The very aged Mayor Dobe stood at the pathway into FH as Laguna, Miles and Jasmine walked out of Garden. They walked up to him, and he rose up a hand.
"You can't come in here."
Miles gave him a glare, "What?"
"I'm sorry, but with the current world conflict, we can't let people who might cause violence in here."
Miles looked around, "What's wrong with you, man?"
"I wish no harm to come to this town."
"Lives are at stake here!"
"Yes, they are, and as such, I will protect the people of this town from violence."
Laguna tapped Miles on the shoulder, and stepped up to the mayor. Dobe stood firm, "I don't care of your status, Loire, you can't come in here."
"Dobe, here's the deal. If you don't let us through, we won't be able to defeat Galbadia. If we don't defeat Galbadia, then this town will be high on Harket's list of places to hit."
"I'm sure that a peaceful resolution can…"
"Man, he'll kill you! He'll kill you first, authority figures other than himself are bad for him."
"Authority roles could be worked out, I'm sure…"
"Dobe, maybe I should talk slower." Laguna took the time to pronounce each word carefully, and precisely, "You… …are… …an… …idiot!"
Dobe became frustrated, "Now look here!"
"No, you look here! You either let us in, or get us Caraway!"
Dobe froze.
"Those are your options."
Dobe nodded, "I'll get him."
The mayor ran off, and Laguna turned to the young couple behind him, "Well?"
Miles gave a few short claps, and Jasmine stared at Laguna, "Weren't you a little hard on him?"
"That guy'll get over it, or he'll go on a rampage and slaughter the people on the town… the way he bottles up his emotions… it's creepy. Either way, we got what we needed."
"Not yet," Miles said, "he still needs to agree."
"Hey, this is his daughter we're talking about!"
"Laguna, how well do you know of the relationship between Rinoa and her father?"
"Not well, you?"
"I've heard enough stories. Not pretty."
"Ohhhh…"
"Plus, how do you think he's gonna respond to the guy who not only led an opposing nation, but also is the father of his son-in-law, AND had a huge crush on his wife?"
"How do you know these things?"
"Rinoa shares a lot of stories. No one may use GFs anymore, but those who did are still a bit paranoid over memory loss."
Laguna scratched the back of his head, "Maybe I should leave the talking up to you?"
Miles nodded and motioned for Laguna to go on, "No, I think I'm gonna enjoy watching this."
Caraway arrived, and walked up the bridge in a dignified manner for a man of 63. He took one look at Laguna, then turned and began to walk away.
"Wait! General!"
The man turned around, "What is it, Loire?"
"Caraway, we need your help."
"Well, looks like you've finally given up at being an idiot and learned to ask for help. What do you need?"
Laguna scratched the back of his head, unable to think of what to say, "I need your help in rescuing our kids from Deling City prison. You're the only one who knows the access codes, and the layout of the building. Please?"
Caraway stepped back, "Rinoa is in DCP?"
"Squall too."
"What happened?"
"They were caught as part of a Galbadia resistance faction."
"That girl was always to stubborn. Serves her right, Squall too!"
"WHAT?"
Caraway turned and slowly began to walk away, "It was bound to happen."
"You're not going to help?"
Carway turned again, "Give me a reason to! My daughter hates me, don't you know that? Of course, you don't know what that's like. Loire, you'll never get it. Good luck."
"I do know what it is like. Squall hated me too. I proved that I wasn't what he thought I was though. Why can't you try the same?"
"I've bailed that girl out enough! Never once has she been grateful."
"With all due respect Caraway, YOU never bailed her out. You just sent someone to do your work for you. Maybe you should do this personally."
Caraway gave a hard stare.
"You're a grandfather, you know."
"What?"
"I figured you never found out. Rinoa and Squall had a kid seven years ago. His name is Neos."
"Why are you saying this?"
"They haven't given him anti-Caraway feelings. So… if you can't prove it to your daughter, prove something to your grandson. C'mon, do you want that kid to be an orphan?"
"You know, Loire, I don't remember you being such a good speaker."
"Well… you spend Hyne knows how long as a President, you learn."
"Alright, fine. I'll guide you through. I'll go personally, an old man like you wouldn't get through alone anyway."
"Hey, you're a year older than me. If I'm old, what are you?"
"Young at heart."
"Okay then Mr. Up-and-at-em, wanna meet our escort?"
"What?"
Laguna gestured towards Miles and Jasmine, "Miles and Jasmine Animus, they'll be protecting our varied-age-asses."
