Deling's inner city sights were more than busy during the cold evening. Everyone was out and about, shopping and hanging around the city square. The streetlights had abruptly turned on as 6PM struck on every person's watch. The days had seemed shorter since the sun was going down earlier and earlier each day. Sundown on this particular day was 5:30, the same time Squall had left his mansion, and started to casually walk to the city shopping center as if he were any other normal guy who was bored.
As he was walking, a Galbadian News van had sped past him. Without even noticing it himself, he had hunched his shoulders up and kept his head down so he could not be noticed. He had done this so many times, it was routine for him to do so if he had seen any source of aggravation such as press or journalists heading his way. Walking in this position for quite some time, he had finally reached the city center, which was very alive with bright lights and sound. The Deling bus system was getting an exceptional amount of passengers as each bus was filled to its limit.
Finally getting out of his hunched position, his first interest had caught his eye. He peered into one of the store windows in awe.
Staring at the numerous weapons, he looked at a newer version of Shear Trigger displayed at the farthest end of the window. His eyes lit up for a brief moment as he remembered when he had his beloved gunblade re-constructed into a Shear Trigger, although it was the older version that he had remembered.
'Now Lionheart sits on a damn display….'
With that thought in mind, he quickly became irritated and turned away from the weapons shop to continue walking by numerous stores which all sold their share of goods. The potion shop was eerily packed with people, as was the trading post. Everything was so lively; it had made him sick to his stomach. Pulling his jacket around himself, he stopped for a moment to take it all in. He hadn't been in the city for so long, he wondered where the time had gone.
'So many people doing their own little things… everyone having purpose…but what am I here to do…? Nothing.'
He then had spotted a woman and her daughter sitting on a bus bench. The woman was reading Deling's Local newspaper, as the girl was playing with a doll that looked shockingly like Selphie Tilmitt, one of his former friends who had moved back to the Trabia region to help out her garden rebuild and manage itself once again.
'Come to think of it, I hadn't spoken to her in…'
His thought had ceased as he caught a glimpse of the front of the woman's newspaper. It had read:
'…the hell?'
Turning around to find a nearby newspaper stand, Squall had quickly paced to one near the potions shop. Pulling out 2 Gil for a newspaper, he slid the bills into the machine; it clicked and opened for him.
Taking a copy out, he stared at the front headline for a moment. He then skimmed the article as it talked about the night before, and how Rinoa had announced at the party that their wedding was to be three weeks before the planned date. With anger starting to slowly build up inside, he thumbed through the newspaper to find the page that continued the story.
'What the hell was she thinking? She didn't even talk to me about this, she didn't ask me she didn't-'
Again his thought was cut off, but this time it was by someone who had passed him so quickly, and forcefully for that matter, that they had bumped into him hard enough for him to drop his newspaper on the sidewalk and lose his balance. Stumbling backward, he refrained from totally falling over, trying not to make a fool of his somewhat 'disguised from the public', self.
'Hyne, what now?'"Hey that wasn't very…" without finishing his sentence, he stared at the figure, which was very far ahead of where he stood. Staring in that direction for a moment, he then bent over to pick up the newspaper, and as he had stood up again, another person had bumped into him. This time, he didn't hesitate speaking. "Hey, would you watch it? You almost knocked…"
'………..crap…..'
He was staring into the face of one of the reporters who he had spoken to the night before. She turned briefly around and hurriedly said sorry to Squall, who she had apparently not recognized. She was more occupied trying to get her two man camera crew to follow her. "C'mon you guys, he is up ahead! Let's move it!"
Squall watched as she led the way towards whoever had bumped into him before.
' That was close.'
He was relieved that he had not been recognized as he folded his newspaper underneath his arm. Curious, he wondered if the first person that had bumped into him was running away from the reporter.
'Most likely. Good luck man …'The woman and the child were gone from their places at the bus stop. He figured the bus had picked them up at the slight moment in time when he had kept being pushed around. Tossing his newspaper on top of the machine, he took in a deep breath of cold air, and continued walking down the sidewalk towards the Galbadia Hotel. His father had told him about this place a year ago, when he actually got himself to visit Esthar for the first time in a while. Surprisingly enough, he also found out that Laguna had met his first love in that hotel.
'Her name was…Julia…. Julia…Hyne, my mother-in-law to be.'
He winced at the thought of marrying Rinoa, and saw the bright hotel across the next block. Laguna had told him much about Julia and when they had first met. Squall remembered asking him so many questions, because he was so confused with everything. He never had called him father though, because he just couldn't think of Laguna as a father when he had grown up the biggest portion of his life without him.
'Julia played piano in the bar underneath the hotel. Laguna had told me that he would always go and listen to her, and one day she invited him to her room in the hotel…'
Stopping for a moment, he ceased thinking about Laguna and the past. He had dreamt it anyway…
'Right?'He opened the door and walked inside slowly. His pace got even slower when he had spotted the reporter woman at the front desk demanding a bellhop for someone's room number. She had also attracted another local reporter who was on the morning news. There had been a crowd of people gathering around to see what the commotion was about.
'Lock your door pal, they never seem to give up…'
He slid past the small crowd of people to the right and trailed downstairs to the bar. There was a man playing on the on-stage piano, and there were many people sitting at tables, talking, eating, and drinking to their heart's content. Squall took a seat at the bar and watched the scene of occupants, disinterested.
