Disclaimer: We all *know* that I *know* I don't own FinalFantasyVIII. Grrr- I hate it when I feel like anything I write is just 'proficient'. Again- then Shyms aren't mine, they're Harps, and again, thanks to all who've reviewed and anyone who's stuck with the story.



A week later, the day of Zell's party arrived. The Dinchts had decided to throw him a party to celebrate, and they had been rushing around for days trying to make sure that everything would be absolutely perfect for Zell's big day.

"Zellykins! Are you getting ready?" Etta called. She hadn't seen him since breakfast, and when he was left alone to his own devices for too long, no one could be sure of what kind of craziness would ensue. The answer came from the back room, a hesitant "Yeah. . ." clued her in to the fact that this was probably not the case. She pursed her lips together and strode back towards the voice. What she saw as she walked through the doorway was Zell lying on his stomach, working on a foam puzzle. When he finished it, it would make up the shape of a large foam fish that could be used as a play-mat. Etta's hands went to her hips and she stared at Zell with her eyebrows raised in something just short of amusement.

"Oh, really?" she asked. Zell jumped in surprise and hastily started gathering up the pieces into one big pile. Etta turned and started to go through the doorway, as if she were leaving, but she paused and turned back around to make sure he was actually going to put them away. She was just in time to see Zell quickly shove the pieces under the round table that filled the center of the room. "Zell!" she reproached. He looked up, startled again, eyes wide with implied innocence.

"Wasn't doin' anythin'...." he muttered, casting his eyes downwards, then under Etta's disapproving look, he gathered up the pieces into a neat stack and stuffed them into their original bag. Etta made a quiet noise that sounded distinctly like a 'hmph', but smiled in spite of herself.'

"Come here, you." she said affectionately. Zell walked over to her and she swept him up and swung him around, as much as the small interior would allow, and then headed back through the kitchen, into the rear bedroom. She set him down on the carpet, where he immediately sat down on the floor, and Etta began rummaging through the small dresser that held Zell's clothes, looking for something appropriate for him to wear at his birthday party. She pulled out one of his better outfits, a button-down white shirt and a pair of creamy-blue shorts with straps that were attached to the back and buttoned to the fabric in the front. Etta had originally sewn the straps on because the shorts had been too big for Zell, but he had gotten to like them being there and refused to let her remove them, even though they were now unnecessary. "I think you're old enough to dress yourself, right?" Etta questioned, handing him the clothes. Zell nodded, taking the outfit from her, and headed for the small bathroom that was connected to the bedroom. Etta started for entrance hall to make sure everything was ready. The front hall was cheerfully decorated with spirals of flaming red and dark orange crepe paper taped to the hanging light fixture, with the ends reaching outwards and upwards to where the walls met the ceiling. There were balloons of the same colors tied to the light as well, and they waved and bumped up against each other from the spring breeze that found it's way in through the kitchen's open window. In the back sitting area there were more balloons carpeting the room and laying in mounds on the wooden floor.

"Ma....!...Won't button...!" Zell called from the back bedroom.

"Well, come here then." she told him. He came waddling into the foyer, straps dangling down his back. He wore a scowl on his face, and was turning pink from the challenge of getting the button through the narrow slit. Etta knelt down and deftly buttoned the straps.

"Yoo make 'look easy..." Zell complained, his face a comical mask of dismay.

"Well, someday it will be." Etta assured him. Just then the doorbell rang, and Evan Dincht trotted down the steps from the upstairs. Etta raised her eyebrows in a silent question and Evan nodded, telling her wordlessly that everything was ready.

"I get da door!" Zell exclaimed and raced over to it, pulling the door open and peeking out from behind it. "Gellies!" he yelled gleefully at Gella, who was standing in the open doorway with Mrs. Shym. Gella grinned and her face crinkled up in a smile. She was carrying a wrapped package, with two smaller gifts on top of the main gift. Etta hurried to the door.

"Here, I've got those for you." Etta said, taking the presents from Gella and setting them down on the counter a few steps to the right of the door. "Now, we're waiting for Evan's parents and the Ketter's little girl," she ticked off on her fingers, "and then we'll be all set." she concluded. Zell pouted then pulled Gella aside.

"They made me 'vite 'melia." he explained in a whisper. Gella shrugged.

"Camellia's nice, 'guess." she said, not really caring.

"Yea.... 'still" Zell said, obviously unhappy about the whole situation. The doorbell rang again, and this time Evan stepped forward to open it. Zell looked up and his eyes widened.

"Mom, Dad, great to see you!" greeted Evan with a smile, and then a hug for each of his parents. A tall, elderly male and stout, elderly woman came fully into the foyer, and Zell got a look at his grandparents for the very first time. Eyes wide, he peered out from behind his ma. Sensing the small presence behind her, Etta turned around to look at Zell.

"Zell, what's gotten into you?" she asked him. It was extremely unusual for him to be shy, and even rarer for the shyness to be enough so that it ceased his normal babble. "I don't know what's wrong. . . he's usually not like this." Etta commented to the senior Mrs. and Mr. Dincht.

"Well," Evan's father boomed, his voice a powerful rumble that didn't calm Zell's fears any, "Stand aside and let's have a look at this son of yours." Senzo Dincht had been a high-ranking military official in the Second Sorceress War, and his voice commanded the amount of attention that he was used to receiving. Zell obediently stepped out from behind Etta, and nervously fidgeted during the long silence while Senzo eyed him, seeing if he measured up to the Dincht standard. "What do you have to say for yourself?" he asked Zell, wondering how the boy would respond

"Awesome!" Zell exclaimed as he caught sight of Senzo's military dog-tags. Zell's grandfather nodded knowingly, he himself had found them impressive and official when he had been younger.

"You like those?" Senzo asked "Wait until you get a look at this, then." Senzo reached deep into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a strangely shaped medal. The background was cross-shaped, and two interlocking sections, one white, one black, converged in the center. Both Gella and Zell stared in awe, even though they had no idea what the medal was for. To them, Senzo was obviously a very important person to have received such a thing. "Some time ago, when it was Esthar against the world, I risked my life to save an enemy soldier. I got this as a sign of carrying out a courageous deed. A neat bit of work, isn't it?" Senzo asked him, holding out the medal for Zell's examination.

"Dad," Evan rebuked, "I'm not sure it's a good idea to let him touch that. I wouldn't want him to break something of yours." Senzo smiled gruffly.

"That shouldn't be a problem, then. It's Zell's now." he responded

"But. . . Dad, that's your prized possession. . . he can't take that from you. . ."

"Nonsense. He'll wear it proudly someday, I can tell. I don't believe you'll be able to keep him from some interesting course of life, he's got the Dincht fire in his eyes."

"The Dincht fire? What are you talking about?" Evan asked. Senzo laughed.

" You wouldn't know- your eyes are purely your mother's side." he remarked. Renny Dincht playfully hit her husband on the arm, and conversation moved on to other, more worldly topics. But to Zell all of the noise and chatter faded into a lull in the background. He was unaware of anything else as he turned the cold metal over in his hand. Zell carefully slid it onto the strap of his shorts, he would wear it and always keep it near him. He had the coolest Grandpa in the world.