Rebirth of a Holy Dragoon

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy. OCs belong to various friends. I think you know the drill by now.

Notes: None at the moment, just keeping this here in case there are in the future.

Warnings: You don't remember the list of warnings I gave before? Fine. Here. Cursing, potential OOC, OC x Canon, stupid fluffy romance, sex, angst, self-insert author avatar, shitty storytelling.

FIC START!

Chapter Thirty-nine

Leviathan was sitting at his desk when an urgently marked file folder was brought to his desk. The person who delivered it worked for the police department, as he wore the same uniform the rest of them did. He left just as quickly as he went in, and the Eidolon snatched up the file to see what was in it. He read over the report of how one particular little girl that had been entrusted to his care had nearly been snatched up by some pervert, which made him feel nothing but rage. He could have crushed everything in this miserable little country under the powers of his Tsunami right then and there, but he didn't want to have to deal with his mother's wrath for having destroyed all of their hope of fighting off the Ardent that had gnawed its way through a few realms by now and was starting to absorb even places beyond the flow of history. He paced back and forth. He wondered if he should extract more memories from her, but then he remembered that even if he extracted the memories, her body would still remember. There was only so much time to rebuild her psyche and prepare for the eventual battle, and the people in this place were only going against him. Leviathan decided it was time to hunt down this pervert with all of his fervor.

He sat down at his desk and pressed a button to call in his secretary. "Betsy, be a dear and come in here please," he said as sweetly as an enraged demigod could manage.

It took a few moments, but here she came. This tiny little woman with white frizzy hair, wearing a pair of beaded glasses that almost hung off the tip of her nose. "How can I help you, sir?" Her voice sounded as if she was constantly speaking out of her nose.

"Garden is closed until we find the pervert trying to make off with our children. All of the children from fifth year and below are now not to leave their homes unless accompanied by their guardians. This man will be caught so no more children will be in danger," Leviathan said sternly. "You will deliver these messages and make sure they are broadcast every hour on the hour on every station on the Sphere to make sure our entire population is aware of this. With all of the adults keeping the younglings safe, our MPs and the Warriors of the Water will hunt down this refuse…" He crossed his arms. "Tonight for the evening news, I personally will make a statement. Tell everyone in Dagurreo!"

"Yes, sir," Betsy had jotted all of that down onto a steno pad, and now she took her tiny little steps getting back to her desk to give the executive orders.

Leviathan looked at himself in the mirror. He was going to have to change if he was going to address the public.

Crystal and Hikari had gone to see the play as they said they would, and until they had left the theater, they had no clue as to what was going on outside. Every child was being stopped if they were alone. There were military police and Warriors of the Water almost everywhere around the town center. Soon they were stopped by the authorities, too.

"Identification cards, girls," the man said. It wasn't a demand, but he was stern about it. They both got out their cards and presented them to him. "Ah. All right. One of my men will accompany you home. Do not make any extra stops."

"What's going on? We've always been allowed to walk freely before," Hikari said, really confused as to what was going on.

"Executive orders for the protection of all children from the fifth year and younger," the policeman stated. "There was an incident where a young girl was on her way home alone and some man tried to accost her. Until this criminal is found, all children must go home and remain there to be as safe as possible."

"Someone tried to kidnap a girl?" Crystal asked. "Whoa. I didn't think bad things like that ever happened in Dagurreo."

"According to our records, it is a first," the policeman added. "The poor girl was in shock for a while, but she seems like she will make a full recovery. In the meantime, the man who tried to take her is still at large." He smiled at the two in an attempt to offer them comfort until another policeman came around to escort them home. "Go on to your homes."

Both girls walked alongside the policeman that was told to escort them in the direction of Junon St, which is where both of them lived.

"I can't help but worry," Hikari mumbled. "I feel really bad about the fact that someone - a girl - had been affected by this."

As they came around the corner, they noticed something there on the sidewalk. Crystal knew she'd seen it somewhere before. It took a few moments before she realized what it was. "That's… that's Canti's hairpin," she said, bending down to pick it up.

"You must leave that," the policeman said. "It's a part of the evidence from the incident."

"But this hairpin belongs to our best friend!" Crystal said. There was no doubt. It was a silver crescent moon. Canti was known for wearing it above her left ear like she did all of her other cute little hairpins.

"I think that's the one Kain got for her…" Hikari looked at it carefully, too. "…she has a lot of hairpins, but I'm pretty sure that's the one Kain gave her last week at lunchtime."

"Oh man, you're right…" Crystal agreed.

The policeman took it from Crystal's hand, placing it back on the ground. "I don't care if you know the victim personally, rules are rules."

"That means that Canti's the one?!"

