Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Storm Front ❯ Chapter 6

Springtime in Winhill.I paused for a moment in my exhausting task of cleaning the pub from top to bottom to bask in the early April sunshine.The first, faintest blush of green was staining the trees, and the breeze held a promise of warmth despite the spring chill.It had taken weeks, but Laguna's fort had melted along with the rest of winter, to Ellone's dismay.Still, there had been some marathon snowball fights out there while the cold weather lasted and the monsters stayed away.

Laguna was living next door to me in Ellone's old house.We had both worked to make it livable again, and Laguna didn't mention the bullet holes in the walls.It had been a sad day for Ellone when he moved next door, despite my constant assurance that her Uncle Laguna was close by.

"But why?" she'd asked, tears brimming in big brown eyes."Why does he have to go away?I want Uncle Laguna to stay."

It is almost impossible to explain the concept of "It's inappropriate" to a young child, so I had tried to put it in terms she would understand."Uncle Laguna's all better now," I told her."He can't stay in the house with us because he and I aren't married, and so it's against the rules."

"Rules are stupid," Ellone sniffled.She thought that over, and with her next sentence, I realized that I'd unwittingly given her too much ammunition."Then Uncle Laguna and Raine should get married.That way, we can all be together, all the time, like before."

"I'm not going to marry Uncle Laguna, Ellone," I said firmly.

"Why?"

"You marry someone because you love them very much and you want to be with them for the rest of your life," I said, gently comforting her.

"Don't you love Uncle Laguna?" Ellone looked stricken."I love him very much!Can I marry him?"

I had to smile."I think marriage is for grown-ups."

"How soon will I be grown up?"

"Soon enough, sweetie," I sighed, "Soon enough."

Ellone gradually got used to Laguna living next door.He still put her to sleep at night when she was being fussy, and since Laguna couldn't cook worth a damn, he took meals with us as well.That was the other change - Laguna was working for what he was eating, same as anyone else.Monster Hunter of Winhill, he called himself, and he took his "job" very seriously, even to the point of behaving like he was in the military.

I checked my watch.He ought to be coming back from "first patrol" soon, and he'd be hungry.I picked up the rugs I had been shaking out and went back inside.It wouldn't take too long to make up a plate of sandwiches.

"Where's Uncle Laguna?"Ellone bounced down the stairs.

"He's out hunting Buchubuchus and Bunbuns, Elle, you know that," I replied."It's almost time for lunch.He'll be here soon."

"I'm the Assistant Commander," she informed me, jutting her chin into the air."Uncle Laguna makes a report just for me.He gets those bugs so they can't bother me no more."

"Any more, Elle," I said, correcting her.All the time Elle had spent with Laguna had degraded her language habits.I'd questioned him once about how he was going to be a respected writer if he couldn't speak properly, but Laguna dismissed such a silly notion.

"It doesn't matter, 'cause I write from the heart!They'll know what I'm saying," he'd said, and that was the end of that.I still corrected both of them, and told Laguna on no uncertain terms that I did not want Ellone picking up his speech habits.It didn't help; Ellone and Laguna just snickered about getting in trouble with Raine and did what they wanted.

"Raine?Can I go see if Laguna's back?At my house?" Ellone asked."Please?"

"No," I replied."You know you're not supposed to go out alone.Even your Uncle Laguna insists on that.There are too many monsters out there.If Laguna's back, he's resting, and you shouldn't wake him up.He'll be back soon."

As if on cue, heavy bootsteps sounded on the stairs outside and Laguna burst inside.He looked a little battered today, but not really the worse for wear."I'm back!" he announced.

Ellone squeaked with delight and scooted over to Laguna.She pulled herself up in a mock-military posture and said, "Report to the Commander!"

Laguna gave me a saucy grin and I sighed in exasperation.Why he insisted on behaving like he was still in the service was beyond me."Here's my report on today's patrol and monster extermination!Including Buchubuchus and Bunbuns that Assistant Commander Ellone oh-so-hates...I've exterminated ten monsters!"

