Angelus Errare
Written by -Laguna-
===========================
Chapter 5: Fishermen…
"Thanks for the ride." Irvine said as he jumped off from Kenan's jetpack. He was the last of the team to be airlifted down from the second floor. It had been quite the delay.
Kenan threw off the jetpack and joined up with a growing crowd of students in the main hall, wondering what in the name of Odin was going on now.
"Calm down." Quistis told the students. "I'm sure it's only temporarily."
Irvine stood on his toes and peered over the pack of students. He saw Quistis and Selphie standing in the center of them, boxed in by the student body.
"What's wrong here?" Kenan asked, gently pushing his way towards Quistis.
She shook her head. "There seem to be power malfunctions on this floor as well, some students were nearly crushed by doors that suddenly slid shut."
-"But lights are still on." Irvine said, looking around. "Couldn't be a complete power outage then."
A young student, probably no older than ten, pulled on Kenan's hand.
"Uhm…Commander?" The small boy called.
Kenan smiled and got down on one knee. "What can I help you with?"
The boy's eyes started tearing a bit. He quickly wiped them. "Me, and my friends were just at the Training Center…"
-"Go on." Kenan assured him.
"Well, we wanted to go to the Cafeteria, but when I got out, the door closed up behind me!" The boy told him.
He was clearly not joking around.
"So, your friends trapped?" Irvine asked, having also listened to the young student.
-"Yes Sir." He replied with a sad tone of voice.
Kenan took Irvine aside. "We don't have time for this." He whispered. "We've got a Sorceress to catch."
-"True, but we gotta help 'em." Irvine replied, also whispering.
"Hate it when you're right Pineapple." Kenan grunted lightly.
He jumped upon a bench so he could overlook the whole crowd.
"Listen up," He practically shouted. The students quieted down. "I have a mission for..uh..five strong students…"
Five people were probably too many just to open one door, but Kenan figured it couldn't hurt to get more muscle into it than necessary. Those young students' lives could be at stake.
At least ten students stepped up to volunteer.
"Okay, you five," Kenan said, pointing to the first row of five students from left to right. "Go to the Training Center. This young student here will tell you what needs to be done."
The boy beamed. He felt honored to be put in command of five older students by the Commander himself.
-"Sir." The five students saluted and ran to the Training Center with the young student.
"What was that about?" Selphie asked Kenan as he got off the bench.
He replied with a never-mind gesture. "Let's just go before there's more delays."
Selphie patted Quistis on her shoulder. "Let's go."
She quickly said goodbye to the students she was conversing with and followed Selphie. The students all turned to complain to Doctor Kadowaki as she approached, and was ambushed from..well..all sides really. Students were pretty scary folk when properly motivated.
Quistis met up with Kenan and Irvine in front of the Balamb Garden map, in the middle of the main hall.
"Where's Zell?" Irvine wondered, scanning around.
-"Hey!" Selphie sarcastically pouted. "You didn't forget to fly him down, did ya Kenan?"
She smiled. "Kudos if you did."
-"I heard that!" A voice yelled from the gates.
The SeeDs looked up ahead and noticed Zell was waiting for them.
"Wow." Irvine gasped. "Don't normally see that."
-"Welcome to the zone where normal things don't happen…very often." Kenan grinned, approaching Zell.
Zell leaned against the booth at the gates. "About time you guys got here."
Walking right past Zell, Kenan got a better view of Fisherman's Horizon.
As before, the big crane served as an excellent docking platform, connected, unfortunately to the second floor deck, and the second floor deck only.
From down where they were it was a bit harder to reach FH. Now of the Garden was the size of say a fishing boat they could have docked it at one of the many normal docking places, but since this wasn't the case, there was a good distance between them an FH 'shore'.
"Oh no!" Selphie exclaimed, staring at the nearest dock that would lead up to the main street.
-"What now?" Zell wondered. He caught up with Kenan.
"We'll have to cross some water." Kenan told the others, noticing there wasn't any direct connection to the town.
-"In other words…swim." Zell uttered, scratching the back of his head.
"Not necessarily." Quistis said, not feeling much for getting wet either. "Balamb Garden has rafts."
-"Right. Zell, Quistis, get one over here." Kenan ordered them. "And fast, we've wasted enough time already."
Quistis nodded and ran off. Zell followed, heavily moaning. Why did he always have to do all the work?
"Hey Kenan." Irvine called, doing a few stretching exercises next to him.
-"Yeah?"
"How's Tia?" Irvine asked with a sincere face of concern. "Has she recovered yet?"
-"Yeah!" Selphie exclaimed. "I haven't seen your sis in a while. Is she okay?"
Kenan shrugged. "She's starting to get a bit better, but she was still in bed."
