DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN FF8, BUT WOULD LIKE TO

Chapter III

Three thirty soon hit and it was time for Rinoa to leave work. Though the library was a boring job, it was easy and not very dangerous. She liked it, and it was the only thing she could do to stay in the garden that didn't require having a SeeD liscense. She did like to read a lot, too. However, it was the one thing she hated, boring.

Rinoa waited for Mrs. Bunkel, the evening librarian to come in and then she would leave. Mrs. Bunkel was an old lady that was married to the old man that took care of the front gate. She loved books about as much as any old lady would. She was very nice, but very old and stupid. She always came in with a cheery attitude and sometimes brought Rinoa some cookies that she had baked the other night. Rinoa liked her a lot, but the library was about the only time she ever planned on seeing her. Occasionally, they would bump into each other in the hall and Mrs. Bunkel would just say, "Oh, Rinoa. How is Squall? Good? Well that's nice. Good seeing you. Well I'm off to see Charlie, you know how he is." Then she would just be on her merry way. Of course, Rinoa didn't know how Charlie was because she probably saw him once since she had began living on the garden. But for some reason, Mrs. Bunkel was late today.

"Where is she? I've gotta meet Zell, or he'll get suspicious." Rinoa tapped her fingers on the desk, anxiously looking at the door to see when she was coming in.

It was 3:45 before Mrs. Bunkel popped her old self into the doorway.

"Sorry I'm late, Rinoa dear," She came in with her old lady's dress on with a plate of cookies, of course, "but I was chatting to Instructor Dincht before I arrived. He insisted on having one of my cookies, so I couldn't refuse. Then she started talking about the party and asked me if I had the schedule of SeeD working that shift and I said that they were with Instructor Trepe, but then he said he couldn't find her..."

"It's okay, Mrs. Bunkel. Don't worry about it." Rinoa walked from behind the counter to go out.

"Yes, well, I believe Instructor Dincht is looking for you anyways, so I better get to work. Oh yes, before I forget. Have this plate of cookies. I brought them for you and Headmaster Leonheart. I hope you like them. I baked them this morning. Anyways, I must have a lot of work to do. Busy as ever I suppose. I remember when..."

"Thanks Mrs. Bunkel, but I have to get going. I'm already late for...a...meeting, yes, a meeting. So thank you for the cookies and have a nice day." Rinoa grabbed the plate from her and walked out the door. Boy, did Mrs. Bunkel have a mouth on her. Never closed it for ten seconds before another stupid thought popped into her head, but Rinoa didn't mind that much. Unless, she had to do something and she wouldn't shut up.

Rinoa was in the library hallway walking towards the elevator when she spotted Zell. He was coming towards her as Mrs. Bunkel had said before.

"Rinoa! There you are. I've been looking for you! Where have you been?" Zell began pant a little bit. He was in his SeeD uniform that didn't really go with him. Of course, he had to wear it because it was policy. Which is ironic because Zell is the one that usually breaks policies.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. Mrs. Bunkel again." Rinoa explained.

He looked up at her after he caught his breath, "Are those cookies?"

"Yes, Mrs. Bunkel gave them to me." Rinoa said.

"Hey, I've tried those. They're pretty good." He said as she knew he wanted one.

"Do you want them? Squall doesn't like chocobo berry anyways." Rinoa handed him the plate because she knew he would take them.

"If you don't want them." He replied taking the plate. Surprising how he was so courteous about it.

"Anyways, did you get my note from Cheryl?" Rinoa asked.

"Yeah, it was a little strange. Did you mean what you said?"

"Yes, I think it makes sense, don't you?"

"I guess, but don't you think you're jumping to conclusions."

"I thought so, too, but were you called last night for the emergency?" Rinoa asked.

"No, there was an emergency?" Zell was confused.

"That's what Squall said. I don't recall anything either. Cheryl said she was also called, but that's it."

"Now that you mention it, Quistis said she called, too."

"I think there's something up, don't you?"

"I wouldn't go that far, Rinoa."

"But, Zell. An out the air emergency happens and only three people are called to it. On top of that, I know that none of the three would have anything to do with altitude disturbances."

"Yeah, you're right about that. But why would Cheryl be called."

"She can be trusted with secrets, and it doesn't look suspicious. Because it's true that all level five medics are called to any emergencies."

"True, but why Quistis and Squall?"

"I told you what I think, but I'm not going too deep into it. It's only a suspicion. It's not like I suspect anything too serious."

"But I don't think Quistis would ever do anything like that, do you?"

"Well, you remember what a year ago was like, don't you?"

"But I think Quistis can be trusted and Squall, too. They would never do something like that."

"I hope you're right. I trust both of them with my life. If my suspicions ever came true, I wouldn't know what to do. It's just that I've been having bad feelings."

"Bad feelings?"

"Yeah, I get this emptiness in my stomach and my head becomes cloudy. I think it's my powers doing something like an ESP."

"You think you've advanced into being able to see things."

"Yeah, well, I don't see any pictures or anything. I just feel that something is wrong. Like a sixth sense, but it's very clear."

"I see, but maybe it's something else."

"But why would Squall call an emergency of only three people for a reason that makes no sense on the night that we had specific plans."

"I see. Okay, I'll talk to Quistis about it and be casual."

"Zell, I think it's impossible for you to be casual."

"Ha, ha, very funny."

"Why don't I talk to Squall tonight. I bet he'll be pretty loosened up by now and he'll talk to me."

"Okay, you go for it. But don't turn it into a spy mission. This night is for fun, not sneakiness. And don't forget to talk to Selphie. I hear she's been pretty depressed after Irvine left garden and she went to Trabia. You can perk her back up, okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry."

"Well, I gotta go, see you tonight." Zell said as he gave her a peck on the cheek and left.

It was nothing Rinoa said to herself. There had to be reason for it, Squall wouldn't do that to her.