Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy, as much as that reality would make me happy. I own this story. The reason I wrote is because I'm going to go farther back to Raine and I wanted to make this first. So blah blah blah, read and review it.
I was resting, listening to the gentle rain descend outside. A storm was ready to come down. I could feel the humidity and the energy rising around the orphanage earlier that day. Now I could hear the rumbling thunder in the distance.
" Sis," a little voice whispered in concern. A boy crawled onto my bed next to me. He knew the storm was coming too. His sad gray eyes looked into mine with worry.
" I need you. I'm scared," the small child cuddled up with me.
" Don't worry. No matter how terrible the storm is, it'll blow away. You have to hold on to hope and be brave," I wrapped my arms around him.
" I'll try sis," the boy drifted into sleep.
Instead of joining him in slumber, I thought about my own words. If my advice was right, then one big storm was just now starting to fade away. I wish Uncle Laguna would come. I know he can't, but I want him to be here. It's hard being having the strong one most of the time. Ever since Raine died, and I had to come to this place. I miss her too. They weren't my blood family, but they were people who loved me and whom I loved more than anyone or anything else.
But it's not so bad. I still have Squall. I had to be strong for him. He needs to be loved. He hasn't really became that close with the other children his age here. He just got attached to me. I wish he would get closer to the younger children here. I didn't want him to be crushed if I didn't turn out strong enough to protect him. He was a happy toddler. He always tried to help when he could. I felt awful because I am living proof on how that innocent bliss can be taken away. But I refused to allow Squall to taste my pain. He's too young to have to know the heartache of his mother's death. I wanted him to feel wanted.
" Elle," another voice called from the door. It was Matron. She beckoned me to come into the other room. I sat up and looked at Squall. I wrapped the blankets around him tightly. I lingered to watch him sleep for a few moments, then I quietly walked into the other room. It was dark, but the lighthouse outside gleamed into the room just enough to see. Matron stood by the window, glancing out on the lighthouse.
" Ellone, there is a problem," Matron bit her lip.
" What?" I took a step closer.
" I'm afraid that you might have to leave," she let down her head.
" Leave? Why?" I took another step.
" There is a possibility you aren't safe here. I thought you'd be protected in my home, but I was wrong. I don't want you to end up kidnapped again. I can't let that happen," she turned her face once again to the window.
" What's going to happen?" I approached the window.
" Tomorrow, I sent a message to my White SeeDs. They're like my other children. They will take you on their ship as soon as possible and you'll be finally safe," she replied.
" Please don't make me leave," I held back my tears.
" I'm sorry, Elle. You have a gift and people want to hurt you because they're greedy for it. If they find out you're staying here, they'll come and take you away. They may even hurt the other children here. I don't anyone to get hurt," she faced me.
" What about Squall? I can't leave him here," I closed my eyes.
" He'll be all right here."
" Can't I take Squall along with me? I don't want him to be alone," I pleaded.
" He can't spend his childhood on a ship hiding from the world. You don't have the choice not to hide. But for his sake, give him a chance to not have to live in fear."
" I guess you're right. I have no choice. I'd hate to leave him though. He's still so young, he might forget his whole past. He's too young to understand about his parents."
" What's going on?" a little boy peeked through the doorway. Besides him, there was a little girl. I was relieved that it wasn't Squall.
" Quistis. Seifer. Get back to bed now," Matron scolded them gently. The two hesitated, but went back to their beds.
" You won't have to hide forever Ellone. It's just temporary until the threat is over."
" If I stayed, and bad people came, would they hurt him?" I peered out the window. The storm had finally came and it was down pouring. Lightening struck over the water and the beach, slightly blinding me than vanishing as fast as it had appeared.
" They might, as well as the other little children here."
" I'll do it, but not to protect myself. I'll do it to save Squall," I inescapably agreed.
" That the ship will come tomorrow night. Get your rest," Matron nodded.
I returned to my bed. I held Squall tighter. I tried not to cry. If I cried, he might wake up and ask why? Then I'd cry harder. I closed my eyes and prayed the conversation with Matron never occurred. And if I couldn't pretend that, I hoped I'd always remember this moment.
" Sis! You're right! You were right!" Squall yelled excited. I opened my eyes to the morning light. Squall was bouncing up and down on my bed.
" What?" I said, trying to wake up.
" The storm did go away! See, the sun's out," Squall smiled.
" Yeah, my eyes hurt," I stepped out of bed. Squall jumped off the bed and went to the window.
" Can we go outside?" he wondered, watching the other kids play.
" You go ahead first. I'll be out soon," I nodded.
