"What did you do, kid, rob a jewelry store?"
Rinoa held her tongue, rolling on the balls of her feet and maintaining eye contact. The man behind the counter of the hole-in-the-wall pawn shop huffed. Every item from the jewelry box splayed out before him, at least triple the quantity of what the meager display case held. Most were in impeccable shape and worn seldom. Considering Fury's former habit of spoiling Julia with material gifts, Rinoa didn't doubt a small handful of that pile was worth more than everything in the store.
A part of Rinoa wished to scoop all of it back into the jewelry box. With an inhale, she reframed her thoughts—this was Julia funding her escape.
The man grumbled something to himself and returned to appraising Rinoa's wares. Not a word was exchanged. Customers came and went, each one with another colorful comment about the heap of riches on the counter. Rinoa rubbed her arm and waited.
"Alright, kid." The man braced his hands along the countertop. "Seven hundred and fifty-five thousand gil for all of it."
Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped, only to snap it closed in an instant. That would pay for more than taxi fare and a train ticket. As meager spending money, that amount was worthy of splurging on a new wardrobe. But it wasn't spending money; this was survival.
Easily used in a few months, she thought, scrunching her face. Maybe longer if I'm smart. There won't be any first-class seats or five-star hotel rooms. Rinoa eased her nerves with another deep breath. And that's okay, because it won't be living in the mansion.
The thought did cross her mind that maybe this seedy guy in the shady section of Deling City would resell his new merchandise at quadruple the price. Julia didn't deserve that. People could swipe the renowned musician's jewels for a song, an utter disrespect to the woman Rinoa loved more than anything. She clung to the one piece of jewelry she couldn't part with, fiddled with the band and cast her eyes elsewhere.
There was no turning back now; she'd figure out the rest along the way. She had to.
"Yeah," Rinoa said with a nod, "that's great." She cleared her throat. "I mean, I'll take it. Or… yeah, whatever."
The man laughed and smirked. "Let me grab your gil for you."
Snow danced through Deling City. Rinoa rested her temple on the passenger side window of the taxi. The cityscape disappeared—everything she knew and loved. Urban architecture gave way to open fields. It was still familiar, even if she hadn't walked this path in over a decade. One last pit stop before venturing elsewhere.
Rinoa sighed; hopefully it wouldn't be the last visit ever. Maybe there would be another opportunity down the road. Time would tell. Until then, Rinoa's hands fidgeted in her lap while she awaited her destination.
"Here we are," the driver announced after several moments, peering back to her. "If you want to make your train on time, you best be quick. About ten minutes maximum, you hear?"
She nodded. "I'll be quick. Promise."
Tossing her hood over her head, Rinoa slipped out of the taxi and out into the open, winter air. A dense layer of snow coated the grass and trees alike. Several lampposts on the outskirts of the premise lit a dim trail in the evening and nothing more. She paused and relished the atmosphere—even the library was never this quiet.
She pushed past the gate with minimal effort and ran. Snow crunched beneath her combat boots. Digging up memories she failed to forget, Rinoa mapped out her path. Or thought she had. Had it been a sunny day, perhaps it would have been easier. She recalled an empty patch of land, but the cemetery filled out tremendously over the years. A curse fluttered past her shivering lips. Her brown eyes flicked over each tombstone. Panic hollowed out her chest with the fear that she'd waste all her precious time searching for what could not be found.
And spinning in place, she came to a stand still and found it.
At the edge of the cemetery was a grave of polished marble with engraved roses and music notes. The flowers once planted there were long dead from winter's chill, but the area was maintained and well-kept—nothing short of perfection. Fury's work, no doubt. At least he did some good in paying a caretaker to tend a grave no one visited. Or perhaps many visited and Fury ordered all gifts from mourning fans to be trashed.
Rinoa perished the thought and dropped to her knees. Breathing warmth into her cupped hand, she brushed off the dusting of snow covering her mother's name.
She stared for what felt like forever. Gentle breezes passed by, yet Rinoa never flinched. Thoughts ebbed and flowed through her. She chuckled and rubbed her arm.
"Hey, Mom," she finally said, both sadness and exhaustion staining her tongue. "It's been a while, huh? I've been busy with school, so I couldn't come by as often as I wanted. But... I won't be coming back any time soon. Kind of makes this my last trip, unless something works out for me."
