Laguna
sat in an armchair in Quistis’s office; he looked outside to see that the storm
had let up at bit, it was only raining but not thundering and lightning. He
continued to look out the window, thinking, while Selphie and Zell sat in a
nervous conversation.
He
noticed that they talked nothing about the current problems and talked about
their past-times at the Garden and how much their lives had changed since their
teenage years. A few times Laguna even heard Selphie force out a nervous ‘Tee
hee’ laugh.
He
focused his attention onto Quistis and Irvine who were deep into their
conversation that was not, however, about past-times and how their lives had
changed. They talked about the situation at hand… Laguna noticed that Quistis
had managed to push aside her mysterious sadness and take initiative again.
A
sudden bang of thunder made Laguna jump, the storm had come back in full force.
After settling down he continued listening to Quistis and Irvine, who had moved
on to the subject of Squall.
“It’s
just terrible… I mean what happened to their house. That was their life… I
couldn’t imagine what we would do if Selphie and I lost our house.” Laguna
heard Irvine say and saw Quistis nodding sadly and he looked at the ground
thinking, maybe…
“Maybe…”
he said interrupting their conversation. “… It’s better that it’s gone, in a
way.” He walked over to where they sat and stared at them, they looked at him
confusedly and continued listening.
“I
know it’s terrible… I mean, all of their stuff, it’s gone now, their life
almost destroyed but… it’s better this way. You know how they’ve been hiding,
trying to live a peaceful life and forget about who they were, including
Aurora, and what they did.” He said curtly.
“They
need to face that they are heroes, just like the rest of you guys… You guys
saved the world, from and evil sorceress which Aurora has the powers of. She’s
a sorceress just like her mother and it’s better that she knows and that they
don’t hide anymore.” He finished.
He
looked at their expressions that turned from confusion to acceptance. They
understood what he meant and accepted that. “Yes… I suppose that your right
Laguna, but you know we aren’t the only “heroes” here” Irvine said looking at
him, something twinkled in his eye.
“Laguna, you’ve had some adventures in your
time… done some major things I reckon! You even masterminded getting rid of
Sorceress Adel, twice and are helping a third.” He continued. “Before you
became president of Esthar you tricked Adel into that Sorceress Memorial place
then before the defeat of Ultimecia you told us when and how to beat her and
how to do the time compression travel.”
Laguna
looked at Irvine thoughtfully. “Yes… I suppose I did.” He said smirking and
noticed that Zell and Selphie had stopped talking and taken their attention
onto the their conversation.
He
looked at Quistis who smiled for the first time in two days then she quickly
erased it and turned to the window, her arms crossed on her chest. He looked to
Irvine then who was still smiling a little then also wiped it away quickly and
turned and walked over to Zell and Selphie and sat down.
Laguna
began to walk to the window to talk to Quistis about when they would head to
the Island closest to Hell but stopped and turned. He saw Squall walk out of
the elevator and towards them.
“So…
let’s head out…” he said. Laguna looked at Quistis again who turned and looked
at Squall blankly. “Shouldn’t we eat first… I mean, don’t we need some food, it
will strengthen us.” She said.
Laguna
looked at Squall once again. “I’m not hungry… if you guys want to eat you can,
I’ll wait in the Ragnarok.” He said
looking around at everyone who nodded in agreement with Squall.
At
that everyone stood up and followed Squall to the elevator and they headed to
the Ragnarok for their last training before the final fight…
Aurora
was sitting up in her bed, she heard the storm get louder and heavier after
what seemed to be a brief break in the storm. She stood up and walked over to
her dresser.
She
looked at the mirror for a second and noticed her eyes had turned darker. They
were no longer the bright blue that they were, they were turning to a dark hazy
blue. She looked once more and figured it was just her imagination but
remembered what she was.
She
rubbed her eyes hard and opened them again; the color had stayed the same.
(It’s… nothing… maybe just… nothing!) She thought quickly then opened her
drawer and looked inside.
She
saw her regular everyday out fit but decided on something else. She out on a
pair of black shorts and a white tank top. She put on a long, ankle length,
light purple vest made out of cotton and slipped on her black boot-shoes.
