A few hours later, a very excited Selphie bounded out of the Ragnarok, followed by a more sedate but still enthusiastic Rinoa, and Zell. Zell had invited himself along at the last minute, claiming he was going to get "a few extra things Squall wanted". This was actually the truth, but not the whole truth. Fortunately, Selphie and Rinoa suspected nothing, thinking that he just wanted another tattoo or something.
"I'll see you girls later, then," he said, boarding the nearest shuttle tube into the central business district of Esthar. Selphie and Rinoa giggled and looked at each other.
"Yeah..." Selphie said, giggling
"...Much later!" Rinoa finished for her. Zell just looked confused.
"Right then," he said, completely missing the joke that had the two girls in stitches. His shuttle tube left, while Selphie and Rinoa waited for theirs, which was headed in the opposite direction.
"Aren't we going shopping?" Selphie asked, impatiently. Rinoa simply smiled at her, before responding.
"There's someone I have to see first," she said. "I'll catch you up."
"OK!" Selphie shouted, running off to catch the next shuttle tube car into town, while Rinoa waited for her. Meanwhile, walking through the Esthar shopping mall, Zell was feeling somewhat nervous. Man, he thought to himself, what do I know about jewellery? Squall had asked him personally to buy some kind of ring for him to give to Rinoa at the beach party. Zell had protested, asking why he didn't just ask him to make a copy of an existing ring for him, but Squall said he wanted it to be unique. So, there Zell was, wandering round the shopping mall, feeling like a complete idiot (not to mention having people stare at his tattoos), and to make matters worse, he was starting to get hungry...
For the second time in three days, Rinoa walked up to Ellone's door, and knocked. Ellone answered the door, getting a pleasant surprise.
"Rinoa!" She said, with a smile. Rinoa smiled back.
"Hi, Ellone."
"What are you doing back so soon?" She asked, slightly less enthusiastically. Is it bad news? She asked herself, before inviting Rinoa in. Rinoa entered, and sat down on a sofa. Almost reading Ellone's mind, Rinoa started talking.
"We rescued Squall," she said, eliciting a sigh of relief from Ellone.
"Is he OK?" She asked Rinoa.
"He's got a few bad injuries," Rinoa said, prompting a gasp from Ellone, "but he's going to make a full recovery." Ellone smiled, again out of relief for the man she considered her brother.
"I just thought you might like to know," Rinoa said, standing up. Ellone smiled, and showed Rinoa out.
"Thanks, that was very considerate of you," Ellone said, "I'll be sure to let his father know too." Rinoa stopped, believing that her hearing had just played a trick on her.
"I'm sorry," she said, confused, "could you repeat that, please?" Ellone looked a little confused herself.
"I said," she repeated deliberately, pointing at the ceiling, "I'll be sure to let his fa-" suddenly, Ellone realised what had happened. "You mean Squall hasn't told you yet?"
Suddenly, Rinoa was defensive.
"Told me what?" She asked Ellone.
"About him," Ellone started, "and Unc-" she paused, before shaking her head. "It's probably best you hear it from Squall himself." Rinoa nodded, still not believing what she'd heard.
"Don't worry," Rinoa said, "I will hear it from Squall." There was a brief pause, before Rinoa continued. "I have to meet my friend in town, so I'd better go now."
"OK," Ellone said, showing her out. "See you soon." The mood was much more subdued now.
"Bye," Rinoa said, leaving. Once she was outside, the shuttle tube ride to the shopping centre for her was dominated by one thought- why did he keep it from me? She thought it over and over again. Perhaps he didn't want to tell anyone? Perhaps he was ashamed of his father? She'd pretty much worked out that his father was Laguna, despite the fact that father and son were as different as chalk and cheese. At least, Rinoa thought, the old Squall was… She arrived in the shopping centre, and quickly locating Selphie, who was struggling with about twelve different bags, rushed to help her out.
"Careful now!" Rinoa said, trying to put a jokey face on, "you don't want to drop those!" Selphie laughed, then watched in horror as all the bags she was holding suddenly fell to the floor, spilling their contents everywhere.
"Oh, no," she said, with mock despair, "I can't believe how clumsy I am at times!"
"What have you got in here?" Rinoa asked as she helped Selphie with the bags. "Did Squall ask you to buy a whole new house?" Selphie giggled again, and nearly lost control of the bags. Fortunately, Zell had watched what was going on and ran over to catch the bags before they spilled on the floor.
"Hey," he started, "you want to be careful with those!" Zell then paused as he saw Rinoa and Selphie staring at each other again, the same way they had done at the shuttle tube station.
"Zell," Rinoa asked, turning to face him, "have you finished your shopping yet?"
"Yeah," he said, unsure of what the girls were planning, "it was only a few odds and ends."
"Where is it?" Selphie asked.
"In my pocket."
"Zell," Rinoa asked again, after exchanging a nod with Selphie, "could you do us a REALLY big favour?"