-"But that's not what's on my mind now." He quickly added. "We've got another Sorceress to worry about."
"Why don't ya check that tracking thing?" Irvine suggested. "Maybe she has left FH already, it's possible."
Reaching for the tracking device in his pocket, Kenan grew a worried look. Irvine was right, the Sorceress could have gotten away in the mean time. Those transports are wicked fast…
Upon carefully inspecting the display on the device, Kenan smirked. "She's close by, still here in FH."
Selphie leaned over Kenan's shoulder. She could clearly see the device, but couldn't make much of the display. There where several dots, lines, circles and stuff. It was too technical for her to understand in one glance.
"Great!" Irvine said, clapping his hands together. "We'll have her in no time."
------------------------------------------
"Squall."
….
"Squall!" Skye called again, more forcefully this time.
It took Squall a few seconds to realize where he was as he opened his eyes. He got up and swung his feet over the side of the bed. Still feeling sleepy, he gathered his stuff from under the bed.
Skye sat down next to him. "Sorry I had to wake you so soon, but I have a feeling we'd better go now."
Squall put on his boots, and looked at Skye. "Are the Galbadians here?"
She shook her head. "Balamb Garden."
He noticed the room's door was wide open. Balamb Garden…here? Docked in FH?
Putting on his jacket, Squall stood up. "Okay, we'd best hurry."
"Right." Skye agreed, moving to the doorway. She had already grabbed her backpack and seemed ready to go.
-"Did you even sleep?" Squall asked, quickly grabbing his gunblade.
She smiled. "Not really, but it's okay. Someone had to be on watch."
Squall looked around the room, making sure he hadn't forgotten anything.
As he walked to the hotel hall, Skye shut the room's door, handing the key to Squall.
"The Garden arrived a few minutes ago." She explained. "I haven't seen anyone come out though."
-"They're probably after us." Squall said as they walked down the hall.
She looked thoughtful for a second, then shook her head. "No, it's because of me."
The hotel manager politely smiled as the two young ones walked by.
Squall threw the room key in the manager's hands. "We're checking out."
"Of course." He replied, grabbing a small book from behind his counter. He looked at the clock hanging on the wall behind him and made a note in the book.
The manger looked up and smiled. "Have a nice day, and please, come again."
Squall and Skye walked outside. Almost everyone in the town seemed gathered up ahead. They were looking at Balamb Garden, as if waiting for someone to exit it.
The Garden was docked at the usual place, beside the huge crane.
"So, you didn't see any come out there?" Squall asked, pointing to the second floor deck of Balamb Garden.
-"No. Not anywhere else either." She stated.
Squall patted her on the shoulder, she nodded and they both ran in the opposite direction.
There were some fishermen in yellow coats roaming about the otherwise deserted streets. Squall and Skye shot behind a collection of fish barrels to avoid being spotted.
"Wait, why are we suddenly hiding from the townsfolk?" Skye whispered.
-"There's something about there body language. I don't know. Just a gut feeling."
Squall patiently waited for the window of opportunity and when it came dragged Skye up again.
"This way." Squall told her, choosing the road leading up. He looked back. The fishermen were looking in the wrong direction and nobody was following them.
Climbing up the old railway bridge, they had a great view of Fisherman's Horizon.
"Uhm…" Skye mumbled, glaring up ahead and back. "Where is the train?" The tracks seemed to go on forever. She couldn't see any mainland in either direction. Just the railway bridge suspended above the ocean.
-"There is no train." Squall said, wondering whether or not he had told her this before. "We have to walk."
Skye sighed, looking down at her shoes. It wouldn't be comfortable walking with those old discarded student shoes.
"I've done it before. It's far, but I don't see any other way." Squall said, eyeing Balamb Garden. "We can't go back now, they'd jump us before we could get to the transport."
Skye reluctantly put on a smile and started walking towards the horizon.
She stopped as she realized Squall was moving in the other direction. "Hey, wait for me!"
He kept walking, knowing there was no time to waste. They'd have to reach Esthar before getting caught up by whoever was after them this time.
"Hey, is this the only way to Esthar?" Skye asked as soon as she caught up with Squall.
-"Either this way, or by air." He replied. "Although the Garden can't fly high enough."
The sun was beginning to set as day slowly became night. An orange glow spread across the skies which was reflected in the ocean.
"It'll be dark soon." Skye looked up.
-"Yeah, seems so. But that will make us harder to spot for them." Squall assured her, still eyeing Balamb Garden. It got smaller and smaller as they proceeded towards Esthar.
Eventually it disappeared out of sight completely, along with FH.
In both directions, all they could see were the train tracks.
"I must be really important to them, huh?" Skye pondered, breaking the silence. She had heard about Sorceress Ultimecia from Squall. If Ultimecia were really that dangerous, SeeD would go after her instead of Skye. But now that they'd moved the whole Garden to follow her, she was proven wrong.
