Chapter Eleven
Laguna Loire, president of Esthar looked anxiously out at the horizon, scanning it for the familiar red shape of the Ragnarok. "When did they say they'd come?" he asked the dark man standing next to him.
Kiros sighed. "The same time as last time you asked two minutes ago Laguna. Don't be so jumpy."
Laguna nodded and adjusted his tunic. He was in full dress uniform, as was Kiros. Kiros didn't seem to have any trouble though. Laguna, more used to jeans and a comfortable shirt, found the uniform tight and too fancy.
Suddenly Kiros nudged him. "They're here Laguna," he said, then walked off to see to last minute preparations, leaving Laguna alone. Taking a deep breath, Laguna steeled himself to meet his son.
The airship came in low over the Great Plains of Esthar, and jerked up when it came upon the outskirts of Esthar City, turning slightly, it docked smoothly with Esthar airstation. The doors opened with a 'swish', and out stepped Squall.
Kiros nodded, and Laguna stepped forward. "Garden Master Leonhart, on behalf of Esthar, I welcome you and Garden to our country."
Squall's face took on a blank look before he remembered the speech. "I thank you for your warm welcome President Loire. On behalf of Garden, I humbly beg leave to build an academy within the borders of your fair country."
"Esthar gives Garden permission Master Leonhart. Gods save Garden."
"Gods save Esthar."
The band struck up Esthar's national anthem as Squall stepped onto Esthar soil and posed with Laguna for the press. Behind him came Quistis and Rinoa, slowly walking along the red carpet to the palace.
"You've managed to repair the place well Laguna." Quistis congratulated.
"Not as well as it looks" Laguna said with a grimace. "There's still some parts of Esthar that are infested by monsters."
"Our fees are very reasonable for monster clearance President Loire" Squall said with a smile.
Laguna grinned back. "I'm sure they are Squall, but I think we can manage if it's all the same to you."
"If you're sure."
"I am thank you. Our treasury's still aching from the last job."
"Well saving the entirety of time and space doesn't come cheap."
"Well you'd think some other parts of time and space would contribute, wouldn't you? Ah, here we are."
With a final wave for the photographers, they ducked inside the doorway to Esthar's presidential residence.
***
"BACK?"
"Yeah, I'm telling ya! I just saw him y'know!"
"SEIFER?"
"Yeah, he's back y'know."
"WHERE?"
"Near the library, so let's go!"
"AGREED."
They made an odd pair, a slender, pale, silver-haired woman, and a tall, dark, muscular man, yet they were two of the fastest friends in Garden. Their group, however, had been incomplete during recent months.
Now they were three.
"SEIFER! JOY! WELCOME BACK!"
Seifer turned and smiled, a thing rarely seen on his face. "Fu! Raijin! Good to see you guys again."
"You too man. Welcome back. We've missed ya y'know."
"Thanks Raijin, but I'm afraid I'm not going to stay very long."
Fuijin looked at him, her one good eye brimming with tears. "LEAVING?"
"No," Seifer said with a grimace "I'm being transferred."
"Where ya goin' to?"
"Esthar."
"LEONHART!?"
"Pretty much what I thought Fu," Seifer said with a grimace "it can't be helped though."
"C'mon Fu. Let's go apply. See you Seifer."
"GO. I STAY."
"Fair 'nuff. Later Fu, y'know."
Raijin wandered off and Fuijin wrapped her arms around Seifer. "I've missed you." She said, crying into his trenchcoat.
Laguna Loire, president of Esthar looked anxiously out at the horizon, scanning it for the familiar red shape of the Ragnarok. "When did they say they'd come?" he asked the dark man standing next to him.
Kiros sighed. "The same time as last time you asked two minutes ago Laguna. Don't be so jumpy."
Laguna nodded and adjusted his tunic. He was in full dress uniform, as was Kiros. Kiros didn't seem to have any trouble though. Laguna, more used to jeans and a comfortable shirt, found the uniform tight and too fancy.
Suddenly Kiros nudged him. "They're here Laguna," he said, then walked off to see to last minute preparations, leaving Laguna alone. Taking a deep breath, Laguna steeled himself to meet his son.
The airship came in low over the Great Plains of Esthar, and jerked up when it came upon the outskirts of Esthar City, turning slightly, it docked smoothly with Esthar airstation. The doors opened with a 'swish', and out stepped Squall.
Kiros nodded, and Laguna stepped forward. "Garden Master Leonhart, on behalf of Esthar, I welcome you and Garden to our country."
Squall's face took on a blank look before he remembered the speech. "I thank you for your warm welcome President Loire. On behalf of Garden, I humbly beg leave to build an academy within the borders of your fair country."
"Esthar gives Garden permission Master Leonhart. Gods save Garden."
"Gods save Esthar."
The band struck up Esthar's national anthem as Squall stepped onto Esthar soil and posed with Laguna for the press. Behind him came Quistis and Rinoa, slowly walking along the red carpet to the palace.
"You've managed to repair the place well Laguna." Quistis congratulated.
"Not as well as it looks" Laguna said with a grimace. "There's still some parts of Esthar that are infested by monsters."
"Our fees are very reasonable for monster clearance President Loire" Squall said with a smile.
Laguna grinned back. "I'm sure they are Squall, but I think we can manage if it's all the same to you."
"If you're sure."
"I am thank you. Our treasury's still aching from the last job."
"Well saving the entirety of time and space doesn't come cheap."
"Well you'd think some other parts of time and space would contribute, wouldn't you? Ah, here we are."
With a final wave for the photographers, they ducked inside the doorway to Esthar's presidential residence.
***
"BACK?"
"Yeah, I'm telling ya! I just saw him y'know!"
"SEIFER?"
"Yeah, he's back y'know."
"WHERE?"
"Near the library, so let's go!"
"AGREED."
They made an odd pair, a slender, pale, silver-haired woman, and a tall, dark, muscular man, yet they were two of the fastest friends in Garden. Their group, however, had been incomplete during recent months.
Now they were three.
"SEIFER! JOY! WELCOME BACK!"
Seifer turned and smiled, a thing rarely seen on his face. "Fu! Raijin! Good to see you guys again."
"You too man. Welcome back. We've missed ya y'know."
"Thanks Raijin, but I'm afraid I'm not going to stay very long."
Fuijin looked at him, her one good eye brimming with tears. "LEAVING?"
"No," Seifer said with a grimace "I'm being transferred."
"Where ya goin' to?"
"Esthar."
"LEONHART!?"
"Pretty much what I thought Fu," Seifer said with a grimace "it can't be helped though."
"C'mon Fu. Let's go apply. See you Seifer."
"GO. I STAY."
"Fair 'nuff. Later Fu, y'know."
Raijin wandered off and Fuijin wrapped her arms around Seifer. "I've missed you." She said, crying into his trenchcoat.
