All the characters depicted herein are only fictional and are created solely for people who enjoy playing and reading fictional stories of the game: Final Fantasy VIII

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One Year After

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Life on Balamb Garden has certainly been more colorful since the Garden was actually last ruled by a shadow known as Master Norg. Master Norg, who came from the long generation of the Shumi tribe, was very strict and objective in his purpose of utilizing SeeD's as mindless mercenaries who exists only for the sole of gaining profit.

It was a contradicting issue of opinion since the original founder of Balamb Garden who is now, the true Headmaster of Garden; Cid Kramer along with his wife Edea.

It was a total mess for Headmaster Cid, who, now was in charge in overseeing the restructuring of Balamb Garden's administration and operations department when Master Norg's 'removal' from the Garden. Cid smiled ruefully. That event was certainly hushed up by his people from letting the news spread all around Garden. The less the students know about it the better. Not that Cid was too keen in keeping secrets, but it was probably the best way in handling things at a time.

It has been a year since the Second Sorceress Wars (as it now being called), Garden's operations was being handled by 'His people' the few members of Seed's who were experienced in such command during Master Norg's reign such as Xu, Nida and others. Now that members of the Faculty Garden is nowhere to be found, perhaps deserted the Garden when they found out their master's death and wishing to be away from the students who might held grudges over them. Knowing that headmaster Cid probably won't lift a finger to stop it.

Cid chuckled, 'Well, can't blame them anyway. I, myself never really like those buffoons.'

Proper departments were set- up in order to handle any crisis or applications in requiring SeeD's to be dispatched to quell any problems involving military operations or as small support units. The concept may be the same as before, but with the original ideals still held by Headmaster Cid, that is to combat any new rise of another evil Sorceress such as Adel and Ultimecia and to preserve the peace around the world. Not the mindless killing machines that Cid Kramer always loathed as before.

As now, the headmaster stood staring out the view port with his hands at his back in his third floor office. It was nighttime already as the Garden now, was sailing leisurely out in the Centra region. He was visiting the old, abandoned Orphanage earlier during the day where Cid, together with his wife Edea, where he first conceived the idea to create a Garden where SeeD's will become Garden's seeds of the future and he swore to live his life to the end to see it grow uncorrupted by those, whose greed to make them do anything for their own ends.

He sighed deeply, 'it's been a long day today, I'll have to look for someone in making sure the Orphanage is restored back to it's condition before it went to ruins,' suddenly he knew who to ask after giving it a thought, 'Xu is an expert in engineering feats, in fact she was of one the crew who helped designed the controls of the now mobile Garden. Perhaps she could help me,' he made a mental note to personally ask her to undertake the task before turning away from the view port and making his way to his desk.

 He sat down in his plush chair, chuckled to himself, 'Lucky me, this kids were kind enough to provide me with a decent chair.' Unlike the last one, which is a utilitarian type of chair with it's hard, no- nonsense straight backed that offers no comfort at all which gave his a slight backache once in a while when he sat too long.

He lounged in silence for a while when a sweet voice which always have been kind and caring for him broke his long train of thoughts.

"Darling, what are you doing? Sitting alone in your comfortable chair, have you grown attached to it and forgetting me?" Edea teasingly asked as she made her way into the office from the adjoining bedroom, next to his office. She wore her usual dark violet long dress which she always worn as long as he's known her.

"Not a single day passes that I've always held you in my thoughts Edea" Cid replied with the same affection his wife teased him earlier. "Why haven't you gone to sleep? Is something bothering you?" Cid asked mildly while getting up from his chair, went to his wife and held both her hands tenderly.

"Nothing much dear, just that, life has been really wonderful since the last time we held each other this close" Edea reflected sadly while looking down on Cid's front.

Cid wrapped his arms close around his wife while saying softly, "Don't worry dear, now, things has certainly settled down since the last Wars, and the kids has done a great job in taking care of it. Thank heavens that we have someone as reliable as Squall being commander of the Garden. I don't think I'll be able to handle it alone, now that age has certainly caught up with me. I'll always… " Cid stopped when his wife suddenly put a finger to his mouth.

"Cid dear, you're going to grow even more grey hair than you've earned all this years. Why don't we leave affairs that can wait in the morning while the 'young ones' take care of it on their own. Seriously, you're starting to sound like a worrying rooster over her egg, even that is an understatement, I must say." Edea said playfully while lightly clapped her husband's left arm.

"Yes, you're right. In fact, I feel like I'm starting to grow feathers already.. haha" Cid replied lightly with his right hand behind his head. "Guess I'll call it a night then, shall we?" Cid asked with a twinkle in his eyes while offering his right arm to his beloved wife, who in turn, smiled fondly, accepted the offered arm, led by her husband into the bedroom.

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Special thanx for Nique'Squall-a-like', Rinyssa, KayahDevine and people who have been close to me. Hehe.. hopefully it turns out fine guys.. R+R aight.. but plz.. not too harsh.. considering this is my 1st fanfic ever.. hehe..

Sorry .. for the intro if it is too long for you guys.. ok.. i promise to give it some 'kick' soon..

I'll try to follow the storyline in the game.. but changes might be made since I plan to make this story a long one.. hehe thanx again and plz give constructive comments not too destructive ones.. I'm a bit delicate here… NOT!!! Hehe.. next chapter will be updated in quite a while depends on the reviews.. *grinning slyly* ok ok.. I'll try be as fast..  *-*

Final Fantasy 8 rulez!!!!