It took Squall a moment to realize that it took his a full ten minutes to arrive at the Training Center. It wasn’t that far from the Dormitories, but everything about the different Balamb Gardens intrigued him a bit. He walked very slowly, and sometimes marveled over the plants or something. But right now, he knew it was unlike him to do this kind of thing.

Squall walked into the Training Center, but didn’t bother to take out his Gunblade. He wasn’t in the mood to fight, nor run into those annoying Grats that were persistent to fight. All he wanted to do is go to the Secret Area, and hope that Rinoa or Quistis was there. He felt even guiltier though, because he felt that he needed to talk to Quistis more importantly than Rinoa. But of course… Rinoa wasn’t even in Balamb Gardens, so who else could he talk to?

Walking absent-mindedly, he went through the left entrance, bypassing the huge rocks that stood in his way. He wasn’t thinking about anything right now, but only recalling the dream. Squall wouldn’t even call it a "dream world" experience, but merely a flashback of some sort.

Squall rolled his eyes, as Rinoa would always point out that he thinks to himself too much, and he should open his feelings a little more. He had been trying to kick the habit for half a year now, but to no avail; he always had things and issues in his mind.

A wave of drowsiness washed over him, and Squall suddenly felt sleepy. Yawning while swaying from side to side, he finally succumbed to the sudden weariness, leaning against the huge rocks that spotted the Training Center. He felt his head falling back, his eyes slowly closing. He blinked to try to stay awake, but to no help, he found himself dozing again…

Rinoa was still a bit shocked from Zone’s comment. It had been an hour since her run-in with Zone, but now she wished that it never happened. She felt his belligerence toward her, and the reason why bothered her. Something during the past year has changed both herself and Zone, she realized that when he started to walk away, but she wasn’t fast enough to understand it. Pain and hurt filled her heart. Tears were brimming in her eyes. Everything that had happened in those few minutes was torture.

The sun was rising now, and Rinoa’s legs were aching from walking around Timber. She could recall passing by the Timber Maniacs at least five times of the course of the night, and the Pub four times at the least.

Rinoa started toward the train station. Many people were just coming out of their houses just about now, and she heard the satisfying sound of the train engines. She stuck her hands into her pockets and pulled 3000 gil out. Appeased, she walked up to the conductor. "I would like a ticket to Balamb."

The conductor scratched his head. "Ahh… the trains to Balamb is down. The only way to go to Balamb is to go to Deling City first, and then take a train there." The conductor scratched his head again when Rinoa gave him a menacing glare.

Of all the places in the world, why did it have to be Deling City?

At first, when Rinoa was with Squall and company, they were ordered to go to Deling City and meet with her father, General Caraway. Rinoa never got along with her "father", much less visit him in his mansion. She had given up riches and her high status to get away from him. It did give him a bad image though, Rinoa was thankfully glad for that. It was Caraway’s fault that her mother is gone, and Rinoa never forgave him for that, no way.

Now, again, she is forced upon returning to her birthplace, that God-forsaken criminal town of Deling City. Hell, it shouldn’t even be called Deling City now, since Vinzer Deling was murdered a year ago. Rinoa could recall that the capital town was renamed at least five times in its history…

"You sure I can’t go to Dollet or something and catch a train there?" She hopefully asked, knowing the answer provided. The only trains that go to Balamb in the first place was Timber and Deling City… so she had no choice.

As she predicated, the conductor shook his head and led her to the train.

"Hmm… Squall’s asleep in the middle of the Training Center. How strange."

"Oh, so this is your leader. You know, he’s kinda cute."

"Don’t say that! You might jinx his relationship with his girlfriend! Oh! Let’s stop talking about this! We have to figure out a way to wake him up, and I DO know Squall. He doesn’t awaken that easily."

"Doesn’t it scare you sometimes? Like, what if he never wakes up?"

"Now THAT, I know will never happen."

"Sure, sure… you’re just confident cause’ you know the guy."

