Response time.

lady-rinoa: You won't have to wait long for the next Rinoa scene. I promise it'll be in the next chapter.

jasmine32: Glad you still enjoy it.

QueenAdreena: Yeah, first time I saw Zell on the train reminded me of myself as a little kid. Keep reviewing my fic and I'll keep reviewing yours (Even if you don't)

Nobody's been psyched about these guys yet, but what is this game without them?

Italics: Squall's Thoughts

CHAPTER 10: THE MAN WITH THE MACHINE GUN

"Hmm." Squall thought as he opened his eyes. Somehow, he had gotten into a forest, and was wearing Galbadian army gear. Something didn't feel right. He shook his head, though he didn't do it voluntarily. A hand reached up and pushed a lock of hair aside; black hair.

This person walked to a nearby creek and began to wash his face. In the water, Squall could see this mans reflection; not his own! He read the nametag on his uniform stating this persons last name: Loire.

"Uh, Laguna?" A heavy-set man asked. His nametag read 'Zaback'. "Do you know where we're going?"

"Ward, of course I do." Said the man. Squall had somehow gotten into the mind of a Galbadian soldier named Laguna Loire. He wondered, could one of his teammates be inside of the heavy set individual, Ward Zaback? Squall noticed another person there; a dark skinned man with three long braids traipsing down his back. Nametag read Seagull.

"You always know where we're going," said Mr. Seagull, "and we always end up lost."

"Damn Kiros, why do you always have to..." Laguna began.

"Tell it like it is?" Ward finished. Laguna, having enough, began to run through this forest. Squall took time out to notice the weapons the three soldiers were carrying. Ward was carrying a pretty heavy looking harpoon. Kiros was wearing a pair of Katal's, gloves that had long blades at the ends. Laguna was carrying a Machine gun.

"Hey, aren't we here to fight a war?" asked Ward, "You know, against the evil Esthar empire?"

"Yeah, why are we wasting our time in the forest?" Kiros added.

"Well, you see," Laguna stuttered, "Its just that..."

"Don't tell me we're lost again." Kiros said.

"Anyway, we're going home." Laguna said, "Deling City, here we come!" Laguna spotted an Army van and loaded the three of them inside.

-

Laguna had driven them to Deling City by nightfall and pulled up to the fountain in the central square.

"Hey, you can't park in the middle of the street!" Ward told Laguna.

"Chill man, its cool." Laguna said as the three of them hopped out. "Alright then, how 'bout a drink?"

"We're not here just for the booze, are we?" said Kiros, "We got a war to fight."

"So we'll get smashed, then we'll CHAAAAAAAARGE!" Ward said

"Kiros, Ward, you two seem to misunderstand." Laguna said. "I just want to have a friendly drink with you two."

"Whatever Laguna," said Kiros, "Like you drink."

"What do you mean?" Asked Laguna

"We already know you're not in it for the drinking," Kiros continued, "Just give it up already."

"Yeah, just drink some juice like a weenie," Ward said, "Then gawk at the Piano Lady." Kiros and Ward knew of Laguna's little crush on the pianist at the bar, also that he didn't like bringing it up.

"DONT CALL HER THE 'PIANO LADY!'" Laguna yelled at Ward, "Forget it then, I'm not going."

"So you say," Ward told him, "But we know you will." Ward was right as he saw Laguna making his way to the Hotel Bar.

"Your usual table is ready." The barmaid told them

"Where am I?" Squall thought.

"Huh?" Laguna said as his head shot up. Was it possible that Laguna heard Squall's thoughts?

"Everything OK?" Kiros asked

"Uhh...yeah, yeah. I'm fine." Laguna told him.

"What is this?" Squall thought again.

"There it is again." Laguna said out loud.

"Hey," Ward said, "Is your head buzzing too?"

"Yeah," Said Kiros, "Since Timber, right?"

"Maybe we should sit down." Laguna said as the three of them headed for their usual table. "At ease, men."

"Can I take your order?" the barmaid asked.

"The usual." Laguna said

"Same here." Replied Kiros.

"Keep 'em coming." Ward threw in. The Barmaid returned shortly with three beers.

"So Laguna," Ward started, "Julia should be making her appearance soon, you goin' for it tonight?" As soon as Ward said that, the woman in question, Julia, descended from the stairway.

"Yeah, go for it!" egged Kiros.

"What-ever man, can't you see she's working?" Laguna said.

"Don't go back on your word," Kiros said, "Go wave to her."

"Give me a break," Laguna mumbled.

"C'mon Laguna, do it." Ward said. Kiros and Ward weren't going to stop until Laguna did it, so he decided to do it now and make his friends shut up as he approached the stage, Julia playing her song.

"Ahh, to be this close to Julia." Laguna thought.

"Is this guy serious?" Squall thought. Suddenly, Laguna felt a sharp pain shooting through his right leg.

"Oh no," he thought, "My legs cramping up!" Laguna tried to walk around on it to make the pain go away. "Sad." Squall thought. Once the pain was gone, Laguna walked back to his table.

