[Thanks so much Merlraven and Lionheart1! Glad the story's making you feel better about your gaming withdraw, Lionheart! And here I thought people would think it was stupid to tell the story from someone else's point of view.]
The cool, fast-moving winds blew Rinoa's ebony and red-brown highlighted colored hair behind her as she kneeled down on the roof of the Forest Owls' base, the train of light blue duster flowing just as freely. Their train had left for Galbadia and was now following the route that the President's train was taking to Timber. Looking to her side, Rinoa could see the President's car through the numerous trees, it becoming nothing more than a blur of green. We're maybe about…a couple minutes from getting a clear view of them. If they don't come up here soon we'll miss the chance to have a good jump.
Hearing footsteps behind her as if on cue, Rinoa turned her head to see Squall's group coming up on the roof as well. "Squall, over here!" Rinoa called them over to her end at the front of the train from where they were on the dummy car, and turned her head back to its original position. She was willing to forget about the incident inside for now; they had more important things to think about.
"We'll catch up with the 2nd escort soon. Let's get ready. We should time our jumps well after we catch up with them to save some time. From now we have exactly…" Rinoa trailed off, looking to her other side as if looking for some sort of marker. Passing by the first checkpoint, Rinoa continued. "5 minutes to complete the operation. Let's try to use every second."
The group nodded their approval, and Rinoa jumped onto the President's car, landing as lightly as she could. She made sure not to look down, for the image of a rapidly moving ground; so much so that it was as if there was no ground at all, wasn't exactly what she needed just then. I don't get paid enough to do that… Rinoa thought somewhat helplessly. With everyone on board safely, Rinoa continued.
"This is the president's car. After we get across, we'll proceed with the first uncoupling."
Rinoa straightened slightly and walked down to the front end of the President's car and onto the first escort. When everyone was there, Rinoa gave out the instructions. "This is the 1st escort. We're gonna uncouple this first. Like Watts said, there should be 2 guards on this car." Rinoa looked over at Selphie and Zell. "Selphie and Zell, you guys keep an eye on the guards. Let us know if you see them coming."
Zell nodded. "Alright. I'll watch the blue guard."
"I'll take red," Selphie said. With that, Zell and Selphie took their positions.
Rinoa carefully looked over the edge and down at the windows, the wind whipping her hair past her eyes, then came back up and looked at Squall. "The red guard is closer. Squall, you might wanna keep an eye on him, too. Ok, are you ready to enter the codes? You remember everything, right?" She didn't want to pressure of everything to make him completely forget why they were there in the first place.
"Yeah," Squall said bluntly.
"We'll have to enter 3 codes to disable the circuit for this uncoupling. Ok, Squall. Get the cable ready. Ok, let's do it. We have 4 minutes left! Good luck Squall!"
Squall slid down to the control system, and looked up at Rinoa, signaling he was ready.
"4211!" Rinoa called down the first code to him. She watched anxiously as Squall punched it in, and was about to relay the next one when Zell called.
"Yo! Blue's on the move!"
Rinoa cringed as Zell said that. There were many factors that could happen and call the mission a failure: unable to complete the uncoupling before the switch points, typing in the wrong codes, and in this case, being caught by one of the guards. She didn't want to see them fail the operation, and so soon after they just started. And after I just jumped from a moving train!
Rinoa held her breath in nervous anticipation as Squall made his way back up the roof and squatted beside her, and not a moment too soon. Just as he did, the guard opened the blinds and took a look outside. As he closed the blinds, Rinoa, and seemingly everyone else, let out a deep sigh of relief. "Alright, go back down. We still have two more codes to enter!"
But Squall was already halfway down, and Rinoa smiled inwardly. He is good. "3421!" Rinoa yelled, feeling her words being carried away by the wind, toning down her yell to a light whisper. She paused for a second in case Selphie or Zell was going to warn them, but hearing nothing, Rinoa promptly told Squall the last code, it being '1324'. Having a slight delay because of the guard, they were running out of time fast. "Squall, this way!"
