Chapter 2 - teacher & children: Part 1

P36-37

The winds were strong enough to undo her tied hair.

As she closed her eyes to avoid the sandstorm, she remembered the vegetable fields she had just watered. The seaside village of New Bodhum were sandy; even the fields were no exception. If you don't water them diligently, the vegetation would immediately dry out.

It was completely different from when she helped out in the fields back on Cocoon. Actually, the grains and vegetables produced on Cocoon didn't take root at all. What they were growing now were crops from Gran Pulse. They were what had been gathered from remains of old civilizations such as Oerba; vegetation that actually looked like crops.

Of course only crops from Pulse would do for Pulsian land. The re-planted crops took root quickly, and within a few months there were even some which were successfully harvested.

The problem was that the indigenous Pulsian vegetables and wildlife were an acquired taste, which made them difficult to eat. Most likely, had Lebreau, our talented cook, not been around, the inhabitants of New Bodhum would have constantly been plagued with food shortages.

Snow said back then he learned from Vanille and Fang which monsters were edible as well as the proper way to catch them. “I seem to remember Fang got all mad at me when I bludgeoned the monsters. ‘They're for eating so kill ‘em so they're still edible. Quit turnin' them into mincemeat' she said.”

Perhaps Snow remembered something from back then. He exaggeratedly shrugged his shoulders and laughed. Despite the hardships of the journey, Snow's stories rang like tales of an exciting adventure. Yet, there was one thing he would never touch on...

“What are you spacing out for? Keep your hands moving!” With a pat on her back, Serah's thoughts returned to the present. Lebreau was holding a bundle of vine with nuts and laughing. The cook didn't know the name of these little, firm nuts which would grow along the cliffs. She just knew that if you placed them in a cloth sack and pounded them with a rock to a fine consistency, they made for a great spice for meat dishes.

“When you're done over there, help me grind these.”

“I can come help you right now. I've already finished watering the plants.”

“That helps a lot. After all, no matter how much we grind, all of it just disappears right away. Things like spices and ingredients get used up so fast... It's pretty amazing.”

“It's because the food here tastes so bad. You inevitably end up drowning things in spices.”

The only exception to this was the seafood, which tasted better if you didn't prepare it too much. The drawback was that the seafood that could be gathered along the coast was so limited that we couldn't eat it often.

If at some point, our marine research progresses and we're able to sail boats out into the ocean, we would of course see it at the dinner table more often. For now, however, it's still a dish for only special days.

“You have no choice but to take time and soak it and rub it in salt, even though it all gets eaten in an instant.”

When we lived back on Cocoon, we were equipped with useful tools; now, we have to do everything by hand.

P38-39

Oftentimes, what a machine can do in seconds will take a human tens of minutes to do.

“I don't think we can do anything about the fact that it disappears so quickly. Everything our brilliant chef makes is a culinary masterpiece.”

“Thanks, but flattery will get you nowhere.”

As jokes were exchanged, they brought cloth sacks, stones and a flat board under the shade of the trees, and began the work of pounding the nuts to powder.

Since the kitchen of the shelter they were living in until recently was anything but spacious, both Serah and Lebreau had become thoroughly accustomed to working outside. Even though they had moved to NORA House, which served as a café and a home, they still prepared fish and meat outside when the weather was calm.

Glancing up at the beach, the two saw Gadot building houses. Although the shelters were safe to live in, residents complained it would be a waste of their precious beach space if they didn't have roomier homes; they exhorted Gadot to fulfill their desires. NORA House, the seaside café, was now open for business. The guests who visited and saw the sea up close could once again recall the joys of living.

Such joys were unimaginable when they had first moved there. Up until a few months ago, these lands were a place where monsters roamed and it was even said that staying the night somewhere other than shelters was impossible. There were several villagers who expressed concern over whether settling there was even a possibility.

The only reason they were able to continue developing the land was likely because of Snow's encouraging words, “Let's turn this place into a second Bodhum. We're going to build our new hometown here with our own hands,” had reached everyone.

New Bodhum was a home free of the fal'Cie and PSICOM; a home which belonged to them alone. Never again did they want to experience their peaceful lives stripped away from them. With that single thought in mind, everybody took up arms against the monsters and endured every hardship [lit. hard life].

Besides, they weren't the only ones suffering. Those who remained in Cocoon were forced to live in inconvenience, too. Immediately after the fall of the fal'Cie Orphan, all of the Cocoon fal'Cie fell dormant.

