Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII it is copyrighted by Square Enix and all other associates.
Man, if it wasn't for you Nighthill and RadiantKeybladeFantasy I would probably would have stopped this long ago.
Chapter IX – Timber Maniacs
Timber sat quietly, the sounds of the local trains no longer filling the now silent streets. It's not a big secret how many resistance factions make up the majority of the populace. Galbadian has had its claws in the small city for so many years now, and President Deling is not a leader for the people. Everyone uses the trains to get around the city it's more convenient this way, but due to one of the more active factions in the city the trains are no longer running. Everyone is on edge about the dictatorial President being here and now with the recent attempted―but not succeeding kidnapping it has made the people even more worried about who is occupying the city.
A small squad of Galbadian soldiers were standing on the bridge overlooking the empty tracks where the trains once ran. There were three standard soldiers and one commanding officer. The small group was doing a routine scouting mission, watching out for suspicions persons. The army had to be more alert with the President being here and with the already attempted kidnapping they didn't want to take any more chances.
"A guy dressed as a cadet… Gathering information?" The officer in red asked his squad clarifying the report they had just given him.
"He was asking about the president's stay!" One of the soldiers answered saluting his superior, "I found it strange that a cadet would keep asking about the president. He was very polite and kept addressing me as 'sir'."
Another one of the soldiers saluted before adding to the first soldiers report. "I think I know who you're talking about! He was taking care of three suspicious looking characters from Balamb! I'll go question every teenager in the area!"
The officer in red quickly turned. "No! We can't go up to anybody and…"
The soldier who suggested questioning every teenager had turned and ran off.
The officer turned back to looking at the tracks. "Ahem. These are citizens. We can't inflict any…"
The third soldier saluted. "How dare they try to kidnap the president! Not only is it disrespectful to the president but also to s Galbadian soldiers as well! I'll be sure to find'em and throw their sad be-hinds in jail!" he also turned and ran off.
The first soldier, the only one now remaining, saluted and ran off to also beginning search for these strange teenagers from Balamb.
The officer hung his head. "…Please… Hear me out…to the very end…"
The Forest Owl's base pulled up to the small boarding platform that the three SeeDs and Watts used to board onto the train. The door opened and Squall, Zell and Rinoa exited the train followed lastly by Watts.
"…Say! I remember now, sir!" he quickly ran over to a small board with a map of Timber on it, "I think the TV Station is located behind a building called Timber Maniacs!" Watts turned and looked at the group he pointed over his shoulder at a small path that rand alongside the boarding platform, "Please head in that direction, sir! I hope you find it!"
"WaaaaaaaaaTTTSS! C'MON! The Galbadian soldiers are comin'!" Zone yelled from inside the base.
Watts glanced at the train and back at the teens. "Lot's of guards patrolling the city now! Please be careful, sir!"
The train started to pull away from the platform; Watts was too busy talking he didn't notice at first what was happening.
"Seems like the hotel's not available, either! Should you need to recover, use the Owl's Tear, sir! Heard it works wonders!" Watts explained.
The train had now fully passed the platform and began to traverse down the tracks. Watts still was oblivious to this fact.
…Your leader just left you behind…
"I believe you can find it at the old man's house…I guess you won't be needing it anyways. You're all SeeD's, you'll be fine, right, sir!?" Watts turned and looked at the tracks seeing the train was now gone, "Hey…!?"
Now you notice…whatever.
Watts jumped onto the tracks and began to run away the train that left him behind. "Don't leave me, sirrrrrr!"
Squall walked down the small steps on the platform and began to head straight, they walked over the small bridge that over the tracks. Rinoa walked over to the decorative railing and glanced down at the empty tracks.
"Looks like the trains have stopped running…" she commented sadly, "Usually, the local trains would be running here. A lot of hustle and bustle…"
Yeah…due to your faction's failed-fake-attempted-kidnapping…
Rinoa walked back over to join the group and they followed the path to the next section of the city. In the next area there was the weapon shop, the hotel and another small store. Rinoa ran into the hotel and the two others followed after her, she was standing talking to a woman wearing a black tank top and shorts.
"Excuse me. This model looks really good…Quite some craftsmanship." The woman in black commented.
…yeah it looks better than that the thing Rinoa made…or tried to…
"Don't you think?" she asked looking at Squall
"It's better than Rinoa's" Squall answered.
Rinoa dropped to the ground and hugged her knees to her chest. "That's so mean! I worked really hard on mine!"
…it still looks bad…I think I hurt her feelings though…Sorry Rinoa…
Squall turned around. "Just kidding…"
"When someone says they're kidding it's only half true…" The woman in black answered.
