Ten minutes later, the Garden bus was making its way down highway towards downtown Balamb. Rinoa sat beside Lydia at the front of the bus, her deadly Cardinal Pinwheel on her lap. Lydia sat beside her, jiggling her legs anxiously and handling her long leather whip.
"What do you think they'll make us fight?" she asked Rinoa quietly, stuffing her whip back into its leather case and snapping the locks.
"Dunno," she replied, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "Could be anything. Whatever it is, I'm sure well have it easier than Squall and Zell did."
"I hope so," she said with a nervous laugh.
"Want a granola bar?" she offered, holding out half of the bar. "They're pretty good for low fat."
"No thanks. Hey, is it true that you're related to Julia Heartilly?" she asked suddenly. "You know, the famous pianist that died a long time ago? Like twelve or thirteen years or so?"
Rinoa swallowed hard and nodded solemly. "She was my mother, actually."
Lydia blushed. "I didn't know. I'm sorry," she said sheepishly. "So you were, what, four years old?"
"Five," she corrected, wiping the crumbs from her mouth. "She was in a car accident on the way to play at some fancy high brow restaurant out in Dollet. Charres, I think it was. I still remember the phone call my dad got that night," she said softly, lost in memory. "I didn't fully understand it at the time. I guess I always thought she would be there. You always assume moms are for life until you lose one, you know?"
Lydia nodded, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I know what you mean," she said quietly, gazing out the window past her at the green hills rolling past.
"I don't mean to get personal, but....you lost your mom too, didn't you? At least, that's what I've heard."
The girl nodded absently, her eyes distant and suddenly blank.
Rinoa waited, but she didn't seem to have any intention of continuing.
"How did she die? Lydia?"
The girl's eyes suddenly snapped back to Rinoa. "Well.....she died of an unknown illness. The doctors never had an explanation for it. But....I really don't want to talk about it," she said, in the tone of a girl who might be becoming irritated, but was struggling to keep it from showing. "It's just one of those things that you try to.....try to forget about."
"Well....you know....I'm always here if you need to talk about it," Rinoa offered.
"Thanks, but....I've put it behind me. Do you mind if we change the subject?"
"Sure," Rinoa agreed, brushing the crumbs from her hands. "So are you going to the inaguration ball with Zell tonight?"
"I'll probably be in the infirmary with a broken neck during the ball," she said gloomily.
Rinoa laughed. "Well if you are, we'll be sure to bring you a plate of food. So, you going with Zell?" she pressed.
Lydia suddenly felt a sting of irritation creeping out from a dark corner inside of her. Pardon the language, but holy hell this girl was nosy. The kind of person who peels back the blinds to watch the next door neighbors play the naughty nurse in their bedroom with a pair of binoculars while giving a play by play to her husband.
"If he asks I will," she replied simply, hoping that the case was closed.
The rolling hills and fresh greenery gradually melted behind them as a land of skyscrapers and twisting highway ramps seemed to swallow the bus whole.
"Are any of your relatives gonna be there?" Rinoa asked after a moment's silence. "Grand Mammy Caraway willl be there. That's what we call my grandma," she explained quickly. "She's pretty cool for a grandma."
"Why isn't your dad coming?" Lydia asked quietly. Jeez, she thought, now I'm the one being nosy. She knew that General Caraway of the Galbadian Army was the girl's father. She also knew that the two of them had beliefs that strongly clashed. While Rinoa had always been a strong war protestor and a strong liberal, her father had been a war hero with strong conservative beliefs. While Rinoa had been a part of a resistance against the late president Deling, her father had been feversihly supportive of him, not to mention a general who would have taken ten bullets in the chest if it meant sparing Deling's life.
"He's probably too busy. He's a war hero. It's not like he has time for petty things like his daughter's SeeD exam. I gave up on him a long time ago, and I'm sure he's given up on me by now since I never return his calls. What about your dad? I'll bet he's a lot cooler than my dad."
