A Knight's Promise
Chapter 39: Hope Always
Author's Note: I would like to express my gratitude to everyone (esp. Evan'sRinoa, Noelle, xxxBeast Boyxxx, daddy laguna, hope always and PasificStaR) for helping me earn over 200 reviews for this fic! I know saying 'thank you' is not enough to show how grateful I am for all your wonderful and inspiring reviews for this fic. That's why I've pushed myself to type this despite of my hectic schedule ( he he he) and end this fic once and for all. (Just a few more chapters to go, hmm probably 'til chp.43-45)
As you can see I've named this chapter after one of my reviewers, Hope always. This wonderful author/reviewer motivated and inspired me to write more of this fic. Let's say, I've done this as a way of saying "Thank you!" to that author.
--This chapter will be less humorous than the last one and Uh…since it's my birthday tomorrow, August 19, I'll be making this chapter longer than the last one plus I'll be updating and reformatting my other fic, 'Squall's Bedtime Story' so please do read it from chapter 1.
Enjoy reading!
Continuation (at last!) …
"Where are we? All is white!" Leon scanned the area and saw nothing but… well… white.
"We're still traveling to the past kiddo." The ghost replied.
There they float and soar through a seemingly endless abyss of white fog. Leon can't help but to wonder why these things are happening to him. Why him? Why now? Why, why, why?
"Am I dreaming? I can't believe this is happening to me. I'm traversing to time with this specter. To the past he said ….whose past? Mine? Or …" he said to himself.
"Where almost there!" his transparent companion exclaimed, as he pointed at the small whiter hole in front of them.
"You can take me anywhere but I beg you ……please, for goodness sake don't take me back to that…"
He found himself comfortably seated on the …
"……plane again" Leon sighed in frustration, "Oh well….there's nothing I can do 'bout it right?"
He was seated next to the window where he can vividly see the plane's wide right wing. He spotted Mr. Fuji who was comfortably seated just at the other row drinking a cup of coffee. He's wearing a green coat and yellow bell bottom jeans. His grey hair was coated with a lot of hair gel. "Geez, I can't believe the one that I'm talking to a while ago was a psy..…. Ahhh never mind".
"Hey! Mr. Fuji!" Leon yelled. The man he called just continued on sipping his cup, completely ignoring his call.
"Hmm… Perhaps he's not that ghost that I'm with a while ago. But he does look like him. Maybe it's him…..when he's still alive" He sighed, "Where the heck is that ghost?" He let out another sigh and said to himself, "Then I guess I have to figure this puzzle all by myself."
He just sat there and scanned the scene inside the plane. He recognized the people around him, yes they were the victims of that plane incident (though not in their ghostly form). Some were laughing, some were reading the newspaper or magazines, and some were using the paper bag… well you know why, others were simply contented just doing nothing at all (welp just sitting there, relaxing). He then turned to the window and gazed outside. Nothing seemed to be unusual, just the typical scenes in the airport.
"So…we haven't departed yet," He said to himself. "Ahh I guess I have to wait till that dreaded rendezvous." Leon leaned comfortably on his seat and looked in front of him. He then noticed a piece of sliding metal at the backside of the seat in front of him. "Hmm whad'ya know there's a mirror here."
He slowly moved the sliding metal, revealing a small mirror. He stared at it and was shocked to see an image not of his. The image stared back at him with its eyes similar to his though this one had this gloomy tone; as if it was begging, as if it was in agony. Plus what really alarmed him was that this image was of that boy; the very same boy who went missing for many years. "It's him! Laguna's…" before he could continue, the boy in the mirror stretched his arms, grabbed him by the collar and pulled him inside the mirror.
Deep Sea Research Facility
Laguna's Cell
"So…anyone got any bright ideas?" Kiros looked at the two comrades who were rubbing their chins.
Laguna excitedly raised his right hand as if he's a six-year-old kid who knew the answer to a question given by his teacher, "PICK ME! PICK ME! I know the answer! I know the answer!
Kiros rolled his eyes and said, "Ok, Ok Laguna Loire!"
Laguna jumped up and down like a kid and said, "Uh, first of all, we have to get out of here!" he said as he smiled from ear to ear.
