A lot fewer than eleven students were waiting in the hallway for the SeeD exam results. Even Seifer wasn't there, although Fujin and Raijin were standing on opposite sides of the hall as if they were guarding it. Nida wondered if some people were so sure they'd failed that they didn't even want people to see them getting passed over.

He picked a spot to wait by the wall, close to where Zell was pacing back and forth. "Hi, Zell."

"Huh?" Zell stopped to frown at him. "Yeah, s'up."

Nida sighed. "…You forgot who I am, right?"

"What? No!" Zell made a look like he was thinking furiously. "Oh, you're the guy from Squad A, right? Uh…the messenger!"

"Nida," said Nida. "We're in the same class, too, you know."

"Oh, really?" Zell looked surprised for a second. "…Anyway, they said they're gonna call out names, one at a time."

"Right." Nida decided to stand farther down the hall.

A faculty member was stepping out of the elevator just as Nida approached. He paused, leveling what Nida thought was an irritated look from under his low-brimmed hat as Nida ducked out of the way, and then stepped up to the middle of the hall before checking the clipboard in his hand. "Tilmitt," he read. "Selphie Tilmitt, from Squad A. Please step forward."

"Really?!" Selphie exclaimed. "Whoo-hoo!" She practically skipped up to the elevator, where a second faculty member was waiting.

The faculty member didn't react at all. "Dincht," he said next. "Zell Dincht, from Squad B."

"Ohh YEAHHHHH!" Zell exclaimed, bouncing forward and doing a little wave to the other SeeDs before he pranced off after Selphie. "See ya!"

The faculty member tucked the clipboard under his shoulder and nodded. "That is all," he said, voice completely. "Dismissed."

And that was it. Nida told himself he'd been prepared for either outcome, but the sinking feeling in his throat still came on full force. Maybe it was natural to picture the moment when they'd call his name, or to get his hopes up when they called out Selphie's because squads tend to pass or fail as a group. It's just easier to picture a world where everything goes your way.

Even worse, the faculty were still standing by the elevator with Zell and Selphie, so there was no way out of the hallway. He had to stand there and listen as all the other students began the first round of inevitable gossip.

"Man, just 2 students? This year's exam was really tough, huh?"

"This sucks. I knew I wasn't gonna pass, but they don't have to be so cold about it."

"Guess Seifer failed again. Is this the fourth year in a row?"

Nida saw Tobias standing across the hall, looking completely bewildered. It was a little satisfying to know that at least he hadn't passed, either—but that was a really nasty thought to have. Nida could take the exam again next year, and even Seifer would get another chance. But Tobias was already 19, so it was over for him.

"Wait…," said one of the faculty members. "Weren't there supposed to be 2 people from Squad A?"

"…?" The one with the clipboard checked it again. "You mean…"

"Yeah. 2 from A, and 1 from B. So 3 students total."

So maybe Tobias had passed after all. Nida restrained a groan; this had to be some kind of divine punishment. Well, at least Tobias wouldn't be a member of the Technical Committee anymore; maybe Nida should join again next year. The extracurricular might look good on his record the next time he took the exam.

One of the faculty was standing right in front of him. Nida almost jumped when he noticed. How did they get around so quietly?

"Are you Nida from Squad A?" the faculty member asked.

The question was so unexpected that he actually needed a second to confirm that Nida was, in fact, his name. "…That's right."

"Come with us, please." The faculty member turned and started back toward the elevator.

By the time Nida got his legs to start walking, he'd decided that this had to be the most surreal thirty seconds of his life.


"These are the 3 students that passed today's exam."

Selphie, Zell, and Nida were standing in Headmaster Cid's office, marking the first time Nida had ever seen it. The place was very different from the rest of Balamb Garden, with an elegant wooden style that suggested an older, more traditional architecture, only the entire far wall was an expansive window that looked out over the campus and the Balamb countryside beyond.

Headmaster Cid stood in front of the window. "First of all, congratulations," he said, looking and sounding like his mind was on something else. He paused for a moment, eyes downcast, before continuing. "However…from now on, as members of SeeD, you will be dispatched all over the world." He spread his arms, and seemed to have caught a second wind. "We are proud to introduce SeeD, Balamb Garden's mercenary soldiers. But while SeeD soldiers are combat specialists, that is only one aspect of SeeD. When the time comes…."

