6 Chapter 16


Hope fully this chapter will be longer. This time I got Zell helping me. Though he can't speak my language, he's an inspiration. Well onto the chapter.



I do not own FF VIII, stop if you don't understand that.





Rin awakes the next morning. Yawning and stretching like usual, she looks around. Dawn was still sleeping soundly, spread over every corner of her bed. No one was at the door, and the sun was high in they sky. Nothing else to do for now Rin ventures into the bathroom to take a shower. She can still smell the salty water on her skin.


Dawn watches as Rin walks out of the bathroom. Her towel was in her eyes as she tried to towel dry her hair. Dawn grabs a pillow and chucks it at Rin. Jumping Rin looks from under the towel.


'So how did it go with your grandfather.' Dawn asks.


Rin sits down on a desk chair. 'Well he took me... You know when you play in water.?'


'Swim.'


'Thank you. He took me swim, then he took me out eat. I had fish. Nummy.'



'Bring back anything for me?' Dawn asks.


'Yes.' Rin grabs a bag by the foot end of her bed.


Rin opens it and looks through the contents. She pulls out a large shell and a sand dollar. Dawn looks at it excitingly. Rin hands them to Dawn.


'For you. If you put the shell to your ear you can hear the ocean.'


Dawn puts the shell to her ear. Her mouth drops and she looks at Rin. This was all new and so great. Dawn pulls her jaw back in and smiles. Rin smiled and pulls out an identical one. But like Dawn and Rin they had their differences.


'Friends forever?' Rin signs.


'Friends forever.' Dawn agrees.


They laugh over it for awhile before digging through their bags. They decide to match today. They decide on red outfits with a yellow flower in the corner. Rin helps Dawn into pigtails and vice versa.


Running down stairs the teacher has to take a double take to figure out who's, whom. They look so much like twins, 'cept for the subtle differences. Dawned signed faster than Rin, and her hair was a shade of light brown not black. Not to mention Rin had tanned and had a little sunburn from yesterday.


'So where do we go today?' Dawn asks.


"I'm sorry Dawn, all activities for today are canceled. We are ordered to report back to the Garden as soon as possible." The teacher frowns.


'Why?' Rin asks with a disappointed look.


'Because there is a big storm system coming and the squall line is huge. And the fact it's beginning to bow means that things are likely going to get ugly." The teacher pauses. "Rin I told your grandpa we're leaving today. Please go get packed."


Rin and Dawn look at each other for a second before running as fast as they can up stairs. They stuff their clothes into suitcases. Never in there life have they ever experienced a storm. Weather was either rainy or sunny. And they even heard in some regions that they got snow.


Rin and Dawn run down stairs. The other kids packed into the lobby. The teacher was trying to keep chaos down to a minimum. Rin and Dawn peek out the window and notice big black clouds rolling in.


A transport rolls up and kids are shoved in. Dawn grabs Rin's hand and refuses to let go. Rin does the same. On they way to the train Rin looks trough the mass of bodies to Dawn. Her face looked like she was in pain but she still had Rin's hand.


Thankfully getting unto the train was much easier. It was less chaotic and more orderly. Dawn and Rin flop into the first corner they can find. They didn't care to get seats.


Lighting flashed and a loud bang filled the cabin of the train. Kids screamed and ducked down. Where chaos rained fear now did. The train starts to roll forward.


"Hang on!" A voice shouts.


Rin watches as Laguna takes a flying leap into the train. Rolling her eyes she looks out the window at the show the storm was putting on. Laguna sits next to her and breaths heavily. Once again the sound of thunder fills the train cabin.


Rin sits back down and looks at Laguna. The thunder rolls and the lighting strikes. Like a wild cat it continued out of control.


Right outside the train station the train lurches and begins to tip. A giant wave of water pounds on it's right side. With a loud groan from the medal and the train tips unto it's side. Kids luggage and adults alike slide to the left side of the train.


"Get the kids out the right side before it's too late!" Someone screams.


Laguna looks up from protecting the girls. He grabs Rin and Dawn . With his gun he blows out a window. Glass rain's down harmlessly. Rin and Dawn still duck. Strong arms pick them up and push them out the window into the storm. Rin looks at her hand. She still had her bag of shells.


"Run Rin!" Laguna shouts.


Lighting shows Rin the faint out line of the train station through the pouring rain. Rin grabs Dawns arm and runs down the side of the train. Water lapped at the sides. Threatening to wash them away. On they way to safety they lock arms with passengers and schoolmates. Forming one long human train.


One car away from the engine the train jerks and begins to slide. Rin ducks down with the others and refuses to let go of anyone. Dawn cringes as they slam to a halt. Not waiting for another order they run forward. The people of them head across a ladder that aided the flight to the engine.


