Chapter 21: Love at second sight
A/N: Hello everyone! I'm glad you guys liked the last chapter so much! Hopefully you'll love this one as well! We won't be seeing Hikari or the gang a lot in this chapter, but we'll get to see Laguna and Taiyouko! I don't know why but I always enjoy writing chapters that have them in it. It's like you get to see how life was for Taiyouko before Xehanort showed up.
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts; I just own my oc's.
Enjoy!
/
Everyone was pretty much worn out by the time that they made it back to the Gummi Ship. King Mickey told them about some information that he got from Mikomi and the group from Radiant Garden.
"Apparently Aerith and Kairi were able to find a few books that were in the castle Library. They said they were about sorceresses but they needed to be translated. It seemed that Ansem the Wise wrote them in a strange way"
"I wonder why grandfather would do that?" Hikari wondered.
"He probably did it for mom" Leon said.
"He didn't want anyone to know about the history of sorceresses or that she had certain powers she could wield. He probably did it to save his reputation because he was ashamed to have a sorceress for a daughter"
Hikari looked at her brother. She could hear the resentment in his voice as he talked about their grandfather. It almost sounded the same as when Taiyouko talked about him. The same hatred.
"Was mom and grandfather's relationship that bad?" she asked.
Leon nodded his head grimly.
"Very" he said.
"That was one of the reasons why she didn't want us around him. If he couldn't be a proper father to her, then how could he a proper grandparent to us? I wouldn't be surprised if she hated him still"
"Oh trust me, she did" Riku said.
Leon looked at the teenager with surprise. How would he know about his mother's hatred for his grandfather?
"And how would you know that?" he spat.
Riku laughed bitterly and he crossed his arms.
"I had to break up most of their fights" he simply said.
"I was Taiyouko's partner while we were trying to find a way to wake up Sora and Hikari from their sleep. Your grandfather was the one who helped us"
Leon paled a little. This was new information to him. He thought that Ansem the Wise perished with their world when it was taken over.
"He's alive?" he asked.
"Was" Mickey corrected.
"He gave us his life to help us defeat Xemnas from taking over Kingdom Hearts"
"But before that, he was with Taiyouko and I when we were protecting Sora and Hikari" Riku said.
"I didn't know that he and Taiyouko were related at first but when I did, I had to be the one who broke up their fights. I had never seen Taiyouko hate someone as much as she hated her dad. She hated him a lot more than she did with Xemnas. Whatever it was that Ansem the Wise did, it surely affected Taiyouko a lot. Makes me wonder if she still hates him now"
Leon sighed.
"He really wasn't the best parent figure. It was always Uncle Cid who took care of mom and I. we ended up living with him because mom couldn't take living under the same roof as grandfather. When parents bring up a child that turns out to be a sorceress, it's usually the fathers that cast them aside"
Hikari felt her heart stop when she heard those words. The fathers usually despised their child being a sorceress so could that mean her father feared her? She wouldn't know since she never knew him, but the thought of her own flesh and blood fearing her to the point of casting her aside simply broke her heart.
Laguna couldn't be like that, could he?
"I…I'm going to head to bed" she said quietly.
She got up without saying anything else, and headed towards her sleeping quarters. Everyone looked confused at her sudden disappearance but Riku wore a look of concern.
/
Hikari pressed her back into the door when she closed it. Letting out a sigh she slid to the ground and hugged her knees to her chest.
What her brother said really bothered her. What if they did find her dad and he ended up hating her when he saw her? True, her mother and grandfather had a very strained relationship but that couldn't mean all fathers were like that.
Surely Laguna could be different.
"But then again he doesn't even know that I exist" she said sadly.
Angelo had his ears back as he looked at his master. He could sense the sudden change in her mood and it made him sad as well.
A knock at her door pulled Hikari from her sadness.
"It's me" Riku called out.
"Can I come in?"
Pulling herself to her feet, Hikari stepped away from the door and let her boyfriend in. Riku came into the room and closed the door behind him. Hikari gave him a sad smile as she held her arm.
"You ok?" Riku asked.
