The Secret Garden

Based on: Final Fantasy Record Keeper

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy. The OCs featured in this fic belong to various friends. Note that while the characters belong to friends, I am the one writing the fic itself. Thank you to my friends for allowing me to borrow your characters. If you wish to appear, please send me a message and we can work something out.

Notes: This is the sequel to Records of Keeper Canti. It's wibby-wobbly, timey-whimy in its execution. I care not. If you care, shut the fuck up and go away. If you don't like it, don't read it.

Warnings: Cursing, potential OOC, OC x Canon, stupid fluffy romance, sex, angst, self-insert author avatar

FIC START!

Chapter Four

Reassignment

The next morning, Canti woke from a strange dream. She sat up, rubbing her eyes, wondering what it all meant. It was still dark outside her window, but this didn't stop her from getting up. She noticed her Papa Cid still snoring in his bed. It was early, but that was fine. She got a shower and pulled on her uniform as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her blouse, the blue tartan vest, the cute bow along the collar, the knee-length skirt, the stockings, and the black flat dress shoes she had grown used to wearing a few months ago. Was she really ready to start attending a school? She was so used to following her dad around during his daily stuff. She brushed her curly hair, yelping a little at her tangles, and rebraided her braids on either side of her face. She yawned, still a little tired, but she looked great for her first day.

Cid soon woke up, more confused than anything about the dream he had. But that didn't stop him from making sure he got breakfast on first thing. Canti was ready to go all ready, and she didn't seem to be as worried about it as she was when they spoke of it yesterday. He presented her with eggs, bacon, and toast, which she devoured just as quickly as he normally ate all of his breakfast.

"That's how I know things just aren't right with you," Cid said. "You know you can tell me anything, right, sweetheart?"

Canti nodded. "Can I have some more?"

"That nervous?"

"I'm afraid of my stomach rumbling during something important," she answered. "When that happens, it's always loud. And…"

"Ah, right," Cid said, frying her up another plate's worth. "So, did you make any new friends yesterday when you went to the ballgame?"

"Mhm," Canti replied. The moment Cid gave her another plate, she devoured everything there, too. "I saw the pink haired girl from the office yesterday. She introduced me to her friend Tidus and there was Minwu who was very nice and understanding, and this guy who did not understand why I didn't want to talk to him named Irvine…" She handed him the plate back and burped just a little. "Excuse me."

"You're excused, kiddo," Cid said, smiling. "Hey, let's get a picture for your first day of school!"

"...okay, if you want!"

Cid used a sphere to record a little footage of Canti in her uniform, and he seemed just too happy to do it. He then put the recorder away, noticing the clock. "You wanna start heading over there, then?" he asked, giving her a very calm smile.

"Yeah. I think so," Canti nodded.

Cid immediately grasped around her. "I'm proud of you. Know that I love you. I'll be going to the shipyards for work today, so you'll probably end up home before me," he said, walking her to the door. "You have your key in your purse, right?"

"Yes, Papa."

"Good girl. I'll see you tonight then," he let her go, watching her as she turned away from him to walk down the porch steps. "Tell me all about your adventures today later. I wanna hear about absolutely everything." Cid waved even though she was turned away to walk down the street. He called out her one more time. "Love you!"

Canti turned around one last time to wave back at him. "Love you too!"

Cid smiled, turning to go back inside. But he saw across the street, an old man waving to send another girl to school, too. And a few houses down, there was a young man being waved on. It gave him a sense of unity with the community for a moment. All these parents, letting their children go on their own to school. Perhaps Canti was more normal than she gave herself credit for?

He finally went inside, finding the house feeling empty all ready. He sighed, heading over to give himself a shower, and pull his uniform on. Cid wasn't really ready to return to work again, honestly. Going back to all the smelly machines, greasy work… losing all his tools to assholes who just wanted to borrow a damn wrench but never returning it… Cid was never going to forgive that damned Otto for getting hydraulic fluids all over his toolbox, either. But, that was fine. He got used to being a full-time dad for a while, and now it was time to get back to work. Luckily, the Senate approved his year off to make this family function. He had grown accustomed to spending his time in grocery stores and at home, taking his adopted daughter to see airships on display and generally just taking care of her. Of course this day was going to come, but part of him wished he could just have her be his little girl forever.

Cid made his lunch of leftovers and sandwiches, then tied his lunchbag to the handle of his toolbox, and pulled his goggles onto his head. Once he was outside and locked the door, he lit a cigarette and headed towards the shipyards, which were about a twenty minute walk in the direction opposite the school. He turned in the direction of the school, hoping everything was going all right. Oh, what was he thinking? Of course things were going all right!