"Come on. He’s a very nice guy… uh… sometimes… okay! Almost never! He’s still… cool?"

"See? You sound scared too!"

Squall awoke to two soft voices. Slowly opening his eyes, he found Selphie staring down at him, about a few inches away from his face. "Whoa!" He yelped, startled. He fell back and his back hit the rocks. He cringed in pain while rubbing his back.

Selphie jumped back also surprised. She had her hand to her chest, to feel her heart pulsing rapidly, and she stepped back. "Squall! You’re… awake right?" She asked timidly, stepping back away from Squall little by little.

Squall narrowed his eyes at the small girl before struggling to get up, the pain in his back disappearing now. Rubbing his eyes to focus, he saw Selphie and another small girl standing beside her. Squall shook his head and held his hand to his forehead. "Damn…" He jerked his head up and focused on the girl standing beside Selphie. "Who are you?"

Selphie stepped in and thrust the girl toward Squall, despite her protests. "This is Aira Kadowaki. You know, Dr. Kadowaki’s daughter?" Selphie smiled and looked back at Aira, who responded with a forced smile.

Squall frowned and crossed his hands over his chest. "I thought there weren’t supposed to be any outside visitors in Balamb Gardens," He said, pausing briefly. "I didn’t know Dr. Kadowaki had a daughter, much less a family."

"Squall!" Selphie protested, giving the young SeeD leader a cocky expression. "Aira’s adopted. You know, where—"

Squall shrugged in response. "Whatever."

Aira covered her mouth with one hand and giggled. Despite the strange glances she was receiving from Squall and Selphie, she continued to laugh until she was clutching her stomach to get a hold of herself. In fact, she was laughing so hard, that her voice started to choke into hiccups.

Squall scowled at Aira. "Did we say something that caused her to laugh?" He interrogated in demand, turning to Selphie, who only answered with a shrug.

Aira stumbled in front of Squall and took a deep breath, to show that she was finished. Her face was a deep color of red now, and hiccups started to develop. Waving her hand to dismiss Squall’s comment, she finally replied, "Oh it’s nothing. It’s just that you," She pointed to Squall, "tend to be rude without even knowing it. I just think it’s funny, because I used to know someone like that."

"Oh really?" was Squall’s only comment, hoping Aira didn’t break out into another fit of giggles.

"So, Squall, can you explain your nap in the Training Center?" Selphie asked playfully.

"And I thought I was strange. Look at him, he’s sleeping away in a middle of Monster Heaven," Aira added in sarcastically.

Squall shot a look at Aira, but didn’t say anything that might result in another humiliating laugh, or an argument. He had a tremendous headache right now, perhaps that he went into the so-called, "dream world" twice in one night. Everything boggled his mind right now, and Rinoa wasn’t even here to comfort him. All he could talk to now is Selphie and… this girl. He could understand Selphie; she had been in the "dream world" with Squall before, so he could talk to her. On the other hand, Aira was a stranger to him, and he already took an immediate dislike toward the girl. "I don’t know… I’m having strange dreams lately," He finally said after a long silence.

"Do you mean, the ‘dream world’ again?" Selphie asked, curiously.

Squall nodded reluctantly. "I think so… I think it’s Ellone’s doing, because it’s about the orphanage again," He stated, crossing his arms again.

Before Selphie could respond. Aira cut in again. "What are you two talking about?" She asked inquisitively. "You know I feel kinda out of place when people talk about nothing I know about."

"Who asked you to listen in the first place?" Squall questioned angrily, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Well, excuuuuuuuuuuuse me Mr. I-think-I’m-so-great Leader. Just trying to get acquainted to some people now that I’ll be living here for the next six months," Aira retorted grimly before adding, "Oh the horror. I’m afraid have to see you everyday for nearly a half a year. The horror, I tell you, the horror!"

"The hell--?!" Squall was about to snap before Selphie put her hand over his mouth. He glared at the girl, before pulling away from her grasp, stumbling toward the rocks.

