CATEGORY II: RANDOM ENCOUNTERS
[Scenario A]
The ominous roll of thunder that rumbled across the sky as Squall and Rinoa were entering Balamb town might have served as a warning to them that danger loomed ahead. Unfortunately, neither of them were particularly adept at relating weather patterns to future events in their lives.
I hope the weather's better than this in Timber, Rinoa said, as she and Squall made their way down the main road towards the turnoff for the rail station. I was going to take you on a big tour of the city, but won't be as fun if it ends up raining all day.
Timber's on another continent, Squall observed, glancing at the oncoming weather front. The clouds don't look that big.
Giggling, Rinoa punched him playfully in the arm. Stop it! she demanded. You're just being mean!
Squall deadpanned, but Rinoa's words did rather bother him; maybe she was just joking, but he'd only meant it as an observation.
Their first warning that something was wrong came as they turned off the main road a few moments later. Some sort of commotion was taking place ahead of them, and a small crowd had gathered in front of the Balamb Rail station. Enough people were clustered together that Squall and Rinoa could not at first determine what the object of their attention was; but still, from its excited murmur and the fact that a crowd had gathered, they guessed that something fairly significant was happening in the vicinity of the rail terminal.
But they were still hardly prepared for the figure who emerged from the crowd, walking towards them.
Well, what do you know, said Seifer, halting about ten meters away and folding his arms. Mr. Leader's come to town.
Seifer? wondered Squall. What's he doing here? What's the meaning of this, Seifer? he asked.
Seifer shrugged. No meaning, Squall. I'm past all that now. With his customary flair, he whipped his gunblade from beneath his trenchcoat. Still, you up for one more round? Just for old time's sake.
Seifer, don't, said Rinoa. Squall, please. Let's just go.
But Squall wasn't about to refuse the challenge. Even if there was no good reason for him to accept, this was Seifer, and he couldn't back down. As the crowd formed a ring around them, he brought his own gunblade to the ready, checked his GF and steeled himself for the fight.
Let's make it quick, Seifer, he said. I've got a train to catch.
[Scenario B]
The ominous roll of thunder that rumbled across the sky as Squall and Rinoa were entering Balamb town might have served as a warning to them that danger loomed ahead. However, since the danger had nothing really to do with the weather, such a warning would probably have been misleading anyway.
I hope the weather's better than this in Timber, Rinoa said, as she and Squall made their way down the main road towards the turnoff for the rail station. I wanted to show you the Timber Forest Memorial, but it'll be no fun if it ends up raining all day.
Timber's on another continent, Squall observed, glancing at the oncoming weather front. The clouds don't look that big.
I know that! Rinoa said defensively. I just hope it's not raining in Timber, too!
Squall made an indifferent shrug, but Rinoa's attitude did rather bother him; maybe it was the weather, but she'd seemed a little on edge all day.
Their first warning that something was wrong did not come until they had acquired their tickets and were ascending the stairs into the rail station. It also happened to be their last warning. Just as they were approaching the train, a pair of men dressed in Galbadian uniforms – one a red-suited Galbadian officer, the other a blue-uniformed enlisted man – stepped out of the nearest exit. Squall thought they looked slightly familiar; and judging by the spasm that seemed to run through the officer upon seeing them, there was likely some merit to the idea.
exclaimed the officer, charging forward until he stood about four meters away. You were the leader of those SeeD twerps at the comm tower! And...Wedge, wasn't he the commander of Garden too?
Yes, sir, replied the blue soldier. He was Target #1 on Command's Elimination List.
Do I know this guy? wondered Squall. Something about their manner did seem familiar. What do you want? he asked.
Do you have any idea how much trouble you caused in Galbadia? roared the officer. I got demoted to Second Lieutenant because of you! Looking furious even with the helmet covering most of his face, he trained his gun on Squall. This is it! We'll take care of you troublemakers once and for all!
Uh, Lieutenant Biggs? said the soldier called Wedge. Squall definitely remembered those names from somewhere. Sir, we're in a hostile town with no backup. Maybe—
Quiet, Wedge! replied the officer. Don't question my orders, or I'll dock your pay for all next year!
Squall could have sworn the other soldier sighed at this. Nonetheless, he replied Yes, sir! and brought his weapon to the ready.
Maybe we shouldn't fight them here, said Rinoa.
But Squall doubted the fight could be avoided. As the other passengers scattered, he brought his gunblade to the ready, checked his GF and steeled himself for the fight.
This had better be quick, he thought. I've got a train to catch.
[Scenario C]
The ominous roll of thunder that rumbled across the sky as Squall and Rinoa were entering Balamb town might have served as a warning to them that danger loomed ahead. However, the two of them were more concerned with the rainstorm that was already beginning to beat down on them to wonder about any more symbolic aspect of the weather.
I hope it won't be raining in Timber, said Rinoa. All the parks outside the city get so muddy when it rains, it's just terrible.
Squall wondered if he should point out that after defeating Ultimecia, a muddy park shouldn't really be that big a deal; or that Timber and Balamb were separated by an ocean and unlikely to be affected by the same weather pattern. Instead, he simply focused on getting to the station.
Their first warning that something was wrong came as they turned off the main road and were approaching the rail station. Some sort of commotion was taking place on the road ahead of them, and a large crowd had gathered despite the rain. Enough people were clustered together so that Squall and Rinoa could not at first determine what the object of their attention was; but still, from its excited murmur and the fact that a crowd had gathered even in the approaching storm, they guessed that something fairly significant was happening in the middle of the road.
But they were still hardly prepared for the sight they saw as they came to the center of the crowd.
You are the ones, declared the small blue alien, advancing on them with an understandably alien expression on its face. You destroyed my star vessel!