"Yeah, but how?" Caraway exclaimed.
"Hmmm... yeah how huh?" Laguna rubbed his chin again, pretending that he's a smart-ass.
"Oh no, you're not going anywhere pops!" a deep but familiar voice echoed the area. A lad emerged from the shadows revealing his identity. He's wearing a black trench coat, just like the one worn by Van Helsing. (Disclaimer: I don't own that movie ok?)
"Son?" Laguna's eyes widened as he saw his so called 'long lost son'.
"So… the prodigal son returns" Caraway murmured. He stared intently at the lad and said, "You're gonna pay dearly for what you've done to my daughter! You son of …"
"HEY! Watch your mouth pal!" Laguna protested. He pushed Caraway hard to the wall. Caraway did the same and they both glared at each other.
"Both of you stop fighting! This is not the right time for that!" Kiros complained.
"But he did it first!" Laguna replied, acting like a kid defending himself from the one who's bullying him. He frowned and pointed Caraway who's now sticking his tongue out.
"I said stop that!" he's black friend replied.
"Hmp I've had enough watching your dim-witted acts you three! If I were you, I'll be storing up my energy. You're all going to need that when you meet my father's adorable pet" The brown-haired lad smirked cunningly at the three men.
"Father?" Kiros and Caraway said in unison. Both of them stared at Laguna.
Laguna just scratched his head. "Er...what pet?"
The lad just shook his head. "Don't worry you're going to meet it soon!" he let out another smirk.
"Son, why are you doing this to us?" Laguna grabbed the cold bars of the cell. In a Michael Bolton's tone he said, "Tell me, where did I go wrong?" (Disclaimer: I don't own Michael Bolton.)
"Hmm…it seems like that our guestz are amusing you my child!" a mysterious old voice suddenly echoed out of nowhere.
"Huh?" all of the three men peered out of the bars.
"Who are you? Show yourself!" Laguna called out loud.
"Huh! You don't know who I am?" the mysterious old man's voice replied.
"Duh, that's why I'm asking!" Laguna wisely replied. "I wouldn't ask that one if I know, harebrained" he murmured.
Kiros just shook his head with Laguna's comments and said, "What do you want from us? What's your purpose for doing all these crazy things?" he calmly questioned the man as he strongly gripped the cold bars.
"BWAHAHAHA! Insolent fools!", the mysterious old man's voice exclaimed. "Do you really wanna know who really I am?"
"Yeah!" Laguna and Kiros both replied.
"I zaid, do you really wanna know who I am?" The mysterious old man's voice said once again.
"Uh …yeah!" Laguna and Kiros both replied once again.
"Are you really sure, az in 100 sure that you wanna know who am I?" the voice once again questioned them. "Welp I have newz for you, I'm not telling it! BWAHAHAHAH!" the man laughed hysterically. "Maybe if you beg ….."
Before Laguna and Kiros could react, Caraway annoyingly replied, "Nah, you can keep your identity to yourself old man, just let us out of here!"
"Come on! I know you wanna know who I am!" the mysterious old man insisted.
"Psst…Fury, uh what do you think you're saying? We wanna know who this guy is." Laguna whispered at Caraway.
"Silence! Just play along", he whispered back to Laguna, he then turned at the 'mysterious old man's voice', "We're not interested on knowing who you are. You're of no importance for us" he rudely replied.
"Yeah!" Laguna and Kiros said in unison.
"Come on! I'm about to tell who I am and I'm going to reveal myzelf to all of you!"
All them just turned their heads and looked at the wall behind them, murmuring.
"Oh come on, here I am!" the mysterious voice exclaimed.
"Hmp!" they all replied still looking at the wall with their arms crossed.
"There! I'm right here! Now, do you all recognize moi?" the now not so mysterious old man's voice said.
They stared at each other and said, "No!"
"In front of you!" the man replied.
"I still can't see anything" Laguna scratched his head as he stared beyond their cell.
"Ehem look down" the old man replied almost out of earshot.
The three men looked below them and saw an imp-like man who mischievously smiled on them.
"Hello!" said the old man.
They all jumped in shock.