"What’s wrong with you two?" Selphie asked angrily, her voice rising in anger. "It’s like fate that you two must dislike each other so much! We only met each other a few minutes ago and already, there’s bickering, snapping, and, arguing!" She pointed out, stomping her foot on the ground.

Squall turned his head away in response. Aira just wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out in Squall’s direction.

Selphie threw her hands up in frustration, an emotion she rarely showed. Even Squall was surprised to see her fuming mad, but of course, Selphie always liked to see people happy. He would remember her exclamations of "love!" and "peace!" which caught many off-guard when they learned she is, indeed, a SeeD.

Selphie didn’t say anything and shook her head. She gestured her head to the entrance. "C’mon, Aira. It’s about one thirty in the morning and I’m sleepy," Selphie faked a yawn and stretched out her arms. "I still have to give you that tour of Balamb Gardens tomorrow anyway,"

Aira nodded without saying a word and walked toward the entrance, not looking back at either Squall or Selphie. Selphie followed, but her stare lingered back at Squall, who’s back was still turned away. "Squall?"

"Yes?" He answered without turning his back.

"Tell me later about the ‘dream world’ experience! It may be really, really important about the orphanage, that we may have forget, okay?" Selphie said, waving happily to Squall. She knew that she would receive no answer, so she just turned around and walked through the exit.

Squall shrugged. "Whatever."

Seifer Almasy stepped through the rubble, moving the wooden beams with his foot. Behind him, he heard the soft patters of feet, and assumed it was the obedient footsteps of Fujin and Raijin. The past few days have been long and tedious for them, for it took all three of them days to actually find transportation to the Centra continents, finally hitching a ride on a fishing boat from Fisherman’s Horizon in the middle of the night. He hated the smell of the rotting fish that was on the boat, and ordered Fujin and Raijin to throw out each and every one of the fish overboard, despite the fisherman’s protests. And before Seifer even knew it, threw the fisherman overboard too.

He didn’t mean to be as cruel as that, but it had to be done. It was implanted in his mind. Seifer only did what he thought was right, and automatically acted of what annoyed him. Plus, if he didn’t feel like doing anything at that time, he had Fujin and Raijin for back up. Of course, he never put them to work in front of others, especially superiors and namely, Squall Leonhart, a rival ever since they were kids. Seifer liked to act by himself, to work by himself, to be a hero, all by himself.

"So, the point of this, is?" Raijin cut in from the dead silence that surrounded them. He flexed his buff muscles to show his boredom, and then leaned against one of the wooden poles. In one swift move, the wood split and he fell back onto the floor.

"IDIOT," Fujin commented in her usual dialect. She narrowed her eyes at her partner, Raijin, and flicked a piece of her dull gray hair back. Bending down, she kicked Raijin in the shin, which he responded with a loud yelp.

Seifer glared at the both of them and threw his Gunblade down. "Will you two shut up? We have to be quiet or they’ll know we’re here, you imbeciles!" He hissed menacingly. He looked back at the open entrance and saw only bliss nature, thankful for that, but he realized something. He snorted, and snatched his Gunblade off the floor. "Well, well, you two are damn lucky anyway. Seems like Mr. and Mrs. Kramer isn’t here, so start searching!" He ordered, before he received confused looks.

"Uh, Seifer? Tell me… what exactly are we looking for?" Fujin asked cluelessly, her stare looking at the floor. She moved a piece of splintered wood away from her with her foot and looked back up at Seifer.

"Ya know?" was Raijin’s only comment in his familiar speech.

Seifer ran his gloved hand through his hair and tapped the handle of his Gunblade against his shoulder, an action he usually does to show that he was thinking. "Look for any important papers, documents, anything that relates back of the orphanage about nineteen or eighteen years ago," He finally demanded. There were pauses of silence, then the satisfying of shuffle and footsteps afterwards.

