Sora leans back, hands resting contentedly behind his head as the wind whips through his hair. Through the lids of his closed eyes, he can see the last light of the setting sun is fading quickly. Telary, stuffed into the other jeep with Cid, Donald, and Goofy, must be terrified out of his mind at the possibility of not making camp until nightfall. He's most likely suggesting to Cid that any stopping point will do. Not that it will make much difference, considering Leon apparently has their site all mapped out.
Unsurprisingly, the Keybearer is being mellow about the entire affair. He's content to stop wherever and whenever. He'd initially been the slightest bit worried about straying too close to Maleficent's old tower fortress, but Leon had assured him that their path would take them even farther beyond that area.
The sun is nearly down by the time they reach the area Leon has (for some reason) selected. A small open area boxed in by blue cliffs, crude natural paths leading out in several different directions.
"At least we'll be able to see anything coming," Telary remarks, already pulling bags off his jeep. The wizard's motions are very nearly frantic, his gaze never resting on anything for too long.
"Or get boxed in," Donald grumbles, arms crossed over his chest.
"Aw, don't go sayin' stuff like that, Donald," Captain Goofy mildly chastises his counterpart. "This is a fine spot for camping."
"Why this spot, though?" Riku asks, coolly leaning against the jeep instead of helping with unloading.
"No reason," Leon says, voice as calm and collected as ever despite the two heavy bags slung over each shoulder. "I just had us drive until I thought the sun was coming down."
The silver-haired Keyblade wielder still looks skeptical. But before he can say anything else, Cid is loudly admonishing him to get off his aloof pretty boy ass and make himself useful. He does, brow still scrunched up in thought.
As he and Sora are setting up their shared tent, the older boy brings it up again. "There were plenty of good places to stop closer to the city. Why go all the way out here without a motive? And did you see how often he rested his hand on his right jacket pocket? Something's in there."
Sora bends over to lock in two poles, conveniently hiding his rolling eyes. "Would you just relax? Everything always has to be secrets and suspicion with you. I'm sure picking this spot is just a coincidence, and there's nothing in Leon's pocket."
"He's tense," Riku adds, eyes narrowing as he watches the gunblade wielder lift the last bag out of the jeep. "He's been that way since we left."
"You just don't know Leon," Sora chides his friend, lifting the tent into position. "He's the kind of guy who's always focused on work, making things right or better. Relaxing doesn't come easy to a guy like him."
Riku raises an eyebrow, and the younger Keyblade wielder immediately realizes that he's said something he'll regret. Grabbing his sleeping bag, Sora crawls into the completed tent in hopes of escaping the subject. No such luck.
"That's another thing, then," Riku continues, shouldering his way through the flap. He's like a dog with a bone. "Why come at all, if he hates to relax so much? You were surprised when you first heard, weren't you?"
"What's surprising," the younger boys shoots back quickly, "is that you noticed anything other than Yuffie from the second she laid eyes on you."
The jab puts a halt to the silver-haired young man's rant. Sora smirks, leaning back with his hands behind his head. Checkmate.
"That's dirtier than you usually fight, Sora," Riku manages after a few moments of sputtering. "Doesn't change what I'm saying though."
The younger boy smirks. "So, you admit it?"
Riku is immediately on top of him, holding his best friend down in a wrestling hold he hasn't used in years. For his part, Sora just laughs merrily, amused by the surprise throwback to a familiar childhood scene.
With a few soft rustles of canvas, Telary pokes his head into the tent. The Destiny Island boys freeze, slowly looking up at him.
"Um, hello," the wizard says as a greeting, a puzzled frown marring his features. "Hm. Usually in this situation Azlyn would be here to make the mildly homophobic joke, but I guess today it falls to me. So, uh… Gay?"
"A good effort, but I could tell your heart wasn't in it," Riku declares, shrugging.
"Kinda lazy too," Sora concurs. He jerks his arm, hitting Riku's leg and signaling the older boy to get off of him. "None of that creative spark."
"Alas," Telary says, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, what was going on in here?"
"Riku's paranoid," Sora explains, sitting up stretching out a kink in his neck. Beside him, the silver-haired young man glares.
"Nothing to be ashamed of," Telary says with his usual reassurance. "Being this far away from civilization in previously Heartless-infested territory would make…"
"Not about that," Riku interrupts, waving his hand dismissively. "Something's up with that Leon guy. I think he might have another motive for coming on this trip."
"You mean because he's usually incredibly anti-social but came along relatively eagerly, and the way he seemed to choose this specific spot to camp in?" the wizard rattles off. "Oh, and there seems to be something in his jacket pocket. Y'know, where he keeps putting his hand."
Sora works his jaw soundlessly for a long moment, catching Riku's smug grin from the corner of his widened eye.
"And here you keep bragging about how well you can read people," the silver-haired young man says with a sardonic chuckle.
"Okay," the Keybearer finally responds after getting his senses all together. "So, what're you thinking to do about it?"
Surprisingly, the older boy just shrugs. "I'm just pointing it out. I barely know the guy, he's your friend. If there's trouble, you should probably deal with it."
"It's my party," Telary sighs, shaking his head, "and I'll create and subsequently diffuse conflicts if you tell me to."
Sora sits up straighter, hands on his hips. "All that grumbling, and that's all you have to say about it?"
Another shrug. "Hey, maybe I'm just being crazy, it's happened before. But I'm really not looking forward to building a reputation with this guy that I'm some paranoid hardass. And anyway, I've more than learned not to jump on anything without all the facts."
"Okay. Well, I'm gonna go help get Captain Goofy untangled from his tent." Still shaking his head, Telary backs out of the small enclosure. As he walks towards the space where the Disney Castle staffers are furiously waging war with canvas and rods, he hears the sounds of yet another childish scuffle erupting behind him. The wizard does his best to ignore, only to find his eye drifting to Leon instead.
Radiant Garden's leader is finishing up his and Cid's tent, grunting as he solemnly regards the growing shelter. Nothing terribly suspicious at first glance, but what if the stern frown he's wearing isn't directed at the canvas, but at some horrible truth only he knows?
Telary sighs. "Way to go, Riku," he mutters, pulling out a few of the firelogs the group had brought along. "Now I'm the paranoid hardass."
Horrible secrets waiting to be discovered or not, the groom-to-be is flooded with a sudden overwhelming sensation that this will be a much longer weekend than he'd anticipated.
KH-KH-KH
"…So, here comes Telary, rolling down the stairs like some kind of screaming boulder," Sora relates, standing atop the small fireside bench and throwing his hands in the air. "And we're all just like, we're shocked, right? So he rolls past, still yelling his head off, and we…"
"They just stood there!" Telary chimes in, rolling his eyes despite the smile across his face. "And not only once…"
"But like three times!"
Everyone around the campfire is laughing aloud at the ridiculous story. Well, not quite everyone, but Leon's small chuckle is basically his equivalent of violent guffawing. It's been like this for the past few hours, all the men just sitting around and telling their best stories. Even though this kind of wilderness excursion would have never been Telary's first choice, the man of the hour is actually finding all this rather nice. Even the fear of what may lurk in the wilderness isn't worrying him as much as it once did.
"Don't worry none, Telary," Goofy says, giving the wizard a friendly pat on his shoulder. "I fall down the stairs all the time!"
"Usually landing on me!" Donald squawks indignantly, crossing his arms as a new round of chuckles start up.
"Yeah, but seriously," Sora says, shaking his head and purging the last few giggles from his system. He places on hand on Telary's shoulder, looking him in the eye. "If it wasn't for you, I seriously would not be here today. Plus probably the universe would be, like, exploded! Or whatever Ansem-Not-Ansem was trying to do with that big door. I am really, truly happy for you and Azlyn, and I know you're gonna be together for the rest of your lives. I also hope you'll be in my life for that long too."
