Headmistress
Selphie Kinneas stared out the window of
her spacious office window wishing it would snow. For Trabia
there had been surprisingly little that year. Even at the age
of
37 Selphie still loved snow like a little girl and got almost
excited about it as her own daughters or any of the other
children at Trabia Garden. She wondered how Zell's vacation
was going and thought with some reluctance that she might
start planning a memorial for Squall. The twenty year
anniversery of his appearance was coming up. Actually it was
tomorrow she remembered with dismay.
A baby's fussing
pulled her out of her thoughts and Selphie
went into the next room to rescue her five month old son Gavin
from his crib.
"Ok baby," she
crooned softly, "It's dinner time. Let's go find
Daddy so we can all eat together."
The baby cheered
up immediately when she lifted him and
clutched him to her chest. With that Selphie made her way to
the elevator and went to down to the main floor.
The hallways
were fairly empty which was not too unusual
for early evenings at Trabia Garden. Everyone was probably in
the cafeteria, Selphie said to herself.
Selphie loved
the way Trabia Garden had been restored
after the Galbadian missles had destroyed it all those years
before. The new school was much better than the old one and
that gave Selphie much satisfaction in thinking about it. All
the
instructors and staff with exception of Irvine were people who
had survived the destruction and helped to rebuild the Garden.
The cafeteria
was noisy and crowded but the happy chaos
was the kind of noise and it gladdened Selphie's heart to hear
it. She walked past students who hugged and greeted her
towards where Irvine was lecturing a group of students.
"You guys had
better remember there's a test tomorrow,"
Irvine was saying.
"But Instructor
Kinneas!" whined the kids.
"No buts about
it! You guys have SeeD exams coming up
and I want you all to be ready for them! Is that clear?
Mena?
Vaughn? Skot? Aurora?" Irvine looked at each one
of them in
turn as he spoke.
Skot pleaded,
"C'mon Instructor! We were out on the
playground playing basketball before dinner and it felt like
snow out there! It hasn't snowed in like forever ya know and
ya
know we could never concentrate if it snowed!"
Irvine adamantly
repeated, "Test tomorrow! No matter
what!"
The kids walked
off grumbling under their breath and Irvine
shook his head as he watched them go.
Selphie walked
up behind him and slipped her free arm
around his waist, "Aww but Instructor Kinneas it might snow
tomorrow, " she laughed, "Oh Irvine they're just kids. Snow's
a
big deal to them."
"Selphie, I'm
just worried about their grades so are a lot of
instructors. Those four punks are nothing but trouble!" Irvine
insisted.
"Even so don't
you remember being their age?" Selphie let
go of his waist and handed him the squirming baby.
Irvine reached
for him, "Yeah but I was exactly like those
kids. I wanted to have fun and I paid for it later when I had
to
bust my butt to make SeeD!"
They were interrupted
by the squealing voice of their eight
year old daughter Kaeli, "Mommy! Daddy! Guess what? It's
snowing! Instructor Felns said it was!"
Irvine groaned
and Kaeli asked, "What's wrong Daddy?"
Selphie answered
for him, "Daddy doesn't like snow very
much honey."
Kaeli giggled,
"Silly Daddy! Snow is great and lotsa fun!"
Irvine patted
her on the head with his free hand, "Sure it is
punkin but don't you go out and play in it tonight! You'll get
sick."
Kaeli frowned,
"Ok Daddy... But I'm gonna go find Allie and
tell her about the snow!" referring to her 12 year old sister.
The students
were all running out of the cafeteria,
presumably to go look out of windows at the snow.
Irvine sank
into a chair, "I suppose classes will be
cancelled tomorrow," he remarked drily.
"Aw Irvine it's
the first snow of the season. You know we
always cancel classes every year for this," Selphie sat down
next to him.
"And every year
I get annoyed," grumble Irvine, "You and
your silly traditions."
The following
morning was laid back. It would snow many
more times during a Trabia winter and sometimes through the
rest of the year. But summer had been unusually long that year
and the first snow was always special.
