CHAPTER 7

Squall looked away from the window and stared at Quistis… unsure of what to say or think. "Look, you and I both know that Aurora needs to be protected, more so then Rinoa." Quistis said.

Squall stared at her and said quietly, "I know… I know that already, but what can we do…?" Squall looked back out the window hoping to come up with something that would protect the only family he had.

"I've thought about this for awhile now, Squall. We could hide Aurora in Esthar with Laguna, you know he will protect her with his life!" said Quistis a slight bit quieter, as if the walls were listening.

Squall thought about this for a moment… then realized that wasn't such a good idea. "If Adel return's, Esthar will be the first place she takes over. She'll take it right from my father's dead hands…." Squall said… then paused. "She'll be wanting to find Aurora and what better then having her in the palace already." He said shuttering.

Squall looked back to Quistis who was staring at the ground and nodding in understanding then looked back up at Squall, solemnly. "I, I didn't think of it that way… it never occurred to me that Esthar was Adel's before her downfall… she's going to want revenge… on Laguna." She said softly.

Squall looked away, a tear dried on his cheek, he didn't want anything to ever happen to his father or his Sis. Especially not to his family. Squall looked at Quistis again after thinking… something had just occurred to him.

"Quistis, do you remember when we were young and I became a SeeD?" he said hastily. Squall watched Quistis nod slowly then continued. "Well, our first mission was to kidnap the president of Deling, and negotiate with him. We worked for Rinoa's people, remember?"

Squall continued again as he saw Quistis nod with a smirk growing across her face, she knew where this was leading. "President Vinzer Deling was a dummy president! He was there in place of the real president so that Vinzer wouldn't be hurt or have to negotiate!"

Squall smiled triumphantly. "We can make a dummy president for Laguna…. We'll bring Laguna here, he can help us and he'll be safe!" Squall said as he watched Quistis smile at him.

"Your just as clever as you always were, Squall." She said casually. Squall smiled at her then turned serious again when they began discussing what their next plans of action would be.

They talked about how they would call upon a demon from the magical-guardian force world to take on the place of Laguna. They agreed that they would call Laguna right away and tell him to come, and bring Ellone, Kiros and Ward.

The issue of Dr. Odine became important, whether he should come or not…. They agreed that it would be better for him to come so that he would not become brainwashed by Adel and help her.

After discussing all of this Quistis looked at Squall. "I know you've lived in peace for the last 15 years but it looks like its war yet again. Like you said yourself…. Its time for the revolution…. We're going to once again conquer an evil sorceress." Quistis said.

Squall stared at her. "Well then I guess I'm going to need my ultimate weapon then won't I!" Squall said in a sarcastic type, but serious voice. His frown turned into a smirk. Squall stared at Quistis and asked her if she was going to fight, Quistis hesitated but agreed.

Squall told Quistis to contact Laguna and tell him what to do, when to come etc. Squall told her that he would have to take the Ragnarok to his house in Winhill and pick up his Lionheart and Rinoa's Shooting Star and Cardinal, he figured she'd want them.

Just as Squall was leaving Irvine, Zell and Nida arrived in the elevator and walked in… Squall greeted Nida and asked him how he'd been and what'd been happening then told them he was sorry but he had to leave. Squall got on the elevator and left to go and get Selphie to pilot the Ragnarok easier then he could.

Irvine sat with Zell and Nida talking excitedly about their lives. Nida who had ended up marring Xu moved to Esthar after Ultimecia's defeat and owned a pilot's learning school. Some years ago, however, Xu was unfortunate to come across a rare diasease given by the left over Imps of the Lunar Cry and she passed away.

Irvine listened interested as Nida began talking about his life. He had decided to come back to the garden after Xu passed away so he could pilot again and he'd been here ever since.

Irvine looked over at Zell who staring interestedly, as he was. Irvine figured it was just a way to take their minds off of the problems. Irvine looked out the window into the sky and saw the Ragnarok land and didn't realize how long they'd been talking.

Irvine stood up and walked over to Quistis's desk and asked what was going on. She told him that she was trying to contact Laguna to tell him to come to the Garden.

Irvine was just about to ask why when Squall and Selphie stepped off the elevator panting and ran over to Quistis's desk. Sweat ran off their foreheads onto the floor. Irvine noticed that Squall held his Lionheart on one hand and the Shooting Star in the other. Selphie held the Cardinal.

Irvine looked at Squall then to Selphie and stepped towards them to ask what was going on but before he could ask Squall stood up from his slouch and said in a panting panicked voice, "My… Our… house… Winhill…. Gone!"