"Thank you, Sora," Telary says with barely restrained tears. The pair hug tightly. After a few seconds, Telary unwraps his arms from the young boy and attempts to move back. Unfortunately, Sora doesn't seem quite ready to let the moment end. "Um, Sora? Buddy? I think it's over. Y'know, the moment. Gotta let go now."
"Oh, yeah, sure," the younger man replies quickly, removing his arms from around the wizard and taking several steps back. He looks a little flushed, eyes drooping slightly. "I just, uh, kinda lost myself there."
"Probably a good time to call it a night, then," Leon declares, standing up. He stares momentarily into the fire hand absently going to his jacket pocket again.
"Big day tomorrow, right?" Cid says, yawning as he stretches out his old bones.
"Come to think of it," Telary says, frowning, "what exactly is the plan for tomorrow, Sora?"
"Yeah," Donald chimes in himself, giving the Keybearer his best skeptic glare. "Ya didn't just lead us out into the wilderness for no reason, did ya?"
"The, uh, the plan," Sora replies, nervously rising to his feet and busying himself with folding his chair. He's quiet for a moment, clearly trying to formulate something to say. In the end, he can only sigh and throw down the canvas and metal contraption as he faces his companions. "Well, the plan was to do a cool 'guys bonding' thing, and camping is, like, the ultimate guy-bonding experience! Facing the unknown, sleeping under the stars, testing our…"
"Patience," Riku mutters, though honestly he doesn't mind a little outdoor adventure.
"Ain't the dumbest idea I ever heard," Cid says with a small chuckle. Yawning once again, the engineer makes his way over to his tent, crawling inside with one last jaunty wave at the others.
Donald is heading to the tent he and Goofy are sharing for the night as well. The captain follows after him, talking good-naturedly about how much his fowl companions nephews will enjoy hearing tales of their uncle braving the wilderness. The anthropomorphic pair say their last good nights, then zip up their tent to settle in for the night.
A quick blizzard spell from Telary douses the already dying fire. With its warmth and glow gone, suddenly the groom-to-be is reminded just how far from civilization he and his friends are. His shoulders shiver, despite his best attempts to hold them at bay.
"Man, this place is creepier than I thought it would be, with all the lights gone out," Sora comments with his usual lighthearted cheer. "Cool!"
Telary sighs, so quietly only he can hear. "You sure keep up a consistent attitude about things, Sora."
The Keybearer, unsurprisingly, takes the comment at face value. "Thanks, Tel! Now c'mon, our tent's gonna get cold! Dibs on sleeping closest to the flap."
"No objection here," Riku mutters, following behind his excited friend. "You always have to pee in the middle of the night anyway, and I don't need you stepping on me."
Sora's halfway to the tent when he suddenly realizes that something is off. Frowning, the boy stops in his tracks, throwing a glance over his shoulder. Immediately apparent is Riku and Telary's sudden, awkward halt to avoid running into the Keybearer. Behind them, standing stock-still by the doused fire, is Leon. The Restoration Committee leader makes no move toward his own shelter.
Riku and Telary either don't notice or mind much, both of them sidestepping Sora and ducking into the large tent. Sora doesn't follow, staring over at Leon's silent figure. The Keybearer is beginning to think Riku's earlier paranoia was justified.
"You, uh, okay there Leon?" Sora asks, stepping just close enough to his older friend that he doesn't have to yell.
Leon says nothing for a moment, then turns to the Keybearer with a (as far as Sora can tell in the darkness) cool, passive gaze. "Everything's fine, Sora. I just thought it might be a good idea for someone to keep watch for a little."
Sora nods. "You're probably right. Hey, if you want, I can stay up with you and help out. Maybe get the fire going again…"
"No," Leon says, the statement so sudden and firm that Sora nearly jumps back in surprise. After a second, the gunblade wielder continues, "No, that's fine. You need to get some sleep, Sora. I get the feeling you're going to be called upon tomorrow to come up with some ideas on how we spend our time."
It's such an obvious deflection, Sora nearly blurts back his own refusal on instinct. Luckily, he has enough tact and self-control to refrain. "Yeah, maybe you're right," he says instead. He starts backing up towards his tent, keeping both eyes on Leon. "Just make sure you get some sleep too, eh?"
Leon says something in reply, but it's too quiet for Sora to hear from far away. By this point, the Keybearer hardly needs to hear any more. Even if Leon doesn't have a secret agenda, it might be worth getting him some help if he thinks standing alone in the dark is the proper way to enjoy a night.
"SORA!" Riku yells as his young friend steps right on his arm, flopping out of his sleeping bag. Muttering curses, the silver-haired young man turns over.
Sora whispers a quiet apology, sinking to the floor as quietly as he can. He crosses his legs, the most uncomfortable sitting position he can imagine, and leans forward. His ear is practically pressed against the tent's fabric. If anything goes on out there, Sora swears that he'll be the first to know about it. Maybe that means foregoing sleep, but one doesn't become master of the Keyblade by making compromises. Something odd is afoot, and nothing is going to keep Sora from getting to the bottom of…
KH-KH-KH
The door must not be opened!
Sora jolts awake, suddenly gasping for breath. His lungs feel like they're on fire, and there's a pain in his belly…
That's probably the result of the fact that he's been sleeping slumped forward, head in his lap. Not a comfortable position for rest. But then, that had been the point, right? There'd been something he didn't want to miss…
A noise from outside the tent suddenly brings the Keybearer back into focus. It's faint, only the slightest squeak of metal from a hinge, but enough. Something's going on, most likely with one of the jeeps.
Sora bolts to his feet, ignoring the prickly-but-not-yet-numb feeling playing around his legs and feet. Reaching for the zipper, he notices that neither of his tentmates have stirred in the least. Riku snuffles a bit before turning over again, and Telary just continues his light, almost cutesy breathing. The Keybearer considers getting them up, but there may not be time. He quickly unzips the flap, stumbling out into the night.
Just in time to see a jeep blaze to life, headlights illuminating the campsite. Leon sits behind the wheel, his face creepy in the headlights' backwash. It gets even creepier when he turns to see Sora.
"Leon!" the Keybearer hisses, only belatedly realizing that he's probably too far away for the escaping man to hear anything. Huffing out a breath, the boy runs closer to the jeep, questions on his mind.
"Sora!" Leon hisses right back. From this distance, the Keybearer can better make out his friend's expression, and it doesn't look happy. "What are you doing?"
"What am I doing!" Sora declares, carefully keeping himself from shouting. "You're the one stealing our car in the middle of the night! You've got some explaining to do!"
Hesitation momentarily flashes across Leon's face, his eyes quickly scanning the trio of tents before returning to Sora. He sighs, looking suddenly quite defeated. "Alright, you win. I'll tell you on the way. Now get in here before someone else wakes up!"
"Yes sir!" Sora leaps into the car's backseat, crawling around until he can get into the front passenger chair. Leon has them moving before the Keybearer can properly get settled, which nearly has him flying from the seat. A cynical voice in the back of Sora's head suggests that may have been the older man's intent.
Leon turns them into a crevice with only a few crystals protruding from the floor and walls. He has to dodge around one, but for the most part the path is clear. Looking out, Sora notices something peripherally. When he focuses on it, he can see that it's a small device affixed to the dashboard. An antenna protrudes from it, a small screen displaying information of some kind in a slow crawl.
"This is what you had in your pocket!" Sora declares, leaning back and eyeing the driver. "What is it, some kinda homing device? Where'd you get it? Why did it bring us out here? What or who are…"
"I'll explain everything," Leon snaps in a terse voice. He reaches one hand into his jacket's left pocket, producing a piece of paper from within. Sora reaches out to grab it, and only when Leon is sure the Keybearer has a good grip on it does he let it go.
