Hey! Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up! Y'know how it is, one thing and another... Anyway, I hope you like it! R&R! PLEASE!!!
Chapter Six
Visitors From Beyond
Ever since our first kiss, Rinoa and I have been working and living happily together in this paradise called Madao Valley. I've become well-known by the rest of the villagers, and also have met the Wise Man in the village, who really WAS the Ward Zabak from the dreamworld. I wonder sometimes how this all came to be, but then I think of Rinoa, and everything else just kinda melts away, and all I see is her.
I have met her brothers, as well. They look just like the Zone and Watts I saw in the dreamworld, just about twelve years older. Zone's okay, but he gets a 'stomach ache' every time Rinoa needs him to do something important or brave. Watts is really polite, and seems to be the brains of the four of them. Eiri seems to love them, and haven't spent a moment apart from them ever since they got back from Timber last week.
It's been about a month and a half since I first got here. I've come to love the monsters, and love Eiri as if she were my own little sister. I have stood watch over the plains and come to fight every time an outsider comes and tries to harm our monsters. We chase or kill, what ever is needed to keep our village safe. 'Go away, you're not welcome here!' I would say. I fight for my friends, for my family and my home--I have never been happier, because I'm finally fighting for something I believe in.
With what ever outsider we find snooping around, we kill. We singe off their flesh and set the skeletons a good ten miles away from the village. We put these up as signs to keep away. I used to think that it was barbaric, but it seems to be the only way to keep them away. Although, there are always a few foolish souls who would dare to seek us.
Every time those foolish souls cross the line, I take pride in killing, because they have killed too many of our monsters--I can see the blood on their hands. We hang their bodies on racks and bind their feet to steaks. Rinoa leads the ritual herself, raising the sacred wine and flames to their bodies. I never really kill them, I simply injure them to the point of insanity--perhaps slicing off an arm or a leg, or a great gash in their stomachs or chests. As they breath their last blood-thirsty breath, we carry out the ritual. Rinoa raises her voice to Odin and cries "We are the mighty Akashic Tribe! May no one put us asunder!" The village cheers and we throw wine on their bloody bodies and light the flames. By this time they are dead, but if they are raziliant enough to be punished for what they have done, it only makes it sweeter for me.
It isn't all bloodshed, fortunately. It is greatly more festivals and dances, all which I love now. Every day, when I wake up, I have a feeling of rebirth, like my life is just starting out. The villagers have welcomed me with open arms--I know everyone by name and they know me. I wake up, eat breakfast with Rinoa, Eiri, Zone and Watts, we talk and laugh and get the day started. I go out with Rinoa to take care of the monsters and dragons, sometimes I go with Zone to bring in the supplys that the Adamantoises have brought in from the ocean, or sometimes go with Watts to study with Kiros and Ward. I make my rounds through the village, saying hello to everyone and grabbing a quick bite to eat at Kohaku's stand--perhaps beef kebobs and fresh tortillas or onion cakes and mushroom dumplings--either way, it's delicious. Right after lunch, I climb up the red cliffs where Rinoa and I shared our first kiss. I climb and climb up to the very top, where I stand right on the barrier between the valley and the outlands.
The view is spectacular. I stand on the thin line between our world and the old world that I was more than happy to leave. The wind is cool and swift, it blasts my hair back and fills my clothes with air. The sky is clear with clouds and birds here and there. I can hear the cries of eagles, soaring high up to me. I can see everything; I feel so free, so complete. I stay up in this kingdom of mine all day, watching over my land like a lion on the Serengetti. I spread out my arms and close my eyes and feel the wind take me away.
The sun begins to set and the sky is painted with orange and purple and pink. Clouds glow with gold, and the winds grow even stronger. Eagles soar overhead to return home, and I have never felt so alive in my life. I look up and see Rinoa and Korekanda flying overhead. She stands up on Korekanda's back and shouts out a great wolf call. I throw my head back and do the same. I hear her laugh and I watch her soar over my head to return to the valley behind me.
I turn and look down upon the valley, my home. My heart swells with the great and utter joy to belong somewhere, to have someone who loves me, to just be alive. I'm dizzy and drunk with the total and complete happiness that I feel within me. I feel like a bird whose broken wings have finally healed. My heart soars up to the sky with the dragons and eagles I watch every day. I look down, grinning from ear to ear, and I know that this is where I belong--that I could not have belonged anywhere else. Period.
