Ellone lay restful on her bed, her quarters were still in Esthar Presidential palace, within her usual restful slumber however she tossed and turned, not all dreams were pleasant…
Ellone walked through, what looked like Esthar palace, but… it was damaged badly, almost to the point of being ruins, she felt like crying, but that wouldn't help her, so she continued to walk through the ruins. "Laguna?"
"He isn't here…" Ellone jumped, and spun around her eyes fell on Squall, his brown hair cascaded down over his features, hiding them from view. Ellone would have recognised him even were it not for the classic black, pants, white sleeveless shirt, and black jacket.
"Squall, what's going on, what happened?" Squall flicked the hair from his eyes and looked up, she blinked, his left eye contained a red hue, a glaze over the old orb. She stared at it, "What happened to you?"
"Nothing, I'm fine, as to what happened, I have no idea," he looked around thoughtfully, saying nothing, his lips pursed together in thought, the sound of a child crying came to them both, On a still functioning screen a toddler appeared, Ellone looked at it. Squall tipped his head to one side, listening to the crying he glanced to an archway, nodded, before striding towards it, and slipped past.
Ellone ran after him, and blinked, there was no one there, "Squall? Squall?" She ran through another archway, trying to find him, calling his name. She didn't know how long she had been running but she when she stopped she blinked again.
She was standing in Balamb garden, Laguna was leaning against a computer consol, he seemed to be staring through it rather than at it, "What's wrong?" she asked quietly.
"Many things I think, I don't know for sure…" he paused a moment, reflecting on something, he shook his head wonderingly and turned back to her, "Your… gift, have you ever explored it? Attempted things with it?"
She opened her eyes, sweat drenched the bed sheets, and her form, and she hoped the dreams would fade away; their memories gone as most dreams do but that one did not. It was not the worst, she had dreamt but it was one she couldn't forget.
***
Laguna filled out yet another form declaring something, he long since stopped looking at them, he was good because he inspired people, Kiros and Ward did all the actual work. He shrugged, presumably most governments ended up like that, and it wasn't like he wanted to be the President of Esthar. Nope he never asked for that.
The door to his office opened he looked up, smiled at Ellone and promptly lent back in his chair, propping his feet up on the desk, and a pile of papers marked "urgent", Ellone looked at him despairingly and then sat in the luxuriant chair opposite him. Everything he owned was "luxuriant" it was almost depressing.
"Any news on his whereabouts?" he asked before she had a chance to speak, and she shook her head, he sighed. Where was Squall, where had he been these last few years?
"I had another dream, only, only this time I can't shake the memory of it."
"Oh? What happened in it?" she told him, he blinked, and then spoke, "its probably just worry I don't think you should let it bother you any." She looked unconvinced; she looked angry, and hurt. Laguna wondered if it was a look she practiced just to get his attention, "Well… erm, have you ever, "Experimented with your gift?" maybe you can use it to help find Squall?"
She shook her head, "How could it?"
"Send me back into his memory of yesterday evening say?"
Ellone looked outraged, "I don't have permission to send someone into his mind like that…"
"Could you do it?" he asked eagerly.
"Well…" Laguna looked at her steadily, questioningly, she couldn't lie to him even if she felt inclined to do so, "Yes, but I don't think I should."
"Not even if it would help us find him? Find out why he's so… different? Maybe even help him?" Ellone looked at him, he was eager, he wanted to find his son… he had missed so many years, the first by his actions, the second on Squall's, she inwardly debated whether it was morally right, Squall could need help… she, she had to try it.
***
Laguna opened his eyes, he was staring at a rock face, No, I'm not… this must be Squall. Slowly he looked down, White shirt, black gloves, who else could this be? The drop below him was quite a distance; he shrugged slightly, hands not moving at all, as they gripped the rock face. His gaze drifted back up, he pursed his lips thoughtfully one hand lessened its hold before moving to a higher vantage point; … this is going to kill me… him. He pulled himself up, foot losing it's place, eyes looked around desperately.
Shit, we're to put the bloody hand! "Shit!" Slipping his feet pushed him away from the mountain face. He was rewarded with a summersault away and a swift glance at the drop at awaited him. SHIT, I want out! Hey, wait… His hands went to a cord at the centre of his chest; his eyes glanced at it, ignoring the drop. A parachute… of course… erm… why isn't he pulling it? Pull it!
After what seemed an eternity, he seemed to come to a decision, his fist jerked forwards realising the parachute that would save his life. Instantly he paused in mid fall, for the briefest of moments, he ceased to move, and then he was descending at a slower rate. Why the hell did you wait Squall?
As his feet hit the ground, he slipped the parachute from his shoulders letting it fall to the ground, there was no wind, it wasn't go anywhere. He felt ever so slightly cautious, I'm being watched… erm, he is. There was beep; he turned towards it, eye focusing on the laptop computer. Hyne, he's using a motorbike.
He flipped the lid up, fingers moving to the pressure pad, opening the official SeeD document, "Only five people would send me one of these…" he mused out loud. His eyes scanned over it he pursed his lips in thought, a tongue flicked out to wet there parched surface. Damn, damn, damn, I need thoughts. At last, he shut down the computer and stowed it in a saddlebag on the bike. Evidently, he's come to a decision…
He looked up, eyes narrowing, A sound, what the… Something hit him around the head, a sharp pain flashed in his left temple, he drooped forwards vision blurring hand resting on the black chassis of his bike, a second strike, the sudden shock on his spine caused him to straighten, Ah… I didn't know I'd feel pain… His right foot went back he half turned his vision still blurred, the foot contacted with something, a slight yelp, A girl?
He brought his hand up, and pulled it back sharply as a wrap on his knuckles momentarily paralysed his hand, he looked down a moment blinked once his vision cleared, a second, harder blow to the right temple…
***
Laguna opened his eyes, he leaned forwards hands clutching his temples, Ellone sagged back in her chair, Kiros nodded to Ward who went to get drinks for the two tired people. Then he glanced to Laguna, "Well?" he murmured, his voice was soft, calm, objective. He was after all, "the sensible one".
Laguna shuddered, then told them everything that happened, "… So that's it, we know he was alive, and that someone, possibly a girl hurt or killed him." Kiros raised a brow.
"We are talking about the same Squall Leonhart, you felt the blows, do you think he's dead?" Laguna shook his head, "Alright, so are next step then is?"
Ward returned with a bottle of water and one of Brandy. He poured them each a drink respectively, and Laguna nodded appreciatively as he sipped his liquor, "We fly to Balamb Garden, we talk to someone in authority, we keep on talking till someone pays attention."
Kiros nodded and moved towards the door, "I'll alert the presidential authorities at once and have diplomatic," Laguna's fingers wrapped about his arm, he nearly slipped on the infernal luxuriant red carpet.
Why did everything in Esthar palace have to be "High-Tec or Luxuriant?"
Laguna shook his head then a broad grin spilled onto his features, "I said we, not Esthar. Kiros, Ward and Laguna, we'll just… borrow a shuttle of some sort, I'm sure this place can do just fine with out us." Kiros grinned back, Ward burst out laughing. They all earned a despairing look from Ellone.
"I'll have to come with you three of course, I wouldn't mind a chance to meet up with Rinoa and Edea again…"
"Why?" Laguna asked in surprise, the link between them not being entirely clear.
"They have both been touched by sorceress powers, I would like the chance to find out more about what it is I have the gift of doing. Perhaps one or the other of them can help me."