Chapter Eleven: Second Meeting
Dear Squall, What's up? I just had gotten here at the White SeeD. All of our classes are WAY different from what we had at Balamb Garden. Well.what else can I say? I'm not that good at writing letters anyways. Hey Squall, how are you holding up? Is Zell still annoying you? He should grow up now that he has a job. Speaking of jobs, how's being Freelancer? Hope Sid didn't give you a hard mission to start off with. Oh, shoot! I gotta get to the auditorium. Talk to you later! Love, Xu P.S.: Say hi to everyone for me!
Squall folded up the short-written letter and put it on the desk. He thought of writing back, but more important things bared into his mind. Today he will take up on his first mission. Sid just called him by phone this morning, telling Squall to meet him at the front gate at noon. Squall has just finished his lunch when he got the letter delivered to him personally since almost no one communicate by written letters anymore. He arrived at the gate, and waited for a while. The absolute absence of people crept him out a little, but then he remembered that the next semester doesn't start for two months, and a tiny fraction of Freelancers stayed for vacation. Squall, of course had nowhere to go anyways. The silence was soon replaced be a low hum. Zell was riding on an anti-grav board he got from his mom after graduating from SeeD. He had been gloating about it for at least a week now. Selphie was holding on to his waist wearing a face of ecstasy. "What the heck are you doing here?" Zell greeted Squall as they skidded to a stop. "First mission." He answered. "Us too!" Selphie said. "Coincidence, huh?" At that moment, Sid came strolling up to them, holding a folder and a strange looking lamp in his hands. "Hello, everyone!" He said. "Would you kindly hold this for a moment, Squall? Thanks." "What is it?" Zell asked as he observed the tiny black lamp. "I'll tell you that in a second. Ok.You are all here for your first, mission as a Freelancer, and-" "Wait a minute," Zell interrupted. "Just the three of us? Isn't it usually like a whole team of twenty or something?" "Yeah.That would be normal, but the Garden has agreed to the mission for a small amount of money, so a small team will be sent." "Oh." "Anyways, I'm here to explain your mission. It'll will be plain and simple. You will assist a small group of freedom fighters inside the town of Timber. You will be assisting them any way you can, and can only return after the mission is complete. You will take the Seaboard Train to the destination. After you get off the train, you will be immediately greeted by a member of the group, with the phrase 'Timber sure have changed.' And you will reply with 'But the Owls are still here.' Blah, blah, blah.the rest of the info is in here." He handed the folder to Zell. "And that lamp." He pointed at Squall's hand. "I've received it from Julia sometime ago. She said quote, 'It will help you in your time of need.'" ".O-K." Squall said. "What am I suppose to do when I wanna use it?" "I don't know." Sid said. "I've never used it before. I think you guys are all set. I'll just go back into my office."
The crew took the tram to Balamb. After a quick stop at Zell's house, where the took some huge sandwiches for the trip, they headed for the Train Station. The trains are the best way to travel in the whole world. The country Galbadia initiated the global project by connecting their whole continent with railroad about ten years ago. The rest of the modern world followed. The Train Station at Balamb is probably the last place connected. Tracks also were laid on the ocean floors to the islands. The Station was not as crowded as usual because most of the people from the Garden already left the place. They bought their tickets, paid by Squall, and boarded the Train bound for Timber on the Galbadia continent. "I don't know why you brought that." Squall said to Zell, who is polishing his Anti-Grav board for the twentieth time. "Hey you haven't seen the features of this yet." Zell said. With a press of a button, the blue-colored board extended its wings. "Now it can carry three people!" "Neat!" Selphie exclaimed. "And, for easy carrying." He pressed another button, then the thing folded itself up to a backpack sized bag. "It is foldable and compact!" "Man, you sound like a commercial."
