"Hey! Heyheyheyhey!" Zell waved his arms exaggeratedly, running after his students. "Guys, seriously! Get back here! Don't make me-!" He kept running and Squall smiled slightly and shook his head. Instructor Zell. Who knew the blonde fighter had it in him to control a pack of students? Well, minimal control most of the time.

"…Are you sure including him on the teaching staff was a good idea?" Xu raised her eye brow watching the chaos from besides Squall. "I mean, he's a great guy, and a brilliant fighter…"

"As I seen when we fought Ultimecia."

"…brilliant fighter, but is he really Instructing material?" She sighed, eying Squall cautiously. Squall only smiled as Zell managed to get his class back together and started scolding them. While a scolding was the minimal amount a student could receive where they were in trouble, Zell could only use it and the time-out chair.

He was in charge of the six year olds.

"He's perfect for the kids, since he IS one." Squall chuckled.

Ah, the changes in Squall since Rinoa had showed up in his life. The once permanently serious and moody looking Squall had become a much friendlier person. Not entirely open, but he laughed and smiled with the rest of them. A big improvement, and he had proved to be a brilliant tactician in battle. A good thing too, because when you have others your age under your command, you WANT to make good tactics to avoid getting them killed.

Zell led his gaggle of children away, as Irvine walked past, giving a student tips about rifles and shooting.

"…trick is, one and a half."

"What?"

"One breath in, half a breath out. Aim. Fire. Your shots a lot more accurate if…"

They walked out of ear shot as Squall left, Xu still following and going through the reports.

"I really am going to kill her."

"…Aerith? Never expected that from you." The unknown male's voice laughed. It was rich, and the man sounded genuinely surprised.

"Zack, Yuffie tried to POISON Cid and got Leon instead!"

"Aw, cut the kid some slack. Sometimes, I wanna poison him myself."

"Zack! You don't even know him!"

"Are, I've been stalking you from here for many years now. I know them all."

"I guess, you do…"

"No regrets, Aer, never hold regrets."

"Train, train, take me away, take me away, so far away!" Selphie skipped onto the platform, singing while Squall trudged up after her.

"Selph, I know you love trains, but could you please stop that?"

"Why?"

"Doomtrain thinks you want him."

Selphie stopped her singing and opted for skipping aboard the train. "You just can't wait to see Sir Laguna, Kiros and Ward again, can you? More importantly, RINOA'S with them!"

Squall sighed and facepalmed.

"I knew it!"

"…of course I miss her. Don't you miss Irvine when you're in Trabia?"

She sighed, normally bright smile drooping slightly. "Yeah, I do…" She brightened again as Squall swiped their tickets through the machine and they moved into their carriage.

Selphie had changed a lot too, since she had taken up duties at the site of Trabia's restoration. Destroyed in the war, she was working to make it better than ever. But she was still the Selphie they all liked, hyper and cheery. According to Irvine, adorable too.

"I really didn't mean too…"

"This isn't good to do to anyone, Yuffie!"

"I'm sorry! It's not meant to be this bad! Maybe he's allergic to it?"

"Better hope so."

"…is he still talking in his sleep?"

"Yeah. Someone called Selphie just turned up. And… I think Leon had a girlfriend before the Heartless."

"…HE REALLY DID?!"

"Keep it down!" Aerith's voice hissed.

"Hyne, I missed you." Barely disguised love went through his voice as he pulled Rinoa closer. "How's your little diplomacy act going?"

She sighed and smiled slightly. "I'm not entirely sure the world's ready, but Laguna is putting Esther back onto the map in a big way. That man is unstoppable when he gets an idea. Like father, like son."

"Stop messing about with my parentage. A soldier-turned-President and a bar tender, I know. But how you been?"

"…a soldier and a bartender?"

Squall shook his head. Where had that come from?

"I'm fine! This bracelet only has minimal side effects, and I always have you, my handsome knight."

"Handsome knight? Me? Knight maybe, but not handsome."

"You have rugged good looks that make women squee." She shoved him playfully and he grinned.

"Alright, I'm good looking."

"He just called himself…"

"What?" He looked around, eyes narrowing.

"…?" Rinoa looked confused.

"…thought I heard something…"

"Maybe it was 'come to me, I want to devour your heart'?"

"Not quite…"

"He's nearly awake, but still dreaming."

"Follow me, oh knight, into bliss." Rinoa was smiling suggestively, standing.

Leon smiled back, got up, and followed.

"Open your eyes, Leonhart."

Leon opened his eyes.

His head throbbed, his eyes itched somehow and he felt like he had never eaten. And he was thirsty…so damn thirsty…

His eyes focused on the calm face of Cloud above him, and croaked the first thing he could.

"…give me…some water…you prick."

Cloud chuckled and looked up at a worried Aerith and Yuffie.

"He's wake, and he's himself."

…hmmm… Any good? I've had a ton of work to do lately, and the lack of a computer makes me cry TT_TT everyone had a good Easter? …I didn't really. A load of crap happened, and now I'm trying to fix it. Thanks for the reviews, enough to keep me going, and all of the alerts and favourites on this thing. I still don't this story is a as good as it can be, so please, tell me what I can do better. Always tell me what I can do better. If that chapter confused you, just send me a 'WTF?' and I'll try and explain.

Ja ne.