Sora wastes no time in reading it.
Squall,
I almost can't believe that I'm writing you this letter. After all this time, to finally be able to communicate with… Well, honestly just rememberingyou is crazy after all this time. How could I have forgotten you? I suspect it had to do with the sudden darkness in our world, and the Cie'th…
Anyway, what's important now is that I doremember you. Some things are still a bit fuzzy and indistinct, but I remember all the important parts (yeah, I'm talking about the dirty ones!). I know that you'll come when I call. So here I am, calling. I need you Squall. Not just in the way I'd usually say before, but in the serious life-or-death way.
The truth is, memories of you and your city have been dawning on me for a few months now. As far as I can tell, no one else has been experiencing this same thing. Maybe it's because of my magic, or maybe our affinity is just that strong even after everything. I told my father, figuring that if anyone could do bring Radiant Garden to the attention of the government, it would be old Ironclad General Fury. When I first told him, he didn't disappoint. It was like my reminder ignited something in him. He could hardly believe it at first, but you know him. Once he's got something to hold on to, the man will not let go. Unfortunately, this time his stubbornness had real consequences.
Squall, my father is dead. He was murdered, by his own superiors, and it's all my fault. This city is not the place I thought it was, not a safe haven like most everyone has believed for the past decade. I don't know if you'll get this, Squall. I don't know if my spell will work, but if it does… I need to see you Squall. After everything that's gone wrong because of me, I need something to go right. A reminder that something good can come from this.
Because I know it's the first thing you'll think of (it would certainly be the first thing I would be concerned about), I promise you I'm safe. There are people here who learned what I know long ago, and they're good at escaping PSICOM's notice. Use the transceiver to find me. When you send the signal, I'll know to wait for you (or send someone if I can't be there myself). Once it's activated, follow the return transmission to whatever coordinates are provided.
I hope this letter finds you in good health. Hell, I hope it finds you at all. Come find me if you can. I'll be waiting for you. I always have been.
All My Love,
Rinoa
There's a small PS at the bottom of the page, but it simply details some kind of code phrase for the meeting. For almost five minutes, Sora can only stare down at the piece of paper in his hands. He rereads it maybe a dozen times, looking up to Leon after each one. The information in this letter, if it's all true… It could change everything on this world. Very likely for the worst, if this PSICOM thing is as bad as Rinoa says. All that goes through the Keybearer's mind as he examines every individual letter of the missive.
What comes out of his mouth after the long silence, however, is a shocked, "Leon, you had a girlfriend!"
The Restoration Committee leader almost swerves the entire jeep, fixing Sora with a glare that is beyond derisive. "That's your takeaway from this?"
Sora shrugs. "Not the only one, obviously, but… Honestly, I deal with danger and secret murders and lost memories all the time Leon. I have never even for a second had to think about the possibility of you and, like, a woman. Y'know, in an Azlary way."
"I guess I can see… Wait, what is an Azlary?"
Sora shrugs, rolling his eyes like even he can't believe he'd brought that up. "Just some weird thing Kairi came up with. Smushing couple's names together is all the rage back on the islands now I guess."
"Whatever," Leon declares, definitively ending that part of the conversation. "Yes, Rinoa and I knew each other before the fall. We were… close."
"I'll bet," Sora mutters discreetly.
"But, her father was a military man," the gunblade wielder continues uninterrupted. "Or at least as much of a military man as there could be in a place like the Garden. He found a better post out in Bright Oasis…"
"That's this other city I never heard of before, right?"
Leon nods. "Yes. Bright Oasis, Radiant Garden's sister city. I'd never visited, but I heard a few things. I guess it was a little closer to some rougher areas, wildlife-wise. They maintained a better city guard there, and the General thought he could be more useful."
"That sucks, man," Sora says apologetically, shaking his head. "You were, like… really close? I mean, she signed her note with lo…"
"She was important to me," Leon interrupts, his voice breaking. Sora's eyes go wide at the sound. "When the invasion hit, I… She was all that I could think about. The reason Cid had to drag me onto his Gummi ship. For the longest time, she was all I could think about. She was the reason I changed my name, at first."
"But then things faded out."
Another nod, slow and solemn. "Over time, I forgot who she was, where she was. But I always knew there was someone missing, like a piece of me just didn't exist anymore. I thought rediscovering and rebuilding Radiant Garden could fill the void, but it never seemed to. Then, this letter. It was like… Like seeing the sun after living in darkness. All it took was a look at those wings, and suddenly I could breathe again."
"Then, I guess you actually read the thing," Sora says, grimacing. "And just like that, it was back to worry. Kicking yourself for not being there." There's a moment's pause, then the Keybearer turns his grimace on the driver. "Wait a minute. When did you get this letter? How long…?"
"She said she was safe for now," Leon interrupts, his jaw clenching. For a moment, he's looking so angry it almost scares Sora. Then a moment later, he lets out a breath and visibly forces himself to calm down. "Sorry. That was uncalled for." Even after apologizing, it takes the man another few seconds to organize his thoughts. "I couldn't just rush off after her, Sora. Not without raising suspicion with the rest of the committee. I'm still not sure how what she's saying could affect the Garden." Another sigh, this one sad. "She said she was safe, and I decided that was justification enough to wait for a discreet opportunity."
Sora nods slowly a few times, but it's mostly just for show. In reality, the Keybearer's mind is only stirring with further questions. Just as he's built up enough courage to ask them, the jeep emerges from the narrow canyon and comes to a halt in a wider space. The jolt of deceleration throws off his mental organization.
"This is the place," Leon declares, grabbing the beacon off the dashboard. He flicks a switch on its side, then returns the device to his pocket. Without another word, he pushes the jeep door open and makes a quick exit, though not before drawing his gunblade's holster and buckling it onto his belt.
Sora scrambles to follow, practically falling out of his side of the vehicle. Once his bearings are regained, the Keybearer follows his friend up a short natural ramp. Just like back at the campsite, blue stone surrounds the small clearing on all sides.
A woman stands waiting, hunching a bit with her arms crossed until Sora and Leon clear the ramp. Then she straightens herself up and reaches one hand around her back to grip the long spear there. Sora slows his strides, assessing the stranger as he would any potential menace. Years of living from threat to threat has managed to override even his innately trusting nature. Plus, he's kind of fascinated to see what kind of woman Leon would go for. All things considered, this lady looks to be the perfect type.
The woman's dark hair is full and relatively wild, falling around her shoulders to frame her angular face. A flowing garment of blue cloth winds around her body, covering half of her torso and one leg like a skirt. What isn't draped in blue is left exposed, revealing a black, skintight shirt and tights down to her knee. Dark boots complete the ensemble.
"Is that Rinoa?" Sora whispers to his friend, earning a slow shake of the head in reply.
"Let me handle this, Sora," Leon says, holding up a hand and walking closer to the woman. The Keybearer stays put, hand out and ready to summon the Keyblade at any sign of trouble.
"Losing your first pet is a hard thing," the woman says, the strange accent of her voice reminding Sora of Vanille. "Where's it buried?"
Leon stops, standing tall with his arms crossed. "We buried Moogle the dog in the dandelions in front of the general's tool shed." A short pause, and then, "What else happened that day?"
The woman rolls her eyes, suddenly looking less intimidating. "Ya got to second base behind the shed. Sheesh, did she really have to put that out there?"
"Her idea of a joke," Leon replies, shaking his head fondly.
Sora can't lie, the little smirk suddenly coming over his friend's face is fascinating. There's such a strange abandon in that expression, one he's never associated with Leon before. This Rinoa girl must be special then. His Kairi, probably. It takes another few seconds for that to sink in.
"Why couldn't she get away?" Leon is asking, comfortable enough now to step closer to their guide. His interesting smirk is gone, replaced by visible tension in his body. "Is there a problem?"
