The Start of a Rocky Friendship Renewed
Seifer Almasy would forever be a man with a veritable chip upon his shoulder. No matter what anybody said or did toward or for him, he would always remain the same old Seifer Almasy. And perhaps Squall and the others had taken fallen out of a tree as they approached the blond who stood before them with a sour look on his face. He didn't seem very interested in any of them as Selphie Tilmitt stepped forward first. The smile was warm upon her sunny features as she held out her hand to Seifer.
"Welcome home," she said cheerfully, sincerely.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Seifer waved her off with disdain.
But instead of relenting in her assault, Selphie pressed forward. Hand on her hips, the perky brunette couldn't help but sigh. "You never change do you?"
"Were you expecting me to change just for you and the goody goody squad?" he snapped at the girl.
"Well – no, but –"
"Don't bother Selphie," Squall interjected. "He doesn't understand friendship."
"Tch," Seifer scoffed. "And I suppose that you would."
"He knows better than you do," Zell piped up.
"Can it chicken wuss; I'll deal with you later."
"WHAT'D YOU JUST CALL ME ALMASY?!"
"Zell," Squall said calmly, his hand upon the blond fighter's shoulder. "Settle down."
"What did we do that's so wrong Seifer?" Selphie asked cautiously. "Why can't we all just be friends again? Like we were back home at the Orphanage?"
"That wasn't a home," Seifer snapped, looming over Selphie in an instant who stared back up at the tall blond, undeterred of her dreams.
"Everybody has a home," Selphie affirmed.
"Maybe for you," Seifer reiterated. "But not for me. I'd rather live in –"
"In what, time compression? That'll never happen."
"Can it Instructor," Seifer snapped again.
"But Seifer…" Selphie pleaded. "Please, this is a second chance for you, why not take it?"
Seifer stared at Selphie wondering just how in the world such a girl could exist in a place like Garden? How could a person remain so cheerful and optimistic after being through hell and coming back alive after the ordeal? The scarred blond smirked lightly before running his hand through the perky brunette's hair and rumpled it in a playful manner. He brushed past the others without so much as a glance before turning around.
"Just so you know," he called after a suitable distance was between them all. "I'm not doing this for any of you. I'm doing this for Fuu and Rai."
It was the start of the rocky friendship.