I had visions, I was in them,
I was looking into the mirror
To see a little bit clearer
The rottenness and evil in me

Fingertips have memories,
I can't forget the curves of your body
And when I feel a bit naughty
I run it up the flagpole and see who salutes

-Harvey Danger

Rinoa shook her head as Squall's gaze remained upon her. This was becoming a deeper situation than it ever should have been in the first place. The SeeD who had come to train her was now posing that they leave together, and he had no reasonable explanation at all.

Just then, a beep came from Squall's pocket. He took out his small black pager that Selphie had recently given him to make missions easier. It read: Tell Rinoa NOW and bring her back to the apartment. He casually put it away and returned his gaze to Rinoa.

"Training?" Squall said with a shrug. "We're leaving to train, and I'll bring you to a few people who can help."

"Well why did you come here if you're going to need help?"

"It wasn't my decision, my headmaster sent me. And if you don't want to leave, then fine. Stay here." With that said, Squall turned away and walked towards the door to get back into the house.

"Wait, Squall, I'll go."

Squall paused for a moment, turned, and looked at her. "Alright then," he smiled. "Let's go."

They walked back into the mansion together, only to be stopped by a pacing Caraway. Immediately Squall could tell something was wrong because he looked nervous and uptight.

"Dad,"

Caraway jumped a bit before realizing Rinoa was in the room. "Rinoa! You snuck up on me,"

"Sorry. Squall says that he wants to bring me to a more suitable…training ground. Is that okay?"

Caraway looked at Squall with suspicion. "What's wrong with the courtyard? Not big enough?"

Squall wasn't exactly sure what to say. "Well, you see...As a SeeD, at Balamb we have a highly suitable and professional training area. And unfortunately, I don't have access to sufficient equipment outside of Garden for safety purposes. And I would very much enjoy continuing your daughter's training in a more suitable environment."

Caraway shifted his feet before giving them both a nod. "Be back by dinner, Rinoa."

"With all due respect, Sir, a student's training takes a lot of dedication. In order to prepare your daughter for becoming a Balamb student, you need to understand that she's going to be thrown into an environment with kids who have been studying since they were only children. Your daughter has very limited time, Sir, and she's going to need all the training she can get. And to dinnertime is certainly not enough time for one day."

Caraway stared at Squall for a moment before returning his glance to Rinoa. "I'm leaving Deling on a ten o' clock train, Mr. Kinneas. I understand and respect what you're saying so I'm going to put the responsibility of having my daughter home at a reasonable time on you. Our maid should be up, so make sure you let her know when Rinoa is home. And Rinoa, if Mr. Kinneas reports to me that you've misbehaved, you will be on an austere leash, and will not leave the house until further notice."

Rinoa and Squall both nodded, and without further adieu, they grabbed their items necessary for leaving, and walked out the door.

The second Quistis had left the apartment to buy lunch, Selphie and Irvine's lips met. Irvine kissed her mouth, her cheeks, and down her neck until she started to giggle.

"I just met you." Selphie smiled and pushed him away.

Irvine dropped his head down. "Aw Selph, I could feel it."

Selphie giggled. "Feel what?"

"We're meant to be, of course!"

"I've never seen anything like that," Rinoa said to Squall in disbelief while shaking her head.

"Like what?"

"You know!" Rinoa jumped up. "You just convinced my father to let me leave…with another teenage boy…Who has a beard!"

"It's no big deal, stop making noise. Somebody will hear you."

The two were making their way out of the busy streets of Deling City. Rinoa paid for the train tickets with the spare money her father always made her hold on to, and they entered the train.

The train brought many memories back for Squall. It wasn't the first time he'd been on a train within the recent past, but it was the first time he'd really examined one. He looked at the silver walls and red seats, and also got a pang of sorrow when he remembered being a SeeD. He remembered Balamb Garden in general. His friend Zell, his enemy Seifer. What were they up to? Were they succeeding in being fighters? Were they nearly dead with dangerous missions? Where would Squall be right now if he hadn't left?

Rinoa cut the silence. "What's wrong, Squall?"

Squall shook his head. "Come here," he said to her. "I want you to listen to me." With his sweaty palms, he made a fist and bit his lip. "I'm not really a SeeD."

Rinoa simply started at him without any drastic reaction. "Wait, what?"