I take in a breath of air, tasting how sweet life was now that I lived here with Rinoa. I stare over my valley, and know that nothing could ever touch me, ever. I am invincible. I feel like there is nothing in this world that could ever harm me. I am in total and complete control--I am king of my own universe, this universe called Madao Valley. I protect it and watch over it, and feel so empowered that I can do all of this to protect my friends and the one woman I love, and always will love.
When night falls, I climb back down, giving a friendly pat to the Behemoth and Chimera that watch the night shift. I make my way down to the valley and through the shops and what crowd is left. The lanterns in the stalls blow out, and the pyre flies return with the summer, lighting my way home. I greet everyone closing up shop, they saying 'Have a good night' and I returning the gesture with a friendly nod. I walk along the streets and come to the castle, white lanterns and candles lit, waiting for me to come home.
And her. I always see her there, standing in the door for me. She's waiting for me to come inside and smiles when she sees me come close. I can't see much of her face or anything else, but her perfect form basked in the stars and candlelight. I hear her laugh and I smile--a true, genuine smile that feels wonderful evertime I do it. I walk up to the door and she reaches out for my hand. I take her in my arms and lovingly stroke her hair. "I love you," I say; she smiles and her eyes sparkle with that same look of love that I give her every time I see her. And there is no better way to end a day such as this than to end it with a long, gentle, sweet kiss.
Night has come; we all sit together at the dinner table, sometimes Rinoa letting me help with dinner. We laugh, we talk, we reminice--I feel like I am in a real family, a family I never had. After dinner, we retire to the den. Sometimes I read to Eiri from a book of her choice, or sometimes play chess with Watts. We all take turns taking Eiri up to bed and tucking her in. Sometimes one of us, or all of us. Sometimes it's Zone and Watts that take her up, allowing Rinoa and I some time to relax out on the terrace and gaze up at the stars. Or sometimes, we'll take her up to bed; every time she has to ride on my back. We tuck her in and take turns telling bedtime stories. Sometimes, we even fall asleep with her, and wake up on Eiri's bed, with Eiri snuggled in between Rinoa and me. Either way, it ends with a kiss--a kiss so perfect it's beyond words. Every night, when I go to kiss her, I have to brace myself because I know that each one will be ten times more mind-blowing than the last one. I go to sleep, so full of love that my heart is exploding--and I wake up the next morning and do it all over again.
Eiri is so happy that we're all together. I like Zone and Watts, too; they're not bad... I still love Rinoa the most, though. Eiri loves the fact that Rinoa's eyes have changed; she keeps on calling me her big brother. Who knows... I may end up her brother, some day... Maybe I've gone crazy, but that's the last thing I care about right now, and probably the last thing I ever will care about. I love Rinoa so much, I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to stand it. Some days, I just want to shout out on the top of that cliff and declare it to the world: "I LOVE RINOA LOIRE!!!" Haha, okay, yeah--I've gone crazy, but at least I'm happy, and that's the most important thing: to be happy.
Zone and Watts are taking to it fine, but they still act all big-brothery and protective around Rinoa. I don't really mind, though. I've become quite used to it. I haven't met her father, yet, though. He seems to love Rinoa very much; I don't know how protective he'll be. Ah man... I just hope that he has enough humanity not to want to kill me for kissing his little girl about a thousand times. But-hey-I'll be the first to admit that I can't get enough of her kiss.
I stood at the harbor that led out to the vast ocean, where I had often helped bring in the supplies that the Adamantioses often brought in. They would bring in kelp, clams, or even precious stones that they would sometimes find at the bottom. I was still daydreaming, I guess...
"Heads up!!!" Huh?
I looked up and saw a HUGE bag of clams heading right for me! I fortunately saw it in just enough time to catch it, the impact almost throwing me back. I looked at who had shouted the warning, Zone... "Hey, can't you watch where you're throwing that thing?!" I shouted back at him as he stood on the shipping raft that went out with the Adamantioses.
"Get your head outta the clouds, would ya?! You can't work very well when you're daydreaming about my SISTER!" he shot back. My face went red.
"What about me?" I spun around at the sound of Rinoa's voice behind us.
I shook my head violently, "Nothing, nothing--We were talking about a... Ah..."
She laughed and shook it off,"Forget it," she said. I smiled at her; she was wearing the same outfit she had worn the day I learned her name, her long hair blowing gracefully behind her in the wind. "You guys get the supplies yet?" I nodded. "Good, help me get them into the--"
She was cut off by the old baker's wife, Liira, "Squall! Squall!" she cried out my name.
