Today this section whizzed out from nowhere; this chapter was going to be the incidents in the Caraway Mansion and getting ready for the mission. But things get VERY heavy later on, and that's getting closer, so I was worried about balancing that out if the drama takes over. So here's goofing around to do in the meantime - - mostly thanks to Sweet Cherry Kisses

And *^ ^* xoxo to Sweet Cherry Kisses (Neko / Koneko), Sakura Phoenix (Sakura / Selina) and Paine of Spira for all the really good things you've said!

Love! And! Peace! (And Smithereens)

Chapter Four, Recess


"Attention peoples, we haaaaave arrived!" That would only be Selphie, raising both arms triumphantly as she stepped off the train. She made it sound like every random stranger in the station was going to applaud her presence.

"(Is it possible to draw more attention to yourself? Have you already forgotten the patrolling searches and how difficult it was to leave Timber? Do the words 'low profile' mean anything?)"

Rinoa filled in, in place of the quiet leader's rebuke. "What was that all about?" she giggled.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just always hoped to be a big famous singer, so since we're in a brand new city why not pretend we're on tour?" she shrugged brightly.

Rinoa mock-slapped her own cheek in exclamation and pointed an outstretched arm for all to see. "Eeek! It's her! I can't believe it's you. WOW!" And she laughed again.

"I can help you with that too." Vash stepped in gleefully and exaggerated, " 'Cool! Can I have your autograph?' "

Selphie played along and made a joke about him not having any paper so she'd have to sign his skin. Vash perked up hopefully as she mimed away but she pretended to sign his hand.

Boring people without imagination of their own were staring at the teens' antics. Squall was busy pretending he didn't know any of them. Quistis was laughing internally but believed this wasn't the time or place to encourage them.

Trust Zell to wrap things up. "Just a celebrity going incognito, nothing to see here." He imitated a cop as he raised his palms to the bystanders. Then as the group was shuffling through the exit, he faced the confused crowd one more time and yelled "SELPHIE TILMITT HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!" The girls and Vash split a rib having a giggle fit.

Now that that's over, time to explore. Galbania City was gorgeous! It was as if all the builders had a contest to see who could make the most decorative architecture when the city was put together. And the train ride had eaten up much of the day, so the approaching dusk meant all the lights were turning on. Oooh, purty.

The first thing the sights inspired in the kids was - - shopping. The city certainly had loads to see. And they hadn't had much free time on their own since running around Timber before the tv station and making it to Galbania Garden.

"But first we should report to the mission coordinator. The meeting place is named Caraway Mansion."

For some reason Rinoa made a small tremor of sound. Anyway...

"Garden didn't tell us we had to rush right over did they?" Zell objected. "We gotta eat , and can't we look around and stuff?"

"Sorry guys. We should talk to our contact first, and then we'll probably get to do things after we've checked in."

"But what if we go and they say we don't have time for food before starting right away? Can't give someone a beat-down without fuel," he grinned.

"I second that proposal," Vash added. "The cafeteria in my Garden fed us today but they ran out of the good stuff."

"Yours too? I thought it was just Balamb's that did that."

"Same at Trabia," Selphie confirmed. "Must be an all-over school bug."

In the end though, the chain of command decided to look for the Caraway Mansion right away. "What if we miss some opportunity while we sat stuffing our faces?"

Oddly shaped yellow buses clunked their way on bad rocking springs. The teens decided they were too cool and too physically fit to resort to them.

After twenty minutes of trekking through the residential district, they were ready to change their story.

"Wonder how long it would take just to learn the names of the streets here? I'm spoiled by Balamb City; a guy can make it from one end of town to the other without getting winded," Zell muttered. That much energy and stamina was believable, right?

"Sure, riding your t-board," Selphie winked, getting a groan and a retort of "brat" and other name-calling. She yelped at the noogie coming her way from the street surfer.

"Have we seen these houses already?" Quistis observed.

They came to a halt. Vash noted, "Guys, we're at the first street again. I remember the stairs we had to come up after the station."

Right now the ugly rickety buses looked really good, if for no other reason than an excuse to rest their feet. "Don't worry, if we sit long enough it'll take us to every location," Squall reasoned. But after a full circle, they wound up back at the first stop in the beginning. The outer circumference of the city had lots of houses, beautiful architecture like the Arc d'Triumph, and a view of prominent structures in the distant center. Gotta love a city that decorates its buildings with statues of half-lions, half-iguanas for no reason. But the route didn't have anything to interest the teens.