The train whistled to a stop at the station half past one, and they got on with a small group of other people. "Thank you. Please proceed to your designated cabinet." The mechanical voice said when Squall scanned the tickets at the door. The room was cozy looking, with a fluffy couch, a bunk bed, and a TV screen on the wall. And the room was filled with assorted plant-life. "Dang." Zell muttered. "I could get used to this!" Selphie jumped onto the couch, and looked out the window. "I could see Balamb from here!" Squall suddenly felt a ringing noise in his head, and suddenly, his leg jellied up, and he fell to his knees. "Yo! You alright, man?!" Zell got up and asked. Squall couldn't the endure pain anymore, and his whole body fell to the ground, and he closed his eyes. 'Don't resist, Squall.' A voice said. "Make it stop!" Squall groaned. "Make it stop."
. "Laguna, Are you sure you know where you're going?" Kiros asked again. "Don't worry about it" He replied. "I've been here a million times. I couldn't possibly get lost. again.I hope." "Oh that helps." Ward said. The trio continued their way through the thicket of trees and tall grass. Laguna is a medium sized man, with pale-black hair, and a bang down his right face. Kiros is well-tanned, lean, and quick on the feet. Ward, on the other hand, is huge, muscular, and always wearing a blue ski-cap. 'What the hell?' Squall said. Laguna and the rest slowly but steadily hiked through the woods until they came across a military jeep. "See. Told you we wouldn't get lost." Laguna said while climbing inside the thing. They continued through the place on a dirt road. Finally, a valley of light was upon them. "That, boys, is Deling City, the biggest city on the continent. Whatever you want is there!" "We've been here a hundred times, Laguna." Ward boringly replied. "We don't need an introduction every time." The gang parked the vehicle just outside of a hotel, and they headed in. "Welcome, mister Laguna, will you take the usual seats today?" A waitress asked him as he walked in. "Yeah. Let's take the load off."Laguna said as he rubbed his head. The circle of seats was randomly placed in the place, with a bar to the left, and a grand piano is in the front of the room. "The usual, of course." He said as the waitress came over to take their orders. She walked back without a word. At that moment, a girl came in, and Laguna was frozen. Literally frozen. "Yo Laguna. Snap out of it." Kiros snapped his fingers to his face. No response. The girl seated herself in front the grand piano, and she played. "Don't just sit there, man. Talk to her for once!" Ward pushed Laguna out of his seat. "But, but, but I never talked to her before." Laguna said whiles scratching his head. "Well, better now than never!" He walked nervously up toward her. His heart was pounding. What the hell am I suppose to say to her?! Laguna thought. And he paused for a second. "Ah, crap! Cramp!" He said while pointing at his leg, limping around. And he quickly went back to where his buddies were. "That went well." Kiros said. "Yeah." Laguna said while rubbing his leg. "Our popularity rating just went up by two points." "Now we're at an incredible negative five." Ward said. "Um.Ward?" Kiros said. "Why don't we.uh, take a walk. Yeah?" "Yeah." He answered. "Laguna, you just enjoy your dinner, yeah?" "Where are you guys going?!" Laguna yelled after them as they walked out. "Come back here! I'm not paying the bill again!" "Um, mister Laguna?" He flashed around, and saw she standing behind him. "Ah!" He yelped. "I mean.um, hello. Want some steak?" "No thanks." She said. "Why don't you.come up to my room after a bit?" "Your room?" Laguna nervously asked. "Ask the receptionist." Then she left. "Wow." Kiros said as the two of them came back. "Yeah." Laguna sat there, stunned. "Look at my popularity now, it just went through the roof."
"Hello." She said as he came into her room. "What's up! I mean, uh.hello." Laguna sputtered out. She giggled. "Don't be nervous. We're old friends, right?" "Old.friends?" She sighed. "I know you watch me play every time you're here. You sit there with your dreamy face, it's like no one else mattered. You think I didn't notice?" "Duh-uh."Laguna tried to speak. "How come you don't ever talk to me?" "I.I tried today.but-" She suddenly took his hand. "Shh." .