-"I don't understand it." Squall said, thinking out loud. "You are not an evil Sorceress, what do they want with you?"
"I've lost my memory Squall," She reminded him. "I could have done terrible things, but just not recall them."
He looked aside. "I've thought of that, but I doubt it. You don't seem that kind of person."
She studied him. Squall was actually a lot friendlier than he would let people believe, at least, that was her theory.
Rolling her eyes, she wondered why she always had to analyze people. Is that her power? She grinned. The power to analyze people, whoo-hoo, what a dangerous Sorceress she was.
Squall silently watched the setting sun as they trudged further towards Esthar. It was going to be a long night…
------------------------------------------
"YOU again!" The mayor scolded as a team of five SeeDs arrived with a raft on the docks of his town. He recognized Commander Gantt, as they had spoken before.
The SeeDs carefully stepped off the raft one by one, and tied up the raft to a nearby pole with a sturdy piece of rope.
Kenan raised an eyebrow in surprise by the amount of people standing around them. He had always thought FH was a quiet town with few inhabitants. Now there were so many people, they blocked the path to the main street.
Zell stepped up to the crowd. "SeeD business, let us through!"
Irvine restrained Zell from going into a fist flinging frenzy. "Uhm…buddy, I think you should let Kenan handle this."
The mayor stood triumphantly in front of his townsmen.
"Commander," He called, trying to keep his voice down. Respectable people like him didn't need to yell to prove their point. "I thought you agreed to stay away from Fisherman's Horizon?"
Kenan sighed. The last thing he needed right now was to get into a debate with this peace-loving guy.
-"Our Garden needs more repairs." Kenan explained. "And me and my team are on a mission."
"Oi!" A man, wearing a technician's uniform yelled. "We already repaired it."
Quistis crossed her arms. "You didn't do a good job last time. The damage from the battle with Galbadia Garden still clearly shows."
The man scratched the back of his head. "Well…uh, we focused mainly on getting it operational again. All the structural, 'cosmetic' damage wasn't the main concern. But we DID repair some of it!"
"Now now," The mayor said, trying to calm down the technician. "You and your team did an excellent job, don't be bothered by these barbarians."
Quistis and Kenan looked at each other and shook their heads. It was pointless trying to convince the mayor otherwise. According to him, Garden just was a purely aggressive military unit. One that would cause more harm than resolve it.
"Listen chum, we're gonna save the world, so don't stand in our way." Selphie exclaimed, slightly dancing around.
-"Yeah!" Zell backed her up, taking a fighting stance. "Boo!--yaka."
"SELPHIE, ZELL!" Kenan called furiously. They were just going to get themselves into trouble with that attitude.
He turned to the mayor again. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but we would appreciate it if you could assist our Garden's repair teams again."
The crowd looked questioningly at the mayor as he paced back and forth in front of them.
"Very well," He finally said, taking pleasure in having the young man at his mercy. "But I want you to leave here as soon as the repairs are complete." After all, he wasn't a fool. He may not approve of their methods, but they might just save the world from that ghastly Sorceress.
Commander Gantt saluted the mayor, and the other SeeDs followed his example.
Quistis motioned Zell, Irvine and Selphie to walk up ahead as Kenan remained behind to discuss a few other issues with the mayor of FH. They waited for him in front of a hotel called 'The Golden Pavilion'. From what they could see, it appeared to be a nice hotel, although nothing really fancy.
"Hey…" Zell yawned. "Maybe we could go for a little nap."
Irvine shook his head. "Don't have the time…" He looked back at Kenan.
"Right, so just talk to the Headmaster about that." He said, trying to end his conversation with the mayor.
The mayor and the townsmen still didn't like the idea of the Garden being parked beside their town, but they agreed to help them once more. In the end, everyone hoped the SeeDs would soon stop the Sorceress, and restore peace to the land, so to speak.
Kenan joined up with his team. "Gawd, that mayor's a major pain in the--"
Quistis coughed. "Let's just get on with the mission, shall we?"
Resting her nunchakus on her shoulder, Selphie scanned around. "Don't see any Sorceress here."
-"Well DUH." Zell exclaimed. "I doubt she'd just be walking in plain sight dummy."
Selphie scowled at him and he quickly hid behind Irvine. "Don't hurt me, again."
Kenan and Quistis briefly exchanged looks. Kids, that's what those two they were sometimes. So immature…
"I'll just use the tracking device." Kenan stated, grabbing it from his pocket. As he switched it on, his eyes widened.
Selphie and Zell peered over the Commander's shoulders at the screen. The blinking light was moving!
"What does this mean?" Irvine wondered, even though he could guess.