Irvine wasn't
sure where Selphie was that afternoon but he
bundled up the baby in a snowsuit and took him outside.
Maybe Selphie was out there or maybe she'd join them.
He crouched
down with Gavin in his arms, "See son? This
is snow. It's yucky and it's cold but your mommy loves it so
we
have to pretend we do too. Don't tell anyone we're faking it.
It's
our little secret ok?"
So engrossed
in his son was Irvine that he did not see Zell
and Squall walk through the gates. But Selphie had come up
behind him and she spotted Zell and Squall right away.
"Zell!
Who's that with you? Oh my it's Squall isn't it?
Squall?" Selphie ran to him and threw herself into his arms.
"Squall...twenty
years... it's really you?" Selphie sobbed
against his shoulder and Squall gingerly wrapped his arms
around her. It had been so long since he'd felt a woman's body
in his arms, so long since he'd touched another human that he
was a little nervous.
"It's really
me Selphie... Zell told me everything... I'm going
to help Rinoa... she'll leave Seifer and I'm so sorry I left..."
Squall thought Selphie looked a little confused but he couldn't
be too sure because at that moment kids came screaming in
terror.
"Headmistress!
MONSTERS! Skot's been attacked by
monsters!" shrieked the horrified kids.
Selphie immediately
sprang into action, "Ok all Instructor
secure the Garden! Get the students inside! Mena and
Vaughn take Skot to the infirmary! Aurora you take Gavin inside
give him to Kaeli or Allie! All SeeDs make sure the younger
children are safe! And no one leaves the Garden or enters it
other than students and faculty until I give the go ahead! Irvine,
Zell and Squall I know it's been a long time since we fought
together but get your weapons and lets get to that forest!"
It was a hexadragon.
Ugly and menacing it leered at them.
Squall's gunblade
wasn't working so good after years of
disuse. But then his companions weren't doing so well either.
Zell was still trying to keep up his superhero image but even
his trusty Ergheiz-clad fists weren't doing so well. Without
gaurdian forces junctioned they were toast.
Or so they all
thought. Selphie was sprawled on the
ground vomiting when she started to glow an odd pink light.
The pink light shot through Irvine, Zell and Squall and they felt
the strength returning to their bodies. The three of them
watched stunned as Selphie struggled to her feet. Her arms
were raised into the air and rainbow lasers shot out of her
wrists, the rainbows formed an arch above the hexadragon's
head. Pink clouds enveloped the monster and an angelic
woman appeared in the middle. She looked oddly like Selphie
and she raised her own arms and a rainbow cage encircled
the monster. Suddent a pink pist covered everything and when
it cleared the monster was gone and Selphie lay moaning on
the ground.
Irvine helped
her to her feet, "Sefie what was that?"
"I--I don't
know exactly. I got weak enough to use my limit
break and something called an Aeris Rainbow appeared in my
slot..." Selphie was still weak. Whatever the limit break had
done to heal Zell, Squall and Irvine it had not healed Selphie.
Her body slumped against Irvine.
Irvine picked
her up and cradled her in his arms, "Let's get
back to the Garden!"
At the Garden,
Irvine ordered Zell to take Squall to the guest
quarters so they could clean up and Zell could find Squall
some clothes other than the deerskin rags he'd made himself.
Irvine meanwhile would take care of Selphie and make sure
the Garden was safe.
The guest quarters
was a long dormitory kept for sports
teams, family, friends, students and staff or any other assorted
visitors. Squall felt uneasy in such a civilised place and even
more uneasy when he looked at his scruffy self in a mirror.
Zell noticed
him, "Hit the showers pal! Hot water'll feel
good after twenty years of washing in cold ocean or
streamwater or whatever you've been doing."
Zell was right,
Squall thought as the hot water hit his body,
Soap felt good too. Better than the sand he'd used on the
island.
