Squall

Rinoa was thrashing about on the bottom bunk as the train began slowing down in Timber Station. Zell handed me the case with her junction equipment with a tired smile that said 'good luck' as he left the SeeD suite, following Irvine out of the room.

Rinoa and I were alone, the thought did strange things to my stomach, but I simply shoved it aside as I sat at the edge of the bed, wondering what the best way to wake her would be.

As if the thought was enough her eyes flew open and she took in a deep breath. Her eyes were wild as she studied the area around her, finally falling on me. For a moment she looked scared, with shuddered breathes and all of her fidgeting to slide as far away from me as she could. My lips fell into a frown as I studied her.

It was a look I had seen too many times in the mirror after waking up from a particularly bad nightmare.

"Are you okay?" I asked calmly as her breathing finally evened out a bit. She nodded once before shaking her head, a frown appearing on her lips as she took a moment to think about an answer.

"I… I don't know," She sighed, bringing her knees up to her chest. The blanket fell away from her body, exposing her pale skin and toned legs. I averted my eyes as I felt the blood rush to my face.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked on reflex, like I didn't have a choice. The words just bubbled up out of my brain, down my throat, and out of my mouth. I did my best not to look horrified.

I had already offered to be her shoulder to lean on if she needed to talk, but I'm not sure I was ready for it to be this soon in such a private setting.

I jumped off the bed, remembering how quiet and alone we were in the cabin. Rinoa studied my movements, her lips twitching into a half grin or something. I felt like my nerves were frazzled as her eyes simply studied me.

"I'm not sure if I'm ready to talk yet, but when I am I'll let you know," her voice sounded lighter as she pushed the remaining blanket off her legs and maneuvered herself off the bottom bunk of the bed. She took a couple moments to slip on her shoes and take inventory of all her things before her eyes fell on the junction device box I had absentmindedly left on the side table.

"Zell moved all of your things over while you were sleeping," I supplied as she opened the box and studied the faux diamond earrings. They were expensive enough that they could have very well been the real thing, but Rinoa had picked a simple pair. She nodded once at me before picking up an earring and attempting to fasten it to her ears.

"So how do the new ones work? How long do they take to attune?"

"Thirty minutes or so," I said while adjusting my weight from one foot to the other. "I wouldn't suggest trying to attune so soon after your…" I struggled to find the right word. Instead I frowned and gestured towards the unmade bed and the bucket sitting next to it. She frowned too before nodding.

"I'll hold off for a little bit, but I don't want to be defenseless. Timber might be free, but that doesn't mean it's safe." Her honey eyes seemed to grow a little darker as she spoke before reaching for the other earring.

"I'll be close by," I stated as if that should reassure her enough. She nodded once but sighed.

"You were close by last time and I still had my ass handed to me by that stupid dragon thing," She almost groaned as she spoke, picking up the junctioning computer and flicking the switch. Her attention left me as she focused her eyes on the screen, moving around magicks and looking over her stores.

"Stay by my side then," I huffed out, a little irritated. She looked up at me, her eyes seeming to bore into my soul before the ghost of a smile touched her lips.

"Alright, Mr. Body Guard. But no complaining if I get too close." Her smile grew a bit as I narrowed my eyes at her. She stuck out her tongue, much like some of the underclassmen do when they win an argument with their peers, and spun on her heel to leave the compartment. I sighed at her back, wishing for just a second that I understood women.

Timber was much the same as we had left it, the buildings were intact, people were running around the streets running errands and looking at shop windows.

Soldiers were milling about, rifles loosely in hand, but eyes sharp. These soldiers didn't bear Galbadian uniforms. Instead they wore the dusty colors of Timber forces.

Rinoa seemed both happy and disgruntled at the sight of the city she had once attempted to liberate. I had half a mind to ask her what put her in such a mood, but thought better of it as she huffed at a couple of children playing in the street.

"I could have brought them this," her voice was almost a whisper, I did my best to ignore the wistfulness of it as she studied the thriving streets and happy faces all around her. It was hard to imagine one girl bringing about the freedom of an entire country, even with the help of SeeD it took a month of careful planning, artful execution, and more explosives that I care to admit.

"How would you have done it differently?" My mouth was going to get me killed if the dark look in her eyes was anything to go off of. Any trace of her playful mood on the train was wiped away as she stomped ahead of me towards the Timber Maniacs building. Her aggravation was palpable, causing Zell and Selphie to shoot me questioning looks. I simply shrugged as a response. It was a simple question, how was I suppose to know she's throw a fit over it.