Hikari opened her mouth to reassure him that she was, but the words couldn't leave her mouth. Instead she sighed and shook her head.
"Not really" she admitted.
Riku cupped her face and stroked her cheek with his thumb.
"Did what Leon say bother you?" he asked.
Hikari nodded and stepped away from his touched. She went to her bed and sat on the mattress.
"A little" she said.
"I mean…what are the odds of my dad hating me? I will admit, my mom and grandfather didn't have a great relationship, but what if my dad hated me if he saw me?"
Riku went over to her and sat next to her. He gripped her hand and gave it a squeeze.
"But that's the thing: you're not your mom, you can only be you. Just because your mom and grandfather didn't have a nice relationship doesn't mean that would happen with you and your dad. Every family is different, you should know that"
Hikari sighed and rubbed her face.
"I know but, he doesn't even know I exist and I didn't know about him until recently. What are the odds that somehow he's alive and we run into him and by some chance if we did see him, he would despise me when he saw me simply because I was a sorceress?"
Riku thought it over.
"Well, I would have to say those chances would be very slim" he said.
"Because we probably won't find him?" Hikari asked.
Riku shook his head.
"No, because if he knew he had a daughter, he would love you regardless. A parent will love their child no matter who or what they are"
Hikari gave him a skeptical look.
"Then what about my mom and grandfather?" she asked.
Riku laughed bitterly.
"I think Ansem the Wise did love your mom, but he could never express it properly" he admitted.
"I think he really regretted treating your mom the way he did. Sometimes when I saw him look at Taiyouko, he had this sad look to his eyes. It was as if he felt it was his fault that she got caught up in this mess with the heartless and Xehanort. Or that he should have been a better father to her"
He smiled at her and stroked her face.
"And if by some bizarre chance that we find your dad and he doesn't love you-which I highly doubt, you shouldn't be sad because you still have your brother and he'll love you no matter what"
He laughed bitterly.
"It's a pain for me to admit it, but he's a good brother to you. I can tell how much he really cares about you and he'll do anything to keep you safe. I wouldn't be surprised if he killed me just because I'm with you"
Hikari giggled a little.
"Ni-san can be a little over dramatic when it comes to me, but I understand what you mean"
She leaned in and kissed him softly.
"Thanks for cheering me up"
Riku returned the kiss and pressed his forehead against her.
"Hey, that's my job as your boyfriend"
Hikari smiled and nuzzled closer to him.
"I wish you could stay here tonight. It gets lonely when I don't have you sleeping by my side"
Riku laughed bitterly.
"I have a feeling I wouldn't live long after that. I bet your brother guards your room at night"
Hikari shrugged.
"Wishful thinking I suppose" she said.
Riku kissed her forehead and got up.
"I'll let you sleep. It's been a long day"
Hikari nodded.
"That sounds like a good idea, actually"
Riku bid her goodnight and closed the door behind him.
Hikari kicked off her boots and stretched out across the mattress. She was too tired to change into her pajamas and all she wanted to do was sleep. Angelo curled around next to her and went to sleep, resting his head on her stomach. Hikari scratched his ear and closed her eyes, letting her mind drift to slumber land.
/
Laguna fiddled with the dress shirt he was forced to wear. It seemed that Ansem the Wise had invited Haishin for a public dinner to welcome him to Radiant Garden. Naturally, the General invited his best soldiers to show off his military power; which why Laguna was forced to go.
Kiros swatted his hand away when he tried to loosen his collar.
"Stop that. You need to look your best" he said.
Laguna pouted and crossed his arms.
"I don't see why we have to go to this stupid dinner" he said.
"It's not like this Ansem guy is commemorating us. We're pretty much trophy displays or something"
Ward, who looked so out of place in a dress shirt and slacks simply shrugged.
"At least we're getting free food and booze" he said.
Kiros nodded.
"And I heard that Ansem guy is bringing his daughter. Maybe this could be your chance to get a girl"
Laguna stuck his tongue out at him.
"I don't need you to play match maker for me" he said.
He blushed a little as he thought of a certain green eyes beauty he met the other day.
"Besides…I already met someone" he mumbled.
