I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 8 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(

Chapter Five

Little Flower

Everyone followed Rinoa in silence, not truly wanted to talk as they made their way through the city. They talked to locals around the area before being attacked by some Galbadian soldiers outside of the pub before finally heading towards the TV Station through a back alley after learning that there was too many guards around the president. Lucia didn't like any of this; or maybe it was still the feeling that she had due to that man on the train. He had come looking for her. What had he wanted?

"So we can't just rush in," Rinoa commented, thinking. "We've gotta come up with a new plan now! If the president leaves, maybe the guards will be gone, too? That's when we do OUR broadcast. It might not be as influential but it's better than nothing, right? We don't stand a chance if we take 'em head on, right?"

"Don't worry about us." Squall told her. "We'll fight your enemies based on your decision. That's our duty."

"You tell us to do it, we will." Rayna agreed. "Even if it is a losing battle."

"How sad…" Rinoa hung her head. "Act on my decision? That's your duty? Oh, what an easy life it must be, just to follow orders…you weren't like this, Rayna, and neither was Keiran."

"Yeah, well, it's better than what we would have done!" Rayna's voice wasn't loud, but it was sharp and cold.

Lucia put a stop to this now. "Doesn't matter what you think. Let's just get on with finishing this mission. I doubt you'll be helpful, though."

Rinoa glared at her. "Say that to my face!"

Lucia, narrowing her eyes, took a step forward to reply but Squall cut her off. "Let's just get this over with."

"No, she started it, so let her finish it!" Rinoa growled.

Lucia just glared at the other woman and crossed her arms before turning away.

Squall decided to answer her. "How serious are you? Really? The three of you plop down on the floor to discuss strategy? On top of that, you can't make a decision without our input, right? How do you think we feel, working for such an organization?" Lucia had to hide a smirk. He was being blunt, but it was something that Rinoa needed to hear.

The said woman hung her head. "You know…maybe this was all a big mistake. I thought everything would work out fine once SeeD came to help us," She turned from them. "But I guess it's not that easy. You were all hired. It's not like you're once of us. Um, let's see…we'll cancel the plan and we'll disperse for now. We don't stand a chance if we take 'em head on, right? So…you guys probably think this s all a game to us, well, it's not! We're serious! So serious, it hurts!" They all watched as Rinoa ran off.

"Are you sure that's your sister?" Lucia asked.

Rayna stayed silent, staring after the running woman; she turned again when the screen began to shudder. "Are they starting?" She asked.

"Looks like it." Squall nodded.

They all watched as the podium the president would speak at came into view and the people moved across the screen until the president came forward.

"Greetings, I am Vinzer Deling, Lifelong President of Galbadia. Today, I stand before you to make the following proposition. We the people of this world have the power to end all wars."

"A peace proposal?" Lucia asked aloud, surprised.

"Unfortunantly, there are some trifling problems standing between Galbadia and other nations, and they must be resolved. I plan to convene with other nations' leaders immediately to resolved these problems. At this time, allow me to introduce the ambassador who will be my representative for the conference. The ambassador is the Sorceress…"

"The Sorceress?" Squall repeated.

At that moment, believe it or not, Seifer popped up on the screen, raising havoc before grabbing the President captive. Quistis popped up moments later, warning the guards to stay back.

"What are we going to do?" Lucia asked.

Squall closed his eyes. "Nothing. We're here to assist the Owls. It is none of our business."

Lucia opened her mouth to argue but Quistis beat her to it.

"Timber team, are you watching? Get over here right now~! You HAVE permission! I need your help!"

"Well, there goes that," Rayna sighed, turning to lead the way down the bridge to the TV Station.

Squall followed after her but Lucia stayed there, watching as the Screen faded out again. Seifer and Quistis were both here, did that mean her sister was as well? She should have known that her sister would come looking for her when she learned that she wasn't in her room that morning. Why hadn't she thought about that beforehand?

"And here is the little rabbit, lost in the fox's den."

