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 Nine
Revision
The moment Canti had passed out after sharing in her favorite book and munching on pizza, Cid turned to the apparatus that was mandatory for every household within Dagurreo - the Sphere. It was used for broadcasting programs, sending and receiving messages, and all sorts of communication. Even though it wasn't exactly the same shape as a sphere, it was called that as a sign of unity between all of the residents of the community being a part of it. There was a touchscreen command input window, a keyboard with all of the common language letters and numbers, a few buttons and switches, and atop all of that was a rather large screen. Every Sphere unit had a number on the very top of the screen, a mix of letters and numbers beginning with a pound sign, which would connect any unit around the country to that particular unit. It made long distance communication much easier than it used to be just with normal Mognet, and the system was implemented as a major part of Dagurreo life about ten years ago.
Cid put in a combinations of letters and numbers on the keyboard and pressed the call button on the touchscreen. It buzzed a few times, before showing the picture of a very beautiful woman with shoulder length curly blonde hair.
"Oh, Cid!" she said, smiling. "To what do we owe the pleasure of this call?"
"Elina," Cid said, bowing his head a little in respect. "Is my asshat brother around?"
"Yes, he's home. Let me go get him for you," Elina said, turning to leave the camera's view. "Richard, dear. You have a call! It's your brother!"
A few minutes later, Richard came into the camera. He breathed heavily, appearing as if he had just gotten right out of battle. He pushed his dragoon's helmet over his face to be able to look his little brother in the eyes, even if he seemed just as condescending as always. "Well, then. How's that dingy workshop treating you, brother?"
"I'm not here to complain about my work. At least I know my place, unlike some overachievers I know around here," Cid said. "No, something's come up and I want you to look into it for me."
"Oh…" Richard said. His mood instantly changed. Gone was that joking, teasing attitude. "Sounds serious."
"If it wasn't serious, then I would not be bringing it up to you, Richard. I wouldn't trouble you. The son of one Matteo Palamecia has taken interest in my daughter," Cid said, almost growling. "Why in the name of the great dragon would one of them arrogant pieces of shit have eyes for my ten year old?"
"Senator Palamecia's son?" Richard asked. "Oh… this reeks of trouble."
"My exact reaction when she told me," Cid said sternly. "What the hell would he be doing looking to be the boyfriend of a ten year old girl with severe social anxiety?"
"I am not a Senator, but… I might be able to find something out," Richard said, sighing. "All right, little brother. I care for my niece, too. I'll see what I can do about this. I have more clout than you do in the political scene, after all."
"Don't go bragging. You might be the Grand Dragoon in the eyes of the country, but you are also my asshat older brother," Cid said, breaking out into laughter. "How'd Kain take the first day back?"
"Kain is a prideful young man, but there is limitless potential in him," Richard said, beaming with the same pride he chided Kain for having a moment ago. Cid made a mental note of that. Perhaps in Richard wasn't so damn prideful, his son would have been able to hold a little humility himself. "All of us who carry the title of dragoon have known to be prideful over the years. It certainly doesn't hurt."
"Heh. Turns out when the first yeas did their weapon choosin', Cantirena took a spear for herself," Cid said. He shrugged.
"Now that must be because she has pride in you," Richard said. "I can't imagine Canti being prideful in herself. But… we're all proud of something, aren't we? Though I thought the tests said she had talent for magic."
The mechanic nodded. "See, that's what I thought, too, but… no. She brought a school-issued spear home tonight. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, she is a Highwind all the same. Adopted or not, she bears the name."
"Mm," Richard agreed. "This is the truth of it, little brother. Another dragoon in the family… I suppose we may have to celebrate this. Last year we had a party for Kain. Let's plan something for Cantirena."
"Now you're talkin'!" Cid said. "All right, then. I won't keep you any longer. From the sweat on your brow, you were just giving Kain an intense training session."
"He requested it of me. He plans to be my successor in all ways, even as the Grand Dragoon of the Warriors of the Water," Ricard explained, putting his hands on his hips. "He spoke once of planning on taking a bride, but only if she were equal in strength to him… I fear that boy may be alone his whole life. Dragoons are among the mightiest in Dagurreo."
"Ah, who cares about that kind of thing?"
"Someone has to carry along the Highwind bloodline. Whoever Cantirena marries, she will join with them. She cannot be expected to stand on her own, Cid," Richard said plainly. "And don't give me that look. You know she will fall in love. You may have been a solitary one in favor of your work, but you have a daughter. Girls seek out romance."
"Sounds kinda sexist to me, brother."
"Oh. You shouldn't argue about it. How much time have you spent with women, aside from your daughter? Back during our years at Garden, they thought you were gay."
"I gave absolutely zero fucks then about what people thought about me, and I give just as many now. I'm a father, and that's all that matters," Cid said. "Well, I've had just about enough of you tonight, Richard. If I have to see you this weekend, I better start saving up my daily patience. I'm gonna need every ounce I can muster up to deal with you for an entire afternoon."
"I love you, too," Richard laughed. "Fuckwit."
"Asshat."