Seifer had to admit the question why he was doing this. It was an ingrained instinct in his mind that had been in his head for the past few weeks now. A voice in his head, burning him with questions about his past. He knew Squall and his "friends" (excluding Rinoa, of course) had been with him in the orphanage years for about five years before they were each sent off to foster homes. But Seifer knew there were other children in that orphanage; other children not included in those flashbacks and dreams he has every night. Maybe one is a sibling, or a friend. He never had a friend until he was sent off to Balamb Gardens, and even so, Seifer never really considered Fujin and Raijin "friends," because of reasons unknown to him, even though Fujin and Raijin stuck by his side through thick and thin. Always, always in that orphanage, he made more enemies as friends, and it grew into their late adolescent years. He didn’t mean to pick on the tiniest kids. It was just that he was never really paid attention to and being an orphan made it even harder for him. Time after time, when he was little, he would seclude himself to a corner and cry for his parents, ask questions to where they could have possibly gone, only to be talking to a wall. He was weak, very vulnerable back then… but something, something had triggered him to be the way he is now.

That is what Seifer is eager to know, to remember. He had to know, which is why the long voyage to Edea’s Orphanage in the Cape of Good Hope.

Seifer shook his head and looked around. As they were supposed to do, Fujin and Raijin were indeed starting to sift through the stone rubble and the shatter pieces of glass and wood. By the look on their faces, failure and disappointment filled both faces everywhere they looked.

Failure… and disappointment… Oh how Seifer hated those two feelings, those two emotions. He always told himself that he wasn’t born to fail and disappoint his superiors, but to be the best there was. That was his only encouragement he could give himself. He experienced failure the past few years, in front of his rival, in front of many of those who looked up to him, who feared him, who just didn’t care. The feeling was almost death to him, a pain that was left in his heart after his defeat. It was a day he couldn’t forget, the day when he first saw failure through his eyes.

"Seifer, you’ve been quiet lately," Fujin finally said, breaking the wall of unspoken silence. She stood up from the place she was kneeling at, and placed her hands behind her back. Her expression became more callous and serious as she gave Seifer a slight confused face.

Raijin also stood up from where he was sitting and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Yeah, ya know?" He added, trying to be helpful. He opened his mouth to say something else, but Fujin shot him a look and he fell silent.

Seifer dismissed both comments with a wave, shaking his head. "Just thinking..." He received more than surprised glances from Fujin and Raijin, but that quickly changed when he narrowed his eyes. "C’mon! Search now!"

Silent mumbles and complaints came from Fujin and Raijin’s mouth, but they obeyed Seifer and started to seek for anything now. They wouldn’t dare get in Seifer’s face... even though they had threats of mutiny and revolt in both of their minds. They were his posse; they can’t fail Seifer now.

Aira sighed heavily, nonchalantly letting her head lean back into the red velvet cushion she was resting on. Yawning widely while trying to keep her eyes open, she sighed even more and swung her legs on the left side of the seat she was in and propped her feet on the seat, leaning back more. Today has been a long day for her.

She didn’t know what she was looking for in Balamb Gardens, nor did she have any business in that school. But she was running low on supplies, and weakened by the monsters that infested the forests around the continent. Aira didn’t dare to go through Fisherman’s Horizon, in fear of running into her old childhood friend, which she haven’t even tried to contact him in years, so the Garden nearby was the only place she could actually go. She was quite bewildered at the fact that Balamb Gardens didn’t allow any outside visitors, but thanks to Aira’s quick thinking and excellent memory, she happened to remember that one of her neighbors from her Dollet hometown was a physician for Balamb Garden. So, Aira crossed her fingers for good luck and lied that she was Dr. Kadowaki’s adopted daughter, dropping by for a visit. Much to her disbelief, she was able to go past the guards and avoid the stares of the wary students around the school.

Aira was able to find sufficient supplies, even though it was quite hard to come by. She didn’t find any shops, nor was she able to find a place to rest. But by sifting through the student’s dormitories, she not only got to rest, but was able to steal some supplies from the rooms. She didn’t feel the least bit guilty; it was how she lived her life.

