When Laguna asked Raine about going to the fair just outside of Winhill, she immediately refused. It was dangerous to travel there. Their children were much too small, in her opinion. And it was impractical. Close the pub on a Saturday night to wait in line for rides and eat fried food? There was no need for that—they could have fun at home.

But then their adopted daughter, Ellone, came home from school with stories she heard from other children about the wonders they had seen and the prizes they had won. Laguna did nothing to quell this excitement, of course. And together Ellone and Laguna conspired against her and got even her youngest invested in the idea.

"Mommy?" Her four-year-old looked up at her as he pulled on the hem of her sweater, "Can we go?"

And that was it. Raine was completely outvoted.

The next evening, just as the sun was beginning its descent, the Loire-Leonhart family stood on the outskirts of their small village. Even from across the plains, they could already hear the big band music and see the small Ferris wheel that had been transported all the way from Deling City. An event like this had never been accessible from Winhill—but the Sorceress War was over, Sorceress Adel had disappeared, and the threatening nation of Esthar had seemingly evaporated into the mist. Life could continue again, albeit without radio signals. And that return to normalcy was worth celebrating.

"I wanna ride on Uncle Laguna's shoulders!" Ellone said, throwing up her hands in the direction of Laguna.

"Elle, don't you think you're a little too old for that? You're gonna be my height soon!"

"That's not true!" She replied in consternation. Ellone huffed, folded her arms, and frowned.

Laguna was helpless against the demands of his family. He lowered himself to his children's level.

"Alright well… Let's make sure Squall doesn't want a ride first, 'Kay?"

Laguna and Ellone both looked toward the mousy little boy. Squall, a meek and timid child, backed away from Laguna at the proposal. He tightened his grip on Raine's hand and hid behind her legs. Squall shook his head rapidly.

Raine put her hand comfortingly on her son's head and met Laguna's eyes with her own. They shared knowing glances. Their son was so shy sometimes it concerned them both.

"Guess it's my turn!" Ellone said as she threw herself onto Laguna's shoulders.

Laguna groaned as he stood.

"Maybe I'm the one getting too old for this…"

By the time they made it inside the fair, the neon lights of the rides were challenging the darkness of the sky. Steam billowed from colorfully adorned tents, and the smell of popcorn filled the air. Perhaps they could have heard it popping too, if not for the voices on megaphones inviting everyone in a half-mile radius to try their hand at a balloon-popping game. Raine and Laguna were surprised to see so many people there. Winhill, after all, was just a small village isolated from the rest of the continent of Galbadia by mountains. People must have traveled from other nearby towns, or even Fisherman's Horizon.

The family wandered around the grounds. Laguna won Ellone a stuffed Mog from a water gun game. Then they went on the swings, and the two of them screamed in excitement as they passed over where Raine and Squall were standing. Raine played whack-a-worm with Ellone and let Ellone win. After, Raine offered Squall the mallet.

The boy pushed it away and clung onto Ellone's mog doll instead.

As they were all waiting in line for cotton candy, Raine spoke to Laguna under her breath.

"This is all a little overwhelming for him. I think I should take him home."

Laguna was about to protest when the parents heard a tiny gasp. They turned and were terrified to watch little Squall drop the Mog and run off.

"Squall come back!" Ellone shouted and went after him.

Raine and Laguna quickly followed.

Squall did not go far, only crossing the aisle, and went into a large tent. When Raine saw the sign outside the makeshift building, she smiled knowingly. Of course he'd want to see this.

The family walked in to see Squall standing a few paces away from a large metal cage. The boy was comically small in comparison to the animal he was staring at with wonder.

"What is it Squall?" Raine crouched next to him, already knowing the answer to her question.

Squall's arm confidently extended as he pointed at the sleeping figure in the enclosure.

"Lion!" He proudly exclaimed.

"Lion? Aren't those things extinct?" Laguna said. He scratched the back of his head in confusion.

"Nope, there's a couple in captivity!" Ellone responded precociously. "That's what Squally's lion book says."

"I've had to read that thing to him every night for weeks," Raine shook her head but smiled. "Squall, what are lion's a symbol of?"

Squall turned. His eyes were wide. His grin stretched ear-to-ear as he threw his hands up and announced, "Strength and pride!"

The boy laughed and looked back at his favorite animal. He seemed to be vibrating with excitement.

Ellone sidled next to her brother and started asking him questions, to which he knew every answer. Raine and Laguna stood together, Laguna placing a hand on the small of his wife's back. She leaned into him.

