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A older hume boy in a dirt dusted Vector uniform grumbles his way into the locker room of a shabby looking base camp. Upon entry he rips his helmet off, revealing mussy red hair and pasty white skin, and spikes it into the ground. A voice breaks through his thoughts with a bit of laughter.
“Whoa, whoa, cool it kid. What's got your briefs in bundle? That's an empire issued helmet you're bouncing around there not a kid's toy.”
The kid looks up as two other soldiers, both decked out in armor sans helmet, approach. One's a short and stocky hume man with wavy light brown hair and a clean shaven face, while the other is a tall roegadyn man with long black hair and a grizzly beard. Immediately the kid scrambles to pick his helmet back up, dropping the helmet a couple times in his haste as he begins to ramble. “I-I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to disrespect the uniform I was just having a bad day and I am so deeply sorry and that's not a good reason to damage military property and-”
The hume holds up a hand and smiles sheepishly, “Hey I said cool it! You're good. Wedge and I aren't going to run you over the coals or anything. You're the newbie right? What's your name kid?”
The boy straightens up, helmet clutched tightly in his shaking grasp. “P-Percival Gardner, sirs.” Quietly, he adds “Th-Though my friends from the cadet academy call me 'Percy'”
The roegadyn, who Percy assumes is Wedge, nods. “Streighfer told us a new recruit was coming in for training, Biggs.” Percy's expression change upon the mention of the Captain le Wedge chuckles. “What's the matter kid? Did Streighfer give you the run through today?”
Percy nods glumly and the hume, Biggs apparently, starts laughing. “Hah! Streighfer is always running our new recruits into the ground. You'd think he'd let one or two survive a day before his merciless onslaught.”
Wedge joins in on the laughter. “The man gets his job done at least. More than we can get from the cadets after he puts em through the ringer.”
Percy, emboldened a bit by his comrades' laughter, grins. “Yeah, someone call the Warriors of Light cuz I sure could use a hero after today!”
As soon as the words leave Percy's mouth the room goes cold as an awkward silence quickly moves in to replace the laughter from the two men. Neither man is smiling anymore. Percy shifts awkwardly in place, his joyous grin shifted into a nervous smile. “H-Ha ha... why'd it get so quiet all of a sudden?”
Biggs looks to the ground and heaves a sigh. “Perce, you can't just joke about that sort of thing. You're new here so there's a bit of leeway to be had but you're lucky it's just me 'n Wedge in here with a remark like that. Some of the older members would have your throat.”
Wedge nods, a deep frown on his face. “I know we're on temporary duty here in Galdin Quay and some of the locals are fans of that lot but you have to think of your audience mate. Has no one told you what happened to Jack yet?”
When Percy shakes his head Wedge groans and rubs the back of his head.
“Used to be part of our unit. Was reassigned to Wutai. Him and his team were found absolutely slaughtered after they left for a routine patrol and the so called 'Warriors of Light' were reported in the area soon after. He had a wife and kids and now they're down a husband and father.”
Percy shrinks a bit, stuttering out a quiet. “B-But everyone was going on about h-how amazing they are....”
Biggs chuckles mirthlessly. “Well they are amazing at killing maybe. That lot is full of murder happy monsters if you ask me. You can't get that strong naturally. They're inhuman. Just imagine one of those fuckers getting turned loose and starts going against everybody. Mind control, tempering - even they can't be immune to it. It would be an absolute massacre.”
“U-Um...” Percy bites his lip. “H-How do you figure they got that strong in the first place?”
Wedge frowns and leans against the wall. “Not sure, though with the rumors going around there are plenty of theories. After the Thamasa incident with Ifrit's involvement? Some think they made a deal with a primordial like daft idiots. Magical alteration of their bodies is possible too but that's gotta be a horrific mess physically and mentally. Or if you believe the rumors occasionally going around lil miss Scarlet has an eye on the moogle so could even be connections or mechanical enhancements.”
Percy wilts, “B-But... aren't they supposed to be heroes? Wouldn't heroes have power granted to them from good things? And do good for good's sake?”
Biggs lets out a hollow laugh. “Percy, I'm going to teach you the two most important lessons you're going to learn out here. First, there's no such thing as a pure 'n good hero. That shit's for fairytales and storybooks. Even our great Emperor has to break a few eggs to make an omelet. And Second?”
His expression drops to something more grim. “Second, there's no such thing as good for good's sake. There's always a selfish reason to do anything and everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, has got somethin to hide.”