Staring ahead, then back at the screen again, Kenan began to move forward. "She's getting away."
He started to run, the others followed.
They rounded a corner and were facing the old railway station, now a mere shadow of its former glory. In the square in front of this ruined station, a number of hooded yellow-clad fishermen were conducting a salvage operation. With some nifty looking cranes, baby brothers to the one the Garden was parked beside, they were fishing for something in the water at the north end of the square.
The SeeDs exchanged looks. There was something wrong with this picture.
"Uhm, excuse me?" Kenan called.
His voice startled the fishing men and they all dropped what they were doing to turn around. There was a big splash.
One fisherman turned to another that had been operating a crane. "Idiot!! You let it go!"
The man released a sheepish grin. "Sorry Hank."
"For the last time, the name is jack!" The first exploded. "JACK!! J-A-C-K!"
The third began to chuckle. "But boss, why does it read Jacques on your dogtag?"
A dumbfounded Irvine scratched the side of his chin. "What is going on here?"
Selphie's face slowly lit up. "Heeey, isn't this where I drove the Iron Clad? Remember? You fought it thinking I was a Galbadian and it eventually fell in the water."
Kenan slowly traded the tracking device for his gun. "That's why their stupidity seemed familiar- they're not fishermen, they're Galbadian soldiers!"
Everyone else reached for their weapons too and charged into the square. Petty disputes aside the Galbadians formed a single group and dispensed with the disguises, showing their true colors-- they were almost all privates except for one Elite. For the moment the two groups just exchanged threatening looks. The Galbadians had four more men but some were trembling, aware of SeeD's reputation.
"What the hell are you doing here in FH?!" Kenan demanded and aimed his gun at the Elite.
He had his two mechanical machine gun arms raised back at the young Commander. "Fishing! We're just fishing!"
"For lost equipment? Hmm?" Selphie questioned.
"N-no!" The soldier yelled back, stuttering "For..uhh…e-eel! Yeah! Eel!!"
Quistis giggled but the others glared.
"Just give up and maybe we won't kick your asses." Zell threatened.
Kenan looked aside at him. "Uhm, excuse me, who is the Commander?"
Rolling his eyes, Zell threw up his hands. "Okay, geez, sor-ry!"
"Now," Kenan addressed the enemy in front of him again. "Give up and maybe we won't kick your asses!"
"Hey!" Zell exclaimed. "You stole my line!"
Kenan smirked. "Commander's privilege."
"Ha! You're bully-boy tactics won't work on us!" The Elite yelled. Though at the same time he and his entire team was backing up towards the edge of the square.
"Why are they going towards the water?" Quistis shot a whisper at Kenan.
"Not a clue." He spoke without breaking eye contact with the hot-tempered Elite.
The Elite laughed. "Here comes the pain SeeD!"
Then, as one, the Galbadian group stopped. Kenan briefly admired the unit's Cohort-like discipline, until inhumane roars, dozens of them, made him focus on something totally different. The sounds came from inside the train station, and sooner then he wanted to, he found out who were making them. Creature after creature came stampeded down the few steps in front of the station's entrance. They were short but bulky green-scaled lizardmen, sporting gatling guns on both shoulders. Officially there were called Sam08Gs-- but right now, their name was trouble.
The first lizardmen to arrive on the square hurled themselves at the SeeDs who were caught by surprised and overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the hidden enemy force. Before long they were surrounded and spread about the suddenly cramped square, and each was fighting desperate one-on-many battles. The word outnumbered didn't nearly cover the unfairness of the battle.
Zell was throwing punches left and right, performing combos, dodging gatling gun fire and even doing a back flip or two just caused it looked so damn cool. He was at the top of his game, but for every Sam08G that he knocked down, another would take its place. He called out to his friends and, tracing a faint reply, turned to find in Irvine in dire need of assistance. The lizardmen had closed all around him too, giving him no opportunity to get of any shot, so instead he was holding his rifle by the barrel and swinging it around as a club. An enraged Zell plowed through the Sam08Gs in his path and made it to Irvine.
"Thanks a million buddy." He said and flipped his gun around to hold it at the right end. With Zell fending of those closest to him, he managed to fire into the Sam08G masses. The powerful rifle soon blew a corridor in the hordes and from different sides, the Commander and the two girls used it to run back to Zell and Irvine. Kenan's body armor bore claw marks all over and the wound on his arm had reopened- but otherwise he was okay. Same for the two girls, whose outfits were shredded and tattered here and there but were physically alright.
The corridor began to close again- still more lizardmen poured from the train station, though the end of the stream was finally insight. The group, though as one, was encircled. They stood with their backs against each other, staring at the ugly visages of the relentless Sam08Gs. The constant sound of gatling gun fire nearly deafened them.
