Back from the Dead [Laguna]

Raine Loire was impressed with how Winhill had been doing. Ever since she had died and returned, Raine had been surprised that Winhill still appeared to be the same. There was just one difference. A difference that had taken place a long time ago during the time when she had been alive. Laguna had exterminated the monsters that used to invade Winhill. Even through the years that had been spent, the monsters still remained outside of Winhill. She had seen a couple of men adorned in some sort of strange attire.  They looked like some sort of military faction of some sort, maybe mercenaries?  There were only two of them though.  Raine had caught them a few times slacking off while on the job.  She was quick to let them know about it too whenever she did.  At the very sight of her, they would spring into action or run off. They had learned quick enough that Raine wasn't someone to be contended with.

Those that had once known Raine had been rather surprised.  It looked as though they were seeing a ghost.  It was a reaction she had been expecting.  After all, it wasn't every day that people who died suddenly walk the land in the living and breathing flesh once more.  Some people had even fainted when they saw Raine walking in broad daylight.  People all around would ask her how she it was that she was walking around when she was dead.  Raine wasn't sure how to answer their questions.  It wasn't exactly an easy one for even herself to answer.  Something had to have happened for her to be alive once more.  People would murmur that it was a miracle while some would say it was a curse.  Granted, Raine never did anything to harm anyone so who had thought it had been a curse soon realized that no harm was to come of Raine's being alive once again.

In the meantime, Raine had reclaimed her home and bar.  Once again, she had opened the bar up for business.  Since most of her clients had been too old at the time prior to her dying, she lost a lot of people that used to come in due to old age or death. New people did slowly filter in.  Some were new people living in the town while others were those that had come to visit.  Despite the fact Raine was alive again was strange to them, the people of Winhill seemed to keep her sudden resurrection all hush-hush.  Out of curiosity, Raine went to where the people of Winhill had claimed her tombstone had been.  Today, it was a bright and sunny day with only a few clouds blotting the sky above.  There was a faint, gentle breeze that blew throughout the town.  Yet, despite the cheery atmosphere, Raine couldn't help but look down onto her tombstone with a bit of...what was it, exactly?  She knew that she was confused.  Maybe she was a little depressed to be seeing her tombstone?

'I'm lucky that I'm alive once more...but how?' Raine wondered.

Raine had walked away some only to turn back and look upon it.  For a tombstone, it was rather pretty.  Gazing at it, she wondered how her family had been doing without her.  Surely, they had all moved on?  How did they turn out?  Was Ellone alright?  What of Laguna?  Maybe she needed to go looking for them?

[/font] He turned his sights away from the mirage to the grave marker once more, ”You’re not gonna believe it but Esthar finally gave me the boot. That’s right. I’m not president anymore. Didn’t like the title much anyway. Kiros and Ward did most of the hard stuff for me anyway. I’ll have to come up with a job that is cooler sounding. Heh, would you believe that after all this time my gun still works, though? Talk about luck.”[/ul]

Raine stood there for a moment more as she contemplated the reason behind her return. It wasn't like she had done anything special in her lifetime. She had been a normal person throughout her life. Well, save for marrying Laguna and having a son, Squall. Of course, she had yet to learn how Squall turned out. She didn't realize that she had birthed a son whom had been a hero just as much as his father had been. Was there something that she was suppose to do? Or was her resurrection purely coincidental because of the things taking place that no one knew of? Of course, Raine could only guess the previous and not the latter. The latter seemed too far fetched for her to consider.

While she had been standing there, in her contemplation, a figure had arrived. Blinking, Raine lifted her gaze over to them when they made their way over to her tombstone. As they got closer, she could see that it was a man with dark hair. He was tall and had dark hair. There was no mistaking him despite how much time had passed since Raine had seen him last. Compared to the last time he had seen her, Raine was wearing different clothing. She wore a dark blue dressy top and a light shade of jeans. Attire that Laguna hadn't seen her in before. Raine couldn't help but look back at him in amazement. Laguna didn't seem to register that it was the real Raine standing there near her tombstone. He smiled at her and spoke to her, as if he were speaking to her spirit. While he was speaking to the real her, Raine listened as he stated how he could picture her as if she were really there.