Lucia froze at the voice, recognizing it from earlier that morning. She turned slowly. There he was again, that man from the train. He looked even more ominous with that half-smirk on his face as the wind blew his tied hair around behind his head. "You again."

"It must be fate, Lucia Sirea," The man told her. He lifted his right hand into the air and she watched, in amazement, as a red rose appeared in his hand. "To run into you twice in one day. I am pleased to know that I am right."

"Right?" She used all her strength to not shake. "Right about what?"

"About you, little flower." His hand was huge but he held the rose carefully, smiling as he gazed at the red petals. "She will soon learn that I am always right." His deep blue eyes lifted to her face and Lucia found herself staring into large pools of pain and sadness. Something had happened to this man, and something bad. But what? What had he gone through?

"What do you want with me?" She asked him. Her voice trembled a bit. This man, his size alone, made her scared.

"You will be the one to save us all, little flower," The rose disappeared from his hand before he held it out to her much like he had on the train. "I ask you to come with me."

"Come with you where?"

"You need not worry. I will protect you from anything."

At his words, Lucia felt her trembling come to an unexplainable halt. She could feel…truth in his words. She envisioned herself in those strong arms for a moment, them bulging and firm as he held her against his skin. She lifted a finger and traced down the scar on his chest.

~Whoa!~ She cried to herself, blushing as she yanked herself from her thoughts. ~You're reading too many romance novels,~

"What is your name?" She asked him, trying to return her face to normal.

He smiled at her again; the look on his face refused to let her blush and beating heart calm down. "You may call me Lucas, little flower."

"Lucas," She tried the name on her tongue. "What is it that you need me for? Why me? I am not the strongest. I am not the smartest. Why me?"

"Precisely," She blinked. He was no longer standing before her but behind her, his lips only moments away from her ear. His warm breath sent a shiver down her back as Goosebumps popped up everywhere. "You don't know anything about what you hold, little flower. And we intend to fix that."

"We?" She asked him. She froze again as one of his arms slid around her waist, the other around her neck as he moved to speak in her other ear.

"All you have to do is trust me, little flower. Nothing will harm you." Suddenly, a strange feeling settled in her stomach. It wasn't one she had felt before and it made her nervous. She pulled away from him, surprised when he let her go. He still wore that smile on his face. "It is natural to be unsure and cautious, but eventually, you will agree to come with me. One way or another."

She firmed her face. That was a threat but he said it so casually. She wasn't going to take it. Lifted her hands, she knocked the bracelet against her wrist and light spiraled in her hands, forming her sword. "My apologies, Lucas, but I must decline your offer."

Lucas smiled. "You call yourself not a warrior. You claim you do not like to be a part of Garden," Lucia stared at him in shock. How had he known that? "Yet here you are, holding your blade at me. I believe that you don't even know yourself, Lucia Sirea," His eyes had grown hard. "And perhaps I should show you the answer that you are looking for." He began to step towards her. "You stand there, ready to fight me even after what you witnessed on the train with your friends. That man, Keiran Heartilly, yes? The strongest cadet in SeeD and even he could do nothing to me." He loomed over the 16-year-old like a mountain. "What do you believe you can do?"

Her knees shook. The man was right. What could she possibly do? Keiran had been thrown aside with a mere flick to the forehead. This man could rip her apart in seconds.

Suddenly, she felt the wind beginning to get rough. She knew what that meant and jumped out of the side in seconds, watched as a blade-like wind rushed past her, hitting Lucas fully in the chest. She turned to the left, her face with a smile as relief flooded through her.

"Lurena!"

Lucia's older sister, her own blade in her hand, ran forward with a firm glare on her face as she placed herself in front of her sister. "Are you all right? Did he hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine."

"And so the older sister makes her entrance," Lucas' voice was full of laughter. "Too bad."

Lucia was shocked. Her sister was strong, but her attack had done nothing other than shove the man a few inches back along the bridge. You couldn't even tell that the attack had hit him. This man…he was a monster.