Both the power plant and nutriculture complex had ceased to function. It was nearly a month before Cocoon could operate those facilities manually. Even after restoring services, they were unable to run them as efficiently as the fal'Cie had, and production dropped considerably.

In Palumpolum, where the new seat of government [lit. authoritative bodies] had moved following the destruction of Eden, there was minimal infrastructural revitalization. However, many other areas simply continued living with minimal rations of food and water.

On top of that, it was dark all over Cocoon. Cocoon's sun, fal'Cie Phoenix, had gone dormant and now produced only a faint light. Because Cocoon's government prioritized lighting the capital, Palumpolum, they moved fal'Cie Phoenix, leaving all other towns further disadvantaged.

In terms of brightness, it was about the same as emergency lamps or camp lights which could barely light up the ground beneath your feet.

P40-41

Those who were fed up with living in the never-ending darkness of night sought the light of day and went down to Pulse. They were told that it would take at least a year for power to be restored to areas outside of Palumpolum.

As such, on Gran Pulse, residential areas were formed in concentric circles around the crystal pillar which held up Cocoon. They couldn't hope for the pleasant lives they had before; in that regard, it was the same as inside Cocoon. As a result, even though restoration within Cocoon had progressed to some degree, many stayed on Pulse.

On the other hand, there were also those who took it upon themselves to stay in areas where night continued. Even in circumstances where food and water were scarce, there were those who desired to stay where their homes were. Everyone feels a different level of attachment to where they live. It's not as if they could leave just because something was no longer there.

So it simply became that those who remained would rebuild Cocoon and those who left would break new ground. Serah thought that it was because everyone is different that the world would expand.

“Okay. I think that should do it.”

Having been told that it was enough, Serah hastily looked down at her hands. Without realizing, all of the nuts inside the cloth sack had turned to powder.

“Now, shall we get started on preparations for dinner? I have a feeling that everyone will be scarfing down food like goblins today.”

Snow and the others had been out at the remains of their old dwelling since morning. At the remains of settlements and ruins that dotted Gran Pulse, remaining machines could be used for repairs, as well as plants and herds of feral animals which could be eaten as food.

What was surprising was that amongst everything, there were places where one could find evidence of what appeared to be human activity from recent years. There was a dogma that the inhabitants of Gran Pulse had perished hundreds of years ago. It was highly credible because the fal'Cie were known to have conducted probes and research whilst they mined for resources. Serah had learned this in her history classes, and any book would state that ‘the people of Pulse were wiped out.'

If there were traces of human activity leading up to recent years then that would mean a huge historiographical discovery. When history-loving Serah first heard of that, she felt her blood stir.

But, Serah was the only one who took it in with that level of astonishment. How could everyone else think “such things exist too” and plainly accept a finding enormous enough to re-write the history books? Having drawn looks from everyone which said there was nothing to be excited about, Serah experienced a deeply uncomfortable feeling.

Yet such settlements were left in the expanses of Gran Pulse. There was no evidence of anything resembling roads that connected these deserted villages, so they all had remained isolated. It was as if entire villages had gone missing and then had died out

Of course, it made sense that if a region was not within walking distance from New Bodhum, people would hitch rides with the Cavalry's airships when they went off to explore. Back when they were being hunted down as l'Cie by the Sanctum, Snow had worked with the Cavalry, so the former soldiers were glad to help with the development of New Bodhum.

P42-43

At first, the people of Bodhum, having been victims of the Purge themselves, would bristle at the mere sight of a military uniform, but Snow had managed to make them trust the former Cavalry. “They've always been our allies,” he told them. The soldiers dressed in blue had, in fact, worked with the townspeople to carry supplies and fight off monsters. Before long, the idea that “we can never forgive PSICOM, but the Cavalry is different” had spread amongst the people.

Since they started exploring deserted villages and ruins, like today, they had grown even closer to the soldiers in blue. Whether it was when they let people ride their airships, or when they returned to town, everyone was working together so of course a friendly atmosphere was born.

“What were we going to do for dinner?”

Serah gathered the tools and stood up. And just then, Lebreau took them from her.

“I'll call you if I need your help, so you can go ahead and get some rest, Serah. The wind feels nice today so why don't you go take a nap in the shade, or something?”

Perhaps she noticed that Serah was sleep deprived. She had a bad dream last night. After she awoke screaming “Light!” she couldn't fall back to sleep. It could be possible that Lebreau had heard her.