Kiros and Ward blinked their eyes in disbelief. Laguna met someone? They rushed over to him and bombarded him with questions.
"Really? Who?!"
"What does she look like?"
"Where did you meet her?"
"What's her name?"
"How were you able to talk to her without looking like an idiot?"
Laguna sweat dropped and back away from his friends. He figured they would be surprised to hear this, but not this surprised. It seemed like him talking to a girl was the same as the world ending. It was pretty big.
"Her name is Taiyouko" he said.
"She's really kind and pretty. She has this smile that could melt an iceberg. She's got really beautiful green eyes. And she has a kid"
Kiros and Ward tilted their heads a little at that last sentence. They found it a little odd that he was so enthusiastic when he talked about a girl who already had a kid. Either he was caught up in the moment or he was plain crazy.
"Are you sure she's not married?" Kiros asked.
Laguna huffed and crossed his arms. He figured they would react like that when he mentioned Leon.
"As a matter of fact, yes" he said.
"I didn't see a wedding ring on her finger, so I know she's not married"
"She could have a boyfriend" Ward pointed out.
Laguna's posture slumped.
"Are you trying to put me in a bad mood?"
Kiros and Ward held their hands up defensively.
"Hey, we just don't want you to see you hurt because you found a cute girl that's already been taken"
Laguna uncrossed his arms and placed them on his hips.
"I can look after myself, thank you very much"
Ward adjusted the tight collar of his shirt with discomfort.
"Are we going to this dinner thing or are we going to talk all night?"
Laguna laughed nervously and rubbed his neck.
"Eh, right. Sorry about that" he said.
They left the hotel and headed towards the restaurant where they were supposed to meet their general. The dinner was held at one of the finest restaurants in Radiant Garden. The only people who usually came here were the high ups or people celebrating something.
Ward whistled lowly at the place.
"It's going to be a long night" Kiros said.
Haishin came over to them with a drink in hand. It was obvious that he had been drinking a bit since his face was rosy.
"Ah, there you are!" he said a little too loudly.
Laguna cringed when Haishin came over and slapped his back a little too hard.
"I was wondering when you three would show up" Haishin slurred.
"Come. I want you to meet the leader of Radiant Garden. He's a very smart man and I'm sure he'll help us find the Sorceress"
He ushered them towards a regal looking man wearing a lab coat with a red scarf around his neck. He didn't appear to be pleased with Haishin's semi-drunken state with the scowl on his face. This scowl softened however when Laguna and his friends came over.
"Ansem, these are my top soldiers that I was talking about" Haishin said.
"Men, this is Ansem the Wise. The Ruler of Radiant Garden"
Laguna grinned sheepishly and offered his hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. I'm Lguna Lorie and these are my friends Kiros and War. Thank you for letting us stay on your world while we track down a sorceress"
Ansem looked surprised at his brash yet cheerful persona. He accepted his hand and gave it a shake.
"At least there are a few gentlemen here that show proper military manners"
He sent a scowl and Haishin's direction.
"Although I can't say the same for others"
Laguna laughed nervously.
"Always keeping the peace, sir" he said.
Ansem nodded in acknowledgment at that.
"Father"
Ansem turned around when he heard someone call for him. Laguna almost yelped when he saw Taiyouko walking towards them. She looked stunning in her white cocktail dress and having her hair pulled back by a yellow bandana. She would have looked beautiful if it wasn't for the sour look on her face. It was obvious that she wasn't happy here.
"Father, how long must you keep me here?" she asked.
"I need to check up on Leon"
Ansem scowled at his daughter. He couldn't take her to one public dinner without her humiliating him. He didn't know why he still bothered.
He cleared his throat and looked at Laguna.
"You'll have to excuse my daughter. It seems she hasn't learned how to talk in front of company"
Taiyouko glared at her father and tapped her foot.
"This is my daughter, Taiyouko. Taiyouko, this is Laguna Lorie"
When Taiyouko saw him, she was surprised. She knew him as the man she saw at the fountains when she and Leon went on an outing.
Kiros and Ward noticed this and concluded that they met before.
