That night at the hotel, Seifer had tossed and turned. "And I thought that the beds at Garden sucked…I may as well go sleep on a rock…"
Sounds from the street invaded the room through a window that was left slightly open to let the cool summer breeze in. A young woman could be heard arguing with a man. Seifer stood and walked to the window. These people were too damn loud. How was he ever going to sleep with all that noise? As he reached the window the voices got clearer. Peering out he saw that one of the people standing below was the girl from the beach. The other was an older man, in his forties or fifties.
"…not going back to Deling City with you!"
"You're wasting your time here. It's ridiculous! You're living here like a pauper, fighting for the independence of a small town that would surely fall extinct if left on its own."
"Go away. I'm not going back there. These people need their freedom. And I'm staying here. I like Timber."
The man sighed and shook his head. "One of these days, I'm going to be given the order to come in here with my men and break up this operation you have going here with Zone and Watts. It's not going to work." He turned and walked away, leaving the girl standing alone under the streetlight.
"Seifer, pull the shade…can't sleep with that light streaming in, ya know?" Raijin mumbled from the other side of the room.
Seifer drew the shade after one more glance out the window. He just had to know this girl's name. And what Seifer Almasy wants, Seifer Almasy gets. "Be back in a few…" he muttered as he left the room. Stepping outside, he glanced around. His mouth turned up on one side in a cocky grin. She's still here…
The slender form leaned against the light post. Her knees were unbent, her hands resting behind her back against the pole. She looked up as she heard him approach and her eyes grew wide. "I don't have anything worth taking…"
"Wha-…" Seifer's jaw dropped. Then realization struck. "Oh…heheheh…" he chuckled. "Naw…I'm not a mugger or anything…I just…uhhh…." How could he be at such a loss for words? He pointed up towards the hotel room window. "You see, I'm not from around here…just visiting with my posse, and I could hear some arguing down here…"
"Oh…" she replied, kicking at a rock. "I'm sorry if the arguing kept you awake…we're done…quite. If you just came down to ask us to take it elsewhere, you wasted yourself a trip."
Seifer laughed uncomfortably. "Heh. If I had just wanted that, I would have screamed it from up there." His eyes met with hers for a brief moment. "You alright?"
"Yeah…nothing that I'm not used to handling…"
"So you come out onto the streets at night and converse with older men a lot?" He arched his eyebrows and looked at her questioningly.
A look of shock crossed her face as she realized what he was implying. "No, no, no!" She waved her hands in front of her emphatically. "Just with him…"
He looked down at her hands, which now rested on her elbows as she hugged herself. "He looked a bit old to be a boyfriend of yours." He grinned in his usually arrogant manner.
"That would be because he's my father…"
"Oh…" He felt slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry, you must think that I'm prying…it's just that it's awfully late at night for such a beautiful young woman to be out in this part of town all alone…" That's it, Seifer. Lay on the charm…
She blushed. "It's alright, I guess. Besides, I know my way around here. I'm capable of taking care of myself."
"Didn't mean to suggest that you couldn't. But still, stuff happens, ya know?" Gah! Dammit, Raijin is starting to rub off on me…
"Not in Timber," she laughed. "I'm safer here at night than I'd be in some places during the day. You obviously haven't been here long…" She tilted her head to one side and smiled. "Where are you from?"
"My posse and I attend Balamb Garden."
"You're SeeD?!?" she asked, excitement entering her voice.
"Uhhh…not exactly…not yet. I will be. I'm taking the test shortly after I get back from Timber."
"Oh…" She looked down for a moment, seeming disappointed. Just as quickly as her face had darkened, it brightened again with a large smile.
"What?" Seifer asked, beginning to grow self-conscious.
She shook her head. "Nothing, I was just wondering why you haven't gone back up to your room to retire for the night? The argument you overheard couldn't have disturbed you that much…you don't look like the kind of guy who gets frazzled easily."
"I know that you said that you're alright out here on your own, but…"
"You don't believe me."
"No. It's just…well, I'd prefer to escort you home and be assured of your safety." Man, Seifer, you're really laying it on thick…He laughed to himself. Wouldn't Fujin and Raijin flip if they ever saw me acting like this…
"I can't let you escort me," she eyed him suspiciously. "Why should I trust you any more than any of the other strangers out on the street at this time of night?"