"Yo! Wake up, fool!" A blurred vision greeted him as he woke up. his temple is still throbbing with pain. Squall sat up. "Ah, crap. the hell was that?" "I don't know." Selphie said. He saw her and Zell, and thought they must've collapsed too. "Maybe the bad guys are trying to poison us!" Zell said, sounded a little panicked. ".What bad guys?" Squall asked. "Um.good point." "The dream was pretty weird, though." Zell said. "Yeah." Selphie sighed. "But Laguna was so dreamy." "Laguna?" Squall said. "And Kiros?" ".And Ward." Zell muttered. "Ok.this is getting creepy." "If we had the same dream, then it wasn't a coincidence." Squall thought about it. "Let's keep this to ourselves until the mission's over." They all agreed. The group stayed quiet until the train slowly rolled into Timber Station. The town looks oddly deserted. All the buildings have a color of pale blue, and they all looked identical. As they got off the train, a guy wearing windbreakers and a stocking cap suddenly came up to them. "Timber sure have changed." He said to them. "Uh." Squall thought about it. "But the chocobos are still here?" "The guy looked at them kind of weird, and then ran away. "You gave the wrong password!" Zell yelled at him. "Com'on, let's follow him." The rounded a corner to a dead end alley, and saw the guy arguing with a guy dressed in all blue. "But they gave the wrong password!" The first guy said. "Ah! But we paid for them already, you dumb ass! We can't just let them go!" The other guy said. And he saw the three of them standing there. "Oh. Sorry for the inconvenience. You guys are the SeeD, right?" The guy in the blue asked them. "Yeah." Squall answered. "Come with us please." He signaled Squall and the others to follow them. They went back to the train station, and saw another train has just arrived. "This is our secret mobile headquarters, please get on board. You will be debriefed there." The train started to move as soon as the doors closed behind them. The interior is just like the interior of a submarine. A steady beep resonated in the background. And groups of low whispers of conversation continued on. "You are the Timber Owls?" Squall asked. "Yes. We are the Timber Owls Resistance Group. We aim to oppose Galbadian rule at Timber." The blue guy answered. "We have requested your assistance on this mission." "I'm Zone. That is Watts." He pointed to the other guy. "We are the two high-ranking officers here." "I want to see the head of operations." Squall snapped at them. They both looked uneasy. "Our princess is currently taking a nap." Princess? Zell sneered. "Man, what is your boss, a cat or something?" Squall gave him a look and turned back. "I must speak to her. It is customary." The two guys looked at one another, then Zone said, "Ok, you can talk to her. She's right through that door, the last room down." Squall sighed, then walked toward the door they were pointing at. The room is what you would find if you had a little sister. The curtains, the bed, and everything else are in a tint of pink and red. On the bed laid a girl, and she was obvious sound asleep. Suddenly a thing of brown and white appeared behind the bed. A shaggy- furred dog were suddenly at his feet, teeth bared. "Easy, boy." Squall cautiously backed away. The blue-ish blur that rushed at him turned him into pure stone until he heard, "You're here! you're here!" The shoulder that he is leaning on backed away, he saw the person. "You.you're-" "Nice to see you too." "What.how.why." The person was that girl. The mysterious girl that danced with him at the ball. Now dress in a blue dress, she looked as beautiful as ever. "I suppose your name is Squall?" The girl asked. Squall nodded. "My name is Rinoa. Rinoa Heartilly. I am the leader of the Timber Owls!" "Whoa!" Zell pointed at her. "Aren't you that fine-ass girl that danced with Squall that night?!" "Fine.ass?" She asked. Zell contorted his face to his disbelief, and sighed. "Never mind." "Anyways, thanks you all for coming here. I've been waiting a while for you guys!" She said to them. "Why don't you guys go into this room. Zone will debrief you." "I wish you'd debrief me-" Zell's sentence was cut short by Selphie's punch. "You never give up, do you?!" She said as they walked into the room.
