Chapter Five

Making the Grade

Squall and the others raced out of the Communications Tower and began through the clearing when the sound of metal clanking above them caused them all to turn, and then look up.

"Holy Hyne . . . what in the hell . . ." Seifer breathed beside him. Squall couldn't even find enough words to manage that much.

Hanging from the bottom of the top grate was an enormous bus-sized spider-shaped robot of some sort. As they watched it suddenly let go, twisted mid-air, then landed with a ground-thundering thud in front of them. Immediately it pounced forward to attack.

The latest and greatest in Galbadian military technology, the X-ATMO92—aka the Black Widow—was a massive and extremely deadly robotic mobile attack weapon, designed to take out other MAVs and entire battalions of troops. And for some strange reason it seemed to have been set loose on 4 rookie SeeD candidates.

Talk about overkill.

The four of them immediately scattered in an attempt to keep the kill radius wide. After moments it became apparent that regular weapons were damn-near useless against this heavily armored abomination. It would take forever to beat this thing the old fashioned way, and time was something they just didn't have at the moment.

Seifer apparently came to the same conclusion. He re-clipped Hyperion to his belt, then fell back a step. "On my mark, hit this bitch with all the thunder magic you've got!" he yelled out. "Try to stun it, and then we run like hell for the beach! On three!" He raised his fist. "One!"

Squall re-clipped his gunblade then put his hand to his forehead, calling up the spell.

"Two!"

Selphie brought her nunchaku forward and pulled the chain taut.

"Three!"

Zell grabbed the wrist of one hand and thrust it forward. And then at once all four of them yelled

"Thunder!"

Four massive bolts of electricity shot from the heavens and blasted the Black Widow, full on. It stumbled slightly, but didn't go down completely. Zell quickly dodged one of the arms that tried to stab him in the chest, and Seifer dove out of the way to avoid it's laser guns.

"Again!" he roared. All four of them positioned themselves. "One, two, three!"

Again, lightning streaked from the sky. This time the Widow collapsed, powering down.

"Alright, let's move it!" Seifer called.

Selphie stumbled slightly, suddenly looking very tired and worn out. She must've already cast some spells today, and was reaching her limit. The normal human body wasn't meant to use spells or receive them on a continuous basis. Too much and the body would quickly tire, and continued overuse could eventually burst the capillaries in your head and fry the nodes in your brain. It was called Magic Poisoning, or Mag-Poisoning for short. As SeeDs they had been taught exhaustedly the dangers of Mag-Poisoning and how to avoid it or treat it. Selphie didn't look too bad however, just a little fatigued. One didn't have to start worrying until the whites of your eyes turned bloody and the little blue veins at your temples became visible.

Seifer led the way out of the clearing, Selphie stumbling along between Zell—who followed directly behind Seifer—and Squall—who pulled up the rear. The reached the ledge above when the sounds of the Black Widow stirring to life suddenly rung out. Seifer amped up the speed.

"Move it, people!" he snarled back over his shoulder. "If that damn thing catches us again we're toast!"

Heart in his throat, Squall followed along after everyone else as they carefully maneuvered the steps and then the stone pathway below, the Widow right on his ass. As they began across the long bridge, the damn thing suddenly leapt over them. Seifer pushed everyone back a couple of steps—for a moment unsure of what to do—but then it leapt back to cut them off again and they put on the speed once more.

They tore through the Central Square. As they did, Squall spotted the sandy-colored dog whimpering loudly—apparently having gotten it's foot stuck somehow. Seifer didn't miss a beat. He ran right over the top of the dog, bending down and scooping it up into his arms. Only a loud, startled yelp issued from the mutt and then Seifer darted down the street they had come up originally.

Behind them the Widow was crashing through buildings as it pursued them, crushing cars and everything else that got in it's path. They reached the beach and Squall gasped as he saw the boats pulling away from shore. He put on a last burst of speed, dive-rolling off the stairs and into the sand below, rolling back up to his feet. The Black Widow slammed down into the sand as well. Up ahead Seifer boarded the boat, then Zell. Selphie stopped a few feet away and both of them turned around to see Squall tearing hell for leather in their direction, the Widow right behind him. They were screaming and yelling at him to hurry, as if he wasn't already doing his damndest in that regard.

And then all of a sudden gunfire began roaring out. Apparently Quistis had gotten behind the massive gun turret on the prow and began blasting the crap out of the Widow. Squall leapt from the shore and barely got his front half into the boarding bay. The Widow nearly came up behind him, but Quistis kept firing and eventually it fell backward into the water.

Zell hauled him up the rest of the way, the doors shut behind them, and then the assault boat shot off back for home. Squall just lay there for a moment, fighting to catch his breath. Zell sat on his butt nearby, doing the same, and Selphie was crouched on her knees chuckling in between gasps for air. When Squall had enough energy, he raised his head and gave her a glare.