As he turned away from her, Raine's expression faltered to one of sympathy. Her passing had likely bothered him greatly. Despite how much time had passed, it looked as though he visited her grave often. Laguna had aged rather well over the years. Even now, she could still see how he used to be and still was. Laguna probably thought he had imagined her. It was...sort of amusing in a way. Really, things didn't change. Allowing him to turn away from her, what he believed to be a mirage, Laguna began speaking to her tombstone. As he did so, Raine listened. All this time, he had been in Esthar as their President. The people there had given him the boot and now, here he was again stating that he was going to come up with a cooler sounding job. Yep, this was the same Laguna Loire.

Silently, Raine walked over. Poor Laguna was likely going to get the surprise of his life. It couldn't be helped though as Raine approached him. Standing alongside him now, placing her hands behind her back, Raine smiled. She was happy to be seeing him again. Raine didn't think that she would be able to see anyone she knew thinking too much time had passed.

"Luck, you must have a lot of it to be still standing here, Laguna." Oh, the poor thing might jump out of his skin! Heck, he might even have a heart attack! Raine looked over at him, a smile on her face. "Hello again, Laguna."

Mirage Raine started moving and had even settled beside him while he spoke to her tombstone. It was kind of funny to have her standing there as if nothing had changed. As if he and her were both alive and just simply starring at the sky or fields or anything that wasn’t a reminder that she was dead. Kind of like a picnic. Yeah… a picnic would be a pretty cool thing to be on with her. He didn’t recall having ever been on a picnic with her before. They monsters had always been a problem in windmill and little Ellone was too young to bring out anywhere in the event that a monster might appear and gobble her up.

”Luck, you must have a lot of it to be still standing here, Laguna.”

He turned his head sharply to the right and stared at the mirage Raine, mouth slightly opening. Did Mirage Raine just speak? He never really pretended she spoke to him before; envisioned her smacking him alongside the head for doing something stupid, but never really hearing her speak. That would just be weird. Maybe he had simply imagined that as well. If he did, then why was she smiling at him like that?

”Hello again, Laguna.”

The ‘fearless’ ex-Galbadian soldier and monster hunter extraordinaire repelled back in surprise. Nope! Definitely didn’t imagine things, he definitely imagined her speaking. Man.. how confusing was that anyway? Imagining yourself imagining something just threw his head in for a tizzy just thinking about the concept behind that. Once he recovered he felt a goofy grin slip across his lips as he placed his hands on his hips and leaned forward enough that he was eye level with ghosty Raine. ”I must be exhausted form the hike. I don’t recall ever imagining you speak in return. That being said…”

He straightened up and started to reach his hand out toward her shoulder, ”I’m used to seeing you more ghost like. Not solid. It almost looks liked I could touch—“ And then his hand landed firmly on her shoulder and his words caught in his mouth. He removed his hand and placed it down once more as if to test what had just happened was not a joke. ”Uh…” He moved his hand from her shoulder to the side of her face where the other hand came to rest upon soon after. Even when touching her face, he still had trouble gathering and registering the fact that she was standing there. He stepped closer and one hand drifted off of her face, into familiar hair, and drifted back to the shoulder, down the length of her arm, to her lower back, and drifted down to a nice soft mound of flesh that sat under.

”No way.” His eyes widened.

Raine could feel Laguna's gaze suddenly turn toward her in surprise when she first spoke her first string of words. As his gaze seemed to focus on her, Raine just simply smiled as she stood there beside him. Raine could feel Laguna's stare remaining on her. Laguna was probably beginning to wonder if he was losing his mind. After allowing him a short moment to contemplate what was happening, Raine looked directly at him and smiled as she greeted him. The result was rather comedic. Laguna had repelled himself back in his surprise. It was rather difficult at this point to not laugh as a grin spread across his face.

