Contrary to popular belief, I am actually alive but buried under roughly two tonnes of revision. And I don't own Final Fantasy, or I would be somewhere hot and sunny.
Chapter 3
She blinked in the darkness. The cabin was silent apart from the rattle of train tracks as the train sped through the night. Pale moonlight filtered through the blinds.
The person was silent, she had to give them that. Only the sound of quiet breathing permeated the carriage. She tried to measure her own breathing, don't panic.
Assess the situation, are they a threat?
The reassuring words of the SeeD instruction floated through her mind. She breathed in deeply, feeling the calm wash over her.
She glanced around the carriage until her eyes caught sight of a shadowy figure rustling through her suitcase.
Silently, Quistis slipped a hand under her pillow and grasped the cold metal of the silenced gun.
She levelled it in front of her and calmly pointed at the figure. "Don't move." She said firmly. The figure jerked up straight and turned to look at her. They seemed entirely attired in black, absorbing shadows, their eyes reflected some moonlight.
"Put your hands up and drop any weapons." Said Quistis, staring at the intruder.
They slowly put their hands up.
Slowly, Quistis stood up and still pointing the gun at the figure, moved over to the light switch. She clicked it on, wincing as the bright light flooded her eyes. The other person did so also.
"Why are you here?" she asked, hoping that for once, just once, the enemy might just go 'Heck, I might as well tell you everything!'
Quistis waited patiently. A silence descended over the two.
"Alright, how did you get in?"
The other figure didn't speak.
"….Can you speak?"
"Yes." Quistis almost jumped, she had been joking. The voice had been low, and definitely male.
"Who sent you?" tried Quistis hopefully, imagining that maybe they had just wandered into the wrong carriage, although that was rapidly fading.
"Don't go." They said suddenly.
"Excuse me?" retorted Quistis, startled.
"Don't go there. Consider this a warning." They said again, then quicker than thought, threw a dagger at the light switch and as the lights crashed out, Quistis fired a blind shot. There was a smashing sound as the figure broke the window and leapt out into the darkness.
As soon as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she ran over to the window and stared out in disbelief. Droplets of blood slid down the jagged edges of the broken window. She had hit him, she thought grimly. He had escaped, but it was suicide to jump out of a moving train. Quistis shook her head, what the hell is going on?
The sounds of footsteps drew her attention.
"Excuse me?" a loud voice demanded from outside the door. "I heard a commotion."
With a sigh, Quistis dug her SeeD ID out, feeling the adrenaline drain out of her system. She tugged open the door to reveal a worried looking middle-aged man holding a lamp. "SeeD Trepe." She stated formally.
The man blinked "I'm Conductor Rudin. I heard a noise, is everything alright?"
Quistis stood up straight, every inch a professional. "I'm afraid there's some damage, there was an intruder."
"Was?" asked Rudin, eying her concernedly. "May I see?"
Quistis inclined her head and allowed him to pass. The yellow lamplight highlighted a curved dagger impaled in the light switch. Rudin's widened eyes took in the broken window.
The man nodded and held up his hand. "I will report the damages, but you can rely on my discretion. I owe SeeD."
Quistis smiled gratefully, her face warming. "Thank you."
The man scribbled down a few things in his notebook, then gave her a brief smile "That's all. Good night." He eyed the broken window "There are empty carriages down the train, if you want." He nodded politely and walked out.
Quistis watched him leave, then with a sigh sank down onto the bed. A chill wind howled in from the window. She shivered and folded her arms.
Slowly she stood up and walked over to the dagger, tilting her head to examine it. "A traditional Centran dagger." She murmured softly.
She sighed and turned back to the window and looked out. The faint touches of dawn were beginning to light up the horizon. There still wasn't enough light, she thought prosaically. She dug around in her bag and picked out the standard issue SeeD torch. She clicked it on and flashed it around.
One blood sample.
She looked at the dagger, the person had been wearing gloves, there probably wouldn't be any prints.
She sighed.
What the hell is going on?
It was early morning in Deling City, and the faint light broke over the dark rooftops, and the neon lights blinked into sleep.
Quistis yawned covertly, and stood with her suitcase outside the train station, someone was due to pick her up and take her to the Port Harbour, a place which really was what it said on the tin. She would then take a boat to the island. A black car drew to a stop in front of her.
The tinted window slid down and a face covered with sunglasses confronted her. "SeeD Trepe?" he questioned in monotone. She nodded tiredly and pushed her glasses up. She dragged her suitcase over to the door and climbed in.
She sighed and leant back. "Port Harbour?" the man inquired in a bored way.
"Yes." She replied, equally enthusiastic. The car pulled away from the kerb, weaving through the lines of traffic in Deling City.
Evidently feeling it was his duty to explain the congestion. He started a conversation "Deling City's busy today, General Caraway's being instated as the new President." He sniffed.
Quistis paused 'Hm, forgotten about that.'
"Good thing?" she asked lightly.
The driver snorted "A comatose flea would have been better than Panzaer Deling. Like father like son, I say. His father was a fool, getting himself embroiled with a sorceress. Panzaer Deling promised a new Galbadia, all he gave us was a whole load of shit. Galbadia needed a strong leader after Vinzer Deling." He stopped, suddenly conscious that he sounded like he cared. "Some think." He added carelessly.
Quistis raised an eyebrow. Apparently political affairs in Galbadia were less settled than G-Garden had led the sister Gardens to believe. She'd speak with Squall when she returned.
The driver cleared his throat "It's about three hours to Port Harbour."