"Rinoa I'm an imposter."

Rinoa's heart began to beat fast. Was he kidding around? "Stop it. What are you saying?"

The train came to a stop. The train stopped in Timber, which was where Squall's apartment was located. He started to walk off the train and she followed, annoyed because he remained silent.

The streets, as usual, were crowded, and the loud sounds of the trains coming in and departing rang in Rinoa's ears. Ahead of her, Squall walked quickly, and Rinoa struggled to keep up. "Squall!" she yelled loudly. It was at least loud enough to catch his attention.

He whipped around and gave her a cold stare.

"What were you talking about back there, on the train?" Rinoa was concerned only because it would not have been hard to imagine this man as some sort of imposter. But there was also something about him that told her he had no intent of harming her. And this feeling was what led her to continue following him, and what kept her from running away.

"I'll tell you about it when we get to my apartment."

Rinoa scoffed. "I'm not going anywhere with you if you don't tell me what the hell you're talking about."

Squall understood and respected what she had just said. In the near distance, there was a bench. Squall motioned for her to go sit on it. She nodded, and walked over, with him following.

"Rinoa, I used to be a SeeD. I really did."

Rinoa quickly shook her head. "Oh no."

"But I'm not anymore."

Rinoa's eyes widened. "This is unbelievable, Squall. You'll have to tell me more than that. There's no way you could have possibly gotten yourself into my mansion if you were an imposter."

Squall smiled. "It was pretty easy, actually. When a headmaster doesn't specify what sort of student he is going to send over, it's actually quite practical. All you need is a small connection and a spacey over looker, and you're in."

Rinoa put her hand over her mouth. "But..why? Why would you do that?"

"That's what I'm trying to explain to you. Rinoa, I know this is going to sound suspicious coming from me, but I think you might be in a lot of trouble. You just need to come back to my apartment with me so my …partners can help you."

Rinoa laughed and quickly stood up from the bench. "I don't need you being my life coach! In fact, I'm going to go home. I don't want anything to do with you!" She was now yelling, and Squall was turning bright red.

"Rinoa if you'lll just cooperate and follow me back to a more private place that isn't so out in the open, we can talk and you can yell all you want," he said through clenched teeth. "I'm not here to make a scene. That's the worst possible thing you could do. I'm trying to help you, and with your help you're going to make it backfire in my face. So please, for at least ten more minutes, just trust me, okay? That's all I'm asking. There are other people who are in my apartment as well, and two of those people are actual students. They can help you understand. Better than I can at least. And if I'm not convincing enough, call your father and tell him, throw me in front of a moving train, do whatever you want. I'm asking you, Rinoa, for ten minutes. That's all."

Rinoa stared at him for a while before shaking her head. "Okay, but I'll hold you to the whole ten minute deal. And I'm warning you, Squall, I can fight!"

"Okay whatever. Come on."

They continued through the busy streets into the darker alleys of the town. His apartment was located in the darkest of them, next to a noisy pub. He held the door open for her, and they entered. They walked up the stairs and arrived at the destination. Squall stood in front of his door, looked at Rinoa, and knocked on it. "See, a girl is going to answer. We're not alone here."

"One minute!" Selphie's small voice called back from the other side. A few seconds later, she opened up. "Squall! You're home!" Selphie looked past Squall at the black haired girl that stood behind him. "Tell me this is Rinoa," she said with a giggle.

She looked at Squall. "Oh so they know me? Am I your laughing subject?" she asked him.

"Never mind, just come inside."

Selphie held the door open and slammed it behind them.

"Sit down," Squall told her, and she obeyed, walking over to the closest couch. As she sat, she could feel the springs poke at her through the thin fabric. "And Selphie, get some tea," Squall demanded.

"Yeah yeah I'm not your slave," she said, and ignored his request. "Okay, let's get started. Rinoa, you're in trouble," Selphie told her, walking back into the room so she could be face to face with the girl.

Squall rolled his eyes. "Where's Quistis and Irvine?"

"IRVINE!" Selphie called. "Oh and Quistis is getting lunch."

Irvine had only been in this apartment for a day and a half, and it had already gotten to him. His shirt was undone, his hair was down, and his shoes were off. "Yep babe?" he said as he walked into the room.