As she kept her gaze fixed on him in return, she watched as Laguna leaned until he was eye level with her. What he said next, Raine realized that nothing had changed with him. Age, maybe but certainly not the way he acted. Even now, he was still convinced that she wasn't real. How long would it take for him to realize she wasn't a ghost anymore? Laguna suddenly straightened up after stating that he didn't think he had ever imagined her speaking to him in return before and reached a hand out toward her. Raine didn't move as he continued about how he never imagined her solid before and that she always seemed to have a ghost-like appearance. How it was almost like he could touch her. Boy, he certainly cut himself short when he found that she was, indeed, very solid and he could physically touch her. Confusion was certainly written all over his face then.

Raine let out a bit of a laugh then as Laguna tried hard to register that this was for real. Laguna, confusedly, placed his hands on either side of her face then. Raine couldn't help but blink up at him in her own surprise but allowed him to. She could see Laguna trying to realize what was happening as he took a step closer to her and allowed his other hand to feel her hair, her shoulder again, her arm, her lower back and...Raine let out a surprised gasp when his hand wandered further and touched her rear end. Well, not that she should be surprised considering who this was but this certainly caught her off guard. As he spoke, Raine's face went from surprise to a little red as she frowned up at him. That part of him apparently didn't change either.

"Yes, way!" Raine growled up at him. Her face was still a bit red as she peered up at him. Even though she was smaller than he was, Raine was still strong of character. Nothing of her had changed much either...aside from being dead and now alive again. "L-Laguna Loire!" she stuttered. "If you do not remove your hand from my rear end..." she warned him, trailing off. If the fact he was able to touch her hadn't been enough for him to register that he was dealing with the real Raine, her attitude would surely confirm it. She couldn't help but feel flustered. She had figured that he would be surprised but the tall Ex-Galbadian soldier certainly surprised her in return by placing his hand on her bottom. It wasn't hard to see where Squall's attitude came from.

Laguna gave an uneasy laugh as Raine responded to his exclamation the moment his hand settled on a rather… not okay area. He didn’t immediately remove it either since he was too stunned with what was in front of her before the threat caused him to remove both his hands from his person and crossed in front of his chest; he turned around and ran away a couple of feet before squatting down as he tried to collect himself.

Okay… Was he dead? Did he join her in the afterlife? Had he wandered off somewhere, fell off a ledge, broken a leg, and had vicious monsters devour him where he fell? That seemed like a logical idea that came to mind. He could see himself doing such a foolish thing. He pinched his cheek hard and winced. Nope… he certainly felt that. He wasn’t dead nor was he dreaming. That meant Raine really was there which meant… she hadn’t really died? He wasn’t there when she died. She was gone and buried long before he got back to Windhill. So the possibility was that she had simply abandoned the idea of being with him. He wasn’t the best husband after all, he had run off for years, tracking down Ellone and then being stuck at Esthar.

He stood up once more and wiped at his eyes. He hadn’t realized that he had been upset when the fact that she just simply left him because he wasn’t smart enough to go home sooner. He pressed the palm of his hand on his forehead and shook his head as he began to mentally beat himself up for the fact. Boy, had he screwed up bigger than he thought. This had all been some elaborate ploy to breakup with him, hadn’t it? People didn’t just come back to life did they? They would be zombies and zombies needed to be put down.

Raine wasn’t a zombie though. If she were, she would have made a lot more moaning sounds and would have made chomping motions at his hands when he had his hands on her face. Actually, if she wanted to escape marriage with him through the ploy of being dead, she wouldn’t be standing there with him now. She wouldn’t have stuck around, she would have run away; that left the only alternative, that she had died but was now somehow there. He turned around and looked back at her, his gaze slipped down and around her form and settled on her face. She didn’t look a day older from when he had last seen her. It was like she was simply… timeless.