"I can't discuss any of this with you," the policeman said, and both girls fell silent for the rest of the walk. Crystal was taken home first, and before she went inside, she stopped to look over at the tiny little house that Canti and Cid Highwind lived in. Hikari stared at it on her way out of the Tobul family yard, wondering if their teasing is what led to this terrible event. It didn't take long before Hikari was home, too. She felt awful and wondered if there was anything she could do to make the situation any better.

Hikari's first idea was to call Canti's house number on the Sphere. She keyed in the number and made a call, but didn't get a response. Then, she reached into her pocket to pull out a paper of Sphere numbers for other friends and found Kain's on the list. She made the call there, but no one answered.

"...well now what do we do?" she asked, looking at the black screen that awaited another number to be keyed in. Her father wasn't home yet. She couldn't ask anyone what was going on. Hikari just spun around on the chair a few times before deciding to go up to her room and lock the door, just in case that pervert managed to break into their house.

Canti and Kain sat at the kitchen with the Sphere on while they munched on whatever they found in the Highwind Manor's incredibly huge kitchen. They were rather quiet while eating, but both mentally wondered where their fathers were. Canti ate a bowl of leftover pasta, slowly curling up her noodles on her fork before taking each bite. She wasn't incredibly hungry, but she forced something down anyway, otherwise someone in the family was going to start being a nag about taking care of herself, and she really didn't want to hear it.

"Where is Father?" Kain asked, finally breaking their silence. "Night has all ready fallen…"

Suddenly, the Sphere began to ring. Canti was so shocked she almost choked on her noodles. Kain rushed over there to answer it, as both his parents were not there to take the call.

"Highwind Residence," Kain said, pressing the button to see the caller.

"You've arrived safely, I take it." It was Richard. "Good. Remain on high alert. Leviathan has issued executive orders. We're all combing the entire country looking for the pervert that attacked Cantirena. No child under year five at Garden is allowed to be outside of the house without a guardian. The two of you must stay inside at all times until Cid and I return."

"Father," Kain nodded. "If I may ask, where is Mother?"

"She is on one of her routine visits to Fisherman's Horizon. She will not be home for a while. You know how that is."

"...yes, sir, I do…" Kain replied.

"Protect your cousin with the utmost of your ability, son," Richard said. "I have every faith in you."

"I'll do everything I can."

"That's my boy. You do your rank and your family proud."

The screen flickered off, and Kain turned around to see Canti just staring at him while she continued to eat. "They're gonna get that pervert who tried to take you," Kain said, sitting back down next to her. "Father and Uncle Cid and the rest of the Warriors are going to hunt him down and make him pay for what he did."

She just kept eating.

"There's nothing to be afraid of. I'm going to be right here with you. And there's not a single person that can break into the Highwind Manor."

Canti looked up from her pasta. "Ffamran did."

Kain frowned at her. "Oh, all right, fine. That Bunansa idiot managed to get through."

"Kain. Nothing is… nothing can protect anyone perfectly… there's always some risk, no matter how safe you think you are," she felt her morale sink. She could have easily melted into a puddle of goo with how much confidence she had in herself at that moment. "I wanted to fight him off, but he kicked my spear out of reach. Even though I can fight, I didn't have the opportunity to protect myself, and I was too terrified to even think of casting magic."

"It's not your fault," Kain said. "You can't blame yourself because there's evil in this world."

"But I couldn't do anything."

"You get assaulted by some guy and you blame yourself?" Kain grunted. "It's not your fault." He reached to his his hand on her shoulder. "Honestly, it's my fault more than yours."

"What?"

"Your girlfriends were being stupid and silly. If I had agreed to go to the theater, or maybe if I had just walked you home instead of jumping off like I did…" Kain shook his head. "…I could have protected you. And I would have."

She put her hand over his. "It's not your fault, either."

"I'm sorry I left you. I'm sorry I didn't stay with you, like I normally do," he said. "I don't care how much your friends tease me, I won't let them get to me. I promise!"

"You weren't the only one annoyed by it," Canti said. "I stomped off away from them because they made you angry like that." She put her fork down and reached to hug around Kain. "I wanted that walk with you and I was mad they took it from me."

Kain squeezed her to him. "Never again."

"Though I'm sure those two didn't mean to be mean about it. I've overheard a lot of girls in my classes, they're like that about relationships," Canti said. "I think it's some… thing girls do?"

"Boys aren't much better…" he said. "…but our classmates, they're… they don't think like we do. I always got that feeling. They don't see the world the way I do. I think about what I'm going to do with my life even if most boys my age are doing nothing but… goofing off. Perhaps in reality I am much older than this body."