And so it came to pass that for the next few hours while Selphie and Rinoa visited (often RE-visited) practically every shop in town, Zell was lumbered with the role of "bag boy", walking around with all their bags on, in and under his arms. Eventually, six hours after they had arrived in Esthar, Rinoa and Selphie walked back to the Ragnarok thoroughly exhausted, and slumped in the passenger's seats in the cockpit. Zell stumbled in a few moments later, and after dumping the bags in the hold, slumped in the passenger seat next to the girls, who simply stared at him.
"What?" He asked.
"This ship isn't going to fly itself, Zell," Rinoa helpfully informed him.
"Aw MAN!" Zell said, getting up and starting the Ragnarok's engine. Steadily, they climbed into the air, heading back to Balamb. Rinoa then decided to ask Selphie something she knew she wasn't going to like the answer to.
"Selph," she started, "you went with Squall to Esthar, just before the Garden was bombed, didn't you?"
"Sure did!" Selphie answered, shifting from a slumped position to kneeling on her chair. "Although we didn't stay long, of course." Rinoa sat up, and assumed a serious expression, which made Selphie a little concerned.
"Rinn," she asked, "what's the matter?" Rinoa started fiddling with her fingers, distracted by what she was going to ask.
"On the way back," she started, "did Squall... tell you anything?"
"You mean about him and Sir Laguna?" Selphie asked, excitedly. "I know! Isn't it cool?" Rinoa maintained her serious expression. "Wait a minute," Selphie continued, "Squall... he did tell you, didn't he?" Rinoa simply looked at her friend, and sighed.
"Why didn't he tell me, Selph?" She asked, worried for her relationship. "Doesn't he trust me?"
"Of course he does, silly!" Selphie said, quasi-reassuringly. "I'm sure that what with the bombings, the mission and all that, he just couldn't find the time." Rinoa thought back to the morning after the bombings- he had tried to tell her after breakfast, but got called away. Why hadn't he told her afterwards? Then she remembered. Seifer… she thought to herself. Why must he always come between us? She thought back to when he had thrown her to sorceress Adel- how he had claimed he was doing it because it was the wish of Ultimecia. Could it really have been because he wanted to hurt her and Squall's relationship? Rinoa quickly put the thought of her mind and turned back to Selphie.
"Yeah," she said, trying to sound convinced, "I'm sure that's what it is."
"Well," Selphie said, once again excited, "it's not like you won't have tons of opportunities to ask him this week!" Rinoa smiled and allowed herself a little laugh- somehow, Selphie had managed to put a smile on her face, as she always seemed to do.
"I'll see you girls later, then," he said, boarding the nearest shuttle tube into the central business district of Esthar. Selphie and Rinoa giggled and looked at each other.
"Yeah..." Selphie said, giggling
"...Much later!" Rinoa finished for her. Zell just looked confused.
"Right then," he said, completely missing the joke that had the two girls in stitches. His shuttle tube left, while Selphie and Rinoa waited for theirs, which was headed in the opposite direction.
"Aren't we going shopping?" Selphie asked, impatiently. Rinoa simply smiled at her, before responding.
"There's someone I have to see first," she said. "I'll catch you up."
"OK!" Selphie shouted, running off to catch the next shuttle tube car into town, while Rinoa waited for her. Meanwhile, walking through the Esthar shopping mall, Zell was feeling somewhat nervous. Man, he thought to himself, what do I know about jewellery? Squall had asked him personally to buy some kind of ring for him to give to Rinoa at the beach party. Zell had protested, asking why he didn't just ask him to make a copy of an existing ring for him, but Squall said he wanted it to be unique. So, there Zell was, wandering round the shopping mall, feeling like a complete idiot (not to mention having people stare at his tattoos), and to make matters worse, he was starting to get hungry...
For the second time in three days, Rinoa walked up to Ellone's door, and knocked. Ellone answered the door, getting a pleasant surprise.
"Rinoa!" She said, with a smile. Rinoa smiled back.
"Hi, Ellone."
"What are you doing back so soon?" She asked, slightly less enthusiastically. Is it bad news? She asked herself, before inviting Rinoa in. Rinoa entered, and sat down on a sofa. Almost reading Ellone's mind, Rinoa started talking.
"We rescued Squall," she said, eliciting a sigh of relief from Ellone.
"Is he OK?" She asked Rinoa.
"He's got a few bad injuries," Rinoa said, prompting a gasp from Ellone, "but he's going to make a full recovery." Ellone smiled, again out of relief for the man she considered her brother.
"I just thought you might like to know," Rinoa said, standing up. Ellone smiled, and showed Rinoa out.
"Thanks, that was very considerate of you," Ellone said, "I'll be sure to let his father know too." Rinoa stopped, believing that her hearing had just played a trick on her.