”Okay..” He croaked and then cleared his throat before trying again, ”Okay… so… let me get this right. You’re… here. Real…” He felt like pinching himself once more. ”I’m not even sure if I’d understand it if it was explained so I won’t even bother asking how.” Really, he ‘d just be confused as all hell if it was explained to him.

They’d been separated for so long, and she had been dead. Were they married anymore? Weren’t vows ‘Till death due us part’? That sorta meant that the marriage was nulled, right? He tilted his head to the side, ”So uh… wow.. this is awkward. What now?” What did she want? He knew what he wanted. He wanted to run over to her, wrap his arms around her form and spin her around until they both got sick.

There was a brief pause before Laguna released her and ran from her a little bit. Was he freaking out? Well, it was understandable if he was. After all, not many people suddenly came back from the dead. It looked like Laguna was trying to recollect himself from what she could tell. She took a moment to regain her composure as well after he surprised her with that little stunt he pulled earlier. Laguna seemed to pinch himself as if to check that he wasn't dreaming maybe. She couldn't be sure what was going through his mind then but he looked like he was really putting some thought into what he had discovered. Raine allowed him to contemplate what had happened. It wasn't an easy thing to take in.

It did not occur to her that Laguna would think that she had tried to fake her own death and think it was to get away from him. What had happened in the past had been rather unfortunate but Raine didn't blame him for what happened. They were just victims of circumstance. All that time she had spent, waiting for him, she had worried over whether he'd ever return. His sending Ellone home had certainly renewed her hopes but sadly, he never made it home in time. She died soon after having Squall and she had been buried by the people of Winhill. The entire situation had been tragic.

Laguna had finally turned to look at her again, the entire time, Raine had waited patiently for him to get a hold of himself and his thoughts. She remained put as he examined her from where he was. That smile had returned to her face again as she waited for him to say something. Finally, he broke the silence and spoke to her. Raine nodded to confirm that she was, indeed, real. "As real as I'll ever be," she replied. Laguna took that moment to then state that he wasn't even sure if he'd understand if it was explained to him so he wasn't going to even ask her how it happened.

"I don't think I could explain it to you even if I tried. It was like...waking up from a long sleep and finding out time had left you behind."

It really felt like it had been a long sleep. One where she had spent so much time asleep that a decade had passed her by as well as years. This wasn't even the same time anymore. A lot had changed despite Winhill seeming to be still somewhat the same. It was a very awkward meeting, now that she thought of it. Even Laguna mentioned it was. When he had asked her what now, Raine wasn't sure. Even if so much time had supposedly passed them by, Raine still saw Laguna for who he was. Right now, all she wanted to do was hug him tightly. The moment she had returned, everything had been so alien to her. She had found some strange woman in her home and kicked her out. Raine had reclaimed her home. People she once knew were either old or deceased or had moved away. Ellone wasn't here and she wasn't even sure what had become of Squall. She had heard rumors of someone by the name Squall but she hadn't caught a last name yet and couldn't be sure if it had been the same Squall. It could be another person named Squall for all she knew and not her son.

"That's a good question. I know what I want..." Raine trailed off. Regardless of how much time had passed since her death, Raine had dived for Laguna in her happiness in finally seeing him again. She hadn't forgotten how lonely it had been when he had gone away to Esthar to rescue Ellone. How she wondered if she would ever see him again only for him to never return and for her to die before he could. Now, here they were. Even if Laguna had surprised her earlier, Raine knew that she wanted to hug him and so she did. Even now, he was the same to her. His mannerisms and personality were all the same to her. As she wrapped her arms about him, Raine let out a cheerful laugh. Tears welled up in her eyes.

Okay… so he wasn’t the only one absolutely confused and lost regarding the whole thing. Honestly, he had expected Raine to have answers since she always seemed to be the levelheaded and intelligent one out of the two of them. He was sort of the class clown or town buffoon that entertained the children while simultaneously gave his caretaker slash eventual wife a migraine due to the antics he made. Alas, she herself couldn’t even begin to explain how it was that she arrived back to their realm of living and explained how it felt like it had been a long sleep.

