(Author's Note: This is a Final Fantasy VIII Fanfic. I strongly recommend
reading my first fanfiction, Search for Panacea, b/c this is its sequel.
However, I'll do my best to make it so that you won't have to)
~When the Dust Settles: Balance of Power~
The Lapis Lazuli was destroyed. For two years, Panacea, the cure for all things, has been no more. The time of peace everyone had longed and fought for, was now a dream come true. A dream shared with SeeD as well. But SeeD, unlike the rest of the world, knew better. Times of peace always come and go...always. And so they waited.
Seifer Almasy lay on his bed with his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. The gentle summer breeze pushed through his window curtain and moved on to caress his face. He let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes.
*flashbk*
Seifer crushed the handle of his fishing pole and threw it down on the wood of the docks. Raijin rejoiced waving his pole around with a large fish hanging at the end on a hook. Fujin shrugged and kicked him into the water. She turned to Seifer and he laughed. Suddenly, a shadow passed over them. They looked up as Balamb Garden, their former home, came back from a successful voyage.
Seifer smiled. He knew that they were in there. Squall, Zell, Quistis...everyone, even Rinoa. They made it back and for that he was happy.
----------
A few days later, Seifer found himself entering Balamb Garden. His arrival caused quite a stir. The security guard had pushed the emergency button at least a dozen times as Seifer calmly breezed by. The people began to scatter, as he slowly advanced towards the elevator. He stopped, sat down on the top step, and waited. A short while later, Zell came running around the corner towards the stairs. He spotted Seifer and clenched his fists. Selphie and Irvine came from the other side. They armed themselves before approaching him. Squall came out of the elevator.
"You're late," was the first thing Seifer said. "It's been 5 minutes since the old man pushed that emergency button. Garden could have been in a horrible state by now," he went on.
"Well, it isn't. Now what the hell are you doing here?" Squall asked coldly.
"Seifer?" Quistis and Rinoa arrived.
"Relax; I didn't come here for trouble. I came to...," Seifer searched for words.
"To?" Zell asked.
"To see if everyone came out in one piece. I--------"
"Well, we're all here. You can leave now," - Zell interrupted.
Seifer took a deep breath and stood up. He looked at all of them and walked down the steps. He stopped with his back to them and apologized.
"I'm sorry...for everything. I just came to say that the first thought that came to my mind when Garden flew overhead was 'I wish I was there.' For the first time, I was genuinely happy...happy that you all were fine...that you defeated that witch. But I came here hoping that you could forgive me. I want to be a SeeD. I know in my heart that I was born to be one," Seifer continued walking.
----------
"Where to?" Seifer asked his two friends.
"GALBADIA," Fujin replied.
"It's just around the corner, ya know? We'll...keep in touch, ya?" Raijin tried to keep everyone's hopes up.
"I'm sorry about this," Seifer apologized.
"NO!" Fujin threw her hand down.
"What Fuu means is that...we're a posse, ya know?"
"Yeah, I know. Thanks. I have to do this, even if it means I can't live in the same Garden as you guys. I'd never give up our posse for anything...except this," Seifer said.
"BYE."
Seifer hugged Fujin and tapped fists with Raijin. They began to walk towards the Balamb Garden exit. Raijin turned back around and called out to Seifer one last time, "We're a posse, ya?"
"Posse." Seifer whispered to himself as his friends slowly disappeared. A tear tricked down. They all wiped their cheeks in sync.
*end.flashbk*
~When the Dust Settles: Balance of Power~
The Lapis Lazuli was destroyed. For two years, Panacea, the cure for all things, has been no more. The time of peace everyone had longed and fought for, was now a dream come true. A dream shared with SeeD as well. But SeeD, unlike the rest of the world, knew better. Times of peace always come and go...always. And so they waited.
Seifer Almasy lay on his bed with his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. The gentle summer breeze pushed through his window curtain and moved on to caress his face. He let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes.
*flashbk*
Seifer crushed the handle of his fishing pole and threw it down on the wood of the docks. Raijin rejoiced waving his pole around with a large fish hanging at the end on a hook. Fujin shrugged and kicked him into the water. She turned to Seifer and he laughed. Suddenly, a shadow passed over them. They looked up as Balamb Garden, their former home, came back from a successful voyage.
Seifer smiled. He knew that they were in there. Squall, Zell, Quistis...everyone, even Rinoa. They made it back and for that he was happy.
----------
A few days later, Seifer found himself entering Balamb Garden. His arrival caused quite a stir. The security guard had pushed the emergency button at least a dozen times as Seifer calmly breezed by. The people began to scatter, as he slowly advanced towards the elevator. He stopped, sat down on the top step, and waited. A short while later, Zell came running around the corner towards the stairs. He spotted Seifer and clenched his fists. Selphie and Irvine came from the other side. They armed themselves before approaching him. Squall came out of the elevator.
"You're late," was the first thing Seifer said. "It's been 5 minutes since the old man pushed that emergency button. Garden could have been in a horrible state by now," he went on.
"Well, it isn't. Now what the hell are you doing here?" Squall asked coldly.
"Seifer?" Quistis and Rinoa arrived.
"Relax; I didn't come here for trouble. I came to...," Seifer searched for words.
"To?" Zell asked.
"To see if everyone came out in one piece. I--------"
"Well, we're all here. You can leave now," - Zell interrupted.
Seifer took a deep breath and stood up. He looked at all of them and walked down the steps. He stopped with his back to them and apologized.
"I'm sorry...for everything. I just came to say that the first thought that came to my mind when Garden flew overhead was 'I wish I was there.' For the first time, I was genuinely happy...happy that you all were fine...that you defeated that witch. But I came here hoping that you could forgive me. I want to be a SeeD. I know in my heart that I was born to be one," Seifer continued walking.
----------
"Where to?" Seifer asked his two friends.
"GALBADIA," Fujin replied.
"It's just around the corner, ya know? We'll...keep in touch, ya?" Raijin tried to keep everyone's hopes up.
"I'm sorry about this," Seifer apologized.
"NO!" Fujin threw her hand down.
"What Fuu means is that...we're a posse, ya know?"
"Yeah, I know. Thanks. I have to do this, even if it means I can't live in the same Garden as you guys. I'd never give up our posse for anything...except this," Seifer said.
"BYE."
Seifer hugged Fujin and tapped fists with Raijin. They began to walk towards the Balamb Garden exit. Raijin turned back around and called out to Seifer one last time, "We're a posse, ya?"
"Posse." Seifer whispered to himself as his friends slowly disappeared. A tear tricked down. They all wiped their cheeks in sync.
*end.flashbk*