Looking into the mirror she brushed her hair
and put on her necklace with the Griever ring and walked over to her armchair
and sat down. On the table beside her was a telephone and she picked up the
receiver.
The
day before she had gotten Dawn’s number so she dialed it and Dawn picked up.
“Hello?” she said. Aurora answered quickly in a whisper, “Dawn? Look, You’ve
got to do me a huge favor and meet me at the cafeteria… I’ll be there soon.”
And waited for an answer.
“Umm…
sure Aurora… I’ll meet you… what’s wrong?” Dawn said in a low tone while Aurora
hissed, “No time now… I’ll tell you when I see you… just go, now.” And she hung
up the phone.
She
looked out the window once more and noticed that the storm stayed strong, the
wind beat the rain hard against the window so that there was only a sheet of
water on the window. Thunder boomed loud and lightning roared across the cloudy
sky.
Aurora
stood up and walked to her door and pulled it open. She saw Kiros and Ward
sitting on the bed playing a card game of some sort. She walked over and they
both stopped and looked at her, Kiros greeted her ‘Good Afternoon’ and Ward
smiled.
“Would
it be ok if I went to the cafeteria, I’m really hungry…” she said hastily,
trying to hurry so she could meet Dawn. She stared at the two who seemed to be
deep in consideration on the subject, Ward did some sort of hand gesture and
Kiros nodded and turned to Aurora.
“Yes…
I suppose that would be fine, we’re quite hungry too… and we have to stay with
you anyway.” Kiros said while getting up and stretching Ward also got up and
walked towards the door, his long robe swishing as he walked.
Aurora
nodded and they headed out… towards the cafeteria.
Dawn
sat at a table in the back of the cafeteria, sipping on her soft drink that she
bought when she arrived. Just as she began to wonder what was taking Aurora so
long she arrived in the cafeteria accompanied by a skinny black man and a
rather large white man, both looking at least three times her age dressed in
white robes.
She
saw Aurora say something to them and she got some food and a drink and walked
over to her table. The two men with her sat on the other side of the cafeteria
looking at her every once and while.
“What
is it? What’s wrong? Who are those men?” she hissed at Aurora who sat down
slowly and began eating quickly.
“Firstly,
those men are my grandfather’s friends, they are to stay with me… all day by
orders, secondly and thirdly, well that’s next.” She said with her mouth full.
Dawn
glanced back at the men who had moved a table closer but remained rather far
away. She watched as Aurora scarfed down her food and gulped her drink, then she
moved her chair closer and began to talk, finally.
“Look…
just listen… don’t interrupt.” Aurora said quietly then continued on. Dawn listened with a mixture of amazement
and worry as Aurora told her about what was going on.
How
her mother and her aunt had been kidnapped, by who, soldiers sent by a
sorceress that was after her, her mother and her aunt… but mostly her and that
her house had been completely destroyed by the same soldiers. They were looking
for her and her mother.
Dawn
was surprised when Aurora told her about what happened in the training center
after she left, when Dean cam onto her and she accidentally blasted him off and
he ran off terrified. She became interested when she heard about Aurora
overhearing the soldiers talking and running off and got attacked by dragon
creatures.
Dawn
listened even more interested when Aurora told her about how she was knocked to
the ground by the creatures and she thought that she was done for but some guy
with a gunblade, named Sirus ran and distracted the dragon creatures so that
she could get up.
The
mysterious guy told her to concentrate on ‘Ultima’ and then Aurora blasted away
all the creatures… not knowing how Sirus didn’t look surprised at all.
“Wait…
sorry… I’ve never heard of a Sirus… let alone a Sirus who uses a gunblade here
in the garden… nobody in any Garden has used a gunblade since, well you
father.” Dawn interrupted and saw that Aurora looked at her, with her eyes
widening.
“He…
said that he was from Galbadia Garden… visiting…” Aurora said quietly as Dawn
shook her head in disagreement, “Nobody has used a gunblade since your father,
Aurora. Not in any Garden.” She said.
