Chapter Two – Introductions
He slowly opened his eyes, but closed them almost immediately, as the bright light stung them. He spent the next minute or so carefully opening and closing his eyes until they had adjusted to the light.
Where am I?
Looking around, he was completely baffled. The curtains moved gently in the breeze, and through them the soft sunlight filtered in. To his right was a wooden crib, there was a patchwork quilt on the floor and children's toys scattered all over the place. There was a wooden chair in the corner of the room and a large wardrobe by the door. He could see a large mirror on a table by the wardrobe as well, and tried to sit up.
As he moved though, pain shot through his body and his arm instantly flew to his side. Looking down he could see that someone had bandaged him up, but there was some blood staining the clean white bandages. Probably because he moved, he berated himself. Gritting his teeth through the pain, he pushed himself up to a sitting position and carefully swung his legs over the side of the small cot bed he was in. He didn't care that he was only in his underwear, but he couldn't see his clothes anywhere.
He looked across at the mirror on the table and stared at the figure he saw. He was pale, sweaty, and thin. He looked like hell. He felt like hell too. He looked around at his surroundings once more. Where was he? How had gotten here? It didn't look as if he was in any danger, but nonetheless, he should find out more about his situation.
He pushed himself to his feet and swayed slightly on the spot for a moment before attempting any other kind of action. He tried to take a step towards the door, but his legs gave way and he fell hard onto his hands and knees, aggravating his wound at the same time. He groaned in pain and knelt there for a moment, waiting for the pain to subside. Once it had he slowly dragged himself back over to the bed and sat on the floor with his back against it, taking slow, deep breaths. Once he felt a bit better, he'd try again.
"Oh-!" Squeaked a little voice from the direction of the door.
He opened his eyes and found himself looking at a little, who was watching him curiously and intently. She had short brown hair and brown eyes, and she wore a light blue dress and yellow shoes. They both watched each other for a few moments before he found his voice.
"Err… Hey," he said to the little girl.
"You should be in bed," she said as soon as he had finished speaking, her voice firm but quiet.
He looked from the bed behind him then back to the little girl.
"Have you been the one looking after me?" He asked.
She nodded slowly, then said, "But not just me, Raine has too."
"Raine?"
"Yeah, she's next door. Come on, I'll show you!" the girl said enthusiastically.
"Wait… err… What was your name?" He asked
God, I'm terrible with kids. I don't even know her name! She looks familiar though…
"Oh! I'm Elle. What's your name?" she asked.
"I'm Laguna."
"Pleased to meetcha!" Elle chirped,
"Yeah… say, you don't know where my clothes are do ya?" Laguna asked, scratching the back of his head.
"Umm…" Elle said, looking around thoughtfully, "Hold on a sec, I'll go get you some! Wait here." She turned and ran out of the room.
"Well I'm hardly gonna go anywhere in my boxers…" Laguna said quietly to himself.
While the girl was gone fetching him his clothes, he took the opportunity to try walking again. Using the bed, he pushed himself onto his feet, wincing in pain once again. Once he was on his feet, albeit unsteadily, he carefully took a step forward. It was slow progress, but he managed to make his way over to the bay window opposite his bed, and sat down.
The sunlight felt warm against his back, and it was only then that he realised how cold he was. He hoped the little girl would hurry back soon. Just then, as if the faeries had heard his plea, Elle came running back up stairs with clothes in her arms.
"I'm back!" She called and held the clothes out to Laguna.
"Err, these aren't mine," Laguna said, looking at the clothes with dismay.
"Raine took your clothes and put 'em somewhere, I dunno where. These'll do for now. Don'tcha like 'em?" Elle asked, saddened slightly.
Crap, I'm upsetting her!
"No, I do! They're great. Err, thanks," Laguna said, taking the clothes.
Elle smiled at that and went downstairs to let him get changed. She had brought him a pair of black trousers and a white shirt, and Laguna carefully slipped them on, trying not to invite more pain from his wound. The clothes were baggy, but they would do. He made his way cautiously down the stairs, leaning heavily on the wooden banister. Elle was sitting on a stool by the table, waiting eagerly.