Canti stood at the statue that was right in front of the office for the Dagurreo Garden Academy. She stared straight up at the statue, which was supposed to be of the Goddess Cosmos. Apparently this point wasn't just the front of the school, but this statue was known to be the dead center of the entire city. She wondered why the figure seemed so familiar to her.

"Hey, Canti…" a voice called to her from the side. "…you one of those religious types?"

Canti turned her head to see that Tidus was standing there. "Nah, Papa Cid doesn't make me go pray or anything. But… I dunno, I feel like maybe there is a lady that looks just like this statue somewhere out there."

"I don't like religion very much," Tidus grumbled as he looked up at the statue. "My dad got hurt fighting for a religious battle, and it didn't go so well." He then went on, passing the statue. "I don't think any God or Goddess or anything is that important. What matters is what we can see in front of us."

Canti wondered what he meant, but didn't bother to ask. She went to walk past the statue again, stopping to gaze up at the face. She had seen that face before. That woman, whether she was a goddess or not, she existed somewhere. She then went into the office, where there were tons of students all huddled around several tables waiting for their schedules. She frowned. Couldn't they have given this to them yesterday with their uniforms? Why fuss over it like this?

She was going to speak to the lady she saw at the office desk yesterday, but she was pushed out of the way and knocked her over, causing her to fall against someone else.

"Hey now," the person she fell against said, his eyebrows furrowed. "What is a sweet thing like you doing crashing into me?" Canti wondered what he meant by that. The boy was charming, his voice stirred something in her she didn't quite understand. He helped her stand and she fixated on his face. "Blue hair? Now isn't that something?"

"It's just the hair I was born with," Canti said, looking at the charming boy with confusion. What did that question even mean?

"Don't mind him," the familiar voice of Kain said behind her. "He's not worth your time."

"Well, if it isn't the Grand Dragoon's son," the charming boy said, sporting a very adorable little pout. "Don't tell me you've taken a liking to this toad, princess… he's quite the irritating one."

"Ffamran…" Kain grumbled, "…meet my cousin, Canti."

Ffamran instantly let her go. "I know better than to flirt with a Highwind," he said, passing behind Kain. For a moment, he turned back to look at her and winked at her. "Though, I might make an exception for a little princess like you."

"Kain…" Canti said, "…what did he mean? He's… weird."

"Ffamran is a flirt," Kain said. "Nothing like the men of our family who uphold a sense of honor. Just because his family has a seat in the Senate, he thinks he can just say and do whatever wants, and because he has such a pretty face, he gets away with it." He reached to Canti, taking her hand and pulling her close to him. "Our last names are the same, so we'll wait in the same line. Come on over here. The schedules are passed out by last names, see." Once they were in the appropriate line, Kain then leaned in to ask her quietly, "What were you doing with Ffamran anyway?"

Canti sighed, looking down at the floor. "I wanted to ask where to go, but I was bumped and crashed right into him. I didn't mean to do anything, cousin, I just… You know large groups of people are scary..."

"I know, I know. I said I'd look after you today, help you get situated. We won't be together all the time, but I can help somewhat," Kain said, his expression towards her becoming soft and understanding. "I was here last year, so I can show you around before we go to orientation."

As more and more kids got their schedules, eventually it came to be Canti's turn. The lady asked her name, and then handed her an envelope with had her name on it. Kain got his and the two of them headed out to a flat grassy area where a whole bunch of other kids were getting together to wait for orientation to begin. The cousins sat in the same patch of grass and curiously took a peek at the schedules given to them.

"Combat basics year two… Monsterology year two… same old stuff… I have to be with Bahamut again for year two? After what happened last year, I'm not looking forward to that." Kain said, looking at his cousin. "How's yours?"

Canti unfolded the paper, scanning over it. "Combat basics year one… Magician's Mastery year one… Chorus… and…" she shook her head. "No, no, this must be a mistake. I didn't ask for… anything like this… only elective I wanted was Chorus…" She put it back in the envelope. "I wonder if this is what the headmaster meant?"

"The headmaster? Oh, that's right, you met with him yesterday."

She nodded, putting the envelope into her satchel. "I'll do my best… I told Papa Cid I would…"

"The tests determine the kind of classes we get, Canti," Kain said. "Perhaps the one testing you saw something… they always examine us using magic while we're testing. That's just how things work here in Dagurreo." He tried to comfort her, but she was obviously distraught.

"Advanced Placement Mysidian speech, though?" Canti asked, shaking her head. "That's not something they could just sense in me, is it?"

"You'd be surprised," Kain said. He pulled his hand back. "Hey. You'll be all right. The tests are never wrong. We all find our place through the system, right where we need to be, right where our talents are. My father was trained to be the Grand Dragoon because he had the innate ability for it. I'm in training to take his place, because I have the innate ability for it."