The call disconnected and Cid turned away from the Sphere. He hoped Richard would be able to use some of his political pull to find out what was going on with that situation before going to check on Canti one final time for the night. He found her flopped over in a weird position half hanging off her bed. Cid adjusted her gently, placing her back on her bed evenly.
"Nn…" Canti groaned in her sleep. "…Papa?"
"Shhhh…" he whispered in her ear. He pulled her patchwork quilt over her body, tucking her in. "...go back to sleep."
"But I… have to get… the goggles…"
Cid shook his head. She must still be dreaming. "You do that…" He kissed her forehead, and got back up, walking out of the room.
…
The next morning, Cid woke up to the sound of his alarm which made the sound of chocobos warking loudly. He must have hit the snooze button a few times before he actually pulled himself out of bed. He found Canti half-asleep and barely dressed when he came out of his room.
"Hey, baby girl, you all right?" he asked, but she didn't say much of anything. Cid had known her for over a year now, and he knew that there were some times that she would be open for conversation and some times when she simply wasn't. He offered to make her breakfast and she just reached into the fridge to pull out a tub of cut up fruit, sitting at the tiny table they shared their meals at every day since they came to live there. "All right, then. I know when I'm not wanted."
"Papa…" Canti said after she picked out all of the strawberries from the tub.
"What's wrong?"
"I had a dream… a nightmare."
Cid sat down at the table with her once he made his cup of coffee. "What was it about?"
"Minwu said yesterday that he could see the evil that comes, that is beyond the border of our country," she said. "I… I saw it. It came. Broke through the barrier. It absorbed the powers of all it came in contact with… It was darkness beyond our understanding…" Her expression was distant. "I couldn't save anyone. Even though, even though I was told I had to fight against it. I was helpless…" Tears fell from her eyes as she looked at him, fraught with unfathomable worry. "…I couldn't save you."
Cid's brow furrowed. "It wasn't real. It was just a nightmare. You don't have to worry about the enemy. Cosmos herself erected the barrier to protect Dagurreo from all who would seek to destroy us." He put his hand on her head, but that didn't seem to comfort her very much. "I'm right here. I will always be here."
"Papa Cid…"
"And it's my job to protect you," he said, ruffling her hair affectionately. "I am a Warrior of the Water, one of the Dragon Knights, specifically so I am able to protect you. So don't you worry none. My spear is enough to fend off any enemy."
She sniffled, turning away from him. "I need to finish getting ready for school…"
"You need any help?"
"No. I think… I'll be fine…" she gulped down a bit more fruit and hopped out of her chair to finish putting on her uniform. "Though I was thinking of taking some of the leftovers for my lunch. Is that okay?"
"Yeah, we'll split it."
Canti grabbed her lunchbox and Cid got it ready while she dressed. She was ready to go in another five minutes, once she finally got the thoughts of her nightmare out of her mind. Before she could give him a hug and head out the door, there was a loud knock on it.
Cid answered. "Yeah?"
"Good morning, Mr. Highwind!" Crystal stood there, all dressed in her uniform with her school issued hammer strapped to her back and her bag full of school supplies. And Hikari was there behind her. "We were wondering if Canti would like to walk to school with us this morning."
Cid found himself immediately embarrassed to still be wearing his pajamas in front of two schoolgirls. "Canti, pumpkin, you take care of this... I'm not decent." He darted back to his room and closed the door.
"If I would have known you were coming, I could have told him to wear his robe at the very least," Canti said. "Decided to surprise me, huh?"
"Well since we all have first class together, why not?" Hikari asked.
Canti nodded, grabbing her lunchbox to tuck inside her satchel and strapping her spear to her back. "We might as well… you did come all this way looking for me."
"Canti, I live right across the street from you," Crystal pointed at her house. She shook her head. "Did you forget all ready?"
"...yes?" Canti grinned sheepishly.
"And I thought my memory was just too fast to keep up with," Hikari muttered.
Canti went back to knock on Cid's bedroom door. "I'm off, Papa Cid. I'll see you tonight."
"Of course… I love you!"
"Love you, too."
The trio headed out and Canti closed the door behind her. There was so much to do today, an she wasn't exactly ready for it. Even though she wasn't tearful over it, and the memory was fading the more she was awake, the thoughts of her nightmare haunted her as she walked sandwiched between her two friends.
"Hey, Canti?" Hikari said, calling Canti from her thoughts.
"Mm?"
"You okay? Are you sick or something?"
"I don't think you'd understand it if I told you," Canti said quietly.
"Try me," Hikari said with a shrug.
"I had a nightmare."
Hikari stopped asking immediately. It seemed as if she had a similar experience, with that reaction in her eyes.
Crystal turned her head to look at both the girls walking with her. "What about?"
"Minwu said he knew what it is yesterday," Canti said. "I want to talk to him about it…"
"I'm confused," Crystal said. "What was it about?"
"The enemy they speak of," Hikari answered. "The one we're all supposed to be training to stand up against if it ever breaks through the barrier."
"You had it, too?!" Canti asked. "Did you see… someone die? Was it my Papa Cid?!"
"I did see someone die, but it wasn't your dad," Hikari mumbled. "It was mine."