"I feel like that all the time, too," she said, leaning into him.

"At least you know that you aren't alone in that, right?"

"Yeah!"

They held each other for a while, just enjoying each other's warmth and company. The maids came to pick up all the dirty dishes, and after there was a large goooooooon~g that sounded through the house, the screen of the Sphere came on without being prompted.

"Fellow citizens."

Canti immediately pulled away from Kain. "It's the headmaster's voice…" she said. "…this might be important. Remember, Uncle Richard spoke of there being executive orders."

"It's probably pertaining to the current law about children not being out."

The pair turned to watch the Sphere's screen, which showed Leviathan standing there at a podium. Neither of the cousins knew where that podium was, so it was impossible to figure where the headmaster was speaking from. "I am sure you have noticed the increased security going about our fair country today. I wish to address you all on this matter." Leviathan looked straight into the camera, which made it look like he was looking directly at all of his audience. "There was a vile act committed today. On Junon Street, a man tried to kidnap a child who was coming home from the Dagurreo Garden Academy. As you well know, the safety of our children is of the absolute most importance for this entire community. The Garden will be closed and all children will remain in their homes until the perpetrator is apprehended. The military police, as well as our Warriors of the Water, will be working nonstop until this man is found and brought to justice. We will not have any of our children be terrorized. Until we find the one guilty, please be patient and await further instruction. Sleep well, knowing we are doing all we can to protect you and your children." The screen went black again the moment the message was over.

"How is that supposed to make anyone feel safer?" Canti asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well. They make an announcement telling everyone that someone was almost kidnapped, and then they say 'this guy is still out there so you should just hide away from him'," she explained. "To the point of shutting down all of Garden. Now if that guy wants to find… me… all he has to do is look in a house. That puts everyone at risk!"

"Did that guy know you?" Kain asked.

"I think he does. He mentioned the orphanage I was raised in before Papa Cid adopted me…"

"That means he probably knows you're a Highwind."

"And he got me on my way home, so he knows I live on Junon Street."

"...that's why Father had me bring you here," Kain said, gripping her tighter. "Come on, let's get you ready for bed. You'll borrow my pajamas again, since none of your things are here."

Kain offered to carry Canti, but she refused. Instead he took her to the same room she used the night after her ceremony and handed her some pajamas to change into. He stood right outside the door to wait for her to finish. It didn't take her too long before she opened the door again.

"Okay. I'm all changed."

"I should do the same," Kain said, turning around to look at her. "I'll be trying to sleep… you should try to sleep, too."

She nodded, and as he turned around, she said, "Wait, Kain."

"Yes?"

"I… I don't… want… to be alone…" she said. "Please… will you… stay with me?"

"Oh, sure, of course. I'll be right back. Let me change." He didn't want her to see it, but as he walked back to his room, he blushed. It wasn't too far. The change was quick. And then he walked back to her room, still fully armed with his spear just in case they needed it.

Canti climbed onto the extremely fluffy bed and crawled to about the center, and Kain followed her up there, leaving the spear against the wall nearby. He sat there with her, putting his arm around her back, and they sat there together in nothing but candlelight. After a bit, she leaned into him, and he laid her down, still holding onto her.

"Kain."

"Yes?"

"I might… wake up scared…"

"And I'll be right here."

"I don't want to dream about it."

"I don't know the first thing about telling you how to avoid a bad dream," Kain said, "but I will suggest that doing your best not to think about it might help somewhat?" He sounded unsure of himself, which was the opposite of what he wanted in that moment. Clearly she was looking to him for some comfort, and he really didn't know how to give it. But if he wanted to be with her forever, like he told her many times before, he was going to have to learn the art of comforting the one he was taking care of. "If it helps you relax enough to sleep, then just… think about this moment here. We're alone here in our own little world, far from everything that scares us. Nothing can come here but the two of us."

Her eyelids were growing heavy, and he could see it. "Just the two of us," she repeated it sleepily.

"Right. Just you and me. Safe and warm. Hidden from all evil."

Canti's body sank into the bed that supported her, and Kain watched her fall asleep completely. He waited for a while before getting up off the bed as he was afraid of waking her once she managed to fall into a deep enough sleep. Not sure of what else to do, he went back to his room and got out the Moogle Flute he'd had stashed in his closet. Going back to her room, he sat with a candle, a stack of paper, and writing utensils. Because he was going to be protecting her, he wasn't going to sleep. He furiously wrote a passionate letter to Minwu to detail absolutely everything that happened that afternoon, and because he had some apologizing to do, he wrote a letter to both Hikari and Crystal. And, since he was the one who saved her, he begrudgingly wrote Mateus Palamecia a thank you letter.