"C'mon, I'll take you to see Raine," she said hopped off the stool and ran outside.
Laguna was amazed by her energetic nature, but made his way forward carefully, reaching out towards the tables and cabinets either side of him incase he felt he was about to fall, but he didn't. The cabinets were lined with pictures of a happy family, two parents with a small child in their arms. Was one of them Raine?
He shielded his eyes from the strong sunlight with his arms and examined where he was. He saw a peaceful-looking village square. There was a mansion to the left of where Laguna was, with a few Galbadian soldiers standing on guard outside of it. Apart from that the square was empty.
"Laguna, this way! C'mon!"
Looking to his right, he could see the girl standing on the doorway of the building next door. Laguna groaned inwardly and began to make his way over to her. Once he was about halfway across, Elle turned and ran inside. Laguna looked in the window as he passed, and saw what appeared to be a pub. When he finally reached the door, he confirmed that it was a pub. There was a bar at the far end of the room and several circular tables spaced around the room. Each table had a small vase with a couple of white flowers in them, and the room was filled the most beautiful fragrance.
"He's down here Raine, come on!" Elle called.
Turning, Laguna saw the girl coming down the stairs on the left behind a doorway, but he couldn't see yet who she was calling to.
"Ellone, what are you talking about? What's-" Came a second voice, but they stopped talking as they saw Laguna.
She was one of the most beautiful women Laguna had ever seen. She had long chestnut brown, kept out of her face by a yellow hair band. She wore a baggy cream top and black trousers. But probably her most defining feature were her blue eyes.
"What are you doing out of bed? You should be resting," the woman said, somewhat harshly.
"I, err, woke up and saw Elle here-" Laguna began.
"Her name is Ellone," the woman corrected.
"Right, Ellone. I met Ellone and she said you'd been taking care of me," Laguna explained, briefly.
"We both have!" Ellone chipped in.
"Yes, I have. Come, sit down, you shouldn't be on your feet," She said, more softer now, with concern in her voice.
He didn't look good, he was pale and sweaty. She pulled a chair over for him which he gratefully sat down in. She would have taken him upstairs but he looked ready to drop.
"Let me take a look at that wound of yours," she said, getting more clothes and bandages from behind the bar.
With her help, he pulled the white shirt over his head so she could see the wound. She knelt down beside him and began to unwrap the bandages. He watched her work for a few minutes, and then broke the silence.
"Do you have my clothes?" He asked her.
She looked at him for a moment, then turned to Ellone.
"Elle, why don't you go outside and play?" She suggested.
"Awww, but Raine! I don't want to!" Ellone complained.
"Ellone, just go, please," she said, firmly.
Ellone glared at her but complied, stomping outside.
"You didn't have to send her away," Laguna said.
"Yes, I did. She shouldn't have to see the blood and…" But she didn't finish her sentence. "Yes, I do have your uniform," she said, but Laguna didn't think that this was what she was going to say.
"Can I have them back? These aren't exactly my style," He joked.
"You shouldn't go around wearing your uniform while you're recovering. I'll find some more suitable clothes for you," she said.
"Okay, thanks. Can I have my gun back though?"
Raine looked hard at him for a moment.
"I don't want guns around Ellone," She said simply.
"I wouldn't hurt her."
"That's not the point. I won't have guns around her."
"But-"
"No," She said firmly.
"…Fine," Laguna said, and the two sat in silence for several long moments.
"Hey," Laguna started, when he couldn't bear the silence anymore, "I'm sorry, for pressing bout the gun."
"No," she sighed, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so harsh. It's just… I don't want guns around her."
"I know. I wouldn't want guns around my daughter either," Laguna said.
"Ellone… she isn't… she's not my daughter. Well, she is. I've adopted her and I think of her and love her as my daughter, but she isn't my daughter really. Not biologically," she explained.
"Oh. Sorry, I didn't mean to assume-"
"No, it's fine. You didn't know," she said.
"I'm Laguna, by the way. Laguna Loire," he said.
"I'm Raine Leonhart, but just call me Raine," she answered, with a smile, and turned back to treating Laguna's injury.