"At ease, soldier," I said, dryly."Good job.Sit down, lunch is ready.By the way, a package arrived for you from the army - I think it's your things."

Laguna was already tearing into the plate of food."Really?" he said around a mouthful of ham and cheese."That was fast."

"Don't talk with your mouth full." I sat down and picked up half a sandwich for myself.

"Yeah, don't talk with your mouth full," Ellone parroted, her own mouth full of peanut butter and jelly.Laguna snickered and so did Elle.

"Stop it, both of you, and behave like civilized people." I admonished."Honestly."

Lunch was over quickly.Laguna told us all about his monster extermination for the day.Ellone never got tired of the same story with the same embellishments - Laguna couldn't have asked for a better audience.I busied myself with the dishes.

"Where's the package, Raine?"Laguna appeared at the entrance of the kitchen.

"I think it's under the bar," I said, hanging up my dishtowel."I'll get it for you."

The package, wrapped in brown paper, wasn't much more than an armload.Laguna put the box down on one of the tables and unwrapped it.

"Hey!My old jacket!" he exclaimed, pulling out a short blue coat with a high collar.Laguna immediately slipped it on, grinning."I feel like myself again!Glad it still fits."He dipped back into the box and started piling things on the table.

"Whoa, whoa!" I said, interrupting him."Why don't you take those next door instead of making a mess in here?"A picture on the table caught my eye and I picked it up."Who are these people?"

"…Oh."Laguna suddenly looked sad and lost, and it was such a change from his normal self that I was shocked."They're Kiros and Ward.My best pals." He took the picture away from me and put it in the box."I'm gonna bring these next door.Sorry for the mess."Head down, he hurried outside.

"What's the matter with Uncle Laguna?" Ellone asked.

"I think he misses his friends, sweetie," I said, picking her up.She leaned her head against my shoulder.

"Can we find his friends for him?"

I didn't want to tell her that they might be dead.Laguna had spoken about the enigmatic Kiros and Ward numerous times, but when it came to questions about where they were now, Laguna either turned evasive or changed the subject.It was a long time before Laguna told me that the last place he'd been was Centra, which made sense because it wasn't too far from Winhill.It was my hunch that he had made it out on a boat somehow and was washed up to shore near the town, still wounded from his escape.

"I don't know, Elle," I replied."I think they're far away."Changing the subject, I asked Ellone, "Would you like to play outside for a while?I'll go outside with you."It was a nice day, and we could all use some fresh air.

"Yaaay!" she cheered."Outside!"Ellone ran to get her toys, and I went for a lawn chair, my radio, and a book.We went outside, and I set up the chair while Ellone fished out her skipping rope.The batteries in the radio were still good, and I snapped it on as Ellone counted jumps in the background.

The announcer's faintly staticky voice filtered through the speakers."And now, brought to you from Deling City Radio, frequency 104.5 on your radio dial, the smash hit by Julia Heartilly… Eyes on Me!"

Oh for crying out loud…I buried my nose in the book but didn't change the station.This song always made me think of Laguna, and it was a reminder that although he was out of sight most of the time, he certainly wasn't out of mind.Out of my mind, that is.It was embarrassing that the annoying crush hadn't dissipated; rather, it had gotten worse.

I didn't understand it, not one bit.Laguna got on my nerves more than anyone else I knew, so why should he be the subject of any feelings from me besides irritation?Julia's voice, slightly tinny from the sound quality of the radio, spilled out onto the square."So let me come to you… Close as I wanted to be… Close enough for me… to feel your heart, beating fast…"I caught myself singing along, and crossly shut my mouth, trying to quell the images that came with the lyrics.Brief vague image of my hand on Laguna's chest, feeling the blood pulse under my fingers…

"I do not want to think that way, not at all," I muttered to myself, clenching my teeth."Not about him.Never."

"Hi, Raine!"I looked up, and there was Laguna in the doorway to his house.I nearly fell out of my chair in my rush to turn off the radio, my cheeks flushing.

