Beginning and End

Ch 5. A Group of Visitors

Seifer returned to his room, and a small smile tugged at the end of his lips as his thoughts swarmed about in his mind.

So, Ultimecia is alive after all. And I must find her another body to settle her spirit. Who should it be? All the people I suggested to her she dismissed them with resentment. Headmaster Cid could be used. He doesn't have anything better to do, his goal already achieved and he retired as a headmaster already. He has nothing better to do, so he is pretty much ready to die with no regrets. Cid may actually be bored to death right now with nothing to reach for. That gives Ultimecia a good chance to control his heart and mind, but then again Sorceress Ultimecia may like someone more young and more capable to carry out her schemes. Wait Squall…that's right, Squall. That idiot was the one that led the gang to go defeat Sorceress Ultimecia. There is nothing better, but for Ultimecia to gain control over him. For many reasons: Squall is presently headmaster of Balamb Garden, he has a weak and pathetic heart, and so he could be easily influenced. Ultimecia would probably want her hands on him anyway. Do the worst things possible, defame him and use him to betray his own friends. What better way to get your revenge and power? There's no other way! Squall is the best choice.

Seifer froze at that thought. Squall is a nice choice, but Rinoa is in the way. She will find out for sure. Squall and Rinoa are very close now, so any sudden change in character she will know for sure. Dammit! Back to square one!

Tired of thinking, Seifer closed his eyes, only to find morning creep through his windows. Seifer received seven hours of sleep, but when he woke up he felt as if he only closed his eyes and then opened them a second later. He took a quick whiff at his trench coat, and took it off immediately. The sweat and blood of yesterday's battle still lingered on his clothes, so he changed. As soon as he finished he walked out of his dorm and saw Rajin and Fujin there. His friends.

Rajin waved warmly, "Hey Seifer. You sleep well?"

Fujin robotically nodded. Seifer already in his angry mode, "I ask questions! Why are you guys here? I told you I needed some time out from you guys for a while. I want to be alone."

Fujin said monotonously, but loudly, "NEGATIVE"

Rajin agreed, "Seifer, we are here, because you need us. You say you want a time out, but ya know…do ya really need a time out with people who are part of the Garden?"

Seifer shook his head, "Hey, at least they don't follow me everywhere and bug me. I actually get to eat for free. Being with you guys is fish everyday."

Fujin and Rajin stared at each other and nodded at the same time.

Rajin said, "We know, but we want you back as soon as possible. What happened to the Seifer that didn't let anything get in his way?"

Fujin beat her right side firmly, "AGREED"

Seifer hissed, "Stop it already! I can't get better fast if you are pushing me like that. Get out of here! If I see you guys one more time I am going to put you on my list. Now get going."

Rajin backed away, "That's harsh."

Fujin kicked Rajin towards the exit.

Rajin roared in pain as he said in that pain, "Okay Fujin, I get it. You don't have to get all angry on me too."

Seifer didn't even watch them go.

The intercom beeped and Xu's voice came through, "Everyone stop what you are doing and listen carefully. We are having a few visitors coming in to check things out about the Garden. They will be here for about three days. Hopefully not more than that, so make them feel like they are at home. If they ask you any questions, answer them honestly. Don't hide anything. They might say some weird stuff about religion, but don't mind that. Continue to do what you do like nothing happened, but show them some respect. If you didn't hear what I just said don't worry about it, because teachers around you will be reminding you. Thank you. You may resume what you are doing."

Seifer confused about the news over the intercom. There will be visitors. What kind of visitors? Seifer shrugged. It has nothing to do with me. He walked to the cafeteria and received his typical hotdog. He was going to eat it outside when a girl in blue and green called him, "Seifer, over here. There's an extra chair here." He hesitated at the waving figure, but he sat down next to her anyway. He took a bite of his hotdog.

Ellone watched him eat with gentle eyes.

Seifer uneasy at her not blinking eyes, so he set the hotdog down and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Ellone smiled, shook her head, and she leaned back to tighten the loose shawl around her, "Oh, nothing really. I am very happy to see you again."

Seifer left eyebrow lifted, "What do you mean? It's not like I am going anywhere."

Ellone laughed softly, "You are funny Seifer. I know you are not going anywhere. I am very grateful that I know you, and that I was able to take care of you at the orphanage."

"I am not there anymore, and I am definitely not a little boy anymore either, so stop trying to take care of me when you can't take care of yourself," Seifer said straight out.