" Hurry!" he ran out of the room.
How was I supposed to tell him? I have to do it or he'll never forgive me.
I came outside to where the children were. Some of the kids were playing a game that looked like kickball. Squall was about to join them, but he saw me. He grinned happily and ran to me. He took my hand and led me closer to the water. I slid off my shoes and stepped in the water with him. It felt frozen to my feet, but I didn't let that bother me. Squall held my hand and kicked at the water with his foot playfully. I laughed. Then something on the horizon caught my eye. It was a ship.
" They're early," I whispered to myself. They were supposed to come until tonight. Squall turned his head to the horizon and his smile faded. His lip started trembling. He tugged on my arm.
" Squall, I have to tell you something important," I started.
" It's not true. You're not leaving, are you?" he looked up at me.
" Who told you that?" I replied.
" Quisty said you might be going away. It's not true, is it?" he said.
" I have to go," I reluctantly said.
" No!" he held onto my arm tight.
" I'm sorry," I tried not to cry.
" Don't go!" he sobbed. I kneeled down besides him.
" I have to leave soon, but I promise you I'll come back. You will see me again, okay?" I vowed.
" You promise?" he stopped crying.
" I do," I hugged him.
" I'll be fine all by myself, as long as you come back to me," he said.
" You don't have to be alone, Squall. Make friends with the kids here and you'll be all right," I said. The ship had landed now.
" Ellone! It's time to go," Matron called out.
" Bye sis," Squall looked at me sadly.
" No, it's not goodbye because it's not forever," I said.
" Okay, I'll see ya soon." he said.
" I'll miss you. But do you know what you can have to remember me?" I smiled.
" What?" he asked curiously. I pulled it out of my pocket. It was a ring. It had sorta a lion or griffin incurved on it.
" It's a neat ring. I think Raine gave it me," I placed it in his hands.
" Who's Raine?" he asked.
" You know the stories I tell you sometimes? Raine is a nice lady from them," I replied. He nodded. I gave him one more hug then started for the ship.
" Don't forget me!" Squall waved. I waved back in acknowledgement.
I went aboard the ship. There were young people dressed in white around me. The ship left the land and sailed away. As it moved away, I saw Squall standing and watching until I was too far away to see him.
" Oooh," I moaned. How could I leave like that? I went to my quarters and eventually cried those tears I had kept back for so long.
I was resting, listening to the gentle rain descend outside. A storm was ready to come down. I could feel the humidity and the energy rising around the orphanage earlier that day. Now I could hear the rumbling thunder in the distance.
" Sis," a little voice whispered in concern. A boy crawled onto my bed next to me. He knew the storm was coming too. His sad gray eyes looked into mine with worry.
" I need you. I'm scared," the small child cuddled up with me.
" Don't worry. No matter how terrible the storm is, it'll blow away. You have to hold on to hope and be brave," I wrapped my arms around him.
" I'll try sis," the boy drifted into sleep.
Instead of joining him in slumber, I thought about my own words. If my advice was right, then one big storm was just now starting to fade away. I wish Uncle Laguna would come. I know he can't, but I want him to be here. It's hard being having the strong one most of the time. Ever since Raine died, and I had to come to this place. I miss her too. They weren't my blood family, but they were people who loved me and whom I loved more than anyone or anything else.
But it's not so bad. I still have Squall. I had to be strong for him. He needs to be loved. He hasn't really became that close with the other children his age here. He just got attached to me. I wish he would get closer to the younger children here. I didn't want him to be crushed if I didn't turn out strong enough to protect him. He was a happy toddler. He always tried to help when he could. I felt awful because I am living proof on how that innocent bliss can be taken away. But I refused to allow Squall to taste my pain. He's too young to have to know the heartache of his mother's death. I wanted him to feel wanted.
" Elle," another voice called from the door. It was Matron. She beckoned me to come into the other room. I sat up and looked at Squall. I wrapped the blankets around him tightly. I lingered to watch him sleep for a few moments, then I quietly walked into the other room. It was dark, but the lighthouse outside gleamed into the room just enough to see. Matron stood by the window, glancing out on the lighthouse.
" Ellone, there is a problem," Matron bit her lip.
" What?" I took a step closer.
" I'm afraid that you might have to leave," she let down her head.
" Leave? Why?" I took another step.
" There is a possibility you aren't safe here. I thought you'd be protected in my home, but I was wrong. I don't want you to end up kidnapped again. I can't let that happen," she turned her face once again to the window.
" What's going to happen?" I approached the window.