…that wasn't nice…
"…" Squall turned and glared at the woman.
Rinoa looked at the woman's shocked expression she couldn't see what Squall did to make her look kind of scared because his back was to her. "….Squall?"
"Oh… Um… It's just a saying, you know, I'm sorry." The woman said turning back to the small model train set on the table.
Rinoa walked over to the hotel's front desk.
"Oh, Rinoa! I'm sorry…You can't stay here tonight. Can't say this out loud, but there are a bunch of roughnecks from Galbadia staying here right now." The woman behind the desk informed.
…Rinoa sure seems well-known here…
"I understand. Thanks, Miss DiMarco."
"Oh, Rinoa. How long have we known each other? Call me Francesca. I'm behind you all the way! Good luck!"
Rinoa smiled at the woman and the trio left the hotel, it seemed like Watt's Intel was accurate this time about the hotel. They headed back to where they were dropped off earlier and headed the way Watts told them to go.
The Timber Maniacs building was just up ahead, Watts said the TV Station was behind it. The trio now just needed to find a way to get over to the Station.
A dark skinned woman noticed Rinoa and came over to her. "Watts got left behind again… He looks so funny when he chases after the train." she said laughing.
…or just stupid…
Squall noticed a man standing over by the Timber Maniacs building, he walked over to him.
…maybe he knows how to get to the TV Station by foot.
"Looking for Timber Maniacs? It's right here. Anything else?"
"Where's the TV Station?" Squall asked.
"Yeah, that's in this town. You wanna know more about it? Maybe the lady next door would know…" he suggested.
Squall nodded and looked over at Zell who was staring at the Timber Maniacs building with big eyes.
"Yo Squall, do you think we could go inside for a minute? I used to read tis stuff when I was little…"
…he won't probably let me say no anyways.
Squall nodded and the three entered the small building, Zell saw some magazines sitting on the ground in stacks and went over to search through them.
The receptionist looked over at the small group. "Hello. What can I do for you honey?"
"We want to take a look around." Squall informed her.
"Oh, ok. Go right on ahead."
Squall nodded and walked over to where Zell was crouching looking at the magazines on the floor.
There's a lot of old magazines. Hey, these are the 'battle series'. I've read all of them…I didn't know they were published here…
Zell pulled out a magazine and showed it to Squall. "Yo, man look at this!"
It was an X-rated magazine called Girl Next Door. Rinoa put her hands on her hips and gave Zell a disgusted look.
Zell quietly whispered to Squall. "What if when we get back to Garden we stick this in Seifer's room. Total payback baby! That will show him!"
Squall shook his head at Zell. …moron…
"Put it back Zell…" Squall commanded.
"Fine, fine. I thought you'd be all over my idea. Can you imagine, the leader of the disciplinary committee with dirty magazines hidden in his room!"
"Then what happens when he finds out it was you? I can't imagine it wouldn't end up with you in the infirmary…or worse…"
Zell swallowed loudly. "Good point…nevermind. I don't want to be near him and that gunblade of his."
…trust me you don't. I have a reminder on my face everyday…
Zell got up and led Squall and Rinoa into the back where the editors worked, they walked over to a man standing at the back of the room by the window.
"Oh man. Why do battle series books sell so well? We're sure living in a terrible age."
…hey…I like battle series…doesn't help I'm a teenage mercenary…
He turned and looked over at the teens standing next to him. "Oh. You're looking around? Is there anything you want to know?"
"About Timber Maniacs." Zell answered.
"Ok. Well as you know, the name of the company is Timber Maniacs. We are a publisher that was established twenty years ago. We used to publish a magazine called Tim Mani, short for Timber Maniacs. It was a compilation of freelance writing: letters, reports, ex cetra…The majority of the fans wanted to become journalists. I joined the company because I wanted to become an editor for Tim Mani."
Squall wasn't sure of how long this man kept rambling on for, but it was awhile. Rinoa had sat down on the ground, she was tired of standing with how long the man kept talking for. Zell was standing by the window, even he was getting annoyed with how long this was taking. Squall was standing with his arms crossed and his head turned to the side.
"But time have changed. Now the only things that sell are books like the battle series. It's so sad. I've lost my will to work here."
…He's gonna go on forever.
The man kept rambling and Squall began to tune him out, it was never ending.
This is so typical. Adults reminiscing and talking on and on about the things they couldn't do or didn't do….I hate it.
When the editor finally finished the trio quickly made a break for it and left the room before the man could go on another tangent about his life and what we wished he could do differently.
"Hey guys!" The editor called after them.
…no more of this… Squall turned his head to the side and crossed his arms.
"A word of advice! You're still young! Don't let your life pass you by!"
