There, now it's starting. Sorry if the other chapters were full of meaningless shit, I suppose the answer to that would be the usual "wanted to give the story something to go by" again. Well, enjoy!

Chapter Four

Bevelle's Sudden Attack

Later that day, we didn't let each other out of our site. When Lenne went somewhere, I always made sure I was right behind her, so I could be there for her if anything happened. It was the same with Lenne, she didn't let me out of her sight for longer than a few minutes at a time. Apparently, the story I told her about the nightmare had shaken her too. I had never seen her like this. She was so jumpy. And every time she heard a sound coming from somewhere (which happened often) she jumped, and ran to my side, making sure I was there. It was really just like that.

Something had happened between us, something which really had changed our lives into something I never thought it could be. "Please, let us go back to the way it was." I thought. We were sitting around the table, eating supper. I looked at Lenne. She was sitting there, eating her tomato soup in silence, occasionally casting quick glances across the table in my direction, as if she wanted to make sure I was still there with her. She looked so miserable. The usual cheerful and happy Lenne I knew had just gone some place where I couldn't find her. She was gone. "But then again, nothing has really changed with the way I feel, its Lenne's behaviour that has changed so much. She told me she wanted to know, but now I wish I hadn't told her anything. Damn you, Shuyin. Why did you have to cause the woman in your life so much pain!" I thought angrily. Apparently, Lenne could see I was angry about something, because she went over to me and put her arms around me again. Although she'd done it thousands of times before, I could sense that something had changed in her. Lenne had lost the ability to make me feel better when I was feeling down. She could no longer give me that comfort by holding me like this. I could sense how anxious she was. Her hands trembling slightly as she held her arms around me. I could see now that the reason why she held me like this was because she needed comfort and the reason why was because of that feeling we now both had. Lenne was begging me to give that to her. Now, she needed comfort as well, the same way I had always needed it, She was holding me, hoping that I could give that to her. I held her, without knowing what to say. For once, none of us knew what to say to make the other feel better.

I took her hand, and guided her into our bedroom. I was hoping that I could make her happy again. Happy the same way I had once known for sure that I could make her happy.

Early the next day, a man I had never seen before stood outside our house, knocking on the entrance door with a big gloved hand. He was dressed in a black and blue uniform. He wore a hat in the same colours on his extremely big head. He looked like he could be from the police, or something. We sat at the breakfast table, eating what Lenne was spirited enough to make. Lenne put down her slice of bread and cheese, and went over to the door. She had a serious look on her face, as if she was expecting trouble. I got up from my seat quickly, and followed her. Lenne opened the door.

"Is there a problem?" She asked. "What the heck? Does she know this guy or something?" I wondered confused. I had never seen him before.

"Yes, Lady Lenne." The man said seriously, getting straight to the point. "As you know, we at the Summoner Office always keeps track of where all our Summoners are by the help of satellites, in case of an emergency. (I know we don't get to know that in the game, but I need to fill the story with something) We just received a signal from one of the summoners who lives in the northern outskirts of Zanarkand, telling us that the Summoner in question was attacked by a group of Machina from the city of Bevelle." Lenne's eyes widened in shock, she gasped out in horror. "Where is the Summoner now?" She asked thunderstruck. "The Summoner died in the ambush."

Lenne fell silent, looking down at her feet. She looked like she didn't know what to say. "And what are you going to do?" She mumbled.

"The Summoner Office has decided to send all the summoners of Zanarkand to the frontlines and fight against Bevelle's Machina. We'll be expecting every summoner of Zanarkand to report the Office in two days."

Lenne nodded, looking down at her feet. She looked like she really didn't know what to do about anything at the moment. "We'll be expecting you." The man in the uniform said. Then he left, walking quickly down the street, probably to the next house that was inhabited by a summoner.

"What was that about?" I asked at once, when Lenne had closed the entrance door behind her, and had sat down beside the kitchen table.

"A man from the Summoner Office." She replied shortly.

"I'd figured that much out myself, Lenne." I said impatiently.

"What did he want?" "Didn't you hear him? He wants all the summoners to report to the Summoner Office, so we can defend ourselves against Bevelle." We sat in silence at the table for a few minutes after this. After awhile I broke the heavy silence stretching between us.

"How can you speak so calmly about you going to fight against a whole bunch of Machina from Bevelle? We all know that goddamn Machina city over there is full of corruption, war-mongering, and……and all kinds of other bullshit. Bevelle is the leading city in Spira when it comes to all kinds of Machina, Lenne. How can you be so calm about this?" I took a deep breath from the rush of words coming out so fast. "Who says I'm calm?" She asked, her voice rising as well. "It's not like I want this, Shuyin!" I looked sternly at her for a long time. She looked back at me without backing down. I had never seen her like this, so angry, so hard. It scared me to see my Lenne this way. I just couldn't bear it. After awhile, I spoke again.

"Lenne, I'm sorry. It's just……I lost my temper for a second. Forgive me. It's just that…..I don't want to lose you, especially not in a Machina war." I said ashamed, referring to the nightmare I had. "I know, Shuyin. I feel the same way. I'm not angry at you, or anything. I told you, didn't I? I'll always be yours." Something leaped inside me once Lenne said that. I felt happier than I had felt in what felt like ages. Lenne, as always noticed how I felt. She smiled at that I had gotten back to my own self. "How about you?" I asked. Lenne's smile widened. A smile I recognised. The smile she always wore back in the old days. "Me too." She replied happily. The happiness we had always known before were back, hopefully for longer than a few moments.