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thirtyseventh2017-05-24 12:18 am
sullenstallion) wrote in thirtyseventh2017-05-24 12:18 am
mermay
[An energy force. That’s what Guardian Forces are. That’s what they’re supposed to be—but they aren’t quite that, either. When summoned, they do real, physical damage to the environment around them. They connect with their summoner on another level, push their fighting to another level and taking something valuable in return. Guardian Forces are more than energy, then. Energy is not discriminate. Energy does not think, doesn’t feel—
But Akheilos does all of those things.
An experimental Guardian Force is what they’d called him. He was discovered in an older piece of machinery, lost to time, his data and ability to junction intact. All they had was his name, that he was both a water and electric energy, which seemed impossible. Summoning him didn’t always work quite right—students who attempted were shocked as if on the other end of a Thundara spell. The few that were successful found that the ‘feel’ they get from summoning lasted only a split second, as if the Guardian Force was summoned and dismissed at the same time. Akheilos was, then, a Guardian Force who refused to be summoned.
Or at least he refused until he’d been paired with Squall.
The mission was simple. Squall simply had to head to any beach of his choosing when he had the time to spare for an additional mission and attempt to summon the sentient Guardian Force. Akheilos was quickly becoming a horror story within the school, and though many students were unconvinced of his validity, one fact remained—he was real, and he was junctioned and set to be summoned. As his consciousness was part of Squall’s, he could feel him in a sense whenever magic or draws were performed. He’d decided he’d appear for this one. He had questions, after all—was his real body somewhere out there like he knew Ifrit’s once was? Why did he feel so aware when other GF’s sharing his space did not? And why—why did he remember other things?
The connection he felt with the young man he’d been assigned to felt different than when he’d been assigned to others. He’d only have to wait until he was summoned, and then he’d appear, and then—and then what?]
But Akheilos does all of those things.
An experimental Guardian Force is what they’d called him. He was discovered in an older piece of machinery, lost to time, his data and ability to junction intact. All they had was his name, that he was both a water and electric energy, which seemed impossible. Summoning him didn’t always work quite right—students who attempted were shocked as if on the other end of a Thundara spell. The few that were successful found that the ‘feel’ they get from summoning lasted only a split second, as if the Guardian Force was summoned and dismissed at the same time. Akheilos was, then, a Guardian Force who refused to be summoned.
Or at least he refused until he’d been paired with Squall.
The mission was simple. Squall simply had to head to any beach of his choosing when he had the time to spare for an additional mission and attempt to summon the sentient Guardian Force. Akheilos was quickly becoming a horror story within the school, and though many students were unconvinced of his validity, one fact remained—he was real, and he was junctioned and set to be summoned. As his consciousness was part of Squall’s, he could feel him in a sense whenever magic or draws were performed. He’d decided he’d appear for this one. He had questions, after all—was his real body somewhere out there like he knew Ifrit’s once was? Why did he feel so aware when other GF’s sharing his space did not? And why—why did he remember other things?
The connection he felt with the young man he’d been assigned to felt different than when he’d been assigned to others. He’d only have to wait until he was summoned, and then he’d appear, and then—and then what?]
no subject
It doesn't stop them from giving him sympathetic looks as he steps out of the elevator and makes his way out the school. It doesn't stop Seifer's raucous, mocking laughter, or Quistis and Zell approaching him, not meeting his eyes as they asked if he wanted some company on his mission.
Squall ignores all of them. He really didn't see what the big deal was. If Akheilos wanted to shock him, well, he's felt worse than a Thundara spell. If he decided not to appear at all, then Squall had other GFs that could take him safely home.
But so far: fairly uneventful. Akheilos' presence segued easily into his mind alongside Shiva and Quezacot. If anything, it was easier, as if he and Squall were a pair of cogs clicking into place. And while the new presence in his mind felt brighter, more active than any other Guardian Force Squall had been paired with, he didn't find it altogether unpleasant.
He holds off on summoning Akheilos while fighting off the various enemies that accosted him on the way to the beach. The orders had been clear and a pair of bite bugs were no match for his gunblade anyway. Once he arrives, though, he sees no point in holding off on his mission, enemies or not.
So he steels his mind and his body, and requests Akheilos to come forth.]
no subject
[And in a moment, it’s all unleashed—thoughts cease to be because energy becomes the most prevailing priority again. Akheilos leaves Squall’s body fluidly, abruptly (though GF never really leave, do they?) as lightning strikes the ground several times in repetition. Small holes are left in the wake of the bolts, and groundwater starts to come to the surface as if pulled by an unseen force. The sand of the beach collapses under the groundwater’s weight, a spring, an oceanic pool forming right in front of Squall.
It’s not too different from summoning a meteorite, is it?
A last bolt of lightning strikes the water, charging it with electricity that crackles visibly on its surface. Seconds later, it happens—it finally happens. Akheilos can feel himself, has created a shrine from which his body can now flow forth. At first, there’s only a fin—a dark grey fin, and dark grey skin that appears to be...striped, not unlike some shark that might be hung in Fisherman Horizon as a prize or fought at sea. The fin descends beneath the water as Akheilos relishes in the feeling of being free, even if its in a large pool next to the ocean, swimming faster in a circle until he breaches.
Long, periwinkle swings behind him as he leaps from the water. Despite its obvious wetness, it manages to look clean, and it hangs so far down Akheilos’ back that that it almost reaches the dorsal fin that had been seen seconds before. His body is long and muscular, nearly four, maybe five feet of human flesh before his waist gives way to the lean tail of a fish, a shark instead of legs. But Squall only sees this glimpse once before Akheilos lands with a splash, the electricity ceasing to crackle in the pool.
It feels so good to be free, he thinks to himself. How long has he been junction-ready, stored away in a computer waiting to be found again? He can hardly remember.
He breaches a second time, but this time he remains above the water. Clawed hands grip the sand near the edge of his created pool and he pulls himself up, resting his torso against his arms as he stares at Squall with what can only be described as an almost feral scowl. His teeth are a little shaper than they should be, and his gaze is equally intense. His ears are nonexistent; they are nothing but small holes hidden behind fan-like fins that match his dark grey scales. His arms both sport silver bangles, and an exquisite silver necklace with a sapphire pendant rests over his chest. Three lines are visible on his neck as well as closer to his waist—two sets of gills. His body is marked with scars to boot; it’s up to Squall to decide whether he looks like a beautiful merman prince, a horrendous sea monster, or a battle-hardened warrior of the waves.
Perhaps Akheilos is all three. His voice is low when he speaks, though its laced with irritation...when he can form words at all. It takes him a moment to simply remember how to talk.]
Don’t...don’t you dare Dismiss me, asshole! Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve been summoned, Squall? Don’t even think about.
[So much for appearing majestic.]