"So do I win Raine points for taking them here?"

Raine laughed but didn't deny it.

The parents basked in the moment for a little longer. But Laguna saw an opportunity to connect with his son and decided to take it.

"Hey Squall!" Laguna said.

Squall looked up at his father with curiosity instead of his usual apprehension.

Then, Laguna asked, "Do you wanna be a lion when you grow up?"

Squall looked back at the lion and bit his lip. After a moment of consideration, he nodded his head happily.

"Hmm… Then you're going to need some lion training!"

At this, Squall looked very confused. He tilted his head as he looked at Laguna again.

"Training?"

"Yup!" Laguna said dramatically. "First off, you gotta be super brave. Lions protect each other, ya know?"

Squall was gazing at Laguna with fascination and reverence, as if he was taking notes on the ultimate guide to being a lion. Raine was trying hard to stifle her laughter.

"Then, you gotta get all big!" Laguna stood up straight and raised his arms in a wide 'v' over his head. "Come on, get big!"

Ellone decided she was going to help Laguna out with the training. She stood beside her brother and copied Laguna's movements.

She looked over to her brother and said, "Big!"

Squall finally understood and assumed the same position.

"Good job! Now, you gotta make your hands into claws! Yeah, yeah, you guys got it! One last thing… Gimme a big ol' ROAR!"

Ellone roared. Laguna roared. Even Raine roared. Squall looked around the room. He was scared, but he had to be a lion!

"Rrrroar?"

"Louder! And with confidence!"

"Rrrroar!"

"Like you really mean it, be a lion!"

"ROAR ROAR ROAR!"

Now both Squall and Ellone were "roaring" repeatedly. Laguna laughed, and then pretended to be afraid.

"WHO LET ALL THESE LIONS OUT?!"

Laguna ran from the kids, and Ellone immediately caught on to what the game was.

"Let's get em'!"

The two children chased Laguna around the tent until he eventually went through the exit. He quickly hid to the side of the entry way and snickered as his little lions came out, did not see him, and searched for him in the crowd.

Laguna was about to jump out and reveal his position when a flash in his peripheral vision drew his attention. A few dozen feet away, a crowd was forming around a man on a unicycle who was blowing fire from a bagpipe.

Huh, don't see that everyday...

It was less than three seconds that he looked away. But that was all it took. He looked back at the spot where Squall and Ellone had been standing. They were gone.

In their place was an annoyed-looking Raine instead.

"Laguna… where did they go?"

And then his leg cramped.

Ellone squeezed Squall's hand tight when they arrived at a break in the crowd. It was beginning to dawn on her that they had run further than Laguna would have gone in this silly little game. Now she had no idea where she and Squall were and was too turned around to know where they had come from.

"Sis? Where's Dad?"

Ellone was very mature for her age, having been in many dangerous situations in her life already. And if she knew one thing, it was that Laguna would find her. She just had to keep calm and get her and her brother somewhere safe.

"This way, probably!" Ellone said with as much confidence as she could muster.

Pulling Squall along, she led them to a small row of tents in a quiet corner. She could see the temporary fence that went around the perimeter of the fairgrounds and figured being close to that may make them easier to find.

However, the tents in this corner were sparsely occupied and seedy, to say the least. One was selling alcohol, another weapons. Only one tent in this area struck Ellone as a possible safe space.

The large tent was sturdier than the rest. It could have been a permanent structure. Instead of the PVC tubing erecting some sort of plastic awning, this small building had wooden columns. A heavy crushed velvet fabric draped over its gazebo-like roof and then was staked into the ground. All over this purple tent were golden tassels and iridescent beading that waterfalled over the entryway. Past the beads, Ellone could see more colors and cushions and a gentle light. This place was more welcoming than anything else nearby. They could wait here.

"Okay Squall. We have a special mission. Laguna is gonna come get us here, we just have to wait, alright?"

Squall's blue-gray eyes became wide with fear. He looked as though he was about to cry. He tried to slip from Ellone's grip.

"Shhh, shhhh, it's okay! It's just a big game of hide and seek! And remember: lions are brave!"

He swallowed hard and rung his hands. He was still terrified. But he trusted his big sister Elle, so he would try to be courageous anyway.

Ellone passed through the beads first and then lifted a few strings so Squall could come in behind her. The building looked bigger on the inside. The space was relatively narrow, but long. Every inch of the floor was covered by intricate rugs and an assortment of vibrant pillows. Tapestries were affixed to the "walls" (for as much fabric could be walls), and a blue paper lantern hung down from the ceiling. The only other light was candles.