It had been like that since they moved to New Bodhum. When Serah groaned in her sleep, Lebreau would quietly wake her up [lit. shake her awake]. When she woke up crying, she would pat her on the head as if comforting a child. Lebreau would treat Serah, who had lost her beloved sister, as a real sister would.

“'Cause I'll work you real hard after your nap,”

Lebreau said that and gave her a wink.

“Okay... Thanks.”

Lebreau gave Serah's nodding head a little pat with the palm of her hand and left. She muttered another “thanks,” at her retreating figure. If was as Lebreau had said; it was cool and comfortable in the shade beneath the trees. The children ran about at the edge of the water. As the sounds of the children shouting happily filled Serah's ears, she tried leaning her back against a tree trunk and closing her eyes. Though, she didn't feel sleepy at all. It was because the image of her sister's smile from that day floated into her closed eyelids.

When she awoke from her frigid crystal sleep, the first thing that filled her sight was the crystal bathed in sunlight. At her side was a boy who was appeared to have also turned back into human from crystal. “What happened to the chocobo? Miss [lit. onee-chan], where did the chocobo go?” he said, making a mystified face and tilting his head.

Immediately, she stood, taking his little hand, and began to walk. She had no doubt about where to go. If they walked toward Cocoon they would find them. For some reason, the two of them both knew that. Yes, their intuition was right on the spot. Serah had successfully reunited to those precious to her beneath the skies of Gran Pulse.

She remembered Snow saying that he wanted approval for their marriage. And the words “I will make her happy." Her sister said, “I believe you.” She had a warm smile. For a moment, it was as if the smile of her mother who had passed away in her childhood was briefly imprinted on her face. She once again realized [lit. realized afresh] how much her sister looked like their mother...

P44-45

Perhaps it was because of something as ominous as seeing the face of the deceased imprinted, that her moment of happiness had been taken from her. Or perhaps it was because she had sensed the anomaly that would occur shortly after, that she thought of something so ominous.

She had no idea when it had happened, or where and what had gone wrong. Only, her sister had suddenly disappeared. She should have been walking right behind her, but when she turned around there was nobody.

It wasn't just that. Snow, who should have been walking beside her and laughing cheerfully, was for some reason right in before of her, bearing a strangely grim expression.

She swallowed down the question that rose up her throat. She was afraid. It was the first time she had seen Snow with such an expression. It was so warm, yet so sad. Afraid of discovering why, Serah asked something completely different.

“Where's Lightning?”

She was just there a moment ago, so she should still be close by. Thinking that maybe she was called off by someone from the Cavalry to go help with some urgent matter, she had thought she would get an answer along the lines of that. Before she would ask for the reason behind the expression Snow bore, she first wanted to ask a trivial question and get a reassuring answer.

But.

“Sis... She's inside that pillar. She's turned to crystal to hold up Cocoon.”

She questioned her hearing. There was no way that Snow would make such a nasty joke. She heard her own voice from someplace distant asking [lit. saying], “what happened?”

Oh right, that face. As she tried to recall where she had seen it, she remembered her sister. At their mother's funeral, Lightning had that face on the whole time. But, why? Why was Snow...?

“Lightning was just there,” she shouted with all her might. They met, talked and she approved the marriage. Even though they had all been laughing together up until now...

She couldn't believe it. “I found this at the base of the pillar,” said Hope, who even showed her an article of her sister's. It was the knife Serah picked out for her birthday present. It was an object given with the hope that she would return safely even from dangerous missions, and that she would survive no matter the circumstance.

If she always had this with her then there was no way she was dead. There was no way she wouldn't come back. But the knife had fallen beneath the pillar.

Lightning had let go of the knife I had given to her for protection. And as a result...? Could it be!?

“Could it have been a dream you had while you were in crystal stasis... or something, Serah?”

Hope said this while the confused Serah was trying to find any reason, however little, that would make sense. Sazh too nodded his head at those words.

“That could be the case. My Dajh claims he had dreams of a chocobo too, right?”

P46-47

“No, that's impossible,” denied Serah, desperately. She remembers when she was in crystal stasis. The things around her were hazy and it had really seemed like she was in a dream. She had a sense that she was looking at the same things a Snow, but it was of a clarity differing from what she would see through her own eyes.