Afterwards, she succeeded to hide away for the rest of the day at the Quad, hiding behind the big stage. There, she planned the next day and rested more. Aira didn’t realize when she woke up; the whole entire Garden was dark and empty. She panicked for a little while when she couldn’t go out, and only found one place open at the time of night: The Training Center. As soon as she stepped in, a wave of familiarity washed over her, but she quickly shook it off and set out to explore. After quickly exploring, Aira concluded that this place was smaller than she thought it was, and was about to leave until she noticed a door, wide open, that was hidden by the towering rocks. She smiled wryly at the sight of this and worked her way around the rocks into the doorway.

Inside, she found a stone balcony, circling out into the open night sky. It was pure serenity, with the waves of the oceans the only sound that surrounded her. Aira wrinkled her nose at the students scattered among the balcony, quietly talking between themselves and placed herself in the middle of the circular balcony. In attempt to entertain herself until seven in the morning, the time she planned to leave and the exact time the Garden doors opened, she waited for someone to talk to her, but unfortunately, no one didn’t even bat an eyelash at her. Angered, she was about to leave around the strike of one o’clock until a young girl with peculiar short brown hair and a very innocent image stopped Aira from going to a mad rampage. Aira was intrigued by the girl’s image and besides, it seems as if the girl was alone too.

That was where Aira met Selphie Tilmitt, the honest and daunting seventeen-year-old SeeD of Balamb Gardens. Aira had to make up some quick lies, which Selphie quickly believed in, and became quick friends. Even though Aira made a fake personality, it seemed as if Selphie always made her feel light and happy, as if she were Selphie’s best friend already. But another thing stopped Aira in her tracks.

Selphie mentioned Squall Leonhart.

Aira managed to keep up her act, but couldn’t contain her excitement. Her search and suffering would come to an end. Quickly rambling off some lies, and trying to act sympathetic to earn the respect of Selphie even more, she managed to get Selphie to lead Aira to her "leader."

Of course, Aira didn’t know what to expect from Squall. She never met him before, or doesn’t know what he was like, but when she met him, sparks flew even before they made contact. Inside, Squall’s remarks and personality flared her anger even more, a burning sensation in her body that wanted to kill him so bad. It was like she met him before in her life, and something caused her to be so angry all the time, seeking revenge. It was a strange feeling in her body; she never felt so much fury in her life.

It took Selphie forever to break the two apart, which their argument was about to turn into a fistfight, from Aira’s viewpoint. Selphie quietly led Aira out the Training Center, without giving a chance for Aira to finish her mission. Selphie, without any debate, took Aira into her dormitory and let Aira sleep on the couch. While Selphie fell asleep, Aira patiently waited for seven o’clock to hit, muttering about her failure about the only chance of ever finishing her mission. In fact, as she waited, Aira returned all the things that she stolen from Selphie, giving her slight sympathy.

As soon as the school bells rang throughout the halls of the school, Aira was long gone; quickly making her way through Fisherman’s Horizon and onto the long bridge that connects the Esthar Continent and the main Continent. It was a long way, but Aira managed to sprint across the bridge, and into the town of Timber.

Now Aira was on a Timber train heading toward Deling City. She didn’t have the money, but her innocent resemblance netted her a free one-way ride to Deling City. Some strangers stared at her with disbelief, but Aira shook it off and made her way to the first-class cars, relaxing on her own red velvet seat, dozing off.

But as always, something is always stopping her from what she always planning. She was thinking about how her boss would react when he hears that Aira didn’t do a scratch to Squall’s picture perfect image. Her mission was a failure. Aira couldn’t imagine what to do now, instead of running away for the rest of her life.

Aira sighed again and lazily blew away the few light brown strands that flew on her face. She began to close her eyes to sleep until a voice startled her.

"Excuse me... is anyone sitting here?"