"You will refrain from addressing my sister again." Lurena growled.

Lucas threw his head back with a laugh but didn't move forward. "I'm afraid that our talk has come to a conclusion again, little flower. Again, until next time."

And he was gone. Again. Did he not like to fight? Or was he just toying with her? What was going on? It made no sense to her!

Lurena's hug brought her sister from her thoughts. "Thank god you're all right!" she cried. "When you weren't in your room, I feared the worst!"

"How did you know where I was?" Lucia asked her.

Lurena pulled back, her sword returning to the bracelet she wore on her arm. Lucia's did the same. "Squall called me."

Lucia pulled a surprised face. "Squall?"

"Yes, he called me over an hour ago. Said that something had happened to you when he and the others were trying to kidnap the President."

"Squall was…worried about me?" She sounded confused. "Why would he be worried?"

Lurena glanced at where the man had been standing. "Who was that, Lucia?"

Her sister blinked. "He said his name was Lucas."

"And what did he want with you?"

"He…he wanted me to go with him."

"Go where?"

"He wouldn't tell me," She shook her head. "But this is twice in the same day. On the train, when Squall had gone off with the others, he appeared on the train and asked me to come with him there, too. Keiran and Rayna were with me there and attacked him. He…he swatted them away like flies, Lurena!"

Lurena stared at the fear on her sister's face as she tried to hide it. She pulled her against her. "Don't worry, Lucia. He won't get his hands on you. Not while I'm here."

Lucia closed her eyes. "What are you doing here, Lurena? Do you know about Seifer and Quistis being here too?"

"Yes, I saw the video. I was on my way there as well but when I saw you with that man…" She didn't need to continue. She pulled back and looked at her sister. "What are you doing her, Lucia? And Keiran and Rayna? Why did you leave and come after Squall and the others?"

"When Rayna woke me up this morning, I didn't know what we were doing, not until we met up with Squall and Zell and Selphie on the train. It turns out that Keiran and Rayna are the older siblings to Rinoa. She was the one that hired Squall and the others to help the Owls."

"She's their sister?" Lurena sounded surprised.

"Yeah, but not very happy. Something…I think that something happened before the twins joined Garden. They both seem to hate Rinoa…to despise her. Keiran just wanted to hurry and get her mission done with so that Rinoa would be forced from their lives again."

"It explains his actions at the dance when he saw Rinoa, then." Lurena nodded. "But why?"

"They won't talk about it." Lucia sighed. "Maybe you can talk to them about it."

"Perhaps. But right now, we need to-" Lurena turned as the bridge began to vibrate. Squall and the others were running towards them. Rinoa, Zell, Selphie, and Keiran had apparently joined up with them

"What happened?" Lurena asked. "Where's Seifer?"

"We'll explain later! Now just run!"

They followed Rinoa to some woman's house to hide for a bit. The Owls base had been found and destroyed but no one was hurt. They were ordered by Rinoa to take her somewhere safe so in the end, Galbadia Garden was decided upon. Lurena had grabbed Rayna and Keiran and dragged them upstairs to talk to them, probably scold her students for taking her sister and then running from Garden. Things were silent before the trio joined them back downstairs.

"I still don't get is," Selphie began since no one else wanted to talk. "What did Seifer come here for?"

"I think…" Rinoa began. "He came to help us, the 'Forest Owls'. I talked about it a lot with him. So please…don't think too badly of him."

Lucia frowned and looked at Quistis. "Who left first? Lurena or Seifer?"

"Well, Lurena did," The blonde answered. "But I-"

"Then there's your answer to what he was doing. My sister was coming to drag me back home and Seifer wanted to come with her. You all know how he can be. Perhaps he thought that doing the Owls' job would get it done faster."

"I can believe that," Keiran snorted. "After all, Seifer would do anything to keep 'teacher' happy."

Lurena blushed. "Be quiet."

