'I'm home. Zell!' Ma Dincht's voice rang up the stairs to Zell's empty room. She poked her head in the door and moved towards the dresser to pick up the note:

Hey Ma!
Found a friend in town this weekend. We've just gone for a walk, but we don't expect to be back for another few hours. Sorry, I missed you! Talk to ya later!
Zell

'That boy. Always off playing with his little friends,' Ma said to herself almost dreamily. She went downstairs and started cleaning up and preparing supper for the two boys when they came home.

~*~*~*~

Balamb Garden. Seifer stepped up closer to the building and looked up at the blue and aqua colored stones. He breathed deep and glanced back at Zell.

'You know you don't have to do this, right? You don't have to help me here. I ... I can try again on my own. Your status may be affected becase of me.' Seifer watched as Zell moved up beside him and stared at the Garden too.

'I know. But I want to help.'

'Even after all I've done? You shouldn't be helping me. I tried to kill you four seperate times, I tried to compress time, I-'

'You,' Zell cut him off, 'were brainwashed. *You* are trying to redeem yourself. Besides, shouldn't you have at least some sort of knowledge about Sorceresses that we don't. Something about what we can expect from the future ones to come.'

'You said it yourself. I was brainwashed, I know hardly anymore than you do.' Seifer started to march towards the front gates. The man at the booth ducked beneath the window before slowly raising back up.

Shaking, and his eyes flitting towards Hyperion held at the ready, the man inquired as to the reason of his visit.

'I'm reapplying towards SeeD status.' The man shook his head.

'You can't enter with that ... weapon,' he stuttered. Zell moved forward and took the gunblade from Seifer, trying to make the weight seem natural in his hand.

'It's mine.' He twisted the weapon in his hand, trying to find a comfortable position for the metal. Gripping it tightly, the dragon skin squeaking, he challenged the gatekeeer with his eyes.

'Zell? But you're a martial artist. Why would you want a gunblade?'

Zell glared at him and answered, 'I'm starting a collection. I'm looking on getting a Twin Lance next, then starting onto Nunchakus. Anything else?'

'No, go ahead.' The man watched them enter the building then called ahead to Headmaster Squall's office.

Squall met them in the lobby. Zell studied him carefully as he handed Hyperion back to Seifer. The two gunblade-fighters looked each other up and down. Quite contrary to their situations, Squall was the one looking more worn down and tired. Seifer appeared more alert, on edge and a slight bit more buffed.

'So you've come to reapply? Why?' Squall asked sharply.

'I want to fulfill my dream of becoming a SeeD. And I'm trying to help. Trying to fix the mistakes I've made.'

'Fine. I'm in the middle of a meeting right now. Come up in two hours and we'll see. Zell, keep Hyperion by you.' Squall turned and stalked off towards the elevators.

Zell and Seifer shared a look of anxiety and nervousness as they headed towards the dorms.