Though he was much more comfortable with the monologue than his colleague Squall, Seifer still found the speech the least favorite portion of his job. He cleared his throat and his mind, wringing his fingers over themselves, and wishing he had brought Hyperion if only to grasp the comfort of its handle. Everyone sitting at the director's table watched him intently, waiting for the Chief of Security to divulge the reasoning behind his recommendation to relieve instructor Trepe yet again. He paced behind his chair at one of the heads and lifted his head before he spoke; now sure of what he wished to say, but loathing the need to say it.

He sighed, "Most everyone has a role model; someone whom they can admire for nearly every quality they exhibit, every one they fail to, for every action they've taken, and for every word they had said or neglected to say." Seifer re-summoned his will to press onward. "People have their heroes and heroines. Demigods who can do nothing wrong and were seemingly born into their greatness. We are blessed to have a great number of heroes and heroines running, living in, teaching at, and fighting for this institution, but we are equally or perhaps more so cursed by them. It is perhaps the most poignant truth that after they offer salvation to all, a hero becomes just as dangerous as the very villain he or she has vanquished."

The Chief stopped a moment to take a drink of water. "Everyone has a role model. Everyone has a hero or heroine. Now that they can see them, now that they know them and their deeds, now do they wish to become them wholly. Legend and history separate the person and the deed with a great distance, and in so doing, separates the saved from the saviors. There is no separation from this last salvation and this has made what used to be a scholastic institution into an apostolic one. Our heroes are not seen as commanders or teachers, but as angels and divinities, and because students see only two things concerning them: that they are also human and that they have done righteous and incredible things, the student too, must be able to reach that glory. They cannot. Becoming a hero is not something that even the greatest of champions can impart; only villains craft heroes.

"Being unable to become a champion will not stop these children from trying to emulate their idols and we have already seen many of the consequences. Even those who don't wish to become a hero need to feel worthy of their presence and want to have the honor of their esteem. This will pressure most people to do a great number of things and will most often lead to their own destruction and the breakdown of this body, with someone innocent being injured in the process. We have already seen what damage heroism has done to this Garden. Enrollment has nearly tripled. Success rates have plummeted. Funding hasn't been able to reach this new plateau. Students are choosing more difficult weapons, magics, tactics, and courses, and they are failing. Students are idolizing our champions are becoming infatuated with them; they try to please them, become them, or worse. Some are here unabashedly for the sole purpose of taking a glimpse at the saviors of the world. Some are here in the ignorant pretense that they can become one by simply do the same things they have done in the past."

Seifer shook his head with his eyes closed. "Instructor 14 was much a victim to this manner of thought before and the problem has only grown. She's always been a heroine and role model and now she is the closest to perfection that many believe they will ever hope to see. Quistis Trepe is unfit for her position as an instructor because she is too meritorious of it. The only way we can hope to begin to Garden, the students, and her, is to relieve her immediately." He sat down to a stunned silence.

Cid pulled at his cardigan, looking down and frowning. He nodded at nothing in particular and looked across the table to Seifer and spoke, "This meeting is adjourned. Instructor 14 Quistis Trepe will be relieved of her position and will retain the title elite SeeD with level A qualifications effective at 0000 hours tomorrow. Dismissed."

Seifer looked over at the Headmaster as he began to clear away all of his materials, but Cid shook his head. After the directors had left he motioned for the Chief to speak to him. "Sir?"

Cid appeared as calm as he had ever been. "Seifer, I appreciate your work on this matter, but in losing her our ruin seems certain, though I admit, in keeping her it comes more swiftly." Seifer nodded, wishing to look away. Cid smiled shortly. "I think that time will diminish the wounds that salvation has caused, but I'm not sure we can last that long." He sighed, watching his life's creation crumple around him, dissolving with the tears forming in his eyes. "I'm going to meet with Squall and the directors later to see if we can do something about the student population and funding. Removing our heroes from their direct involvement here is the only way to saved the student body and the Garden network itself…" He couldn't continue but Seifer knew his thoughts.

With the saviors gone, even just one removed as a teacher, funding would drop significantly, enrollment would plummet, and the political and media unrest would tear apart what was left. The Headmaster had lifted his glasses and was wiping away the sentiment flooding his eyes. He smiled sadly at Seifer.

"I'm sorry you see me like this Seifer." Cid reached a new resolve and placed a great clap on Seifer's shoulder. "I'm not going to accept this outcome. There is still a need for Garden and for Seed and I will do anything to preserve it. We'll find a way Seifer." The Chief of Security could only nod and he began to walk away, briefcase in tow. "Oh, and Seifer?" He turned around. "Good luck. Dismissed."

