Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Lost and Found ❯ Timber and Cooking Lessons ( Chapter 2 )

I know, I know. I was a little off on Quistis's age in the last chapter. She was 18 in the game, so lets pretend that she turned 19 somewhere in the middle of the game, and now a year later, she's 20 and will be turning 21 in about 5 months. Bear with me people, there are some details in the game that I forgot. I really don't feel like playing the game for the 3rd time just to get some dumb facts straight. NE ways, on with the goodness.

Getting prepared for this mission was something that Quistis had to work on. Since the mission required her to do some major traveling, she decided to pack light, taking only her Save the Queen and some plain traveling clothes. Whatever else she needed she would buy along the way. She also didn't want the hassle of friends asking questions or the "Trepies" trying to throw her a farewell party, so she left for Balamb the day after she received the mission before word could get out.

As for where to get started, she really didn't know. Seifer's last known location was in Balamb almost a year ago, so her first instinct was to look up train passenger records around that time. It took her 3 days of research in the public library but she found it. Seifer, Fujin, and Raijin were all listed as passengers headed for Timber almost one year ago. Quistis quickly took the next train to Timber for any further information.

When she got there, she couldn't find any evidence on record that Seifer had taken public transportation out of Timber, so he was either still there (which Qusitis highly doubted), or he left by other means. Looks like good old-fashioned investigation was needed. She began by making inquiries at pubs and inns, but unfortunately no one seemed to remember the group from over a year ago. She was about to just leave the town when she remembered that Seifer was slightly involved with the Forest Owls underground freedom fighters. Maybe they might know something?

She remembered from her last visit to Timber that there was a woman, who lived next to Timber Magazines, who helped out during Squall's mission to liberate Timber. She quickly found the woman's house and knocked on the door for some one to answer. The door opened, revealing a friendly looking woman in her early 40's that looked very familiar.

"Can I help you, dear?" asked the woman.

"Yes," started Quistis, "I don't know if you remember me, but over a year ago, you helped me and my friends hide from the Galabain Army after President Dueling was attacked after his T.V. broadcast."

The woman's face lit up as she recalled the incident. "Oh, yea! You were one of those mercenaries that Rinoa hired to kidnap that scumbag! Come on in!" The woman opened the door wider for Quistis to enter the homely kitchen. The woman quickly poured two bowls of stew that was already on the stove and laid them on the table next to a loaf of fresh homemade bread.

"Please, sit down. You came all this way from Balamb, you might as well stay for lunch."

Quistis' mouth watered at the delicious aroma of the stew. She was too hungry to be modestly polite. "Thank you." She replied, and sat down in front of a steaming bowl.

"Dig in." said the woman as she began to slice the bread. "I'm sorry, but I don't recall your name exactly. Quin, is it?"

"Quistis." She corrected. "I'm not exactly here for a social call. I'm on a mission."

"Well, Timber was liberated over a year ago, so that can't be the reason why you're here, now is it?"

Quistis had to smile at the woman's good nature. "No, you're right." she replied. "Do you remember a certain blond man in a trench coat who attacked the president while we where here? I'm looking for him."

"You mean that Angel sent from heaven. Yea, I remember him. The people of Timber silently turned him into a hero after what he did. No one else had the guts to ever openly attack President Asshole like that. I was told he was executed for that, but I guess he escaped because I remember seeing him with two other people maybe somewhere around this time last year.

"You did? What was he doing? Did you see him talking to other people?" Quistis quickly asked.

"Calm down, calm down. There's no rush." Replied the woman. "Your bowl is empty, would you like some more stew?"

Quistis stifled a groan. "Please ma'me, I really need to know."

"All right, but not until you have another bowl of stew. Goodness, you look like a stick."

Quistis had to admit that she had lost a lot of weight during this last year. She smiled at the concern this woman was giving her. "Alright, you don't have to ask me twice. That honestly, is the best tasting stew I've ever had."

"I'm glad you like it. I'll right down the recipe before you leave."

Quistis shifted nervously in her chair. "I…don't know how to cook. I don't believe I've ever came within 5 feet of a real stove before."

"Really?" the woman asked in disbelief. "Then you'll have to stay the night and let me teach you. It's getting late anyways, and I sure do miss the company after my boys enrolled at the Galabain Garden."

Quistis was reluctant to accept the offer, but she did remember that the only reason why she accepted this mission was to explore and see new possibilities. If she were to go out on her own, cooking was a must. Seifer can wait.

"All right. I guess I'm not in that big of a rush." She replied.