Lydia shifted uncomfortably in her seat, avoiding the girl's questioning eyes. It was amazing. Amazing how this girl knew where every single button was, and which ones to touch to make the most noise. She didn't recognize this as a harmless attempt at a friendly conversation and suddenly felt that this girl KNEW somehow. Knew everything, right down to her goddamn blood type and panties of choice.
"He's away in Liedine on buissiness."
"Really?" she asked, her eyes lighting up. "What country?"
"Um, Onyae, I think. In Leidon."
"Oh wow, it's so beautiful there," she gasped. "I went there with my father before we, you know, started fighting. Maybe he'll bring you back some fudge. They have the best maple fudge you'll ever eat there."
The bus finally pulled up beside a large black arena with the name on front in large white letters. The nearby parking ramp was filled to capacity with every kind of car imaginable. Some had to be family members of the candidates, but there was no doubt in Lydia's mind that the vast majority of them were drunken adolescents from the slums, high on local drugs and eager to see the blood fly.
My blood, she thought, nearing panic.
As she stood up at the bus driver's command, she grasped the seat tightly with her free hand to keep from collapsing into a heap in the aisle. The candidates slowly filed out. Lydia stepped into the bright sunlight and quickly shielded her eyes defensively.
"Should have brought our sunglasses!" Rinoa exclaimed, passing Lydia as she knelt down to snap her whip case shut. The thing was always coming unshut. She reminded herself mentally to pick up some new latches. The group past her as she struggled to snap the locks shut. Just as she was about to rise to her feet, a loud chirp from above her made her jump, her arms breaking out in gooseflesh. She looked up, startled, to see a fat crow sitting just inches above her head atop a low-hanging branch.
Just a crow, she scolded herself. Don't tell me you're scared of a damned crow, Lydie. The crow was staring right at her and let out another loud chirp. "Hey there, birdie," she said quietly, climbing to her feet. "What are you-" she froze as a large flock of crows landed in the giant maple tree behind her. A dozen more landed on surrounding cars. As she watched, entranced, another three dozen swooped in, landing in the nearby trees and on a new mini van parked across from her. They all watched her as she began to hurry to the entrance, suddenly feeling nauseous. She stopped in her tracks as the fattest one yet landed a mere foot and a half in front of her, staring up at her defiantly. She knew she could have kicked out at the bird and it wouldn't have flinched. She reached out to the bird and was stunned as the crow allowed her to stroke its wing, unflinching. It's gaze remained pinned to her, unblinkingly. Did crows even blink? she wondered.
Her mouth fell open, startled, as another dozen landed around her, gathered on the pavement. She looked around to see if anyone else was watching this spectacle, but everyone was in the building. If she didn't move it they were apt to take a point from her score. She took a step forward, expecting the birds to fly away, but they didn't move an inch. "
Guys, I don't have food," she said, feeling like a complete jackass chatting with a bunch of fat crows.
A tall blond woman suddenly stepped out from somewhere behind a parked SUV, her blue eyes gleaming. Lydia felt her heart flip in her chest.
"They like you," the woman cooed. "They like you a lot, don't they?"
"I've never seen birds act like this before," she replied, mesmerized by the woman's beauty. A Liedinean, perhaps, the woman was dressed causally in blue jeans and a long black sweater. She looked about fifty years old, her hands adorned with rings, one a large black ring in the shape of a crow, the eyes made with tiny fake rubies, perhaps.
"Beautiful creatures, crows. Just beautiful. And he loves them. Can you feel how much he loves them?"
"What do you mean?" the girl asked nervously, coming to the conclusion that this woman was uderly mad, perhaps even dangerous. One of the local PDD addicts, perhaps.
"You haven't forgotten yourself, have you, Lydia Vienzweit?"
Her heart nearly leaped out of her chest. How in God's name did this woman know her name?
"H-How do you know my name?" she stammered, suddenly unaware of the crows that had gathered around her.
