Chapter 7

Esthar may have quickly brought the neighbouring or rather invading nation quickly under control but that had taken the toll. The City was badly damaged and many citizens had been lost. Laguna arrived back weary and desperate to see his son, he had spent no longer than a day separated from him since he'd arrived and missed him terribly. But on arrival he was told that Leon had been evacuated during the fighting. Laguna understood and sent word to the safe house on a small island not too far from the Esthar Continent. He sat in what he liked to call his office which was no less grand than a throne room but Laguna never had been one for ceremony. Kiros knocked and entered to find Laguna already on his feet eager for any news. The news his friend was about to deliver was however anything but welcome.

"Leon never arrived Laguna… Neither Simeon or Leon have been sighted or heard from since they left."

"But that's not possible… It's a straight route clear sailing. I demand that a search party be sent out immediately"

"Of course they are already out searching. As soon as I received communication from Sanctuary I sent out a search party."

Laguna flopped down into his chair and closed his eyes, that was his way of saying go away and leave me alone. The search parties returned confirming everyone's worst fears there had been a scuffle and Simeon had been killed in the process. The boy and one of the boats were missing but he hadn't arrived at his destination, lost at sea. Laguna was inconsolable and his temper flared and raged at anyone who got in his way. Tirelessly searching proved useless and no matter how many times they searched or how far their search extended the boy was not found.

The waves lapped slowly in and out in the morning sun, the gentle waves had washed ashore something unusual. A small boat lay in the small beach inlet of a relatively small island. It may have drifted off of its intended course but it had found an equally safe sanctuary. In the bottom of boat lay a shivering form in a red dashed white T-shirt and dark trousers; it was the form of a child, Leon. He hadn't slept as he lay quivering with fear in the boat; he looked up at the early morning sunlight shining down on a tall white lighthouse that towered overhead. The boat moved slightly and a face appeared over the edge of the boat looking in one him. It was a woman and as she set her eyes on Leon she stood and ran back up the beach towards the lighthouse.

"Cid! Cid! Fetch a blanket! Hurry!"

An older man appeared in the doorway.

"What is it Edea?"

"There's a child down here! Hurry Cid fetch a blanket" She hurried back down towards the boat and pulled her dress up a little as she knelt down by the boat. She reached down and touched his icy skin her eyes took in the blood-splattered clothes and skin of the boy and reached right down to pull him up and out of the boat. Edea pulled the boy close and cradled him in her arms; he began to shiver all the more now he was out of his 'sanctuary'. "How long have you been in this boat?" She stroked his face gently and soothed his shivering by pulling him closer still. Finally Cid came down from the house and was at her side in moments. He wrapped the blanket hurriedly around the child and Leon now in his arms he rushed back up into the lighthouse Edea not far behind.

A month passed and the boy was a conundrum, he hadn't spoken a word since he had arrived and he never left the bedroom Edea had put him in. Cid and Edea's best efforts had been in vain as the boy simply darkened and became all the more difficult. Having tried for an hour to get him to speak Edea stood up and looked to Cid.

"This is seeming all too familiar…"

Cid shook his head.

"I know what you mean but this time it seems worse… At least Squall let you know that he wasn't happy…"

"Poor little thing he's positively traumatised."

Cid came and sat beside him.

"How about we take you outside to play with the other children?" Leon shook his head. "What's the matter are they mean to you?"

"No…" he said quietly

Edea amazed that he had spoken came and knelt down just in front of him smiling softly.

"So what's the matter?" she placed her hand ever so gently on his shoulder.

"I want my Dad!"

He shoved her hand from his shoulder and ran past her and out of the room. He went out the front door of the University colliding with a young man in a SEED uniform outside.

"Take it easy little guy you're gonna hurt someone"

"I don't care let me go!"

Irvine stepped to one side and allowed the boy past, the child set off out into the nearby poppy field. He ran a little way before sitting down amidst the colourful blooms and there he intended to stay. The SEEDs including Irvine looked sheepish for a moment before seeing Edea in the doorway.

"He's a new arrival and well let's just say the circumstances of his coming here weren't good. He's incredibly sensitive what he just said to you is the third time he's spoken in a month."

"Wow… tough nut huh?"

"You could say that… The children bound for Trabia are inside ready to go please come in."

Irvine cast a glance out to the fields the boy was no longer visible he sighed before going with his Trabian companions inside the orphanage.

Another year went by and Leon was no longer the big mystery he'd always been. Edea now knew his name, age and the sort of things he liked to do. He was still very much unlike the other children and she still didn't know where he'd come from or how he'd ended up in a boat covered in blood. She was thankful that he talked more and did make an effort to play with the other children. The temper of the boy was something to be trifled with as he'd often become incredibly angry very quickly and could become violent although he never caused serious incident. Edea felt sorry for him but he was now the infamous child in the orphanage, otherwise known as the naughty boy to most adults. Having squabbled with one of the other children Leon had stormed off in a tantrum and sat himself by "his" poppy field. One of the girls had been sat on the front steps as he'd charged past. Quite concerned at what had caused such upset the little girl ventured from her step and approached Leon. He felt the uncontrollable urge to cry and unable to fight it much longer gave way to his emotions and allowed himself to cry.