She jumped to her feet and paced, both to warm herself up and distract herself from the anxiety. "Things have been tough since you left," she continued, eyes glued to her imaginary path. "I mean, you know that. Nothing new, right? I really wish you were here. Maybe Dad would be in a better place, but right now?" Rinoa paused in her movements. "I can't handle being under his control. I don't think you would allow his behavior; you'd be appalled. I know I have been.
"Which is why," she said while pivoting on her heels to face Julia's tomb, "I've decided... I need to leave. For good. Yeah, I'm giving up on my 'hopes and dreams'—" She lifted her hands to make air quotes in her mittens. "—but they always felt like Dad's more so than mine. I don't want to join the military. I don't want to make other people suffer just for some made-up, greater cause. I don't want to be another face in the crowd. I want to make people smile. I want to connect with others. I want to make a difference. I'm not sure if I need to pursue art or something else... but whatever it is, I want to leave my mark in this world. And it's certainly not going to be while my wings are bound and clipped."
Rinoa shuffled her feet along the snow. She pawed at the ring dangling from the chain and closed a loose fist around it. "You'd approve of me doing this, right? You'd want me happy, to be myself. I can't really remember the last time I was happy." She paused, then laughed. "Well, that might be a lie. There was this boy that kept me happy over summer, but I mean making myself happy and not relying on someone else. And that's why I need to leave—so I can be happy and find my purpose in this world. It's definitely not going to be under Dad's roof with the whole military thing. I never want to be like him. I'm better than that.
"I want…." She blinked away the urge to cry. "I want to be like you. You were always graceful and articulate. Me? I feel like I'm fumbling my way through this. If I was half as brilliant as you were, I wouldn't be here rambling." Rinoa's eyes drifted to the skies. The moon and stars had to be somewhere past the snow. "I like to think you're out there watching over me, though I'd give for anything to hug you right now. Hopefully I'm not disappointing you. None of this is going to be easy, but I think I can handle that. It's for my freedom and happiness."
She released her hold on the ring, both hands clasped behind her back and she leaned forward with a soft smile. "I should be going, Mom. Wish me luck?" Bouncing back to standing, Rinoa waved to the grave and turned away. "I love you. Don't forget that."
A chime sounded through the train. Rinoa forced her eyes open, missing the announcement altogether. The seats lacked comfort, but her body demanded sleep. What else was there to do on a train ride which lasted over fourteen hours? Few people boarded the train outbound to Timber; most stayed within the city's limits for the holidays. To urban dwellers, the endless stretch of forests was a wasteland. To Rinoa, she found comfort—she was free.
Yawning, she sat up and peered out the window. Snow covered the tops of evergreens along with bare oaks and maples hibernating for winter. Beyond the forest was the sight of satellite dishes inching closer. She grinned.
Another chime sounded through the compartments. Rinoa was awake enough to discern the announcement: next stop - North Station. Destination: Timber. Rinoa slipped on her backpack and collected her suitcase to depart. By the time she was situated, the train crawled to a stop.
Rinoa bounced off of the train and froze. No buildings crowded the skies. The trees dared to stand taller than most structures in Deling City. Streets meandered everywhere instead of formatted into neat, identical grids. The air was clean and crisp. There were birds calling in the distance. Birds. Actual birds. It was surreal. No wonder people looked upon this land and deemed it as home. Such foreign sights should have stirred anxiety, but Rinoa never ceased smiling.
She removed her mittens and earmuffs while wandering the town; the forest blocked the wind and made winter far more bearable. She passed by quaint shops which would never survive in Deling City. The townsfolk managed with the bare essentials and relished life all the same. Several of those locals watched her as she trekked down the streets with no destination in sight. Maybe they glanced at her and saw an obvious city girl—a Deling City one, at that—who was out of her element.
Doubt shot through her. She walked through a town which wasn't hers to call her own. She didn't fight in the wars or start any rebellions. The Galbadian forces didn't slaughter her loved ones. But she was no stranger to oppression. Rinoa could help; she wanted to. She couldn't be silent anymore.
And there was only one way to find out if this would work.
A playful bark jolted Rinoa back to reality. She paused at the street corner to find a black, white, and cream puppy lying outside the door of a bakery. No leash or collar or even an owner in sight.
"Hey, puppy," Rinoa said in a sing-song manner, "what are you doing outside?" She bent down to scritch behind the dog's ear, swearing it smiled back at her. "You staying warm out here, at least?" The low boof left her giggling. "Well, alright. I guess that's why you got all that fur on you."