Her memories of their reunion were much more vivid. The voice that called “Serah,” the feeling of the arms around her, everything was accompanied with a strong sense of realness. She could clearly say that Lightning was actually there. But, out of everyone there, no one remembered anything. Rather than seeming to have forgotten, it was as if it had become that she was “never there."

After the six defeated fal'Cie Orphan, they fell with Cocoon. Amidst that, there was a pause in their consciousness. They saw Fang and Vanille drifting away from them, but they had no idea where Lightning was, they all said. When they turned back from their crystal stasis, there were only three; Snow, Hope and Sazh...

Serah had seen Hope and Sazh in her crystal sleep. So she knew that they wouldn't lie to her. But above all, Snow couldn't lie. Snow had said “Sis had turned into the crystal pillar and is in stasis” so it had to be the indisputable truth.

If that were the case then Serah's memories were the fake ones. Only, they were too realistic to be false.

Could it be that this was a continuation of her dream? If she woke up again then maybe a complete different reality would begin. For now, it had become that Lightning wasn't here, but in the next reality maybe it could be that Snow was gone too. Or maybe even Hope and Sazh would be gone, and she would be left all by herself...

She was afraid of all of these “maybes." Had the world become twisted, or had she gone mad? Had she turned into “something” more sinister than a l'Cie? If not then was this a punishment? Was it a cruel punishment for the sin of involving so many others people?

Since, if Serah had never stumbled into the Vestige in Bodhum, then she wouldn't have met the Pulse fal'Cie. She wouldn't have been branded a l'Cie, she wouldn't have become an enemy of Cocoon, the Sanctum wouldn't have taken the plunge and carried out the Purge. The sealing off of Bodhum, and the massacre at the Hanging Edge wouldn't have happened either.

Of course, she knew that fal'Cie Barthandelus's purpose was the annihilation of all of Cocoon's residents. Sooner or later, many people would have been killed at Cocoon. Surely, even if Serah hadn't been there, then someone else would have created such an opportunity.

But, in the end this is just a matter of possibilities. The fact that one Serah Farron of Bodhum became a l'Cie. This was where it all began; an indisputable truth, and an undeniable sin. A sin so heavy that its means of atonement was unknown. It was a punishment for that sin, so it had to be something more cruel than death itself...

The more Serah thought about it, the more frightened she became. All and everything had become so terrifying that she couldn't stand it. Even after she reunited with the members of NORA and it had been decided that they would move to New Bodhum, it was as if she would be crushed by insecurity.

P48-49

She wanted to run from everything she saw, her knees fell weak no matter what she did. Everyone else had begun working towards recovery, but she alone could do nothing and she resented herself for that.

“If you can't do anything, then just smile for me. If you can't smile, then just be there for me. You're alive, Serah, and you're here. That alone is enough. For me, and for everyone else,”

Snow's words supported Serah, and slowly she became accustomed to life in this new world. No, it was because this they were in a new world that she could distract herself from her sadness and insecurities.

The skies were a completely different color from that of Cocoon, the scent of the winds, too. Even this place they chose, so that it would look even just a bit like Bodhum, seemed almost completely different from their old hometown. When they first moved there, everyone was fed up with the characteristic fishy smell of the ocean breeze.

However, humans seem to be creatures that can get used to almost anything. Now, nobody notices the fishing smell in the breeze. Now, whenever Gadot and the others come back from their explorations far inland from the ocean, they say while breathing deeply, “Well, well. Breathing in the scent of this wind sure makes you feel like you're home, doesn't it!”

With that, life at New Bodhum finally got on the right track, while as the people got their usual spirit back, but on the other hand for Serah's depressed self, there were more and more things she felt were beyond her control. She found it painful to keep up a sunny disposition and to laughing before everyone. Gradually, she stopped being able to fool people.

Amidst everyone who was moving forward, she was the only one who stood still with her head down. She couldn't go on like this. She knew that. She knew that, but...

“Why...”

Without thinking, she covered her face with her hands. It was a question that repeated itself countless times since then. Why was it that her memories were different than the others'? Why was it that she remembered a sight that nobody had seen and could not have happened?

“What's the matter?”

Unexpectedly, a small hand touched her shoulder.

“Does it hurt somewhere?”

There was a young face that looked in, worried. It was a one of the children playing on the beach.

“Thanks. I'm fine.”

She probably looked like she was about to start crying. She even made such a little girl get worried over her. Serah quickly changed her expression.