"I had hoped you hadn't forgotten me, but it seems you have. But no matter. You shall in due time. After Das Nuessan. You'll find yourself soon enough, Lydia."
"What do you think they'll make us fight?" she asked Rinoa quietly, stuffing her whip back into its leather case and snapping the locks.
"Dunno," she replied, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "Could be anything. Whatever it is, I'm sure well have it easier than Squall and Zell did."
"I hope so," she said with a nervous laugh.
"Want a granola bar?" she offered, holding out half of the bar. "They're pretty good for low fat."
"No thanks. Hey, is it true that you're related to Julia Heartilly?" she asked suddenly. "You know, the famous pianist that died a long time ago? Like twelve or thirteen years or so?"
Rinoa swallowed hard and nodded solemly. "She was my mother, actually."
Lydia blushed. "I didn't know. I'm sorry," she said sheepishly. "So you were, what, four years old?"
"Five," she corrected, wiping the crumbs from her mouth. "She was in a car accident on the way to play at some fancy high brow restaurant out in Dollet. Charres, I think it was. I still remember the phone call my dad got that night," she said softly, lost in memory. "I didn't fully understand it at the time. I guess I always thought she would be there. You always assume moms are for life until you lose one, you know?"
Lydia nodded, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I know what you mean," she said quietly, gazing out the window past her at the green hills rolling past.
"I don't mean to get personal, but....you lost your mom too, didn't you? At least, that's what I've heard."
The girl nodded absently, her eyes distant and suddenly blank.
Rinoa waited, but she didn't seem to have any intention of continuing.
"How did she die? Lydia?"
The girl's eyes suddenly snapped back to Rinoa. "Well.....she died of an unknown illness. The doctors never had an explanation for it. But....I really don't want to talk about it," she said, in the tone of a girl who might be becoming irritated, but was struggling to keep it from showing. "It's just one of those things that you try to.....try to forget about."
"Well....you know....I'm always here if you need to talk about it," Rinoa offered.
"Thanks, but....I've put it behind me. Do you mind if we change the subject?"
"Sure," Rinoa agreed, brushing the crumbs from her hands. "So are you going to the inaguration ball with Zell tonight?"
"I'll probably be in the infirmary with a broken neck during the ball," she said gloomily.
Rinoa laughed. "Well if you are, we'll be sure to bring you a plate of food. So, you going with Zell?" she pressed.
Lydia suddenly felt a sting of irritation creeping out from a dark corner inside of her. Pardon the language, but holy hell this girl was nosy. The kind of person who peels back the blinds to watch the next door neighbors play the naughty nurse in their bedroom with a pair of binoculars while giving a play by play to her husband.
"If he asks I will," she replied simply, hoping that the case was closed.
The rolling hills and fresh greenery gradually melted behind them as a land of skyscrapers and twisting highway ramps seemed to swallow the bus whole.
"Are any of your relatives gonna be there?" Rinoa asked after a moment's silence. "Grand Mammy Caraway willl be there. That's what we call my grandma," she explained quickly. "She's pretty cool for a grandma."
"Why isn't your dad coming?" Lydia asked quietly. Jeez, she thought, now I'm the one being nosy. She knew that General Caraway of the Galbadian Army was the girl's father. She also knew that the two of them had beliefs that strongly clashed. While Rinoa had always been a strong war protestor and a strong liberal, her father had been a war hero with strong conservative beliefs. While Rinoa had been a part of a resistance against the late president Deling, her father had been feversihly supportive of him, not to mention a general who would have taken ten bullets in the chest if it meant sparing Deling's life.
"He's probably too busy. He's a war hero. It's not like he has time for petty things like his daughter's SeeD exam. I gave up on him a long time ago, and I'm sure he's given up on me by now since I never return his calls. What about your dad? I'll bet he's a lot cooler than my dad."
