This is a new series of short, mostly one-shot stories that are completely lore friendly to the game. These stories aim to expand on the story of the game; showing new scenes, scenes from the view of other characters, or expanding on key scenes that were underdeveloped in the main game. Some elements are from previous, de-listed fan fictions that I previously wrote
The conductor's whistle woke Rinoa. She lurched forward in her seat, startled to her senses. "Seifer?" She muttered as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
"Balamb, in fact," The elderly conductor said, leaning toward Rinoa. His face was broad, his forehead creased with dozens of deep wrinkles like crumpled velvet. "Are you okay, ma'am?" He continued.
"I…. I…. must have fallen asleep?" Rinoa replied, rubbing her forehead now with the palm of her right hand. Rinoa dismissed the conductor with a smile. She focused her mind back on the task at hand – finding Headmaster Cid. More and more as of late she had been spending time on trains. Most of her time, in fact. Too much time. Her whole life seemed to revolve around tracks, and the inescapable fact that they can only lead someone in one of two predetermined directions.
Balamb was not like Galbadia. That was a good thing. Rinoa loved Balamb. Strolling to the pier she inhaled the crisp, salty sea breeze. In Balamb people passed each other with nods and polite smiles. There was no congestion, no grime, no pollution. Just clean, fresh air. Life here was simpler. Birds chirped as fishermen lounged by the seafront. A colony of stray cats lingered near a tower of battered crates. Two kittens edged toward Rinoa as she plopped down to welcome them. She felt at home, moreso than she had ever felt in Deling City. Her soul had yearned for a place like Balamb long before she even knew that such a place existed.
"We don't have any bicycles here I'm afraid." The garage clerk said, freeing a cloth from his back pocket which he dabbed clumsily across the back of his sweat-laden neck. "Only cars… Do ya a really good deal on a vintage model. Give you the daily rate, beats the hourly rate!"
"Can't drive," Rinoa exclaimed, clasping her hands behind her back and rising up onto her toes. "You know where I can get a bike?" The clerk shook his head disapprovingly, before returning to his work.
"You want a car? I'm your man! You want a bike? You're outta luck!" The clerk's now muffled voice echoed as Rinoa exited the garage. It was a long walk to Balamb Garden. Rinoa should know, she'd walked it before during the previous Summer… Seifer flashed in her mind.
Rinoa wished that Seifer had come to meet her. That he'd have been waiting on the platform to greet her, to welcome her back to Balamb. Slumping down on a bench outside the junk shop she sighed audibly.
"That's my spot," A male voice called out, "You're sitting in my seat. I sit there every day!" The words sounded harsh, but the voice speaking them was gentle.
Rinoa opened her mouth but stuttered her words, failing to form a coherent sentence in response.
"I'm just joking," The man chuckled as the last word left his lips. He pointed to the empty spot on the bench beside Rinoa, and she gestured that it was okay for him to sit with her. She looked deep in his eyes, and saw genuine warmth and kindness, she in turn relaxed her tensed shoulders.
"Best view of the ocean by far if you ask me!" The man continued. "Plus you get to greet all the people coming from the train station. Some lovely people. You see, there's no real reason to come to Balamb, other than scenery, or the Garden." The man flashed a crooked smile as he rested his hands on his lap. "It's the end-of-the-line, train can't go any further. So you know the people who come here really make the effort to be here. That's why I'm here, to welcome them." A gentle breeze rustled Rinoa's cardigan as she interlocked her fingers on her lap.
"I'm guessing that you are not here for the scenery?"
"Garden," Rinoa quipped back. "I do love the scenery too, though."
"Long walk, ain't it?"
"Yup," Rinoa answered, standing up.
"I am guessing you don't drive?" He questioned, Rinoa responded almost instantly with a nod of her head. "Damn. I know that you'll have no luck renting a bike," He said, scrathcing his lightly stubbled chin. "I tell you what," He continued after a brief pause, "I enjoyed our little chat. Lemme see what I can do for you." The man stood up, and placed two fingers in the corners of his mouth. He whistled, a deep, screeching whistle, "Rascal!" he roared, "Big Bad Rascal!"
"WHAT!?" A voice answered back. A door across the street flew open and a cheeky looking little boy bounded out.
"Calling in a favour, little man. This girl," The man pointed at Rinoa, "She's here visiting Garden and she can't drive. You guys have got an old bike in there, Whaddaya say?"
The boy wrinkled his brow and perched his lips, clearly deep in thought.
"You can have a loan of my mom's old bike….." The boy said as he balled up his fists and pushed them into his waistline. "But you gotta do one thing for me!"
"What would that be?" Riona responded, struggling to hold back a giggle.
"When you get back you gotta help me catch one of the kittens down by the pier!'" Joey bellowed, throwing out his right hand and pointing his index finger at Rinoa.
"Sounds easy," She retorted, throwing the boy a reassuring smile and a thumbs up.
"AND you gotta convince my mom to let me keep it!"
"Deal! Rinoa boomed, swaying side-to-side she could hardly contain her excitement. She knew that her cat catching skills were solid. As for convicing mothers she was less convinced.
Rinoa set off at a blistering pace on her borrowed bike. The rolling plains of Alcaud opening up before her. The dense forests that hemmed the valley where the road meandered passed her as long flashes of spotty greens and browns. The road was hers; open, flat and empty and she pedeled hard relishing the bracing breeze rustling her hair.
Seifer was waiting at the main gate for Rinoa. As she mounted the plinth and turned for the main steps he strolled towards her. She closed in for a hug, but he stepped back and she clumsily stumbled forward. She froze in place for a moment.
"It's been a while," Rinoa muttered, blushing.
"Wow, you don't look too good," Seifer said as he crossed his arms across his chest, "Yeah, you look sick, all sweaty and strained" he continued. Rinoa tried to hold back a tear. "Now let's get going," Seifer said as he turned on his heels and started strolling towards the main hub of Balamb Garden, "I have work to do. Some of the students have been bold!"
Approaching the elevator Seifer gestured for Rinoa to enter first. "You need a special key to get to the headmaster's office, luckily for you they trust me enough to give me the key," Seifer said as he grinned.
"Wow," Rinoa said, honestly surprised, "They trust you that much!? What does the key look like?"
"Oh, It's about a foot long and made of leather," Seifer said, holding back a chuckle.
"I don't follow you," Rinoa retorted, cocking her head to the left and smiling. Seifer drew back and kicked the control panel of the elevator with all of his force. The elevator took off. "Oh... I understand now," Rinoa sighed.
The note on Cid's door read: 'Gone Fishin'!'.
"Hard luck, Seifer said as he made for the elevator, seems you'll have to wait for the party to meet the old man."
"Seifer?" Rinoa shouted as Seifer entered the elevator, "Have you achieved your dream yet... Your romantic dream?" The elevator door clicked closed, obscuring his response.