I just wasted a chunk of mine…listening to you talk. Thanks a lot Zell….
Squall led Rinoa and Zell from the building as quickly as he could. The trio headed over to where the house that was located next door that the guy earlier suggested they go. The group entered the small house, there was an older lady standing over by the sink and a teenage girl over by the stove. The older woman looked over at the people who just entered her house.
"What? You're walking to the TV Station?" she asked incredulously.
"We have no choice. The trains aren't running." Squall explained.
"Let's see… There used to be a way through the back alley of this house… The Pub was built around the time they stopped broadcasting. We haven't used the back alley too much since then. Why don't you look through the second floor window? You should be able to see the back alley." The woman offered, "If you want to go through the back alley why don't you talk to the owner of the Pub? He's scary lookin', but…..Well, I guess he ain't so nice, either. Just go talk to him anyway."
…huh? Whatever…
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?" Zell asked putting his hands up in confusion.
The teenager turned and looked at the group. "They fight a lot, but my parents totally get along."
Is the Pub owner the woman's husband?
"I can't wait to meet a great guy I can scream at and exchange blows with!" The teenage girl said with a weird gleam in her eyes.
What the―?!
"That sounds really, really weird." Zell said.
Very….
Squall led them upstairs so they could see where this back alley was located so they could finally make their way to the TV Station. Up the stairs was a small bedroom with two kids and a cat. The kid that was laying on the carpet looked up at Squall.
"It's not even r kitty, but it's always shleeping on r bed…Can u believe him! He eats up a wot of r food two…That's y we're charging a look-see fee… We can't help it. It's the kitty's fault..." he explained.
Look-see fee?
Squall walked over towards the window and the other small boy was doing handstands using the wall as his support.
"Wanna take a look-see? Go to that… Ughh….window there…"
Squall approached the window and opened it. He glanced down and small a small alley that had a door that led to the start of it. The door belonged to the Pub just down from the small house. Squall stepped back from the window and the child doing a handstand pushed himself off the wall and walked over to Squall with his hand out.
"That's ten Gil please…"
…that's the look-see fee? Really?
There were steps on the staircase as the older woman from downstairs came up; she was apparently the mother of the two boys. She put her hands on her hips.
"HEY! You at it again!?" she yelled and walked over to the boy asking for the money, "How many times have I told you not to take money from people!" she then proceeded to spank the small boy twice.
The boy started crying. "Awwwaah… I…I reduced the pwice from a thousand Gil, though…"
"It's not about the money! I didn't raise you this way!" The mother then went back down stairs.
The boy walked over to where he was doing his handstand earlier. "U don't hav'ta pay me…" he then went back to doing his handstand.
…poor kid….
Squall and the others went back downstairs and left the small house and began to make their way towards the Pub and finally the TV Station. In the next area was a small tunnel and stairs that led down towards the Pub, the teens headed down the stairs and spotted two Galbadian soldiers standing at the bottom of the stairs.
"That was too easy, man. Heh heh…for a country bumpkin he sure had some good stuff." The first soldier said to the second one.
"Yo, better ease off a little. These Timber hicks hate us enough as it is." The second one replied.
The two soldiers turned and saw Squall, Zell and Rinoa standing on the stairs.
"Let's get 'em!"
The two soldiers engaged the three teens in combat. Squall, Zell and Rinoa just used their melee attacks and quickly dispatched the two cadets. Rinoa's weapon was similar to a crossbow and a boomerang, it was places on her arm and shot out a small projectile that would return back to the weapon. Squall noticed a small card on the ground next to the fallen soldiers; he bent down and picked it up. It was a triple triad card of a Buel, he pocketed the card and led the group inside the Pub.
Inside there was a man sitting on the ground in front of the door that would lead out to the back alley they needed to use to get to the TV Station. The man was blasting his mouth off, his words obviously fueled by the alcohol he was drinking.
"I've had enough of this city!" his words were incredibly slurred, "I came from Dollet to have me a good time. And now…. Trains are no longer running… Can't even stay in a hotel because of some damn stupid official…! Harrassed by Galbadian soldiers… Had my precious card stolen… This hasn't been my day…"
Card? The one we found outside?
"Those jerks… They think they can use brute force to get anything they want. Hell… This town's a good example… Yeah… Everything's jacked up because the resistance tried to kidnap the president. Thanks to them, the trains have stopped… There's Galbadian soldiers all over the place… All because of them! Don't they understand I'm the one suffering from their reckless actions!? Stupid, boneheaded, good-for-nothing, resistance! You can just kiss my…"
I bet Rinoa won't take too kindly to this guy's words…
Rinoa stepped forward having heard enough. "Hey!"