"Good! It's settled then. Be prepared to learn about the best cooking techniques you'll come across on this side of Gaia. Oh and by the way, call me Daisy."

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That night, Quistis received her first taste (literally) of cooking 101 with her new instructor. They went over simple meals such as soups and stir-fry until 1 in the morning. The delicious aromas that emitted from the house drew many homeless people from the back ally behind the house. The two women were enjoying themselves so much that they let anyone who came to the door have heaping portions of their creations. Quistis liked cooking and the Daisy's company so she agreed to stay another day to learn more while she conducted her investigations.

Quistis woke up in the spare bedroom after getting some of the best sleep that she's had for a over a year. She swore that she has never felt this refreshed in her entire life. She would have preferred to lie in bed for a while longer but the smell of pancakes and bacon soon roused her. She quickly dressed and creped downstairs to the kitchen to witness Daisy whipping up pancake batter and frying bacon and eggs on the stove.

"Oh good, you're up! You're just in time to learn how to make buttermilk pancakes from scratch. But while you're down here, can you watch the bacon?"

Quistis manned the stove while Daisy went on about how to make the best pancakes. Quistis kept looking over her shoulder to see how Daisy was doing it. Then Daisy shooed her to the side and poured the batter in a skillet and let it sit for a minute. Just when the sides were getting brown, Daisy would toss the pancake in the air to flip it over, revealing a perfectly golden-brown side of the pancake.

"Now, you try your hand at pancakes while I ask a friend over for breakfast."

While Daisy was out, Quistis managed to make 5 replicas of the first perfect pancake that Daisy had made. "I'm starting to get good at this cooking thing." She happily thought. Then again, Quistis was a fast learner. Her days as a child prodigy at Balamb Garden proved that.

Just when Quistis had ran out of batter, Daisy returned with a boy about her age that looked slightly familiar.

"Quistis, this is Watts. I think he might help you find your friend."

"Oh yea! I remember you. You were with those guys that Rinoa hired. I don't know what we would have done without your help."

Quistis just smiled politely. She just about to ask him if he knew Seifer, when Daisy interrupted her.

"You'll have all the time to question when we go to the market to shop for lunch. I need to teach you all the in's and out's of market shopping."

Watts gulped. "Daisy, you saying I have to go shopping with you?" he whined.

"You will if you want my lasagna with strawberry turnovers tonight!" She replied.

"Well in that case, I'll be happy to help!" he said, quickly changing his tune.

After breakfast, the trio left for the market. On the way there, Quistis asked Watts if he's seen Seifer, and where he was headed.

"Well, sir" he started, "He used to Rinoa's boyfriend, so I've seen him before. He hung out with us one summer, while those two were dating. I haven't seen him for a while until after that entire sorceress business was over with. About a year ago he just showed up out of the blue with this guy who kept saying "ya know" after every 5 words and this weird looking chick who didn't say more than one word at a time. Any ways, all he wanted to know is if we could hook him up with some train tickets to Fishermen's Horizon under a different ID."

"So that's why I couldn't find him." She thought. "Why did he want to travel under a different ID?"

"Dunno, sir." He replied. "Said something about being followed."

"Wonder who could be following him?" she asked no one unparticular.

"Beats me, sir. Personally, I wouldn't want to be near the guy if I could help it. He's kinda pushy. Anyway, when me and Zone got him the tickets, he just took off. Didn't even say `thank you'."

"Great!" She thought "Looks like I might be able to find him after all. But I can't imagine Seifer at Fishermen's Harbor though. He's rather rowdy, and the people there don't tolerate such behavior. Hopefully I'll find more info when I get there."

For the rest of the day, Quistis, Daisy, and a reluctant Watts spent time at the market with Daisy giving pointers on what to look for in fresh produce for the best tasting meals. After that, it was back to the kitchen at Daisy's to make a scrumptious meal of lasagna with fresh garlic bread, and strawberry turnover, just as she promised Watts for his help.

The next morning, (after a hearty breakfast all made by Quistis) Quistis was about to take off towards FH, but Daisy came out and stopped her.

"Here dear, I made this for you last night." She said handing Quistis a book. "I wrote down just about every good recipe I know so that you won't forget."

Quistis was truly touched Daisy's kindness. This woman knew her for only a few days, and here she was giving her a place to stay, lessons on cooking, and even gave her a cookbook. She suddenly saw Daisy as a sort of a mother figure.

"Thanks, Daisy." She said stifling a tear, "I promise to come back and make you dinner some time."

"I'll be waiting dear." She replied. Daisy gave Quistis a quick hug and said her farewells.

Does anyone want to beta read for me? E-mail me and let me know.