“Here, you can have this.”

Brought before her eyes was a colorful shell. It carried a pattern with purple and white stripes and appeared to be indigenous to Gran Pulse; she had never seen one before on the beaches of Bodhum.

“Are you sure? You went through all that trouble of finding it,”

“Sure, I've got lots,”

Her little hand pulled out several shells from her pocket. Taking a look, you could see there was a large bulge in her other pocket as well. It was probably filled with shells she had picked up.

“Wow. You sure found a lot of them,”

P50-51

After nodding expertly, the child spun around and took off running. Judging by her height, she should probably be about the age for starting school.

New Bodhum didn't have a school yet. For now, they had their hands full with things like where they would sleep for the night, or what they would do for food the next day, so up until now issues such as the children's education had been on the backburner.

“I said I'd become a school teacher didn't I...”

It was another event from that other memory. That's why nobody knew that Serah had said that she wanted to become a teacher. Snow, the one who said “Let's build a huge school,” probably doesn't remember either; even Serah herself had forgotten. Though they were her own words and her own thoughts, they had sounded so distant and unreliable.

She thinks that she really didn't know anything back then. She underestimated both how tough it would be to live on unexplored lands, as well as the weight of the sin brought upon her by her own rashness. Having understood her own naivety now, saying something like “I want to become a teacher,” was out of the question.

Even so, there was no doubt that this developing village needed a school. In the initial days of development, even children were a precious source of labor. There were things that had to be done despite the fact they weren't strong or skilled. But now, all the work children had to do was to the extent of ‘helping out around the house.' So they should be able to make enough time for studies.

On a day like today when most of the adults were out exploring far away, children didn't have anything to do other than playing by the beach. Surely this was not the best thing for them to be doing...

She came back to her senses after hearing what sounded like a scream. It was a voice yelling, “there's a monster.” Serah hastily turned her eyes in that direction. The children who had been playing by the surf were screaming and running. The monster couldn't be seen yet, but the children of New Bodhum were particularly sensitive to the presence of monsters. Perhaps someone had seen one floating in the water.

She ran out there thinking that she had to protect the children.

“Quick, get out of the water!”

Most aquatic monsters hated dry land. There were some that couldn't breathe out of the water, too. Serah prayed that this time it was those types, again.

“Someone tell Lebreau!”

As Serah yelled that, the first boy who came up the beach nodded and broke into a run.

She took into her arms a child who had tripped in the waves, and took the hand of another who stood petrified with fear.

“It's going to be alright. Come quickly, now”

Behind her, spray from the waves was sent splashing. She sensed a threat and smelled a stench strong enough to send shivers up your spine. She pushed the child whose hand she was holding from behind and yelled, “run!” She held the child who was clinging to her with one hand and raised her dominant arm.

It was almost an entirely unconscious action. But, that power definitely sent magic flying. It was a power she would not use, a power that she decided to forget she could even use.

P52-53

There wasn't just that one monster. Serah cast second and third spells at the black masses approaching from within the waves.

She realized she could use magic a little while before. She gave it a try having heard rumors that non l'Cie magic users were appearing. Even though Serah had once been a l'Cie, she had never used magic before. Though there was no way she could have known how to use magic, as she waved her hand, something invisible had sent the fallen tree flying.

If Lebreau hadn't been there to see it, Serah probably wouldn't have been able to tell anyone and would still have been agonizing over it. The thought that perhaps it was an illusion that she had turned back to normal, that perhaps she was still a l'Cie made her afraid

But Lebreau's reaction was so plain that it was anticlimactic.

“Oh. You can use magic too, Serah?”

“You're not surprised?”

“Why would I be?”

Instead it was Serah who was surprised, having received such a response. What shocked her even more was that everyone had accepted the idea that “normal people could use magic” as a matter of fact.

“Snow, Serah is all surprised that she can use magic. Isn't that cute!”

Having heard the new from Lebreau, Snow tilted head to one side and said, “I don't think it's something to be surprised about, since we are on Gran Pulse.”

“Now that we've been freed from the fal'Cie, surely even those things are possible. Even I can use magic. Did I not tell you?”

It's happening again, she thought. It's the same as when people just accepted the huge historiographical discovery that humans might have been living on Gran Pulse until recently.

Why am I the only one who feels strange about this. Normal people can't use magic. That should have been common sense. Since that common sense has been overturned, there should have been way more of a fuss.