Aira indolently opened an eyelid, observing where the source of the voice came from. With one eye, Aira saw a tall woman, about the same age as herself, with medium-length dark brown hair, with a few light brown highlights spotting her hair. She was fair-skinned and lean, wearing a light blue dress that complimented her figure. Aira opened both eyes and blinked, giving the woman a blank look. "Uh... I don’t think anyone is sitting here..." Aira finally said with a long pause, letting her legs swing to the floor again. She gestured for the girl to sit down. Aira hated acting nice to strangers, but she was too sleepy to even frown.

The woman silently thanked her in response and promptly sat herself down. She flicked a small part of her hair to her back and leaned back on the cushion. It was silent for a long time, before the woman actually turned to a dozing Aira and said, "My name’s Rinoa. Nice to meet you." Rinoa held her hand out, waiting for a greeting.

Aira reluctantly shook Rinoa’s hand. "I’m... I’m Aira," She stuttered out in surprise. She heard the name Rinoa before... but she couldn’t just quite put her finger on it...

Rinoa gave a warm smile and placed her folded hands on her lap. "Nice to meet you Aira. My... what a pretty name," She complimented, giving another smile that almost bewildered Aira to the bone.

"Pretty name? Hardly... I hate it," Aira replied, wrinkling her nose.

"Why is that?"

Aira opened her mouth, but shut it. She never really knew the reason why she hated her name so much. Aira remembered that she hated the name for so long, that she practically forgot in the midst of all the hatred. She hesitated for awhile, thinking for another lie to tell Rinoa, but couldn’t bring herself to do that. Rinoa... seemed too nice to lie to, just like Selphie. "I... don’t know. You know... that sometimes you hate something or someone for so long... you just forget the reason because you just picture hatred now," Aira said after a long pause, fumbling with her fingers. "Well... I don’t know if you can relate to it, but I can."

Rinoa shook her head fiercely. "Are you kidding me? I can relate to that perfectly," She stated. "I completely understand Aira."

Those last four words really threw Aira off-guard. Here she is, hitching a free ride to Deling City, where certain death resides over there, talking to a woman about the same age as her, who completely understands Aira. No one can understand Aira’s complex mind, where secrets and lies harbor in with the mischievous and evil deeds she has done in the past. What could Rinoa, this girl, have that can relate to her? Did Rinoa suffer as much pain as Aira? Did this woman who sits right next to her have ties with such an evil person? How could this girl understand what she’s been going through for the last six years of her life?

Aira didn’t respond or comment to what Rinoa said; instead, she just merely changed the subject. "So... you’re going to Deling City, huh? Got some business there you have to take care of?"

Rinoa stopped for awhile, puzzled by Aira’s quick change of subject, but replied warily. "Not really... I just have to catch a train to Balamb over there." She paused again. "What about you? Do you have business over there?"

"Sorta," Aira nonchalantly replied. "I have ties with some current delegates for the next presidential election." She shuddered at the thought of those horrid things. She hated elections and hated those delegates even more, but she was careful not to show it or her boss might decapitate her.

Rinoa chuckled quietly. "I hate those kinds of things. You never know what’s going on in their personal lives, and trust me, it’s horror."

Aira frowned. "How would you know?" She asked curiously.

"Oh, because..." Rinoa paused, obviously thinking hard. "Well, to make a long story short, I’m Galbadian Army General Caraway’s daughter... he lives in Deling City," She said quickly, turning her head away. "Don’t ask... it’s a long story," She mumbled.

Aira didn’t respond, but just forced a smile towards Rinoa and turned back to the glass window. Blurs of green and blue in amazing speed flew past the window, almost dizzying Aira to a sleepy daze, until it came to a sudden stop. She sighed again as the monotonous voice of the conductor directed the passengers to move out of the train cars. She absent-mindedly followed directions, walking slowly out the car and following Rinoa’s light blue dress swings in many directions. Aira shook her head and regained herself. "Oh God... I almost lost my train of thought there," She muttered, almost loud enough for Rinoa to hear.

Rinoa stopped and turned back to Aira. "Hmm, you looked kinda confused when we were getting off the train."