Dawn
looked at Aurora’s startled face which quickly turned to annoyance, “Anyway…”
she said hastily and continued, she told her dream. The one with her mother,
dead… then about her father’s conversation and what she had heard, something
about a Seifer being the ruler of Esthar.
Dawn
stared at Aurora in shock, “Seifer… Seifer Almasy? The knight of Sorceress
Ultimecia?” she said looking into Aurora’s confused face. “Don’t tell me…
something else that I don’t know… don’t bother explaining, I don’t have time…
just listen to this…” she said.
Dawn
closed her mouth and looked at Aurora intently. “Ok… now… you’ve heard the plan
that I told you?” she said and Dawn nodded as Aurora continued.
“Well…
I’m going to… when the group comes back from that island training I’m going to
sneak onto the Ragnarok and hide in a lower compartment, you have to help me
though.” Dawn stared at her. “How?” she said in doubt.
“I’m
going to fake sick and stay in my bed, now I need you to come to the dorm room
door at 4:45 and knock, tell them that something’s happened, your friend is
hurt and you need someone and knowing them they will leave. During that time
I’ll sneak out and hide until they come back to the room then we’ll go to the
Ragnarok and the group won’t even know…” Aurora said.
Dawn
stared at her, “You want me to come???” she said in shock as Aurora nodded
fastly. She looked around to see the two men rising and walking slowly over and
she groaned loudly. “Oh… all right… see you then….” She hissed quietly.
She
watched as Aurora rose from her chair and joined the two men, she looked back
at her and winked as they walked out of the cafeteria.
Dawn
sighed loudly and sat for a moment before leaving. “I’m going to regret this….”
She muttered.
Aurora
arrived with Kiros and Ward back to the dorm room. She thanked them for
escorting her to the cafeteria then told them she’d be in her room reading
until her father came back and they both nodded.
She
walked silently into her room and sat on her bed, the storm banged up against
the window with full force… her room had become somewhat dark from the lack of
sun. She sat on her bed with one leg underneath her and put her pillow on her
lap. Her long blond hair hung loosely around her.
(Am I doing the right thing…? I mean… I know
that I don’t want to wait but I’ll be in so much danger…) she thought with
much doubt flowing over her but she quickly wiped it away. “Of course I’m doing
the right thing! Why wouldn’t I be?” she muttered to herself while getting up
to turn on her light.
She
grabbed her book called “The Days of
Destiny” and lay back so her back was against the wall and began to read.
(She awoke in a dark
slumber, in a darkened room. Nothing but walls were there with a small window
for light. In the corner lay her mother, Rinoa, curled up in a ball. Her
clothes were dirty and ripped a bit.
She tried to speak but no
words came out, she got up and tried to walk but she couldn’t, she was
paralyzed. She stood there, rather frightened and confused then a part of the
wall opened and several green soldiers marched in and picked up her mother and
took her away.
She tried to scream for them
to stop but still nothing came out. She tried to walk but couldn’t, all she
could still do was look around, helplessly. Out of nowhere there was a sudden
flash of white light.)
Aurora woke from her small sleep… “What’s going on? What’s happening?” she said quietly to herself, frightened. “It seemed so real… why am I having these dreams?”
She
sat there quietly, pondering what that was, why that was and where that was.
(Was it real?) She thought while staring out the window, into the vicious
storm.
Squall
sat in the co-pilot seat while Selphie flew the Ragnarok towards the Island
Closest to Hell. Upon their arrival Squall stood up and remade the groups that
would switch halfway through the time.
Firstly
Squall assigned Quistis, Laguna and Selphie to collect important magic and then
assigned himself, Irvine and Zell to go ahead and clear the path of monsters.
He looked at his watch, it read 1:30, and they were late. They only had until
4:30 until they had to be back at the garden.
“Ok…
my group will go ahead and clear the path around the island until 3:00 then we
switch. Quistis, your group will take the lead and let us get magic.” He said
formally as everyone nodded and followed him off the aircraft, Quistis’s team
waited a few minutes. Once outside they noticed it wasn’t raining on that part
of the world, but it was still cloudy.