Meanwhile…
"Leon! Leon! Wake up!" A worried old woman's voice called.
Leon felt someone shook his shoulders. He slowly opened his sapphire eyes and it came into his view this familiar face, yes it was indeed Dr. Kadowaki, the best physician in Balamb. This 50 plus year old lady was also like a second mother to him.
"Are you all right my boy?" she had a worried look on her face. "I was worried for a moment, why… you were screaming out loud you alarmed everyone here in the hospital!"
"I'm sorry" he replied to her almost inaudible. Leon was sweating heavily and was out of breath as if he ran a thousand mile.
"Ohh my little Leon was having a nightmare!" Dr. Kadowaki let a smile escaped from her lips. She was happy to know that her 'little Leon' was ok. "Hey, I've got good news for you! It's about Rinoa".
"Oh, how's she? Is she well? Can I see her?" he said eagerly as he gave Dr. Kadowaki puppy-dog eyes.
"It's a boy!" Dr. Kadowaki said smiling.
"Huh?" Leon raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms, "What'd ya mean by that?"
She then laughed at Leon's reaction and said, "I'm just kidding, you can visit her inside her room. The operation went very well. I've extracted the bullets out of her body." She continued, "It appears that it misses all her vital organs. What a lucky girl" Kadowaki said still with a smile on her face.
Deep Sea Research Centre
Laguna's Cell
"ODINE! What have you done to my son!" Laguna yelled angrily at the old imp-like man in front of them. He gripped the cold bars of their cell. "You've turned him into a monster like you!"
Before Odine could open his mouth, the lad said, "Hey I'm not your father and you're not my son!" the brown hair lad interfered.
"Huh?" all of them said in unison as they scratched their head.
"What the heck is he talking about?" Caraway said as he looked at his comrades inside the cell.
"Ehem, son…I think you should re-read your dialogue" Kiros said to the lad as he handed the fic's script to him.
He read it and said, "Ohh… Ok, sorry bout that. Lemme repeat that line again…. I said…um Hey! Uh…" he said as he read the lines from the thick folder. "Jack, you can draw me wearing this…..wearing only this" he said seductively as he raised his necklace and showed it to them. (Disclaimer: I don't own The Titanic only a small boat made out of paper)
"Huh?" all of them scratched their head.
"Man you're sick!" Laguna said, disgusted at the lad's dialogue. "Kiros what did you just give him?"
"Ha ha ha sorry wrong script!" Kiros said as he handed another thick folder with the title 'A Knight's Promise' to the lad. (Disclaimer: This time, I own it he he he)
"Uh…ahah! Here it is! Hey! I'm not your son and you're not my father!" he exclaimed.
"What!" the three men said again in unison.
"Yez he'z not your son. He'z mine!" Odine said in his ever so famous 'Odine' accent.
"WHAT!" They all said again in unison.
"Yes you all heard him right. I'm his son, Gale Odine Jr.", he proudly announced to the three shocked men.
"Gale Odine Jr? You mean…" Laguna questioned the lad. "You've tricked us!"
The lad burst into laughter. Odine interfered to their conversation. "You're a fool to believe that my zon waz yourz!" Odine laughed and mocked Laguna, "How can a 'good' father not recognize hiz own blood?"
Laguna felt as if his life force was drained, as if someone punched him so hard on the stomach. He feebly slumped on the floor and covered his face with his hands in shame. "Yes, he is right; I was a fool to believe that he is my son."
Seeing his friend in this situation, Caraway defended him and said, "You're a cold-blooded, rotting, ugly maggot! What have you done to Squall? Where is he?"
"Do you wanna know what happened to him?" Odine asked mischievously.
"Oh no, not again!" Kiros said as he slapped his forehead.
Meanwhile …
Balamb Garden
He sat there next to her bed as he watched her sleep serenely on the bed. He placed his right hand on her warm cheeks. He doesn't know what to feel, if he's going to be happy that she is now safe and far from any danger or he is going to be sad coz after this, they might not see each other again. He knew what's ahead of him. It's all clear to him now. Who's he in Rinoa's life. "This might be the last time I could see her angelic face, this might be the last time I could touch her like this. Dang! I never felt like this before in my whole life" He said to himself. "I have no other option; I've got to end all this insanity. I've gotta kill it for you all to move on." He let his fingers ran through her soft raven-black hair and leaned closer to her ears and said, "I'm sorry I didn't come early to save you, I failed as your kni…" He jerked out when he saw Rinoa's eyes move. He watched her as she slowly opened her eyes. Rinoa made a faint smile upon seeing him. His heart raced when he saw her smiling at him like that.