"Laguna," I said, weakly."Are you off for another patrol?"

"Not right away, maybe," he said."What was on the radio?Are you okay?You look a little red."

"I do?I don't know why that would be," I lied.

Laguna gave me a funny look, but Ellone came running over to break the moment."Uncle Laguna!" she shouted, dropping her jump rope."Wanna go play?"

"Okay, okay," he laughed as she dragged him off by the hand.I breathed a sigh of relief and returned to my book.The sun shifted overhead, faintly warm, while Laguna and Ellone played; he was trying to teach her to play catch, very patiently, with her large rubber ball.She was starting to get the hang of the catching part, but the throwing was still eluding her.I lost track of their game as the book grew more absorbing.

"Raine?"Laguna's voice suddenly cut into my little world, and I yelped and dropped the book."Sorry," he said, grinning and rubbing the back of his head."Didn't mean to scare ya.Can I take Elle for a walk around Winhill?She wants to see where I go on patrol."

"May I," I said, feeling a little absentminded.Laguna rolled his eyes."Are you sure it's safe?There are a lot of monsters out there.If anything happened to Ellone…"

Ellone peeked over the arm of the chair."Uncle Laguna will always, always protect me and come to rescue me.He said so.Right?"

"Uncle Laguna sometimes comes back in bad shape from his patrols."I stood up and retrieved my book."I don't think it's such a good idea."

"So little faith in my abilities," Laguna said, sounding faintly wounded."You don't think I can protect Elle?"He unslung his gun from his back and brandished it in the air."Me 'n my girl here can take on anyone!Just put 'em in the crosshairs and… pow!"Laguna mimed shooting, alarming a passing rabbit.

"Point that thing somewhere else, would you please?"I crossly shoved the business end of the gun towards the middle of the square rather than at the pub."The answer is still no."

"You are no fun at all," Laguna sniffed."It's a gorgeous spring day and all you want to do is sit in front of the pub."

I folded my arms across my chest and glared at him."Why?Because I'm responsible?Because I worry about Ellone getting on the wrong side of a Bite Bug?Because, despite your cavalier air, you're not the master of the universe?Get over it, Laguna."

"Now, you're really no fun.Had to go and say the "R" word."Laguna yawned in pantomimed boredom and strapped his gun to his back again."Fine.I'm going off on patrol."

Ellone started to cry."Don't go, Uncle Laguna!Please!"She ran over and tugged at my pants leg."Can't we all go together?"

Laguna looked back at me sidelong over his shoulder."I think Raine would rather stay here than go exploring."

I could cheerfully have kicked him in the shins."Excuse me for being boring, hotshot."I folded up my chair and put it next to the door of the pub, leaving the book under it."So.Are we going?"

"You mean you will come?"Laguna looked pleased with himself.

"I know these hills better than you," I informed him."I've been over every inch of this town, from the river to the mountains.So don't give me any noise about not wanting to explore."

"What about all those monsters?"Laguna puffed up his chest, attempting to look like the Manly Savior."Guess I'll have to take care of both Ellone and you out there."

"Guess again," I retorted."I'll be right back."Under the bar was my old crossbow from a hoyden youth, when the other children and I would go hunting the less dangerous monsters around Winhill.I hadn't used it in quite some time, but respect for the weapon made me keep it in firing shape.I dragged it out, dusted it off, and scooped up a handful of quarrels to put in the attached quiver.

Laguna clapped his hands in delight when I came back out of the pub fully armed."The lady's dangerous!Where'd'ja get that thing?Let me see!"

"I've had it for a while," I said, cranking a bolt into place."Here."

Laguna delicately took the crossbow from me and sighted down the arrow."Nifty!I haven't seen something like this since training in boot camp.'Course most people were interested in the more modern weapons, or the gunblades even."He looked excited."Can I shoot it?"

"Mmmmm…." I thought about it.I didn't want to lose any quarrels; they weren't that easy to come by."…Maybe once.Would you be content to shoot a tin can off the fence?"