Laguna dumbly held his hand out to Taiyouko. He never expected the girl that he met at the fountain would be the daughter of this world's leader.
"N-nice to meet you" he said.
Taiyouko accepted his hand and slowly shook it.
"The pleasure is all mine" she replied.
Laguna blushed a little. This was too good to be true. The girl that he just met was going to have dinner with him. Even if she wasn't happy to be here, he was. Now he could talk with a recognizable face.
Haishin laughed and held up his fifth drink.
"Now that we're all acquainted, let's get down to business"
Ansem sighed and closed his eyes to suppress a headache.
"Very well. Come along, Taiyouko" he ordered.
Taiyouko rolled her eyes and followed her father like a lost puppy.
Kiros and Ward walked up to the stunned Laguna who still had his hand out.
"Judging by your reaction, that was probably the girl you met before?" Kiros asked.
Laguna nodded like an idiot.
Ward scratched his head.
"Well, I'll admit that she's pretty. But she looks way too young to be a mom" he stated.
Laguna ignored him and simply watched Taiyouko. The poor thing had to follow her father around and was shown off as some kind of trophy.
'She must deal with this a lot' Laguna thought.
/
The rest of the night went by uneventful. Haishin discussed about what to do with the Sorceress issue while Ansem listened. He wasn't actually listening but just nodded his head to make it look like he did.
Taiyouko dully talked to a few of the soldiers that came to the dinner. It seemed like the more they became drunk, the more annoyed she became.
"She doesn't look too happy" Ward commented.
"Would you be if you had to hear a bunch of drunk soldiers talking about useless stuff?" Kiros asked.
Laguna watched Taiyouko from where he was sitting. He had been watching the poor girl talk to one drunk after another. He felt bad that she had to entertain everyone and listen to their stupid stories about battles they fought and how the loved to fight. It made him fortunate that he had a weak stomach when it came to alcohol and preferred water.
Kiros watched in amusement as Laguna tapped his fingers across the table in a nervous manner while looking at Taiyouko. He could tell that the gunner really wanted to talk to Taiyouko and found it stupid that he didn't.
"Just go talk to her already" he said.
Laguna looked surprised but shook his head.
"No way. Can't you see she's busy talking to someone else? It would be rude"
"I'm sure she would prefer talking to someone who's sober and not someone who looks like they're on the verge of alcohol poisoning" Ward said.
Laguna bit his lip and looked at Taiyouko.
"Should I?" he asked.
"Wouldn't hurt to try" Kiros shrugged.
Laguna thought about it for a moment and stood up.
"Alright, I will" he said.
"Try not to talk her ear off" Kiros said.
"And don't act like an idiot" Ward added.
Laguna made a face at them.
"Thanks for looking out for me" he said sarcastically.
'"Hey, we just don't want you looking like an idiot" Kiros said.
"It affects our image too"
Laguna made a face and stalked off.
'Don't worry, I'll show them' he thought.
He gulped as he got closer to Taiyouko.
'I'll prove to them that I can talk to a girl without humiliating myself. I'll just act mainly and gracefully walk up to her and say hi. And if that all goes well, she'll start talking to me'.
He could feel his heart beating fast as he got closer.
'But…she's so pretty and popular here. I wonder if she'll even talk to me. What if she thinks I'm boring or annoying?'
He quickly shook that thought aside and continued forward.
'I won't know until I talk to her! C'mon Laguna! Be a man!'
He got all confidant when he approached her. Her back was still turned to him, but that would all change once he spoke up.
Taking a deep breath, he rehearsed what he was going to say in his head and made sure it didn't sound stupid. However, before he could utter a word his left leg started cramping up.
The gunner cringed and gripped his leg when it became too hard for him to stand.
'No!' he thought.
'My leg's cramping up! C'mon Laguna, you can do this. You have too!'
However, the pain in his leg flared up again. Hanging his head in shame, he limped back over to the table where his friends were.
Kiros snickered when Laguna sat down dejectedly.
"Nice going, Laguna" he chuckled.
"I didn't think you'd actually do it" Ward admitted.
