Ahh. Thursday night, it's time for another chapter.
pinklove: Just wait until the relationship between them grows even bigger.
nightfighter642: I aim to please.jasmine32: Well, It's pretty obvious about what Squall thinks of Laguna, I thought I would let Laguna know.
WildfireDreams: Finish Tactics, then play 8! What are you reading this for? Pick up the controller!
Lady-Rinoa: Glad you think so.
QueenAdreena: Sleep-That peaceful time between consciousness. Get some sleep, and update soon.
CHAPTER 36: SEARCH FOR ELLONE
Squall soon found himself back at the orphanage, with Zell, Selphie, Quistis, and Irvine not far behind. Squall opened the door, and saw Edea and Cid standing there.
"Is there anything I can help you with Squall?" Edea asked.
"The White SeeD Ship, the one Ellone's on." Squall said. "Do you know where it is?"
"Those children are very cautious, they would never remain in the same spot for very long." Edea said. "Though last I heard, they seemed to have taken a liking to the Centra landscape. It is very possible they would be around there." Edea then wrote something on a piece of paper. "Take this letter with you and they should welcome you." Squall and his team then headed back to the Garden, and piloted it to circle around the Centra continent. It took a few days, but eventually, they saw something glimmering in the distance, the White SeeD ship! Squall instructed Nida to head straight for it, and soon, Squall and his teammates found themselves on the ship, where a group was waiting for them.
"We meet again." One of them said.
"I'm Squall, a SeeD of Balamb Garden." He said. "I'd like to speak with your leader."
"I'm in charge here, my name is Jason." He said. "State your business. Depending on what you say, we may ask you to leave immediately."
"We want to see Ellone." Squall said. "We pose no threat, Edea told us that you may be here."
"Sorceress Edea? How?"
"Edea is no longer under Sorceress Ultimecia's control. She is now our ally." Squall said. "There is no reason to hide Ellone from us. We want to take Ellone back so that we may protect her from Ultimecia."
"Thank you for coming, but we have no reason to believe you." Jason said. "Please leave." As Jason headed back to his post, Squall remembered Edea's letter, and began to follow him. However, he soon found someone who he wasn't in the mood for. The Forest Owls.
"Wow! Long time no see, sir!" Watts said.
"Whoa, Look who's here! Squall, how's it going?" Zone asked.
"Can't believe you're here, everyone's doing great, sir!" Watts said.
"After you guys left, the Galbadian buttheads came after us." Zone said.
"I thought we were goners, sir." Watts said. "Zone went nuts and was thinking about swimming across the sea to escape!"
"Hey, it was a plan," Zone said, defending himself. "All you were doing is whining like a baby. And who was the first one aboard this ship? You, you numbnuts!" Squall couldn't believe that these whack-jobs kept surviving.
"So, how's Rinoa?" Zone asked. "Where is she?"
"Rinoa fought with us against Edea." Squall said. "For some reason, she went unconscious after the fight. She's resting in the infirmary now. We couldn't protect her. I'm...I'm sorry."
"YOU SON-OF-A-BITCH!" Zone yelled. "What did I say, nothing better happen to her! You pathetic lying scumbag!" All along, Zone was poking his finger in Squall's chest. Without warning, Squall snatched his hand out and grabbed Zone's finger. Zone's expression quickly went from anger to pain.
"Keep your hyne-damned hands off of me!" Squall growled through gritted teeth.
"Zone, calm down sir!" Watts said. "She's not dead, they just don't know what's wrong with her. Aint that right Sir? Squall wouldn't give up on her. Right?" Squall nodded as he threw Zone's hand back to him, which he rubbed.
"We came to find Ellone to keep her from Sorceress Ultimecia." Squall said. "There's also a chance that if we find Ellone, we can get Rinoa back."
"See sir?" Watts said. "Rinoa's going to be fine!"
"Alright, fine." Zone said. "But I'm going to say it again, if anything happens to Rinoa, I swear..." With that, Zone headed to the upper deck. Squall and his group headed into the main cabin, where Jason was.
"Read this." Squall said as he handed him the letter.
"This IS Matrons handwriting." Jason said. "She really gave this to you?"
"You guys call her Matron too, huh?" Squall asked.
"Yes, ever since we were little." Jason said.
"We were raised by Edea too." Squall said. "It was difficult to fight against her, but we did. Fortunately, everything turned out well. Edea is back to her old self again, the kind Matron we remember."
"Squall we are in your debt." Jason said as he gave a salute. "We owe you and Balamb Garden much."
"Even our salute is the same." Squall said as he saluted back.
"Headmaster Cid says it hasn't changed since Edea created SeeD." Jason said as he read the letter. "So it says in the letter that you're looking for Ellone. I'm sorry, she's no longer here."
"What! Where is she?" Squall nearly shouted.
"It's a long story." Jason began. "After we picked her up from Balamb Garden near the FH coast, we headed east to get as far away from Edea and Galbadia as we could. Before long, they found us, but thankfully, we escaped. But then the ship broke down and we were stranded. Eventually, The Galbadians caught up to us and we had no choice but to prepare for battle. Then, as if from out of nowhere, an Esthar ship appeared."
"Esthar?" Squall asked.
"Yes, I knew they were Esthar Soldiers because of their uniforms." Jason said. "The Galbadians and Estharii's began to battle, and we were caught in the middle of it. The Esthar Soldiers told us to get aboard their ship, as if it was an order to evacuate. But we didn't trust them, much like we didn't trust the Galbadians. Soon, the battle got intense and they had to pull away from our ship. But Ellone trusted them and boarded the Esthar ship. After which, the Esthar fleet withdrew and fled."
"Why did she jump ship?" Squall asked.
"I'm not sure, but I think it has something to do with family." Jason said. "Before she jumped, she yelled out something about going to find an uncle." Squalls eyes shot up.
"Did her uncle have a name?" Squall asked.
"Yes, but I didn't catch it." Jason said. "I might know it if I heard it again."
"Was the name Laguna?" Squall asked.
"It sounds familiar," Jason said, "Though I am not certain."
"Thank you, we must leave now." Squall said as he headed back to the Garden.
"Squall, wait," Jason said. "If you're going after a truly evil sorceress, you'll need these." Jason handed Squall two GF stones! They both had Green gems, though one was very light, the other, very dark. "These are the GF's Cactuar and Tonberry. Their attacks are very powerful. I give them to you as gifts, use them with pride." Cactuar and Tonberry's GF stones then appeared in the others hands.
"Have you decided on a destination?" Nida asked on the bridge. Squall took a big breath before answering.
"Esthar." Squall said.
"Oh man, Xenophobic Esthar?" Nida asked. "We can't get there."
"Why not?" Squall asked.
"Two reasons." Nida said. "One, Sorceress Adel had all the Shore lines destroyed, we have no way of landing on the Esthar Continent. Two, when Sorceress Adel disappeared, Esthar disappeared with her!"
"No way," Squall said. "How does the biggest city in the World just vanish?"
"It may still be there, just hidden." Nida said. "Though the only way we could find out is if we walked there from Fisherman's Horizon."
"Fine then," Squall said. "Set a course for F.H!"