An alien? wondered Squall. ...I guess there was that weird spaceship in Grandidi; I never thought about who the pilot might be. ...What do you want from us? he asked.
I was unable to return to orbit in time for the dimensional confluence, replied the alien. Now I am trapped on this world. You must suffer! It produced what looked like an energy pistol, aiming it at Squall. Prepare to be punished!
said Rinoa. Maybe we should try to negotiate with it.
But Squall could see that the alien meant business. As the crowd scrambled for cover from the rain or the imminent battle, he brought his gunblade to the ready, checked his GF and steeled himself for the fight.
Let's just get it over with, he said to Rinoa. We've got a train to catch.
[Scenario D]
The torrential rainfall that poured down from the sky as Squall and Rinoa were entering Balamb town might have served as a warning to them that danger loomed ahead. However, neither of them were thinking much about any future beyond their finding shelter where they could cease to be completely drenched.
I hope it's not raining like this in Timber! shouted Rinoa over the downpour. The really big storms there last for days, and with the wind you can't even go outside sometimes!
Let's just get to the station! Squall shouted back.
asked Rinoa, having not heard him.
Let's just get to the station! Squall repeated, shouting louder.
Okay, okay! Rinoa shouted back. You don't have to yell about it!
Squall shook his head as they pressed on through the storm. He couldn't blame Rinoa for being in a bad mood; but he had only been trying to make sure she heard him.
Their first warning that something was wrong came as they were hurrying down the side road towards the Balamb Rail station, although they didn't notice it at first. It came in the form of a deep humming noise somewhere ahead of them, that at first seemed like nothing more troublesome than a particularly long patch of rolling thunder; yet as they were coming near the station, the noise had persisted for half a minute and was growing progressively stronger. Squall had by now guessed that this was no natural part of the storm.
But he was still hardly prepared for the massive object that came flying over the buildings, a giant mechanical object that looked undesirably familiar.
boomed a loud inhuman voice, made even more so by the tinny effect of the loudspeaker. A hatch on top of the pod opened up to reveal a tremendous Shumi glaring down at them. YOU-THOUGHT-YOU-COULD-ESCAPE-ME? THAT-YOU-COULD-TAKE-MY-GARDEN-AND-RUN? YOU-YOU-BASTARDS!
NORG? thought Squall. ...I guess he did go into hiding when we defeated him. I didn't know his combat pod could fly, though.
We don't want any trouble! he called, although the downpour from the rain made it unlikely NORG could hear him. If you have problems with Garden, settle them with Cid and Xu!
Nonetheless, he didn't have a lot of faith that the problem could be solved using logic. He would, of course, be proven correct.
said NORG in what was probably the loudest mumble ever recorded. WHERE-IS-THE-GRATITUDE? I-INVESTED-MY-OWN-MONEY-IN-GARDEN! I-WORKED-DAY-AND-NIGHT-FOR-WHAT-MEAGER-PROFITS-THAT-IDIOT-CID-COULD-ACCRUE! AND-WHAT-DO-I-GET-IN-RETURN? He gestured emphatically at Squall and Rinoa. TRAITORS! Bujuruju! A-GARDEN-FULL-OF-TRAITORS! At this, the hatch of his combat pod snapped shut – nearly crushing his gigantic hands, Squall thought – and a trio of yellow orbs lit up on the front of the machine.
Should we try to lead him away from the town, Squall? asked Rinoa. It looks like he could be pretty destructive!
But Squall doubted they could avoid a confrontation for that long. As the combat pod swung to cut off their escape in any event, he brought his gunblade to the ready, checked his GF and steeled himself for the fight.
Let's just hope he leaves the rail station alone, he said. We've got a train to catch.
[Scenario E]
The blanket of grey clouds that stretched across the sky as Squall and Rinoa were entering Balamb town might have served as a warning to them that danger loomed ahead. However, neither of them were particularly adept at relating weather patterns to future events in their lives.
I hope the weather's nicer than this in Timber, mused Rinoa.
Squall shrugged. This seems okay.
You think so? asked Rinoa. It's so dreary, though.
Squall shrugged again, but he wondered if that was exactly what she meant; maybe she had just been making conversation, but something about her emphasis on made him wonder if she were referring to something besides just the weather.
They received no real warning that anything was wrong as they turned off the main road a few moments later. They did see a young boy rubbing a bruise on his left shoulder, but this didn't strike them as significantly odd to merit much attention. Nor did they pay any special heed to the rustling in the bushes alongside the road, attributing it to the light wind or some small stray animal, or mostly not really caring at all.
Then Squall was hit on the head with a rock.
he exclaimed, spinning around to see his assailant, and was rewarded with another rock striking directly between the eyes.
Take that! declared Mr. Monkey, hopping up and down in enraged triumph. I told you, I can skip a rock as many times as I want! He threw another rock, but Squall managed to dodge it this time.
That monkey? wondered Squall. Did he come all the way to Balamb just to throw rocks at me? What's this about? he asked.
Shut up! retorted Mr. Monkey. I can skip rocks however I want! I can skip rocks with my tail! I bet you don't even have a tail, because you SUCK! He threw a rock with his tail, striking Squall about the knee.
Squall, becoming aggravated by the assault of rocks, started to draw his gunblade, intending to drive the monkey away. Rinoa stopped him. Squall, don't. To the monkey, she said, We don't want any trouble. I'm sure Squall didn't mean to...insult you. Or whatever he did. So—
She was cut off when the monkey threw a rock at her. Then two more rocks.
You suck too! he pronounced. I bet you can't skip rocks at all! In fact, you guys suck so much, I'm not even wasting my time with you! I'm out of here, losers!
And he turned and disappeared into the shrubbery, leaving Squall and Rinoa nursing their newly acquired bruises.
...Come on, Squall, Rinoa said at length. We've got a train to catch.