In the center of the space was a low table that took up almost the width of the tent. There was a large arrangement of candles in the center. And beyond that, at the back of the tent was a tall woman in a simple black shift, but an extravagant beaded headdress. She was facing away from them.

To Squall's left there was a loud squawk. A white blur passed close to Squall's head, making him wince and shriek. The large parrot flew to a perch near the woman. The commotion got her to turn around.

Her makeup was heavy and dramatic. It was designed to sharpen her features and highlight her eyes—her gold eyes, that shimmered in the candlelight. She studied the children carefully before smiling.

"Are you children lost?"

Ellone reached over and grabbed Squall's hand. She could see he was trembling in fear.

"We are waiting for our parents."

"Well… You both have very interesting auras. You are welcome to wait here," she said as she gestured to the table.

Ellone nodded and tried to move Squall forward, but he seemed glued to the ground.

"Squall, come on, let's sit down!"

He shook his head.

The tall woman spoke again, "What's the matter, child?"

"Are you a sorceress!?" Squall blurted out.

"What? Oh no, child," the woman laughed. "I am a simple fortune-teller. These are only contacts in my eyes."

Eventually, Ellone was able to coax Squall to take a seat at the table. The woman gave them each a cup of tea. Then, she took a seat.

"Well then," she said, "They call me Monarch. What can I call you, young travelers?"

Ellone hesitated but ultimately decided to answer. "I'm Ellone. And this is Squall."

"Ellone…" Monarch said wistfully. She had picked up a deck of cards and had begun to shuffle them. "Your name means you are loved by a higher power. You must be very gifted."

Ellone perked up in curiosity.

"And Squall. What a name… It evokes turbulence. Storms. An unanswered cry," Monarch was staring at Squall, who, at four, had no idea what any of that meant. "But squalls are also unexpected, and strong, a bringer of rain or snow… Hmmm."

For a few moments, Monarch seemed to be lost in thought as she continued to shuffle.

Squall caught sight of the cards, and he tilted his head, intrigued.

"Is that Triple Triad? Squall loves Triple Triad. Well… He doesn't really get it yet, but he loves watching people play."

Monarch beamed. "Yes, those Triple Triad cards were based off these, but these are older, and used to see the future, interpret the present, and understand the past."

She glanced at each child in turn.

"Would you like a reading?"

Ellone practically jumped onto the table. "I do!"

Ellone knew that Monarch was a stranger. But she was also fascinating. And did she know about Ellone's gift? Ellone was so curious. She had to know more.

Monarch laughed, "Very good."

The woman placed the deck in front of Ellone.

"Now, break this deck into as many piles as you want."

Ellone carefully arranged five separate piles. She proudly sat back when she finished.

"Now stack those piles back into a singular deck. Focus on your desire to learn as you do so. Let the energy guide you as you select the order."

The young girl closed her eyes and put each pile on top of the other until they were one stack again.

Monarch picked up the deck and then fanned out the cards across the table.

"I want you to choose nine cards for me. The first three will represent your past. The second three will be about your present. And the future will be foretold in the final three. Focus as you choose. The cards will reveal themselves to you."

Ellone furrowed her brow in concentration and reached out for her first card. She saw one that looked like it was "sticking out" of the fan. She gave it to Monarch.

As she went to reach for her second card, Squall's hand came forward. Gently, Monarch pushed him away.

"I'm sorry, my child, but this is your sister's reading. You can pick cards in your reading if you so choose to have one," Monarch advised.

Squall shrunk back onto his cushion, looking defeated.

When Ellone pulled her ninth card she threw her hands up in victory.

"Let's see what I got!"

Monarch arranged the first three cards in the top row of the spread. The faces of the cards were monsters, just like they were in Triple Triad, but the art style was more whimsical and imaginative. And there were monsters that Squall and Ellone didn't recognize. There was writing on the cards, but it was in another language.

"Let's see… your past. You had a great loss, one that shifted your whole world. You have some sort of fortune, or gift, that is coveted by others, and it brings danger to your life… But it appears you had a great victory as well."

Ellone looked on silently as Monarch flipped the next cards that would look at the present. She laid them below the past cards.

"In your present Ellone, there is a young man in your life that brings you joy. Perhaps a friend, or your brother?"

Ellone looked at Squall lovingly. Squall, however, was staring intently at the cards.