"What's so funny?" She giggled some more, then pointed. Squall turned and then blinked before smirking himself.

Seifer stood near the back holding the stray mutt in his arms, who was now wagging it's tail a hundred miles an hour and licking the crap out of his face.

"Looks like the Captain's got a new friend," she snickered gleefully. Zell quickly joined in, and Seifer gave them all death glares before stalking off into other parts of the ship. Dog still in tow.

Seifer was the first to stalk off the boat after they'd made it back to Balamb an hour later. It was still daylight in Balamb, the sun not quite set on the tropical island. The squad leader stalked down the plank and then headed down the docks, still fighting the affection of the dog in his arms.

Fujin and Raijin suddenly appeared. "SEIFER!" the former yelled, running forward.

"How'd it go?" Raij was quick to question afterward, both giving the dog a look but not commenting right away. Seifer sighed loudly.

"Man . . . all they did was get in my way," he complained. "Being a leader ain't easy."

"SAFE?" was Fujin's next question. Seifer gave her a grin and a chuckle, then began leading them toward the cars.

"So who's your new friend, ya know?" Raijin demanded as they did so. "S'kinda cute." Raijin attempted to pet it and the dog suddenly began growling at him, trembling and showing its fangs. Raijin quickly pulled his arm back. "Heheh, it reminds me of you, ya know! Have you named it yet?"

"No."

"Is it a boy or a girl dog?"

"I have no idea, I've been respecting it's privacy."

The fur on the dog—which looked like some kind of cross between golden retriever and a miniature collie, though the dirt and grime made it hard to tell—was long enough that it'd be impossible to tell the gender unless one really did some investigating. Something Seifer was in no mood to try and had utterly no inclination of doing.

"Well how you gonna know what to name it if you don't know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"Raijin?"

"Yeah Seif?"

"Shut up."

Back on the boat, Squall, Selphie and Zell slowly disembarked next, followed by Quistis. They lined up in front of her and she grinned.

"Good job!" She glanced around, then her grin faded into a frown. "Where's Seifer?"

Squall pointed over toward the cars. She turned to see him—flanked by Fujin and Raijin—walking toward the vehicle and shrugged with a loud sigh. "Just be back at Garden by sundown. You're free 'til then. Ok, dismissed!"

Quistis turned back to consult with some of the other Instructors, so the three of them strolled down the plank way and off the docks. Squall tensed as he heard the engine to the vehicle fire up. He didn't bother chasing after it like Zell did however when the damn thing pulled away and took off down the street.

"H-Hey! Not again, man!" Zell cried out, stopping finally and slumping. He kicked the pavement. "There goes Mr. Ego." Squall sighed.

"Might as well walk it."

The three of them strolled through the laid-back harbor town of Balamb, the peaceful sea-breeze and the lazy call of gulls above them seeming almost bizarre after the hectic battle they'd just left behind. Yet it definitely helped unwind them, so that after only moments Zell was grinning and chattering away happily about some historic information or other to Selphie, who ate it up like a cat to cream.

Zell suddenly stopped in front of a housing block. "Uh . . . hold on a sec, will ya?"

Squall blinked when the blonde opened the door and then invited himself inside. Selphie glanced at him, then followed. Squall just sighed and then did so as well. They found themselves in the kitchen area of a cozy little house decorated in flowers and doilies.

"This is my house," Zell announced then. "But don't make yourselves too comfortable!" he added quickly. "We're only stopping real quick to let my Ma know I'm ok, then we gotta get back to Garden on the double."

A husky mid-aged woman with long brown hair pulled back into a tail stood behind the stove and turned when Zell spoke. Her worn face broke into a wide grin, and she immediately came forward to engulf him in a hug.

"Zell, what a surprise!" she cried, thumping him vigorously on the back before pulling away and getting a good look at his smiling face. Then she turned and suddenly noticed Squall and Selphie. Her smile didn't dim. "Are these your friends?"

"Uh, sorta. Ma, this is Squall Leonhart, and Selphie Tilmitt. They're other SeeD candidates. We just got back from our field exam."

Expecting the woman to begin fussing about the dangers and ask if Zell was okay, Squall was instead stunned when she held him by his shoulders and pushed him back a step, her brow quirking.

"And how'd you do?" she questioned, suddenly all business in a tone that would have done any Army General proud. "Did you listen to orders like I told you? No tantrums? Defeated all your enemies?"

"Yeah, Ma," he insisted, slightly put upon and obviously uncomfortable that Squall and Selphie were witnessing this. "I won't know how well I did 'til I get back to Garden. Speaking of which, we really gotta be gettin' back. Right guys?" Zell turned to the others for support, who said nothing.

Ma Dincht ignored him too, and put one hand to the side of his face, making him turn back and look her in the eyes. She studied them for a moment, then her expression softened. Something told Squall that—somehow—the woman knew exactly what had happened to Zell on the mission, strange as it was. Her hand caressed his cheek, and Zell started softening despite himself.

