No offence to Nida or his fans intended by later words. The story is really going to start to pick up in this and the following chapter. Thanks for all of the feedback; please keep it coming. Salvete.

SeeD Nida Jones led the kind of mundane life that kept him and his actions in obscurity, due to the lack of interest by others. He mainly just piloted the Garden and has little, if anything, to do with Seifer Almasy, No; Nida is not at all the kind of person you would expect a story centered around the exploits of the former Knight after his return to Balamb.

So let's forget about him and his boring and dreary existence and focus elsewhere.

"Seifer? I'm surprised you're not training." A charming feminine voice caught him alone with his thoughts on the second story balcony. He'd usually come here when he wanted to do some thinking, or just to watch the sunset, like he was now. It was easy to see the infinite beach over Balamb's crest, the home of the world's finest vistas: apart from Fisherman's Horizon, some would contest.

The former Knight sighed peacefully, "Nah. I figure one quality bout with your Squallykins is good enough for one day's exercise." Rinoa giggled. Seifer was a unique mixture of charm and terror. Able to alternatively make you feel capable of anything and to cause such fear as to render inability. That was the way she felt about him now, and more so leaning to the latter part. She clasped her petite hands in the small of her back and walked, slowly, staggered, closer to him. Seifer continued to gaze out to sea, arms folded and leaning on the ornate railing.

Drawing together her courage, she stopped to stand off to his side, watching the sun leave the day, though it had only recently shown itself on this hazy date. "I, uh… I didn't want things to end up this way you know. Between us I mean." She sighed and nearly started to leave for feeling so uncomfortable in his presence.

"Neither did I." He looked shortly at her. For some time only the calls of the sea birds broke the standing pervasive silence between them.

Then she gazed up at him, meekly, perhaps even guiltily, and inquired "Do you remember that summer?"

Oh, yes. Seifer certainly remembered. That summer was perhaps the last time of sustained happiness in his life. He worked towards achieving a dream, one not so much his own, but it felt good nonetheless. To guide, to protect, and assist: such were the things he truly enjoyed. The relationship he had developed with Rinoa was one that he wanted to last but didn't expect to. Now though the proximity and direction in life that he thought would never exist seemed firmly in place, still, he expected that their friendship would remain dead. "Of course I remember. How could I forget?" He allowed himself a more intent look on her.

She seemed quite upset, swaying back and forth, taking sudden interest in her feet. "I-I don't… All I can remember between us is when you sacrificed me. To Adel." There was quiet for some time longer. "I'm sorry Seifer."

"Don't be. It isn't your fault that you can't recall anything good about me. There wouldn't be much to remember anyway." He shook his head.

Rinoa brightened the slightest bit when he didn't grow upset. "Do you ever have nightmares about Her?" She didn't need to elaborate on whom she meant by 'Her.'

"Yeah." He added, "Sometimes."

"Do they…Do they ever go away?"

By now he had fully turned his body to face her. "I don't know." He began. "But they do come less and less." Trying to place a comforting hand on her shoulder, he reached out, only to have her slink away unconsciously. He slowly retracted his arm and sighed, looking away, out to sea yet again. Rinoa's eyes started to mist over with tears as she gesticulated in a frustrated manner.

"I hate Her! I hate this! Not being able to see my old friend as anything but a monster! I know you weren't yourself when it all happened and I don't want to shy away, but I can't help it. My mind tells me that you'll change again at any time. Squall fears the same me that unsealed Adel; it's so frustrating. And the orphanage gang looks upon their mother in terror sometimes. It's illogical, but we can't help it and I hate it!" She sat down and buried her face in her knees, arms wrapped around them tightly. Looking up with puffy red eyes she mumbled, "Even with her gone she continues to ruin our lives. Why?" She thrust her face into cover again.