"And what comes from taking combat basics, magic, chorus, and… speaking in a language I don't even know how to properly say the name of?" Canti asked, frowning. "I'm not anything!"

"I would have to disagree with you," a friendly voice said behind her. The Highwind cousins found Minwu standing there. "I hear you have Advanced Placement Mysidian? Me, too." He sat down with the duo, his demeanor being nothing but peaceful.

Kain's expression went sour, but he turned his face away to avoid Canti seeing it. How could this guy have gotten a class with her? And one that there was no way he could help with, at that? Wait. Why was he jealous? Canti was his cousin and his friend. Even if he liked her, which he did just a little, he couldn't ever… not without breaking some laws. "How fortunate for you that Minwu has that class with you," Kain said, shrugging.

"It's a language from another country," Minwu said quietly. "A country beyond the barrier, from what I was told."

"Barrier?" Canti asked. "What's that?"

"There's a barrier at the edge of the country. No one knows what's on the other side of it," Minwu continued. "It is supposed to take untold crazy magical powers to pass through the barrier, but no one here has ever managed to do it. I've only been out there once, and that was with my parents. I barely remember it. I think they wanted to go through for some reason, but it didn't happen."

"Wow…" Canti said, wondering what it was like to find a magical barrier that kept her from going forward.

"It's put there to protect us from what's on the outside," Kain said. "That's what my father says about it, anyway. There's something out there that would just destroy our whole home if we let it in. That's why Leviathan formed the Warriors of the Water in the first place. In case the barrier falls down. All of us who train as Leviathan's sacred warriors take up arms to defend everyone else." He took pride in telling this story, because it was a core part of who he was. Kain's father, Richard Highwind, was the Grand Dragoon, one of the greatest members of the Warriors of the Water, who prioritized the safety of all people within the country. Kain was going to inherit that position one day, and he knew it was his duty to look after everyone. "It's not just my father, yours is a high ranking member of the Dragoon division of the Warriors, too, Canti. Uncle Cid is one of us."

"He has the uniform, and sometimes he goes out alone to practice his lance," Canti said, nodding. "I know he is."

"It is a Highwind family tradition," Kain said. "We are all users of the lance and take our fighting style from that of dragons."

"...does that mean I'll have to, too?"

"Don't be silly, Canti…" Kain dismissed her question. "You think for a moment that Uncle Cid is going to let cute little you follow in his footsteps? He didn't want to do it, but the moment he knew he was going to adopt you, he accepted the call and became one of Leviathan's very own to defend you from all enemies… those within and those outside." He smiled. "You'll probably be a mother or something like that when you get older since you're a girl."

Canti's frown turned into a glare. "No fair! You get to be a Warrior of the Water and train for some great upcoming war, and here I get to be stuck as a mother?!"

"I… I meant that in a nice way… I meant to say you'll always be safe from whatever comes your way, I… I didn't mean to demean you…" Kain said, putting his hands up defensively. "I'm sorry, cousin, I-"

"...Did you think because I'm a girl that I can't find my way around the school or something?" Canti said, crossing her arms and turning away from him.

"No, I did that because I know you have a problem dealing with people, not because you're a girl. I'm sorry, Canti. Honestly. I didn't mean to say that you can't be a Warrior of the Water, or a Dragoon, or anything." Kain said defensively. "Come on, cousin. You know me better than that. Besides, if the tests say you are qualified to study a language from another country somewhere beyond the barrier, that probably means that they need you to communicate with whatever is over there…" he tried to smile, but this whole thing put him off. "…because that might be a thing. I don't know magic very well. I don't know what's out there, and I don't know what's inside you. But the tests know. The ones in charge of reading the tests, they know. And they'll guide you, if you let them."

There was a large sound from the center of the grassy field. It seemed as if someone wearing robes made of fire was standing there, holding some sort of device to make his voice louder. "Excuse me… first year girls, if you would all come over to this side…" his voice was deep, metallic, and sounded like a cross between rubbing a scaled fish on a metal washboard and typing endlessly on a fifty-year-old typewriter with half of the keys stuck for some reason. "…and first year boys, on this side here."

Canti stood up and looked at both of her companions, Kain and Minwu. "We'll talk about this later," she whispered before going over to stand with the group as she was directed. "I don't want to start trouble the first day."

"No, no, go on," Minwu said, making a motion with his hand to shoo her away. "Your cousin and I are both second years, so we know what's happening. Be careful, Canti."

"I will."

"Initiation is terrible," Kain grunted. "Be glad it's only for this morning."

Canti headed to the group with all the other first year girls, wondering what Kain meant about that. There was just too much information to process… the barrier, the Warriors of the Water, what her schedule meant, whatever this initiation was going to be… too much stuff to worry about.