"Sounds okay to me."Laguna went back to inspecting the crossbow while I fished a can out of the recycling bin.I put it on the fence at the end of the square and motioned Ellone back behind Laguna's line of fire.

"Fire when ready," I said, holding onto Ellone's shoulders so she couldn't scoot away and into the wrong place."Do you think you can hit it?"

"Heck yes," Laguna said, scornfully."Thirty meters ain't much.I can shoot the wings off a fly at seventy."

"Isn't much," I corrected."Watch it; the bow has a kick."

He lifted the butt of the crossbow to his shoulder and lined up for the shot.The trigger clicked and the arrow sang, rocketing across the square to hit the tin can with a bang.The can fell off the fence and bounced down the slope beyond with the bolt still embedded in it.

"Awesome!" Laguna bounced up and down and raised the bow into the air."That was fun!"

"I hope we find that can," I said."May I have my crossbow back now?"

"Here," Laguna said, handing me the now-unloaded weapon."Thanks for letting me try it!"

"You're welcome."I took the wooden haft and loaded another quarrel."Let's go."

Laguna led us off towards the entrance to town, flanking Ellone on one side while I guarded the other.It was a very strange feeling to be comrades-in-arms with Laguna of all people, even if it was - in all likelihood - an isolated incident.I maintained a very wary watch while Laguna chatted us both up about his patrols.

"…And then I go up to the town entrance," he was saying, "Because if the streets aren't clear, then people can't go about their business.Just think, you're going down the street to go shopping, and a monster pounces on you!I'm here to make sure that stops happening."

Ellone wrinkled her nose at Laguna."Where else do you go, Uncle Laguna?I've been here before!"

Laguna pretended to be offended."You're BORED?"

Ellone stuck her tongue out at him."Show me somewhere else!"

"Raine?Can we go outside of town?" Laguna asked."I don't wanna disappoint Elle here."

I considered.This was going a bit far."Just out onto the hills," I said firmly."Then we're going home.There's a lot more than just Bite Bugs and Caterchipillers out here."

Laguna nodded agreement and our little party set out again."Stay close, Elle," Laguna said.We skirted a line of trees that bordered a meadow that was just beginning to show some green.

"Pretty," Ellone breathed, catching sight of a tiny stream running through the trees."And a waterfall!"Caught up in the moment, she broke away from us and started running.Something stirred in the trees, and I heard wings buzzing.

"Ellone!No!"Laguna yelled, grabbing his gun and running after her.Ellone saw the Bite Bugs swarming out of the little copse, and she screamed.I took off after Laguna, my heart in my mouth.If she gets hurt, I'm going to have his ass on a platter, I thought, furiously.Then again, Raine, you did follow him out on this trip, whispered my conscience.

Laguna had already reached Ellone, and he got between the blue insects and the little girl before they could attack her.They buzzed menacingly, and the leader of the troupe shot its sting at Laguna before he could fire.He staggered back, but quickly lifted the muzzle of the gun at the insect and peppered it with bullets.

I knelt at Ellone's side and looked her over anxiously.She seemed to be all right."Don't move, Elle," I said, shouldering my crossbow."Laguna and I are going to take these guys out."

Laguna had already dispatched one of the three insects.Raising my bow, I aimed at the leftmost bug of the two that remained and pulled the trigger.The arrow flew true and buried itself in the insect's abdomen.Its wings fluttered erratically and it fell to the ground, twitching.

"Great shot!" came from beside me, and there was Laguna, lining up for another attack on the remaining bug.Angry at the loss of its comrades, it buzzed in before he could fire and tried to bite him.

"Laguna!Look out!"I reversed my grip and slammed the butt of my crossbow into the body of the incoming bug, but not before it had dive-bombed Laguna and left a welt on his neck.Goddamn bug hurt him, I thought, viciously.End of the line for you.

I loaded another quarrel into my bow, but the bug wasn't done yet.It shot its sting into me before buzzing away, and as I pulled the stinger out, I started to feel sick.I slumped to my knees, head spinning.