It also felt
good to shave with a real razor rather
` Presently Irvine
returned arm in arm with Selphie. She
carried the baby Squall had seen earlier. A little girl rode
piggyback with her arms around Irvine's neck and and older girl
clung to his hand.
It struck Squall
then how much Irvine and Selphie loved
each other and their children. The had changed so much from
the annoying Selphie and sleazy Irvine that Squall
remembered.
` Thoughts flew
unbidden to Squall's mind. Could this have
been me and Rinoa if I had stayed? Will I ever fit in this world
again with these people I left so long ago? Then he noticed
Irvine was speaking to him.
"These are our
children: Allie, she's twelve," Irvine
indicated the girl clinging shyly to his hand, "Kaeli, she's eight,"
the piggyback girl giggled and Squall noticed how much she
resembled Selphie, "And the baby is Gavin and he is five
months old."
Squall nodded.
He wasn't sure what to say. He watched
as Irvine set Kaeli gently to the ground. "Ok princess
I want
you and Allie to go and get some dinner."
Allie piped
up "Daddy we wanna stay with you and
mommy!"
"Yeah darlin'
I know but your little tummies are empty and if
you don't eat you'll get sick. Besides I told Uncle Zell to save
you a few hot dogs." And the kids skipped out of the room.
Selphie watched
her daughter leave and then she sat it one
of the chairs, "Squall...God....I....shit...twenty years..you've come
back after twenty years."
Irvine sat down
next to her and draped an arm around her
shoulders, "Alright Squall you tell us your story and whatever
Zell told you and we'll fill in around the edges."
When Squall
had relayed his story and the gist of what Zell
had said, Selphie was crying an dIrvine looked grim.
Between her
tears Selphie managed to choke out, "Squall
we all loved you so much. Maybe we didn't all say it but it was
true. I wish we could have helped you but the important thing
is
your back and better late them never."
Irvine caressed
Selphie's hair and kissed her cheeks while
whispering words of comfort into her ear. And for a moment
Squall felt pangs of jealousy. Not because he wanted Selphie
or he wanted to be Irvine. But Squall yearned for the kind of
relationship they shared. Years of loneliness will do that to
a
man.
Irvine looked
Squall in the eye "Well most of what Zell said
was true but he forgot a few things. Squall, Seifer's dead."
Squall was shocked
that Zell hadn't told him but he couldn't
find the words to express what he was feeling.
Irvine kept
speaking, "I guess I should start at the
beginning. The day you left...."
Flashback 20 Years Ago
(Irvine and Selphie are sitting on the grass with the sun shining
on them)
Irvine: Say Selphie whaddaya say you and me go and have a
little fun?
Selphie: And whaddaya say you stop acting like a sleazeball?
Irvine: Aw baby you know you like it!
Selphie: Well maybe but still...
(Rinoa runs over)
Rinoa: SQUALL! He's gone!
Irvine: Relax Rinoa! We'll help you find him!
Rinoa: I'm scared! What if I drove him off?
Irvine: You? No Rinoa if Squall left it's his own problem.
Rinoa: No it's my fault!
Selphie: I'm gonna alert Cid and the other SeeDs!
Irvine stopped
speaking and Selphie picked up where he
left off, "Rinoa wouldn't tell us much about why she thought you
leaving was all her fault. But eventually we pieced it together..."
Flashback: 20 years ago
(Rinoa, Selphie and Quistis are walking along the road to
Balamb from the Garden)
Selphie: So Zell's gone now...
Rinoa: At least we know he'll be back.
Quistis: Yeah.. Don't worry Rinoa! Even if worst comes to worst
and Zell can't find Squall we'll be there for you!
Rinoa(laughs bitterly): If only that was all I had to worry about!
Selphie: What Rinoa? What is it?
Rinoa: It's so awful... I'm pregnant...
Quistis: Oh...
Selphie: With Squall's baby?
Rinoa: Of course it's Squall's! Who else would it be?
Selphie: Um I...