"Don't get all antsy," the woman says, cutting him off with an upheld hand. "I told Rinoa she shouldn't be the one to come out for the meet. Just trying to make sure nothing funny was gonna go down." Her piece said, the woman whistles loudly, glancing at an exit into a nearby crevice.
Another woman, this one tall and blonde with a sword belted at her waist, leads out three strange animals. They're yellow, fluffy birds, but at a size Sora has never seen before. Judging by the reins they all wear, he assumes they're meant to be ridden.
"Well, well," Leon mutters, looking the beasts up and down. "Been a long time since I saw my last chocobo."
"Uh," Sora speaks up, nervously raising his hand. It's odd, but manages to grab the spear woman's attention. "Yeah, hi. Not that I don't like jumping on the backs of strange birds, but maybe we could some introductions here?"
The woman snorts, laying a hand on her chocobo's flank. "Well, if it makes ya feel better. Name's Fang, and this here is Agrias."
"Cool," Sora replies, relaxing just a little. For some reason, knowing people's names has always made him feel better about them. Unless the introduction involved some kind of death threat, as a depressing number have been. "I'm Sora!"
"Smart of you to bring backup," Fang says to Leon, easily swinging herself up onto her chocobo's back. The other woman, Agrias, follows suit. "Too bad we only brought the mount for one."
Leon turns to Sora, not looking apologetic in the least. "You can ride with me."
"Sure…" The Keybearer doesn't look too sure, though. The chocobo seems tame enough, but he doesn't exactly have much experience riding any kind of mount.
Leon must sense his nerves. "Just hang on tight, okay? It's been awhile, but you never really forget the skills."
As it turns out, the hardest part of the whole process is getting Sora on the bird's back in the first place. But after some trial and error, he manages to mount up. Fang utters a stern command to her bird, kicks her heels into its sides, and the small convoy is off.
No one says anything as the journey takes off. The scenery isn't much different from Sora and Leon's trip in the jeep, give or take a few glowing crystals. Instead, the Keybearer simply focuses his thoughts on the company.
Whoever Leon's girlfriend has hooked up with, they seem… Interesting. Well-armed. She had mentioned the city's government several times in the letter, so perhaps some kind of resistance? The thought draws a quiet sigh from the Keybearer. Honestly, can he not go anywhere without some sort of daring-do awaiting him at the end of the trip? Being Keyblade master is cool and all, but after a while the constant intrigue grind can get pretty tedious.
The caravan's ride takes, if Sora was forced to guess, about fifteen minutes. They're moving at a decently fast pace, too, running down paths and through crevices far too tight for the Radiant Garden jeep to have safely made it through. With the front of his body pressed fairly tight against Leon, and the walls so close at hand, the Keybearer can hardly fight against an encroaching sense of claustrophobia.
Luckily, it isn't long before the path opens up onto a cliff, overlooking a wide valley below. The west end stretches out into even vaster space, the same tall blue cliffs surrounding it on three sides. Straining his vision, Sora can make out several small structures constructed in the shadow of the northern cliff.
"Is that the Bright Oasis place?" he asks Fang, as the spear-carrying woman begins leading the group down the cliff via a steep path. The boy can't hide his sense of underwhelming.
She scoffs, shaking her head. "Nah, kid. That's just where we unruly rabble-rousing types choose to rest our heads."
Leon frowns. There had better be something more impressive going on here. Or, of course, Rinoa just lied about her safety to reassure him. That would fit.
"Not much," Fang continues, throwing an incredibly knowing look over her shoulder. "But it's not a place PSICOM would think to look. Far as they're concerned, outside Bright Oasis is just a lifeless wasteland, lousy with the cie'th."
"C-what? Um, do you mean the Heartless?" Sora suggests. "Scary monsters with beady yellow eyes? A lot of 'em have a weird stitched up heart symbol on them?"
"Very same," Fang replies, sounding quite impressed. "I guess it makes sense you lot would've had your own problems with the buggers."
Sora has to make an effort not to scoff in reply. "That's actually understating it a little bit. Or, actually a lot."
"Has the problem really been that bad?" Leon asks. "And what exactly is this PSICOM you keep mentioning?"
The small procession has reached the bottom of the cliff path by now, racing straight towards the ruins. Fang encourages a bit more speed from her chocobo. "Look, my job is just to lead ya to the base. Rin can fill ya in on all yer burning questions, alright?"
Leon doesn't reply, but Sora feels him tensing up. "Uh, Leon?" the Keybearer leans up to whisper in his ear. "You alright? You seem kinda…"
"I'm fine, Sora," he gruffly replies, though he gets no less stiff.
Sora just rolls his eyes, leaning back. Now's not the time for a heart-to-heart then. Fine. they're getting closer to the alleged base by the minute, and still the Keybearer hasn't noticed a single sign of life. Not even a twitch of movement that might indicate the presence of guards.
A few yards out, Fang sits up straighter in her saddle and begins whistling. It's a complex piece, rising high and low in short bursts. Within a few seconds, another burst rings out through the night. Fang leans back once more, throwing a grin over her shoulder as she coaxes her chocobo to a slower pace.
They pass through the broken down remains of an archway. A sign hangs above, so dilapidated and scratched up that nothing can be gleaned from it. Sora takes in the surroundings, burned out or half-collapsed buildings surrounding the group on all sides. A few of them are adorned with undamaged signage, declaring themselves to be all manner of fairly mundane businesses. Two grocery stores, a salon/barbershop, and even a cobbler's shop still stand relatively intact.
Sora swears he sees movement in the upstairs window of one establishment they pass by. After the brief moment of panic (resulting in an annoyed noise from the harshly-squeezed Leon), he actually starts to feel better. It seems security is on guard.
Fang leads them off the main road and to the back of a small building. Dismounting her chocobo, the woman grabs the bottom of a corrugated metal shutter built into the back wall. She lifts it up to reveal a doorway, a wooden ramp sliding down to create a pathway.
"Everybody in," she commands, grabbing her chocobo's reins.
Leon, Sora, and Agrias quickly dismount and follow her up into the rather musty building. Three rails surround a section of the floor inside, ropes and pulleys connecting them to the ceiling. Once everyone and their big birds are within the rails, Fang gives the floor beneath a firm stomp. Moments later, they begin to descend.
The pulleys squeak something awful as the crude elevator descends, Sora wincing at the sharp sound. Beneath the piercing noise, however, something else can be heard: harsh squawking. Looking below, the Keybearer gets his first glimpse of their destination. A large underground cavern, lit by glowing crystals that throw off a blue hue, almost as if the entire room is underwater. Smells that way a bit too, a wet scent seeped into the stone. The squawking comes from the left, where at least a dozen chocobos are gathered together behind a fence. To the right, a broad-shouldered man can be seen handling the elevator's lever. A young woman stands next to him, looking excited as she watches the group's descent.
"My babies!" she exclaims, practically bounding up to the elevator once it's settled. She rushes right past all human occupants, instead throwing herself into the midst of the chocobo's. The birds all make cooing noises, and after a moment she repeats them right back.
"Oh, great job Lina," Fang complains, rolling her eyes as she steps to the ground. "Great first impression, that is."
"Oh, but I just can't help it!" the energetic girl replies, taking all the birds' reins in one hand and leading them off the elevator and over to the stables. "My little cuties are so… So cute!"
Sora's smiling a bit at the girl's enthusiasm, but he quickly notes that he's the only one. Leon's arms are folded, hands clasping together so tightly the leather of his jacket makes an audible squeak where it's caught between his fingers and palm. His expression is just as tight, arms roaming over the cavern like he's checking it for something dangerous.