The train station personal lay a large chuck of wood from the platform to the train engine. People balance across. Dawn and Rin fallow lead. Another lurch from the train and thirty people from the line fall in. Everyone's grip tightens. Still Rin can feel the torrent pulling on their feet.


Miraculously she feels as about a hundred of people pull the line in. Thirty lives saved none of them lost.


Rin finds her feet back on solid ground. Still she didn't let go of the person behind her. No one dare let go. After an eternity everyone stands on the platform. The rain lost this time. Another wave crashes into the train, and the train is gone.


Rin and Dawn look at the inch of water around there feet. They sigh a heavy sigh.


"Students head for the busses please." A man shouts over the loud speaker.


Dawn grabs Rin's arm and pulls her towards the buses. Rin follows numbly pushing her way through the weather. Dawn pushes Rin into a seat and tries to push her wet hair out of her eyes.


'Where's grandfather?' Rin asks shaking in cold.



A hand clasps Rin's shoulder. Rin jumps and looks into Laguna's.


"I'm fine. They're getting this bus moving." Laguna comforts.


Rin nods. A several kids board the bus before it starts to move. Rin watches as it sloshes through puddles. All she wanted to be was home. Dawn cuddles up next to Rin to share body heat. Laguna rings out his hair and looks for the school.


"The school should be here!" The bus driver calls out.


Lightning fills the land like it was noon. Laguna makes out the out-line of the school... And something else. A funnel and a quite large one headed this way. Laguna checks on Rin and Dawn and looks at the bus driver.


"Tornado step on it!" Laguna shouts out.


The bus picks up speed for a second before stopping. Laguna gets up and runs to the front of the bus. He saw the front of the bus sunk in mud. No getting the bus out. Laguna looks at the funnel, it was getting closer.


"Everyone run to the school now!" Laguna shouts.


Kids file out of the bus and run to where Laguna pointed. Occasional lightning points them to the school. Laguna leaves the bus after Rin and Dawn are out. The run as fast as they can tromping trough the sticky mud.


Seeing Rin's and Dawns flight slowing he grabs them and run as fast as he can carry them. Fear of loosing them coerces him to move faster. Laguna and several other students reach the school.


"Everyone get to cover!" Laguna calls out.


Laguna sits Dawn and Rin in a corner and protects them with his body as the school begins to shudder. Glass shatters and Laguna can barely hear the screams of the people around him above the roar. Debris swirls around and mercilessly skewers anything it wants. Laguna's fingers tighten around something holding himself from being sucked away. When all seems dim Laguna feels Riane with her arms around him. It renews his strength.


Everything calms and Laguna looks up. A rotating wall of clouds surrounds them. Laguna touches his back and notices blood. He was hit by flying debris. The pain starts to come but he can't stop now. The wall was coming again. Laguna covers the girls and braces for impact.


The school shakes again. It seemed like this was worse than the first. Laguna holds on, his fingers as closed as tight as he can as the wall passes over. A stone bench hits Laguna in the ribs. Laguna cringes but doesn't give up. With a rain of mud and debris the twister passes over.



"You alright?" Laguna feels someone touch his shoulder.


"I can't move my right arm, my ribs hurt, my back hurts... Are the girls aright. Please tell me the girls are all right.


Laguna tries to unclasp his fingers but can't. The person pries Laguan's fingers open and pushes him back gently. He notices two girls huddled together. They were filthy and shaking with cold and fear.


The rain continues it's down pour. The person wipes away the mud.


"Dawn, then that's... Thank God you're all right. Your dads have been going crazy."


"Selphie?" Laguna asks.


"Yes." A loud noise interrupts the rain. "Damn another twister is coming. Come on."


Selphie notices the large pieces of debris in Laguna's back. And a large piece of medal sticks out of his elbow about 6 inches. There was no way Laguna was going to walk. Selphie grabs a student and recruits her to help her pick up Laguna.


"I can.." Laguna starts to say but meets Selphie's cold stare.


Rin pulls up Dawn and follows Selphie and the student. People lay every where. Everyone in different stages of health. Rin reaches over and takes one of Laguna's hands. She could feel him take it lightly.


They walk into the training area. It was now seized for a triage. The poor monsters shoved out of the school into the storm or shoved behind electric fences. Selphie sits Laguna down on his side, the one that didn't contain as much damage.


"Rin there's a water fall one of the kids made so people can wash off. You and Dawn go wash off." Selphie says.


Rin nods and takes Rin's hand. They approach the site carefully. Quite a lot of red swirls around there feet.


'Lets hurry and wash.' Dawn signs.