"I'm sorry," she said, confused, "could you repeat that, please?" Ellone looked a little confused herself.
"I said," she repeated deliberately, pointing at the ceiling, "I'll be sure to let his fa-" suddenly, Ellone realised what had happened. "You mean Squall hasn't told you yet?"
Suddenly, Rinoa was defensive.
"Told me what?" She asked Ellone.
"About him," Ellone started, "and Unc-" she paused, before shaking her head. "It's probably best you hear it from Squall himself." Rinoa nodded, still not believing what she'd heard.
"Don't worry," Rinoa said, "I will hear it from Squall." There was a brief pause, before Rinoa continued. "I have to meet my friend in town, so I'd better go now."
"OK," Ellone said, showing her out. "See you soon." The mood was much more subdued now.
"Bye," Rinoa said, leaving. Once she was outside, the shuttle tube ride to the shopping centre for her was dominated by one thought- why did he keep it from me? She thought it over and over again. Perhaps he didn't want to tell anyone? Perhaps he was ashamed of his father? She'd pretty much worked out that his father was Laguna, despite the fact that father and son were as different as chalk and cheese. At least, Rinoa thought, the old Squall was… She arrived in the shopping centre, and quickly locating Selphie, who was struggling with about twelve different bags, rushed to help her out.
"Careful now!" Rinoa said, trying to put a jokey face on, "you don't want to drop those!" Selphie laughed, then watched in horror as all the bags she was holding suddenly fell to the floor, spilling their contents everywhere.
"Oh, no," she said, with mock despair, "I can't believe how clumsy I am at times!"
"What have you got in here?" Rinoa asked as she helped Selphie with the bags. "Did Squall ask you to buy a whole new house?" Selphie giggled again, and nearly lost control of the bags. Fortunately, Zell had watched what was going on and ran over to catch the bags before they spilled on the floor.
"Hey," he started, "you want to be careful with those!" Zell then paused as he saw Rinoa and Selphie staring at each other again, the same way they had done at the shuttle tube station.
"Zell," Rinoa asked, turning to face him, "have you finished your shopping yet?"
"Yeah," he said, unsure of what the girls were planning, "it was only a few odds and ends."
"Where is it?" Selphie asked.
"In my pocket."
"Zell," Rinoa asked again, after exchanging a nod with Selphie, "could you do us a REALLY big favour?"
And so it came to pass that for the next few hours while Selphie and Rinoa visited (often RE-visited) practically every shop in town, Zell was lumbered with the role of "bag boy", walking around with all their bags on, in and under his arms. Eventually, six hours after they had arrived in Esthar, Rinoa and Selphie walked back to the Ragnarok thoroughly exhausted, and slumped in the passenger's seats in the cockpit. Zell stumbled in a few moments later, and after dumping the bags in the hold, slumped in the passenger seat next to the girls, who simply stared at him.
"What?" He asked.
"This ship isn't going to fly itself, Zell," Rinoa helpfully informed him.
"Aw MAN!" Zell said, getting up and starting the Ragnarok's engine. Steadily, they climbed into the air, heading back to Balamb. Rinoa then decided to ask Selphie something she knew she wasn't going to like the answer to.
"Selph," she started, "you went with Squall to Esthar, just before the Garden was bombed, didn't you?"
"Sure did!" Selphie answered, shifting from a slumped position to kneeling on her chair. "Although we didn't stay long, of course." Rinoa sat up, and assumed a serious expression, which made Selphie a little concerned.
"Rinn," she asked, "what's the matter?" Rinoa started fiddling with her fingers, distracted by what she was going to ask.
"On the way back," she started, "did Squall... tell you anything?"
"You mean about him and Sir Laguna?" Selphie asked, excitedly. "I know! Isn't it cool?" Rinoa maintained her serious expression. "Wait a minute," Selphie continued, "Squall... he did tell you, didn't he?" Rinoa simply looked at her friend, and sighed.
"Why didn't he tell me, Selph?" She asked, worried for her relationship. "Doesn't he trust me?"
"Of course he does, silly!" Selphie said, quasi-reassuringly. "I'm sure that what with the bombings, the mission and all that, he just couldn't find the time." Rinoa thought back to the morning after the bombings- he had tried to tell her after breakfast, but got called away. Why hadn't he told her afterwards? Then she remembered. Seifer… she thought to herself. Why must he always come between us? She thought back to when he had thrown her to sorceress Adel- how he had claimed he was doing it because it was the wish of Ultimecia. Could it really have been because he wanted to hurt her and Squall's relationship? Rinoa quickly put the thought of her mind and turned back to Selphie.
"Yeah," she said, trying to sound convinced, "I'm sure that's what it is."
"Well," Selphie said, once again excited, "it's not like you won't have tons of opportunities to ask him this week!" Rinoa smiled and allowed herself a little laugh- somehow, Selphie had managed to put a smile on her face, as she always seemed to do.