Rinoa: Shit Selphie! That's why he left!
(Selphie and Quistis stare in shock at sweet tempered Rinoa
for swearing but she pretends not to notice)
Selphie: Squall knew you were pregnant?
Rinoa: NO! I just found out myself! But that is why he left!
Quistis: Could you be a little more specific please?
Rinoa: Fine dammit! Squall and I slept together for the first
time the night he left! That's why he's gone!
Selphie: But Rinoa that doesn't make any sense.. I mean I
never had a guy who just up and left because we had sex..
Rinoa: Well you never slept with Squall! Hell nobody has
except me! Squall was a virgin! But I wasn't! I slept
with Seifer
when I was 16! I told Squall and he said it didn't matter...
But
he's gone do it must have... I should've lied!
Quistis: You slept with Seifer? Did he mention me?
Rinoa: NO! Why the hell should he have?
Quistis: Because I was his first lover...
Selphie: Oh my God...
Rinoa: So? BIG DEAL! I slept with Watts before Seifer but
it's
not like that ape Squall needed to know I lost my innocence to
a guy who called him sir!
Selphie: Geez Rinoa... I would've thought you'd have been a
virgin... you looked so innocent...
Rinoa: WELL I WASN'T! SO THERE! WHAT DID YOU TWO
WHORES THINK YOU WERE THE ONLY ONES GETTING LAID
AROUND HERE WELL YOU WEREN'T!
Quistis: You're not really... I think you're just scared..
Rinoa: YES! YOU ARE SO FUCKING BRILLIANT! I'M SCARED!
I'M ANGRY! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW?
Selphie: Well for starters you could cut down on the swear
words.
Rinoa: DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME WHAT TO DO!
(She slaps Selphie and collapses on the ground crying)
Rinoa: I'm sorry... I was just so frightened and embarassed...
for screaming at you... for being pregnant... I'm so stupid.. I was
so careful with Watts and Seifer and I just.. I ah just got carried
away with Squall and I assumed that if anything happened,
he'd be there for me because he loved me and we'd be
together forever and we'd get married.
(Quistis and Selphie run over and drop to the ground beside
her)
Selphie: Aw Rinoa that's what we all thought. Don't blame
yourself for Squall's actions!
Quistis: He'll come back once he's had a chance to cool off
you'll see...
"Quistis and
I got busy with SeeD duties soon after that
what with Esthar Garden being built and Trabia being rebuilt.
Quistis was assigned as head of Esthar and I Trabia. Maybe
we forgot about about Rinoa a little bit." Selphie glanced at
Irvine briefly, "Irvine got offered jobs as well but well I
remember us talking about it..."
Flashback 20 years ago
(Irvine is sitting on the floor of a Balamb Garden dorm room
when Selphie walks in)
Irvine: Selphie! I was just thinking about you.
Selphie: Were you really? Irvine we gotta talk...
Irvine: About what?
Selphie: Us, our relationship and where we're heading and I've
been offered a job as the new headmistress of Trabia and Cid
wants me to go and oversee the rebuilding of it as soon as
possible...
Irvine: That's great baby!
Selphie: I know it's just that I heard you were offered jobs
too
and I...
Irvine(stands up): What is it Selphie?
Selphie: I wanna be with you Irvine... I tried to tell myself
that
whatever we had was a brief fling but I've been admitting to
myself that I have deeper feelings for you. And if you don't
feel
the same about me that's fine but I couldn't live with myself until
I told you. I mean I've had other boyfriends and a few of them
were my lovers but I've never felt this way about anyone before.
I think it's real this time. I love you Irvine. I can't
help it I...
(Irvine clutches him to her and drowns out her words with
kisses)
Irvine: Oh Selphie you know I love you too. Whatever jobs I've
been offered forget 'em! Nothin's standin' in the way of us
being together. Of course I have one little condition though..
Selphie(looks a little nervous): What?
Irvine: That I get a job at Trabia. I'm not the kinda guy who
can
sit around doin' nothin'!
