Zell growled as he tried to pull the rope free but it had wrapped around good and tight. The boy was already fading, struggling to hold his breath and so the young SeeD graduate kicked for the surface. He emerged gasping before calling for his friend.
"Hey Squall! We got a problem!" He waved the leader of Garden over before diving back down seeing Squall out the corner of his eye dive in shortly afterwards. They swam down into the depths, the silvery haired youth standing out amidst the murky deep. Zell knew the waters around the town of Balamb were dangerous, the dock was not a play area. How many times had he been told that as a child?
The boy was eerily still, fewer and fewer bubbles departing his frame. Zell kicked harder, going right for the strange youth while Squall took his Gunblade and sliced through the rope holding him under. He grabbed the younger boy and kicked for the surface giving Squall a thumbs up. It was a lifetime before they broke the surface and when they had there was no gasp from the teen in his arms. That was most definitely a bad sign and Zell shook water from his eyes and hoisted the limp boy from the water where Squall who had now pulled himself out, assisted in lifting the lifeless form from the water.
"What happened?" Squall asked his companion and began CPR while Zell pulled himself onto the dock.
"I wish I knew. The kid is a complete whack!" Zell hit the side of his head trying to dislodge water from his ear before standing up, hovering over Squall as he worked. "Is he going to be okay?"
Squall just shrugged but continued to the resuscitation. They had to at least get him breathing again for any healing spell to work, but that resource was dangerously low, like most things they could draw upon. Luckily, they had a first class medical team for situations like this, and one of the younger doctors (having been called by one of the final year recruits) came running over with the required equipment.
Zell stepped back to let her through and watched, hoping the little guy would be okay. Squall stayed knelt by the prone boy assisting the medic who after only a few seconds had managed to get the silvery haired teen to cough and splutter up the dock water in his lungs. Zell blew out the breath he'd been unknowingly holding and ran a hand over his face.
"Talk about suspense! How do you guys cope with this!" He slapped the medic on the shoulder grinning before waving down at the soaked young man whose name still escaped him. "Welcome back! You know, if you wanted to go for a swim there's a calm little cove just long the coast!" The teen just blinked up wearily, muttering incoherently into the mask the medic had placed on him.
Zell stood straight letting the medic work as Squall approached him.
"Who is he?" Squall asked and Zell shrugged.
"No idea, we never got round to his introduction."
"Do you recognise him?" Zell thought for a moment, this was his home town after all and it was a small friendly town, everyone knew everyone.
"Actually… no. You don't think he could be. . ."
"I think were not taking any chances either way. Trey's team confirmed the Legion came through here and when they had done ransacking the place they left it to burn."
"Hey, is my mom. . ." Zell cut Squall off, usually that would have earned him a dark look from his less-than-patient friend, but under the circumstances, Zell didn't give a damn.
"She's fine." Squall gave a rare smile, reassuring his friend.
"Great. Do you need me here still or . . .?"
"Go." Squall nodded and Zell slapped the guy's shoulder before turning his attention back to the half drowned lad struggling to stay conscious. "I want him brought to Garden for questioning. . ."
"Go easy on him." Zell said, before he started up the main street desperate to make sure she was okay. She might not have been the one who'd given birth to him, but she had loved and cared for him most of his life and he loved her just as much in return. When he'd heard that Balamb had been attacked, he'd freaked, and that was putting it mildly. He'd only been able to control himself because Squall and his friends had been so supportive and while he questioned Squall's decision not to include him in the initial landing party, he knew why. He was protecting him. What a friend!
***
Soft. Warm. Two things Hope had not felt for a long time. He nestled closer to the feeling and stayed there, savouring the comfort. Even as his eyes opened and all he saw was white, the comfort of the bed beneath him kept him calm.
Muffled voices surrounded and he closed his eyes sleepily, ignoring the slight disturbances of the people who floated close to his side. They touched his hand, brushed his hair back from his face like a mothers touch.
"Light. . ."
There was once a time he would have spoken another name, but his dear friend had filled the deep gaping wound of loss in his heart enough for it to heal and he now sought her presence when he was in desperate need.