Seifer walked over to kneel in front of her. He was careful to keep a healthy distance between them. With a stern and authoritative tone he told her, "Listen, do you think that the Great Seifer Almasy would allow something so pitiful as the memory of a dead, old witch keep hurting his friends? I don't think so. We'll all get through this Rinoa. Together. Just give it some time and faith." He finished his promise with a more soothing tone.

Rinoa looked up again, a few tears staining her rosy cheeks. She sniffled. "Do you mean it? Do you really think we'll be able to?" He nodded. She smiled. That's what she loved about Seifer; he could talk anyone into anything, including himself. His hand was held out to help her up and to the surprise of them both, she took it.

Just before she left to return inside she turned back around to deliver a final message. "You, Mister Almasy, are one of a kind…" He gave a 'well, what can I say?' shrug. "…At least that's what the whole world is counting on anyway." She laughed her laugh, infectious like so many other parts of her personality. He started to laugh too, but stopped abruptly.

"How dare you mock the Great Seifer Almasy?" He bellowed, and then chased after his friend who shrieked with amusement and what had recently become only a faked brand of terror.

Stopping into the cafeteria for a late dinner, Seifer recalled that his Posse would be serving tonight. Not too many people would have expected it, but the siblings very much enjoyed working with food, and did so on occasion. He stepped into line behind a few people, which included Squall and Zell. The cafeteria had started the late openings a while ago, after it had become apparent that many instructors, faculty, and SeeDs could not often make the original hours with their schedules.

Raijin didn't even ask him what he wanted, just began to fill his plate wordlessly. Seifer received a wink from Fujin: an action that was almost wholly unnoticed by anyone. She was working at the other end of the long counter. Zell, as usual, was asking about the different dishes, but only because none of them were hotdogs. This was probably his third time up here this evening.

"Got any fish that isn't jugged?" the small and exuberant martial artist was asking the large dark man.

"Let's see… Uh, we got an unjugged Torama Fish, ya know."

"Torama Fish? What the hell?"

"It has fins and everything, ya know"

"Is it dead?"

"Well," He looked over to Fujin faintly, rubbing the back of his neck; "It was coughing up blood last night."

Zell muttered a hasty "Never mind" and sprinted ahead of Squall to where Fujin was dishing out desserts. Seifer and Squall soon caught up. "Yo, what desserts ya got tonight?"

"WELL, RAT FLAN. RAT CAKE. RAT SORBET…" She was continuing but Zell put up his hands to stop her from doing so. He looked extremely nonplussed and disturbed by the entire ordeal of this particular dinner.

"Tch... What's up with all the rats? Man!"

The slight woman shrugged casually. "CAME WITH HOTDOGS." Was her proffered explanation of the strange (but only marginally so, by Garden's standards) menu choices for this eve's dessert. Squall didn't seem at all affected and when Zell just stood there for some time without ordering, he stepped in to ask his own question.

"Do you have anything without so much rat in it?"

"STRAWBERRY TART."

"Strawberry tart? Sweet! How much, uh, rat?" Zell snapped back to attention.

"FOUR. QUITE A BIT, REALLY."

"I, uh, think I'll just skip dessert tonight, thanks." Raijin was snickering as the shorter man started to jog, and then break into a complete run away from the counter, either towards the restrooms or his dorm. Then the big man began to fully guffaw as soon as he had seen Zell exit the cafeteria entirely. Nearly everyone else in the room was watching amusedly the spectacle that caused the usually boisterous area to fall still. It was a mystery even to Seifer why they all picked on the smaller blonde so often. He was just so… pickonable. Squall was the first to break the silence. As the Commander turned back to Fujin, it seemed as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

"I'll take the sorbet." Squall intoned.

Maybe nothing was.

After diner Seifer returned to the second floor offices. He was marking off certain classrooms and other facilities to be unused tomorrow because the coming security equipment installation, troubleshooting, and networking would take more than an entire day. Earlier he had asked Selphie to create a notice for the affected students and instructors and post it on the Garden network, as she apparently ran the entire thing now. Still, he knew he couldn't expect all of them to have read it by tomorrow morning, but he wasn't going to personally tell them all, just one: Quistis.