Dear Squall, What's up? I just had gotten here at the White SeeD. All of our classes are WAY different from what we had at Balamb Garden. Well.what else can I say? I'm not that good at writing letters anyways. Hey Squall, how are you holding up? Is Zell still annoying you? He should grow up now that he has a job. Speaking of jobs, how's being Freelancer? Hope Sid didn't give you a hard mission to start off with. Oh, shoot! I gotta get to the auditorium. Talk to you later! Love, Xu P.S.: Say hi to everyone for me!
Squall folded up the short-written letter and put it on the desk. He thought of writing back, but more important things bared into his mind. Today he will take up on his first mission. Sid just called him by phone this morning, telling Squall to meet him at the front gate at noon. Squall has just finished his lunch when he got the letter delivered to him personally since almost no one communicate by written letters anymore. He arrived at the gate, and waited for a while. The absolute absence of people crept him out a little, but then he remembered that the next semester doesn't start for two months, and a tiny fraction of Freelancers stayed for vacation. Squall, of course had nowhere to go anyways. The silence was soon replaced be a low hum. Zell was riding on an anti-grav board he got from his mom after graduating from SeeD. He had been gloating about it for at least a week now. Selphie was holding on to his waist wearing a face of ecstasy. "What the heck are you doing here?" Zell greeted Squall as they skidded to a stop. "First mission." He answered. "Us too!" Selphie said. "Coincidence, huh?" At that moment, Sid came strolling up to them, holding a folder and a strange looking lamp in his hands. "Hello, everyone!" He said. "Would you kindly hold this for a moment, Squall? Thanks." "What is it?" Zell asked as he observed the tiny black lamp. "I'll tell you that in a second. Ok.You are all here for your first, mission as a Freelancer, and-" "Wait a minute," Zell interrupted. "Just the three of us? Isn't it usually like a whole team of twenty or something?" "Yeah.That would be normal, but the Garden has agreed to the mission for a small amount of money, so a small team will be sent." "Oh." "Anyways, I'm here to explain your mission. It'll will be plain and simple. You will assist a small group of freedom fighters inside the town of Timber. You will be assisting them any way you can, and can only return after the mission is complete. You will take the Seaboard Train to the destination. After you get off the train, you will be immediately greeted by a member of the group, with the phrase 'Timber sure have changed.' And you will reply with 'But the Owls are still here.' Blah, blah, blah.the rest of the info is in here." He handed the folder to Zell. "And that lamp." He pointed at Squall's hand. "I've received it from Julia sometime ago. She said quote, 'It will help you in your time of need.'" ".O-K." Squall said. "What am I suppose to do when I wanna use it?" "I don't know." Sid said. "I've never used it before. I think you guys are all set. I'll just go back into my office."
The crew took the tram to Balamb. After a quick stop at Zell's house, where the took some huge sandwiches for the trip, they headed for the Train Station. The trains are the best way to travel in the whole world. The country Galbadia initiated the global project by connecting their whole continent with railroad about ten years ago. The rest of the modern world followed. The Train Station at Balamb is probably the last place connected. Tracks also were laid on the ocean floors to the islands. The Station was not as crowded as usual because most of the people from the Garden already left the place. They bought their tickets, paid by Squall, and boarded the Train bound for Timber on the Galbadia continent. "I don't know why you brought that." Squall said to Zell, who is polishing his Anti-Grav board for the twentieth time. "Hey you haven't seen the features of this yet." Zell said. With a press of a button, the blue-colored board extended its wings. "Now it can carry three people!" "Neat!" Selphie exclaimed. "And, for easy carrying." He pressed another button, then the thing folded itself up to a backpack sized bag. "It is foldable and compact!" "Man, you sound like a commercial."