"Truthful and straightforward as always Seifer," Ellone confirmed. "I wanted to tell you that I am thankful. Thank you for saving my life yesterday."

Seifer finished his hotdog and said in a bored tone, "Don't mention it."

Ellone curled her hair behind her ear, "You sound bored. Do you want to go somewhere? Or is my company not wanted?"

Seifer leaned his weight back and brought the chair back with two legs of the chair implanted on the ground and the other two floating in the air, "I don't want to be here, but if I walk out I won't know where to go, and I always want to be alone."

Ellone nodded, "I see, so I am bothering you then. I am sorry. I don't want to waste your time. I just wanted to say thank you." Ellone stood up and walked up to Seifer, and hugged him.

Seifer burned with anger and surprise, "Hey, what are you doing? Get off of me! I don't need that." He stood up and brought her to her feet.

Ellone smiled and said, "No, goodbye hugs Seifer. You used to take my hugs when you were small."

Seifer pounded the invisible marks of Ellone's "love" off his coat, "Like I said I am not small anymore. Can you please get a grip? I don't want to remember the past."

Ellone nodded, "Okay, okay, okay. You are too cool for me now huh? I understand. You are not small anymore. I know that. I just wish you were again, because all my happy moments were when I was small. I guess I wish everything was that great once again, but I can't change time to do that. I can change the future, but I can't change the present. Oh well. It was nice while it lasted. Bye Seifer. I hope to see you more.

Seifer whispered under his breath, "What about never…"

Ellone waved goodbye to him, "You and your attitude problem. See you around."

Seifer checked the time and sighed, "Time to go on my patrol again." He walked out of the cafeteria and patrolled the inside of the Garden. He patrolled alone, but at certain places he will intersect with another patroller patrolling the same area.

A group of people attired in mostly white and black like priests entered through the school doors and were now at the map of the school. They looked at the map once and dispersed, but one. Seifer saw them come in and knew right away they were the visitors. He wasn't exactly curious about them. He didn't care, but the only person in the group that didn't move an inch from the map agitated him. He didn't like it when people were around areas they shouldn't be. Seifer's patrol time is usually when everyone is in class, so anyone out of place is recognizable. Seifer walked towards the map pretending to look beyond the map, but in reality he was taking a good look at the visitor. He stopped on his tracks when he learned that the one standing at the map was a girl. A girl? I thought they were all guys. Seifer continued walking at a slower pace so he could continue to examine the visitor at his own pace.

The visitor stared at the map intensely as if trying to remember the map. She had dark brown hair that looked black, but in the light it was brown. Her hair was cut in layers, her eyes a matching color to her hair, she had pink lips, and her height was probably a bit taller than Rinoa. She held a prayer book in one hand, and in the other hand a pen to write with. She was clothed in white and black as well, but since she was a girl her attire was different from the looks of a priest. She wore a black long skirt, a skirt people usually see musicians wear, and a white chemise neatly buttoned and ironed. She had a silver cross strung on her necklace and she had white silky gloves on. She touched the map and traced her steps to a room in the second floor. The room Quistis teaches. Seifer was a step from her now. She didn't seem to notice his presence. Seifer widened his eyes when he realized that she was much taller than Rinoa. She was perhaps only an inch shorter than him. He was about to leave and continue his patrol when she spoke.

Her voice an airy kind of voice, it was loud enough to be heard, but not loud enough to wake up a baby fallen asleep. Without looking at Seifer she queried, "What is your name?"

Seifer looked at her, but she never looked in return. He was not sure whether to answer or not, because this question he couldn't remember when was the last time someone asked him.

Seifer stated, "Seifer, Seifer Almasy."

The visitor clipped her pen on her prayer book gracefully, a grace that most of the young ladies today have forgotten. Her voice came again in a gentle and airy voice, a voice that keeps surprising Seifer. He never heard anything like this before.

"My name is Nadia Kalm."

Seifer thought to himself for a moment why is her voice so calm and airy? It's like she is the air around her.

It was Seifer's turn to ask questions, "Why are you asking for my name and telling me your name?"

A cold breeze found its way in and swayed her black skirt, and with that breeze blowing between her legs she answered with a question, "Isn't that how people greet and learn to know each other?"

Seifer furrowed his eyebrows together, but stopped himself. He didn't understand why, but it was probably the atmosphere she set between them that prevented him from feeling angry, "That's true, but I don't want to know who you are or where you came from."

She finally faced him, her eyes friendly and comforting, anyone staring too long may be lost inside them, "But you must have wanted to know me or at least know why I am here if you gave me your name."

