Also, so that all of you know this, Taken has become the sequel to Free As A Bird. The events I introduced at the end of that story (eg: the Galbadian transfer students) are germaine to this story. If you haven't read it, I recommend doing so—it'll make some things make more sense, particularly Seifer and Quistis' relationship.
Luv to you all! Thanks for sticking with me!
Eerian
Chapter 2They buried Selphie on the grounds of the old orphanage. Nearly everyone from both Balamb and Trabia Gardens had come to the funeral, along with Laguna Loire and Ellone. Laguna presided over the ceremony. Quistis, Rinoa, Squall and Zell acted as the pallbearers. Ellone provided gentle, quiet support to Irvine, who had become too numb to do much of anything.
The wind was gentle over the grass and flowers as the president of Esthar began his speech.
"Dear friends. I don't know many of you, but I'm sure Selphie could have told me all of your names and never been wrong. She was like that, remembering everyone she met. She was the person who would be your friend no matter who or what you were. No one was beneath her caring or her friendship. I am proud to have been able to call her friend, and I'm sure that all of you are too.
"We'll all remember her with fondness and love. But, Selphie would be the first to tell us all, don't stay sad. Instead, she'd tell us to go live our lives the way she did—with a smile and a passion for everything we do.
"Selphie was a bright lively woman. She was taken in by Cid and Edea Kramer after she was orphaned by the first Sorceress War. Despite her tragic youth, she was never less than cheerful and happy during her childhood and schooling. When she was seventeen, she graduated from Balamb Garden into the ranks of SeeD. She helped end the second Sorceress War the year she graduated. Then she returned to Balamb Garden where she instructed students in computers, technology and interpersonal relationships. Without even trying, Selphie went out of her way to foster her light in others.
"Her death was a tragic loss to all the world. She will be sorely missed."
Laguna bowed his head when he finished speaking and stepped back away from the podium. A ripple of surprise went through the crowd when Seifer Almasy stepped up to take his place.
"This wasn't part of the origonal plan," he said. "It would have driven Selphie crazy, because it disrupted all her careful planning. But I didn't think that President Loire's speech did Selphie Tilmitt enough justice. You were all her friends, and you all saw the level of caring she could be capable of, but I saw a different Selphie than most of you.
"We were raised in the same orphanage as children. When we were kids, we never got along. I was alone and angry and didn't want to be with anyone, let alone someone who was so cheerful all the time. When we went to school, she went to Trabia and I went to Balamb and we didn't see each other again for years. After she transferred to Balamb, she drove me nuts again with all that cheerfulness. I thought she was just one of those cheerleader types who could never take anything seriously. Even if she was my age, I thought she was just a kid.
"During the war, I saw a different Selphie. I saw the Selphie who had had her home destroyed, had friends killed and who was trying to keep the entire world from going to hell in a hand basket without really knowing what was going on. I saw the Selphie who was hurt, confused, scared and wanted revenge. And mostly, she wanted it on me, because a lot of what happened to her was my fault.
"But after the war, she came to my room one night during my trial and talked with me. I won't tell you everything, because some of that was in confidence. But I will tell you that she told me that I was forgiven for everything I'd done to her. And she told me that she would help me do whatever it took to make sure I stayed with them.
"And she told me she trusted me. That was the side of Selphie I was privileged to see. The side that believed redemption was possible, and I saw the girl who helped make it happen for me.
"Without Selphie Tilmitt, I probably would have died in prison. She saved me." Seifer stepped away from the podium, tears in his eyes. Quistis pulled him into a hug.
In the quiet that followed his speech, the microphone clipped to his collar picked up the words he whispered to Quistis. "I just can't believe she's gone."
There was a murmur of agreement through the crowd at his statement.
Irvine wept silently into Ellone's shoulder.
PS: sorry i wasn't much for the area discription or the focusing on the characters thoughts/feelings. i felt more that i needed to invoke emotion in the reader, not play off it using the characters.