The train whistled to a stop at the station half past one, and they got on with a small group of other people. "Thank you. Please proceed to your designated cabinet." The mechanical voice said when Squall scanned the tickets at the door. The room was cozy looking, with a fluffy couch, a bunk bed, and a TV screen on the wall. And the room was filled with assorted plant-life. "Dang." Zell muttered. "I could get used to this!" Selphie jumped onto the couch, and looked out the window. "I could see Balamb from here!" Squall suddenly felt a ringing noise in his head, and suddenly, his leg jellied up, and he fell to his knees. "Yo! You alright, man?!" Zell got up and asked. Squall couldn't the endure pain anymore, and his whole body fell to the ground, and he closed his eyes. 'Don't resist, Squall.' A voice said. "Make it stop!" Squall groaned. "Make it stop."
. "Laguna, Are you sure you know where you're going?" Kiros asked again. "Don't worry about it" He replied. "I've been here a million times. I couldn't possibly get lost. again.I hope." "Oh that helps." Ward said. The trio continued their way through the thicket of trees and tall grass. Laguna is a medium sized man, with pale-black hair, and a bang down his right face. Kiros is well-tanned, lean, and quick on the feet. Ward, on the other hand, is huge, muscular, and always wearing a blue ski-cap. 'What the hell?' Squall said. Laguna and the rest slowly but steadily hiked through the woods until they came across a military jeep. "See. Told you we wouldn't get lost." Laguna said while climbing inside the thing. They continued through the place on a dirt road. Finally, a valley of light was upon them. "That, boys, is Deling City, the biggest city on the continent. Whatever you want is there!" "We've been here a hundred times, Laguna." Ward boringly replied. "We don't need an introduction every time." The gang parked the vehicle just outside of a hotel, and they headed in. "Welcome, mister Laguna, will you take the usual seats today?" A waitress asked him as he walked in. "Yeah. Let's take the load off."Laguna said as he rubbed his head. The circle of seats was randomly placed in the place, with a bar to the left, and a grand piano is in the front of the room. "The usual, of course." He said as the waitress came over to take their orders. She walked back without a word. At that moment, a girl came in, and Laguna was frozen. Literally frozen. "Yo Laguna. Snap out of it." Kiros snapped his fingers to his face. No response. The girl seated herself in front the grand piano, and she played. "Don't just sit there, man. Talk to her for once!" Ward pushed Laguna out of his seat. "But, but, but I never talked to her before." Laguna said whiles scratching his head. "Well, better now than never!" He walked nervously up toward her. His heart was pounding. What the hell am I suppose to say to her?! Laguna thought. And he paused for a second. "Ah, crap! Cramp!" He said while pointing at his leg, limping around. And he quickly went back to where his buddies were. "That went well." Kiros said. "Yeah." Laguna said while rubbing his leg. "Our popularity rating just went up by two points." "Now we're at an incredible negative five." Ward said. "Um.Ward?" Kiros said. "Why don't we.uh, take a walk. Yeah?" "Yeah." He answered. "Laguna, you just enjoy your dinner, yeah?" "Where are you guys going?!" Laguna yelled after them as they walked out. "Come back here! I'm not paying the bill again!" "Um, mister Laguna?" He flashed around, and saw she standing behind him. "Ah!" He yelped. "I mean.um, hello. Want some steak?" "No thanks." She said. "Why don't you.come up to my room after a bit?" "Your room?" Laguna nervously asked. "Ask the receptionist." Then she left. "Wow." Kiros said as the two of them came back. "Yeah." Laguna sat there, stunned. "Look at my popularity now, it just went through the roof."
"Hello." She said as he came into her room. "What's up! I mean, uh.hello." Laguna sputtered out. She giggled. "Don't be nervous. We're old friends, right?" "Old.friends?" She sighed. "I know you watch me play every time you're here. You sit there with your dreamy face, it's like no one else mattered. You think I didn't notice?" "Duh-uh."Laguna tried to speak. "How come you don't ever talk to me?" "I.I tried today.but-" She suddenly took his hand. "Shh." .