"Girl's good with the chocobos," Fang explains, shrugging. "And we take what we can in terms of help around here. Speaking of…"
The young man operating the elevator throws the switch back, sending the platform rising once again to the ceiling. That done, he stalks over to the group. He really is a big guy, with fiery red and orange hair standing up like lava flying from an exploding volcano.
"So, these are who boss-lady thought was worth running a traceable signal?" he declares, eyeing Leon and Sora suspiciously. "These two better have more going for 'em than just their pretty faces. PSICOM gets one whiff of our being out here…"
"Back off, Gadot," Fang snaps, stepping closer to the young man with a decidedly confrontational scowl. His hand lowers, probably ready to go for a weapon. Fang obviously notices, but hardly seems to care. "You and your boyfriend aren't the top dogs around here anymore. Quit your whining and just get used to it already."
Gadot sniffs derisively, shaking his head and walking over to the chocobo pen with a sneer on his face. Sora watches him go with a frown, and Leon's scowl nearly matches the fiery young man's own.
Fang quickly changes the subject. "Alright, let's go. Rinoa'll be waiting in the Ops Command. Follow me, boys." The woman leads Sora and Leon into a wide tunnel out of the animal pen. "This here's the main concourse. All the base's tunnels branch off this one, so it's a high traffic area."
The group does indeed pass several people on their walk, either walking by themselves or clustered in their own units. They move in a leisurely manner, strolling in and out of the various passages running off the main tunnels. Everything is lit with the same naturally glowing blue crystals that seem to be plentiful in this world's wilderness.
"Okay, here we are gents," Fang announces, gesturing to the apparent end of the underground concourse. "Nerve center of the operation." Carved stone steps lead up to a large circular opening, the sounds of people talking and walking filtering out. A young woman walks out, waves to Fang, and continues on her merry way.
They head up the steps, and Sora can practically feel something building up in Leon beside him. A quick glance reveals the older man's usually stony expression clearly shaking under whatever underlying tension.
But the Keybearer becomes quickly distracted by the large room's contents. Several large computer terminals are all set up around a circular table, each one being manned by someone. The sense of activity is palpable, men and women walking to and fro across the floor. No one even seems to notice the trio's arrival.
Except one person, standing at the far end of the middle table, who looks up the moment they enter the room. Her eyes, somehow sparkling despite their dark brown color, instantly lock onto Leon. She smiles, just a small twitch of her mouth, but the joy it conveys nearly lights up the room.
Sora immediately turns to look at Leon, nearly gasping at the look on his older friend's face. Gone is the nervous tension from before, or his usual reserved stoicism. Leon's expression reminds Sora of a picture book he'd read as a child, about a fisherman lost at sea who found his way home after a weeks-long journey. The Keybearer can't help himself, letting out a giggle that would put toddlers at snack time to shame.
"R-Rinoa…" Leon breathes, taking a step forward. His hand begins to instinctively reach out, grasping for the lifeline that has so long been absent from his life.
Somehow, Rinoa's smile grows even larger and more bright. She steps around the table, her long blue cardigan flowing around her. Underneath that, she wears a black sleeveless top and high-waisted shorts of the same color. Leon's eyes move up and down her body, absolutely mesmerized. A moment later, he begins moving as well. Sora and Fang take a few steps back, getting the best vantage point they can for the reunion.
Time seems to move in slow motion for Squall, each step feeling like an eternity. Somewhere in the back of his mind he's screaming at himself to remember where he is, who he's in front of, to act with a little reserve and decorum. But the voice is ignored, drowned out completely by Rinoa's very presence. After all these years, living with a hole in his heart he couldn't explain, then one made even more painful by the recollection of its identity, the time has come to fill it once again.
Then she stops, reaching out her hand and stopping the man in his tracks. It's such a sudden, anticlimactic end to what he'd built up in his head that Leon nearly falls over from shock. Sora barely keeps himself from yelling, "WHAT? Aren't you guys gonna kiss or something?"
"It's good to see you again, Squall," Rinoa says, still smiling despite the sudden change in atmosphere. "It's, ah, been a long time, hasn't it?"
For a long moment, Leon can't even speak. Hearing her voice, feeling her hand on him even through the leather of his jacket, is just such a strange experience. And certainly being stopped short isn't quite what he's been imagining all this time.
"It has," he replies, sounding more than a little numb. Somehow, he manages to school his expression into its usual neutrality. "It's good to see you too."
"Wow," she replies, teasingly tapping his chest. "Glad to see you're as emotionally available as ever." With a chuckle, she removes her hand and turns to look at Sora. "And you brought a friend, I see."
"My name's Sora, ma'am!" the Keybearer cheerfully declares, marching up to Rinoa and cheerfully shaking her hand. "And I only just learned about you like, ten minutes ago, but I gotta say that I've been really looking forward to meeting you! I mean, when Leon said…"
"Leon?" Rinoa turns to the leather-clad man, eyes sparkling with mirth. "Every time I tried to give you a nickname, you'd just say…"
"I had my reasons," Leon interrupts gruffly, his usual frown appearing once more. The sudden shock of seeing the dour expression again draws a visible wince from Sora.
"Well," a male voice declares from the entrance, "I see you went ahead and got the party started without me." Turning, Sora sees the voice belong to a tall man, dressed in a white coat (that has seen better, cleaner days) and black hat that distinctly reminds the boy of Seifer from Twilight Town. Even the blond bangs peeking out from under the cap. Beneath the coat, he wears a blue shirt and rather baggy black pants. The man is smiling, but for some reason Sora feels that it isn't good-natured.
"I assumed you'd be informed," Rinoa replies, crossing her arms. "Squall, Sora, I'd like you to meet Snow Villiers. He's… well, I guess I'd better call him my second in command. Guy gets real mad otherwise."
"Hey, who's the one who set up this movement in the first place?" Snow shoots back, arms crossed indignantly.
"Who's the one who turned a buncha punk kid delinquents into a serviceable resistance?" Fang challenges, flashing a grin. "Weren't for Rinoa, you'd still be defacing buildings and callin' yourselves by that stupid acronym!"
Snow's playful expression has turned considerably colder, hands clenched tight. Looking around, Sora notices that pretty much everyone (except one short blond person who appears to be far too absorbed within their work) is looking up from what they're supposedly working on. Even on a quick glance, the Keybearer can sense a thickening tension.
"So, uh," Sora speaks up, raising his hand in hopes of getting a little attention and maybe diffusing the situation, "what exactly is everybody here, y'know, resisting against?"
Everyone turns to look at him (again, with the exception of the small person sitting at the back left terminal). Fang and Snow trade quick glances, looking almost ashamed for having a spat in front of company.
"That is an excellent question, Sora!" Rinoa declares, giving the boy her best gracious smile. "Thank you for reminding everyone here that we have a job to do." Sufficiently shamed, the resistance members who had stopped to observe the argument between superiors quickly turn return to what they'd been doing before. Turning back to her guests, she says, "Now, why don't we retire to somewhere a bit more private?"
Rinoa leads them just a few feet back up the main hall, ducking down a side tunnel into a small space appointed like any number of offices that could be seen all across the universe. Fang doesn't join them, but Snow insists on being included.
"One second, everybody," Rinoa says, holding up a hand as she opens the office door. "Got to, uh, do something here first. Squall, do you mind giving me a hand?"
For a long moment, Leon just looks at her suspiciously, but he ends up shrugging and following her. He's barely inside before the door slams shut. A dizzying moment later, Rinoa's arms are around him, her lips against his.
It's well worth the wait. After only a moment of surprise, he puts his heart into kissing her right back. For just a few seconds, even he can forget the past.
"Sorry about earlier," she says once she pulls back, looking up at him with wide eyes. Even from just that small taste of passion, the arousal is evident. "Gotta keep up a certain decorum with the troops, you understand."