Squall,
Zell and Irvine walked ahead slowly, making sure that they got most of the
monsters out of the other group’s way so it would be easier for them. There
wasn’t anything big, just Grendel’s mostly.
“Shh…
we’re approaching the T-Rexuar territory now.” Squall whispered and they
quieted down. All of the sudden a T-Rexuar ran out in front of them and let out
a loud roar. Squall drew out his Lionheart while Zell put on his gloves and
Irvine pulled out his gun and tipped his hat. They all readied themselves.
Before
the T-Rexuar attacked Irvine cast an Ultima on it. There was a huge explosion
and the T-Rexuar stood swaying back and forth, that was their chance to finish
it off. Squall was about to do Renzokuken but T-Rexuar quickly attacked at
swiped them with its tail. It hit all of them with such force that Irvine was
knocked out. Squall and Zell were left extremely weak.
Squall
limped over on his knee; Zell was bent holding his arm. He looked from Zell to
the T-Rexuar and saw what it was doing. The T-Rexuar was about to finish off
Zell, so Squall stood up and cast his Recover onto Zell instead of himself to
save him, it worked. Zell was hit hard but was left strong enough.
Squall
watched as Zell stood up straight and readied himself to attack but before he
had the chance to the T-Rexuar stuck again, this time on Squall. It ran to him
and bit down on his arm and side so hard it knocked him out right away, only
Zell was left then.
Squall
came to with a start. Zell stood over him holding a bottle, it looked to be a
phoenix down but he wasn’t sure. Squall stood up with the help of Zell and
slumped over a bit, still weak. He looked at Zell’s face, he was smiling quite broadly.
“Thanks
bud… more the help before.” He said while kneeling over Irvine to revive him.
“Oww…. Yeah, sure.” Squall replied holding the back of his head. “Next time we
need to be faster, more prepared, we could have died back there.”
“Yeah,
your right…” Zell said as Irvine stood up slowly, weak from being knocked just
like Squall was. They quickly healed themselves up and began walking again.
Squall noticed the other team wasn’t far behind, they must have seen the fight.
After
what seemed an eternal walk filled with fights, which they won. Some of them,
just barely. They stopped; it was now 3:00 time for a switch. Squall, Irvine
and Zell sat down and awaited Quistis’s group to arrive, they seemed to have
fallen back quite far.
“Squall…?”
Irvine said. Squall looked up, surprised someone was talking, there had been
complete silence for nearly and hour. “Yeah.” He said looking at Irvine who was
playing with the grass beside him, his hat tipped down so you could just see
his eyes.
“You
know… it may seem weird to talk about this now but I was just thinking about
back when we were younger. When you were a SeeD. Did you ever trust me?” he
said.
Squall
stared at him, unsure of what to say because the truth was he didn’t trust him
when they were younger, not until after the defeat of Ultimecia. He never knew
why, he just didn’t. “Well… I’ll tell you the truth, Irvine. Not at first, not
until after the Ultimecia battle…” he said quietly.
“Oh…
I sort of figured that… but why? We were ok when we were younger, like a lot
younger. When we were in that orphanage it wasn’t so bad, was it?” Irvine said
softly. “I mean, I know that you were sort of a loner… and especially once Sis
left… but you trusted me… and us then, right?”
Squall
thought for a moment and remembered back to the old days, when they were so
young that nothing but having fun mattered. He was somewhat a loner but still
had fun with them and he did trust them… even Irvine.
He
nodded and said, “Yes, I did trust you… I trusted everyone, but things change,
we were young, it was different. Why did you bring this up anyway?” He looked
at Irvine, waiting for an answer but Irvine looked to be considering what he
was going to say.
“I…
don’t know… I was just thinking about the old times, when we were all reunited…
it wasn’t easy then.” He said shrugging slightly; a piece of grass hung out his
mouth. “Oh… yeah it was hard then, but it’s hard now too.” Squall said softly
sitting up and looking around, Quistis’s group was near, about 20 meters away.”