With a sigh, she stood upright and swept her bangs out of her eyes. Something decadent marked the air and wafted by Rinoa. Her eyes settled on the hand-carved sign displayed outside the bakery: The Moogly Woogly. After her stomach twisted and growled, Rinoa entered the building.
A tiny bell sounded her entrance as the wooden floorboards creaked beneath her feet. Locals chatted over mugs of mulled cider and hot chocolate while a single guitarist played in a corner. Rinoa marveled at the display case stuffed with pastries, cookies, and dessert breads.
"Hey there, deary!" a middle-aged woman called out from behind the counter. "What can I get you?"
Rinoa blinked. "Gee, I wish I knew."
"Well, the soup's still hot if you want to take off the chill, but we're all out of crusty bread for the day. Lunch rush wiped me out of that an hour ago."
"Soup sounds good," Rinoa said, mirroring the woman's smile. "And um… I guess one of these?" She pointed at the scones. "No, make that two."
The other woman was quick to swipe them up to present on a plate. "You want some hot chocolate with that, deary?"
"Um, do you have any coffee?"
The woman bellowed with laughter. "The day I run out of that is the day those damn G-army idiots pry it out of my own hands! Hey, Tilia!" She peered down the counter and into the kitchen, where another woman poked out. "Do we have any coffee?!"
More laughter exploded from the kitchen. Rinoa fidgeted and averted her gaze.
"How about this, deary—I'll make it a mocha for you." She winked at Rinoa. "Best of both worlds."
To that, Rinoa perked up. "Oh wow, that's even better!"
As Rinoa fished out her gil, the woman punched in the total at the cash register and cocked her head. "How long you been in Timber, deary?"
Stale amusement bubbled out of Rinoa. "Not long enough, that's for sure." She paused. "It's like I have a neon sign following me around, isn't it?"
"Eh, it's flickering on and off, but don't worry about it. That city sheen will rub off on you before you know it."
"I hope so." Her eyebrows knitted together. "Hey, do you happen to know where Back Bay Station is?"
"Been on back towards the bay for as long as I've been here." She tilted her head. "Back Bay's been shut down for about five years now. You're not going to find any trains running out of there, deary."
"I know," Rinoa confirmed with a nod.
The woman bore a crooked grin. "Do you, now?"
Standing tall, Rinoa lifted her chin. "Sure do."
With a warm chuckle, she jerked a thumb over her shoulder. "Take a right out of the shop, go eleven blocks down, hang a left, and kitty-corner to the liquor store is Back Bay Station. But if you walk by a chocobo crossing sign, you've gone too far."
"Perfect! Thanks a ton!"
She settled down in an open table by the window upon gathering her lunch. Hearty vegetable soup and peppermint mocha topped with whipped cream warmed Rinoa down to her toes. Nothing fancy, but she couldn't deny the fresh, homemade quality in her meal. Whoever made her food and drink did so out of love, because they wanted to. She eyed the people both inside and outside going about their lives, all with smiles. How could anyone look at the Timber civilians and deem them worthy of slaughter? A fierce fire roared in her heart; there would be an end to this injustice.
As Rinoa munched on her cranberry scones, she peered out the frosty window. The same dog stayed by the door, perking up at each new person passing by. Everyone ignored the dog. Those floppy ears fell and so did that adorable face. Concern carved into Rinoa's features.
"Excuse me?" she asked the woman behind the counter after finishing lunch.
The woman turned away from cleaning the counter to flash a smile. "Back again, deary? Need something for the road?"
"Well, now that you mentioned it, but uh…." Rinoa gestured to the door. "Does that dog outside belong to someone in here?"
"Hmm? Which one is out there today?" She leaned over the counter to catch a glimpse out the window. "Ah, she's back again. Been about five weeks now, I think."
"She… doesn't have an owner?"
"It's not just the children who lose their families in this neck of the woods. Plenty of homes have been abandoned with the poor things left inside. Blame those G-army bastards, though. They're the ones who don't have the heart to let the fluffers out."
Her eyebrows tented and fists clenched. "That's awful."
"Tell me about it. Wouldn't mind locking some of those military types up like that. See how they like it." She huffed and rolled her eyes. "But not to worry. We all look out for each other, even the animals. They may not have a family to go home to, but we don't let our kind suffer on the streets."