Apart from the fact that she could use magic, she was afraid of the fact that her perception differed so much from that of those around her, so Serah decided she would never use magic again. To the ordinary person, stuff like magic was useless, anyway.

Serah used that magic. It was the first time she thought it might have a power necessary in a place such as Gran Pulse. Even so, there was still an unfading uncomfortableness within her...

“Serah!”

An attacking monster was scattered [exploded D:] before her eyes. Turning around, she saw Lebreau running towards her with a gun in her hand. Serah adjusted her grip on the child and ran. If she turned her back to the monsters now, then Lebreau would back her up.

Aside from Lebreau, there were also a number of other women who took up arms and surrounded the beach. Those who were trained for battle were out exploring, but those who remained could at least handle guns.

P54-55

It wasn't that they hadn't prepared for an attack from the sea. That's why there was sturdy netting placed surrounding the beach so monsters couldn't get [lit. break] in. They had to some extent expected that perhaps a monster strong enough to break through would appear. That's why they would give clear warning to the children to pay attention to the open water when they were playing by the sea.

The one thing they hadn't anticipated was the number of monsters. At first they thought it would be a few at most. But, one after another, the monsters appeared like swarming insects. Lebreau shouted as she struck down the monsters.

“Serah! Take the children to shelter! As quickly as you can,”

As they were fighting such numbers with such few people, there was the danger that some would get by. Even if the monsters made it into the village, we had to at least make sure the children were safe.

It would actually be more dangerous to go back to the shelter. The ground inclined into a hill there so with children running on foot, the monsters would catch up. But then again, the recently built houses by the beach were just as precarious [lit. unreliable]. Even though they were built high off the ground so that aquatic monsters couldn't reach them, these monsters had the ability to jump even higher than that. Judging by the resistance from when she cast spells, the surface of their bodies were solid [lit. tough/hard]. It seemed like if they smashed against the windows, they would break.

“Everyone, gather around me!”

For now, thinking she had to guide them someplace away from the sea, she called together the children who had scattered in all directions.

“Take the hand of someone smaller than you!”

She had the children holding each other's hands line up in pairs and quickly counted them off. It's okay, everyone's here, sighed Serah in relief. Perhaps because she saw them playing by the beach on a daily basis, she knew the faces and names of every child.

“Is everyone listening? We're going to seek refuge at Maqui's workshop. You all know where it is, right?”

All of the boys nodded together. Maqui's workshop was one where all sorts of interesting things were made, and irresistible for any boy around that age. It was a safer bet to go somewhere people knew well, than to someplace unknown.

Above all, that place was away from the sea. It was originally next to NORA House, but there were complaints from neighboring villagers about the noise, so it was inevitably moved. The fact that Maqui would tinker with machines with no sense of the time was something that was the same as when they were on Cocoon.

His new workshop was through a narrow path behind NORA House and on the other side of a field [lit. a field of the agricultural kind]. There even if there were loud noises they wouldn't reach the village, so he could tinker with his machines to his heart's content without a care for anyone else. There was a cave perfect for storing materials, too.

“Don't run. Don't make noises. Don't let go of the hand of the person beside you. Got it?”

Serah had the eldest boys lead and followed up the rear, herself. It was so she could keep an eye on the children as well as what was behind her. In reality, the monsters were fast and she even had to cast spells to repel them a few times.

The monsters that gave chase usually came on ones, so it wasn't hard to return fire while moving.

P56-57

In fact, there was more of an effort involved in quieting the kids making sounds and noises and getting them to walk again.

“Wooow. Ms. Serah [lit. Serah-sensei] can use magic.”

“That's enough [or Come on], just turn around and keep walking.”

After she spoke in a bit of a stern tone, she realized she was called being called “Ms.” [as in, teacher]. Come to think of it, she seemed to recall she had been called that by another child earlier. It seemed that having been frantically trying to figure out how to lead the children, she just let it pass by her ears.

Perhaps the kids themselves were the ones who were desperate. They only had one adult they could rely upon. It was no doubt they'd be worried. That's why they called that adult by “Ms.” instead. It was natural that there was only one teacher per class.

Having been busy worrying up until now, she hadn't done a single thing to atone. She thought she didn't have the right to say a thing like “I want to become a teacher.” Even then, the children let themselves rely on her. With that being the case, she thought she would try with all her might to not let them down. I'll do my best to play the role of a teacher. So that the children can be at peace, if only in the slightest

“Hey, no running! It'll be dangerous if you fall,”

Walking fast for little children turned into running right away. It was right to have the older children hold their hands.