Irvine stared at him, confused and watched as Squall finally caught his breath. "My house…. Destroyed, gone…. Everything, scattered everywhere….!" Squall said in his still panicked tone. His face twisted into fear and concern.

Chapter 8
Squall bent over again, still panting hard from rushing to Quistis's office from the Ragnarok with Selphie. Squall looked up at Quistis then to Irvine who was standing next to her, both of them looking appalled.

"What? Squall what are you talking about!" exclaimed Quistis. Squall, still panting stumbled over to a chair, Selphie following close behind and sat down and tried to catch his breath so that he could tell Quistis the whole story.

He slouched over and watched as Irvine and Quistis walked slowly over to them and sat down across from them, Zell and Nida stood up, Nida leaning against the wall, and Zell pacing back and forth.

Squall sat upright and leaned back against the chair. "I… we…" he said looking at Selphie. Squall began telling them about what they had seen, everyone staying silent. The only sounds were Selphie's and Squall's quick breaths.

He began explaining how when they arrived there they seen panic in the small country village. They landed the Ragnarok outside the village and ran in to find children crying and adults running around, many of them panicking.

Squall paused, unsure what they had seen. Squall decided to tell them how it was, exactly. He explained how they ran towards the end of the village where their house was, and saw it completely destroyed and burned down.

All over the street was scattered contents of the house, broken glass, clothes, food. Everything in the house was ruined, and the house was burnt to the ground. They walked around the house to the back shed which was also burnt and its contents everywhere, luckily the weapons were hidden in an underground secret storage area.

All the trees around the house and some of their neighbor's houses were ruined and burned also. Squall stopped and waited for a reaction, he didn't want to continue. He looked Selphie who was leaning back in her chair, her eyes closed and her mouth twisted into a frown.

He peered over to Nida, who had slipped down the wall into a crouching position, looking out the window, his eyebrows raised in a shocked manner. Squall looked down again then to Zell who had still been pacing with a concerned and worried expression, Irvine who had also began pacing looked much like Zell did.

Squall turned to Quistis who had a horrified look on her face, she was staring at Squall. After what seemed a long silence Zell spoke, "Do…. Do you think that this is…? Adel?" he stuttered.

Squall looked up at him, so did everyone else, many of them nodding in agreement. "When we were leaving…. One of the people in the village told us that there were soldiers there in green uniforms. She said that they walked like zombies, or robots." Squall whispered.

Squall put his head back into his hands and waited for someone to say something, which was right away. "Adel's Soldiers…. You know what they're after… they're after Aurora…!" Quistis said in a harsh voice staring at the wall.

Squall looked up at her then bolted out of his chair and towards the elevator. He planned to go… just go and warn his family. Squall pressed the button repeatedly waiting for the elevator and Quistis grabbed his arm. "They're safe here, and its no good to get them too worried! Laguna is on his way, at least he is safe too now, don't you worry, just sit down."

Squall looked back at her then followed her back to the couch and sat down beside Selphie and picked up his Lionheart and twiddled with it then put it back down. Squall listened, there was a long silence and then he heard an aircraft off in the distance. Laguna was nearly there.

Squall was tired of the silence, and everyone staring at him in pity so he got up and walked onto the deck. He slumped across the railing and looked down as the seagulls played in the air near the rapidly rotating rings. He looked back into the horizon and noticed that they were approaching Galbadia Continent near Dollet.

He looked off the side again to see the airship moving rapidly closer and closer then landed on the landing platform next to the Ragnarok. It was only a matter of time before Laguna, Ellone, Kiros, Ward and Dr. Odine arrived in the office.

Squall knew that he would have to go over the story again for them all… about losing his home… his home in Winhill, the only place that he felt close to his family and his mother, Raine.

Squall was right, minutes after he stepped back into the office and saw the elevator door opening. Laguna, Kiros, Ward and Ellone stepped out. Squall stopped and looked at Laguna.

Small lines were visable on his face, his long black hair cut short. He wore a black button up shirt with beige pants. Squall glanced at Kiros and Ward who still wore the white Estharian robes the to Ellone who had on a white shirt with a blue skirt and her green shawl.

Laguna looked into his son, Squall's eyes and knew his sadness all at once. That feeling of not being able to protect the person that you love came flowing back to him and he forced his eyes away to stop himself from crying.

Laguna looked back at Squall after controlling his emotions and said quietly, "Hello, Squall." Laguna looked at him a moment and actually saw him swallow tears and greet him back politely.

Laguna turned to the rest of the group and greeted them all politely then turned to Quistis and gave her a look of gratefulness. Laguna was glad that Quistis told him to come, that she warned him and he thanked her for that.