Another bar patron sitting at one of the tables stood up. "You don't understand anything! The resistance is fighting for Timber's future! They're all doing the best they can. It's the Galbadian soldiers and their leader who are at fault!" The person then sat back down.
"Pshhh…" The drunk drifter slurred.
Squall led the others over towards the door and the owner looked over at them before sighing.
"You wanna go through the back alley? Might be a little difficult right now. He's being pretty stubborn. The guy throws a fit when you try to move him from that spot." The owner explained.
Squall walked over to the drifter he could smell the alcohol on him it was over whelming.
"We need to get through." Squall stated plainly.
"Geez, and now I'm getting dissed by some punk…!? Owner, gimme another drink!"
Squall reached into his pocket and drew out the card. "Is this your card?"
"Huh? It is! Why do you have it!?" he accused.
"…..Found it outside."
"Are you serious?" he paused and looked up at Squall, "…..okay. Thanks. Know what? I'm feelin' generous! So you can keep that card. And also…this one! I'll move out of the way now."
Squall looked at the card the man handed to him. I don't play this game…
"Hey, owner. I can't stand up. Can ya help me?"
The owner walked over and dragged the man to the side so he wasn't in front of the door anymore.
Squall, Zell and Rinoa walked through the door and into the small back alley, they followed the small path and came to a bunch of stairs. Squall opened the small gate and led the others up the few flights of stairs. Up the stairs on the side of the building was a large black screen, with illegible red symbols running along the screen.
"Whoa, an outdoor TV!" Zell beamed.
Rinoa looked up at the screen. "This is creepy… What is it?"
"This noise is broadcasting over most of the frequencies. Something has to be done about this before they can broadcast it over the air." Squall explained.
"Oh, really? Actually, I was wondering myself." Zell said surprised.
Watts ran up the stairs. "The president's in the studio now, sir. Too many guards now, so we won't be able to storm the place, sir!" Watts then ran back down the stairs.
"So we can't just rush in…" Rinoa sighed, "We've gotta come up with a new plan now!"
…we're never going to get Timber liberated at this rate…we're gonna be stuck here for the rest of our lives…
"If the president leaves, maybe the guards will be gone, too? That's when we do OUR broadcast. It might now be as influential but it's better than nothing, right? We don't stand a chance if we take 'em head on, right?" Rinoa asked.
Just order us to do what you want…as SeeD we have to follow the order of our client no matter how bad the odds are against us…you're paying for our services to help complete your own goals…what we think is not important…
"Don't worry about us. We'll fight your enemies based on your decision. That's our duty." Squall stated.
"You tell us to go, we go. Even if it is a losing battle." Zell added.
"How sad… Act on my decision? That's your duty? Oh, what an easy life it must be, just to follow orders…" Rinoa answered.
Zell and Squall looked at each other and shook their heads.
You don't get it…you hire us for a job, if we disobeyed and did what we wanted we wouldn't get paid. Garden would have no income to pay for all its SeeDs and staff members…or our equipment and technology. Garden would have to close due to insufficient funds and then there would be no special forces…the only power would be Galbadia and its army…
"Call it what you want. All we want is for you to achieve your goal using our help. I find it hard to believe that you can do it, though…" Squall simply shrugged.
"W-What did you say!? If you have something to say, just say it!"
You really want to push this? Fine.
"How serious are you…? Really…?" Squall walked closer to Rinoa, "The three of you plop down on the floor to discuss strategy? On top of that, you can't make a decision without our input, right? How do you think we feel, working for such an organization?" Squall deadpanned.
Zell walked over to Squall and quietly whispered to him. "You're being too hard, man."
…I know. Sorry Rinoa…
"…Sorry. Guess I got a little carried away." Squall reluctantly admitted.
"You know…Maybe this was all a big mistake. I thought everything would work out fine once SeeD came to help us. But, I guess it's not that easy. You were all hired. It's not like you're one of us. Um, let's see… We'll cancel the plan, and we'll disperse for now."
Rinoa…
Squall walked closer to Rinoa, who just turned away from him.
"We don't stand a chance if we take 'em head on, right? So…you guys probably think this is all a game to us." Rinoa turned and looked at Squall with hard eyes, "…Well, it's not! We're serious. So serious…it hurts." Rinoa turned and ran back down the stairs.
Selphie came walking up the stairs as Rinoa brushed past her, Selphie turned around and watcher her run off.
"…Heeeeey?" Selphie then walked up the stairs and joined the others on the small walkway in front of the screen.
The TV screen started to crackle and the small red letters disappeared.
"Are they starting?" Zell asked aloud.
…Yeah they are…Let's see what they have to say…
