Chapter 2

Seifer's Return

"DIE!"

Clambering over the gnarled roots of the fallen tree stomps in Balamb forest, Seifer smiled at the sight of his fresh new kill. Blood stained his Hyperion and all over the rough grass that surrounded him. Slaughtering every monster in sight, he enjoyed the feel of cutting through their flesh.

"Die you mortal scumbags!"

Blinded by too much sin, he felt no remorse. Scourging the blade through his victim's corps, blood spattered devouring their vivid colors and turning them into the painful crimson hue.

Though his eyes feasted on the dripping blood of the slain beasts, his thoughts were somewhere far off course.

It was supposed to be today when the meeting regarding his reaccredidation would be held at Balamb Garden. He looked at his watch...900 hours. Just a few more minutes and the meeting would start, but he didn't care, he never gave the thought of going. But somewhere deep in his mind, he pondered at the words that Edea said to him the other night. He couldn't help but be enraged at his current situation. Mixed emotions filled him as he wiped the bloodstains off the sharpened edge of his gunblade. He felt anger toward himself for being weak. Weak in a sense that he was helpless with the situation that suddenly popped in his life. He didn't know whether or not to accept his Matron's offer and change his life for good. He knew he had to take the chance if he wanted to improve his life, but also fear for the upcoming events that would take part if he returned to the Garden.

Though he felt okay with his life at Balamb as a fisherman, living together with Raijin and Fujin, he wasn't contented. He felt something was missing...the thrill he had chasing over naughty children who always disobeyed the Garden rules, shouting at those nosy SeeDs who often opposed him, having that sense of responsibility being a Disciplinary Officer. He wanted to feel that rush of being alive once more. Now all he felt was boredom, deprived from the life he once lived.

As subtle breeze swept across his cheeks, a sudden flashback crossed his mind. It was during his assault against Galbaldia's late president, President Vincer Deiling that struck him. He could still remember the words that Sorceress Edea said to him...

"Poor, poor boy. The boy in you is telling you to come. The adult in you is telling you to back off. You can't make up your mind. You don't know the right answer." A vivid image of the ex-sorceress was flashing against his head. "You want to help, don't you? You want to be saved from this predicament." The flashes continued with Edea's face in his mind. "Don't be ashamed to ask for help. Besides, you're only a little boy."

"I'm not a boy! Stop calling me that!" Seifer exclaimed the same words he hadsaid before. Sweat began to fall from his head, as the thought wouldn't leave him alone. He recalled the events that made him regret. He could clearly remember, the stage, the whole set, his matron still entrapped as a sorceress, he, holding Vincer Deiling with his Hyperion ready to cut through the late president's neck... and Quistis looking as the whole event unfolded.

Quistis, her face was weak, he could remember. But why? He asked himself. He grasped the Bite Bug that was lying next to him. It shrieked in pain with its body all covered with blood. And again, her face crossed his mind. He remembered how she laid helpless on the pile of rubbles at Ultimecia's castle, groaning with the wounds that she had received in the battle.

As his memory began to subdue, and the pictures that he was seeing began towane, Seifer somehow felt the urge to return to the Garden. Not just to fact that he wanted to see Quistis, but to prove to himself and everyone how much he had changed.

Indeed, he hadchanged since the whole chaos ended. He hadlearned a lot of things throughout his journey while trying to fulfill his dream. He hadlearned the value of friendship when he lost Raijin and Fujin. He had learned the power of arrogance and pride as he battled against his inner demons. And most of all, he hadlearned to value life because of her...Quistis.

Seifer looked at his watch, 5 minutes more before the meeting would start, just enough time for him to get there. He released the Bite Bug and hurried his way out of the forest. He jumped over several roots, ran across the lush vegetation and made his way to Balamb Garden's front gate just in time.

He fell on his knees right in front of Edea, chasing his breath "Huff-huff-huff- M-Matron –huff-I'm sorry –huff- that I'm late."

"Seifer, what happened!?" asked Edea looking at him, very worried.