"I may seem a little rough on the outside, but Seifer Almasy keeps his word. If I say that I'll escort you to your door and that you'll be safe with me, then I'll escort you to your door and you'll be safe," he said with a slight bow. The corners of her mouth turned up into an amused little smile. "Seifer, eh? Alright, I suppose that I could use some company for a bit…" She turned her head slightly and the moonlight reflected in her ebony hair. Wow, she's beautiful…
"So are you going to tell me your name or am I going to have to guess?" Seifer ran his fingers through his hair.
"You're going to have to guess," she laughed as they began to walk.
"Can't you just tell me?"
With a small smile, she nodded. "I suppose. Rinoa."
"Just Rinoa, or do you have a last name to go with your first?"
"Nope. Just Rinoa."
Seifer smirked. "C'mon…I told you mine, it's your turn now."
She laughed in response. "Alright. Heartilly…my last name is Heartilly."
"Rinoa Heartilly…" The name rolled off his tongue like a song. He had heard that name before. "General Caraway's daughter? Wait a second…that was General Caraway?"
Rinoa nodded. "That was my father…"
"But what is he doing here? And what are you doing here? I thought Deling was sided with Galbadia in retaining Timber?"
Rinoa laughed softly at Seifer's confusion. Her laugh was musical, although slightly bitter. "Deling is opposed to Timber's liberation. My father came to Timber in hopes that I would return with him…why am I bothering to tell you this stuff?"
"Because I asked, and because I'm listening." Seifer smiled genuinely. "So you're not on the best of terms with your father then?"
"That's putting it mildly." They both stopped walking for a moment as Rinoa turned to look down from the bridge they stood on. It crossed a set of train tracks, which were in use even at this late hour. Off in the distance, a baby's cry could be heard, piercing through the darkness. "I love it here in Timber…even though it may not be quite the city Deling is. It's a small, relatively quiet town. Everyone around here is so nice…much nicer than the high society people back there."
"I've overheard that Timber is planning to revolt against Galbadia to gain their independence. Is that why your father came? To get you out of here before the bullets start to fly?"
"So to speak…" She paused, looking up at Seifer. Her expression was hard to read, but for some reason, it filled him with an admiration for her. "He was trying to get my out of here before I start the bullets flying…" She laughed at his puzzled expression. "You've heard of the Forest Owls?"
"Yeah, bunch of revolutionaries who think that they can overthrow Galbadia's rule all on their own…"
Rinoa looked almost bitten by his response. "I've been helping them for almost a year now…"
Way to stick your foot in your mouth, Jackass…Seifer cursed himself. "Heh…"
A tiny laugh echoed down the empty streets. "We're more capable than people give us credit for…"
"Oh yeah? Then how come Timber isn't liberated yet?"
She shook her head and glanced at him as though the answer should be obvious. "Because the Owls haven't made their move yet…and we're here." She stopped walking.
"Huh? But this is…" Seifer scratched his head. She was sure full of surprises.
"Yes, it's a train. What did you expect, a condominium?"
"Well, you are Caraway's daughter…surely…"
"Not while I'm here. Anyway, thank you for walking me home, Seifer. And I'm sorry if I've been a bit abrasive tonight, but it's been a very long day…"
"Well, you could always give yourself another opportunity to make a better impression…could you spare some time to join me out on the beach tomorrow?" Boy, Seifer, has she really captivated you or what?
Rinoa stood there, her hands clasped behind her back, rocking back and forth on her heels. She tilted her head to one side and laughed melodically. "Are you…asking me on a date?"
Seifer felt slightly embarrassed. "Heh. Call it whatever you like, I was just asking if you might want to come to the beach tomorrow. Fu, Raij, and I will probably be down there fishing. So if you wanted to come or whatever…I'll be there."
With a nod, Rinoa slid the door open. "Maybe…" she said with a certain non-committal air. The corners of her mouth turned upward in a beautiful smile as she looked over her shoulder before the door slid closed behind her.
"Holy shit!" Seifer exclaimed as he glanced at his watch. "I better be getting back to the hotel…"
------------------------------
Author's Note: Yay! Chapter 2 up! Please Review!