"Yo! Wake up, fool!" A blurred vision greeted him as he woke up. his temple is still throbbing with pain. Squall sat up. "Ah, crap. the hell was that?" "I don't know." Selphie said. He saw her and Zell, and thought they must've collapsed too. "Maybe the bad guys are trying to poison us!" Zell said, sounded a little panicked. ".What bad guys?" Squall asked. "Um.good point." "The dream was pretty weird, though." Zell said. "Yeah." Selphie sighed. "But Laguna was so dreamy." "Laguna?" Squall said. "And Kiros?" ".And Ward." Zell muttered. "Ok.this is getting creepy." "If we had the same dream, then it wasn't a coincidence." Squall thought about it. "Let's keep this to ourselves until the mission's over." They all agreed. The group stayed quiet until the train slowly rolled into Timber Station. The town looks oddly deserted. All the buildings have a color of pale blue, and they all looked identical. As they got off the train, a guy wearing windbreakers and a stocking cap suddenly came up to them. "Timber sure have changed." He said to them. "Uh." Squall thought about it. "But the chocobos are still here?" "The guy looked at them kind of weird, and then ran away. "You gave the wrong password!" Zell yelled at him. "Com'on, let's follow him." The rounded a corner to a dead end alley, and saw the guy arguing with a guy dressed in all blue. "But they gave the wrong password!" The first guy said. "Ah! But we paid for them already, you dumb ass! We can't just let them go!" The other guy said. And he saw the three of them standing there. "Oh. Sorry for the inconvenience. You guys are the SeeD, right?" The guy in the blue asked them. "Yeah." Squall answered. "Come with us please." He signaled Squall and the others to follow them. They went back to the train station, and saw another train has just arrived. "This is our secret mobile headquarters, please get on board. You will be debriefed there." The train started to move as soon as the doors closed behind them. The interior is just like the interior of a submarine. A steady beep resonated in the background. And groups of low whispers of conversation continued on. "You are the Timber Owls?" Squall asked. "Yes. We are the Timber Owls Resistance Group. We aim to oppose Galbadian rule at Timber." The blue guy answered. "We have requested your assistance on this mission." "I'm Zone. That is Watts." He pointed to the other guy. "We are the two high-ranking officers here." "I want to see the head of operations." Squall snapped at them. They both looked uneasy. "Our princess is currently taking a nap." Princess? Zell sneered. "Man, what is your boss, a cat or something?" Squall gave him a look and turned back. "I must speak to her. It is customary." The two guys looked at one another, then Zone said, "Ok, you can talk to her. She's right through that door, the last room down." Squall sighed, then walked toward the door they were pointing at. The room is what you would find if you had a little sister. The curtains, the bed, and everything else are in a tint of pink and red. On the bed laid a girl, and she was obvious sound asleep. Suddenly a thing of brown and white appeared behind the bed. A shaggy- furred dog were suddenly at his feet, teeth bared. "Easy, boy." Squall cautiously backed away. The blue-ish blur that rushed at him turned him into pure stone until he heard, "You're here! you're here!" The shoulder that he is leaning on backed away, he saw the person. "You.you're-" "Nice to see you too." "What.how.why." The person was that girl. The mysterious girl that danced with him at the ball. Now dress in a blue dress, she looked as beautiful as ever. "I suppose your name is Squall?" The girl asked. Squall nodded. "My name is Rinoa. Rinoa Heartilly. I am the leader of the Timber Owls!" "Whoa!" Zell pointed at her. "Aren't you that fine-ass girl that danced with Squall that night?!" "Fine.ass?" She asked. Zell contorted his face to his disbelief, and sighed. "Never mind." "Anyways, thanks you all for coming here. I've been waiting a while for you guys!" She said to them. "Why don't you guys go into this room. Zone will debrief you." "I wish you'd debrief me-" Zell's sentence was cut short by Selphie's punch. "You never give up, do you?!" She said as they walked into the room.