Rinoa's eyes fell to the display case once more. Upon settling on a particular item, she smiled. "Can I get one of these to go?"
Following the path Rinoa pointed towards, the woman paused and sighed. "You sure you want to do that, deary? I promise you the animals are well-fed, even if they roam the streets. Wouldn't be surprised if that pup out there has ten different homes she visits to sniff for scraps left out for her and the others. Give her that and she might think you're her new mommy. Not worth the hassle, if you ask me."
"I think I can handle it," Rinoa said with a nod. "It's the least I can do to help, anyways."
A smile once more graced the woman's face. "Alright, but don't come running back to me to complain when your new friend won't leave you alone."
She swiped the massive, peanut butter dog treat shaped like a chocobo. Rinoa traded gil for the item and tucked it into her hoodie's front pouch. After thanking the woman again, she headed for the door, only to stop and dart back to the counter.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" She jutted a hand out. "I'm Rinoa, by the way."
After a pause, the woman laughed. "Well, aren't you full of surprises." She accepted Rinoa's hand for a firm shake. "Name's Banessa. Pleasure meeting you, deary."
"Pleasure is all mine. Besides, you're probably going to be seeing a lot more of me, so… yeah, that's me."
"I think I can get used to that, so long as you don't start any trouble."
"Eh." Rinoa released her hand and shrugged. "No promises."
More laughter teased Banessa's lips wider. "Girl after my own heart! I like you already, Rinoa. You at least stay safe out there, alright?"
Rinoa waved goodbye and pushed past the door. A wall of cold slammed into her upon exiting the bakery, yet did little to hinder her excitement. She hummed to herself and approached the dog still lounging outside.
"Hey, girl! I got something for you." Rinoa plucked out the chocobo treat and wiggled it. The dog bounced to her feet with wide eyes. "Hope you like peanut butter. Here you go!"
The dog snatched the treat from Rinoa's hand to gobble it up. Smiling, Rinoa leaned down to pet the dog's head.
"Thanks for sitting outside here. I wouldn't have checked it out if it wasn't for you. Well, enjoy your treat!"
Rinoa stood upright and headed off. Banessa's directions echoed in her mind as did her warning to be safe. Those words didn't register with Rinoa until she crossed paths with Galbadian soldiers several blocks down. She gasped and slowed her pace while they marched by without looking, lost in their own conversation to tide over the dull patrol route. A sigh of relief rushed out of Rinoa.
That could have been me, Rinoa mused, watching the soldiers until they turned a corner. I won't ever let that be my fate.
Coming to a standstill, Rinoa glanced at her surroundings. Shit, did I miss a turn? It was a left after seven blocks, right? Or was it eight? Her frantic eyes fell to her feet as she kicked the snow. Wow, how am I ever supposed to help if I can't navigate my way around this place?
A bark grabbed her attention. Rinoa fluttered her eyes and glanced behind her; a familiar, smiling face trotted in her footsteps.
"Hey, girl," Rinoa said, "fancy meeting you here again." The dog circled her and sniffed at her pockets. "Nope! No more treats!" Rinoa held empty hands to the dog. "See? All gone! But I'm glad you liked that yummy chocobo snack! I wish I could afford to get you more, but uh…." Rinoa giggled at herself. "Guess Banessa was right about you, after all. Serves me right."
Dropping to the dog's level, Rinoa lifted a finger. "That's okay, though. I don't mind you following me around. I'm new here and could use the company, even if it's the furry kind. Besides, I don't really have a home and neither do you… so we're kind of the same, you and I. What do you say? Want to stick around while I get myself more lost than I already am?"
The dog barked and licked Rinoa's chin. She scrunched up her face and laughed.
"I'll take that as a yes." After ruffling the top of the dog's head, she rose to standing and clapped her hands. "And I guess I should call you something other than girl or puppy. I'd feel bad about not giving you a name. Hmm, let's see…." Rinoa crossed an arm and perched a loose fist against her cheek. The dog cocked her head. "Well, I went by angelwing on the message boards, so how about something related to that? Like, uh… Angelissi?" The dog looked at her. "No? Okay, um… Angelica?" Nothing. "Yeah, I wasn't big on that one either. How about just Angel? Um, Angela? Angelo—"
A low boof startled Rinoa.
"Angelo, huh?" Once more the dog boofed, paws perched on Rinoa's chest to lick her face. She giggled and hugged her new friend. "Alright, I get the picture! Angelo it is!" With a ruffle of Angelo's ears, she booped noses with the dog. "You and me, Angelo. I got your back and you got mine, right? That's what friends do."
