No, it isn't I Want to be Your Canary.

[brewing-storm.livejournal.com]

Characters: Squall, Quistis, Cloud, and Lightning (+1 Ninja World Leader)
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: the clouds gather, a squall descends, and lightning flashes Cloud wants to open up communications with Garden. Garden could, of course, use the business.
Location: G Garden
Date: Just before heading to Figaro 8| idk when that was?
Warnings: Storm of :|


Squall Leonhart, Commander of Garden, stood very much like the proud figure he was, stance as relaxed as it ever could be at Galbadia Garden's entrance. He wasn't a particularly imposing sort, not exactly. Youth had a way of belying the little things. And, at the very least, he could make it a point of meeting Cloud Strife half way in this matter.

They were going to need connections.

Not just people, but organizations, companies, people who could help provide information and income. Cloud's rag-tag group, if this was successful, would perhaps be a little less competition, so to speak. Either it he sliced it, Squall figured that it was a better benefit than anything else.

However, he didn't expect to be able to manage all the smaller details on his own. It was going to be a complicated matter in and of itself.

He just better be as on time as he says he's going to be...

Comments

[herownhero.livejournal.com]

Having been informed of the meeting hours prior, Quistis showed up to the gates of Galbadia Garden a bit earlier than the designated meeting time, dressed in her SeeD uniform for added professionalism. She was hardly surprised that Squall had called upon her to partake in the liaison meeting-- though her presence was required as it was part of her duties as Second-in-Command, her diplomatic reasoning would also prove to be useful during negotiations.

Spotting Squall, Quistis moved to stand beside the Commander, taking a brief moment to give the male a small nod and a smile. She then shifted her gaze forward, her hands clasped loosely behind her back as she patiently awaited the arrival of their guests. Punctuality said much about a person-- she hoped that their future partners would arrive on time, or else they would already be at a disadvantage in regards to their pending affiliation.

[loveandstrife.livejournal.com]

Cloud had asked both Lightning and Yuffie to attend the meeting with him. While having Lightning there would prove their military capabilities better than his own stint in ShinRa, having Yuffie - the Wutaian Princess - with them would show their connections outside of simply being a civilian-run eco-terrorist organisation. It was the fact that they were, in fact, terrorists that made them be seen in a bad light, but if that was brought up he was willing to explain just exactly how they came to be known as terrorists.

It wasn't like they'd done it for bad reasons, just possibly in a bad way to begin with. The bombings on the Mako Reactors hadn't been a clever idea, but he'd just been hired help then. They'd soon got their act together when he took the reins of AVALANCHE.

Rather early for the meeting, Cloud wondered if it'd be bad etiquette to go on in anyway, or if waiting was a better idea. Deciding he'd just get antsy if he waited, Cloud led his female companions into Garden, pausing at the sight of Squall and Quistis, irritated just a little that Lightning towered over all of them. She was too tall, damnit!

Nodding politely, Cloud offered a gloved hand for greeting, hoping either Lightning or Yuffie would make the introductions, considering he couldn't talk.

[championofwutai.livejournal.com]

Yuffie was actually pretty stoked that Cloud had asked her to go along. Yes it was for AVALANCHE business, to get them integrated into Gaian society as the group to come to for all of your saving the world needs, but as a leader, she wanted Wutai to have more allies. It was rebuilding, and she wanted people she could count on besides her friends.

She was nearly bursting with excitement. Introductions were her thing, and Lightning didn't seem like the talking a lot type from what she had seen at their meeting.

"This is Cloud Strife, Leader of AVALANCHE. He'd introduce himself, but he's short one voice at the moment. The lady next to us is Lightning Farron, and I'm Yuffie Kisaragi, Princess of Wutai."

She hated adding her own title onto there, but it was necessary for the moment. And look Cloud, aren't you proud of her? No dramatic speeches or anything.

[fulminous.livejournal.com]

Lightning had been rather surprised, at first, that Cloud had asked her to come along with he and Yuffie as liasons to the Garden. Her military training would serve them well, though, and on their way to their place of business, Lightning had thought about it some more and come to the same conclusion Cloud had: that it would be beneficial to have someone with a larger background in the ways of the Army and military.

Trailing along behind Cloud and Yuffie, Lightning glanced around at the entrance way to the Garden, coming to a full stop next to Cloud as Yuffie introduced them. She bowed slightly, and nodded towards Squall and Quistis.

[brewing-storm.livejournal.com]

For a moment, Squall studied them, glance near-ciritcal. Calculating. For all the time he'd spent learning diplomacy, regardless of not really having the nuances for it, he'd never really imagined himself in this situation. SeeD couldn't really be much better, all things considered, right? Not everyone viewed mercenaries as much better than terrorists, either.

If Cloud had a good explanation, who was he to argue?

Lips pressed into a thin line, the young man politely shook Cloud's hand, grip firm, working in his mind what he wanted to say. "Squall Leonhart, Commander of SeeD." It was better than nothing. And the title fell, clipped, and cold. Squall didn't have a liking for it, but it seemed universally understood.

His head tipped slightly over to the blond next to him. "Quistis Trepe, my Second-In-Command." The princess of Wutai, too? Guess these guys mean business. Not that Squall had expected anything less. He actually had a rather distinct gut-feeling about it.

[herownhero.livejournal.com]

Quistis wasn't too surprised when she spotted Lightning out of the trio-- she had seen the other woman's name along the list of AVALANCHE members, and figured that the other organization had gotten to the female before SeeD had. It was Yuffie's presence which caught her off-guard-- she hadn't expected for the Wutaian Princess to come along for negotiations, but she was definitely welcomed. Perhaps they would be able to kill two birds with one stone during the meeting; setting up an alliance with both AVALANCHE and Wutai could be beneficial to all three parties.

As Squall made their introductions, Quistis gave their guests a warm smile and a small nod of acknowledgment before she shook Cloud's offered hand. While maintaining an air of professionalism was important, Quistis also believed that being approachable was equally as vital-- intimidation was a tool to be used against enemies, not allies.

"I believe I've conversed with most of you over the MoogleNET before. A pleasure to finally meet you all in person." Her words came out confidently as she moved to step back next to Squall. She then lifted a hand, gesturing the school situated behind them. "Shall we move our meeting inside?"

[loveandstrife.livejournal.com]

Giving a small nod to each of them, Cloud followed after Quistis, pressing his hand gently against Yuffie's back to urge her forward, not comfortable with physical contact with Lightning and simply gesturing for her to follow. It took a lot to make Cloud suffer physical contact with anyone these days, but Yuffie was on the list of people he'd allow to hug him without punching them in the face five seconds later.

Garden was what he remembered. Technological, and simple enough for someone from a world like his to figure out. He'd helped Rinoa and Tidus fly it, that much he recalled, and it'd been pretty damn easy to do so.

Hands at his sides, Cloud followed the group, keeping his eye on Yuffie and her sticky fingers.

[championofwutai.livejournal.com]

Yuffie stumbles forward a but at Cloud's insistence, giving him quick glare. "Inside is good."

The princess had never seen inside Garden before, so all this was new to her. It was much like back home on the planet, so the technology was welcomed. "Nice place you've got here, guys."

Cloud, Yuffie was not gonna steal anything. You worry too much. They don't have materia.

[fulminous.livejournal.com]

Garden itself didn't phase Lightning much -- it was a bit too old school in terms of Technology for her, but she was still comfortable all the same. She followed Cloud and Yuffie inside, ignoring the various students who opted to stop and stare at the group making their way inside.