"Headmaster," said the faculty member, just when Cid had seemed to be getting interested in what he was saying. "It's almost time for the meeting. Please make this short." Stepping towards the three students, he proceeded to take over the speech himself. "SeeD is a valuable asset to Garden. Its reputation is solely dependent on each one of you. Handle your mission with care. Is that what you wanted to say, sir?"

Cid, looking a little bemused, didn't answer, so the faculty member turned back to the students. "Here is your SeeD rank report!"

Looking deflated, the headmaster stepped forward, taking a trio of official-looking envelopes and handing the first one to Selphie. When he did, he whispered something to her in a sort of fatherly tone. Nida didn't catch his exact words, and had a hard time getting past the strangeness of his earlier speech. It seemed sometimes like the headmaster wasn't really very comfortable being headmaster, and that was especially in evidence today.

And then Cid was standing in front of him. He held out an envelope, embossed on the outside with the Garden logo and a single word—"NIDA," no last name—and then shook Nida's hand.

"Do your best," he said, "even if you don't stand out."

Nida blinked.

Cid stepped away before Nida quite managed to register what the headmaster had said, leaving him with the rank report in his hand and a sort of nasty feeling in his throat.

Was all this some kind of big, elaborate joke? Was he going to open the envelope and find that he'd failed the exam after all? Haha, of course you didn't pass. You're too boring to be a SeeD!

After presenting Zell's rank report, and telling him something Nida hadn't even tried to hear, Cid stepped back to stand in front of his desk. "This ends the SeeD inauguration," the faculty member was saying. "Dismissed!"

Zell and Selphie turned and practically danced back toward the elevator. Nida followed, barely registering the surroundings through the daze that was settling over his head. Practically as soon as he'd left the office, he pulled his rank report out of the envelope to read over the official assessment.

Conduct, 60 points. Judgment, 70 points. Attack, 30 points. Spirit, 50 points. Attitude, 50 points. SeeD rank: 6.

It was a perfectly average SeeD rank, which made sense given his basically average scores. People had become SeeDs with lower ratings, but it definitely wasn't the sort of result that would get the Garden talking.

Even if you don't stand out.

Well, whatever, Nida thought. It was over now, and he could finally go back to his dorm and rest. Or better yet, visit the cafeteria, which was probably out of food by now.

He made it to the elevator before he remembered the speech.

After graduation every year, the new SeeDs made a speech in front of the entire trainee class. They were supposed to reflect on their training and what becoming a member of SeeD meant to him. A bunch of junior classmen and students who weren't in the SeeD program usually came to see it.

Nida had to make a speech.

In front of everyone.

The elevator doors closed on him with a perfect sense of dramatic timing. Before they did, he noticed for a second that Instructor Trepe was in the reception area outside the headmaster's office, looking gloomy. For a second, he wondered why she wasn't in the classroom, and let himself hope that maybe they'd canceled the speech.

"This is awesome!" Selphie exclaimed, as the elevator started to descend. "SeeD! SeeeeD! SeeeeeeeD!"

"I know, right?!" said Zell. "Man, I can't wait to get back to class! I'm gonna give the whole Garden some real SeeD wisdom!"

You've been a SeeD for literally 2 minutes, Nida thought, but this was one of those times when he couldn't decide to be annoyed by Zell's incessant enthusiasm or to be jealous of it. Nobody ever had to warn that guy about not standing out.

Sighing, he stepped out into the hallway as the elevator deposited him on the 2F, and told himself to start thinking about what he should say in his speech after Zell got done making a scene.

"It's an incredible honor," he said, trying out the words. "To be a SeeD is a great responsibility, but it's also a great opportunity…." Wait, had he heard this somewhere? Was he repeating what one of the the students had said last year? Shaking his head, he tried again.

"Being a SeeD means getting sent all over the world," he tried, "and doing missions for all kinds of clients. We're combat specialists, but all the training we do…" Wait. Now he was just repeating what the Headmaster had just said.