More muffled words and the white light of the room dimmed encouraging him to close his eyes once more and he made him self smaller nestled deeper into the pillow and the warmth of the blanket holding him snugly. Was she there now caring for him? Had she found him? The thought alone made leaving the soft warmth worth it and he opened his eyes again, blinking now and again trying to clear the blur.
Shadows moved past the end of what seemed to be his bed. He moved, turning from his right side onto his back hoping to get a clearer picture of the room he was in. The soft quiet whispers were curious, as he collected his senses he realised he didn't recognise them. Suddenly he didn't feel so comfortable and he lifted himself up slowly reaching to remove the blanket and free his feet.
He frowned when he realised he had been changed into a bland set of clothing made of light cool material so he didn't over-heat while sleeping. On his left wrist was a little white band with strange writing. He slowly swung each foot over the side of the bed and tried to remove the little white band, not trusting it or anything around him. He sagged, the task requiring more strength than he could muster so he left it there for the moment.
"Well, I didn't think you were ready to wake up just yet."
Hope looked up startled at the sudden interruption. He squinted through the blur as a woman in a long white lab coat entered the little room.
"Please, don't worry." She continued, her tone gentle and she showed him the palms of her hands in a 'I mean no harm' gesture. "I'm Dr Kadowaki." She smiled and sat on the bed beside him. "Can you tell me your name?"
Hope nodded but didn't immediately answer, still feeling out of the loop with his body and not completely awake.
"Aah. . .it's Hope. I'm Hope." He coughed, speaking irritated his throat and he rubbed the centre of his torso feeling an ache because of the involuntary reflex.
"Don't worry about that, you'll feel bruised for a few days yet. Squall and Helen had to resuscitate you."
"Who. . ?" Hope shook his head. "I'm sorry but, why are you telling me like I should know those names?"
"Well, everyone knows one of those names at least."
"Well I don't know either." He stood, holding the wall for support. "C…can't I have my clothes, please?"
"First I want some answers." Hope looked towards the doorway seeing a strange young man wearing a familiar fur-lined leather jacket. His expression was serious and his posture aggressive. "I have a town almost wiped off the face of the map and hundreds, injured and homeless."
"That has nothing to do with me." Hope stated firmly.
"But it's everything to do with me and so far you're my only lead."
"I didn't do anything!" He took a few steps away from both of them, the Doctor looking concerned while the leather clad youth just looked annoyed.
"Squall, he's not ready for this-"
"This is Squall?" Hope asked and Kadowaki nodded, still some-what perplexed that Hope didn't know. "Listen, I was just passing and-" Hope shook his head realising they must have seen his brand by now but he hid his left hand behind his back anyway.
"So you were travelling?"
"Squall-"
"Where from?" Squall ignored Kadowaki who shot the stubborn youth with a dark glare.
Hope shook his head. "I'm from Palumpolum."
"Never heard of it." Squall's eyes narrowed while Hope just became even more upset.
"You're lying!"
"Why would I?"
"To trick me! Because-" Hope quickly clamed up when Squall unfolded his arms and came right at the smaller boy, for a frightening moment Hope thought he was going to hit him, instead the older boy grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and slammed him back into the wall. The younger teen yelped and brought his hands up to hold his head and again his brand was on display for all to see and yet they didn't seem to care.
"Squall!" Kadowaki was angry but the young man didn't seem to care.
"My friend's mother was almost killed in that last attack, what do you people hope to prove by waging war on people who have done nothing!" Hope's mind reeled with questions. Did he mean L'Cie? Were L'Cie responsible for the devastation at the port? "Well!?"
"We're not all like that!" He stammered out. "Just because a L'Cie has done some bad things, doesn't mean we all are."
"What the hell are you talking about!?"
"The town, those who attacked it. . ."
"So you do know something!"
"No, I don't know who, if that's what you mean."
"Stop playing games!" Hope suddenly found himself on the floor, Squall having let go.
"I'm not. . .I really don't know who. . ."
"Where did the Legion come from, what reasons do they have for these attacks?"
"Legion?" Hope shook his head, then realised he had probably seen this Legion; The huge army in the misty plains. He pulled himself up and shook away his indecision. He didn't know why but these people knew nothing of L'Cie or apparently Hope's home turf. The knowledge only made him more confused. "I don't have those answers. I told you I was just passing-"
"You said you knew, you called them L'Cie."