They tried the southbound on the other side of the street instead of the northbound, thinking it would be a different trip. Vash hummed a tune to himself until Selphie beside him asked what the song was. He told her. It was one of those that kids love for long trips, the kind that make their parents threaten to turn their cars around or drive off a cliff or whatever. It wasn't exactly the same thing as "I am Henery the 8th I am" but it was just as bad. (( And if you don't know how bad that could be, you haven't seen that scene in Ghost. ^_^; )) So naturally Selphie latched on with him. She could carry a tune. Vash couldn't. By the sixth repetition of "Second verse, same as the first" and recycling through the whole thing, Vash Selphie and Quistis were singing in high spirits, Zell was howling in misery, and Squall and Rinoa were actually relieved to see the first street station again.

The southbound track had been the same circle, just a backwards order. They moved over a block and tried again. This route landed them at the Shopping Arcade at the next stop.

"Can we?"

"No."

"But-"

"NO."

"Pretty please with sugar on top?"

"..."

But this bus sputtered onward on its route and made its full course without hitting the Caraway Mansion either. Squall relented when they found themselves immersed in the Shopping Arcade the second time. He was hungry too.

"Hooray!"

They narrowed down the choices for dinner and desert to two fast food restaurants that were across the street from each other.

The Legendary Gunman waxed into a reverie. "Do you ever take a minute to stop and pay attention to how the very little pleasures, everyday, the ones we almost take for granted, are really what the biggest part of life is all about?"

Zell agreed enthusiastically with a big "Right on" around a mouthful of food. They shared a salute as if they were giving a toast - "Cheers." But instead of clinking glasses they thumped together a juicy bitten hot dog and a very fresh, hot-out-of-the-oven doughnut. Ahhh.

At the weapons shop, everyone who had found and assembled the right parts got their instruments upgraded. When it was Quistis' turn, Selphie walked in and found her speaking even though there was no one else in the showroom at the moment. The Trabian hesitated between asking what was up with the combat expert or giving her the space to be alone. Instead she asked candidly, "Are you talking to your whip?"

Quistis blushed at the girl. In front of her on the counter was the beloved fusion of metal and organic assembly that sang in her hands and could cut scars with the precision of a knife from a distance of numerous feet. "Yes... well... People talk to their cars when they want them to start, don't they? I'm blessing my whip because it's getting specialized."

Selphie eyed the red Scorpion Tail and thought it over. "Cool. I'm gonna do the same thing for mine."

Rinoa had done all that and shopped to her heart's content in the pet store. Outside, Squall waited for the others to catch up and in the meantime played cards with one of the townspeople hanging about. The angel came over with shopping bags bulging, and he questioned her warily.

"...?"

"All this? Cost only 25,000 gil."

A soundless roll of the eyes met her revelation.

"Come on! It's not a waste. This is all good stuff."

"?"

She rustled for a magazine amid the other belongings. "Here's a copy of Pet Lovers monthly so Angelo can learn to do things even more powerful. Isn't that helpful?" No answer came, but her spirit didn't falter. She knew training the canine came in handy. "And things to heal and restore the Guardian Forces, and scrolls to teach them new techniques."

He stared her way with wonder.

"The GFs you all let me carry have been good to me. Why shouldn't I?"

Squall gave a long nod of affirmation.

"Oh well. When we're all ready to go we can just head two blocks east from here and hitch a ride straight for the mansion."

"! ... !?"

"Don't look at me like that."

"If you knew, then why...?"

"Yes, I live in Timber now but I'm really from here. You think I'd want to head to that house so soon after getting back? Not on your life. Besides, if we did, we would have missed this." Then she linked her arm in his.

He was mildly startled. And even with his leather and bulk in between, he could feel her slim arm through the padding.

But he stayed stiff. It was like hugging a mannequin or dead weight, and she soon let go in disappointment.

"(Why does she look so sad now?)" So hard to figure out, isn't it? Might as well say something. He beckoned for her to come back over. The lion whispered something confidential that brought a laugh and a returning surge of high spirits. It was

"I forgive you for letting us roam the streets lost. But if those guys start singing again, it's your responsibility."

Da author: This last bit feels a little ooc for Squall but remember, you don't *always* have to resort to tugging his arm or yelling until he gives in. He *does* speak voluntarily. XD Also, next chapter begins the side-quest that gets them into the mansion. Since Vash took care of the Tomb of the Unknown King already, the guard has his own ideas. "If you're really SeeDs you could... capture the Tonberry King!" Don't you hope it's not as painful as all that? ^_^;