Fujin, Raijin, and he had prior questioned the three Trepies that were attempting to purchase surveillance equipment. After some 'encouragement' the trio eagerly spilled forth their intensions with the tools and delivered information regarding the extent of current Trepiedom. Yes, they were going to use the gear to spy upon the lovely instructor. Yes, the ranks of Trepies had grown extensively. Evidently, these three were not well intoned into the group, for they knew little of other members apart from who most were. It seemed that the structure of the Trepies had changed a great deal since he had last dealt with them. Firstly, they were no longer a collective. Many never considered themselves Trepies but obviously were according to the questioned. They now have no hierarchy, meetings, or any form of direction or mutual goal.

These were very worrisome signs to Seifer. He needed to speak with Trepe regarding the information soon, before the nature of Trepies shifted further into unfavorable behaviors. Now he was headed towards her dorm to set up such a meeting for tomorrow. Upon reaching her door, he knocked. Waiting a moment he knocked again, then gave up after a short time to look somewhere else.

Starting to look elsewhere, he felt an unreasonable sense of worry about her. It was after curfew, and though it didn't pertain to her, it made little sense for her to be anywhere but her dorm unless she was training. After he checked the training center the anxiety increased slightly. Most areas of the Garden were already closed off for the evening, only the TC was open; the Headmaster and Commander had retired for the night, and classes ended hours ago.

He forced himself to feel at ease when he reached the last remaining logical spot she could be: her classroom/office. Knocking slowly on the locked automatic doors, he listened for noises inside.

"It's after curfew and I won't answer any more questions now." Quistis could be heard through the door as she walked toward it. After she unlocked it, it slid open to reveal her eldest student. She crossed her arms and tilted her head to the side, leaning against the doorframe and giving a small frown. "Seifer. Since you hardly ever came to visit me before, I must assume this has nothing to do with homework." Her voice was friendly but tired.

He looked around himself shocked. "How do you stay so sharp instructor? A wood rasp?" Then he widened his eyes in pseudo-surprise.

"Wait. You assigned homework?" He asked. Quistis rolled her eyes and stepped aside to allow him in.

"Could you tell me what's going on? I have some work to finish."

"Not tonight you don't. Your classroom is closed tomorrow."

The instructor seemed a bit relieved. She took that better than I expected. "Okay then. I'm going to go to bed then. Anything else?" She was gathering up all of her materials and files from her desk and then left the room with him. They walked toward the lift and he studied her for a moment. Maybe he was giving the Trepies a little too much credit for them being the cause of all her problems and quickly becoming more dangerous. Then again…

"Do you have some free time tomorrow Instructor? Of course you do, I made certain of that. I need to discuss new security measures and some disciplinary ones regarding some of your students." The elevator was heading down to the first floor and she was looking to him.

She sighed. "Yes. Just stop by my dorm sometime."

"Good. Maybe we can spend the day to together and catch up on things." She looked up skeptically, and as if another head, one of a cactuar, had popped up to speak the last few words. "What? Shit, Trepe, don't look at me like that. I've spent time with the rest of the 'gang' but you've always been 'too busy.' Now you don't have an excuse." He looked smugly at her. She just exited the elevator.

"Fine, Seifer. I don't know what you've up your sleeve, but I'll meet you tomorrow around lunch." Quistis stopped before going into her suite.

"Up my sleeve? Instructor, you wound me with such words. I just want to become reacquainted with my childhood pal." He gave a charming smile, which she returned to some extent. Waving, "'Night Trepe."

"Goodnight Seifer." Then they departed to there own rooms.

Tomorrow: To find out what's eating Quistis Trepe.

I must seem highly anticlimactic by now. Next chapter will almost be solely devoted to Seifer and Quistis' day together. That is when it gets to be interesting. Please continue to provide feedback, especially concerning characterization. I believe I've kept all personalities true to form, at least in my own fairly optimistic view of them. Valete.