Laguna looked at Quistis some more who told him that it mostly Squall's idea so he turned to Squall and took him by the arm and led him onto the deck and closed the doors and glanced in to see Kiros, Ward and Ellone begin to talk to everyone.

Laguna turned to Squall who was looking at him confusedly. "Squall, look… I know how you feel right now and I do thank you for the idea of the fake president… but you don't have to explain anything." Laguna said pointedly. Laguna looked at Squall who still looked confused.

"How? How do you know what I feel, how I feel… you never had children to protect, that were teenagers." Squall said bitterly. Laguna walked to the railing and looked down at the ocean.

"Squall… I know your still bitter about me leaving your mother as and you as a baby but believe or not I was going to protect Ellone! Now is not the time to start on this, but I do know how it feels, to not think that you can protect the people you love." Laguna said quietly.

Laguna turned back around to look at Squall. "I'm sorry…. I just, it's hard and I don't really want to go through all of this again!" said Squall softly, his bitterness gone. Laguna sighed and said, "I understand that Squall, I'm not asking you too… why don't you take a walk or something, I know this is hard for you."

Laguna looked right into Squall's eyes which stared back him and then in a gracious tone of voice Squall spoke, "Ok… ok, I'll talk a walk. Thank you…" Laguna looked at him blankly. "For what?" Laguna said still looking at him. "Being my father, Laguna." He said back then turned on his heel and walked back into the office.

Laguna watched from the deck as Ellone ran after him and stopped dead at the elevator and waved him good bye and turned to come out onto the deck, instead Laguna walked back into the office. Laguna stopped once inside as Quistis walked over to him and asked where Squall went so Laguna told her that he needed a break and she understood right away.

Laguna leaned against the wall next to the slouched Nida who barely noticed he was there, not the kind of attention he was used to. Laguna kicked his feet back and forth a bit then looked back up when Quistis asked him where Dr. Odine was.

"Dr. Odine? I don't really know…. I tried to contact him like you asked me too but he wasn't there. I found that odd considering he's always at his office or in a place to be contacted!" Laguna said.

Laguna looked across the room at Selphie and Irvine, the last time he had seen them they were teenagers going to defeat the evil sorceress Ultimecia. "Do you think maybe he's gone to Adel, you know she could have sent some of those soldier's of hers to get him as she sent them to destroy Squall's house." Quistis said and Laguna turned his head to her once again.

"I suppose…. What happened to Squall's house anyway?" Laguna said looking at Quistis who had gone to her desk and sat down. "Didn't he tell you? I thought he did when you were out on the deck." She said. "No… he didn't want to talk about it." Laguna said in a low tone.

Laguna looked down after seeing Quistis nod and she began to tell him the entire story. About Aurora being a sorceress to them arriving to Squall's house burning and being destroyed. Laguna looked up at Quistis who sighed long and deep after explaining that to Laguna.

"Whoa… that's a lot to take in…" Laguna said raising his eyebrows. "Aurora… little Aurora is a sorceress?" he added.

Laguna looked around the room. Kiros and Ward sat slumped over. Ellone stood in the corner with a tear rolling down her cheek. Laguna looked back at Quistis. "Maybe its time we all took a break, especially you!" he said while standing up and walking over to Ellone and putting his arm around her shoulder.

Laguna looked back at Quistis who agreed and watched everyone leave. Selphie, Irvine, Zell, and Nida all went down to the Cafeteria to get some lunch. Kiros and Ward had decided to stay, as did Quistis who walked out onto the deck. Laguna looked at Ellone. "C'mon, lets go see my granddaughter and daughter in-law" Laguna said and looked at Ellone who nodded and then they got onto the elevator and set off to see Rinoa and Aurora.

Rinoa looked across the room at Aurora. They had never made it to the cafeteria because Squall came and got Selphie and they left so Aurora and Rinoa went back to their dormitory room to talk.

"So…. Did you have fun last night, Aurora. Don't worry, you can tell me, I'm not mad anymore." Rinoa said softly looking at Aurora who looked up surprised but somewhat happy. "Oh it was wonderful… umm, I borrowed your dress too… dad gave it to me." Aurora replied.

Rinoa stared at Aurora then smiled, thinking how beautiful she must have looked. Just as Rinoa was about to pursue the conversation there was a knock on the door. Rinoa got up and answered it.

Rinoa looked out into the hallway… Laguna Loire and Ellone stood in the doorway, half-smiling but had that worried look in their eyes. "Hello!" Laguna said looking into the room at Aurora, and his smile turned to a scared and worried frown.