"We can't hold up this level!" Irvine yelled over the sound of his own rifle firing another shot. He reloaded and quickly fired again, there was no need to aim because the chance of not hitting something green and scaly was almost zero. Individually each Sam08G was peanuts, but collectively they were wearing the SeeDs down, and there were becoming only too aware of this. Both Kenan and Irvine were quickly going through their ammo stocks.
Quistis cracked her whip at yet another lizardman but she didn't even knock it down with one hit anymore- she was starting to get tired. "Kenan, we need to do something!
"Selphie!" He called over his shoulder. "Stand in our middle and start summoning Leviathan, we'll cover you!"
She stepped back and the rest shielded her as best they could while she called for the Guardian Force.
A minuscule ring of water appeared in mid-air and expanded until a stream of water started to pour down from it. Slowly the water changed into a scaled white skin and took the form of the majestic Leviathan, Dragon of the Sea.
Zell could finally stop busting heads himself and he brought his fists to his hips and laughed victoriously. "You fellows must be thirsty from all that fighting?"
The Sam08G masses curiously cocked their hands at the thin but tall water serpent that towered above them. Leviathan started to emit a glow and below it the ground rose up, a nice slope. Leviathans glow reached a peak when it blinded everyone around. When they looked again just a millisecond later where serpent had been now where gallons upon gallons of water, plunging down upon the slope that Leviathan had made. The watered stormed down the makeshift waterfall and at last the lizardmen knew the number of their days. The tsunami rolled over them like a big blanket and swept away everything in its path. The Sam08Gs were pushed into water, and since the all carried two heavy gatling guns…well…it was kind of tragic.
Selphie collapsed in exhaustion as soon as the cast was finished. Irvine caught her and made sure she didn't smack her head against the pavement or anything nasty like that. Cause, hey, she'd saved their lives.
Zell laughed triumphantly. "Aw, the itty bitty beasts went for a dive."
"Not funny." Kenan commented, staring down at a number of drowning Sams with oddly mixed feelings. "They could be an endangered species now you know?"
Zell however had happily started dancing up and down the square. "I am Sam said I, Sam I am!"
Kenan's mouth became a straight line, as he looked sour at his buddy.
"Commander." Quistis beckoned him over. He came and saw what she was looking at. It was the Elite soldier, clinging onto the capsized baby crane for dear life, just hanging a feet above the water level.
"Why hello there Jacques!" Kenan waved at him.
The Elite grumbled. "It's JACK!!"
In one swift motion Kenan grabbed his gun and squeezed off a shot at the metal thread the crane was hanging by. It snapped and the Elite dive-bombed the water. Kenan blew away the smoke at the end of his gun's barrel and whirled it back into his holster. "Tell it to the eel Jacques."
Meanwhile Zell was still -almost literally- dancing on the Sam08G's graves, happily shouting all kinds of things at them.
"I guess you guys are a little wet behind the ears!" He laughed.
-"Zell." Kenan called for him to stop it.
He pranced about merrily along the square's edge. "Oh no, the lizards are all washed up!"
"Zell?"
He still continued laughing. "Aww what's the matter? A little water never killed anyone--unless you're drowning in it!"
"Zell!!"
He quieted down and composed himself, looking slightly ashamed. "Sorry."
Then Irvine, looking mighty jolly, appeared beside his buddy. He pointed at one of the Sam08G's floating tail up in the water. "Hey look at that."
"What?"
Irvine grinned. "There's a piece of tail even I don't need!"
The two men doubled-up with laugher.
Kenan sighed, turning to Quistis. "The guys seem to be in a cruel mood today, huh?"
"I think they're just venting their anxiety." She commented. "It's been a while since we struck a blow like this to the Galbadians, not counting the battle this morning."
He looked at Selphie, now on her feet again. "Are you okay?"
"Yup." She beamed cheerfully as always.
He raised his voice so it was heard over the laughter of two men. "Is everyone ready to go then?!"
It suddenly became very quiet.
"In case some people had forgotten-" He glared at Zell and Irvine in particular "-we do have a mission to complete. These lizards were just a distraction. Now LET'S GO!"
He started marching up towards the Railway Bridge, looking at the tracking device.
Zell huffed. "What's with Mr. Sunshine today?"
Irvine patted his friend on the shoulder. "Dunno, but let's go before he yells some more."
The group had began walking but before long they were running along the Railway Bridge- leaving FH and the relative safety of the Garden behind them.
"How far ahead is she?" Selphie asked, already starting to sweat. She could never maintain this speed for long.
"Thanks to some delays she's gotten a big headstart. " Kenan informed them. "But she should be dead ahead."
Irvine squinted. "Are you sure? I don't see anyone."
By now, the entire sky was colored dark-purple. In a few moments, night would fall. Visibility would drop even more.