"Raine!" Laguna was at my side instantly, picking me up off the ground.I was feeling too awful to be self-conscious about the gesture, and I leaned against his shoulder.I thought I heard him mutter something about stupid ideas and doomed bugs, and the sharp report of the gun cut into my hazy state.I watched the last Bite Bug fall into the grass and die, cut down by the bullets.

Laguna let me down onto the grass and pressed something into my hand."You gotta take an antidote, Raine.Take these, you'll feel better."I stared stupidly down at two white pastilles in my hand before slowly raising them to my mouth, chewing and swallowing.The awful sickness dissipated quickly, and my head stopped spinning."Did the antidote work?" he asked, anxious."This was such a damnfool idea, I should never have taken you guys out here… you coulda been hurt a lot worse."

"It's all right; I let you do it, after all."I brushed my hair back and tried to stand up."I have to go get my arrow."

Laguna sat me back down with a hand on my shoulder."I'll find it.Sit and rest, okay?"

It did feel better to be staying in one place on the grass."Thanks.But I think we should get out of here as soon as possible."

Laguna nodded and walked over to the carcasses of the three unlucky bugs.Ellone crawled out from behind the tree where she'd been hiding and snuggled up against me, still looking frightened.I patted her back, murmuring soothing nonsense."Uncle Laguna has to do this every day?" she said to me, rolling over in my lap."Who protects him when he goes out?"
"He takes care of himself, Elle," I said."Uncle Laguna was a soldier, remember?He's good at that."

"Then how come he got so hurt?" she asked."Maybe he needs someone to protect him sometimes."

"Maybe that's why Uncle Laguna misses his friends," I said.Laguna was finished with the Bite Bugs, and he was walking back over to us."Hush now, Elle."

"Found your arrow, Raine!" he called, holding it out.Laguna dropped down beside us, Indian-style."Look what else they dropped.Take a look."He held out a few chips of shimmering stone that caught the light, winking in the spring sunshine.

"What are they?"I didn't move to take them from him.

"Magic stone chips."Laguna stretched his legs out, lazily."Too bad the faeries aren't flying or I could do somethin' with 'em."

"Faeries?"Ellone scrambled up, her eyes wide."You know faeries?Are they little with glittery wings, like in my storybook?"I gave Laguna a strange look; if he believed in faeries, then he was even more spaced-out than I'd thought.

Laguna shrugged."I dunno.That's what Kiros, Ward and I called them, anyhow.Sometimes we'd get this big power surge outta nowhere, and for a couple days, we could call guardian forces out."

"Guardian forces?" I asked, astonished; they were half-legendary, and no one I knew had ever seen one, let alone used one."What's it like?Are you sure you had them?"

"Positive.But it never lasted long, too bad about that."Laguna shredded grass in his fingers."They could turn stuff like these chips into spells.Powerful magic, too."He leaned back on his hands and grinned at me."I bet you wish you'd had a couple cure spells when I came along."

I shrugged."I don't like magic and I don't ever want to use it," I said, trying to discourage any further talk about the subject."Magic cost us too much."

"What do you mean?" Laguna replied, puzzled.

"I don't want to talk about it."I stood up and took Ellone's hand."We're going home."

"Did I say something wrong?"Laguna gave me a piteous look.

"Just drop it, Laguna."I shouldered my crossbow."Maybe some other time."

We hiked back to town without incident.My thoughts were in turmoil, and I barely glanced at Laguna or Ellone on the way home; my head was full of bad memories of the night when Esthar had come for Ellone mixed in with memories of the loss of my parents.I'd never told Laguna Ellone's story in full, and he didn't know anything about my past.He didn't need to know, anyway.

The pub was closed for the evening because of spring cleaning, so I went back to scrubbing floors and dusting while Laguna went out on patrol.My mood hadn't lightened, and guilt over putting Ellone in danger by taking her too far outside the village just added to the black clouds.I'd let Laguna's comments get to me, and as a result, I'd been poisoned and Ellone had seen a Bunbun up close and personal.

