Chapter IV
I think it was very early in the morning when I heard voices close by. I forced myself up and looked out into the darkness. I could see lights far off into the trees. I heard Galbadian voices. Someone was cursing terribly. I knew it was the soldiers. They were coming to finish me off. I quickly forced myself to my feet and began hurrying through the trees. I had to get away as fast but quietly as I could. I pushed past bushes and trees. Looking over my shoulder, I could see that the lights were getting closer. I felt my wounds tearing open again and bleeding once again. They were probably following my blood trail. I had to find somewhere to hide and fast. But my luck sort of changed when I broke free of the forest. I looked around for somewhere to hide and spotted the large Garden at least a mile away from me. It wasn't moving, thank god. I had to get there before the Galbadians found me. I began hurrying towards Garden.
I was only half way when I heard a gun shot and felt a bullet whiz by my head. I let out a scream and began running, against my leg's wishes. I heard the Galbadians running after me now. I tried to pick up speed. I was getting closer and closer finally coming to the gates. And to my disgust, the gates were locked. "Someone! Help me!" I screamed shaking the gates hard, making a loud noise. I screamed at the top of my lungs to get someone's attention.
Just then there was a spark close by. A bullet hit the bar close to my hand. I shrieked and spun around dropping to the ground. My eyes widen seeing the Galbadians coming closer. They were definitely my kidnappers. One rose his gun. "Hurry and kill her before someone comes!" One yelled as the others turned and started flee. The soldier aimed the gun at me and got ready to fire. I shook hard from fear and covered my head. Ready to take the bullet and die. I was dead. There was no way someone was going to come to my rescue in time. They were probably all asleep. I swore my life was flashing before my eyes now.
Suddenly there was yell from above me. My head shot upward and I saw someone standing on the gates. Who ever it was had a blade in their hands. They jumped down swinging downward at the soldiers. There was a gunshot and I swore I saw the bullet coming right at my face before something dark blue flashed before me stopping the bullet only an inch from my face. I screamed and threw myself to the side covering my head again. I heard a battle going on close by. I heard the gunshots and the blade slicing through metal. They were yelling attacks and then screams of pain. I was shaking the whole time. I was thinking I was dying now. My mind screaming out my mother and father's names. I heard myself scream them once then muffled my cries in my arm. I curled up as I listened to the battle rage on. Then silence. I didn't dare to look to see who won. I was so scared. I couldn't move one inch. Only breathing hard into my arms and into the grass under me. I heard movement. I heard someone coming towards me. I shivered as I laid there. I was paralyzed.
Finally there was a long silence. I could hear someone breathing above me. I could tell that the person was standing over me. But I didn't dare to see if it was the rescuer or one of the soldiers. I then felt someone tap my leg with their foot and my pain shot up my leg. I gasped painfully and looked up to glare at who it was. It was really dark to see them at first. But I could tell that it was a guy. It was not a solider, thank god.
He was tall and was wearing black with a white shirt under a black jacket. He was holding his weapon in his hand still and that made me more nervous. He held up a hand and suddenly flames erupted. I flinched but relaxed when I noticed that he was only using the flames for light. Which was still kind of freaky. But I finally could see what the guy looked like and it shocked me. And I already knew him. At least I knew who he was. He had messy dark brown hair that hung over those stormy blue eyes. His face ever so handsome yet stern looking. He was wearing a black jacket with a white fur lining. Black combat looking pants with series of belts. He was very cute. Even if he had a scar running down between his eyes. I felt faint again. I couldn't believe it. It was him. My all time favorite character from Final Fantasy 8. Squall Leonhart.
He was looking at me with his stormy eyes. His eyes on mine. I couldn't find myself to say anything. Or do anything. I was stunned into silence. We just looked right at each other. He finally made the first movement by bending next to me. I was a little startled but he didn't pay too much attention.
All he did was looking me over then back at me. "Are you alright?" He said calmly. Whoa, for someone who just fought off a few soldiers and risking his neck to save my life, he sure was calm. I shivered now feeling the numbing pain in thigh and leg again. I winced and slapped a hand over my thigh. Squall looked down, moving the flames a little to see better.
We both could see my wound through the tear. Man, that wasn't such a good idea for me to look at that. I felt faint but kept myself strong. Squall turned his eyes down lower and I think he was looking at my other bullet wound.
"Oh my!" I heard. Both of our heads jerked to the side and I almost had a heart attack. It was Quistis Trepe in her nightgown still. I suppose she didn't have the chance to change yet, huh? She unlocked the gates and hurried out. I heard the pounding of feet and looked around the gates. Here came one of my other favorites. Zell Dincht was in his blue jean shorts he usually wore and was wearing a tank top. I even saw Selphie Tilmitt and Irvine Kinneas hurrying towards us next. Right behind them was Rinoa Heartilly. To mention there were lights on in the Garden now. I guess I really did wake the whole Garden up.
They all crowded around me and I was nervous. I couldn't really believe this. My favorite heroes of all time. They were real. They were standing right in front of me and staring down at me. Quistis quickly bent down beside me and Squall looking at me. "How bad is she hurt?" She asked. Squall nodded towards me. "Ask her. She's the one hurt, not me." I almost smiled.