Gawd, he wished it had simply been a long sleep; at least if she were sleeping he would have been able to watch over her and touch her hand or something to remind himself that she were still there with him. He was probably the type that would always cling to a loved one that had fallen into a coma and not allow them to slip away from his fingers. He was far too clingy for his own good because he’d rather keep a person who had essentially become a vegetable rather than setting them free from their suffering.

Still… he didn’t know where that left the two of them and he was never great with words. He fled from serious conversations like it would give him an incurable rash if he stuck around to actually have one. This wasn’t one he could just simply buffoon his way out of; nor did he want to, because it was information that he wanted to know, needed to know. He waited with baited breath after he asked a seemingly simple question that had multiple complicated answers possible.

’That’s a good question, I know what I want…”

It wasn’t a very straight forward question but he had never been a straight forward person himself. When she moved across the distance that separated them, he was still somewhat surprised when she pressed her face into his chest and arms found their way around them. He was not an ironed will soldier, nor was he tough in any ways. He was like an oversized baby in a man’s body and it was a miracle that a woman would want to keep him around. That being said, once the initial shock wore off and the implications of her actions that followed her statement processed in his mind, he was quick to wrap his own arms around her form. His head bowed down until his face was buried at the top of her head and the wet drops of salty tears found their way to break from the surface of his eyes once more.

”If this is another dream, please don’t wake me.” Ellone had tried to change the past. She had tried to get Laguna home soon enough to be with Raine but her attempts had failed. She always wanted the two of them to be together. In the end, all they needed was time before Raine managed to find her way back home… for both of them to find their way back home.

”Hope you don’t mind… but I’m broke all over again.” He joked likely as he held her. It would be much like the time he first came to her. He was penniless and would end up needing a place to crash.

Raine knew how Laguna had been. He was very much a big kid or even a baby in a man's body pretty much. Back before they had even married, Laguna got himself into all sorts of things which drove Raine up a wall half the time. Ironically, no matter how much he had driven her insane the two had fallen for each other. Raine knew that right now, Laguna would be at a loss for words. He wasn't very good whenever it came to serious conversations. Where this was a good time for one, Raine didn't want to push it onto him. Laguna always avoided such conversations. Right now, she was just happy to be reunited with Laguna and have this second chance at life if that's what it was.

When she had closed the distance between them, Raine figured that Laguna would finally understand what she had meant as she embraced him. She hadn't forgotten the way it felt to hug him as she had buried her face in his chest. When she wrapped her arms around him, she felt him return the embrace and bury his own face on the top of her head. It was just like old times. It had been...such a long time. Why she was back now, Raine wasn't sure but she was happy for this chance. In fact, she was so happy right now that she had shed tears, happy tears.

"I've missed you...so much..."

Honestly, Raine hoped it wasn't a dream. It would be a very cruel one despite it being so nice. Raine hoped this wasn't a dream. A dream where she'd wake up back when she had their son only to die then because she knew that she was going to die. No, Raine could do without repeating death. "I'm sorry I left you behind..." she said quietly. She heard him then joke about being broke all over again. Well, after being booted out of Esthar and making it here, Raine just...couldn't help but chuckle a little at that despite shaking her head a little. Only Laguna could manage such a thing but she still loved him.

"Then it's a good thing I got our home back and the bar running again."

Yes, Raine had resorted to her old ways. She scared off that artist, who thought she had been an angry phantom, and now had her place back again. The only thing she could thank that artist for was the renovation and upkeep of the home. Raine was happy that it was still standing and well kept. However, getting back her idea on how she wanted the place to look had been a bit of a hassle. She managed it, of course but it hadn't been easy. After a moment, Raine finally looked up at him.

"I cannot recall what you had said to me while I was...gone because of how I was sent back but...just how much did I miss? Care to tell me?" she questioned him. If he didn't want to, she didn't mind. She was just happy to be here with Laguna again.