Rin nods in agreement.


Selphie watches Rin and Dawn walk away. She was glad to see them go. This was one thing she didn't want them to witness. She turns to the student and nods. The student grabs Laguna's shoulders.


"We got to pull out everything before we can do a partial heal. I'm sorry but we don't have much choice." Selphie says.


"It's alright." Laguna grins. "I've had worse."


Selphie nods and cuts off Laguna's shirt. The first thing she grabs a large chunk of glass in his back and pulls it out. Laguna did nothing but twitch so she moved as fast as she can. All in all he had 6 nice size pieces of glass in his back. 3 stones, pieces of wood, and 7 unidentifiable things in his back. She grabs a bucket of water and dumps it down Laguna's back. Washing out the wounds as best she can.


"Okay, on the count of three I'm going to remove the piece of medal in your arm." Selphie grips it and Laguna's arm. "Okay on the count of three."


"No don't tell me Selphie just pull it out." Laguna yells.


"Okay."


Selphie steadies her nerves then pulls it out. It sounded like pulling a knife out of watermelon, added with some crunching sounds. Selphie's stomach lurches as Laguna cries out in pain. The student almost gets knocked back by Laguna.


"I'm sorry." Selphie says feeling like throwing up.


Laguna bites down on his lip till he passes out from the pain. Selphie casts cure. She then wraps up Laguna's elbow and puts it in a sling. Then she finds some extra bandages and wraps it around his chest. She lays him unto his back with the help of the student then goes to find more people to care for.


****


Rin and Dawn pull debris out of their hair. The water felt cool against there skin. Once again the school begins to shake. Dawn and Rin duck and huddle against the wall. People just walk around in a daze.


Dawn notices two people looking under white sheets.


'Mom, dad.' Dawn looks at Rin.


Rin nods, 'go, I'll be fine.'


Dawn runs to her mom and dad and pulls on her dad's clothes. He reaches down and hugs her tight. Rin smiles and ventures back to Laguna.


By the time she gets back Laguna was just waking up. She sits by him and stares blankly at the ground. Feeling his heartstrings being pulled he pulls him self up to a sitting position and leans against the wall. He holds out his good arm and pulls Rin to him. She lays her head on his chest.


"Shhh, Rin it's okay." Laguna coos.


Rin closes her eyes and goes to sleep.


Time passes before Selphie could come and check on them. She stood quietly watching them sleep. A student sat by and drew the scene. Like he'd been doing for a while now. Squall notices Selphie standing there and walks over. Her notices the scene and stops.


Laguna smacks his lips and opens his eyes. He notices Squall. One shirt and jack short, but still Squall. Laguna moves his shoulder waking Rin. Rin raspberries Laguna and sits up. Blankly she stairs at her dad before she runs to him.


Squall kneels down and hugs her tight.


"Come here you gotta' see this!" Someone calls.


Laguna pulls him off the floor and follows the group up the pile of sandbags by the door. It was still raining heavily but the storm was breaking. A rainbow paints the sky brilliant colors. Some kids run out of the shelter and play among the flooded hallways of the school. Rin looks at her dad and runs into the rain to play.


Squall watches her like a hawk. Laguna puts a shoulder on Squalls shoulder. Squall glances at him then looks back at Rin.


"I guess since the storm is over we can start clean up and repairs." Quintis says watching one of the kids fall and dunk its self.


"Yeah, but for right now just let the kids play." Laguna says. "They've been through hell."


Squall nods. Quintis smiles and steps into the drenched hallway to go check on her room.


"Speaking of children, how is my son doing?"


"Fine." Squall says in a cool monotone.


Laguna puts his good arm around Squalls shoulders, and watches as Rin plays. The water in the garden sill rose. Partly because of the rain outside and the flood conditions out side. More sandbags are added to the doorway collection.


Looking down at the water Laguna pushes Squall in. Squall splashes into the water. Laguna tries to laugh his ribs still killed him and thus killed a good amount of his energy to laugh. Squall rises to the surface and pushes the hair out of his face.



"Laguna this is not the time fo-"


Rin dunks Squall under before he could finish. Squall flails around and grabs Rin. Gently Squall pulls her unto his lap and tickles her. In an instant he notices as Laguna sits down. Laguna still cared for Squall. Squall was Laguna's son, just like Rin was Squalls daughter.


Squall smiles at Laguna and stands up with Rin in his arms. "Thanks L... Dad, for protecting Rin."


Laguna can feel the cramp in his leg come back.


***


I should mention Zell's my bird. I love my Zell. Umm who ever wants to kill me for this chapter raise their hands. ::dodgeing knifes being throwen at my head:: BTW my friend YoruHana edited this chapter.