Aira shook her head again to get more thoughts out of her head and turned back to smile at Rinoa. "I guess since you’re here, you would drop by your father’s house, huh?" She questioned thoughtlessly, but received almost a dark look from the other girl. Surprised by the expression, Aira stuck her hands into her pockets and started to walk away, without turning back. She was a very good distance from the train station, and was nearly feet away from the Central Park when realization hit her like a ton of bricks.

"Oh my GOD."

"I am the most STUPIDEST person in the world."

She stopped dead in her tracks and staggered weakly onto a nearby bench, bringing her hand to her forehead. The only sound she heard was her own raspy breathing, too stunned to move from the abandoned bench of the park. Why didn’t she realize it sooner? It would sure make her mission easier, plus she could say the good news to her boss. Aira wondered what could have been running through her mind during that train ride, while she was talking to Rinoa. The solution to her problem was right in front of her face, and Aira let the opportunity slip through her fingers.

Aira leaned back on the bench and sighed exasperatingly. "I read the magazine over and over again, almost memorized every word, but why did I forget that Rinoa is Squall Leonhart’s girlfriend!?" She exclaimed under her breath.

"Hmph... you now just figured it out, Aira."

Aira gasped in bewilderment at the sound of the deep voice and whirled around. A dark figure appeared behind the bench, a tall and lanky figure hunched in his dark clothes. The man chuckled menacingly and walked slowly around the bench, until he was standing a good distance away from where Aira was sitting. The man frowned, keeping his hands into his pockets. Aira could only sit silent in fear.

"Iago," Aira whispered.

Iago scowled at the sound of his name. "I’m not surprised that you wouldn’t know. I mean, it would take you eons to do a simple little mission when Oralee could do this in a day," He said fiercely.

Aira flinched at the name of Oralee, one of her associates that work for Iago. She hated that girl, despite the fact that they were raised together in a city, and that they used to be best friends. Ever since Oralee abandoned her at a dynamite-infused shack in Winhill, both women decided to work separately. Nowadays, Oralee have been coming in and out of the office, with mission after mission done. "But... Boss! Please give me another chance! I have a superb idea to get Squall, I really do!" Aira pleaded desperately, bolting up from the bench. "I can do it by dusk!"

Iago frowned again. "I hear that every time you come to me," He replied grimly, crossing his arms across his chest. "Tell me Aira... what is this ‘superb’ plan you talk of?"

Aira hesitated, in truth that she lied of having a plan to get herself out of hot water. If she could only think of something and do it by dusk, everything would be okay...

"If you’re lying, Aira, I might not be so benevolent next time," Iago added.

"Caraway."

"What?" Iago was taken aback from what Aira just said, stepping back in fear. "What does Caraway have to do with anything?"

"Caraway," Aira repeated slowly. "Caraway... is Rinoa’s father."

Iago’s eyes widened, but he quickly shook it off. "What does Caraway and his daughter have to do with your mission?"

"Well..." Aira was doubtful about the plan she just configured in her head, and prayed silently as she started to talk. "Caraway’s daughter is Squall’s girlfriend... from what I read, Squall is kinda protective of everything, especially Rinoa... so, if anything should happen traumatically to Rinoa, it might bring Squall here, where I could easily get him when he is at his vulnerable stage." Suddenly, everything became clear to Aira. The more she talked of her plan, the more it seemed like it was going to work without hitch. Instantly, Aira became excited and awaited for Iago’s reaction.

Iago fell silent, obviously thinking hard about Aira’s plan. "I give you permission to do this, but I ask of you to do one thing..."

"Yes?"

"Just don’t hurt the girl in the process. She might be valuable to my needs once her boyfriend is dead," Iago replied, with a slight chuckle in his tone. He walked slowly behind the bench again, and that was about to disappear into the artificial forest until he stopped and turned his head back in Aira’s direction. "One question... what are you going to do to dramatically change Rinoa’s life?"

Aira shrugged casually and smiled wryly. "Kill Caraway."