He was half tempted to joke about how she couldn’t have missed him as much he did her with her being dead but for once, he didn’t open his mouth. Whatever glimmer of intelligent thought process he had was used to refrain from making such a comment because the joke could potentially be a rather cruel one. He just clung tighter to her and was happy to find that she was just as happy to be reunited with him. He should feel like, here he was well beyond his prime with a woman that was a decade younger than him happy to be in his arms. It made him feel awesome, but at the same time the lost time between them was a drag. He had always envisioned growing old together with the woman he married and watching their kids grow up before their eyes and later grandchildren. Call him old fashioned, but he had a picture perfect family in his mind when he asked her to marry him all those years ago.

She somehow managed to reclaim her home and bar. It really was turning out to be like the better days where he was young, naïve, foolish, and… well… he was all of those except the young part. He felt young in spirit though, that had to count for something. She wasn’t angry with him for not having any money though so that was a bonus in his mind. An angry Raine was a scary Raine and one that frowned in disappointment at him for something he did or didn’t do was always a stab in the chest.

”Oh good, you think the bartender will let me open a tab?” Man, if Kiros and Ward were around he would make them celebrate Raine and his reunion by drinking the night away. It wasn’t the most glamorous way to celebrate such a miracle and probably wasn’t the idea of what a lady such a Raine would picture, but Laguna was always ‘one of the boys’ and beer with friends and family was always one of the best feelings and means to celebrate in his mind.

When she attempted to look up at him, Laguna lifted his head off of her hair and drew his head back enough so that he could look at him. The request to be filled in on what had been going on since her departure was not a story he could just sum up with a few simple sentences. ”Uh…”[/coor] His arms dropped from her form as one hand reached back, ”You know… it’s a long story. So how about over a drink? This place is nice, but I’ve been hiking awhile and I could use a chair for my old bones.”

Raine guessed it might seem odd to others, the age difference, but it couldn't be helped. Raine couldn't help that she had come back to life at the age she had been when she died. Right now, it didn't occur to her just yet that because of their age difference now that they may not be able to spend as much time as they would have if Raine hadn't died in the past. Laguna was years ahead of her now. At least, right now, she was alive and got this chance again.

When Laguna asked her if the bartender would let him open a tab, she chuckled. "Only if you say please." It was true that she wasn't one for celebrating drinking but then again, she worked as a bartender. Raine was around that sort of atmosphere anyway.

Raine did not expect the story on what she had missed to be easily summed up where they were standing. If anything, she was requesting to be filled in on what she had missed. Laguna didn't have to tell her right away. As Laguna released her, he suggested they talk about it over a drink since here wouldn't be the right place to talk such a long matter. Raine gave a nod of agreement.

"Alright, let's head home then." Raine turned and lead the way down the hill toward the village of Winhill.

Home…

It was funny how one word cold hold such a strong meaning. Before the first time he arrived in Windhill he had always wandered from place to place and had the aspiration of becoming a world-class journalist because it would allow him to see the world. He had always spoke of it during his stay in Windhill at first, and it had always been a thing that lingered and festered in the air because everyone expected that he would leave the moment he got better or restless from staying around too long.

Fortunately, that was another goal he had accomplished during his time. He managed to go places, write about them, and get it published thanks to Kiros’ contact. It was nice, he had that accomplishment under his belt but now all he needed was home; especially since he was out of cash and out of a job so having a home to go back to had the perks of having a roof over his head.

When they arrived back in back in the bar, the first thing Laguna did was look around the place from the doorway. It really was strikingly similar to what he remembered. Raine had been doing a pretty good job and reverting the place to her home. Laguna knew that someone had moved into the place and had decorated it in their own fashion (he had visited it once before) and it sorta took away that ‘home’ feeling that he was accustomed to.

Once he was finished he moved over to the bar, dropped his dirty duffle bag on the counter and took a seat at the bar. ”Phew…” He turned in his seat in the direction Raine would be, ”I think I’m still in a bit of shock.” He held up his hands and made grabby motions at her in an attempt to get her to come to him, ”I’m going to need reinforcement of the fact every hour or so.”