Selphie and Zell were already by Rinoa's side, and when Squall came back up, all four crouched down on the president's car and looked up ahead, where the first switch was rapidly approaching. They felt a tiny jolt as the first escort car uncoupled, moving farther in front of them, leaving a huge gap in between their two cars. At the switch point, the Forest Owls' Base, with the dummy car, gracefully pulled onto their track, closing the gap. The cars connected together with powerful magnetic energy, and now the once 4-carred train was now a 6-carred train, with the locomotive in the front, followed by the 1st escort, the Owls' base, the dummy car, the President's car and the 2nd escort, all moving as one.
"Go to the back of the train," Rinoa said to Squall. "I'll meet you there." Rinoa then looked over at Zell and Selphie as Squall went his separate way. "I need you two to uncouple our train from theirs." She moved in closer to Selphie and whispered the codes in her ear, and did the same to Zell, not wanting to yell over the noise anymore for she felt her throat beginning to hurt. "See you guys soon!"
With that, Rinoa made her way over to Squall, finding him looking at her awaiting orders. "This is the 2nd escort. After this, we're home free. I think there are 2 guards on this car, too. Zell and Selphie are up ahead, working on uncoupling our train from theirs. So you're on your own this time. Let's get this over with."
Squall nodded silently, a solemn expression on his face. "We'll have to enter 5 codes to disable the circuit for this connection. Are you ready, Squall? We have just over 2 and a half minutes left! Good luck!" Rinoa knew what he must have been feeling. It was hard enough when he had lookouts, and with 2 extra codes to enter in, it will be cutting it close. "Hey, don't worry." Rinoa smiled a little at him. "You'll do fine. Let's go."
Before Squall could slide down, the red guard had opened the blinds, and he had to stop himself. Imagine if he was already down there and that happened; staying or moving would have gotten him caught. With the coast clear, Squall finally slid down and Rinoa was able to convey three codes in a row before he had to come back up, saving them the time they lost earlier. Coming upon the last two minutes, they entered the last two codes.
"Squall, come on up! The switch point's drawing near!" Rinoa called down to him, and looked ahead to see Selphie and Zell standing upon the Base car, giving the thumbs up to her. Rinoa waved and gave the thumbs up as well, Squall and herself now standing upon the President's car once again. Behind them, the 2nd escort car detached itself from the President's car, and Base and dummy car uncoupled from each other, leaving the last four cars all separate from each other. They watched as they came upon the second switch point, where the locomotive, still attached to the 1st escort, changed onto the next track, the Owls' base staying where it was.
It was the dummy's car turn to shift lanes, leaving the President's car to connect to the base. The 2nd escort was the last of which to switch tracks, completing the transition. Rinoa didn't want to jump up in excitement and risk falling off the train, so the four, well, three, all gave each other high fives to an operation success. Squall was lacking in enthusiasm. "Let's get back inside before we're blown off this thing," Rinoa said, and they climbed down the ladder and entered the Forest Owls' Base.
"Are you guys alright?" Zone asked as came in and closed the door behind them. Rinoa nodded, and Zone rubbed his hand together. "Finally…We've waited so long for this encounter with Vinzer."
"Was that perfect, sir!? Amazing, sir! You're the best, sir!" Watts chirped, and Zone and Rinoa looked at each other, wondering who he was talking to.
"Well then…" Rinoa said, rubbing her hands down her sides, waiting for them to finally do it.
"Leave the intelligence up to me, sir!" Watts said, getting himself out of the situation once again.
"OwOwOuccchhh," Zone cried, gripping his stomach rather tightly. He ran into the other room, and faint sounds of him throwing up were heard. Rinoa shook her head. It looked like it was on her again.
"You 3!" Rinoa looked at the SeeD's. "Tell me when you're ready to go. As soon as you're ready, I'll begin 'serious negotiations' with the president!" With that, Rinoa paced back in forth in front of the door leading to the president's car, figuring out what she was going to say to him. The trio soon came up to her. "…Ready?" Rinoa asked them.
"Yeah," Squall said, and Rinoa pulled open the door and jumped onto the President's car.