Body sagging, Zell was about to complain, when Selphie jumped up in stead.
"We're not going to walk that whole stretch AGAIN, are we?!"
Quistis ran her hand through her hair. "Do we have another choice?"
-"Go back to the Garden and get a vehicle up here?" Irvine suggested, somehow proud he came up with a solid idea before Mr. Leader could.
"That could waste even more precious time. What if the Parking Lot doors won't open thanks to the power outages?" Kenan argued, seeing no other choice but to pursue, on foot. "With some luck we'll catch them on the Bridge."
Everyone sighed heavily, but followed their Commander as he walked off.
"I should have brought my hoverboard." Zell mumbled, kicking nearly every small stone that lay in his path.
He made up the rear of the team. Selphie and Irvine walked in front of him, probably getting all mushy seeing as how they were both giggling about something. Kenan and Quistis took point. Again, they walked side by side ahead of them. Could there be something between those two? Zell pondered about this shortly, but eventually concluded this wasn't very likely. Too much of a personality clash.
And it wasn't a secret that Kenan had liked Rinoa.
Zell sighed to himself. One day, he really had to gather up the nerve to talk to that girl in the library.
"So," Kenan said, casually trying to start a conversation with Quistis. "Read any good books lately?"
She smiled. "Actually, no. Not since the whole thing with Ultimecia started."
"Uh-oh." He uttered, seeing the last narrow streak of sun light fade into darkness. "I forgot to bring a flashlight."
Some seconds later, a row of light on both sides of the railway switched on.
Chuckling, Quistis watched Kenan gasp in surprise. "I guess someone must have heard you."
The lights enabled them to look further ahead than before, but still there was no sign of the Sorceress, or of Mr. Leonhart for that matter.
"Whoo-hoo!" Zell called from behind. "Go Irvine!"
Both Quistis and Kenan turned around. Selphie and Irvine had stopped just under a lamppost and were…kissing?
Wow. They knew there could be something starting between the two, but still this came as sort of a surprise.
Actually all they could see was Irvine and his hat, which he cleverly used to cover his and Selphie's face.
Kenan looked at his watch. "Uhm, Pineapple," He called. "How long is this gonna take?"
Irvine put his hat on again and turned to Kenan, smiling widely. "Sorry. Heat of the moment thing…you know?"
Selphie's cheeks glowed red. "Hey..what? Never seen two people kiss before?"
Quistis laughed. "Not recently."
Beaming, Irvine jogged up to Kenan as they moved on. "Stick around me and you might just learn a thing or two."
Selphie joined up with Quistis. Zell trudged behind, solo, as before.
Glancing over at Selphie and Irvine, Kenan grinned. "So, it's official now. You're in a relationship Pineapple."
-"Would you stop calling me that? It's Kinneas!" Irvine reminded him with an annoyed look. "Kinneas and Pineapple are two totally different names! How on earth did you…ah…forget it!"
Kenan threw his hands on the back of his head casually. "You know what this means though, right?"
-"Uh..w-what?" Irvine hesitantly asked.
He smirked. "Now she owns you Pine-uh, Irv. It's over. No more flirting, heck, even looking at other girls is a no-no."
Silently Irvine stared ahead of him. His face spoke volumes as it slowly dawned on him.
"Yup. You've just given up the things you are best at." Kenan stated again. "Did you know you can't even burp anymore without being whacked or yelled at now?"
His eyes widened. "No, she can't take that away from me. I live to burp!"
-"Fraid so buddy. You aint single no more."
Quistis was about to comment on the bad English--but knew from past attempts it would fall on deaf ears.
Irvine remained strangely silent again.
"Too bad about that Garden record attempt though," Kenan grinned. "Never seen anyone burp the entire alphabet before, I was so sure you could do it with a little more practice."
He sighed. "Thanks for the pep-talk there Commander."
Kenan rubbed his chin and looked over his shoulder. "Perhaps Zell could do it instead, he has great talent you know. Under my supervision he could become the next Raijin."
Raijin was a demi God in the world of burping, especially after some hotdogs and a rootbeer.
-"ZELL? Oh no, that record attempt is mine, mine!" Irvine exclaimed, tapping himself on the chest.
"What was that about me?" Zell asked from a few feet behind.
Kenan supportively patted Irvine on the back. "Too bad, I doubt Selphie would allow such things."
"You see, women don't understand the delicate art of burping like we men do. They think it's vulgar, obnoxious and the sorts. We KNOW it is."
-"And that's why we love it…" Irvine whimpered, pretending to wipe a tear away.
Casually, he looked over his shoulder at smiled at his girlfriend, Selphie.
Wow…girlfriend. He DID like the sound of that.
"C'mon man," Irvine reasoned, eyes on the railway ahead. "It's not like she'll be around me 24/7."