"You are very capable, and smart, and trusting, but not in a naïve way, but in a way that gives you a great capacity to care. You are safe and loved."

Monarch smirked at Ellone.

"Are you ready for the future?"

Ellone nodded slowly.

Monarch laid out the cards, putting the future in the final row. The three-by-three spread mimicked a Triple Triad board. She raised her eyebrows as she observed what the future held.

"Oh my, what an interesting future you have," Monarch said. "You will be embarking on a great journey. You will never be in one place long, and you will travel the world. Many people will come to depend on you, look up to you. And something you do will be of great importance… to the world."

Ellone gasped and danced a little in her seat.

"That is so cool! I can't wait!" Ellone stood and twirled. Then she looked at her brother, "We gotta find out if you are coming, too!"

Squall got small in his seat and shook his head.

"Come now, there is nothing to be afraid of, Squall," Monarch said in a warm voice. "The future is never fixed. There is always a chance to change it."

Squall shook his head again, but he straightened slightly. His conviction was fading.

Suddenly, the bird from earlier took off from its perch and landed on Monarch's shoulders.

"Ah, this is a good omen!" Monarch exclaimed. "Angelica only joins me for my most powerful readings!"

"You GOTTA do it now! The bird said so! What if you're gonna be, like, a hero? Or a knight? Maybe a lion?"

Shyly, in a small voice, Squall finally said, "Okay."

"Excellent!"

Monarch shuffled the cards and started going through the steps with Squall. When it came to the piles, he separated one, thought about it hard, and then separated another, worried he hadn't made enough. He did this until he had eight piles.

It took him a few extra moments to arrange them back into one pile as he straightened the stack each time.

Then Monarch fanned the cards out for Squall. He didn't understand what cards he was supposed to pick, so he closed his eyes and chose cards at random. When it came to the ninth card, he almost picked one near the center of the fan, but Angelica squawked again, making Squall flinch. She flapped her wings rapidly for a moment, and a single feather drifted down and landed on a card at the right end of the spread.

"I believe the universe is pointing you toward that card," Monarch offered.

Squall fixed his gaze on that card. Slowly, he picked it up and handed it to Monarch.

"Okay Squall, it's time to begin," she looked at him with a gentleness in her features.

But, as she drew the first three cards, her smile dropped.

"Huh, I, uhhh… Let me complete the spread before reading, okay?"

She drew the present cards.

Monarch spoke in a low voice to herself, "How are they all reversed? This… this is so strange."

Monarch hesitated before flipping the last three.

"What does it say?" Ellone demanded. She could see Squall starting to get upset.

Monarch did not answer, but mumbled something, and flipped card seven. She gasped.

"Oh, no, no, no…" Monarch reached up and took her head piece off, so she could put her hands in her hair.

She flipped card eight.

Barely above a whisper, she murmured, "… I can't be reading this right."

"You're scaring him!" Ellone shouted.

Squall was now beginning to cry.

Then Monarch flipped card nine – the card with the feather – and the face of the card wasn't even visible. There was a large ink blot where the illustration should have been. Monarch yelped when she saw it.

Angelica was now flying in circles around the tent, clearly agitated. Ellone kept yelling for an answer as she comforted a crying Squall. But the fortune teller was so wrapped in what she had divined that she could not respond.

Monarch jolted to her feet. She grabbed Squall's mug of tea and looked at the bottom.

"Hyne, what? …What does it mean?"

She put the cup down and frantically crossed the tent, pulling out books. She opened them and looked for references, something to put things into order.

Ellone was ready to leave, this was no longer a safe space. She wrapped her arm over Squall's shoulder and started to shepherd him toward the exit. As they passed in front of a harried Monarch, she reached out and grabbed Squall's hand and stared at his palm.

Squall was now screaming. He was not a kid who liked to be touched even in the best of circumstances, and this was far from the best of circumstances.

"Let go!" Ellone rushed forward to defend her brother and started punching Monarch's arm.

"Everything is wrong. You can't be here. This is not where you are supposed to be! Doom. You are in danger, the world is in danger! Chaos. Chaos!"

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Ellone cried out as she tried to pull this unhinged woman off her poor brother.

"You can't change the past… you can't change the past…"

Laguna and Raine rushed in at that moment. Raine went to Squall's side and finally pulled him from Monarch's grasp.

"You are in danger! You are in danger!"

Monarch continued to shout as Laguna and Raine carried their distressed children from the tent.