Chapter Two: A Hope of Friendship.


It took little time for the word to get around about Ceres being Seifer's sister. Everyone stared at her, whispering, filling each other's minds with rot and filth. Raijin and Fujin repeatedly came up to her and tried to talk to her about Seifer, but she just brushed them off, not bothering to give them the time of day. She was here for one reason, and one reason only, and that was to repay Cid Kramer for what had happened to her older brother.

She had found out that it was a setup by accident. She had been looking for Velvet, her black cat, when she walked by a guest bedroom, to overhear Cid Kramer on the phone talking to his wife. It was their plan all along to use an innocent bystander as the Sorceress' puppet. Now they would regret they chose Seifer. She'd make them pay, even if it cost her her own life.

She had tried to foreworn Seifer, but he wouldn't listen. He was too wrapped up in Zell. She knew he was in love with him, and thought it was a pity that those bitches got to him before him and Zell even had a chance. They would of made a nice couple.

Over the next few weeks, Ceres had got to know Zell Dincht really well. He was a really sweet, nice, cute guy and she could see just how easily it was for someone to fall in love with him. She had to fight her emotions for him with all of her strength. They spent 99 percent of their time together, so it wasn't easy.


"Hey! Ceres!" A voice called, jerking her from her thoughts back into the real world. She turned to see Zell waving like an idiot by the elevator, a huge smile on his face.

"I heard you did GREAT on your exam today!" He said, pulling her into a rough hug which immediatly made her want to punch him, but she ignored it, after all, she had promised her brother justice, and also to protect Zell, to keep him safe from harm.

"Yeah.." She responded, trying to show slight happiness. Wasn't much though.

"Don't worry!" Zell said, looking into her eyes, as if trying to sneak into her soul, and steal her deepest thoughts, "I'm sure that you made it! Before too long we'll get to go on missions together!"

"That'll be really cool, Zell..." She said, trying to hide a sadness that had suddenly overcome her.

"Hey, what's wrong? I told you-" Zell was interrupted in midsentence by a voice over the intercom, "Please, all Cadets who took the exam today, report to the 2nd floor classrooms, repeat, all Cadets who took the exam today, report to the 2nd floor classrooms."

"I guess that's my cue.." She said, turning slowly away from Zell.

"Let me know what happens, ok?" His eyes were full of concern for Ceres. The idea depressed her deeply, if only her brother had been able to see those eyes like that just once..



*********************

Zell looked everywhere for Ceres. There was only one place he hadn't checked yet, the training centre...

He found her in the "Secret Area" leaning over the railing, staring out at the stars.

"Hey.." he said gently wrapping his arms around her.
"Congratulations.."

Ceres nodded absently, tears forming under her eyes. She sighed and pulled away from Zell's hold, trying to drown in the black nothingness of the nighttime sky.

"What's wrong?" Zell asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"I just wish.." She said slowly, turning to face the older SeeD.
"That Seifer could of just once, heard his name called on the list of graduates... He would of been so happy.." Her voice caught in her throat, and she forced back a sob.

Zell wrapped his arms around her again, and gently stroked her hair as she cried into his shoulder. "Shh.. It's okay.. Seifer's still out there somewhere.. He'll still get to hear those words.."

' Why am I telling her this?! ' he wondered to himself, ' I hate the guy. I hope I never see him again. Yet... Strangely...'

Suddenly laughter was heard from the Garden. " It's the SeeD party. " she said sadly, shaking her head.

"C'mon!!" Zell said, grabbing her by her hand and dragging her out of the training centre, "This is YOUR party, let's go and have fun!"