The reason why she said “take the hand of someone smaller than you,” was because she had recalled a time when she had her hand held long ago. The hand of someone older was like a lifeline to the young ones. If they had just that, they could feel relieved.

I was being protected, she rethought. She had always been since before she gained a sense of awareness. No matter when, or where she was going, she was always led by her hand. Lightning protected me as if it was the natural thing to do. The hand of my sister, my “teacher," was...

“Ms. Serah, I'm tired!”

“My feet hurt,”

“Let's take a break already,”

After walking for a while, each and every child began complaining. Perhaps they were all relaxed since there were no more monsters giving chase. On top of that, it was fields of fruit bearing crops all around. For a child, it was somewhere you would just want to stop and play at.

“It's just a little further so give it your best. If we get caught by monsters here then we'd be in trouble,”

In reality, there was tall fencing and the usual bells placed around the field so that farming could be done in peace. That's why Serah had chosen the workshop on the far side of the field, but it was too soon to be letting your guard down.

“Look, you can see the workshop now. We can make it to there, can't we? If you can do it, put up your hand,”

A few hands went up..

“Oh? Not very energetic are we? Let's try again. If you can do it, put up your hand,”

P58-59

This time, hands flew up accompanied by yes's. With an “as loud as you can,” Serah had the children raise their hands again. Having seemingly been distracted by the repetition, the complaints went away and made it to the open area where the workshop was.

“Good job, everyone. But don't let those hands go yet. Go over to that cave as you are,”

The cave where materials were stored was wide enough to fit just the children in. If she had them seek refuge in there, then she could breathe a sigh of relief for now. In the event that other monsters attacked, if Serah could hold them off at the entrance then somehow the children would be protected.

On top of that, Serah knew that Maqui had been making prototypes of machines to ward off monsters. Since there were things like nets for capturing monsters and modified weapons. If worst comes to worse, I just have to start them all up and then we should be alright...

“Now, don't come out until I say so, okay?”

“What about you, Ms. Serah? You're not gonna stay [lit. be] here?”

“No. I have to keep watch outside,”

Instantly, the children's faces became filled with worry. In terms of keeping watch, it would only be from a little ways away. Even being a short distance away would no doubt be scary. But it would be too dangerous to turn my eyes from what was happening outside. She had to calm the children down, somehow.

Come to think of it, what did I do when our teacher wasn't at school. From high school we were made to study by ourselves, but what about in lower grades? Oh, right. I remember now...

“You older kids learned a game for rainy days didn't you? Still remember it?”

They would always learn this game to play at school on days when it was raining and you couldn't play in the schoolyard. It was a game you could play quietly while facing your desk. In the lower grades, it was something in place of a self-study topic.

“The one where you connect a line to a circle?”

“That's the one. You big kids teach the little ones. Once everyone has learned how to play, we're going to have a big contest to see who wins. Can you all learn it by the time your teacher comes back?”

Having heard they would be having a big contest, the children's faces brightened. The ones eager to get started began drawing lines on the ground with rocks right away. Serah left feeling relieved. She hurried to the workshop and pulled out anything that looked like it could be used as a weapon. It was just too dangerous with magic alone. Although the monsters from earlier could be sent flying, she couldn't deliver any fatal blows.

As she was looking for weapons, she flipped the switch on the high-frequency sound wave generator for deterring monsters. It was a prototype that Maqui had just finished building. If it were modified to be waterproof then it could be placed outside homes or even by the ocean. Maqui had said that he eventually wanted to place them so they surrounded the settlement.

According to Maqui, there were monsters that it didn't work on but around eighty percent of the ones that appeared in New Bodhum hated the high-frequency sound waves and would run from them. As for the remaining twenty percent it didn't work on, all you could do was pray.

It was then. The wireless transceiver in her pocket made a low buzz. It had to be Lebreau. Perhaps they had finished exterminating the monsters by the beach.

P60-61

Just as expected, she heard Lebreau's voice asking “Serah, where are you right now?” through the wireless transceiver? They had worse sound quality than the ones they had used on Cocoon, but were much better at transmitting over long distances. This was probably something Maqui modified too. On Gran Pulse, the ability to transmit over a wide area despite the static was more useful than being able to hear clearly.