"What's wrong?" Rinoa asked.
"Ou-- Outsiders, coming across the plains!"
"What?!" I shouted. How could those morons on the morning shift let them pass?!
"Please, Sir Guardian, these are different--they use magic! They have the destructive power of the gods themselves...! The little shepard boy saw them while he was taking his grats to the river--they just killed two Glacial Eyes. Please, mighty guardian!"
I drew my sword, enraged at how ignorant ousiders could be. "Damned outsiders!" I shouted. I whistled for Karriko and hopped on its back. "Rinoa, c'mon!" She nodded, a fire burning within her. She jumped up on Karriko's back with me and shouted. "To arms!" The villagers gave a mighty battle cry and we all galloped off to the outskirts of the valley.
I was ready to defend my home. I was ready to kill them--they slaughtered our monsters, our guardians. They would pay dearly for disturbing our peace, our lives and our families. I will fight for the good of the monsters, the good of the people, and the good of my own family--Rinoa and the others. She is and always will be my family. I would make sure of that...
We ran and ran to the hills where the Glacial Eyes had been killed by the outsiders. I saw the outsiders in the distance, "Stop! You're not welcome here!" I shouted at the three strangers. Just keep your distance and no one will get hurt...
The blonde guy in the outsider band stepped forward slightly, "...Squall???" he called in a hyper, kind of squeaky voice. He sounds familiar...
I began to approach them, "Squall, be careful," said Rinoa. I nodded with a reassuring smile.
I stood my ground as they slowly approached, "Stay away or you'll die!" I called to them.
The blonde guy stepped forward again, "SQUALL!!! IT IS YOU!!!" Huh??? He ran to me and wrapped his arms around me, barely allowing me to breathe, "SQUALL I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!!!"
"...ZELL???" I asked in disbelief. The other two ran to me, "Selphie??? Intructor Trepe???"
"I NEVER THOUGHT I'D SEE YOU AGAIN, MAN!!!" Zell said.
"Get OFF!" I jabbed him in the stomach("Oomph!" Zell said.) He gave me a crazy smile, "What are you DOING here?" I asked, half happy to see them, half annoyed.
"We're here on a mission!" Selphie said, jumping up and down. "Scouting the land to see why its so deserted, you know?"
"Deserted?" I asked. "Didn't you guys see the SKELETONS??? They mean KEEP AWAY!" I shouted. Honestly, couldn't they take a hint? Sure, I was glad to see them, but still...
"Oh, Squall," Selphie said. "We never EVER thought we'd see you again!"
"Really?" I asked. I could feel Rinoa's eyes on me, I turned to her, "Don't worry, they're my comrades from Garden. They're okay." She nodded, half approving, half skeptical. I don't blame her.
"It's good to see you alive, Squall! Seifer told us that you fell off a cliff by accident after a hard training session. He said that the cliff gave out while you were passing by, or something. We sent out parties to search for your body, but we never found you. Afterwards, we were devistated, all of Garden was sad to loose one of its top students, and top SeeD. We had a funeral, also. The Headmaster was there, we had a coffin, everything." said Instructor Trepe.
"You had a coffin?" The Instructor nodded. "What was in it?" They shrugged.
"This is great, man!" Zell said. "We come to Centra to explore and we find our long lost comrade! This totally rules!" Comrade...? I am a guardian of Madao Valley, not a comrade to your Garden team of murderers...
"Squall, are you okay?" Selphie asked. She then took notice to the village far behind us. "WOW!" she squealed. "What's that?!"
I held my gunblade in front of her view. "You see nothing!" I said. "Go home now and tell no one of what you've seen here or I will take personal pleasure in killing you." Everyone looked at me, shocked. They stared at me as if I had gone mad.
"Squall, what are you talking about?" Instructor Trepe asked. "We're your fellow SeeDs, I trained you for years. You're not going to kill a fellow SeeD are you?"
"If the need comes," I said, holding my sword threateningly. "I don't care who you are or where you come from--I am here to protect this place now, and no outsiders shall know of it." I heard cries of agreement from the villagers.
Zell took a step forward and swung his arm out. "Squall, what the hell are you talking about?" he asked.
"It's us," Selphie said. "Don't tell me you have amnesia."
"I am perfectly fine--now swear you'll never say a word to anyone about this or you die."