-"Oh really?" Kenan smirked, knowingly. "She'll be all over ya. Wanting to know about everything little thing you do."
Irvine shivered. "You're just saying that. Ha, you're jealous man!"
He shook his head and pointed Irvine towards Zell. He appeared to be moping, walking with his hands stuck in his pockets, kicking little stones. "See him? Now THAT's a free man. He can do practically whatever he wants. You can not my friend. Your life as you knew it…"
Irvine whimpered. "It's over, all over?"
-"Hey, but good going Pineapple!" Kenan exclaimed cheerfully, loud enough for everyone to hear.
He shook his head, smiling widely again. "Kay Commander, let's drop the act already. You're jealous I got me a girl."
Throwing an arm around Irvine in a best bud kinda way, Kenan laughed out loud. "Yeah. Who knows?"
Smiling mischievously, Irvine glanced over at Quistis, then turned to Kenan. "Don't worry my good man, I can help…"
Kenan raised an eyebrow. "Hey, don't you even dare setting ME up. I don't need your help."
"Right!" Irvine responded sarcastically. "Girls are just waiting in a line for you."
He frowned and supported the back of his head with his hands. "Well, no, they're not."
"There's actually like two lines." He added with a serious look.
-"Sure…whatever ya say Sir."
Just a few feet behind, Selphie was really beginning to get tired. She found it extremely hard to even keep her eyes open. Having Quistis walk next to her was actually quite comfortable, if she'd get too tired, Selphie would just lean against her.
On the other hand, Quistis did have a way of boring her like every teacher is able to do to her. On the other other hand, she wasn't an Instructor anymore of course.
Woo-hoo though! Irvine is her boyfriend! She just couldn't wait to tell all her friends at Trabia Garden. He's so cute! Like a teddy bear, only slightly less hairy. Tee-hee!
Quistis chuckled, closely observing Selphie. "Don't let it get to your head Selphie."
She beamed. "You're just jealous Quisty."
Quistis shook her head. "No, I'm happy for you. But don't think too much of it, after all, Irvine is quite a--"
Selphie's eyebrows furrowed, turning to Quistis.
"Oh..never mind." She quickly said. "But, please, don't call me Quisty."
-"AH, come ON." Selphie pouted. "It's such a cute name! What else am I gonna call you for short, Q?"
"How about just plain..Quistis? Suits everyone else." She offered with a slightly annoyed look on her face.
Selphie considered it, but couldn't see the cuteness in just her normal name. Everyone should have a short, cute name. Like, Irvine is Irvy, Kenan is..uh..Ken? Yeah, and Zell would be...
She shrugged. Ah, who cares about Zell anyway? Nobody ever calls his name unless he's getting into trouble. But Quisty, oh, that was a great name!
Quistis stared back at FH. Well, there wasn't any FH to see anymore. Perhaps they'd traveled a considerable distance already. Or, it could just be the overall darkness that prevented her from seeing the town.
She sighed. The journey had just begun. Surely they would have to walk all night to if they couldn't catch up. Fatigue would soon set in, Zell and Selphie would really have a hard time. At least it would all be worth it. That Squall, what if he was an ally? He could help them defeat Ultimecia, and then all the troubles and hardships would be over.
A happy ending, definitely.
------------------------------------------
"It's getting really dark, not to mention cold, we'd best get back inside now."
-"Oh, you worry too much Uncle." Ellone grinned. But she quieted down as she saw the part of the city where the battles had taken place. Even though most fires were extinguished days -if not some weeks- ago, smoke still covered up a great amount of the sky above Esthar.
Everyone fought so bravely…all for her? So many young men had sacrificed their lives. People, whom never even met her, but were willing to pay the ultimate price. And for what? Just to make sure the Sorceress wouldn't capture her?
Her uncle threw his arm around her, comfortingly. He knew exactly what she was thinking about. "It's not because of you Ellone. They all fought for their loved ones, for freedom. They will not soon be forgotten."
A tear rolled down Ellone's cheek. "But it was all for nothing. All they did was force Ultimecia to retreat. She will back Uncle, I know it. Soon…"
"Everything is going to be fine. Trust me." Laguna told her, holding her by her shoulders, forcing her to look at his honest face. "I won't let anything happen to you."
She rested her head against his shoulder and he hugged her. Uncle Laguna…she could always trust him. Never did she doubt this, even when Sorceress Adel had captured her those many years ago. He would never let her down.
They overlooked most of Esthar from the presidential balcony. Despite the damage from the battle with the Lunatic Pandora, the city looked as beautiful and majestic as ever. It could always give Laguna a lump in his throat just by looking at it. And to think he was even President of such a city.
Ellone closed her eyes, just as a cold breeze passed by her face.