((Next Chapter: Preparations))
"You can't come in here."
Miles gave him a glare, "What?"
"I'm sorry, but with the current world conflict, we can't let people who might cause violence in here."
Miles looked around, "What's wrong with you, man?"
"I wish no harm to come to this town."
"Lives are at stake here!"
"Yes, they are, and as such, I will protect the people of this town from violence."
Laguna tapped Miles on the shoulder, and stepped up to the mayor. Dobe stood firm, "I don't care of your status, Loire, you can't come in here."
"Dobe, here's the deal. If you don't let us through, we won't be able to defeat Galbadia. If we don't defeat Galbadia, then this town will be high on Harket's list of places to hit."
"I'm sure that a peaceful resolution can…"
"Man, he'll kill you! He'll kill you first, authority figures other than himself are bad for him."
"Authority roles could be worked out, I'm sure…"
"Dobe, maybe I should talk slower." Laguna took the time to pronounce each word carefully, and precisely, "You… …are… …an… …idiot!"
Dobe became frustrated, "Now look here!"
"No, you look here! You either let us in, or get us Caraway!"
Dobe froze.
"Those are your options."
Dobe nodded, "I'll get him."
The mayor ran off, and Laguna turned to the young couple behind him, "Well?"
Miles gave a few short claps, and Jasmine stared at Laguna, "Weren't you a little hard on him?"
"That guy'll get over it, or he'll go on a rampage and slaughter the people on the town… the way he bottles up his emotions… it's creepy. Either way, we got what we needed."
"Not yet," Miles said, "he still needs to agree."
"Hey, this is his daughter we're talking about!"
"Laguna, how well do you know of the relationship between Rinoa and her father?"
"Not well, you?"
"I've heard enough stories. Not pretty."
"Ohhhh…"
"Plus, how do you think he's gonna respond to the guy who not only led an opposing nation, but also is the father of his son-in-law, AND had a huge crush on his wife?"
"How do you know these things?"
"Rinoa shares a lot of stories. No one may use GFs anymore, but those who did are still a bit paranoid over memory loss."
Laguna scratched the back of his head, "Maybe I should leave the talking up to you?"
Miles nodded and motioned for Laguna to go on, "No, I think I'm gonna enjoy watching this."
Caraway arrived, and walked up the bridge in a dignified manner for a man of 63. He took one look at Laguna, then turned and began to walk away.
"Wait! General!"
The man turned around, "What is it, Loire?"
"Caraway, we need your help."
"Well, looks like you've finally given up at being an idiot and learned to ask for help. What do you need?"
Laguna scratched the back of his head, unable to think of what to say, "I need your help in rescuing our kids from Deling City prison. You're the only one who knows the access codes, and the layout of the building. Please?"
Caraway stepped back, "Rinoa is in DCP?"
"Squall too."
"What happened?"
"They were caught as part of a Galbadia resistance faction."
"That girl was always to stubborn. Serves her right, Squall too!"
"WHAT?"
Caraway turned and slowly began to walk away, "It was bound to happen."
"You're not going to help?"
Carway turned again, "Give me a reason to! My daughter hates me, don't you know that? Of course, you don't know what that's like. Loire, you'll never get it. Good luck."
"I do know what it is like. Squall hated me too. I proved that I wasn't what he thought I was though. Why can't you try the same?"
"I've bailed that girl out enough! Never once has she been grateful."
"With all due respect Caraway, YOU never bailed her out. You just sent someone to do your work for you. Maybe you should do this personally."
Caraway gave a hard stare.
"You're a grandfather, you know."
"What?"
"I figured you never found out. Rinoa and Squall had a kid seven years ago. His name is Neos."
"Why are you saying this?"
"They haven't given him anti-Caraway feelings. So… if you can't prove it to your daughter, prove something to your grandson. C'mon, do you want that kid to be an orphan?"
"You know, Loire, I don't remember you being such a good speaker."
"Well… you spend Hyne knows how long as a President, you learn."
"Alright, fine. I'll guide you through. I'll go personally, an old man like you wouldn't get through alone anyway."
"Hey, you're a year older than me. If I'm old, what are you?"
"Young at heart."
"Okay then Mr. Up-and-at-em, wanna meet our escort?"
"What?"
Laguna gestured towards Miles and Jasmine, "Miles and Jasmine Animus, they'll be protecting our varied-age-asses."
((Next Chapter: Preparations))