Leon's mouth quirks up in a rare grin, still feeling residual tingles. "Yes, I know what you mean." He hesitates for a moment, and then, "It's good to see you again, Rinoa."
Unfortunately, now they have to let the others come in.
"Alright," Rinoa begins, taking a deep breath as she sits down behind the room's single wooden desk. Its surface is rather bare besides a few papers. The only concession to personal touches is the framed portrait of a man in military dress. "So, let's talk about Bright Oasis. It all began about twelve years ago…"
"Things just got freaky out here!" Snow jumps in, pounding the table enthusiastically. "I was just a kid, and…"
"You were just a kid, Snow," Rinoa interrupts, pointed but not with any noticeable venom. "Please, let me. I insist."
Snow mumbles something under his breath, leaning back against the wall and looking sheepish.
"It all started when the sky changed," Rinoa continues, looking up but definitely not at Sora and Leon. Her eyes are somewhere else, a faraway time. "It happened gradually enough, at first. It became a little different, darker, every day. No one could explain the phenomenon, though many tried. After awhile, it seemed to settle. For a few days, that was it." She looks down, frowning at her desk. "Then the first creatures came."
"Heartless," Sora mutters under his breath.
"A man named Xehanort created them," Leon explains, scowling at the mere thought. "He betrayed Radiant Garden's king, and brought darkness to our world. Corrupted it to its very heart, which is our best guess for all the memory loss going around. Those who could fled the world, and others… Well, they weren't so lucky."
Snow mutters again, this time a bitter curse. Rinoa nods slowly, looking up at him with tears in her eyes. "Oh, Squall. I never…"
Leon shakes his head, holding up a hand. "I got out fine. And things are getting back to normal." The man reaches out, placing a hand on Sora's shoulder. "All thanks to him."
The Keybearer beams, heartily patting his friend's hand. "Hey, you're the one who told me about the Keyblade, and my mission. And you're the one putting Radiant Garden back on track."
"Well, I suppose things weren't quite so bad here, then," Rinoa says, shaking her head with incredulity.
Snow snorts loudly, shaking his head. "Yeah, sure. If you wanna call a constant wave of death coming at us daily 'not so bad'."
Off Sora and Leon's wide-eyed looks, Rinoa nods. "Yes, I suppose. That first year was horrible. So many attacks, so many dead and gone… Sometimes I wish I had been as young as you, Snow." She sighs, breathing out the bad memories. "It was like the world's loudest, most horrifying wake up call. It took time, but eventually we were able to organize. Our armed forces grew, almost every able-bodied man and woman of age required to fight. Since that time, every child grows up with the knowledge that they may one day be called upon to give their lives for this city."
"They took up the name PSICOM," Snow cuts in, frowning. "You wanna talk about stupid acronyms…" He snorts. "Anyway, PSICOM stands for 'Public Safety and Intelligence Command'. Dunno why they had to fancy it all up like that, but I guess that's just politicals for ya."
"PSICOM was the brainchild of several military leaders," Rinoa picks up. "My father was one of them. But in the end, all public credit went to one man: Vinzer Deiling, Bright Oasis's president. For the past thirteen years now."
Snow snorts again, derisive as ever. "Guy got lucky. Just happened to be the man with his butt in the big seat at the exact right time. Declared a big, bad 'state of emergency' and never let it go. This point, he's cruising along to be president for all his freakin' life!"
"I've met him before a few times," Rinoa says, frowning. "Not the engineered savior of the city, but just the man. I wasn't terribly impressed. Told my father, and all he could do was give me some speech about public morals and the importance of continuity."
"But things aren't what they used to be," Snow says, pushing off the wall and leaning over the side of Rinoa's desk, looking from Sora to Leon. "For about the last year, things have been quieter out here than I can ever remember. Guessing you had something to do with that one."
Sora shrugs, once again trying to be humble. He doesn't quite get there.
"That doesn't seem to matter to the government, though," Rinoa says, leaning back in her chair with arms folded. "Anyone with a brain can see that Deiling is just trying to hold on to his excuse for keeping power. Even my father, consummate military man he was, began to lose faith. After I told him about you, and Radiant Garden…" She shakes her head, but Leon knows her well enough to see she's just trying to hide tears. After a moment, she seems composed again. "We thought it might be enough, to get PSICOM to see him for what he really is."
"Not happening," Snow interjects, drawing another deep frown from Rinoa. "All these years of following orders, most of 'em are too blind to see anything that doesn't fit with what they've been taught. The rest are too corrupt. Officership in PSICOM isn't anything to sneeze at. Those guys live high and mighty. Unlike everybody else in the city."
"Most resources go straight into PSICOM," Rinoa elaborates. It seems she's finally brought herself fully under control. "The rest of Bright Oasis's population don't live half as well. Add to that the curfew, an insanely undercut right to free speech and assembly…"
"So why are you guys living in an underground cave?" Sora asks, brow furrowed. "Don't people realize they're being treated unfairly?"
"Fear can be a powerful thing, Sora," Leon explains, shaking his head. His eyes are narrowed, hard and unforgiving. "A lot of people, sad to say, would rather be safe than free to make their own choices."
"I'm all about sticking up for the people," Snow declares drawing up to his full height and looking proud. "But even I'm getting tired of the way everybody's heads are so firmly up their asses. I started NORA…"
"NORA?" Sora asks, quirking an eyebrow.
"This outfit's original name," the tall blond explains, somehow looking even prouder. "Means 'No Obligations, Rules, or Authority'. I could tell something was messed up around here, from the time I was a kid. Knew I had to do something, so I threw together my own bona fide resistance."
Rinoa rolls her eyes so hard it's nearly audible. "Yeah, sure. More like a gang of delinquents. PSICOM barely needed propaganda to make the people unsympathetic to your shenanigans. From day one, you clowns looked like a pack of petulant, draft-dodging kids."
"Real funny," Snow shoots back, suddenly looking far less proud and more angry. "Didn't see you laughing when us 'delinquents' saved you from…"
"If I were you," Leon interrupts, staring the younger man down hard, "I'd consider the next words you say to her very carefully." His tone remains superficially light, but the edge is undeniable, and undeniably sharp. Snow backs off, though the petulance on his face stays firm. Convinced he's been sufficiently chastised, Leon turns back to his old love. "So, what you're saying is this Deiling man killed your father. Why?"
"My guess is he panicked," Rinoa answers, once again struggling to retain emotional control. "Thought that if the people knew there was somewhere else out there, something safe, they wouldn't be so amenable to staying under his thumb."
Leon doesn't say anything, replying only with a thoughtful nod and slight hum. One hand taps on the chair's arm, the standard sign that he's thinking something over hard. But it's Sora who speaks up. "So, like, how do you get rid of this guy?"
"Talking deposition?" Rinoa says, raising an eyebrow. Snow, looking excited now, springs out of his wall-lean to give his own suggestions, but a single frown is enough to keep him from butting in. "We need to let the people know exactly what's going on. That the state of emergency is over, and it's time for new leadership. Exposing the corruption is the start, but people will most likely be willing to put up with things as is if they believe in the danger."
Leon nods, still looking thoughtful. Except he's frowning now. "Infiltration, then. You need someone to get inside their fortress and find something incriminating. I can't imagine that'll be easy without…"
"A man on the inside," Rinoa finishes for him, cool and calm. "A sympathizer within the inner workings. We have one. Not very highly placed, but I'm confident we could get through the first door, at least."
"That sounds easy!" Sora chimes in, slamming his fist down on the desk. "In and out, boom bam, city saved!" He leans back, frowning suddenly. "So, uh, why haven't you just done it?"
"Their main server is, like, crazy protected," Snow says, shaking his head. "No offline access, always on guard, locked up tight. Our guy isn't even sure how the system works."
