Chapter 14
[I]I remember it now. So vividly. A stone house, it was by the ocean. There was a field. Bright colours danced in the sun. I only ever saw the field once. But that image, though forgotten, never lost.
A woman dressed in black. Curious. Always asking. Never relenting. The other children called her matron. I didn't.
Children. Others, just like me. But not. No, I was different. I never saw them much. Always alone.
A room. Alone. Stone walls. A prison. Her interest in me. She, she feared me. Why? I was so small. From my small confined space I could see sky. It hurt my eyes.
Floorboards. A secret. But what…?[/I]
******************************
Yannie woke up in a cold sweat. Though awake, she didn't open her eyes. She pretended to be asleep. So that man would not return. What was her dream about she wondered? Was it a dream, or memories? She had no memories, no past. Why now? She could still see the field of flowers imbedded on the inside of her eyelids.
Edea. She mouthed the name. Somehow, she held the key.
*****************************
[I]Ring…Ring…[/I]
What the hell was he going to say?
[I]…Ring…[/I]
Listen to Quistis he thought. Keep it professional. Don't make it personal. Another time. But not now.
[I]…Ring…Hello, Esthar Presidential Residence, This is Mandra speaking. How can I direct your call?[/I] the chirpy voice on the other end of the phone replied.
"Uh, " Squall cleared his throat, "Can I speak to the President?"
[I]"Whom may I say is calling?"[/I]
"I'm a representative of Balamb Garden, I have urgent business, and I need to talk with the President right away."
[I]I'm sorry, the president is very busy, but I'm sure he will be able to take your call at a later date."[/I]
"Ok," said Squall. He hated to have to do this. "Do me one thing. Tell him it is Squall Leonheart."
[I]Squall Leonheart? Listen, I don't know…[/I]
"He will want to take this call, trust me…" the disembodied voice on the other end sighed.
[I]Alright, but he is very busy. Let me ask[/I] The phone clicked, and the sounds of [I]Greensleves[/I] resonated through the ear piece.
****************
Laguna Loire was sat in his office. Papers were strewn everywhere. He looked briefly at the paper in his hand before scrunching it up and tossing it over his shoulder in the wastepaper bin, which was already full to overflowing. He held his head in his hands, with his elbows on the table.
How did he get here? Why was he doomed to lead? Why did people follow him? He was no leader, but consequence had deemed him to be for the rest of his life. He had no choice. He had to save Ellone. He had travelled to Esthar to rescue her, and once he had, he somehow ended up defeating a sorceress and became the new leader of the most powerful country in the world. The world at his feet. Armies at his control. The glory and the tickertape parade when the evil sorceress Adel had been locked away in space forever. A country free from her evil grip. A joyous day, and there was not one man alive who wouldn't love his position.
He hated his job. He longed for the days when Kiros, Ward and himself would go adventuring. No particular path. Just one open road, and a million destinations. Armed with nothing but a machine gun and a pen, he would travel to foreign lands, and write a thousand colours on paper, describing the wonderment he saw.
But he would have gladly give it all up, just to be back in Winhill, with Raine. And Ellone, who could forget little Ellone. Except she wasn't so little anymore. She was a grown woman, and it made him feel old. So much he wanted to do, so many places left unseen. So many people to get to know. So many bridges needed building…
[I]Beep! Mr President, I have a Mr Leonheart on line four for you, I told him you were busy but he insisted…[/I]
"Squall?" he pressed the buzzer on the intercom. "Mandra, if anyone from Balamb phones, direct them straight to me you hear?"
[I]Yes Sir. Understood. Shall I patch him through?[/I]
"Yes, yes." There was a little beep on the phone. "Uh," Laguna cleared his voice. "Squall…?"
"Mr President, this is Squall Leonheart, commander of Balamb Garden," [I]Your son, remember. Or had you forgotten, just like you forgot my mother?[/I] "We have a situation, involving Your forces, and one of our students." Laguna picked up on his hostility, and tried not to push the fatherly act too much. It was too late for that anyway.
"Please continue." Squall briefed him on the details of the kidnapping, managing to keep his cool. "Very interesting." He said when he had heard the whole story. "But I'm afraid there is nothing I can do."
"What do you mean, nothing?"
"This isn't a government affair. If I were to get my forces involved, it could cause civil war."
"I beg to differ Mr. President." Argued Squall. "We have reason to believe that she is being held by your forces. I think that makes it a government affair."
"You can't prove that."
"Let me ask, who funds Odine labs?"
"Uh, well, a number of anonymous investors make uh, donations…"
"But the majority of it comes from the government science fund doesn't it?"
"I…Umm… I will have to get a confirmation on that." Laguna began to sweat. This kid had a spark, and reminded him a lot of himself in his youth.
"And as investors, I imagine you would keep a close eye on any research?" Squall was amazed at himself. He had never been this cocky before.
"I don't really get involved in what old man Odine does."
"Will you help us?"
"Like I said…"
"Give me a straight answer!"
"That…um…No. I'm sorry. No."
