Name of Story: Blood Brothers

Author: Voice of Mystery

WARNINGS: (Only apply to certain chapter) Sexual references, minor language

::Summary:: When a small child with interesting markings is dropped off at Matron's doorstep, she takes him to Garden, unintentionally endangering everyone there. Who is this mysterious child with astounding strength, and what is his bond to Balamb Garden?

Placed about one/two years after Ultimecia's defeat.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~ = Time/Place/POV change

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Edea got up from her rocking chair, the fire playing across her face as she slowly made her way to the Orphanage's door. Who could possibly be coming at this hour?

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"I'm coming, I'm coming." The older woman wearily said. Her hand went down to the doorknob, gradually turning the aged wood to open the door and expose her unexpected visitor. A gasp of surprise uttered from her beautiful face before she enveloped whomever it was in her white shawl, protecting the person from the elements.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 RING RING RING

"Xu, could you please get that for me? I'm busy with all these requests for more hotdogs by Zell." a harried headmaster asked the similarly harried SeeD. 

"Of course, Headmaster Cid." Replied the female SeeD, who was balancing stacks of applications with her right hand.

CLICK

"You have reached Balamb Garden. What may I do for you today?" Xu questioned.

"Xu? Is that you? It's Edea Kramer. Could I talk to my husband please? It's urgent." 

"Cid, it's your wife. She's says it's urgent." Xu dropped the cordless phone onto the Headmaster's desk before walking out, saving the pile of student applications from falling onto the ground numerous times before making it out of Cid's office.

"Honey buns? Are you okay?" Cid sounded worried.

"I'm fine, honey, but I need to talk to you about a… package I received yesterday night. Could I drive up to Balamb Garden? Tonight okay?" Edea was being rather blunt, and she sounded apprehensive through the phone.

"OHMYGOD! Was it a bomb?! Are you okay?! What about the orphanage?!" Cid's normally low voice was raised to a squeak, revealing his unease at Edea's unanticipated call.

"I'm fine, and so is the orphanage, but I think you need to see this. I'll be around at…let's say…-12:00?"

Cid replied, "Why so late? Can't you wait till tomorrow?"

"I don't feel right here, Cid. I'm the only one besides…" the former Sorceress trailed off.

"Besides who?" inquired Cid.

"Honey! This isn't the Spanish Inquisition! I'll be at Balamb at 12, okay?" Edea was obviously unsettled by whoever had showed up at her doorstep.

"Ok…" Cid felt rather dejected. Why couldn't she tell him over the phone? He slammed down the phone on the receiver and pulled on a coat before calling Xu to him.

"Where are we going, Cid?" Xu asked while pulling on an overcoat. "Does this have anything to do with your wife's call?"

"We're waiting outside for Edea. I don't know what notion she's got in her head now…" Cid opened the door to his office and stepped outside.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Zell! Get down from there!" Quistis roared out to the boy who was dangling on the newly installed chandelier hanging inside the ballroom. Irvine watched Zell move, cat-like in his actions, towards the other side of the chandelier, accidentally making it swing. He clutched Selphie, and whispered something in her ear that made her burst out in giggles.

"You little perv!" snickered Selphie, swatting Irvine's wandering hands away. "Awww…I'm insulted!" replied an equally lighthearted Irvine. Squall raised his head and yelled out "Some people are trying to have a conversation that's not filled with sexual references and nasty terms, here!" He cuddled Rinoa to him, as if stressing his point; oblivious to the fact that she was clearly trying to unbutton his shirt.

Quistis momentarily stopped yelling at the spunky blonde boy to participate in the conversation. "If Irvine did have a conversation excluding that stuff, I'd begin to worry." 

Quistis had gained something of a humorous strand in her personality after Ultimecia.

If it could be called humor.

Everyone looked up as a creaking noise was heard from the ceiling. Zell had started swinging the chandelier back and forth, and he was losing his stability. He balanced on one foot, tipping first to the right, then to the left.

"Somebody catch MEEEEEE!!!!!!!!" Zell started to fall. The twenty-five foot fall was not exactly something one could survive from, and Irvine and Squall both rushed to the spot where they thought Zell would fall. Both looking up, they ignored what was in front of them, and both men crashed into each other, each sprawling several feet. Quistis daintily stepped over their bodies and easily caught the lithe little blonde.

"Really! SeeD rule 7-B clearly states that SeeD should be aware of all their surroundings all the time!" Quistis scolded Squall and Irvine.

Okay, she'd changed a little bit. At least she wasn't quoting them right from the book.

"And Zell! I am surprised at your behavior! Rule 7-D obviously stresses the point that a SeeD should not take any unnecessary risks! You could have died!"

"Umm…Quistis, sorry to bust your bubble, but I could've been killed lots of times; so could you! So, lay off the mother act, k?" Zell retorted.

"Whatever…" Quistis fumed.

"Hea!!! That Squall's line!" whined Selphie. Everyone started laughing except Squall. Everyone also covered their mouths, turning their laughs into convenient coughs. Squall just glanced at his watch, a present from Rinoa celebrating their one year anniversary.

"Look, it's almost 12, and I've got a class to teach tomorrow. I'm out." Squall said. He picked up his leather bomber jacket and re-buttoned his shirt. How'd that happen?

He leaned over to Rinoa and gave her a peck on her lips. "Walk you to your dorm?" Rinoa merely batted her eyes and looped her hand with his. They walked out, being sickeningly loving. Zell faked a gag when they were out of site, and Quistis put her finger in her mouth and screwed up her face.

Selphie simply giggled again when Irvine whispered something in her ear, probably a perverted comment. The pair then proceeded to walk to Irvine's dorm.

"God! They should be able to control themselves in public!" Quistis walked over to the man putting the finishing touches on the banner atop the entrance door, and asked, "Almost done, Nida? Where are we going tonight…?" she smiled coyly, and wrapped her hands around Nida's waist.

"Almost…" he reached up and tacked on the last side, "There! Now the new SeeDs will have a proper entrance!" Nida turned to Quistis and gave her a light kiss before whispering in her ear. This earned him a giggle not that much different from Selphie's, and another nauseatingly cute kiss. "C'mon, baby, lets go…" whispered Quistis.

They walked out together, leaving Zell to walk back to his dorm room alone.

+++++++++++++++ Plot soon. Next chapter. REVIEW, and I'll luv you forever!