Beginning End

Disclaimer: The Final Fantasy series is not mine!

Chapter 2 Tonight's Celebration

In the next eight hours everyone ate and helped Selphie prepare for that night's celebration.

Selphie said, "Hurry, hurry! We need to finish! We only have an hour left and everything has to be perfect! Squad A can you please add more decoration over here! Oh, oh, and Squad B over here, Seifer needs help carrying the chairs!

Seifer looked her way and frowned in anger, "Who said I needed help! I can carry this fuckin chair by myself!

Selphie laughed and skipped up to Seifer who shook from head to toe. She waved her forefinger back and forth teasingly, "Ah ah ah. I am higher rank than you Seifer so you listen to me. You do need help! And that's final!"

Seifer growled and hesitantly set the chairs along the Garden walls.

It was time. The long day of preparations was complete. A band of students in a procession played Seifer's theme song as Seifer came into view. Seifer stomped his way into the dancing hall and waved his gun blade like a maniac, "Stop playing that crap! I hate that song. Whose idea was it to give this song in honor to me!"

Band player #1 hollered out, "We just love you that's all Seifer! Xu and Irvine worked together to make this song for you."

Seifer whacked the thin air with his gunblade and glared darkly at the band player that spoke to him, "Who was the one that dedicated this song to me!"

The band player shook, "Um…um…Xu…and Irvine…"

Seifer heard their names and pounded his head with the back of his hand, "…cowboy…and Xu! Damn them!"

The band stopped playing Seifer's theme song at once as Cid and Edea walked down the aisle hand in hand. Squall and Rinoa trailed behind, Quistis and Zell were behind those two, and finally Selphie and Irvine.

Cid cleared his throat and held a glass cup. Every Garden member went still as they listened politely to Headmaster Cid, "Seeds and future seeds. Today is the day where our greatest enemy was defeated. Sorceress Ultimecia! In honor of the following students who are now perhaps instructors, may you please stand forward so you may be recognized."

Cid smiled and adjusted his glasses as he called out names: "Squall, our gun blade specialist. Rinoa, the Timber rebel movement, Quistis the experienced instructor, Selphie the festival expert, Zell the martial artist, and Irvine the sniper. Please give them your gratitude. A toast to the death of Ultimecia and to the Seeds that saved us!"

Ellone stood next to the Garden doctor as she clapped softly, and she only stopped momentarily to straighten her scarf.

Xu yelled, "Yeah, congratulations you guys!

Fujin robotically said, "CONGRATS!"

Rajin clapped and bellowed, "Ya know, thanks for saving the world and all."

Squall nodded a thank you as he embarrassingly rubbed the back of his head, and Quistis waved confidently to all her students.

Cid cleared his throat again, and the room went quiet again. "Well now, for the remainder of the day please enjoy. After all this night only comes once a year, so please enjoy yourselves. Have a fun night everyone. I wish you all the best!"

And at those last words Cid and Edea strolled over to a corner and began socializing with other instructors from other Gardens.

Seifer shook his head and leaned on the wall patiently for orders from Squall.

Squall said, "I know you don't like these small missions, but this is the best I can give you. You can fight more if you passed that seed exam."

Seifer crossed his arms together and his gunblade tilted down sharp end first: "I don't need any seed exam to tell me what to do with my life!"

Squall sighed and rested his forehead on his hand, "Look, I know that. I know you, but you really need to do something with your life."

Seifer smiled and looked at Squall amusingly, "Oh, what is this? When did you get all soft all of a sudden? You never gave me any advice in life before. If I remembered correctly you were the one that said everyone has to take care of themselves."

Squall nodded, "Yes, I know that, but things changed. I feel different. I know what to do now."

Seifer jerked his eyes away from Squall and eyed Rinoa curiously, "Because of her…is she really worth it. Is she that important to you?"

Squall nodded silently.

Seifer laughed and shook in disbelief, "I can't believe you! You wasted your life for some girl! I thought I knew you Squall. I thought you knew better. You changed and got stronger. I will give you credit for that, but seriously…for her…"

"Seifer, just go do your patrol and get it over with."

"Whatever…you are not the boss of me. I will do my stinking dog training, but you will always be puberty boy in my face!"

"Whatever," said Squall, there was no feeling in his voice.

Seifer gave a grunt as he walked to the front gate of the Garden.