Lucia found herself glancing at Squall as the said man stared out the kitchen window. He had called Lurena, worried about what had happened to her on the train. He hadn't even been there, so it must have been the look on her face. She apparently hadn't hid it well, but why would he care? Could she just ask him that?

Soldiers began to bang on the door and the large group was shoved up stairs for the moments. Lucia took a seat on the bed, Rayna and Lurena joining her.

Quistis looked at Lurena and Lucia. "He was so angry when he found out you had left early that morning and then you followed after her, Lurena. Especially because you didn't say anything to him about it. 'What?! She could get hurt going off by herself! Dammit! I'm going after her!' He was also worried about the three of you," She told Squall. "With you just being Rookie members. I never would have guessed he was serious about it."

"I guess Seifer's not such a bad guy after all," Selphie smiled.

"What's going to happen to him, though?" Rayna wondered. "He went with that woman."

"He may be already dead," Squall replied.

"Don't say that!" Lucia hissed, glancing at her sister.

"No, he's right," Lurena nodded. Going with that strange woman could have resulted in his death."

"How can you be so casual?" Rinoa asked them. "I feel…sorry for him." Squall turned away, chuckling. The woman jumped to her feet. "What's so funny!? You're terrible!"

"Rinoa," Keiran was chuckling himself. "Settle down. If you knew Seifer like we do, then you would understand why it's funny."

"The president of Galbadia and the Sorceress joined forces." Zell finally decided to join in. "And with Seifer attacking the President, it's no surprise that Seifer may have been killed because of it."

"Even so!" Rinoa stomped a foot. "I still hope he's alive."

"You're not the only one, Rinoa." Rayna hissed at her sister. "We're not just heartless monsters, you know, no matter what you may think."

"Let's not do this here," Keiran told his sister. "Not in front of everyone."

The woman of the house seemed to agree and joined them in the room.

"The Galbadian forces are withdrawing. Only the soldiers normally stationed here will stick around." The mother told them. "If you're gonna leave town, now's your chance! You know how persistent those soldiers can be!"

"Good idea." Zell nodded. "Let's get out of here."

"Well, we can't have nine of us running around together," Keiran began. "We need to split up into two groups and meet back up at the Garden."

"Split up?" Selphie frowned. "Will that be safe?"

"Two packs is a lot safer than one huge one," Lurena nodded. "Don't worry, Quistis will be with one, I with the other in case something happens."

"But who will the groups be?" Rayna asked.

In the end, Quistis would take Squall, Zell, Selphie, and Rinoa on a train to the East Academy before leading them through a Forest to the Garden. Lurena would take Lucia, Keiran, and Rayna through another trail so they weren't caught together, just in case. As they parted ways, Rayna looked at her brother in confusion.

"Why did you want to come with Lurena so bad? Not to say you're not cool, teach, but still, he was kinda psycho."

"I'm not stupid, you know," Keiran grinned. "We all know that teach hates trains. So, tell me, where's your car?"

Lurena laughed as she lead them out of the city and to a car near a set of trees. "You're smart today, Keiran. I wasn't going to pay to park inside the city, either."

"Should have known about that. No wonder you got here so fast." Lucia gave a laugh of her own as Rayna rolled her eyes at her brother. "Should have seen that come, you lazy bum."

"Here, you drive," Lurena tossed the keys to Keiran. "I'm sure that Lucia and your sister need to sleep after being up so early this morning."

"Hey, I need to too, you know!" Kieran replied. "Why don't I get a nap?"

"Because you're the one that got the two of them into this," Lurena growled at her student. "So do it!"

Kieran grumbled before sliding into the car. Rayna took the front seat, leaving the sisters to the back. Lucia was tired, but every time she closed her eyes she found Lucas haunting her. She shivered. Lurena grabbed her baby sister and pulled her against her, like she had when they were younger. Lurena held the mother role over Lucia, letting a calm feeling chase off any thoughts about that man as the teen faded off into slumber.

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