Author's Notes: Happy 25th Anniversary to the game that changed my life! I couldn't fit the prompt into a one-shot because I have too many things I want to say, so I'm going to tell these characters' tales as vignettes. :)

Vignette 1: The Great Long Horn #12

A young girl footslogs her way onto the city bus with a world-weary sigh that one would not expect to hear from the lips of a ten-year-old.

She scoots into a window seat and self-consciously hugs her school backpack: a girl-power design of ombre glitter in hues of lavender and aqua. Her initials, RH, are embroidered onto the front pocket in rococo cursive. She even has a matching water bottle and lunch box.

She didn't have much of an appetite today. She was able to stomach her cinnamon applesauce and lime-and-cracked-pepper chickpeas, but the chicken burrata pie that Mommy lovingly prepared as the main course has not been touched, and the girl feels a bit guilty about that.

Her stomach begins to complain about the lack of calories as the bus trundles along its usual route through the Deling City Shopping District.

Suddenly, she spies a GRAND OPENING banner draped over the lintel of a brick unit. It appears to be a new toy store. Her eyes brighten at the sight of the shiny model train set featured in its window display.

Her inner voice nudges her to get off at the next stop.

She does, and on the way to her destination, she gives away her chicken burrata pie to a sad-eyed vagabond who is slumped in the shadows of an intersection where nobody bats an eye at him or his unkempt puppy.

The vagabond's puppy is reminiscent of her very own Angelo—a surprise present from Mommy! Angelo and Mommy will be with the dog trainer for the next half hour, so that gives her some time to look around at the toy store. Maybe she'll even buy a small gift for herself with her allowance money.

When she enters the store, she ignores all the other toys and makes a beeline for the model train set.

Another girl—a brunette in green overalls that match the rich sparkle of her eyes—is admiring the train's puffing smoke and illuminated caboose and food-grade covered hopper as she sings quietly and cheerfully to herself:

"Train, train, take us away! Take us away, far away. To the future, we will go. Where it leads, no one knows!"

The brunette, sensing a fellow train enthusiast in her midst, grins broadly at the girl. "Hiya!"

"Hi," replies the girl shyly.

"Didja know?" The brunette points eagerly at the train. "The Great Long Horn #12 was once a popular locomotive for heavy freight loads. Especially GIANT sacks of potatoes!"

The girl nods in understanding, amazed at having found a kindred spirit. "The train was named after Long Horn Island, which used to be famous for its agriculture!"

"Until the Lunar Cry destroyed all of the island's crops!" laments the brunette. Her pout quickly transforms back to a friendly grin. "Heeey, that's pretty impressive that you know all this stuff!"

"Well," says the girl modestly, "I'm really interested in Galbadian history."

"Where do you go to school?"

"True North Academy."

The brunette's eyes widen in fascination. "So you're a private school girl, huh!?"

The girl shrugs. "Private school's okay, I guess."

The truth of the matter is that she's been homeschooled all her life (up until one month ago, that is) and she hasn't been able to secure a single friend in the treacherous waters of the fifth grade.

"Me and my friends go to Vinzer Deling Charter School." The brunette nods her head toward the opposite end of the store. "Those two boys playing with the yo-yos are Irvy and Seifer. And farther back, you see the tall blonde girl with her nose in a book? That's Quisty—she's the oldest in our group. Well, she's the oldest now that Elle's left."

The girl diligently takes note of all their names and faces. Who knows—she might be lucky enough to have four new friends in the near future!

The brunette glances around in puzzlement. "Where's Zelly gone off to…?"

Correction: five new friends!

"Anyway," continues the brunette, "I'm Selphie Tilmitt. What's your name?"

"Rinoa Heartilly."

Rinoa's stomach rumbles again.

Selphie giggles in a gracious manner. "There's a snack parlor next door. Wanna check it out with me?"

Rinoa briefly wonders if she has enough allowance money to cover both of their snacks. Math is not her strongest subject; she would rather read a hundred pages of Galbadian history than multiply and divide numbers.

Selphie doesn't give her any time to respond. She grabs Rinoa by the hand and skips out of the store.

The snack parlor is a homely space with walls painted in peppermint green polka dots, a vintage gumball machine, and corduroy lounge chairs piled high with mounds of cushions.

Rinoa bravely hands over all her gil to the cashier and is relieved when she gets some change for two Shiva's Specials.

She and Selphie curl up onto the cushioned chairs and enjoy their cups of frozen custard with cherry liqueur and graham rolled wafers. Selphie makes a face every time she gets a brain freeze, causing Rinoa to crinkle her eyes and laugh in delight.

Rinoa is bummed when it's time to go.

"I have to get back home now," she explains to Selphie. "My mom and my puppy are waiting for me."

"Aww." Selphie looks just as disappointed. "Come and visit me again, 'kay?"

"Okay!" Rinoa pauses. "At the toy store…?"

Selphie grins. "No, silly. At the orphanage where I live with my friends!"

Rinoa's mouth forms a little o. None of these girls and boys have parents! Rinoa has lost her own dad, but at least she still has her mom. But not having a mom or a dad? She can't imagine how that must feel.

"Do you have a piece of paper?"

Rinoa finds a sticky note in her pencil bag.

Selphie scribbles down an address for her. "Thanks again for the snack!" she beams. "See you soon."

"See you soon," echoes Rinoa.

She happily tucks the sticky note into her backpack and waves a warm goodbye to Selphie.

Rinoa journeys past the vagabond and his puppy again. This time, the vagabond looks content as he cradles his dozing puppy. She thinks that she even sees the hint of a smile on the man's face.

She hops onto the bus with a new spring in her step.

She can't wait to go home and tell Mommy and Angelo all about her after-school adventure!