Selphie(giggles):Of course!
(Rinoa walks in)
Rinoa: Oh gosh sorry I'm interrupting something.
Irvine:What do you need Rinoa?
Rinoa: Oh I just wanted to tell you I'm marrying Seifer and
you're all invited to the wedding.
Selphie: Seifer? Rinoa you don't have to do that!
Rinoa: Yes I do! There is no other option!
(She marches from the room)
Irvine grimaced
at the memory, "The wedding was really
depressing. Rinoa was like a stone statue. Quistis and
Selphie bawled the whole time.
Squall got to
his feet,"I've heard enough! I'm leaving! And
I'm going back to my island! You idiots have screwed up your
lives enough!"
Selphie shoved
the baby into Squall's arms, "Here now you
can't leave! Now sit down and listen up! You can't just
leave
everytime things don't go your way! The truth is painful and
the
truth is Squall you screwed up a lot of lives by leaving and
whatever pain we cause you tonight well I think you deserve it!
Seifer was right! You're not a man! I don't even think
you're
human! Look I understand you wanted to be alone for awhile
but twenty years is not awhile! That's not wasting time to think!
That's cowardice!"
Squall was stunned
by the fire in Selphie's eyes. But even
he knew she had a right to be angry. They all did except for
him. And if Selphie was this angry well then Squall could only
imagine what Rinoa's reaction would be.
Irvine had caught
one of Selphie's hands in his and was
absently caressing her fingers, "I guess I'll keep on then... All
right Squall I hope you understand how this next tale applies to
you. Selphie wanted to be there when Rinoa gave birth.
We'd
been working nonstop in Trabia that whole year so it was nice
to have a few days off. Besides we hadn't had any time alone
since we'd realized we were in love.
Flashback 19 years ago
(Galbadia Hotel Irvine is sitting on the edge of a bed with
Selphie in his lap)
Selphie: Irvine before we go any further I want you to promise
me something...
Irvine: Anythin' for you Selphie doll.
Selphie: Promise me you'll be here in the morning. Don't you
leave me like Squall left Rinoa.
Irvine: Is that what you're afraid of? Don't worry precious
girl,
when have I ever done anything remotely like Squall?
Selphie picked
up where he left off again, "We got to the
house where Seifer and Rinoa lived. Well usually Rinoa lived
there alone because of Seifer's work and no matter what Zell
tells you Seifer didn't truly abuse her, he simply ignored her.
He told her that he wanted nothing to do with the birth of your
child. So we told Rinoa we'd be there. Rinoa only wanted
me
and Quistis in the room so Irvine would wait outside..."
Flashback 19 years ago
(Large stone mansion on cactuar island)
Quistis:How're you doing?
Rinoa: Ok but I wish it was over...
Selphie: Do you have names picked out for it?
Rinoa: Juliane for a girl and Squall for a boy. Oh I felt
something...Ahh again...I think it's starting.. It's time!
Quistis: Ok we'll walk out in the hall for awhile to speed things
up!
Rinoa: Oh it's really starting to hurt! I didn't know it would
hurt
like this!
(Rinoa screams and grabs Selphie's wrist, her sharp
fingernails cutting into Selphie's delicate flesh)
Selphie: I'M BLEEDING!
(Rinoa ignores her and shrieks louder)
Quistis: Ok Rinoa let's get you into the bedroom and Selphie
will help you out of your dress.
Rinoa:NOO...I don't wanna take my clothes off! I'm scared!
Quistis(glaring at Rinoa like an errant child: You do as I say or
you will die! No matter what! No matter how much it hurt
you
have to get this baby out to save both of your lives!
Selphie: Wait? She's dying? She wasn't dying five minutes ago!
Quistis: She's not going to die right now! But eventually
she
will if she doesn't cooperate and that's life!
(A whimpering Rinoa lets Selphie help her undress)
Quistis: Selphie you help her onto the bed! Oh great we need
hot water and towels! IRVINE!