"I think our popularity rate has gone up a point"
"Yeah, but you cut a pretty pitiable figure up there" Kiros said.
"I'd say you're about a negative three on the manliness scale"
Laguna glared at them.
"Oh shut up. At least I tried" he said.
He sighed sadly.
"She sure does look pretty. I'm sure she's going to get everyone's attention tonight"
As he was acting all depressed, Kiros spotted someone coming towards them.
"Oh?"
Ward saw this and smirked. He looked at Kiros and nodded before they quickly stood up.
"Laguna, we're going to go" Kiros said.
"Drinks are on us" Ward added.
Laguna looked at them, why they were acting strange so suddenly.
'I wonder what's up with them?' he thought.
He got his answer when someone approached him.
"May I have a seat?"
Laguna turned around to see Taiyouko standing in front of him. The poor man nearly had a heart attack when he jumped in surprise.
'Holy cow! She's really standing in front of me!' he thought.
'Remember Laguna, act cool'
Taiyouko tilted her head slightly.
'Is something wrong?" she asked.
Laguna quickly shook his head.
"N-n-no! Not at all!" he cried.
"P-please, h-have a seat"
He moved over so Taiyouko could sit next to him. The young woman smoothed her dress before looking at him.
"Better?" she asked.
Laguna nodded like an idiot. He was so afraid of saying something to her, fearing that he would look like an idiot. He knew he had to say something to break the silence.
Taiyouko was the one who spoke first.
"How's your leg?" she asked.
Laguna blushed with embarrassment.
"Y-you saw that?" he asked.
Taiyouko nodded, smiling a little.
Laguna laughed nervously and rubbed his neck.
"Oh, I-I'm fine" he said.
"Happens all the time when I get nervous"
Taiyouko tilted her head.
"You were nervous?"
Laguna nodded.
"Y-yeah, a little" he said.
"I mean-I'm still kinda…it's just, you uh…well, you're the first girl that I've actually talked to…and I um, don't' really know what to say, and um…"
Taiyouko giggled and smiled at him.
"That's really cute" she said.
Laguna gulped and blushed. No one had thought his leg cramps were cute. Not even him.
Taiyouko gently grasped his hand and gave it a squeeze.
"Relax" she said.
"You don't have to be nervous around me. I don't bite"
Laguna relaxed a little as he sat casually in his seat. He was surprised by how cheerful she was when moments ago she looked like she could rip someone's head off.
He took a quick sip of his water before giving her a nervous smile.
"S-so…are you enjoying yourself tonight?" he asked.
Taiyouko gave him a fake smile.
"As much as one can when they're being forced to come to a dinner and socialize with drunks" she said.
Laguna cringed at the tone.
"Sounds like fun" he said sarcastically.
Taiyouko snorted.
"Oh, it's the best. I especially love talking to drunks soldiers and trying to understand what they say"
She gave him a rueful smile.
"But I'm surprised to see you sober" she said.
"I figured a big wig soldier like yourself would be on his tenth drink by now"
Laguna smiled bashfully.
"Nah, I'm good with water. And alcohol makes me really sick" he said.
"Besides, what's wrong with being sober?"
Taiyouko giggled and held up her drink.
"Here's to being sober" she said.
They both clinked glasses and laughed at how silly it was.
"So how do you like Radiant Garden so far?" Taiyouko asked.
Laguna smiled bashfully.
"It's really great. It's the prettiest world I've been to so far. I can't imagine a sorceress ever being here"
Taiyouko laughed darkly and sipped her drink. Her fingers turned white as she gripped the glass rather hard.
"You'd be surprised to what lurks around here" she said.
She quickly put on a smile to cover up the dark thoughts she was thinking.
"But let's avoid such gruesome topics. What about you? Do you enjoy being a soldier and saving the world?"
Now it was Laguna's turn to laugh weakly. He had heard this all the time from people he met. They always thought that it was amazing that he got to fight battles and save people all the time. To some it was amazing but to him it wasn't. What was so great about taking another person's life? Nothing, that's what.
"Not really" he admitted.
"I don't really like to fight. I just can't stand the thought of taking someone's life"
Taiyouko looked surprised. This wasn't the answer she was expecting from a soldier.
