Chapter 17: Reunions and Returns
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	Driel gave Locke an embarrassed, happy smile as he shouted out her
name. Jogging over to him, she tackled him with a big hug, forgetting
momentarily how strong she really was.
	Gasping, he said, "Glad to see you too.  Where have you been?  I was
afraid you were dead."
	"Hey, that's my line.  I washed up in Maranda."
	"Maranda, hm?  Amazing, that's rather far away."
	"I guess...So, um, have you seen Jared?"  When Locke just shook his
head solemnly, she dropped her eyes and bit her lip.  "I guess he was telling
the truth," she whispered.  Lola patted her on her shoulder.  After a long,
uncomfortable moment, she lifted her head again, she asked, "So, have you
found any of the friends you have been looking for?"
	"As a matter of fact I have.  Driel, I'd like you to meet my friends
Sabin and Banon."  He pointed to each in turn.
	"Hm, yes, we have met before,"  Banon said.  "Well, if you are Driel,
the other lovely young lady here must be Lola.  We really need to talk, you
two.  I heard some interesting rumors while I was in Maranda, and they all
seem to revolve around you two."  Driel stiffened as he said this, and Lola
hovered over her protectively, briefly glaring at Banon.
	Sabin, meanwhile, was tapping his chin thoughtfully.  "You know, the
name Lola sounds very familiar...Hm...oh well, I guess it will come to me
later."  He smiled warmly at Lola, who blushed and suddenly took a great
interest in the ground.  As she did, she saw the strange woman who had
thrown herself at Locke's feet.  She frowned at her suspiciously, but when the
woman cringed, looking genuinely scared and confused, Lola smiled at her
tentatively.  Then she spoke up.
	"Well, anyhow, now that everyone has met, I'd like to ask you guys a
favor.  We overheard you guys about the Returners, and we would like to join
and help you."
	Driel nodded and said, "Yeah, there have been a lot of strange things
happening lately, from weird storms to undead armies..."
	"And my flowers have been dying, and a strange plague nearly wiped out
Maranda!  I can't just sit back any longer and let whoever is doing this, I
guess it would be that evil Edgar,  continue to ruin what little we have left
after Kefka destroyed the world!"  Lola's eyes had started to gleam as she
said this.
	The others nodded, and Locke was about to speak up, when suddenly
everyone facing the direction of Kohlingen was blinded by a brilliant flash of
light.  Driel gasped, clutching her stomach, and collapsed to the ground.
Lola immedietely knelt next to her.
	"What's wrong, Driel?"  Lola asked.
	"Ooooohhh... the magic... there's waves of evil, sickening magic
washing over me... I think I'm going to throw up..."  Driel sat on the ground,
her sides heaving, as she tried to catch her breath.  After a minute or two,
though, she managed to stand up.  "It's... mostly gone now.  I don't know what
that was, but it seems to have faded."
	Lola looked concerned, Sabin just looked confused, and Locke was
staring toward the direction the light came from.
	Banon sighed and said, "Yet another thing to chalk up to Edgar, I
guess.  We had better try to get as organized as fast as possible, so we can
do something about all of this."  The others nodded, agreeing with him.