Vaider, Odine and Palmer had been sealed in the Headmaster's office for hours, arguing over Odine's request' to see the Lunatic Pandora. Quistis had excused herself when she realized that she would have nothing to add to the...discussion, and that any agreement would be a long time coming. She now stood in the front courtyard, staring across the few hundred feet to the gigantic Lunatic Pandora. The obelisk was so large and hovered so close to the Garden that it blocked out the entirety of the landscape beyond. Quistis felt as if she were looking out at a giant wall, as if the world were nothing more than a giant waiting room, and something more awaited just on the other side of that almost-hidden door.

She did her best to make herself and her problems seem insignificant.

If it was going to work, the soft footsteps behind her put an end to the plan. Turning, she saw a raven-haired G-Garden student hesitating to approach her further. Something wrong, Keri? she asked.

The other girl shook her head. No, not at all. It's just kind of hard to study, you know? With everything that's going on.

Quistis nodded. I understand.

Keri imitated Quistis' nod, absently shuffling her feet. She seemed nervous, Quistis thought.

Are you sure everything's all right? she asked.

Wha? Oh, yeah, she answered, too quickly. It's just....

What is it?

She glanced down at her feet. I think...that I might be part of the reason that Irvine's being the way he is. I don't think we quite know how to be around each other yet.

What happened between you two? Quistis asked. She didn't know what Keri's reaction would be, but she felt she had to know more about their past.

Keri sighed. Irvine and I dated for a while, not too long after he got here. I really liked him; I thought he was the nicest boy I'd ever met.

Irvine was always kind of a flirt. I thought it was charming, until I saw that he did the same thing to every other girl too. He started to get a reputation around Garden. She walked over to the rail and leaned on the makeshift railing, staring out toward the Lunatic Pandora. And he never seemed to see what it was doing to me. I never really said anything, though, so I guess it wasn't all his fault.

Tavin's been a friend of mine for as long as I can remember, and he's never liked Irvine. Once, I made the mistake of telling him how I felt. Tavin confronted Irvine, and they got into a fight. I didn't see either of them for days, and when I did, Irvine.... She trailed off again, staring out in silence for a moment. We had a huge fight, and somewhere in there, I told him it was over. He couldn't believe I was breaking up with him over something so petty. Her voice was almost a whisper now. I wonder if he's ever learned what it meant to me.

I don't think we've said a single word to each other since.

She fell silent again, and stared down at the ground below. Quistis thought she saw a tear running down her cheek. She tried to say something, but her voice caught in her throat. Just as well; she couldn't think of a single thing to say.

A sort of whining sound caught their attention. Off on the North Courtyard, the reddish form of the Ragnarok began to rise the into the air, looking every bit the fierce dragon its shape implied. It executed a slow, almost sedate turn before disappearing in a deafening roar and a flash of rocket fire. It was a marvelous sight.

But it was the other form they saw that truly caught their attention.

Palmer wants to see us, Irvine said flatly. He was standing about two meters away, completely motionless. Right away.

Quistis simply nodded, and turned to Keri.

I'll talk to you later, the other girl said. In the few seconds Quistis had been looking away, she had straightened, and now looked perfectly dignified. With a formal nod at Irvine, she turned and walked away.

Quistis and Irvine walked silently through the main hall, up the stairs to the elevator that led to the 3F. She inserted the card Palmer had issued her, and the doors obligingly slid open.

It never meant anything.

The words caught her completely off-guard. She hadn't known what Irvine would do, but nothing she had considered could match the quiet, pained words she had heard. For a moment, she thought she had imagined them.

Irvine stepped into the elevator, and the doors obligingly hissed closed.