Seifer confused at her logic, "That doesn't make sense."

She cleared things out for him without making him feel like an idiot. She explained to him in a way that Quistis can never do. She explained it and made him feel like an equal, not a student asking a teacher, but a person asking a person. She didn't make it look like she knew more than him. Her voice changed everything. It's always the voice that did the most work. An answer to a friend's dead dad can be found in the tone of voice. The friend with the dead dad could tell whether their close friend cares or not by the tone of voice. She had the voice of kindness, not the kindness grown ups used to talk to children, but as an equal, "When you meet a stranger? Once you give that person your name that means you are trading something very important. You are trading your life and secret to that person. Your identity is most important. Even a fake name carries an identity. You must have known somewhere in your mind that once you told me your name, you wanted to know me. You were willing to accept any danger. You knew that. Somewhere inside you knew that."

Seifer listened and realized that she was right. He never thought of it like that before, but it's true. To give your name means giving a part of yourself to another person.

Seifer couldn't, but help ask the following question, "Why are you here? I heard that visitors were coming over the intercom, but usually they come here to be part of the Garden or talk to the headmaster, but you and the group you are with are not doing anything like that."

She switched her prayer book to her other hand and said, "You ask a lot of questions?"

Seifer was taken aback at her sudden harshness, but recovered himself when she continued, "I found the right person to talk to. I'm lucky then to find a person like you coming right towards me. I didn't have to find you at all Seifer. You came to me. Have you ever had that before? When you don't need something it comes to you, but when you do need it. It isn't there."

Seifer nodded, "Sure, lots of times."

"The group I was in separated. We went to different rooms. One of them is probably talking to the headmaster right now, while the rest are in other rooms asking questions and spreading the good news," she said in that airy voice.

Seifer knew time was passing, and that he must finish patrolling, but he didn't want to go anywhere right now. He felt safe standing right there. A safeness that felt boundless. There was no limit to this feeling. It keeps getting better, there were no words to describe it, but he felt it. He didn't know why, and he noticed a lot of soft drafts came in.

She began walking away from the map and to the elevator. Seifer followed. She continued to talk softly, her tongue and teeth voicing out each word correctly with the write emphasis and stress in the right areas.

Seifer questioned, "What do you mean by spreading the good news?"

She pointed to the prayer book, "I forgot that you don't know. What I mean about spreading the good news is this. We came here to spread the works of God. God is without substance. He is something that cannot be touched. God is beyond the human definition. No words can describe him. It's hard to believe in God or spread his news, because we are rejected everywhere. I don't want to force anyone to convert to our religion, but I want people to know about it at least. There is more in this world than gaining power and fighting monsters. There is more good to this world than meets the eyes. I believe that. So I am here to instruct with everything I have. Of course I am not staying long though. Some people get mad at the word "God." Why exactly? True, God is something hard to believe, something that no one wants to hear often, but I believe in God. I trust God to show me the path everyday. And when people shove me aside telling me bad things about God. It hurts me. I am human also. I believe in something. I trust something. God is precious to me, just like everyone else who has something precious to them. And if anyone makes fun of my God or defames God I feel sad, hurt inside. Anyone who holds something dear knows the feeling, yet there are those who hurt. Something you place everything onto, and people treat it like trash. Respect is something the world lacks today."

Seifer listened to every word she said and was inspired to help Ultimecia more than ever. Yeah, it does hurt when people treat you like a dog. My dream of being the sorceress knight shattered by people who used to be my friends, excluding Zell and Selphie. I don't know them that much.

The elevator to the second floor opened and before Seifer even realized it they were already at Quistis door and the end of his patrol. He was surprised that she in a way helped him patrol the school.

"I have kept you too long with me. I hope I did not take much of your time. I needed someone to exchange words with so I know what this Garden is like. Now I know. This place means a lot to everyone here. Even to you. That's why you were walking around weren't you? You were on patrol I believe," she said.

Seifer replied, "I was on patrol, because that's my job. Doesn't mean I like the school or anything. I did it, because I had to."

"Oh, then I have mistaken," she tucked her two hands together and placed them in the center of her skirt and bowed down in an apology, "I must be more careful in what I observe and not jump into conclusions. A mistake I jump to too often." She tilted her head to one side and smiled, "Goodbye Seifer Almasy."

I had a hard time trying to make up a name for my new character. Was this chapter a slight boring? Nothing really exciting, but I need to introduce and describe so I don't have to do it later. Thank you everyone for waiting and then reading my work. You all are important to me.