Seifer took time to breathe before responding "I had a little trouble with decision making."

"I see...I'm so glad you made the right one. But you're not dressed for the occasion I can see..." she replied for Seifer was messed up. He was dripping with sweat; his hair was cluttered; his clothes were wrinkled; and to top those off, blood stained all over his body. "Why don't we go to my husband's office to fix you up?"

They both walked towards Cid's office chatting different issues about the Garden since it had been a long, long while since Seifer stepped onto the Garden's ground.

When they reached his office, Edea knocked and was warmly welcomed by Cid, and Seifer as well.

"Ah... Seifer, nice to see you, it's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Why, good morning Headmaster. Yes, it has been a while since you kicked me out of this Garden." he answered Cid's greeting.

Both of them talked as Seifer dressed up for the meeting. After he was done, they headed to the conference room together with Edea.

They were the lasts to arrive. Cid entered first, followed by Edea then Seifer. The people present there were Headmaster Martine as the representative of Galbaldia Garden, Headmistress Kyra as representative of Trabia Garden, Squall as a SeeD representative, and Quistis as the witness instructor for the whole meeting.

As they sat down on their seats, Cid stood up and spoke, "Good morning everyone. First of all, I wish to thank you for coming to this meeting regarding Seifer's reaccredidation to Balamb Garden." Cid then sat down allowing Edea to continue his brief introduction.

"I wish to be brief, so please listen to what I have to say... I believe you very well know Seifer Almasy, the boy who was admitted here at Balamb Garden at the tender age of seven. He joined and became a Disciplinary Committee together with his colleagues Fujin and Raijin at the young age of fourteen and continued on until his withdrawal. About two years ago, he took the SeeD examination as the Squad Leader of Squall Leonhart and Zell Dincht butfailed to comply with his tasks. After that, he became the Knight of Sorceress Ultimecia, Adel and mine as well--" Martine suddenly interrupted.

"You said it so yourself Edea, what's the point of letting Seifer back into the Garden if you knew how much he miserably he failed his term." mocked Martine.

"...Well Martine, I'm not done with my story, now listen up. After his defeat against Squall and the others at Lunatic Pandora, I found him lying there half-dead. I took refuge of him until he was well enough to get up and told him to come with me to the future to help in the assassination of Sorceress Ultimecia. He willingly agreed despite his injuries. But by the time we got there, Ultimecia has long perished. Squall and the others were all lying lifeless on the ground. And so it was also because of Seifer that everyone lived and were able to get back into their own time."

"So what's your point Missus Kramer?" Martine interrupted again.

"The point is that, it was because of Seifer that the ones which we call 'heroes' have returned back well and alive. And so we owe that to Seifer..." Edea stopped, then Cid continued.

"Thank you dear for your...uh... brief introduction." Yeah right, thought everyone "... okay...so now I ask you...is Seifer worthy to return to Balamb and continue his training until he becomes a full pledged SeeD? Anyone in favor, please raise your hand."

For a while no one raised his or her hand, but then after sometime a single hand raised; it was Quistis'. They looked at her for a while, and then Edea raised her hand followed by Squall. It took some time for Headmistress Kyra to raise her hand since she could never forget about what Seifer did to Trabia, but in the end raised her hand as well. Everyone in the room was raising his and her hand, except one, Martine.

"This is unacceptable! After all that he has done, injuring thousands of innocent lives and giving his side to Ultimecia, you agree to forgive this guy in just one snap!? He will never learn! He is a MURDERER!" Martine exclaimed in fury pounding the table.

"I am not a murderer!" Seifer suddenly said, in defense of himself.

"Liar!" Martine sneered back with the same amount of anger.

"How dare you mock me!" Seifer's eyes burned with anger at Martine's accuse. He stood up causing the chair behind him to fall. Everyone saw in his eyes the pain he felt towards the reproach.

