would help as well, specially if we need to wait to them to react." That decided, he wondered how it would go if it all went well. Would they get a fast forward to see the remnants starving to death? That was a creepy thought.

Karla slanted him a smile. "Are you sure you want to help carry the burdens of someone you just met?"

She also wished she had a better idea of how the simulation worked. Would the other army have a chance to surrender? Could they wait and see? Was exploding the food going to be enough? She shook her head, clearing it of those kinds of thoughts. They weren't helpful. "I'm going to put another shield around the poison in the lake," she said. "If we can get them to surrender before they starve, I'll just vanish it, no harm done. If not..." she rubbed her temples. "Then their deaths will be quick and gentle. They'll just fall asleep and not wake up."

There was a slight shrug there. "My shoulders are stronger than yours." Although he didn't know if her Craft could make her stronger; maybe she could. Also, past a certain point you just go...numb. "I'm not a counselor, and my advise is usually either obvious or...infuriating, so it's up to you." Way to sell himself, eh? Never mind he liked conversations with level headed people. Karla? Already in that list.

Cloud nodded. "That is a good idea; having a plan B won't hurt." The shield was, sleeping to death...that was creepy. But the course name was Battlefield Tactics, not Battlefield Diplomacy, and their teacher...didn't look diplomatic. At all.

That was for damn sure. Kerrigan's reaction to Karla's suggestion of poison in their earlier conversation had been a little unsettling.

"All right then," she said, "no use dawdling. I guess the first thing to do is get you ready for this." She turned to face Cloud again, and paused, studying his face for a minute. Something about him was familiar--both his face and psychic scent. From more than just class. It nagged at her and she lost her train of thought.

Fortunately Cloud hadn't approached Kerrigan. They first -and only- conversation had left him with the idea they would fight if they kept a conversation for too long. He wasn't sure that was really advisable.

She had said alright, and yet...she was staring. At his face. And there were traces of recognition. He knew when someone looked at that to him. The Man with the Mako eyes. Yet it wasn't the same. She was still making him slightly uncomfortable, but Cloud was certain Karla wasn't about to blame him. Or so he hoped.

"Is something wrong?" Are you about to mock my hair?

"We never met before class, right?" Karla said, frowning a bit. "Not even at the welcome picnic, right?" There was something so familiar about him; it nagged at her, but turned elusive as soon as she tried to remember.

A moment later she gave up and shrugged. "I'm sorry. You just looked really familiar for a second." She gave him another apologetic smile. "Don't mind me. I'm not crazy, I promise. It's just...like trying to remember a word that's on the tip of your tongue. But it's not important now--we have an assignment to do. Close your eyes?"

At least she didn't mock his hair?

Cloud shook his head. "Never." And Cloud, being like he was, was already considering the worst. After all, Ino knew about him -and Cloud didn't know just how much she knew-, and Reno didn't have the brains to keep people out of Gaia for all that he was concerned. Could Karla and him had met in the future? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe Reno showed her a picture or him, maybe she was just...not crazy. But she dealt with magic; all kinds of things happened when you messed with that.

"Alright, not crazy", he sounded slightly amused by that, and it actually showed. "Maybe we do need to talk later." He needed to know now, what was with Karla and his world. Could he look at her the same way? Could Cloud even look at Ino without feeling slightly resented? Focus on the assignment. Cloud nodded slowly, closing his eyes and wondering what was just about to happen.

Karla firmed the air around him at about calf-height. "Take a step up, okay?" she instructed. "Like you're climbing a staircase. And then walk forward. Just a few steps towards me."

It was easier to do this with their eyes closed the first time. Then, all they had to focus on was the feeling of ground beneath their feet. There was no give; it was more like walking on hardwood or glass than true ground, but it was sturdy enough to be comforting.

Oooookay, he felt something. "How much does confidence has a say in this?", asked as he took a step up. And hey, he was stepping on something. Not letting that stop him midway, he lifted the other feet, and was now stepping on air. One step, two steps, and felt as if he was just stading on something pretty solid. Cloud even gave it a light tap before opening his eyes and looking down. He saw nothing, but the feel was there; he could trust that one sense to keep him standing on whatever he was at the moment. Then he looked up at Karla, making his best effort of not letting his inner child -long repressed, horribly scarred, shamelessly hidden inner child- grin in a absolutely idiotic self sufficient way.

He looked rather bright about the whole walking on air thing, all in all.

"None at all," Karla assured him. "It doesn't matter how hard you disbelieve, my Craft will still be there."

Her grin brightened as she watched Cloud adjust to airwalking and the quiet marveling he did. Bringing happiness through her Craft always just felt right. Even though it wasn't enough to make up for what they were planning, Karla felt just a little lighter. "You take to airwalking well," she said with a smile, hopping up beside him. "Just let me know where we need to go and I'll make it accessible. Hope you don't mind running up and down staircases, though."

Cloud's brithgness was momentarily cut off when a though crossed his mind. Was it okay for him to be enjoying himself like that? Not the 'killing the armies down there' sort of enjoyement, but the regular, having an interesting time in a completely light mood sort of one. Okay so they were still planning to strike from the back, but Cloud didn't remember when it had been the last time he had felt like just grinning at something like walking on air. He had been neglecting a lot of things. Now keep your focus on the not-quite-floor. The blankness on his face vanished and was replaced with concentration, although he still felt like jumping on air. "It's good to know I can rely on it then." He tried not to take over too much space, and looked down once more. "I'm okay with stairs; I think J know where we can enter the base. Had you mentioned somehing about being invisible?" He had to see that.

Or not.

Or not indeed.

Karla was a little disappointed when Cloud went back to being all business, but he was right about one thing, even if she didn't know he was: now was not the time for playing. She nodded once, pulled up a sightshield, and vanished. There was nothing to betray her presence, including impressions on the ground since she was standing half a foot in the air.

"I won't put up the aural shields until we're almost within range," Karla said. "We'll put your hand on my shoulder and I'll guide you down, okay? Once we're in position, you guide me along with my shoulder to get us to where we need to be?"

A tug left or right to turn, a squeeze to slow or stop...they could figure this out, right?

She dropped her shield so she was visible again. "You ready?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Battlefield Tactics, Thursday

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go

Re: Team Up and Go