Chapter Two: Zell Dincht
We left the castle quickly, before any of the guards caught us out. It was only after we had escaped through Serpent’s Gate that I felt like I could relax. The springtime sun was high in the sky and felt warm on my skin, and my face finally relaxed into a small smile. But then I sighed deeply, and my mind clouded over again. What was one sunny day in the great scheme of things? I was running over things in my head at top speed, thinking about all the times people had died in my life…and then I was reliving my attempted suicide again…I found myself wishing it had worked for the thousandth time, and shuddered.
Suddenly, a person jumped down in front of us, forcing the group to stop. “Freya!” cried Vivi happily, and he charged forward to hug her knees tightly, his face (seemingly) shining with joy. She looked down at him fondly, and then up at us. “I would ask your permission to join you, wherever you may be adventuring to?” I looked at Riku, who looked at me. We both looked at Freya, and then at Vivi. Vivi looked at us and we looked up at Freya before finally nodding. “We would be honoured if you were to join our modest group,” I said graciously, and she nodded gratefully.
I was so glad Freya was with us. She’d protected me a lot over the past year, and without her I’m sure I’d not be so courageous. I felt bad when she left, but not being able to stop her, I pushed it out of my mind quickly. Now she was back, and I couldn’t be happier. Her red jacket swayed gently in the breeze, and she looked just like she had when Burmecia had fallen; calm but vengeful. “Shall we go?” Haru said, and we all nodded.
Quistis began to lead the way, her teacher’s personality shining through. She was telling us which monsters to avoid, and which were easy to defeat. She knew each one’s weaknesses and strengths, and I think she was just talking us through to ease her own mind. This… Zell being the King’s attacker had made her uneasy. I didn’t get to do much, but just strolling through the open air was fun, especially when Squall decided to chase after an Oglop. The fun didn’t last too long, though, because Quistis stopped abruptly when we reached Balamb Garden. “Come on.” She said, “We need to see Headmaster Cid.” Where had I heard that name before?
We walked through the entrance to Balamb Garden, and were instantly buffered to one side by the streams of students rushing around. I barely had time to wonder if the Garden was this rushed all the time before I had to grab Riku’s hand to stop him from being swallowed up completely by the massive crowd. He emerged, a little flustered-looking but unharmed. I checked to make sure that everyone else was with us and uninjured, and it was only once I knew they were that I relaxed.
“Right, so we need to go up to the top floor in the elevator, so I can request a meeting with the Headmaster. I would advise that we all make a chain and go up together, so as not to get separated,” Quistis advised. We all nodded, and started in the direction of the lift. Once there, everyone piled in, and Quistis pushed the button for the top floor. But just as the doors began to close, a strong hand took hold of my arm and wrenched me away, clapping another hand over my mouth to stifle my shouts. I watched the lift fly upwards; nobody seemed to have noticed – other than Squall, who was pressed up against the glass. Would he tell anyone in time? And even if he did, would they be able to do anything about it? So many questions raced through my head as I was tugged away through the maze of a Garden.
I looked up at Squall, who was pointing out of the glass doors with a confused look on his face. “Haru…” he said gently, and I looked around at the legs of the others in the lift. Only one set of Royal robes. One set… Where was the second? Then it hit me; Haru. I looked quickly out the glass doors of the lift, catching a glimpse of her struggling through the crowd, held firmly by a young man with blonde hair, the same man who had attacked Riku. Haru was in serious danger.
I pulled at Quistis’ skirt, and she looked down at me. “Haru’s gone, taken by the guy who hit Riku.” Riku almost shouted out and Freya looked very concerned. Quistis remained stony and firm. “We must see the Headmaster. You, Riku and I will consult the Headmaster. Squall and Freya will remain in the lift, take it back down to Floor One and find Haru. Which direction was she taken?” I looked down at the floor, thinking hard. “It was green… a green floor. She was scared, very scared, and the man was thinking about… monsters?” Quistis nearly leapt a mile. “The Training Centre! Squall, Freya, when you get back to Floor One, you must hurry! Squall, lead the way!”
The lift reached the Second Floor, and everyone got off barring us three. Squall and Freya stood next to the lift, waiting patiently as Riku paced the empty space, raging a little. I know she’ll be okay… she has to be.