Quistis rolled her eyes and looked at me. "Are you hurt?" She asked. I nodded lifting my hand to let her see my thigh wound. I turned my leg a little so they could see my calf. "Yeah. They shot my leg then tried to shoot me again while I was trying to escape from their airship. But it skimmed right past me." I told them. Irvine looked at Squall. "The airship? The one we shot at last night?" He asked. Squall nodded. "It was Galbadians." He looked over his shoulder. We all looked over and saw three dead Galbadian soldiers. But one was missing. So one had gotten away. I wasn't feeling too well right now. I knew I was going to faint. I hoped they were going to stop the chitchat soon. Both Quistis and Squall seemed to sense my distress and they nodded. "We better hurry and get her cleaned up. Not to mention get the bullet out of her leg." The blonde said softly.
"We might have to ampliate her leg, huh?" Zell said looking worried. My eyes went wide. Even though he said the wrong word I knew what he meant. The others gave him a dirty look. "ZELL!" They all yelled. Zell jumped. "What!" he asked. Selphie balled up a fist and punched his shoulder. "Don't say that! Your scaring her!" She exclaimed. Zell winced and rubbed his shoulder. "I was only joking." I kind of knew he was joking but my body didn't think so. Because I fainted right then and there. I heard Quistis gasp as I faded out. "Hurry! We have to get her----" Her words faded as I did.
When I came to, the sun was shining through the window onto my face. I squinted my eyes and rose a hand to cover my eyes. I still felt very sore but much better than I had earlier. I groaned a little with frustration because of the window. I heard someone close by then foot steps. The window then closed and the blinds were drawn. "How are you feeling?" I heard a soft older voice ask. I blinked a few times finding myself looking up the ceiling then at a very kind looking woman.
She had black hair that was piled up on her head in a bun. Her eyes were soft blue and she looked very kind. She wore a lab coat over her cloths. I recognized her as Dr. Kadowaki. Well, I didn't know what she looked like exactly only by her sprite on the game. But she looked very much alike.
I shrugged. "Ah, can't complain. Only that I'm still sore as hell." I covered my mouth looking embarrassed. My dirty mouth was getting ahead of me again. But Dr. Kadowaki just smiled and shook her head. "It's alright. I'm used to it. You should hear Zell Dincht while he's in here." I laughed. "Your lucky though. You didn't lose that much blood. Well, not enough to put you into a life threatening situation. But still. Your very lucky." The kind doctor said. I nodded wanting to sit up but being as sore as I was, it hurt. Dr. Kadowaki nodded and helped me. "However we couldn't save your pants. They were too bloodied up and we had to throw them away." I smiled and clicked my fingers. "Aw, man. Those were my favorite jeans. Stupid Galbadian soldiers who don't know how to be nice." The doctor laughed as she went into the other room to get a clipboard then came back.
"Well, I see you do have a sense of humor. Can you tell me your name and where your from? Just for our records." She said. I nodded. I couldn't tell them the entire truth. I knew they would think I was crazy or something. So I decided to play the same amnesia girl as I did with Laguna and his pals.
"All I know is my name is Dawn. But I can't remember anymore." I told her. The doctor looked at me. "Hmm? Why's that?" She asked. I sighed and shrugged. "Well….I can't really remember. I think I was in an accident. All I remember is waking up to find myself at the Presidential Palace in Esthar. The President, Laguna Loire told me that one of his soldiers found me drifting in the ocean. He helped me a lot. He was a real nice guy." I said. The kind doctor nodded for me to go on. I could see she was taking notes.
"Well, they gave me food and then I went on a small tour around the city with a very kind woman named Ellone. She was showing me around when a Galbadian Rebellion Fraction attacked the city. I think they were after Ellone. I'm not sure why. They were taking hostages too. I ended up getting captured after they shot me in the leg. I helped Ellone escape before they got a hold of her too on a transporter. The soldiers took me, an old man and two children aboard an airship but we managed to escape when I killed one of the soldiers. We used parachutes to get away. I'm not sure where the man and the children went but I almost crashed into the Garden yesterday. At least I think it was yesterday." Dr. Kadowaki had a surprised look on her face.
"Yes it was yesterday. So you were the one some of the children were screaming about. You bumped into the window didn't you? While trying to get away, right?" She asked. I rubbed my shoulder remembering how much it hurt hitting the Garden like that. "I think so. I wasn't really paying attention where I was going." The doctor nodded. "Go on. What happened next?"
"Well, I landed in the forest and the airship was coming back to finish me off. I guess they didn't want any survivors to let Garden know who tried to kidnap me. Well, I managed to find my way to the Garden only being followed by some of the Soldiers. I was pretty lucky that I wasn't killed last night." I sighed. Now this was the truth part. "I swear I thought I was going to die." The nice doctor nodded with a smile. "Just feel even more luckier that Squall gets up very early to get things started. From what I heard from him, he was just walking past the Entrance Hall when he heard screaming. He ran towards the gates and found you being attacked. So he did the first thing that came to his mind. Attack back." She told me.
I smiled at her. "Yeah. I am lucky. Tell him thanks when you see him, would you?" I asked. Dr. Kadowaki nodded. "He told me he would be coming around to check on you later on. To make sure your still alive." She put the clipboard aside. "Anyhow, you need more rest. So I suggest get some more sleep to help bring up your strength. When you wake up again, we'll get you something to eat." I nodded laying back down. I found myself sleeping within only a minute.