"Tricky lock, eh?" Sora says, leaning back thoughtfully. Grinning, he holds up his hand and lets. The Keyblade appears in his hand in its customary flash of light. "Sounds tough."
For a long moment Rinoa and Snow just stare at the blade, before looking to Leon for some kind of commentary of explanation.
"It's a powerful weapon that, incidentally, can open or seal any lock," the gunblade-wielder explains, his posture becoming noticeably stiffer. "We know three other people who have them as well. Sora used his blade to rescue our town from the darkness that overtook it."
"And the rest of the universe," Sora adds with a smirk.
Rinoa and Snow still say nothing, turning to look at each other. Sora is content to sit back, knowing very well from experience when people are having silent conversations. Just for fun, the Keybearer turns to try and maybe have one of his own with Leon, only to find the man looking at Rinoa. His face is stony, fingers tapping louder on his chair.
"Rinoa," he says, drawing her attention away from Snow. "Can we have a minute?"
After a moment of processing, her smile turns a little playful. "Well, Squall, if you really…"
"Rinoa," he repeats, leaning forward and emphasizing every syllable with his hard stare. "Please."
The smile practically tumbles down into a frown, eyebrows knitting together in confusion. "Right. Um, Snow…"
"C'mon, Sora," the blond resistance leader declares, placing a friendly hand on the Keybearer's shoulder. "Why don't you tell me more about this Keyblade, huh? Sounds like you've got some real hero cred.."
"Okay." Sora rises, trying his best to look as happy-go-lucky as ever. It doesn't come as easy as usual, and his eyes flit from Leon to Rinoa about a dozen times in the span of just a few seconds. Nonetheless, he allows Snow to lead him out of the room.
As soon as he hears the soft click of the door closing, Squall lets out a deep breath. Something about even so small a gesture as that disturbs Rinoa immediately.
"I know what you're thinking," he says, calm and collected. And with a hard edge to every word that she hasn't heard in a long time.
"You would be thinking the same thing," she says, sitting up straighter in her chair and giving him a glare right back, hers fiery instead of ice-cold. "This could be our chance, finally." She sighs, deflating somewhat. "This isn't what I had in mind when I sent that letter, you know. But now that this is in front of me…"
"I can't."
The two simple words practically knock the breath from Rinoa's lungs. She stops speaking, mouth falling open. Stunned. He looks away from her, deciding to focus on the wall instead of the woman. Maybe it will make what he has to say easier.
"Don't give me that, Squall," Rinoa demands, standing up so hard and quick her chair falls back against the wall behind her. She rounds her desk, placing herself directly in his new line of sight. Hands on hips, she gives the man a devastating glare. "Don't try and cut yourself off to make this easier. You say you can't. Can't what?"
"This isn't what I came here for," Leon replies, trying his best to keep himself collected. "I want to help, Rinoa, but…" He sighs, shaking his head sadly. "This president of yours, Deiling. Things are fragile enough for him. If he knows he's losing his grip on the power he's spent so long building, that will make him desperate. He needs a new enemy to keep the people's trust in him. I won't allow Radiant Garden to become that enemy."
"Squall, you don't understand. It…"
"No, I think it's you who doesn't understand!" Leon rises, staring directly across the table at his former lover. "Radiant Garden has recovered from Xehanort and Maleficent, but it's a damn near thing. And this PSICOM has been holding off Heartless for nearly a decade. That takes impressive numbers and probably damn good tactics as well. They'd wipe their boots with us."
"Only if I lose," Rinoa shoots back, giving the table a resounding slap. "The plan will work. With that Sora kid…"
Leon shakes his head, giving the desk his own strong smack. "Sora is many things, but a master of stealth and infiltration isn't one of them. And frankly, I'm not sure I trust anyone in your operation to be helpful."
"You haven't seen what we…"
"What you've accomplished," he finishes for her, straightening and crossing his arms. "Tell me, Rinoa, what exactly have you accomplished here? You're hiding in a cave, just dreaming about how it would be to one day overthrow a military dictatorship. You're outmatched, severely. A year ago, this group was nothing more than petty teenage rabble rousing, you said as much yourself. You're not thinking clearly, Rinoa. And I understand that, these people killed your father. Something like that could cloud anyone's judgment."
Rinoa's mouth works silently for a moment, her mind scrambling for words but finding none. She finally manages to get herself under control, expression hardening into a glare that Leon has never before seen on the woman.
"So, that's what you think of me," she says, her voice icy cold. "I knew that ten years apart would change you, Squall. Especially if you endured anything like what we did. I guess I just didn't expect it would change you back." She shakes her head, suddenly looking far less angry and more disappointed.
"That's not true at all," Leon denies, his voice quiet and tightly controlled. "You're the one who taught me how much power there is in caring about things, believing. I believe in Radiant Garden, and I care about it too much to do anything that might jeopardize its safety. Could you do anything less for your city?"
Rinoa's expression remains unchanged. "I think you're seeing quite clearly that I couldn't. If this is really your decision, Squall, then leave. Right now."
Leon nods once, a deliberate and final motion. Looking straight up at the woman he once loved more than anything, he says, "One day, Radiant Garden will be strong again. When that day comes, I'll be back."
In her most cutting voice, Rinoa replies, "That's comforting."
Leon turns without another word and pushes the office door open. Sora is nowhere to be seen, but his voice can be heard down the hall. It's just as well the Keybearer isn't here, as it certainly wouldn't do for him to see Leon practically collapse against the cave wall. No tears fall from his eyes, he has to much control for that, but it takes nearly a full minute for his breathing to calm down. When he unclenches his fists, his fingers are sore. After a moment though, he realizes that they need to get moving.
Sora is, inevitably, blending incredibly well with the underground members in the next room. Climbing the stairs, Leon sees that the Keybearer is in the midst of a rather lively discussion with the several others.
"I'm telling you," a young, green-haired girl is declaring with no small amount of petulance, "'The Returners' is an awesome name! I mean, isn't our end goal to return Bright Oasis to the place it once was?"
"Too simple," Snow shoots back, Gadot nodding his head beside him. "It's got no creativity. Besides, fighting acronyms with acronyms is, like, poetic! Heroic and poetic!"
"Here's something I came up with," a larger, dark-skinned youth chimes in. "Avalanche! Because, like, we started small, but pretty soon we'll send the whole system tumbling down!"
"You're all fools," Fang declares from her spot, leaning casually at the central table's edge. "This ain't a blitzball team, it's a resistance. Naming it at all is just sheer silliness that makes it harder for people to take us seriously."
"I dunno," Sora says, thoughtfully scratching his chin. Everyone turns to focus on him, easily enraptured by the heroic newcomer. "I think names are powerful things, y'know? Like they let people know what you stand for. Give them a symbol, something they feel they can really identify with, whether they're hiding down in the caves with you or not."
Everyone in the room (except the one person who still has their eyes glued to the computer console in front of them) is looking extremely thoughtful by the speech's end. Sora, of course, just looks around at everyone like he's totally unconscious of the effect he has on them all.
"Sora!" Leon calls, gaining the boy's attention. With a quick smile to the group, he turns and makes his way over.
"Hey," he says, cheery as usual. "So, are we gonna go tell everybody else about this, or…?"
"We're leaving," Leon replies, maintaining a steady voice as best we can. "This whole thing, Sora… It's not the time for us to get involved just yet."
Sora frowns. "Uh, what? Leon, these people are asking for our help here. One of them is your long-lost girlfriend? Why…?"
"Sora!" The sudden outburst, totally unexpected, actually sends Sora staggering back a step. Leon takes a pair of breaths, forcing himself to regain his cool. "Sora, this just isn't the right thing to do now. If anything goes wrong, it could put a lot of people in jeopardy. All of Radiant Garden."
