A/N: Hello! Chapter 3!

-text like this are viewed as thoughts-

Chapter 3: ACTOR


AT THE CARAWAY MANSION...

The clock strikes 5:00 am and the wind blows open the very same window that Rinoa had escaped from hours earlier. A rookie move to leave such evidence. Another rookie move to have a watch post unattended. A guard passes by the lobby and notices the curtains bellowing in the wind. He quickly paces to inform Caraway.

"YOU IMBECILE!" Caraway slams his guard into the wall. "HOW COULD YOU BE SO CARELESS!"

"It was an accident sir!"

"And youuuu! BOTH OF YOU! SLEEPING ON MY WATCH?!" He kicks open Rinoa's bedroom door. "TAKE A LOOK FOR YOURSELVES AND TELL ME WHATS MISSING".

"Sir...we'll go find her".

"THEN GO FIND HER!"

A small troop of guards head off in search of Rinoa.

Caraway paces to his office and a guard trails behind him. "If anyone against us finds out just how easy it is to enter and escape my own household, what do you think they would do? I SHOULD FIRE ALL OF YOU!"

"Uh...General..."

"WHAT!"

"The Balamb student is AWOL. He was on guard duty for the lobby last night."

Caraway presses his thumb and forefinger in between his eyes and faces his guard. "GO. GET. HIM".


AT THE DELING PIER...

A boat horn startles both Rinoa and Seifer awake.

"OH SHITTTTT! WHAT TIME IS IT?!" She frantically pulls out her phone. 5:00 am! This is shift change! We have to go back. They know you aren't there.

"Oh for fucks sake." Seifer pulls himself up from the dock floor. "Uh oh. Theyre already here looking for us". Seifer spots the Galbadian guards starting their search and rescue from a distance.

"Come on, princess! We cant just stand here!" He pulls her and darts. He doesnt exactly know where they're headed. After all, it was his first night out in Deling. Rinoa follows his lead with no direction. Still stunted at the fact they were caught. Seifer looks back at Rinoa. "Okay, you're going to have to tell me where to go because i dont know this place. Focus! "Oh... sorry... right. Um... go towards the gateway! Take that door!" They successfully have reached the door and enter down a dark path way.

"God...what is this? It smells!"

"Sorry...Its the Deling sewers".

"And those goons dont know about this?"

"Well its not technically a secret, its just not really ever used anymore. Except for me."

They reach down the sewer passage. "Come on, this way!"

A creep stops them in their tracks. Its lanky dark figure towers over them.

"Shit! I dont have my Hyperion!" Seifer squares up to fight hand on hand instead.

"Dont worry, I got us!" She flashes her pinwheel. "Here! Equip these!" she tosses Seifer magic spells.

Rinoa launches the first attack. The creep swiftly approaches to swipe her, Seifer blocks her to take the hit instead. He immediately casts fire against the creep. The creep wilts and disappears.

"Lets go, before they respawn. Thanks for letting me know in advance that there are monsters down here". He sarcastically states as they pace.

"Sorry!"

Seifer grabs Rinoa and holds her against the wall. They stand still as a creep floats past them. He pulls Rinoa and darts, but the creep noticed their presence. It chases after them. Seifer looks back every few seconds to make sure Rinoa is right behind him.

"Go straight! Theres a set of straights that lead up into my library."

"How do you know noones in there?"

"We just have to trust it!"

"Okay final stretch."

"Seifer!" She calls out

Seifer looks back to see the end of Rinoa's duster stuck at the crack of a water wheel. She pulls with intention to break off the wedged fabric, but to no avail. The creep lets out a yell as it closes in.

"Leave it!"

"No! it means too much to me!"

Seifer pulls and severs the end of her duster. He picks Rinoa up over his shoulder and runs. "Shoot!" he exclaims. She aims her pinwheel at the creep as Seifer sprints for the ladder. They fight not only the creep, but also time. Time until they really get caught red handed. The final hit strikes and the creep wilts. They both climb up the ladder and up the stairs. They quietly enter the library. Rinoa opens up the library door to an unguarded lobby and wide opened front doors. They quietly approach the entrance of the mansion.

"Wow. He sent out the whole squad looking for you".

"Where were you?" Caraway's statement startles them both. They both turned to Caraway standing in the middle of the lobby smoking a cigar.

The two were so focused on getting back to home base that they hadnt had time to figure out a reason for their absence.

"General!" Seifer saluted. He quickly grabs Rinoa's arms behind her and restrains her. "I found her escaping and followed her. She was out with her hooligan friends by the car rentals. Looks like they were getting ready to head out of Deling".

Rinoa scrunched her face and whispered "What?"

" I dont recall any of my men reporting back to me about your presence while out searching. Or why you even let her out in the first place. Were you not the guard on duty for this post?" He steps closer and closer to face Seifer.

"Well, General, I have heard this is a normal occurrence so I took it upon myself to use what ive learned at Garden and investigate where exactly she is always headed off to. I suggest you send more guards to patrol that area at night."

Rinoa rolls her eyes at the BS.

General Caraway stares dead into Seifer's eyes as Seifer swallows the lump in his throat.

"Good work solider. Rinoa. to my office. NOW!"

Seifer releases his grip off of Rinoa. "You SURE you dont want to be an actor? ...asshole". She shoves his chest and walks away.

As she walks away Seifer looks at the end of her ripped blue duster. Her voice plays back in his head from the sewers. It means too much to me. Even after hours of sharing their life stories, he realizes he doesnt know her as nearly as much as he would like to.

He leaves the mansion to rest for his next shift. He enters his hotel room and reaches into his trench pocket. He realizes he still has the magic spells Rinoa had tossed him earlier. He places his trench on a chair and falls back into the bed with the magic spell in his hand. He stares at it in his and thinks about his night with Rinoa. He smiles to himself.


AT THE CARAWAY MANSION...

"RINOA I AM TIRED OF YOU DISOBEYING ME!" Caraway yelled.

"I AM TIRED OF BEING LOCKED UP LIKE A PARROT!"

"I HAVE GIVEN YOU EVERYTHING!"

"MONEY ISNT EVERYTHING!" She rebutted.

"Rinoa. I need to protect you. You don't know whats out there!"

"Youre right ... I don't know. BECAUSE YOU NEVER LET ME LEAVE!" She exits his office and slams the door.

She plops on her bed and buries her face into her pillow. Now that she has a moment to collect herself she thinks back on her night. Although shes pissed, she cant help but smile in a way. Her night was filled with laughter, good company, stories, and adventure. She sighs at the thought of never having a night like that again. Who knows what new protocols Caraway will have in store for her after all this. Back to square one.