(Irvine comes running but Quistis blocks him from going inside
or seeing Rinoa)
Quistis: Alright Irvine get hot water, towels, scissors, ice cubes,
thread, a needle and some soap! AND HURRY UP!
Selphie: Oh look I can see a head!
Quistis: NO! It can't be already! Rinoa just barely went into
labor!
Rinoa: Um I gotta admit something I started having pains at
about 2 am last night...
Quistis: RINOA! That was at least 12 hours ago!
Irvine: Hey Quistis! There's a puddle in the hall!
Rinoa: Oh did I mention my water broke at like 8 am?
Quistis: RINOA!
Selphie: QUISTIS!
Quistis: SELPHIE! Oh no! Ok Rinoa hold onto Selphie's
hands! Irvine I'm gonna need you in her to hand me things!
Rinoa: Noooo....
(Selphie kneels behind Rinoa and grabs her hands. Rinoa
shrieks in pain)
Quistis: Ok Rinoa I want you to push! Irvine hand me those
scissors!
(She cuts into Rinoa)
Rinoa: Owww! Why'd you do that?
Quistis: So it's head won't tear you! Don't worry I'll sew you
up!
NOW PUSH!
(Rinoa pushes and moans, She grips Selphie's hands harder)
Irvine: Dammit couldn't we have had a doctor?
Quistis: No Seifer's orders were that Squall's child didn't
deserve a doctor! PUSH HARDER!
(Rinoa's tortured screams ring throughout the house)
Quistis: Ok I think I've got it I can pull it out now. Yes I
have it!
You have a healthy baby girl!
(Rinoa and baby both start crying)
Quistis: Alright I'm going to cast sleep on you so you can rest.
I'll let you hold her as soon as you wake up.
(Rinoa nods through her tears)
Selphie wore
a half smile at the memory, "When Rinoa
woke up all the pain was forgotten. She was so happy to see
her baby. I guess it's like that for all new mothers. It
was like
that for me holding my babies. And I hope it was like that for
my mother whoever she was..."
Irvine smiled
lovingly at Selphie, "And other than the pain it
was that way for me too my love."
Squall stole
a look at the baby resting in his arms. And for
a moment the child's violet blue eyes caught his. They were
Irvine's eyes but where Irvine's eyes held the look of maturity
and wisdom the baby's eyes were innocent and sweet. He
wondered what his daughter's eyes were like.
Irvine watched
him, "Anything else you want to know?"
Squall nodded,
"Yeah you said Seifer was dead... Why
didn't Zell mention it?"
Irvine sighed,
"Part of that is because Zell still juctions GFs
secretely or so Selphie and I believe which wipes out his
memories and the other part is that he feels responsible for
Seifer's death. You see two years ago Zell was working part
time as a train conductor to pay off a few gambling debts. He
wasn't very good at train driving so one day when Seifer
attempted to beat the train off the tracks Zell ran into his car.
Seifer and his three sons died that day..."
Selphie looked
at the speechless Squall and then she
walked over to collect her son, "And now I think we all need
some rest!"
Squall retired
to the now dark dormitory where Zell was
sleeping face down on a bunk. Squall secured the bunk
furthest away from him. Zell was a loud snorer. Squall
thought
he'd never be able to sleep but he was out as soon as he got
into bed.
In the middle
of the night Selphie woke up Irvine from his
slumber.
"Irvy?" She
murmured into his ear as she ran her fingers
lightly down his chest.
"Mmmm?" Irvine
mumbled sleepily.
"Do you think
I should have told Squall I had Zell contact
Quistis?" she whispered.
"He'll find
out soon enough." Irvine rolled to his side so he
was facing her.
"Should I have
told Zell to tell Quistis about Squall?"
Irvine pulled
her body towards him, "No let's surprise her.
As a matter of fact I have some surprises for you..."
Selphie laughed,
"Oh really?"
She drew closer
to him and any thoughts but those of each
other were forgotten.