"Leon…" she softly said. She's obviously still too weak to do anything but rest.
"Hush now Rinoa, just relax there and rest." He said as he smiled at her and touched her face.
"Leon, Oh I'm so glad to see you!" Rinoa said faintly with a smile still visible on her pale face. "Thank you for saving me"
"Please stop talking, you should take a rest" Leon insisted.
Rinoa looked around and nervously said, "Leon, where's my dad, Mr. Laguna a-and…. Mr. Kiros?". She attempted to stand up but she failed and fell to her bed. Leon managed to grab her and placed her gently on the bed.
"Geez be careful, you're not yet well. You've just recently had an operation. It's really unwise for you to move around like that." Leon had a worried look on his face. He stand next to her bed and said, "Don't worry, I'll save them for you, I promise".
"P-promise?" Rinoa had heard that word before to a boy that she once loved. Now someone is saying that very same word to her again. It made her sad, sad that the one who said that word before was the one who attempted to kill her and those who are dear to her. "Please….don't say that word…I hate it"
Clueless of what is she saying, he gave her a 'huh?" look.
"Promise… you said you promise" she said in a gloomy tone. "Squall said the very same word…it reminds me of him"
"Oh I see" Leon said looking away. "You want me…… to drag him here for you so you can slap him hard on his ugly face or do you want me to slice n' dice him up for you?"
Both of them stared for a while then began laughing and giggling like kids.
"You're a meany ha ha ha!" Rinoa giggled like a kid, this reminds Leon of a girl she saw during his 'back to the past trip' with the ghost.
"I wanna get my hands on that 'Squall' of yours and…" Leon punched his left palm and stared at Rinoa. She stared back at him. Leon smiled and leaned close to her. They didn't noticed that they're leaning close to each other, so close that Leon's perfectly shaped nose touched Rinoa's. Leon looked at her strawberry-like lips and closed his eyes. They were about to touch each other's lips when somebody knocked.
"Son, can I come in?"
Leon immediately sat and composed himself and said, "Yeah dad, the door's open"
Cid entered the room holding a black luggage and a basket full of fruits and. "Hello son, how's…" he stopped and smiled when he saw Rinoa was conscious. "Hello dear, I'm glad you're ok now. Here, I brought you some fruits" he placed the basket at the table near her bed.
"Thank you Mr. Cid" she said as she smiled at Leon's father.
"Dad, they've taken them" Leon said as he approached his old man. "I was too late I guess" he sighed and slacked at the wall near him.
"But at least you're just right in time to save your angel, isn't that right Rinoa?" Cid glanced at Rinoa and smiled.
Rinoa smiled back at him.
Leon blushed heavily, a bit irritated with this, he decided to change the subject, "By the way, dad can you do me a favor, please look after Rinoa while I'm gone. I'll call the rest of the SeeDs to back me up."
"I'm afraid they can't help you now" Cid looked down. "Quistis managed to contact me a while ago, saying that they were captured as well. Though thanks to her quick thinking, I was able to know their whereabouts".
"What! Dang!" Leon shook his head in frustration.
"Um… I can help!" Rinoa tried to rise from her bed. "I want to help you Leon!"
"Huh? I said don't try to move, you're still weak" Leon scolded Rinoa as if he is his wife.
"But I want to help rescue them plus I want to slap Squall really, really hard for attempting to kill my dad!" Rinoa protested.
"Look who's talking …." Leon frowned.
Cid laughed at both of them and said, "Ha ha ha you two reminds me of myself and Edea when we argue about something".
Both of them stopped from arguing and blushed.
"Why not bring your angel with you? You'll need someone to look over you …you know" Cid said as he smiled at Leon.
"But still, I can't allow her to come with me, and that's final!" Leon demanded.
