Summer's End, Chapter One: Some R&R
Zell cleared the top of the hill, yawning. At least now Winhill was in sight. All the damn hills look the same, and he hadn't thought it'd be that far of a hike when he'd told the aircar driver to just drop him off, since he didn't want to make an entrance. He stretched, hearing his back pop, and broke into a jog the rest of the way to the town.
He needed this vacation. It'd been too long since he did anything besides work, let alone fun.
Since the end of the Sorceress War, Zell and the rest of the team had returned to Balamb Garden and things had sort of gone back to normal. Squall ran the Garden and commanded the SeeDs. Quistis instructed the classes on GF summoning. Rinoa instructed the classes on magic, insisting that even though she wasn't a SeeD, as a sorceress she was beyond qualified on the subject. Irvine taught weapons training. Selphie taught the kids too young to be cadets. And Zell ran missions. Oh god, did he run missions. He couldn't think of a single place, yet alone square inch, of the planet he hadn't covered in the three years since the end of the war.
Zell had insisted on this vacation, claiming that if he didn't get a chance to stay in one spot for more than a day, he was going to impale himself on Squall's Lion Heart and be done with it. He'd decided on Winhill as a R&R retreat since the town was so quiet. Quiet was what he needed, which is why he'd gently refused Selphie's offer to keep him company. He loved the girl like a sister, but he didn't know if she knew what the word quiet meant.
"Mama, who's that man? He looks funny!"
He blinked, snapping out of his reverie. A little girl was hiding behind a large woman outside of the shop at the edge of Winhill. He bent down and smiled. "Hey there. What's your name?"
"Raine," the girl said shyly. "What's that thingie on your face? It's ugly!"
Zell grinned. "Oh, so I'm ugly?" He affected a hurt expression, pouting at her. "I think I'm gonna cry!"
"Noooo!" The little girl squealed. "Just the thingie! You're not!"
"My name's Zell. What did you say your name was? Raine? That's a pretty name." Zell paused, trying to remember why that name was so familiar. Oh... that was the name of Squall's mother. Right.
"Thank you, Mr. Zell." the little girl said after her mother poked her.
"I'm sure you know everything about Winhill," he continued.
"Of course I do! I'm seven! I'm a big girl! Big girls know lots." Raine said, nodding self-importantly.
"Then I suppose you know where the inn is in town, then?" he asked, eyes sparkling at the child.
"Right there!" the girl said, pointing to a large building a block down on the other side of the road.
"Thanks," he smiled at her, patting her on the head. "Have a good day, Raine."
Zell turned and left, heading over to the inn. He pushed the door open and went inside.
He dropped his backpack on a table near the entrance of the inn and went up to the desk. After a few minutes of haggling, Zell handed over a pile of Gil and the clerk handed him a key, gesturing towards the stairs. He collected his things and went upstairs to put everything away.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Zell went outside and paused, wondering what he should do with the remaining hours of daylight he had. "That little girl's name was Raine... I think I'll go leave a flower on Squall's mom's grave. He'd like that, I think." he said to himself.
He set off down the road to the flower shop. When he saw the price on a wreath of white roses, he smiled wryly. It's a good thing he had spent the last couple of years as a mission leader and not going out much, so he could afford this vacation. He paid the shopkeeper and left the store, strolling down to the cemetery. And froze.
A familiar blond man was in the graveyard, raking leaves. The man paused and looked up at the sun, smiled slightly. Zell could see the emerald green eyes sparkle even from a distance. Seifer.