Though most of them wanted to stop the two from causing any conflict, only Cid motioned, saying, "Gentlemen, I don't want any altercation in my Garden." Cid intruded, causing them to stop. "Seifer, you are not to argue with the council. Remain in your seat and stay calm." Then turned to Martine saying, "And Headmaster Martine, please give Seifer the chance to speak his side of the story."

"Fine, but I will not tolerate with his imbecilic attitude."

"Then let me tell you this with all due respect Martine, I have injured countless innocent civilians, including your students at Galbaldia, but this I swear; not once have I ever, and I mean EVER taken anyone's life."

"What in the world proves your innocence?" Martine ridiculed.

"I was never a liar." Seifer defended.

"Does that mean you are now?" Martine snickered at Seifer's statement.

"GO TO HELL!" he finally yelled in frustration.

"Seifer, that is enough! Perhaps it would be best if you would remain quiet instead." Cid scolded

"I suggest that Quistis should speak on Seifer's behalf." Edea suddenly suggested, confusing the council. Quistis too was baffled by Edea's sudden remark and wasn't able to react. Edea sensed that perplexity made them quiet, so she carried on, "I am sure if Seifer would speak for himself, there would be chaos. And since Quistis was his Instructor and had known him since childhood, perhaps she could defend him well enough."

"Are you saying that Quistis will have to be his lawyer? That's a laugh!" Martine giggled at Edea's suggestion.

Then suddenly, the silence and ignorance of Quistis towards the situation turned into a controversial mockery. "Oh will you shut up!" Quistis cried out, surprising everyone including Seifer. But not a word was heard from him this time, he simply watched as the events unfolded. He envisioned himself as a digitally inserted graphic, not wanting to cause any more trouble...at least not now. "With all due respects Martine, let me speak my mind out..." she paused for a while to gather her thoughts. She was already filled up to the brim with Martine's insulting words and foul attitude. She could no longer take watching her ex-student being tormented by a failure Headmaster. Everyone at the room was silently glaring at her, especially Martine. "A year just passed since you returned to your job as being Headmaster of Galbaldia, and might I say you've gotten more conceited than you once were. What is wrong with you? Look at yourself, you too failed your own responsibility as a Headmaster. You betrayed your own Garden at the brink of its destruction. It was your fault that Galbaldia fell into the sorceress' hands."

"Are you taunting me!?" exclaimed Martine enrage at her words.

"Oh but I am!" exclaimed Quistis in return, "During the war, where were you? Weren't you at FH, hiding? At least Seifer wasn't a coward like you were. I've known him for a long time, and he learns from his mistakes. You had your own share of failures, but you were lucky to have been given a second chance. Of all the people here, you should know what it feels like to be betrayed, what it feels like to regret, and most of all, what it fells like to be forgiven. I was hoping that you'd be the one who will understand Seifer's whole situation. But what did you do? You instead objected the renewal of Seifer. I hope you change your attitude Martine."

Martine was deeply silenced by her words; it was as if an arrow plunged in right through his heart. His eyes could be seen that it was filled with regret as he peered around the table. Everyone in the room was quiet, unable to say anything to what had just been said. Luckily, Cid decided to break the silence and end their discussion once and for all.

"Alright, so much for that...now, for the second and last time, anyone in favor of Seifer, please raise your hand."

Cid was the first to raise his hand followed by Edea, Quistis, Squall and Headmistress Kyra. It took sometime until Martine raised his hand as well.

"Very well, I can see that everyone is now in favor." Cid walked over to Seifer and signaled him to stand. Seifer stood up, then Cid continued. "Now, let us welcome our newest and returning member of Balamb garden... Seifer Almasy!"

Cid clapped his hand and was soon followed by everyone else. He then congratulated Seifer by shaking his hands and so did every one else. Everyone was now talking with each other but was cut short by Cid's interruption.

"Everything is wonderful...now all he needs is an instructor."

"I believe Instructor 14 would be perfect for the job." Edea suggested once more

"Who the heck is Instructor 14?" Seifer asked.

"You'll soon find out." Edea answered smiling.