Quistis nodded, she'd read through the paperwork again, make doubly sure she knew everything. Then she'd try and ask the driver more questions about Galbadia, and then she'd…well, before that she'd just rest her eyes…
Three hours later she snapped awake to the sound of the driver humming. She flushed and pushed her hair back, looking self conscious. Luckily the driver was too busy singing along to Eyes on Me. He suddenly noticed her conscious state in the mirror and stopped abruptly.
He sighed "I won't tell anyone if you don't." Quistis smiled at his comment.
"People fall asleep in cars all the time." She said lightly. He sniffed "Of course."
Quistis leant back, feeling more refreshed, if a little groggy. At least this driver was talkative, and more human than SeeD Brennan.
The driver tapped the steering wheel as a song played out on the radio 'look whos alone now, its not me, its not me…'.
'It's a conspiracy' thought Quistis flatly.
The driver nodded for no particular and pointed towards a faint smudge of a town on the horizon, getting nearer. "Port Harbour." He said.
Quistis stared out in mild interest, they reached the town. She examined it through the tinted windows. A ramshackle town, which seemed oddly half finished, as if the builders had been called away on an important errand before completion. The town was stirring, with the locals only casting cursory glances at the dark car as it wove its way through the narrow streets. It was about as imaginative as its name. The streets sloped down towards the harbour, where dull fishing boats bobbed and swayed in the slight wind.
There was a sleek boat amongst the faded fishing boats, boasting a whiter-than-white exterior. The swan among the ducks, so to speak, although the comparison was a bit of an insult to ducks.
The car drew to a stop, and an impatient-looking man in a suit walked over and tapped on the window. The driver sighed "Port Harbour, SeeD Trepe." Quistis thanked him politely and got out gracefully. The man in the suit greeted her, with a pointed look at his watch. The car drove away, and Quistis watched it go.
The sound of the mans voice drew her attention once more. "…I'm Majani Galpharm. I'm one of the coordinators of the independence issue," his lips curled as he said it.
Galbadian, she thought decidedly. He was a small man, with thinning brown hair, which had been carefully combed to hide the encroaching baldness. His eyes were sharp, and darted back and forth as he took stock of her. His surprisingly feminine hands constantly fidgeted.
"Please, come inside, the trip should take most of today you see but I'm sure you'll be very comfortable." He walked on ahead, leaving Quistis to follow with her bags. She rolled her eyes and walked after him. They entered the ship, and everything seemed new and luxurious. A red carpet ran down the length of the hallway.
"There are plenty of cabins, the ambassador likes to travel in style, you see. I'm one of his aides, you see, so any issues you have for the ambassador you can ask me, you see?" he continued talking, and Quistis set up a mental 'you see' count.
"Your other SeeD colleague is in the cabin next door, I still don't see why Holt had to contest Galbadian rule but, they felt it necessary to hire Garden to help with the negotiations." He paused and turned to her with a shallow smile. He really doesn't like me, she thought as she smiled back, her face carefully impassive. He handed her a key card, his hands lingering on hers a moment too long. Galpharm wheeled away suddenly. Quistis concealed her disgust withher blank expression.
He motioned towards a door "There's your room. Any problems can be directed to the staff. Enjoy the journey, Miss Trepe." He gave a sickly smile and took off down the corridor.
She watched him go, musing on the odd character of Galpharm. Her gut instinct was that he was a greasy shit. Shaking her head, she swiped the door and entered. If Galpharm's attitude wasn't enough, they seemed to have given her the former janitors cupboard. The box-like cabin was decorated in a drab fashion and a small bed and wardrobe were the only furniture, a small porthole showed the sea. She heaved a heartfelt sigh and set her bags down by the bed. She closed the door which opened into the room, with difficulty; she squeezed past it into her little cabin.
"Well," she said aloud "I've never seen such luxury." In truth, she had seen larger portable toilets.
She sat down on the bed lightly, wincing as the springs dug into her rear. She stood up again quickly, hm, maybe I won't spend the journey in here.
She recalled that another SeeD was next door, and felt cheered for a moment at the prospect of a possible ally.
Quistis opened the door again, sucking in breath as she squeezed between it and the wardrobe, almost ripping her peach skirt. The cabin was the last straw, stupid Galbadians.
Dusting herself off, she stepped out into the corridor and snapped the door shut gently. She moved over to the next door and rapped on it. "Hello?" she enquired.
There a slight crashing sound and a muffled "Door's open." Shrugging, she pushed open the door and closed it behind her. The cabin was larger than hers, she noted, irritated. There was also an extra door, which she presumed was a bathroom. She folded her arms, and raised an eyebrow. It sounded like the other SeeD was in the bathroom. The low murmur of curses floated through the closed door.
The room was light and airy, with the sea breeze floating through the open porthole. It was decorated much like hers – very beige. However there was a desk and pot plant. She sniffed indignantly. Even the bed looked like you could possibly sleep in it.
Squashing her growing envy, she called out tentatively "Hello?"
"Be out in a moment!" came the reply from behind the door, still muffled. She looked down at her boots frowningly, pondering about her room.
She didn't notice the sound of the sound of the door opening. There was a sound of a cut off greeting. She was jerked out of her reverie and glanced up. She felt suddenly very cold. But the only thing she could think was oh Hyne, there must be a conspiracy.
"Quistis?"
Sheep attempts politics and intrigue, tell me if I failed miserably.
Evil cliffhanger there…Oh well! Exams soon….Oh god….
Please review!