“Zell…”
Squall said changing the subject and saw Zell jump a bit, he was sleeping.
“What… what is it…” he said standing up quickly and putting on his fighting
gloves. “Zell! It’s nothing, just calm down now. Selphie, Quistis and Laguna
are coming.” Irvine interjected as he stood up too.
Squall
also stood up and began walking towards the other group, Zell and Irvine
followed and they reached the other group. “How’d it go?” Quistis said first
looking at Squall worriedly.
“Oh,
you know, the same old. Almost killed a few times, knocked out…” he said
sarcastically but stopped, Quistis was giggling. “Hehehe…. I see you still
manage to be sarcastic in serious situations. Your still your old predictable
self you know.” She said still smiling.
“Wha…”
he started but Quistis finished his sentence. “…tever.” He stared at her and smirked a bit,
realizing how predictable he really was, no matter how many years had passed
by.
Squall
looked to Laguna and Selphie who were also smiling, then to Irvine and Zell who
were laughing. For the first time since they had all met they were laughing and
smiling together.
Squall
stopped quickly, thinking about what was happening again. He longed to have
Rinoa standing next to him doubling over in laughter along with his daughter
and Ellone.
“Anyway…
how did you guys do?” Squall said seriously wiping away his sudden urge to cry.
“Well,
we ran into a couple Grendels, four maybe… but they were easy. Other then that
we stocked up on all the necessary magic needed. The three of us have 100 of
Ultima, Aura, Triple, Curaga, Meteor and Full-life each.” She said suddenly
turning serious. “Back at the Garden we have other necessary magic like Death,
Protect, and Life if needed. We have a limitless stock of it.”
Squall
looked at her; pleased that she kept things so organized but supposed she was
used to it being the headmistress’ for 15 years. “That sounds fine… your group
should go ahead now… we’ll stay back and follow until 4:30 and stock up on the
same magic.” He said. “Let’s go.”
He
watched as Quistis lead the way, Selphie following closely with Laguna. He
waited until they were about 200 meters away then led the way and began
collected magic.
Laguna
followed closely behind Selphie as they walked quickly, looking around for
monsters. They were in Ruby Dragon territory. He remembered the incident when
he was young and had to make money in a movie and was confronted with a Ruby
Dragon. He had to use a Gunblade to get past and barely did that.
They
slowed down and Quistis had heard something. He looked around and off in the
distance was a Ruby Dragon, flapping its wings furiously, it had seen them and
they were invading on its territory.
“C’mon…
Let’s kick this things ass!” Laguna heard Quistis say, surprised by her
attitude. He always thought she was calmer but now she was acting like Zell
when he was excited.
They
ran to the dragon and stopped in front of it as it watched them furiously.
Laguna watched in amazement as Quistis stepped up and cracked her whip hard at
the dragon’s eye. The dragon roared in pain and put a fire spell onto Quistis,
which knocked her over, but she stood up right away and put a high potion on
herself.
Laguna
stepped up and cast triple onto himself then quickly cast Aura on all of them.
He looked at Selphie as she stepped up and cast a double Ultima on the dragon
that barely made the dragon wobble, this one was strong.
He
stepped up and focused hard. A vine swung down from mid air and he clung onto
it shooting the dragon non-stop then let go and threw a grenade at the dragon
that exploded leaving the dragon only slightly weaker.
He
stepped back and watched as the dragon readied itself and it did its fire
breathe attack on them. This left all three nearly dead, barely standing. He
was about to cure himself quickly but saw Selphie step forward and she cast
Full-Cure on them bringing them to full health again.
He
stepped forward to draw from the dragon but it didn’t work so he stepped back
again and watched as Quistis stepped forward and cast Mighty Guard on them. “On
the count of three, cast triple ultima!” she shouted over the dragons roars.
“One… two… three!”
They
all cast their triple Ultima, this killed it immediately, and it left it no
time to heal itself. They all slumped down tired but pleased that they did that
so fast.
Laguna
was about to say something but Quistis stood up and started walking, without
and word said. Both Laguna and Selphie looked at each other, wondering what was
going on with her but said nothing and followed silently.