Squall paced back and forth. "I don't know whose stupid fucking idea this was but now we have to get ourselves out of it," Squall said. "Rinoa, here's the facts. Selphie and I used to go to Garden. We'd gotten fed up with its system, so we dropped out and formed a small anti-government faction that currently resides in Timber. Our plan was to…get a hold of you and…save you from your house."

Next to him, Selphie made a noise as evidence that she was trying to hold her laughter back. Squall turned to her and gave her a cold look.

"This here," Squall motioned to Irvine. "is Irvine Kinneas. I on the other hand, am not. I am Squall Leonhart, and I used to be a high ranking SeeD, along with Selphie."

Rinoa looked around at the madness that was unfolding in front of her. She wasn't scared, she was just confused.

The door suddenly slammed open and a tired eyed Quistis walked in with 2 bags of hot food.

"Take what you want, I ordered everything." As she dropped the food carelessly on the table, she caught sight of Rinoa and gasped. "You're here…already."

Rinoa slapped her hand to her forehead. "Gee Squall, did you have weekly conferences about me?"

Squall scoffed and turned away from her. "Rinoa, listen. Please just start cooperating. It's for your own good."

Quistis nodded, and walked over to Rinoa. "Really, Rinoa. I understand this is going to be hard, but you need to trust us."

Squall casually leaned against the wall with his legs crossed. "Yes, Rinoa, this here is Quistis. She's also an actual person from Garden. In fact, very well respected at Garden. And I also have something else to propose. I'm going back to Garden, everyone."

Selphie had somewhere along this discussion, gotten up and made herself some tea, and at the moment Squall delivered this news, she nearly spit it out. Slamming her cup down, she yelled "What are you talking about?"

"You heard me. Now to the next subject. Rinoa, are you aware that your father is a money sucking bastard?"

Rinoa looked around and hesitantly nodded.

"But do you know what he is doing in order to get there?" Quistis asked.

The room fell into a dead silence as she looked around once more. "Not off hand." She nervously looked around the room again, not knowing what to expect.

Quistis let out a heavy sigh. "Well then. Let's begin. You see, Rinoa, just recently we'd grown sneaking suspicions that your father was in some sort of arrangement with a sorceress after his drastic changes in ignorance came to shine bright. Whether you're familiar or not I'm not sure. And the assumption can be made that in this process of relation, your father has become…well...more than likely corrupt."

"Well this is my first time hearing about this,"

Quistis nodded and looked at him. "That's why I'm helping in the first place. I didn't want to tell you too soon, and today when I found out that Caraway is having a meeting with her tonight, I decided that I needed to take action."

Squall snapped his head towards her. "How the hell did you find that out?"

"I called Cid and asked him. Garden can easily trace where a sorceress will be at certain moments. And Rinoa, did your father say anything about having a meeting tonight?"

Rinoa nodded her head and looked around at everyone in the room. Her chin began to quiver and a tear quickly dropped from her eye.

Quistis looked at the ground, unable to make eye contact with the pitiful girl. "Rinoa, I know this is hard to handle, but we were shocked as well. At first this plan was juvenile, but further necessities needed to be taken out once everything was ultimately discovered. We're not here to harm you, we're here to protect you. Please understand." Quistis walked over to her and put her hand on the quivering girl's shoulder.

"And everyone, I'm going back to Garden. I'm selling this apartment. And Rinoa, this is for you. We're going to get back on good terms with Cid and also get his help. Selphie, you better come with me."

Selphie's mouth dropped open. "After everything! After I shave my head and started reading about anarchy and discovering about being natural and independent!"

Squall shrugged. "Guess so. You in or out?"

Selphie giggled. "Let's do it."

"Besides," Squall began. "Do you really think this was going to get anywhere?"

Selphie nodded. "Okay! Let's go today!"

Quistis nodded. "Good idea. Selphie, Squall, Irvine, let's just catch a train up there tonight to merely get back onto terms with Cid."

They nodded and Selphie jumped up. "Let's eat this food first! I'm starving."

AN: I wanted to spare the drama of Rinoa being hurt by Squall because of the news. I thought it was unnecessary and too exhausting. Anyway.

I'm also going to work on updating more often, because I really do suck at that. I know I've probably lost many readers, but I still enjoy writing this story very much. Please review, as they truly do keep my inspiration up. If anybody is confused as to anything that is going on and need me to explain, feel free to email me.