Timber Hotel - 5.00 p.m. (Timber Time)

Squall wearily flung himself onto the velvet sofas at the hotel lounge while Rinoa was booking for the mystery ride.

"Hey Squall!" Quistis approached Squall and sat on the box-shaped armchair next to Squall. She folded her hands and crossed her legs in a ladylike pose despite wearing a white sleeveless top and green slacks.

"Whatever," Squall mumbled. "What are you gonna do? Lecture me on how to avoid being eliminated?"

"No, I'm just going to babysit you so that you'll not get into further trouble," Quistis said sarcastically. Squall laughed like a fool, for he did not get her at all. Quistis felt someone touching softly on her shoulder. She turned around; it was Rinoa.

Rinoa waved her finger back and forth at Quistis' aquamarine eyes.

"My seat Quisty."

Quistis stood up from the chair. As she passed by Squall, all tired out, she whispered, "I don't want to lose you in this race."

Rinoa quickly sat beside Squall while Quistis joined the Trepies. They were overjoyed having her acquaintance.

"Squall," Rinoa said to her exhausted boyfriend. Her hair fluttered freely by the blast of cold air. "We'll be leaving tonight at 8 okay?" Rinoa laid her head onto Squall's broad shoulder and closed her eyes. Quistis then turned to see the couples relaxing on the sofa together intimately. Her complexion immediately turned green with envy.

"Instructor, you're green!" Rachel gasped.

"Nothing." Quistis sighed. "Let's talk on."

Irvine had just booked the second bus, which will depart at nine. Zell looked at the clock next to the hotel reception, his temples trembling.

"What the heck, the concert will start any moment!" Zell said, feeling like dashing for the exit, freeing himself from Irvine's supervision. Irvine tugged him by the collar.

"Uh uh, buddy, you're not getting anywhere." Irvine turned to the male receptionist. "I want a single room, please."

"That will be 100 gil sir." Irvine happily paid the money and dragged Zell, holding the backpacks, to the elevator.

After a few minutes, Selphie and Seifer entered the hotel silently. Selphie pondered at the toy train, revolving around the neverending track, while Seifer went to do the booking.

"What do you mean there are no more seats for the 9 o' clock bus?" Seifer complained. "I need to book seats for friends on the same bus."

"Sir, please understand that our buses can only accommodate at most six people," the manager reasoned. He then turned to Selphie touching the toy train and gaped. "Miss, please don't touch that. NOOOOO!"

The train fell off the track after Selphie tipped it over. The train fell to the marble floor and shattered.

"Oops. I didn't mean it, really!" Selphie grinned at the angry manager.

Seifer slapped on his forehead, saying to himself, "She's nothing but trouble."

Seifer pressed 200-gil bills on the counter to pay for the ride as well as for the toy train. He then strode angrily to the elevator, but upon reaching the elevator, a boom gate collapsed in front of him.

"Gatey would be angry at you if you do not pay at the counter," was a recorded message played from the gate.

Seifer peeked at his wallet and realized that he had only a 10-gil note left, which was only enough to buy tuna and mayo sandwiches for Selphie and himself. He felt arms hugging around his torso and turned around to find Selphie's head resting on his back.

"Seifer, I'm really sorry that I broke the train." Selphie looked back with innocent, puppy-like eyes. Seifer shook Selphie off his body.

"You are a jinx, you bitch!" Seifer cursed and stomped his foot firmly on the ground. Irritated, he headed to the lounge, leaving the wide-eyed Selphie at the reception.

Irvine stepped out of the elevator to find Selphie leaning on the wall beside the reception in tears.

"What's wrong honey?" Irvine neared Selphie and patted her shoulder.

"Seifer hates me!" Selphie cried. She wiped off the tears and turned to Irvine. "Where have you been?"

"I had to lock Zell up in the room cuz he's havin' the Metalhead fever," Irvine explained briefly. "Come, I'll treat you to some ice-cream. I know a shop here that sells the best vanilla ice!"

Selphie smiled as they walked to the exit, and at the same time Fujin and Raijin arose from the entrance. Fujin rubbed her shoulder against Irvine's as the both of them run in to each other.

"CRETIN." Walking away, Fujin hissed at Irvine who was singing the ice-cream song to Selphie. "PATHETIC."

"Hmm... ice-cream sounds so good that I want to eat some to relax my aching muscles," Raijin said, stretching his back. Fujin approached the receptionist.

"BUS RIDE. BOOK," Fujin said. A female receptionist signed them up for the 10 o'clock bus ride.

"Oh dear, I'm afraid you've just missed the second ride," she said briefly.

"SCREWED US UP, WHO?" Fujin said matter-of-factly.

"You mean who booked the last seat for the second ride?" The girl scrolled through the name list on the computer screen. "Third team on the 9 o'clock bus is... Selphie Tilmitt and Seifer Almasy."

Fujin stomped on the floor angrily.

"RAGE! SEIFER, WHERE?" The girl pointed to the direction of the lounge. Fujin strode to the lounge with Raijin tagging along.

"SEIFER!" Fujin's voice echoed through the lounge. "YOU SON-OF-A-BITCH!"

"What's wrong?" Seifer rose up from the couch in a sleepy voice. He sensed Fujin's burning anger. "Ut oh, Fujin I can explain..."

"I thought we were allies," Fujin said in tears, now sensing the verge of elimination. Seifer stood up to match height with Fujin and punched her in the stomach. Fujin squirmed and collapsed to the floor, while Raijin was admiring the domed shape ceiling of the lounge, until he spotted Fujin lying on the ground motionlessly in front of Seifer.

"Hey buddy, what did you just do?" Raijin asked.

"Just say that it's for Fujin's own good. Tell her that I'll plan on something to avoid you two from getting last place at the pit stop." Seifer resumed his nap.