The bartender watched Squall for a moment, then approached him as professionally as she could. "Would you like something to drink sir?"
Dazedly, Squall turned to look at the young woman behind the counter. She had short, light brown hair, with very innocent hazel eyes that were staring happily into his cold grey ones. He took a moment to respond, "No thank you."
Taking a glass from behind the counter, she placed it in front of him. "Are you sure? Not even some water? I can pour you a glass of water…
'No thank you… no thank you…Hey everybody! It's Squall the broken record again.'
Squall refused once more, and she had finally lost enough interest in him to attend others sitting at the bar. Squall looked back at the piano, watching the man play a very mellow song that made him feel miserable.
'Why did I come here? Was I looking to start having an infatuation with a beautiful talented woman that played the piano in a bar?'
Quietly laughing at his own thought, he listened to the melody in the room. It had immersed his mind into thought.
'Hyne, what should I do? Should I go on with all of this? I don't even feel like going back home… at least not tonight.'
The group of reporters had come downstairs, defeated. The cameramen placed their equipment on a table nearby, and the reporters sat at the bar and started talking to each other. Squall leaned back against the counter and stared off into space as he listened to the piano's enticing tune.
'I'll only be gone for one night. What harm would that do? Rinoa probably wants some time to herself too……whatever… I think maybe all of this was a mistake.."
The second reporter who was accompanying the woman looked over in Squall's direction without him noticing. He tapped Squall on the shoulder casually. Caught dumbstruck, Squall looked at the man with wide eyes, "Y-yes?"
"So, what do you think about all of this?" he asked rather seriously.
'About…'
"…what?"
The reporter turned to look at the pianist, as Squall had been a few minutes ago, and asked again. "What do you think about this entire issue with Garden? Do you think it will go through?"
'Issue? What issue?'
"What do you mean…? You kind of caught me off guard."
"You don't read the newspapers kid? Do you watch the news on television? I'm talking about how Galbadia, Trabia and Balamb's Gardens are uniting." The man then crossed his arms and frowned pensively to himself. He looked almost as confused as Squall was.
'Uniting??'
"Hn. I don't watch the news that often, I had no idea. Where did you find this out?" Squall asked, trying to sound more nonchalant than he was feeling.
"Oh yeah, well… it's a rumor as of right now, but some sources say that Commanders Almasy, Tilmitt, and Leonhart are conspiring for this idea to work. I don't know if it will pull through though.
"Ah…I don't think it will. I haven't heard anything about them deciding such a rash decision as that," Squall started.
'Did he say Commander Tilmitt? More importantly… did he actually say Commander Almasy?!'
He continued, as the man was interested in what he was saying, "It probably won't happen. There would be too many reasons not to do so; also, there would probably be a power struggle between the commanders. Right?"
The man nodded thoughtfully. "Hey kid, could I put your opinion in the morning news? Its interesting to hear what the public thinks about what is going on now a days… jacks up the ratings too because it makes everyone feel like we care a whole bunch about their opinions.."
'Typical…'
Standing from his place at the bar, Squall pulled his beanie tighter over his head and zipped his jacket. "Suit yourself. But just quote me as anonymous… I don't like attention from reporters."
"Sure thing kid, thanks."
Squall hurried up the stairs to the main hall. He wanted to escape any chance of being questioned. Furthermore, he wanted to rent a room at the hotel so he didn't have to go back home to sulk.
Stepping up to the desk, one of the bellhop's gave him an uninviting look. The woman sitting the desk quickly said, "We don't give out room numbers sir, other than that, how can I help you?"
"I don't need a room number, I need a room."
"Your name please?" She politely asked as she started typing on the computer in front of her.
"Loire… Laguna Loire."
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she started typing again. "And how long will you be staying with us….Mr. Loire?"
"Just for tonight."
Handing him a room key, she told the bellhop to help him to his room. Up two flights of stairs, he was shown to one of the smaller rooms in the hotel. "Here you are…" he said, opening the room and quickly walking away. Squall stepped in and the first thing that caught his eye was the bed. Trudging over to it, he plopped down across the side and once again, stared at the ceiling.
'What am I doing….?'
Author's Note: Im so glad that some of you are reading this! Feels special Im hoping that is alright to read. Remember that if you find any mistakes or what not, PLEASE tell me so I can fix it/them. I'll be finished with chapter three soon too. Oh, and for a note about this chapter which you have just read… I was listening to this beautiful piano song by Malice Mizer called "Regret". Uberly wonderful and kinda sad. So if you wanna hear the song which Squall was listening to at the hotel… just ask…
To my readers who reviewed Chapter 1…
ljyentbellsouth: Thanks so much for reading! Im glad this is enjoyable for you to read.
Angry Angel: HI! hugs hehe. Yes.. im writing this fic. I was somewhat inspired by you, and my friend lolo urged me to try writing out one myself. I am scared it's gonna get cheesy though… … . eh… im trying my best to keep people in character. I'm so glad you like it so far!!!!
Hikari Heijin: Aww thanks so much, you're so nice!! Im so glad you like it so far!
Lolo: Duh, you know I love you because I mooch your brilliant ideas. (and for those of you that don't know, lolo is helping me a lot with coming up with the plot ) but yes. Feel the lurve.
QueenJennifer: Thank You! Hehehe… its gonna get better if I figure out how to write it. Me and lolo have plans… evil grin