Normally he would have snapped, but this time he just nodded again; he needed the luck. The speech he had just given wasn't his hated monologue that came with his job, it was the one he was about to make to the soon to be twice-former instructor Quistis Trepe. When he reached his dorm, he threw his briefcase with such ferocity that it shattered into hundreds of pieces, papers flying haphazardly in the air. Then he collapsed onto his bed.

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When Seifer exited his room he nearly ran into Squall's fist, which was poised to knock. Seifer raised an eyebrow while Squall smirked using the opposite side of his face compared to his rival. "Commander."

"Chief."

"What can..?"

"Nothing. I…"

"What?"

"Yes, that's…"

"But then…"

"So? What...?"

"Well I…"

"Oh?"

"It's…"

"Shut…"

"Fine…"

"Trust me." Squall smirked again and then turned away, walking back to his office. Seifer shook his head and continued to Quistis' suite.

Once there he knocked three times and waited for her to answer. He was braced for what he needed to say unapologetically. She came to the door and opened it. Her eyes were red and glowing with sadness as she looked up to him expectantly, not uttering a word. Even as a tear of unknown origin rolled down her listless face he steeled himself, knowing she would hate him for hesitating or showing compassion and weakness, despite her apparent vulnerability. Seifer cleared his throat and spoke with only a hint of his inner despair. "Instructor; you're fired." His strength faltered when nothing so much as a pang fell on her distraught face.

Seifer hung his head and almost began to apologize as his mouth opened to speak, but Quistis fell into him, wrapping her arms firmly around his back and muttering into his chest. He stood there stunned, but tried to place a comforting arm around her shoulders and another cradling her head. What she said surprised him to no end.

"Thank you." He rested his head over hers and closed his eyes tightly, cursing the world. She had remembered. She remembered and she remembered now…

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Seifer was surly and brusque for the remainder of the day, talking to and seeing no one. He walked slowly to the beckons of the chimes and request for his presence at the bridge, not in his usually stalk, just a withdrawn stagger. When Selphie ran to catch the elevator he had clambered into, he didn't heed her pleas to keep the door open; he just turned and pressed the button for the third floor. When the Chief walked into the Headmaster's office, he found the man bearing the title there, looking a great deal more cheerful than he had earlier, and the Commander who swiveled in his chair sporting a smug grin. Seifer was perplexed, but didn't show it. He saluted both men and turned to the Headmaster. "Sir?"

Just then Selphie bolted into the room and quickly saluted Cid after skidding to a stop beside Seifer. "Selphie?" The Headmaster asked.

"Permission to give my big sweetie-pie Chief of Security a super-duper-mega big giant hug because he looks sad and needs one?" She held the salute as Cid chuckled.

"Permission granted." She dropped her salute to fly into Seifer, jumping up to rest her chin on his shoulder as he caught her unflinchingly. Absently he rocked her back and forth in the air before dropping his hands, though Selphie didn't follow. Cid laughed lowly again. "As I was saying Seifer, I believe Mr. Leonhart has found a solution to our founding and student related problems and it is much less painful than anyone had previously hoped. It may only work temporarily, but I think that we should be able to keep all of our heroes on staff."

"That's great sir." Seifer responded, feeling somewhat better. Even the limpet attached to his torso made him happier than he had been.

"Our plan thus far is to issue an exorbitant one-time fee to all existing students. In theory this should weed out those who aren't serious about training in earnest here. I know that there will be a great number of people willing to foot the bill just to see the saviors, which is why I've elected to send all of them on a long vacation sometime after, and claim that they all went on with their own lives. This will undoubtedly disenchant a great number of people, but we are confident that we can find the support we need after our troublesome students have left and that we will be able to employ the Ultemecia team as fighters and teachers, not as gods."

Selphie perked more so than seemed humanly possible. "A vacation! WOO-HOO!" She screamed a bit too close to Seifer's ear for any semblance of comfort. She tightened her grip around his neck at the words and whispered. "Whoops. Sorry Seifie…"

The scene elicited a laugh from even Squall himself. He was confident that the plan would work for the most part, but having Quistis reinstated as a teacher would be difficult, even more so than the others. Squall could not help but find it strange how as teachers neither Selphie nor Rinoa had nearly so much trouble. He mused to himself. He didn't have problems and neither did Irvine, or Zell… Seifer saluted both of them after being given permission to leave. What could be the reason for Quistis' particular plight and the others' relative safety? Seifer turned around and left as Selphie, still attached to him saluted and waved to the Headmaster and Commander.

Squall suddenly smiled widely and went over to speak with Cid…