" Tomorrow, I sent a message to my White SeeDs. They're like my other children. They will take you on their ship as soon as possible and you'll be finally safe," she replied.
" Please don't make me leave," I held back my tears.
" I'm sorry, Elle. You have a gift and people want to hurt you because they're greedy for it. If they find out you're staying here, they'll come and take you away. They may even hurt the other children here. I don't anyone to get hurt," she faced me.
" What about Squall? I can't leave him here," I closed my eyes.
" He'll be all right here."
" Can't I take Squall along with me? I don't want him to be alone," I pleaded.
" He can't spend his childhood on a ship hiding from the world. You don't have the choice not to hide. But for his sake, give him a chance to not have to live in fear."
" I guess you're right. I have no choice. I'd hate to leave him though. He's still so young, he might forget his whole past. He's too young to understand about his parents."
" What's going on?" a little boy peeked through the doorway. Besides him, there was a little girl. I was relieved that it wasn't Squall.
" Quistis. Seifer. Get back to bed now," Matron scolded them gently. The two hesitated, but went back to their beds.
" You won't have to hide forever Ellone. It's just temporary until the threat is over."
" If I stayed, and bad people came, would they hurt him?" I peered out the window. The storm had finally came and it was down pouring. Lightening struck over the water and the beach, slightly blinding me than vanishing as fast as it had appeared.
" They might, as well as the other little children here."
" I'll do it, but not to protect myself. I'll do it to save Squall," I inescapably agreed.
" That the ship will come tomorrow night. Get your rest," Matron nodded.
I returned to my bed. I held Squall tighter. I tried not to cry. If I cried, he might wake up and ask why? Then I'd cry harder. I closed my eyes and prayed the conversation with Matron never occurred. And if I couldn't pretend that, I hoped I'd always remember this moment.
" Sis! You're right! You were right!" Squall yelled excited. I opened my eyes to the morning light. Squall was bouncing up and down on my bed.
" What?" I said, trying to wake up.
" The storm did go away! See, the sun's out," Squall smiled.
" Yeah, my eyes hurt," I stepped out of bed. Squall jumped off the bed and went to the window.
" Can we go outside?" he wondered, watching the other kids play.
" You go ahead first. I'll be out soon," I nodded.
" Hurry!" he ran out of the room.
How was I supposed to tell him? I have to do it or he'll never forgive me.
I came outside to where the children were. Some of the kids were playing a game that looked like kickball. Squall was about to join them, but he saw me. He grinned happily and ran to me. He took my hand and led me closer to the water. I slid off my shoes and stepped in the water with him. It felt frozen to my feet, but I didn't let that bother me. Squall held my hand and kicked at the water with his foot playfully. I laughed. Then something on the horizon caught my eye. It was a ship.
" They're early," I whispered to myself. They were supposed to come until tonight. Squall turned his head to the horizon and his smile faded. His lip started trembling. He tugged on my arm.
" Squall, I have to tell you something important," I started.
" It's not true. You're not leaving, are you?" he looked up at me.
" Who told you that?" I replied.
" Quisty said you might be going away. It's not true, is it?" he said.
" I have to go," I reluctantly said.
" No!" he held onto my arm tight.
" I'm sorry," I tried not to cry.
" Don't go!" he sobbed. I kneeled down besides him.
" I have to leave soon, but I promise you I'll come back. You will see me again, okay?" I vowed.
" You promise?" he stopped crying.
" I do," I hugged him.
" I'll be fine all by myself, as long as you come back to me," he said.
" You don't have to be alone, Squall. Make friends with the kids here and you'll be all right," I said. The ship had landed now.
" Ellone! It's time to go," Matron called out.
" Bye sis," Squall looked at me sadly.
" No, it's not goodbye because it's not forever," I said.
" Okay, I'll see ya soon." he said.
" I'll miss you. But do you know what you can have to remember me?" I smiled.
" What?" he asked curiously. I pulled it out of my pocket. It was a ring. It had sorta a lion or griffin incurved on it.
" It's a neat ring. I think Raine gave it me," I placed it in his hands.
" Who's Raine?" he asked.
" You know the stories I tell you sometimes? Raine is a nice lady from them," I replied. He nodded. I gave him one more hug then started for the ship.
" Don't forget me!" Squall waved. I waved back in acknowledgement.
I went aboard the ship. There were young people dressed in white around me. The ship left the land and sailed away. As it moved away, I saw Squall standing and watching until I was too far away to see him.
" Oooh," I moaned. How could I leave like that? I went to my quarters and eventually cried those tears I had kept back for so long.
