The Centra continent was greeted by another sunny morning. In their normal routines, every monster was able to get their fill of breakfast. They all returned to their homes and all became quiet, except at the orphanage. Young Selphie was running around the orphanage in her underwear, laughing. Edea Kramer tried her hardest to catch the hyperactive girl, but then decided to outsmart her. She turned in the opposite direction of Selphie and managed to cut the girl off in the playroom. Selphie continued laughing, as Edea carried her back to the bedroom to put on some clothes. In the bedroom, Seifer was having a little trouble getting into his clothes. After Edea sat Selphie down on one of the beds, she walked over to give Seifer a hand. However, Selphie didn't stay in her seat. She followed Edea over to Seifer's bed, eyes wandering everywhere. Eventually, she came upon a pair of underwear underneath Seifer's bed. She picked them and found that they were wet. Seifer, quickly, snatched the underwear away from her and threw them to the other side of the bed. Selphie smelled her hand, and then shouted, "It smells like pee!"
"What are you talking about? No, it doesn't." Seifer said.
Then, Selphie began prancing around the room, chanting, "You wet the bed! You wet the bed!"
"Selphie, that's enough." Edea said, stopping the brown haired girl. "You need to get dressed."
"Why do we need to wear clothes?" Selphie asked, as she walked to a large dresser. "Monsters don't wear clothes. Pets don't wear clothes."
"We do not have fur or scales to help keep us warm, Selphie." Edea explained. "You do not want to catch a cold."
"Oh." Selphie said, pulling out some clothes. "I guess that makes sense."
Edea finished dressing Seifer, and then turned to young Squall. "Do you need any help, Squall?" She asked.
Squall had just finished dressing himself, when he said, "I can do it by myself."
"All right." Edea said. "Let us go, children. It is time for breakfast."
In single file, the three children followed Edea to the kitchen. About half way to the kitchen, Selphie began skipping, joyfully, out of line. "Sefie," Seifer said. "Why don't you grow up?"
Selphie stopped her skipping to look back at Seifer. "Says who?" She asked.
"Me, that's who!" Seifer said. "I'm the oldest, so you have to do what I say!"
"Up yours! I'm not listening to you!" Selphie said, as she plugged her ears with her fingers.
"Children, let's not fight so early in the morning." Edea said, just as the group reached the kitchen.
Seifer didn't bother to listen. "And what about you?" He said, gesturing to Squall. "Don't you have anything to say?"
Squall remained quiet, as he entered the kitchen. Seifer wasn't about to let him off that easy, so he grabbed Squall's shoulder in an attempt to turn him around. Squall shook Seifer's hand from his should with a quick shrug, and then he sat down at his seat. Seifer only stared at him, and then took his own seat. While Edea was busy preparing breakfast, Squall stared down at the floor, unaware that Seifer was doing the same to him.
* * * * One Year Later * * * *
It was another monotonous day at the orphanage. It was midday, so the three children were outside. Squall remained close to the orphanage, while Selphie pranced about in the fields with Seifer on her heels, trying to tackle her. Edea stood beside Squall, watching the two children in the flower field. "Squall, why don't you join them?" She asked.
"…I don't wanna play." Squall said, taking his eyes away from the childish ones.
"Are you feeling alright?"
"…I'm ok."
Edea felt as though he wasn't telling her the truth, but dismissed the thought. "I shall go prepare some snacks for you children." She said, and then went into the orphanage.
She walked through the hallway and was about to disappear into the kitchen, when she heard the front door open. She turned to see who it was and a flood of happiness washed over her. "You've returned." She said with a smile.
"It feels great to return home." Cid said.
"You have something to tell me?"
Cid walked over to his wife; a smile appeared on his face. "Your Garden is finished."
"That's good news." Edea said, in her joyful manner. "How did you build is so quick? You have only been gone a year."
"Can we go into the kitchen and sit down first?"
"Sure." With that, the couple walked into the kitchen.
Edea, immediately, began preparing two cups of tea. "So, how did you build the Garden so quick?" She asked, as she started sweetening the tea.
"Well," Cid began. "I met this guy. His name's Norg. He came up with this idea of using this shelter as a base to build the Garden. He used his own gil to hire some hands to do the building. Within the year, the Garden was completed. However,"
Edea gave her husband his tea, and then sat down with her own. "Please. Continue." She said, and then took a sip of tea.
"We don't have enough gil to run the Garden."
"That's awful."
"Not to worry." Cid reassured. "The men that were helping me take care of Ellone offered to take jobs around the world to make the gil that we needed."
"Speaking of Ellone," Edea said. "How is she?"
"She's fine." Cid said. "She's inside Balamb Garden."
"Balamb Garden?" Edea asked, remembering what the unknown man said to her: A SeeD. A SeeD from Balamb Garden.
"Yes. Norg insisted that we make more than one Garden. So, some people wouldn't have to travel so far from home. There's one on the Balamb continent and one on the Trabia continent."
"That is a good idea." Edea said. "When can we start excepting people into the Gardens?"
"Oh, anytime, Edea."
There was silence for a long moment, as the couple drank their tea. Then, the door thrust open and the three children walked into the house. "Snack food! Snack food! Snack food!" Selphie chanted, as she pranced along.
Edea stood up and walked to the refrigerator to look for a snack for the children. She pulled out some 'ants on a log' snacks and set them on the table for the children. Edea watched as the three children ate the snacks, and then an idea came to her. "Cid," She said, getting the man's attention. "Why don't we recruit these three?"
Cid stood up and walked over to his wife. "May I ask 'why'?" He asked.
"I want them to see the world." Edea said. "If they stay here, all they can do is play in the flower field."
Cid looked over his should at the children, and then back at his wife. "I understand. We'll take them to Garden tomorrow, ok?" He said.
Edea nodded her head and smiled.
Selphie: Is this one short? I can't tell. Anyway, how is this little chappy? I think this one is pretty cute, don't you guys think? Well, send me some good reviews, alright!?