After 15 Minutes…
"Where we're to?" Rinoa smiled at Leon who's now fixing the boat which they're going use for their trip.
"Deep Sea Research Facility" he said reluctantly at her as he started the boat's motor.
Rinoa giggled, "Whoa! Look who's grumpy today?" she said teasingly.
"You're not yet well, I'm just………" Leon replied at her.
"You're just what?"
"Worried" he said almost inaudible.
"Huh? I can't hear yah?" she teasingly said.
"Worried" he said monotony.
"Ohhh you're so sweet! Uh you don't have to worry about me I'm fine as a pine tree…see" Rinoa jumped but her still weak body pulled her down. "Ahhhh!" she shouted in pain.
"Now you see what I mean?" Leon hurriedly picked his special friend and helped her sit to the chair nearby. He then wrapped her shivering body with the thick blue blanket. "Now, you have to be a good girl and listen to me from now on ok?"
"Yes sir!"
They started to sail through the calm waters of Balamb Sea. In just 30 minutes they've reached the waters of Timber, a small city just 10 minutes away from Winhill.
"Leon, um can I ask you something?" Rinoa finally asked. They haven't chatted for the past 30 minutes since they've first set sail so she decided to break the ice.
"What's bothering you?" he asked.
"Um do you believe that um …there's a reason for every thing?" she questioned him. "Like um…reason why the one that I loved most disappeared in my life?"
"Reason for every thing huh? What is she up to?" He said to himself. "Coincidence perhaps?" he simply answered as he continued navigating the boat to Winhill.
"Maybe, but you know, I believe that the reason is that …I will meet you" she shyly said as she concealed her blushing face at Leon.
"I see…so can you tell me the reason why all of these bad things were happening to me?" he murmured to himself. "Why me?"
"But you know what? The only thing that I can't figure out the reason is…why you're so cold on me all of a sudden?" Rinoa looked down. "Uh sorry, 'bout it…you don't have to answer that one uh.."
There was a complete silence on both sides. After a few minutes Rinoa breaks the ice once again, "Uh you know Leon, I was really disheartened 'bout the situation we're in now, I mean uh we're fighting against that monster. Do we even have a chance against it?"
Their boat finally reached the Winhill Sea. It's nine in the evening, the sky is dark and there were thick clouds covering the big pale moon. From their boat, Winhill's cemetery can be clearly seen. The now gloomy city was also not far of sight.
"Uh Rinoa, you see that big tree near the cemetery?" Leon pointed the cherry tree near Squall's tomb.
Rinoa peered out and saw the tree Leon was pointing out. "Uh it's our special tree" she said to herself. "What about it?" from her looks it is obvious that she's a bit offended. That tree reminds her of her childhood love, Squall.
"I don't mean to offend you there Rinny, just want to use that tree as an example" Leon said as he faintly smiled at her. "You said a while ago that everything had a reason, am I right?"
"Yeah" she simply replied, confused at what he wanted to prove.
"Ok then tell me, what's that tree doing there alone in the middle of the cemetery?" Leon asked.
Rinoa was unsure what to say so she said, "Hmm… let's hear your reason Mr. Kramer"
He simply smiled and said, "The reason I believe that the tree is there to remind us who are dispirited by life's obstacles that we must never lose hope even though we're faced or surrounded with uncertainties and tribulations; that we must stay strong and firm to the ground like that cherry tree over there".
This made Rinoa smiled and said, "Ohh are you clever or what! Yeah you're right, I guess that's the purpose of that tree, for us to have hope always. We must never give up no matter what life throws at us!"
"That's the spirit!" a ghostly voice echoed around them.
"HUH?" both of them said in unison.
A/N: Yep you know who's that who've just appeared; your friendly neighborhood ghost, Mr. Fuji. What's going to happen if Rinoa finds out that Leon got a ghost as a friend? Meanwhile, Laguna and the rest of the gang were now slowly uncovering the truth behind Odine's schemes. Now that they've found out that the brown-haired lad was not the Squall they were looking for, will they ever discover what really happened to the real Squall? All these questions and more will be answered on the next chapter of 'A Knight's Promise".