"Very well then." And Squall hung up the phone. [I]Thanks a lot DAD[/I]
Laguna sat back in his chair. [I]Always a pleasure SON[/I]
[I]I remember it now. So vividly. A stone house, it was by the ocean. There was a field. Bright colours danced in the sun. I only ever saw the field once. But that image, though forgotten, never lost.
A woman dressed in black. Curious. Always asking. Never relenting. The other children called her matron. I didn't.
Children. Others, just like me. But not. No, I was different. I never saw them much. Always alone.
A room. Alone. Stone walls. A prison. Her interest in me. She, she feared me. Why? I was so small. From my small confined space I could see sky. It hurt my eyes.
Floorboards. A secret. But what…?[/I]
******************************
Yannie woke up in a cold sweat. Though awake, she didn't open her eyes. She pretended to be asleep. So that man would not return. What was her dream about she wondered? Was it a dream, or memories? She had no memories, no past. Why now? She could still see the field of flowers imbedded on the inside of her eyelids.
Edea. She mouthed the name. Somehow, she held the key.
*****************************
[I]Ring…Ring…[/I]
What the hell was he going to say?
[I]…Ring…[/I]
Listen to Quistis he thought. Keep it professional. Don't make it personal. Another time. But not now.
[I]…Ring…Hello, Esthar Presidential Residence, This is Mandra speaking. How can I direct your call?[/I] the chirpy voice on the other end of the phone replied.
"Uh, " Squall cleared his throat, "Can I speak to the President?"
[I]"Whom may I say is calling?"[/I]
"I'm a representative of Balamb Garden, I have urgent business, and I need to talk with the President right away."
[I]I'm sorry, the president is very busy, but I'm sure he will be able to take your call at a later date."[/I]
"Ok," said Squall. He hated to have to do this. "Do me one thing. Tell him it is Squall Leonheart."
[I]Squall Leonheart? Listen, I don't know…[/I]
"He will want to take this call, trust me…" the disembodied voice on the other end sighed.
[I]Alright, but he is very busy. Let me ask[/I] The phone clicked, and the sounds of [I]Greensleves[/I] resonated through the ear piece.
****************
Laguna Loire was sat in his office. Papers were strewn everywhere. He looked briefly at the paper in his hand before scrunching it up and tossing it over his shoulder in the wastepaper bin, which was already full to overflowing. He held his head in his hands, with his elbows on the table.
How did he get here? Why was he doomed to lead? Why did people follow him? He was no leader, but consequence had deemed him to be for the rest of his life. He had no choice. He had to save Ellone. He had travelled to Esthar to rescue her, and once he had, he somehow ended up defeating a sorceress and became the new leader of the most powerful country in the world. The world at his feet. Armies at his control. The glory and the tickertape parade when the evil sorceress Adel had been locked away in space forever. A country free from her evil grip. A joyous day, and there was not one man alive who wouldn't love his position.
He hated his job. He longed for the days when Kiros, Ward and himself would go adventuring. No particular path. Just one open road, and a million destinations. Armed with nothing but a machine gun and a pen, he would travel to foreign lands, and write a thousand colours on paper, describing the wonderment he saw.
But he would have gladly give it all up, just to be back in Winhill, with Raine. And Ellone, who could forget little Ellone. Except she wasn't so little anymore. She was a grown woman, and it made him feel old. So much he wanted to do, so many places left unseen. So many people to get to know. So many bridges needed building…
[I]Beep! Mr President, I have a Mr Leonheart on line four for you, I told him you were busy but he insisted…[/I]
"Squall?" he pressed the buzzer on the intercom. "Mandra, if anyone from Balamb phones, direct them straight to me you hear?"
[I]Yes Sir. Understood. Shall I patch him through?[/I]
"Yes, yes." There was a little beep on the phone. "Uh," Laguna cleared his voice. "Squall…?"
"Mr President, this is Squall Leonheart, commander of Balamb Garden," [I]Your son, remember. Or had you forgotten, just like you forgot my mother?[/I] "We have a situation, involving Your forces, and one of our students." Laguna picked up on his hostility, and tried not to push the fatherly act too much. It was too late for that anyway.
"Please continue." Squall briefed him on the details of the kidnapping, managing to keep his cool. "Very interesting." He said when he had heard the whole story. "But I'm afraid there is nothing I can do."
"What do you mean, nothing?"
"This isn't a government affair. If I were to get my forces involved, it could cause civil war."
"I beg to differ Mr. President." Argued Squall. "We have reason to believe that she is being held by your forces. I think that makes it a government affair."
"You can't prove that."
"Let me ask, who funds Odine labs?"
"Uh, well, a number of anonymous investors make uh, donations…"
"But the majority of it comes from the government science fund doesn't it?"
"I…Umm… I will have to get a confirmation on that." Laguna began to sweat. This kid had a spark, and reminded him a lot of himself in his youth.
"And as investors, I imagine you would keep a close eye on any research?" Squall was amazed at himself. He had never been this cocky before.
"I don't really get involved in what old man Odine does."
"Will you help us?"
"Like I said…"
"Give me a straight answer!"
"That…um…No. I'm sorry. No."
"Very well then." And Squall hung up the phone. [I]Thanks a lot DAD[/I]
Laguna sat back in his chair. [I]Always a pleasure SON[/I]