This was ridiculous. It's not like anyone cared about this anyway. Quistis Trepe's speech might have been the moment that first inspired her fan club, but Nida had never heard anyone talking about what she'd actually said. And she'd just passed the exam at age 15 with the highest rank of any new SeeD ever; who was going to care about some Rank 6 seed who almost hadn't graduated because the Faculty forgot about him?

"You know what? Hell with you all. You can dismiss me all you want, but your days of ignoring me are done. Because I'm a SeeD now. After 17 years of suffering, my chance has finally arrived! I'll be the ruler of this Garden someday, and you will all cower before the force of my will! All your wills will be the will of my will, and all will be the will that my will will will it so! How's that for standing out?"

A moment later, Nida realized he'd been saying that out loud. Luckily, when he looked around, none of the others seemed to have noticed.

Yeah, that definitely wasn't an option. Where had that even come from? And why had he ended by saying "will" 11 times?

He started walking towards the intersection now, deciding that he'd just say something forgettable and get it over with.

A few other students were waiting outside the classroom, although Seifer was still nowhere to be seen. Fujin and Raijin were gone, as well. But leaning against the opposite wall, wearing his usual fur-collared coat, was Squall. A huge bandage had been applied to the side of his head, partially covered by his unruly brown hair, and a nasty cut that really should be bandaged stretched across the bridge of his nose from his right temple down toward his left cheek. The lining of his black leather coat was stained with dried blood.

Squall never looked especially personable. But today, his presence seemed almost sinister.

After an awkward moment, somebody started clapping. Most of the others in the hall joined in. Squall didn't, folding his arms and glowering with an even more intense version of his usual, broody expression.

Nida felt completely out of sorts. He really had no idea what the protocol or etiquette for this situation was, and for some reason just standing there didn't occur to him.

So he took a bow.


Quistis looked between Cid and the Faculty chairman, trying to ignore the lump in her throat. Cid's face had an apologetic, sorrowful expression, while the Faculty chairman's was hidden as usual beneath his hat.

"Seifer's always been a problem child, Quistis," Cid was saying. "And it's certain to Hyne that you're only the latest of many instructors who couldn't get through to him. So please understand that we're not attributing that situation to any error on your part."

"However, we have noticed a general degradation in discipline among students under your instruction," the Faculty chairman put in. "They show less dedication to completing their assignments, less respect for Garden rules and regulations. What's more, this group known as the 'Trepies' whom you seem to have inspired are an insult to other instructors and this institution."

Quistis nodded, doing her best to keep her face passive. Responding wasn't an option, as she didn't trust her voice right now anyway.

"Please understand that this wasn't an easy decision," Cid put in. "Quistis, you're one of the most intelligent and talented SeeDs to come through Garden. No one has disputed that."

Though the headmaster was clearly trying to cushion the blow, the Faculty chairman wanted none of it. "It's the judgment of the administration," he said, "that you lack the necessary leadership capabilities to properly function as an instructor in Garden. Therefore, your license will not be renewed for the summer or the following terms. It's expected that you will have all your documents in order for the convenience of the instructor who will replace you for next year's class. Do you understand?"

Quistis' eyes were stinging; there was a real chance that she'd break down and cry right there in Cid's office. And she hadn't cried once since she first came to Garden.

"Yes, sir," she managed, fighting fiercely to maintain her composure.

Cid gave her a very sad, very sympathetic look, which didn't make her feel better at all. "Quistis, I'm truly sorry," he said. After a pause where she still didn't trust herself to respond, he added, "We'll talk later."

Quistis saluted, turned precisely on her heel, and walked out of the office, making it all the way into the lift before she collapsed against the back wall, shaking. When she failed to select a destination, the lift automatically returned to the 1F, and by the time the doors opened, she had herself back under control.

She strode out and made for her room. Her uniform was feeling incredibly hot at the moment, and she felt she had to change. She was already missing the reception for the new SeeDs, so maybe she should to go up to the classroom, collect her things, and make sure everything was in order. Taking care of all the paperwork would probably keep her well into the night.