"Good work, Laguna." Kiros said. "Here, have a seat."

"I didn't think you'd actually do it," Ward said, "Your popularity rating has gone up a point."

"Yeah, but you cut a pretty pitiful scale up there," Kiros said, "I'd say you're about a negative 3 on the manliness scale."

"Say what you want," Laguna sighed. "Man, Julia sure is pretty." A few minuets passed with the three of them sipping at their beers. Nobody noticed Kiros look over and gets Wards attention.

"Laguna, we're takin' off." Kiros said.

"Hey, what's the rush?" Laguna asked.

"It's on us tonight," Ward said, "Relax and stay a while, Laguna." Laguna could only stand there, bewildered, until another voice filled the air. "Is this seat taken?" Laguna turned around and saw Julia standing before him.

"Aaaaa..." Laguna stammered.

"Did I interrupt anything?" She asked.

"N-N-N-Not at all." Laguna managed to say, "

Please, s-sit down." Julia did so as a million thoughts raced through his mind. "Oh man, oh man, it's really HER! What do I do? Kiros? Ward? HELP! What do I say? Man is she pretty."

"You ok now?" Julia asked.

"Kind of..." Laguna replied.

"How's your leg?"

"Leg?" he asked, completely forgetting the cramp in his leg when he tried to approach her. "Oh, this? Y-Yeah, it's fine. Happens all the time when I get nervous."

"Were you nervous?" She asked.

"Oh, umm, yeah." Laguna replied, "I still am, kinda..."

"You can relax," she said, "You don't have to get nervous around me."

"Oh, sorry." Laguna said.

"Say," Julia said, going into a whisper, "Would you like to talk somewhere private? I have a room here."

"In your room?" Laguna practically screamed, then mentally cursed himself for doing so.

"Well, it's pretty hard to talk freely here, everyone's listening in."

"Umm, Okay." Laguna said, without thinking.

"Then I'll go ahead and wait for you." Julia said. "Ask for my room at the front desk." As she left, more thoughts started poring into his head, not only his, but Squalls as well.

"Am I dreaming?"

"This is a dream...this is a dream."

"No this can't be a dream"

"This is too weird to be a dream."

"Julia? Wants to talk to me?"

"He talks to himself too much."

"And just the two of us? Get it together, Laguna."

"Whatever."

"I always screw up by talking to myself too much, but not tonight. Tonight, I'm all ears for Julia. Time to use my manly charm, and help Julia with her problem." With that, Laguna headed upstairs the front desk.

"Welcome," Said the clerk, "Checking in?"

"Whi-Whi-Which room is..."

"You must be Mr. Laguna Loire." She said, "Let me show you to Ms. Julia's room." She led him onto the elevator. Once they were there, Laguna lightly knocked on her door.

"Thanks for coming," Julia told him.

"Thanks for inviting me."

"Have a seat," she said. Laguna and Julia began to talk, Laguna doing most of the talking, about traveling, writing, and this voice he was hearing inside his head.

"Yikes! I'm talking too much again." He said. "Tell me about yourself."

"I...I want to sing." She said, "Not just play the piano, but sing too."

"Oh? I'd really love to hear it." Laguna said.

"But I cant," She said, "I'm no good at writing lyrics."

"That must be tough." Laguna said.

"But thanks to you, I think I can come up with something."

"Thanks to me?" he asked himself.

"Yes, the many faces you've shown me," She said, "Time you were hurt, worried, or felt pain deep inside you. Your smile, your face, your eyes. You've shown me something, I think I can come up with a song."

"Wow, I must be dreamin." Laguna said. Julia took Laguna's hand in hers, and gave him a small pinch.

"It's not a dream, is it?" Julia said. Before there was an answer, there was a knock at the door.

"Laguna, new orders," Said the man behind the door; Kiros, "Meet by the Presidential residence, on the double!"

"Can we meet again?" Julia asked.

"Of course," Said Laguna, "I have to come hear you sing..."

-

"Next stop, Timber." Squall heard someone say. He opened his eyes; he was back on the train, Zell and Selphie staring at him.

"Were we...all asleep?" Squall asked.

"Maybe someone released sleeping gas," Zell said, "There's a lot of people who resent SeeD."

"I had such a nice dream." Selphie said.

"I had a dream too, it wasn't so nice though." Squall thought, "I dreamt I was a moron."

"But seriously, Sir Laguna was so cool." Selphie said, Grabbing Squall and Zell's attention.

"Hey, there was a Laguna in my dream too!" Said Zell, "He's a Galbadian soldier, right?"

"Laguna Loire, Kiros Seagull, and Ward Zaback." Squall threw in.

"Was there some meaning behind all this?" Selphie asked.

"I don't know." Said Squall, "I'll report this incident to the Headmaster when we get back to Garden."

"We should be in Timber soon, eh?" Said Zell. "Here we go, Psyche yourselves up, baby!"