Dinner was subdued and Ellone was cranky - overexcited and tired, no doubt.Laguna put her to bed while I cleaned up.When I was done, I sat down at the bar and stared into the stained glass windows, lost in thought.

Oh, what the heck.I pulled out a beer from the refrigerator and expertly removed the cap, taking a long drink of bitter brew.It tasted good and a little alcohol was the time-honored remedy for bad memories.

"Drinking alone?"Laguna startled me out of my reverie, plunking himself down across the bar from me.Wordlessly, I took another beer out of the fridge and slid it over to him, barely glancing in his direction."Timber microbrew," he mused, picking up the bottle."You have good taste."

"I serve enough beer here to be able to appreciate it."I twirled my bottle back and forth between my fingertips."You need a bottle opener?"

"Nah."Laguna took a key out of his pocket and knocked the cap off.Against my will, a smile twitched at the corners of my mouth.

"Not many people can pull that trick off," I said. "Had a lot of practice?"

"You could say that," Laguna replied, looking amused."Elle's asleep, by the way.I'm sorry about wanting to take her out.Seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Seems to be a recurrent theme with you."I drained my bottle and tossed it in with the other empties, then got another for myself.

Laguna gave a self-deprecating laugh and took another swig."I just want to make Elle happy.She must've had a tough start, losing her parents."

"Hmmm."I played with a lock of hair, not rising to the bait.

"So what happened to Elle's parents, anyway?You never told me."

"You never asked," I said with some asperity."Elle's special.Sometimes special people get the wrong kind of attention."

"Special how?" Laguna's gaze sharpened.

"You know Esthar?And Adel?"Laguna nodded."Adel's interested in Ellone.Let's put it that way.And you know from your own personal experience how ruthless Esthar soldiers are."

Laguna spoke slowly."So Esthar killed her parents… because Ellone is a sorceress, and Adel needs a successor."

"You got it."I put my beer down."Her parents were my friends.They died defending her.Elle was about two when it happened, and soon she'll be four… so I suppose it was about two years ago.I took her in afterwards."

"I heard rumors in the army about Adel," Laguna mused, leaning back in his chair and propping his heels up on the chair next to him."She's got the whole country wound up to do what she wants.We found one of their labs once, Kiros and Ward and me."

"Really."

"Yeah."Laguna put down his empty bottle."How about a refill?"I tossed him another beer, and he continued."They were excavating something called a Crystal Pillar out of the ground.Super-secret stuff, of course, so we had to go investigating."

"If it was so secret, how'd you find it?"

"Oh that… um.I brought the wrong map and we fell over it."Laguna looked sheepish.

"Why am I not surprised," I said, shaking my head."So what did you find?"

"A lot of Esthar soldiers," he said softly, eyes dimming."And a cliff."

"So that's where you came from," I mused, putting two and two together.Laguna had never spoken of that before, so it had to be the alcohol loosening his tongue.I decided not to press.

"I'll tell you one thing, though," Laguna continued, "Esthar's never gonna get their paws on Elle while I'm around."He jerked his thumb at his chest."They've done enough.I'll fight 'em to the last man before I'll let them hurt her.Or anyone else in this town!"His words were general, but his eyes were locked on me.I blushed a little and turned away.

"I think I've had enough for an evening," I said, sliding off my chair and tossing the second empty bottle away."Here - let me have yours too."Laguna handed me the two bottles.

"Thanks for the brew," he said, wiping his mouth off.I threw the bottles in the bin and was startled by a loud belch from behind me.

"Laguna!"I put my hands on my hips and glared at him."That was disgusting."

"Sorry.Can't help these things."He didn't look sorry.

"Go home, go on, get out of here," I said, shooing Laguna out the front door.

"Goodnight, Raine!" Laguna called back, ambling back to his house.

"Goodnight yourself," I returned, watching him from the front porch."Oh - one more thing?"He paused, turning his key in the lock."Good one," I called."Nice depth and resonance."

Laguna laughed and I shut the door.