"Uh… why are ya crying?" she asked putting her clasped hands behind her back and leaning in to see his face.

"Leave me alone!"

"Oh but you're sad!" The girl seemed almost as ready to cry as Leon as she threw her arms around him.

"Leave me alone!" he pushed her away.

She chewed her lip a little and gave a sigh before sitting beside him and giving him a smile.

"Don't be sad Leon I wanna be your friend" she gave a little giggle. He sniffed and wiped his eyes looking at her. "That's better," she smiled dipping her hand into her pocket. "Here share my cookie with me" She broke the cookie and gave him the bigger half. "See Leon isn't it nice to have friends?"

"Why are you being nice to me?" he asked a little puzzled

"Don't you want me to be nice?"

"Yeah…" he said in a matter of fact duh kind of tone. "But no one's nice to me."

The girl giggled a little and swung her legs a little.

"So… How old are you?"

"Nine." Said Leon straightening up proud of his age.

"Wow…" she said in awe. "I'm only eight what's it like being nine?"

He shrugged and she patted his shoulder as Edea came to the door.

"Well I've got to go now Leon. Meet me here after Breakfast and we'll play ok? Oh and by the way my name's Sophie." She did a little curtsey. "Kay bye!"

Sophie skipped off and Leon hugged his knees.

"I don't need friends."

One morning as usual Leon headed out to meet Sophie but as long as he waited she didn't come out to play. Thinking perhaps she was sick Leon went back inside to find her but in the library where she was when she wasn't play out, Sophie's chair was empty. He left again a little confused and went to Edea.

"Matron… where's Sophie?"

Edea looked down at the little boy and smiled sweetly.

"Sophie's not here anymore she went to a new home."

"Wasn't she happy here?"

"Of course she was but we all go to a new home sometime."

"Will I go to a new home?"

"Of course you will, go on and play now"

Over the course of his final year under the care of Edea Kramer he became increasingly wise to the comings and goings of everyone. The most common visitors were the uniformed people known as SEED, after they visited someone or maybe even more than one child left the Orphanage forever. He wasn't fussed over who went all he knew and cared about was that he was still here. One day just after Leon had turned ten the SEED came again, he hadn't seen this one before he'd seen the SEED known as Irvine come and go but never this one. He was a blond well-toned man in his early thirties. All down one side of his face he had a black tattoo. Leon watched them pass with curiosity. Leon looked down and ran his fingers over the two chains hung about his neck. One had strung onto it a key, he didn't even know what it was for and the other was his Griever pendant. The SEED were inside only a few minutes before they came back with Edea the blond one was carrying a bag, someone's things but there was no child with them. Leon's heart started to race, could it really mean they'd come for him? Maybe his Father had sent them to find him. He jumped up and ran to meet them.

"Is it my turn?!" Zell almost leapt out of his skin, Edea moved toward the boy and crouched down by him. "Were they sent by my Dad? Did he come looking for me?"

"No Leon… You're going to a new home"

His face dropped and he no longer seemed so enthusiastic. The other children and Cid were by the door watching Leon go as they did every time someone left. Zell handed Leon's bag to one of the other SEED and went down on one knee by Leon.

"You're a strong looking kid Leon I think we're gonna get on"

Leon didn't seem convinced.

"This is the first one you've taken for quite some time Zell."

"Yeah I know but I was just thinking the other day how much this place meant to me and well I'm glad you opened it again. It seemed kinda wrong that Balamb don't really support you half as much as we used to."

"That's fine taking just one child to a better future is more than enough Zell you know that."

"Yeah well we'd best get going we're busy in Balamb today" he gave Edea a smirk like he always had done. "Alright Leon ready to go? Anything else you want from inside?"

"No…"

Zell looked to Edea.

"He's a little difficult but if you took everything from his room that should be everything. We'll send anything else along later."

"Right then see you Matron" Zell smiled again

Edea crouched down again to hug Leon whether he liked it or not before waving him on his way.

The Garden was already waiting, for occasions like this it was often easier to move the whole Garden to the destination especially when doing a pick up like this one. Quistis who was now the admissions and student welfare officer was ready to meet him. She immediately dropped down to the boy's level.

"I'm Quistis what's your name?"

"Leon Loire; a little over emotional, at times a difficult child" said Zell handing over Leon's file and bag.

"I see" Quistis said giving a nervous smile at the stormy faced child who looked less than impressed at being here. She took Leon's hand in her free one and began to walk away from the SEED. "I'll show you to the Junior Classmen Dormitories, that'll be where you keep your things and where you sleep. The other introduction that needs to be done is this place. This is Balamb Garden, this will be your home from now on." She showed him to his bunk, there was no one else there. "The others are in lessons at the moment but I'll introduce you. I'll let you unpack and then I'll be back to take you on a tour. If there's anything you need in the meantime ask your duty." She indicated to the SEED sat in the corner reading. "Welcome Leon, glad to have you onboard" Quistis said with an energetic tone offering the boy her hand. He stared at it for a moment before she took the hint and withdrew it. "I'll be back soon". Leon looked around at his surroundings.

"What a dump…"