Lydia shifted uncomfortably in her seat, avoiding the girl's questioning eyes. It was amazing. Amazing how this girl knew where every single button was, and which ones to touch to make the most noise. She didn't recognize this as a harmless attempt at a friendly conversation and suddenly felt that this girl KNEW somehow. Knew everything, right down to her goddamn blood type and panties of choice.
"He's away in Liedine on buissiness."
"Really?" she asked, her eyes lighting up. "What country?"
"Um, Onyae, I think. In Leidon."
"Oh wow, it's so beautiful there," she gasped. "I went there with my father before we, you know, started fighting. Maybe he'll bring you back some fudge. They have the best maple fudge you'll ever eat there."
The bus finally pulled up beside a large black arena with the name on front in large white letters. The nearby parking ramp was filled to capacity with every kind of car imaginable. Some had to be family members of the candidates, but there was no doubt in Lydia's mind that the vast majority of them were drunken adolescents from the slums, high on local drugs and eager to see the blood fly.
My blood, she thought, nearing panic.
As she stood up at the bus driver's command, she grasped the seat tightly with her free hand to keep from collapsing into a heap in the aisle. The candidates slowly filed out. Lydia stepped into the bright sunlight and quickly shielded her eyes defensively.
"Should have brought our sunglasses!" Rinoa exclaimed, passing Lydia as she knelt down to snap her whip case shut. The thing was always coming unshut. She reminded herself mentally to pick up some new latches. The group past her as she struggled to snap the locks shut. Just as she was about to rise to her feet, a loud chirp from above her made her jump, her arms breaking out in gooseflesh. She looked up, startled, to see a fat crow sitting just inches above her head atop a low-hanging branch.
Just a crow, she scolded herself. Don't tell me you're scared of a damned crow, Lydie. The crow was staring right at her and let out another loud chirp. "Hey there, birdie," she said quietly, climbing to her feet. "What are you-" she froze as a large flock of crows landed in the giant maple tree behind her. A dozen more landed on surrounding cars. As she watched, entranced, another three dozen swooped in, landing in the nearby trees and on a new mini van parked across from her. They all watched her as she began to hurry to the entrance, suddenly feeling nauseous. She stopped in her tracks as the fattest one yet landed a mere foot and a half in front of her, staring up at her defiantly. She knew she could have kicked out at the bird and it wouldn't have flinched. She reached out to the bird and was stunned as the crow allowed her to stroke its wing, unflinching. It's gaze remained pinned to her, unblinkingly. Did crows even blink? she wondered.
Her mouth fell open, startled, as another dozen landed around her, gathered on the pavement. She looked around to see if anyone else was watching this spectacle, but everyone was in the building. If she didn't move it they were apt to take a point from her score. She took a step forward, expecting the birds to fly away, but they didn't move an inch. "
Guys, I don't have food," she said, feeling like a complete jackass chatting with a bunch of fat crows.
A tall blond woman suddenly stepped out from somewhere behind a parked SUV, her blue eyes gleaming. Lydia felt her heart flip in her chest.
"They like you," the woman cooed. "They like you a lot, don't they?"
"I've never seen birds act like this before," she replied, mesmerized by the woman's beauty. A Liedinean, perhaps, the woman was dressed causally in blue jeans and a long black sweater. She looked about fifty years old, her hands adorned with rings, one a large black ring in the shape of a crow, the eyes made with tiny fake rubies, perhaps.
"Beautiful creatures, crows. Just beautiful. And he loves them. Can you feel how much he loves them?"
"What do you mean?" the girl asked nervously, coming to the conclusion that this woman was uderly mad, perhaps even dangerous. One of the local PDD addicts, perhaps.
"You haven't forgotten yourself, have you, Lydia Vienzweit?"
Her heart nearly leaped out of her chest. How in God's name did this woman know her name?
"H-How do you know my name?" she stammered, suddenly unaware of the crows that had gathered around her.
"I had hoped you hadn't forgotten me, but it seems you have. But no matter. You shall in due time. After Das Nuessan. You'll find yourself soon enough, Lydia."