They
continued walking for and hour and 15 minutes and slowed down knowing they
would have to go back soon. Laguna ran up beside Quistis after Selphie had
walked over to the ocean edge and was playing around in the water while
walking.
“What’s
going on with you, Quistis? Does this have anything to do with Seifer?” he said
quietly so that Selphie wouldn’t overhear them. “What do you mean and why do
you think this has to do with Seifer?” she said, but Laguna could tell she was
hiding something.
“Look…
I know its hard to open up sometimes but weren’t you the one who helped teach
my son all about that… if anyone knows that opening up is better then closing
off it’s you.” He said even more quiet, ignoring Selphie’s giggling as she ran
in and out of the water. No matter how old she was she acted like was still 10.
He
stared at Quistis, her face had turned to a frown, and she seemed to be
considering telling him as she bit her lip and turned to look at him. “I know
it’s better… but you won’t understand… nobody will.” She said softly, in a
longing voice.
“I
may not understand, but I’ll listen… and I won’t tell anyone if you don’t want
me too… but I know that you need to get this out.” He said looking closely at
her face which had turned from a frown to a slight smirk.
“Who
made you so smart?” she said sarcastically. Laguna shrugged and urged her to
talk and she did. “Yes… Seifer has everything to do with this…” she said
quietly. “A long time ago, before the Seifer became possessed by Ultimecia we
had ‘thing’ going on, that nobody knew about, and nobody could know about. I
thought I was in love with Squall but when Seifer became older I fell for him…”
Laguna
was shocked that she thought she was in love with Squall, and that she was in
love with Seifer but said nothing and let her continue. “We saw each other
sometimes and he loved me too, then he became hypnotized and I didn’t see him
after that, I longed to but he was the enemy. As you know, after the Ultimecia
battle Seifer disappeared for some years, then about 5 years ago he came back
in secret. He came back to me… he remembered.”
“I
see….” Laguna started but Quistis put her hand up to stop him and she
continued. “He had put on a new identity and by night came to see me, we became
very close again. I was never sure why I loved him so much, but I did… I just
did. About three months ago he came to the Garden to see me again but this time
he had a ring.”
“You
don’t mean….” Laguna started and Quistis looked at him sadly. “We’re engaged…
and he’s gone again… gone. We were going to start a knew life together… I was
going to hand the Garden to Zell and his wife and we were going to live in
peace but now Adel has got a hold on him, one I’m afraid he won’t be able to
get out of…”
Laguna
was speechless; this was the last thing he had expected… Quistis Trepe and
Seifer Almasy, together in marriage. Somehow he understood though, he knew that
love was mysterious and it worked in funny ways. “Wow… Quistis… you’re…
engaged? To Seifer?” he said while looking at Quistis’s sad face. He knew what
she was afraid of.
“You’re
not going to lose him… I personally will make sure of that…” he said softly
looking at her sadness turning into confusion. “What? You mean your not going
to kill him… You don’t think he’s evil?” she said.
“No…
I’m not going to kill him, nobody is. Adel has got him hypnotized, its not his
fault.” He said pointedly. “It never was his fault. He was never and isn’t
evil, he just has that mind… one that can be taken over easily. I love him” she
said quietly looking down at the ground.
“I
know you do… I know what’s its like to love someone and have them gone, that’s
why Seifer is not going to die.” He said softly as Quistis looked at him and
smiled. He hugged her tight and let go when he heard Selphie yell that Squall’s
group was arriving.
Once
Squall’s group arrived only few words were said about their current magic
status and they set off to the Ragnarok, after take off Laguna walked down to
the passenger deck and looked out the window at the passing scenery.
The
sky had once again began to fill with lightning as they headed towards the
mobile garden. He stared out the window, his hands in his pockets just
thinking, he let out a long heavy sigh. (Rinoa, Ellone… gone… I wonder if we’ll
actually be able to save them… or if they’re already dead and this is a trap…
Seifer, Seifer Almasy and Quistis, how can they be together. The two most
unalike people I know engaged. Is he good enough… or is he faking it….)
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