"If you don't mind me asking, then why did you become a soldier?"
Laguna shrugged as if he didn't know himself.
"Well…I guess it was because I was young and naïve when I joined and I really wanted to travel. And it's not so bad since I have Kiros and Ward with me. Everything's fun when they're around"
A bright smile came to his face.
"Although, I really want to quit the army and become a journalist" he said excitedly.
"I'd be able to travel and tell people about all of the things I've seen from my travels in the army. It's something that I've always dreamed of doing"
He blushed when he realized that he said too much and bowed his head.
"S-sorry, I guess I said too much"
Taiyouko smiled and shook her head.
"Don't be. It's good to be passionate about your dreams in life. All you have to do is take the next step"
Laguna rubbed his neck nervously.
"Well, I would but…"
He looked over to where Haishin and some of his men were getting louder as they drank more. The manager looked like he was about to throw them all out.
Taiyouko scoffed and waved him off.
"Forget about what he thinks. He's not your dad, he has no control over how you want to live your life. If there's something you want to do, then go do it"
Laguna blinked a few times at what Taiyouko said. She plainly told his general off and told him that he should follow his dream. He didn't know if he should be worried or amazed that she said that.
Taiyouko blushed when she calmed down and cleared her throat.
"Sorry for saying that, but I hate it when people throw away their dreams simply because someone else doesn't like it. We're all adults here, we can make our own decisions"
Laguna laughed good heartedly.
"Hey, at least I have someone who supports my dreams"
Taiyouko nodded to show her support.
"Now all you have to do is show your talent" she explained.
"And what better way than to start now? If you want, I can help you!"
Laguna jumped a little.
"R-really? Y-you'd really help me?"
Taiyouko nodded.
"Our local newspaper is looking for someone who can write stories about places around here. You can always apply for the job and write stories when you're not hunting. This could be a great way for you to start your dream"
Laguna was touched. He had barely met t this woman and she was willing to help him achieve his dream. And the best part was that she didn't find him strange or that his random legs cramps to be annoying. She was perfect!
"You got yourself a new journalist" Laguna said.
Taiyouko smiled brightly.
"Yay!" she cheered.
Laguna laughed along with her. He didn't know why but he really enjoyed the way she laughed and how he was able to make her smile. He could hear it many times and never get tired of it.
After talking to this amazing woman for nearly over an hour, he found himself feeling bold enough to ask if he could see her again. If he could make it this far in one night, what are the odds about a second one?
"Hey, Taiyouko?" he asked.
"Do you think that it's possible if I could see you again?"
Taiyouko thought for a moment which felt like the longest moment to Laguna.
'Please say yes. Please say yes' he thought.
Taiyouko smiled and nodded.
"I'd love to" she said.
Laguna could have sworn he felt his stomach hit the floor.
"Really?!" he squeaked. He quickly covered his mouth in embarrassment.
Taiyouko laughed at the scene and nodded again.
"Of course. You're a very funny guy. Why wouldn't I want to see you again? I usually take Leon to the park so if you don't get lost you're more than welcome to come"
Laguna was thrilled. A girl actually wanted to spend time with him! It was like a dream come true. If he was this excited at the thought of seeing Taiyouko again, he could only image what it would be like when it actually happened.
/
Hikari stirred in her sleep, the memory playing over and over in her head like an old movie. A small crept over her face as she dreamt on. Seeing how her parents starting to get to know each other made her very happy.
Who would have thought that one little encounter could lead to something so big? She could only imagine because thanks to that meeting it lead to her being on this world and being able to share a similar experience with Riku.
"I hope I can find you one day, dad" she thought as she drifted deeper into slumber land.
/
A/N: And that's how Taiyouko and Laguna got to know each other. I played around with the scene from Final Fantasy 8 where Laguna is talking to Julia Heartilly and instead had him talking to Taiyouko!
I know that most of this chapter was a flashback but I wanted to put in a 'filler' before we go onto the next world.
I hope you guys like seeing Taiyouko and Laguna together!
Please review and tell me what you think!
Ja ne!