The Galbadian soldiers outside the hotel were just beginning to recover. Red was the first soldier to actually stand up, and as he began to stand, he spoke to the others, who were still sprawled across the floor.
"They won't find…Seifer…" he said, weakly.
"Even if they do," one of the blue guys said, "he'll finish 'em."
"We can rely on Seifer to do the job." Red reassured himself.
"I dunno," the soldier in blue contradicted, "He's been acting really weird lately."
"It's nice to know you feel that way about me." Seifer said from behind them, with the usual confident tinge to his voice. He noticed the look of outrage on the soldiers' faces when they realised what he was doing. "What the HELL do you think you're playin' at!" Red shouted.
"I guess I just changed my mind." Seifer laughed.
"Have you lost the plot, Seifer? You cant 'just change your mind'!"
"I can, and I will!"
"Well…" the soldier began, "You'll have to get though us first!"
"Don't be stupid!" Zell laughed, "We have a fine line of fighters, and you got nothin'!" It was true. What chance did a band of inexperienced soldiers stand against a gunblade specialist, a man with lethal fists, two women who were experts with their weaponry, an expert sharpshooter, a sorcerer and a sorceress? Nil. Nothing. Less than zero.
"That was very silly." Seifer said to the soldier. It took him less than ten minutes to take out every soldier in sight, and without any help.
"Easy work." Squall remarked.
"I have my moments."
"We should head back to Garden now," Quistis said, "See what Headmaster Cid has to say."
"Zell?" Seifer asked. Zell turned around to see that he was being spoken to.
"What?" Zell replied, aware of the instinctive coldness in his voice. He couldn't help it.
"I'm sorry, man. Not just for last year, but for what I did to you at the orphanage as well."
"It's okay, I'll get over it."

When everyone, including Seifer, arrived at Balamb Garden, which was stationed at Centra's coast, Headmaster Cid was there to greet them.
"I would like you all to wait in the second floor hallway while I prepare for the ceremony," the headmaster ordered, "I will see you all in about half an hour." He finished, walking into the huge mobile building.

Everyone was waiting in the second floor hallway, waiting for the announcement of who became SeeDs. Only Seifer, Irvine and Rinoa needed to be there, but everyone else was there for the sake of moral support.
"I hope I get through." Rinoa said to Squall, looking into his brown eyes.
"You will, no question." He answered, holding her tight.
"Seifer and Irvine too?"
"I know they will. Or at least I hope so."
The hallway quietened when a Garden student walked in and began to speak.
"Can the following students please report to Headmaster Cid's office…Rinoa Heartilly Irvine Kinneas and…oh my…S-Seifer Almasy. Th-That is all." The student finished, walking off into the nearby classroom.

Irvine, Rinoa and Seifer stood in line as Headmaster Cid surveyed them.
"First of all," Headmaster Cid began, "I would like to congratulate you on all becoming SeeDs!" he watched as a smile formed on each new SeeD's face, "Irvine, you are our first sharpshooter and will probably be our best. You will make a brilliant SeeD, and will become an essential asset of Garden.
"Rinoa, over the past year, you have grown a lot. You are now a powerful sorceress and very valuable to Garden. You did a good job today. You all did.
"Seifer, though not under the best of circumstances, you have proved without a doubt that you are a brilliant fighter. You deserve to be a SeeD. All of you do.
"I've said all I have to say," Headmaster Cid concluded, "Please change into your SeeD uniforms and attend the celebrations in the ballroom. Everyone else will meet you there. Dismissed!"

Seifer had just finished changing his clothes when Zell poked his head through the door.
"Hi." Seifer greeted, pulling his boots back on.
"I need to talk to you." Zell said, sitting on the corner of Seifer's bed.
"Go ahead. Pour your heart out."
"I can't help feeling like there's something fishy about you coming back into the fold." Zell admitted.
"Zell, I didn't expect you to welcome me with open arms."
"I'm just finding it hard to forgive you."
"Take your time," Seifer said with a smile, "First, though, let's have some fun!"