It was good to be home again. Stepping inside, it took Raine back. It reminded her of the days she spent here before she met Laguna and around the time when she did. Winhill had been more dangerous due to the monsters that used to enter the little town but now, they were gone and things were more peaceful. Raine was happy to be in a familiar setting.

While Laguna plopped his duffel bag on the counter, Raine was glad that she managed to make things look the same. Her bar, it were as if people had left it alone to commemorate her. She had found flowers on each counter, the ones she liked. Raine consolidated them into one little vase on the bartender's counter where she worked. She appreciated what the townspeople did. Well, at least with that. There were things they had done that she hadn't been too happy about. No, it wasn't the fact they sold her home to someone else. It was a combination of things like what happened with Ellone and Squall.

As Laguna faced her, Raine tilted her head a bit as he mentioned that he believed he was still in a bit of shock. After stating this, Laguna made grabbing motions for her to go over to him. Raine let out a bit of a chuckle before lightly shaking her head at him. Never the less, she walked over to him. As she hugged him, Raine peered up at him.

"So what'll it be?" Raine said with a hint of a smile on her face. The bar, she had completely stocked up. She hadn't been kidding when she said that she had started the bar back up again. She also hadn't been kidding when she reclaimed her home just upstairs from this very bar. That artist who had lived here was long gone now, thoroughly convinced the dead was out to get her. If anything, Raine had simply been annoyed with the woman and thought that she was an intruder. After all, Raine's memory had only brought her up to the point of her untimely death. Now that she was back, she was like to react the way that she did. Oh well, at least they had their home back. There was nothing like home, in Raine's eyes. It felt even more so now that Laguna was back despite how many years had passed him prior to her return. Did he know of Squall? Raine thought that Ellone would have at least told him if Ellone were still around. What became of those two? Raine had to wonder. After all, they were her family too even though Ellone wasn't related by blood.

"I am behind the times. So much, it seems has happened while I was...away."

He wondered how long he could keep up the ‘I need reassurance this is all real’ act because if he had it his way, he would just keep the act up for the rest of his life so he could get her to come to him for hugs and just… touching her for the remainder of his life. She was more than happy to step into his arms once more and questioned him what he wanted to drink. It didn’t take long to come up with an answer and honestly, his answer was always the same. ”You know me, I’m happy with beer.” He lived off of the stuff. There was plenty of other liquor in the bar but call him old fashioned, there was something about just having a nice cold beer after a hard day’s work that really made everything seem fine and dandy.

When she commented about being behind the times, Laguna nodded his head. Yep, he said he would explain how things were nowadays once he got back to the bar to sit down and now was a good enough time as any. ”Well… I’ll fill you in on some things then. It all started when little Ellone had been kidnapped by Esthar and I left to play the magnificent knight in shinning armor..” from there he explained how he had managed to rescue Ellone form the science laboratory in Esthar; and that the country had been ruled by the sorceress Adel; how afterwards, Kiros and Ward had formed a plot to defeat Adel and launch the sorceress into space where she wouldn’t be able to harm anyone and how the country had designated him as the new President of Esthar.

He explained how he had the duties and responsibilities of the entire country on his shoulders and couldn’t make it back to Windhill before Raine died; and how Ellone had been sent to an orphanage because Laguna hadn’t been around. How he felt responsible for not being there for Ellone. ”Then I guess… when Ellone grew up, her powers manifested. She could send people back in time through the memories or minds of others… kind of hard to explain and I don’t have a firm grasp on it. She was trying to change the past… trying to get me to come home to you… but inevitably you can’t change what has already happened. The people she sent back to the past were members of SEED from Balamb Garden, and around that time Sorceress Edea appeared…”

He explained the events, how Edea was trying to take over the nation but had actually been controlled by another sorceress from the future named Ultimecia. He explained how the members of SEED that Ellone had interacted with were in charge of tracking down and defeating Edea and how Laguna, Kiros, and Ward had been trying to figure out a way to defeat the real problem that was in a future long ahead. He explained how Edea had actually been the woman in charge of the orphanage that Ellone had been sent to.