"You're not very smooth," Irvine chuckled behind me, earning him his own glare. He shrugged it off before placing a hand on my shoulder and whispering, "If you want to get the girl show her some attention, don't question her unnecessarily."

"Who says I want to get the girl?" I huffed at him and he shrugged again, giving me a sly smile.

"The leading man always wants the girl."

Rinoa

I could feel the negative energies swirling around me, but it was difficult to brush them off. At this rate my volatile mood was going to make me throw a fire ball at something. I ground my teeth together as I flipped the attune button on my junction computer before dropping it into my bag.

Everything around me should be filling me with joy. Timber is free!

Instead I couldn't brush off the fact that SeeD had given Timber something I couldn't.

Wouldn't, a voice in the back of my head hissed. I ground my teeth trying to ignore the sting it made me feel.

I could have used my magic to give Timber it's freedom. I would have been hailed a hero by the people, maybe even a god.

But If I would have done it that way I would have been no better than Edea, a controlling tyrant bent of enslaving the world to her magic and influence. My fingers trembled at the thought of Timber switching hands from one tyrant to another. Sorceresses were evil, always surfacing throughout history to control and enslave, destroying everything they touch. Should my power completely manifest, should my blood resonate fully with the power urging its way out of the deep confines it currently resides in, would I be able to resist it's pull? Adel and Edea, the most recent Sorceresses known to history, are both bloodthirsty monsters.

I have to get rid of this curse before I become one of them.

'Carroway might have a way to suppress it' a voice that was softer than the other whispered, almost like it didn't want the angry 'almost-Edea' voice to hear. And it was right. Carroway did have a way to suppress sorceress powers. I had seen it with my own eyes on more than one occasion. It was put up on display in one of the many cases taking up space in his study. Whether or not it worked was up for debate, but Zell had an almost religious belief that Odine could do no wrong, as far as magical items went.

It only takes a day to get to Galbadia from Timber and we're here for an entire week. It would only take a couple hours for me to find the trinket and get back on the next train to Timber. Maybe I wouldn't even be noticed.

Absentmindedly I toyed with a strand of hair before sliding it behind my ear. It could work. I could do this. With Edea off in Galbadia Garden doing god's knows what, devil knows where, Galbadia itself was relatively safe. The only dangerous part would be if Carroway realized I was there.

I sighed before chewing on my bottom lip. If he found me I would be screwed. He would hold me in that prison for the rest of my life, forced to attend fancy dinners and boring dances and meetings with Edea. I could always use my powers to escape, but then he would know and all of Galbadia would be hunting me in earnest.

"Something the matter?" Selphie nudged me gently, startling me out of my troubled plans.

"I just wish we had time to pick some things up from Galbadia." I sighed, deciding a half truth was better than a full blown lie.

"Well I'm sure I could find some way to convince our fearless leader that not all of us are required to be here. This is really just a diplomatic relations mission, super boring and very tiresome. Quistis could handle this in her sleep."

"And how would you get off the hook for this?" I nodded towards where Squall and Quistis were speaking with Timber's mayor. The man was a thin, tall old thing with greying fuzz by his ears and a bald head as shiny as the floors of the Garden. Squall looked bored, but that was usual for him. Quistis on the other hand was full of energy as she spoke excitedly with the older man.

"Oh I doubt I can get off. It's such an important mission." Selphie's voice was playful as she stretched onto her tippy toes and tilted her head to the side. "But I might be able to convince our fearless leader than picking up a few important articles in Galbadia could be worth the danger. After all, we are harboring the daughter of the disgraced General Carroway."

"Disgraced?" My eyebrows shot upwards and she nodded once. She studied me for a moment before her smile fell.

"He was the one that implored us to assassinate Edea. We only got out of D-District because Biggs and Wedge are incompetent fools that just so happened to be under your father's command."

"I had no idea my father was responsible for that." My eyes grew wide before I took a deep breath. "How is he still alive if he's the one who set up the assassination attempt?"

"OH, no one knows it was him. He's disgraced due to the two lack-wits that let us escape," Irvine drawled behind me. I almost jumped, but surprised myself by staying calm. Of course he would be nearby.

"I'm sure if Squall won't take you I can sneak you out. You're not an official SeeD, so on a technicality you don't even have to be here. We were simply instructed to keep you alive. I'm sure we could spare someone to escort you."

"Thank you," I beamed at the two of them as they smiled back at me.

Maybe I wouldn't have to turn into a monster.