She resumed her meandering with Angelo close beside her. Rinoa walked in what felt like circles as she searched for anything that would lead her in the correct direction. Dread plagued her heart and turned her lips downwards—maybe there wasn't a Back Bay Station. Maybe it was some trick the locals played on the tourists.
Angelo barked and brushed by her. Rinoa witnessed the dog heading off down a vacant street.
"Hey, where are you going?!" Rinoa held onto her backpack's straps and suitcase handle to run after her in the snow. "Angelo, wait up!"
Down several more blocks, Rinoa caught up with Angelo. She gulped down raw, frozen air while Angelo looked back and forth between her and what lied before them. Rinoa paused and smiled. Nothing docked in the barren, vandalized train station—except for a single, yellow train.
"Good girl," Rinoa murmured before heading forward.
Occasional bursts of laughter sounded on the opposite side. Rinoa approached with caution as she circled the locomotive. A group huddled together by the train, most of them adults with a handful closer to her age. Angelo led the way, eager to interact with the new people.
I can do this, Rinoa reminded herself. I can help. With my background and knowledge, I'd be useful. This isn't a waste of time. Her breath hitched. I'm not a waste of time.
Her feet moved on their own. As she neared the group, their conversation died out. Their sights, however, flicked all to one person within the group, who continued to stare at Rinoa as if a Marlboro was crawling their way.
"C-can I help you, miss?" he ended up asking.
"Actually," Rinoa said as a matter of fact, "I was wondering the same for you."
Whispers passed from ear to ear while the man she addressed blinked. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"Help." She bounced on her feet. "I was told that I could help." Not a word. "Um, I'm angelwing."
More confused expressions flooded the group, some of them scoffing and trading snark with one another.
"I-I'm sorry, miss, but you must have this all wrong." The man rubbed the back of his neck, unable to maintain eye contact with her. "We're not here looking for help."
He turned his back to her and returned to his group. They murmured to one another while Rinoa rubbed her arm. I didn't come all this way just to be rejected in seconds.
Then she remembered.
"Oh!" She marveled at the trees swaying with the incoming wind. "The forests of Timber sure have changed!"
Pushing hair out of her face, she returned her sights to the group. The one who addressed her initially peered back in silence. They all did.
And she smiled the whole time. "But the Owls are still around."
Nothing but the wind rustled between them. The group exchanged looks. Rinoa rooted her feet into the ground and maintained eye contact. Once more, all eyes fell onto the same man. He crept up to Rinoa, beyond timid, yet cleared his throat.
"How do you know that?" he asked her.
Rinoa shrugged. "Like I said. I want to help."
His eyes flicked over her. "Where are you from, miss? I don't think I've ever seen your face around here."
"You haven't. Just got here."
He raised his eyebrows and dared to approach her further. "Y-you got a lot of explaining to do if you show up unannounced like that and just act like you're one of us."
One of the guys perched on top of the train laughed. "I like her! Girl's got balls!"
"More than what you got!" another jumped in on the teasing.
Rinoa bit back a grin.
"Hey!" The man before her spun around to flip them off. The whole group died of laughter. "Shut up! We don't know if we can trust her!"
"You know," another piped up, "I think I heard about one of the Foxes talking about a girl on a message board curious about the Forest."
"Yeah, a Hawk mentioned she wanted to do more than sit quietly." The older woman gestured to Rinoa with her chin. "This is far more activism than any city dweller has accomplished in the past decade. I doubt she's a spy."
"Let's hear what the girl has to say," another said.
"Yeah, give her a chance. What's the worst that can happen?"
The man in front of her nodded. "Probably that she dies and it's one less mouth to feed."
"I promise I won't be a burden," Rinoa offered. "I can hold my own. Couple years in military prep academy can't hurt, right?"
The older woman grinned. "Yup, she's the one. I like her already. Be nice to her, Zone."
"Yeah, yeah," he said, facing Rinoa once more. "Twist my arm about it." He winced momentarily as his steps stuttered. Clutching his side, Zone forced himself to stand straight and gaze deep into Rinoa's eyes. "D-do you have a name, miss?"
She held a breath. Her fingers latched onto the silver ring poking out from the layers of her hoodie. The breath passed through her, she released the ring, and beamed with a smile.
"Rinoa Heartilly."