"No, I thought you meant L'Cie I-"
"This is pointless, I don't have time for kids playing games."
"I'm not a kid!"
"Doctor, keep him in here till he decides to tell the truth. . ."
"You can't do this!" Hope protested but Squall ignored him.
"I want him interrogated every day until he gives me the information we need."
"But I don't know anything!"
"Squall, he's not ready for that. Apart from almost drowning he suffered a very bad concussion-"
"I don't care, I'm not about to let another town be ransacked."
"I said. . ." Hope took a shaky step forward, his pale green eyes burning with anger. He'd not felt this way since his confrontation with Snow all those months ago. A fiery heat burned in his centre, seeking an escape. The air in the room became warm and stale. Finally Hope had their attention and Squall, although caught by surprise was springing into action. "I don't know anything!"
The anger and distress that had built up within Hope finally broke free. The lad unleashed it and a great wave of explosive energy bombarded the room. Squall pushed the doctor down behind a wall while paper, bedding and anything else that could burn started to smoulder.
As angry as he was Hope stopped and seeing his chance, he made for the now open door while Squall and Kadowaki were still trying to work out how he'd done it.
***
Once Squall had helped Kadowaki up, he made for the interface on the wall calling the bridge.
"Quistis."
"What the hell was that?" She asked before he could relay his orders.
"A long story." He rubbed the back of his neck, had the boy's Junction been so powerful as to rock the entire Balamb Garden? "Close down all sections apart from medical and send Irvine to the second level with non-lethal munitions."
"Understood."
He closed the channel and turned about to ask the doctor if she was fine but all he got was an unnerving glare.
"I thought you dampened his Junction."
"What do you think he was wearing on his wrist?" She stated angrily but Squall would have to build that bridge later. He sighed and unsheathing his Gunblade he ran from the infirmary easily catching up to the young boy who had only just made it out of the corridor into the main lobby. His bare feet padded the cold stone floors and the back of his infirmary shirt was open slightly exposing the small of his back.
He turned upon hearing Squall approach and the SeeD veteran strode with determination listening as Irvine's voice came in through his ear-piece.
"In position, Boss. I got a clear shot, want me to take it?"
"Not yet, he's scared and I think I have this very wrong."
"Stay back!" The boy demanded and Squall slowed, placing his left hand out in a 'easy' gesture.
"I just want to talk."
"You mean like before!?" Hope squeaked looking angry again. "I told you I don't have the answers you want, I don't know what's going on here, I don't even know where I am!"
"I know." Squall seemed to catch him by surprise as Hopes stance became less aggressive. "Your Junction-"
"What's Junction?!" The teen shouted again, frustrated from not being able to understand and Squall realised then they were indeed dealing with someone out of the ordinary, but not necessarily bad.
"It's. . .energy from the world. It's siphoned from living things and used in battle." He explained and Hopes eyes narrowed shaking his head.
"I don't understand. . ." He started to slowly edge his way down the steps further from Squall and once again Irvine's voice came into his earpiece.
"Want me to take the shot if he bolts?" Squall nodded once knowing Irvine would have seen that clearly.
"Hope, that's your name right?" A nod. "And you're from Palumpolum." Another nod. "I wasn't lying when I said I haven't heard of it, and you found that hard to believe." He took a small step closer and placed his weapon down on the floor. "I don't know who you are, where you're from or how you came to be here and I know you don't understand the connection you have to these attacks, but I can see now, you're not a bad person." He took another step closer as Hope looked away, frozen to the spot now and looking less likely to bolt. "What I do know, is everything happens for a reason, even the bad stuff."
Hope's eyes widened, big and green and full of uncertainty. His body seemed to shake as he struggled to keep his emotions in check, for all his bravado, he was still just a kid and tears came tumbling from his eyes. He doubled over, a hand covering his mouth before he sank to the ground slowly, sitting on the steps and Squall hurried over. He had a reputation to think of but there was no way he could ignore Hopes misery and he sat down on the steps and put a hand on the kids shoulder.
"It'll be okay, kid." He felt Hope shudder and shake as sobs wracked his body.
"Man, I wish I had a camera instead of a rifle." Squall ignored the smile in Irvine's voice and gave Hopes shoulder a little squeeze. "You're a real soft-boiled egg, Boss."