”In the end, through a series of very complex plans, that I don’t have the capacity to explain…” It hadn’t been his plan, and he hadn’t even understood the plan all that well. He was just running and gunning for it much like he always did, ”Ellone sent those members of SEED to the future to defeat Ultimecia. They succeeded and managed to come back as heroes… one of them more so than ever, their leader, the young man that led the group against all odds. He’s an Gunblade Specialist, one of very few still around I here. He had been thrown into the command position of the entire SEED force despite not wanting the responsibility, and he led them to victory. I got to meet him for the first time when he arrived in Esthar. His name was Squall… Ellone’s little brother… our son.”

Raine gave a smile in response to Laguna’s answer to her question. Beer had always been Laguna’s favorite beverage. Even after all these years, he still loved his beer. At least some things haven’t changed despite how much time there had been. It was odd for Raine. So much time had seemed to have passed her by and left her behind. Since she had died, that was understandable. It was a pity that she didn’t have the chance to reach the age that Laguna did right now, that she didn’t get to spend more time until now with her family. Ellone and their son, Squall. She wondered if Laguna ever knew of the fact that they had a son? Raine had died long before she could get the chance to let him know and the villagers of Winhill had hid the child away from him. Of course, she didn’t know that but if she did, Raine would be upset. Laguna had the right to know that he had a son.

When Laguna released her, Raine went around the bartender’s counter and got a clean glass out. As she did so, she listened to what he was saying. The reason why he had been unable to return home after saving Ellone, sending her back home to Raine, Laguna had become President of Esthar for defeating the Sorceress Adel. Placing Laguna’s drink in front of him.

”So that’s why you didn’t come home.”

Raine was surprised when Laguna said that as Ellone grew up, her powers had manifested. So Adel had noticed Ellone for a reason. Ellone’s gift allowed her to send others back in time through the minds and eyes of others. It sounded complicated by what Laguna was saying. ’Our Ellie can do that?’ she thought to herself with surprise.

According to Laguna, Ellone tried to use her powers to make it so that Laguna returned home. Unfortunately, Ellone couldn’t change what had already happened. In her attempts, Ellone had used SEED to go back in time. Around the time that Ellone did this, a Sorceress by the name of Edea had appeared. The woman tried to take over the world but was actually under the control of another Sorceress far into the future. This other Sorceress’s name was Ultimecia. The SEEDs that Ellone had sent to the fast, during some planning, had sent them into the future to fight the Sorceress.

Raine couldn’t help but look back over at Laguna in confusion. Why was he talking about the SEEDs? Well, it was an important event, she supposed. She leaned on the counter as Laguna continued the story. When he came to the end, she wondered what the significance was of this young man who was a leader of SEED. Furrowing her brows a bit, she simply wondered if it had been because Laguna admired the heroics of the youth. Honestly, Laguna was a hero himself so why would he mention this one single person? Then, he finished what he was saying. That SEED’s name was Squall, Ellone’s little brother, their son. Raine couldn’t help but gape in her surprise.

”Our…son? He-?” she cut herself short as she stood straight up again. ”You mean to tell me that our son’s a hero now too?” It wasn’t hard to believe. He must have gotten that from Laguna considering that Laguna had saved Esthar and by extension, the world from Adel. It wasn’t hard to see that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

”Well, what do you know…my family consists of two heroic men. Time sure has flown by without me.”

Now, she was wondering how Laguna and Squall were. Did Squall know of them? How had his first meeting with Laguna gone? How was Squall doing now? Raine couldn’t help but be curious of him. Also, where was Ellone? How was Ellone doing?

”I wonder how they’re doing…” she trailed off.

(OOC: Dunno if they told you but in my other thread, the open one with Raine, they decided to have that as the "family meeting" thread xD)