"But," Sora says slowly, apparently thinking through every syllable, "if things go right…"
"I have to think of all the risks, Sora," Leon says, his voice ringing with steely, unyielding authority. "And I'm not just washing my hands of this place. As far as we've been told, the status quo will hold here until we're ready. If anything, it's our position that will improve over time."
Sora is silent for a long moment, contemplating his friend's statement. It all certainly sounds reasonable and thought out. It's not like Bright Oasis is facing an imminent genocide or anything. Thinking harder, establishing a better position is a luxury the Keybearer has rarely if ever had the time for before.
"Maybe you're right," he relents after a few seconds have passed. He's still frowning, a nagging sense of something biting at him. "And you talked about this with…"
"I think she understands what I…"
"I understand alright, Squall," Rinoa says, staring her old love down as he turns to face her. She doesn't look very happy, but seems to have calmed down from earlier. But something about the way she carries herself suggests tiredness. "Fang can escort you back to the rendezvous site. You should have plenty of time to get back to your camp before morning comes."
"Thank you," Leon says, his hand unconsciously going up to touch the woman's shoulder. It's only through effort he stops the gesture halfway. Watching, Sora's mouth twitches in a quick frown, but he says nothing. "It was good to see you again, Rinoa. It won't be the last time."
A small smile touches Rinoa's face. "I certainly hope not."
"Nice to meet you!" Sora chimes in, unsurprisingly not letting the strange aura of this conversation affect his own sunny disposition. "Good luck with all the, uh, resisting and everything. When Leon comes back, you can bet I'll be there!"
She nods, the smile she wears growing just a bit larger. "Thank you Sora." Rinoa's glance transfers from the boy to Leon. "Your support is much appreciated."
"Alright, let's get this train moving," Fang announces, breezing past the group as she stretches her arms out wide. "If I don't get at least some sleep tonight, you can bet I'll make sure nobody in this outfit is happy tomorrow!"
Leon and Sora follow a few steps behind the woman, both acutely aware of Rinoa and Snow's eyes following them. After a moment, Leon senses the Keybearer's scrutiny as well. He just turns to his young friend, one eyebrow raised.
"What?"
Sora shrugs, speaking in a voice calculated to be too low for Fang to listen in. "Nothing, Leon. Nothing you won't tell me about when you feel ready."
Back on the stairs, Snow turns to Rinoa with a pronounced frown. "That's the guy you were so hung up over?" he says. "The guy you said we could count on. Man, Rinoa, you know how much it hurts me to wait this shit out. That Keyblade thing, if it's legit, could've solved our whole problem!"
"What," she replies, voice stone cold, "exactly, do you expect me to do? He isn't going to be forced into this. At least not by us."
"No, I guess he isn't," Snow concedes. "Still, can't believe the risk we took for nothing. If that GPS had been intercepted, we'd have had serious trouble on our hands!"
He mentally braces for a kickback from Rinoa, quite used to regular rounds of back-and-forth verbal sparring. When nothing comes for a few seconds, he glances at the woman. She's staring rather eerily at nothing in particular, her lips pursed. Just as Snow's about to speak up again, she turns and heads into the command room. He only sees her face for a split second, but the expression is one he recognizes instantly: forceful, unbridled determination.
KH-KH-KH
"Okay," Biggs says, taking a deep breath and narrowing all his concentration down to the single task before him. This one is for all the marbles, so he'd better make it count. "Here we go…"
"Oh, would you just hurry up already!" Wedge barks from his seat, leaning back and staring down his partner venomously. "I swear, you are always such a drama queen."
"Well excuse me!" Biggs defends, letting go of all his concentration and glaring back at the other man. "It's called having your head in the game. I focus on what I want to achieve, which helps me to achieve it. That's why I made sergeant before you."
Wedge rolls his eyes. "Oh, give this a rest why don't ya? You only beat me out for sarge by like two weeks. Honestly, I…"
"Jealousy is very unbecoming of a PSICOM officer." Ignoring his partner's offended reply, Biggs returns his focus to the task in front of him. One of the signal monitor room's two wastebaskets stands just twelve feet away, right in front of the sliding door. He and Wedge have been using it for their paperball game, moving their respective receptacle back a foot with every successful shot. It's the end of the round, and all Biggs has to do to attain victory is sink this shot. So, calling on all his powers of focus once more, the lieutenant prepares for the shot of his life…
Right as the monitor begins to emit an incessant beeping. Startled, Biggs' hurls he crumpled up ball of paper in his hand without grace or strength. It bounces twice on the floor before settling.
"Okay, that does not count!" he declares, spinning to face Wedge with a petulant look on his face. Seeing his friend hunched over the monitor, he frowns. "Uh, what are you doing?"
"The alarm went off, numbskull!" Wedge replies, furiously studying the screen. "Looks like the resistance finally got careless. I'm reading a broadcasting signal loud and clear. GPS, I'd wager."
"No kidding!" Biggs stands and goes to hunch at his friend's side. Sure enough, a large green dot beeps steadily on the monitor. It's moving south at a steady speed. "Huh. Never thought this thing would go off!"
"Well, it has," Wedge says, in his obnoxious lecturing voice. Biggs grimaces at the very sound, not to mention that the annoying beeping hasn't subsided. "This is something the brass is gonna want to see!"
The door slides open with a slight whoosh, directing the soldiers' attention is way. The pair turns quickly, just in time to see Colonel Nabaat stumble over the trashcan sitting directly in her path.
"Oh, what the hell!" she swears, quickly regaining her balance. The look in her eyes, amplified instead of hidden by the clear lenses of her spectacles, is enough to make the men jump again.
"That's, uh, our bad, Colonel," Wedge apologizes, saluting haphazardly. "We were just about to go take that out when the signal…"
"Spare me," Nabaat interrupts dismissively, already marching over to the console. Her heels click loudly on the floor. Wedge and Biggs practically jump out of her path, standing together as if they can offer each other any protection in the face of their superior's wrath.
She examines the monitor carefully, her rage forgotten. A small, cruel smile stretches her lips. Finally, some action. No more of the sitting around and running false operations business she's been so burdened with over the course of this last year. A real opportunity has arrived.
"Well, it seems you two managed to stumble your way into an actual event," she declares, straightening and flicking her gaze over to the stock-still soldiers.
"We, uh, we try ma'am," Biggs says, shrugging.
"Keep monitoring the situation," she orders, every word sharp and clear. "The moment the signal stops in one place, I want to be apprised of the coordinates. We've been playing this game with the rabble too long, men. Tonight, it ends."
Colonel Jihl Nabaat of PSICOM turns to leave, her smile widening with every step. For each time her heel touches the floor, she can't help but think of all those seditious brats being soundly ground beneath it.
Well, it wasn't six months, at least. Part of the delay was computer trouble, but most of it was just that I wasn't sure how to make all my disparate ideas come together. Parts of this are a bit, sloppy in my opinion, but whatever. And maybe there's something to the fact that I'm more interested in where this story leads in Keys to the Kingdom III than the journey itself. At the very least, I was pretty happy to shift into Final Fantasy character overload once Nomura released that statement about KH III having less FF cameos. So I went all out for Bright Oasis with as many cameos as I could pop in.
But, the real deal Kingdom Hearts III comes out in like three months, and I need to be at least partway into KttK III by then, so I'm pressing on. Maddeningly enough, I swear I could write the first like, ten chapters of KttK III. I just need to get to it first. Ugh.
This part was actually supposed to be even longer, too, but I realized quickly that it would just be too much for one chapter. So, I'm going to do the first girl's chapter (which should be easier, because it's a pretty short story that I actually really want to tell, instead of just mostly a means to an end), and then the next two will be Bright Oasis, then the second/final girls, then finishing this up in however long. That's the plan anyway, but honestly who the hell knows.
Until next time, everybody!