"Yo, Squall, take it easy!" Zell said. "You don't have to worry--you're one of us. You're a SeeD, too--"
"NO!" I shouted. "I am not a killer! SeeD murders! SeeD is dead to me! SeeD are mercenaries that fight for money and greed and don't even care what they fight for. I am a guardian--I am a knight! I live and breathe to protect my people, now swear that you will never utter a single word of this to any living soul, or I will hunt you down and kill you like the dogs you are."
"Squall Leonhart, what has gotten into you?" Quistis asked with her teacher tone. I stopped in mid-breath; what has gotten into me? I shook my head. and tried to recollect my thoughts. Something was wrong... Something was jogging my memory... "Squall," the instructor called. "If you want us to leave, we will, but we just need a place to stay for the night."
A place to stay...?! "How dare you kill on our lands and ask for a place to stay?!" I shouted outraged.
"Will you CALM DOWN?!!!" Zell screamed. "What the hell is wrong with you?! We're your comrades!"
"I can't believe you, Squall!" Selphie said. "We're teammates! We're friends! Don't you remember us?"
I suddenly shook my head, feeling a hazy rush in the back of my eyes. "Squall?" I turned to see Rinoa, standing there in utter confusion. "What is going on?"
"They-- They're...from Garden." A wave of whispers overcame the village warriors. "They want a place to stay tonight..." A new wave of astonishment overcame them. I heard things such as 'mannerless pigs!' or 'what nerve!' or the ever popular 'who do they think they are?' Rinoa stepped up to confront them.
"Alright, listen. You come into our lands after seeing our skeletons and posts of obvious 'keep out' signs, ignoring all of the signals you've gotten to stay out. You barge into our home and shed the blood of our monsters and guardians, taint the earth with an innocent's blood--and now you have the nerve to ask us for a place to stay?! You are so lucky that we haven't slit your throats yet it isn't even funny!"
Quistis looked at me. "Squall, what is she talking about?" she asked, obviously threatened. "You've been living with them?"
"Who told you you could speak, you gaudy wretch!" Rinoa screeched.
"Who do you think you are?!" Quistis screamed back.
"I think I am the first princess of the Akashic Tribe and the ruler of the very land that you stand upon, that's who I am!"
"Squall, would you tell her to shut up?"
"Are you going to let her talk to you like that? They trespassed, they murdered--what more do you want?!" I had never seen Rinoa like this; I felt cornered and afraid. I could tell that Zell was thinking the same thing about Instructor Trepe. This was completely unlike either of them.
I love Rinoa... But I can't ignore that they used to be my comrades... Before I knew her, before I knew how great life could be... I fought by their side, shedding the blood of the innocent. I used to be one of them... "You..." Rinoa breathed, snapping me out of my daze. "You want them to stay, don't you?" The warriors of the village gasped.
I sighed; well, since they were my old comrades... I turned to Rinoa. "Rinoa, I love you. You know that I do... I know that you can't ignore the fact that they killed two Glacial Eyes, but, if you remember, I used to be one of them. Rinoa, please, I promise, if you let them stay for one night, I promise I will take FULL responsibility for them. They won't kill any monsters, promise."
Rinoa crossed her arms and examined them all with her flashing green eyes; then she looked at me. I knew that she knew I could keep a promise. After a long moment of silence she turned to me and said, "Squall Leonhart, as first princess of the Akashic tribe, I appoint you to be responsible for the outsiders that have trespassed on our lands. From this moment on, every move that they make, every sound, every breath that they take will be on YOUR head. If they cross the line and do harm to any--and I mean ANY--monster in this valley, all four of you will be killed as traitors to the Akashic tribe. Understood?"
I knew she was serious about this, but not THAT serious... I realized that this was a part of her I had never seen before; a part that was just about as serious as I was. I nodded, realizing who I was now dealing with, "I understand.," I said.
She turned to the others. "And as for you," she said. "You are not here on vacation, you are not here to enjoy yourselves--you are only here because you're Squall's old comrades. I do not take kindly to many trespassers, so you should consider yourselves extremely lucky. I should let you know that from this moment on, you are under an oath to keep the secrecy of the Akashic tribe. If you do not swear it on pain of death, then you will be killed. Do you understand?"
Zell gulped and nodded, followed by a figeting Selphie and a formal Quistis who finished with the SeeD salute.
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Well? How was it? I am SOOOO sorry that I havn't been writing all that much, but I promise that I'll never leave ya hanging! It won't be too long before I get chapter seven up; enjoy!
Kayli