“I'm at Maqui's workshop. There are weapons here so I thought it would be safe,”

“That's a wise decision. And what about the kids?”

“Everyone's fine. I'm having them hide in the cave for materials. How about you?”

“They kept coming and coming so much that we were sick of them, but somehow we got them all. We'll come get you now,”

“Okay. Thanks,”

“Ah, wait. There's one left! But, it'll just be a little longer,”

The transceiver cut off with a snap and went silent. Serah let out a deep breath. If it was just one monster then surely it wouldn't take too long. Her teacher act only had to last a little longer, too. For an adult, the beach was only a little ways from here.

No, even for the children, if they lined up properly and walked without getting distracted then they probably would have been a little faster. The children who had been going to school would have experienced learning things like walking in a line, and to be quick on their feet when evacuating, but the children who hadn't reached school age yet didn't know you did such things.

Back on Cocoon, disaster drills were mostly all just for show. It was because not even adults thought they would be needed. But, it's different here. It is a land that would be difficult to call safe even with the presence of adults. We have to make it so that even the children can protect themselves on their own.

We really desperately need schools, after all. There is much to be learned especially since we're a group. Not simply studies, but also the knowledge on how to have fun in large numbers, which the children are sure to need. Regular events such as excursions and athletics festivals are a group's priceless treasures. I want to give these same treasures to the children of this village too...

It was when she was thinking about such things. Out of the blue, a shadow passed over the ground. She heard wings flapping. Serah's expression turned into one of shock.

“No way...”

A giant monster with reptilian wings was looking down at Serah with its lidless eyes. It was a monster you wouldn't ever see in the area. Also, it was part of the twenty percent of monsters which didn't hate the monster deterring high-frequency sound waves. She wanted to cry out, why now of all times?

Lebreau and the others hadn't come yet. Surely they were still occupied with that last monster. There was no sign of anyone on the path that continued to the settlement.

The monster let out a piercing cry which sounded like metal being rubbed together. It had its wings spread widely as if to threaten.

“Ms. Serah, whaaat was that just now?”

P62-63

The children's voices were coming from behind her. Her nervousness made it seem short, but quite a bit of time had passed since she had them take shelter in the cave. Some of the children should be starting to get bored of the game about now. As Serah glared at the monster, she shouted at the top of her lungs.

“Don't come out! Go inside!”

As if taking that voice as a signal, the monster dove down sharply. She let spells fly while drawing back. No, she hadn't intended on drawing back, but her feet tried to escape on their own. Whether the fact her magic was weak as a result of this, or that Serah's magic wasn't effective enough, it seemed as if the monster had not taken much damage at all.

The monster let out an screeching roar. It seemed it was enraged at the half-hearted counterattack. She knew it was making chattering noises with its hind teeth. Her knees began to shake against her will. Her body wanted to run. Run from this place right now.

All of the weapons she brought out of the workshop were of no use. It wasn't because of the weapons themselves. Her hands were shaking so much she couldn't use them. She tried with all her might to throw them, but there was no way they would hit a flying monster.

Serah blindly cast magic spells. She couldn't run. There were children in the cave behind her. If she didn't do something to dispatch the monster, there would have been no meaning to taking shelter here.

Perhaps because she had been using her magical powers repeatedly in a short period of time, her ears rang awfully. She herself knew that her fingertips had become.cold. But nevertheless, she couldn't afford to stop. She wanted to buy time at least until Lebreau and the others came running.

But, her weak magical power only served to provoke the monster and failed to cause it to back away. How long had she been casting that ineffective magic? Before long, the  monster seemed to break free of its stun and puffed up its wings.

Sharp talons closed in. There was nothing she could do about it. Unable to stand any longer, Serah shut her eyes and cowered on the spot.

Then, she felt hot air against the arm she shielded her head with. The monster let out a roar so piercing enough to shred eardrums. Serah had braced herself for the impact of the talons. But, no matter how much time had passed, it never came

Serah gingerly lifted her face. The monster that should have flying in the skies until now was crawling on the ground. Just as she thought its scorched wings were shuddering violently, the monster had stopped moving.

“Serah!”

Snow's voice came down from the sky. As she stood up and looked toward the sky, she saw Snow and Maqui riding a two-person airbike. The monster was brought down by those two. A little later, an airship came into view.

Even though she knew she had been saved, she didn't stop shaking. There wasn't any strength left in her knees. Serah collapsed on the ground right there.