"Is something wrong?" Laguna asked, releasing Ellone from his hug. He knew that she would only close her eyes either to sleep…or to use her powers.
-"A Sorceress is approaching." She stated, opening her eyes. "It's neither Ultimecia nor Adel."
His eyes widened. "Is she…evil?"
Ellone shook her head and walked back inside. Laguna followed, closing the balcony doors behind him.
"I can't sense any evil." She said. "But these sense are still new to me. I could be wrong."
Putting his hands in his pockets, he nervously paced back and forth in his office. "So, where is she coming from?"
Ellone shrugged. "I think the same way the SeeDs entered earlier. The rail bridge."
"Okay." Laguna said, moving to his intercom. "Kiros and Ward, please report to my office."
Giggling, Ellone walked over to her Uncle and actually pushed the 'on' button of the intercom system.
Laguna scratched the back of his head. "Err..Kiros and Ward, please report to my office."
"Great goobish goo, I'm no good with modern technology. Never even figured out how to flush the toilets here." He mumbled, smiling at his young niece.
Ellone giggled again, and switched the intercom off. "The whole Presidential Palace heard that Uncle."
He sighed heavily. He could still make a bigger fool out of himself than anyone else could ever do for him.
The door to Laguna's office creaked open. His aid Kiros, walked in.
"What is it now," He sighed, making a playful yet sarcastic bow. "Your highness?"
Laguna beamed. "Ah, just call me Laguna will ya? And hey, how did you get here so fast?"
Kiros smiled politely towards Ellone and crossed his arms. "My office is next to yours Laguna, remember?"
"Oh. I thought that was the janitor's closet." Laguna laughed, turning to Ellone. "Kiros might looked like a neat guy, but man! Can he make a mess out of his office…"
-"Actually, that was because Ward needed to see the dentist." He explained. "I chased him all around the room before I caught the big guy. That's probably the only thing Ward really fears, seeing the dentist."
Nervously grinning, Laguna took a seat behind his desk.
Kiros leaned against the edge of it. "Oh, and you were crying buckets full when you had to go Laguna…"
-"With the way I eat, I'm bound to have a million cavities." He admitted. "But you know what the old folks say, it's better to have ten cavities in your teeth, than one in your head."
Both Ellone and Kiros stared questioningly at Laguna. "Better have ten cavities in your teeth…than one in your head?"
"What? Is it something I said?" He asked.
The doors to the office closed. Ward walked up and told them something with just the expression on his face.
-"You're an idiot Laguna. But we wouldn't have it any other way." Kiros translated Ward's expression.
"Heeey!" Laguna pouted.
Ward chuckled, stomach bobbing up and down.
But then his face grew serious, wondering why Laguna had called him.
Noticing the look, Laguna stopped clowning around…for now…
"Ellone just informed me that a Sorceress is heading towards us." He told his aids. "She doesn't know if the Sorceress is an evil or good one, so I want you to meet her. But be careful."
Kiros nodded. "No problem. Anything else?"
"Any news from Balamb Garden?" He asked.
-"No." Kiros replied. "But we know they're docked in Fisherman's Horizon now."
Ellone smiled. "Maybe they're bringing Tia then?"
"Isn't that the girl that freed Adel?" Laguna asked. "I didn't know she was a Sorceress."
-"Yes, that's her. She received Edea's powers." Ellone smiled sadly.
Ward looked down.
"Yeah, that's really sad." Kiros said. "But at least she's no longer under Ultimecia's control."
-"Anyhoo, get down to the entrance and see who it is." Laguna told them, standing up. He tried his best to make it sound like a request instead of an order.
Kiros and Ward walked out of his office.
Ellone gazed outside through one of the big windows in Laguna's office. She wondered what lay waiting for them just beyond the horizon.
Whistling cheerfully, Laguna peered over at the antique clock.
"Whoa, time flies!" He exclaimed, surprised it was already that late.
He stretched and yawned. "I think I'll be going to bed now."
-"So will I, Uncle." Ellone said, giving Laguna a goodnight kiss.
------------------------------------------
"Uhm…Seifer…y-ya know?"
His eyes popped open. Raijin was backing up towards him, away from a purple colored fog.
Seifer stood up and halted him by taking hold of his shoulders. "Stop being such a chicken. It's only the Sorceress…"
A cold sweat drop formed on Raijin's forehead. The Sorceress was exactly the person he feared the most. Even Fujin glared nervously at the purple fog as it thickened in the middle of passenger compartment.
Though it had gotten very dark outside and the transport lighting was dim-it was clear this was the Sorceress' doing. Seifer had seen this before in Timber.
"Fujin," He called to the other side of fog. "Are we near FH yet? It's taking forever!"
-"AFFIRMATIVE."
He smiled. "Good."