"You okay, baby?" she murmured. He swallowed, then nodded a little jerkily.

"I'm gettin' there," he murmured back. Her smile was pained, but she heaved a sigh and then ruffled his spiky hair before stepping back.

"Well you better get back to Garden before you get yourselves in trouble. It was nice meeting you Squall, Selphie," she then announced, turning a kind smile in their direction. Squall nodded somewhat uncomfortably while Selphie beamed at her cheerily. "You all are welcome back any time. Be safe, dear!" she yelled out as Zell began jogging for the door. "And you had better come back with a girlfriend next time! I want some grandchildren before I die!"

Selphie laughed uproariously at Zell's suddenly crimson-colored face.

The sun was starting to get low on the horizon, so the three of them started out for Garden. They made it to the front gates just as the sun began to set fully. Zell reached up for a bone-popping stretch.

"Huuuuwahaaaaahh!" he yawned, then sighed heavily as he loosened again. "Finally made it back."

"Seriously," Selphie seconded, tugging at her knee-high black boots. Zell turned back and shrugged.

"Well, I guess we just wait around until the results." Selphie nodded. Zell gave him a smile. "'Til then. See ya Squall!"

"See ya!" Selphie seconded, then both of them took off jogging for the front door.

Squall just shook his head and followed after in a more sedate pace. Where the two of them got their energy, he'd never know. Hyne save them all if those two ever became a couple. Their unholy offspring would be the end of the world, he was sure of it.

By the time Squall entered the first floor lobby Zell and Selphie were nowhere to be seen. He did however spot Instructor Trepe and Xu standing near the directory, talking to Cid. He approached and as he did so began hearing snippets of their conversation.

"Mission complete!" Xu was announcing proudly. "I think we did a pretty good job. The candidates are back safely, right?" she questioned of Quistis, who quickly nodded. Xu sighed. "Although we didn't realize the Galbadian Army was after the abandoned communication tower." Cid nodded.

"We've just received word from the Dollet Dukedom. The Galbadian Army has agreed to withdraw as long as the communication tower is repaired and the uplink remains operational."

Xu made a face, then shrugged. "Well, in any case, Galbadia is out of there. We could've made more money if they'd stayed and made more ruckus."

Squall finally neared at this, and Xu turned to him. Her stern expression softened into a slight smile. "Hey, you did pretty well!" she complimented. Quistis grinned.

"Of course! He's my best student." When Squall merely nodded respectfully to Xu's words she sighed and added, "he's not very social though." Squall just gave her a dirty look, but turned back forward when Cid suddenly spoke.

"How did it feel to be out there on the battlefield?"

Squall hesitated before answering, wondering if this was part of his exam. If he admitted to being scared spitless at times, surely that wouldn't reflect good on him. And pretending apathy probably wouldn't go over too well either. He finally opted for the safest rout.

"To actually fight . . . it was a good feeling." Cid nodded with a smile, though something in his eyes told Squall he was perhaps a little disappointed with his answer.

"That's the spirit!" he murmured however, then sighed. "But don't let it go to your head," he admonished gently.

Squall saluted, inwardly wincing—believing he'd screwed that up royal—before he made his excuses and then headed off for the dorms. On the way he passed the library, and ran across Seifer standing there apparently waiting for him. Apparently he'd managed to divest himself of the dog, and his posse as well. The blonde sighed as Squall approached.

"D'you hear about the communication tower in Dollet?" he questioned and Squall nodded. He made a face. "We would've been heroes if it hadn't been for that withdraw order."

"You were only looking for a fight."

Both teens turned to see Quistis and Xu approaching. Quistis, the one who had spoken, gave her student a highly disapproving glare, one he returned with a sneer.

"My dear Instructor," he greased, putting a hand to his heart, "I'm hurt." Squall gave him a look, brow raised. If he didn't know any better, he'd almost swear that Seifer did this crap just to piss Trepe off. He never acted near so snotty and arrogant unless she was around. Then he sighed and did a mental shrug. What did he care? "Those are rather cruel words for an aspiring student," Seifer continued. Then his mocking expression melted into a harder, crueler stare. "A mediocre Instructor like you will never understand."

Quistis gasped, taking a step back, eyes wide as if Seifer had actually struck her. That had been a little on the blatantly insulting side, surprising even Squall—who had become a silent by-stander in the scene that was unfolding. Usually Seifer stuck to the more smart-assed comments. Xu stepped forward, expression thunderous.

"Seifer, don't be so stuck on yourself," she snapped. "You'll take full responsibility for leaving the designated area."

Seifer's hard look melted back into his more familiar, sneering one. "Isn't it the captain's duty to take the best possible action?" Now it was Xu's turn to let out a sneering bark of laughter.

"Seifer, you'll never be a SeeD," she spat hatefully. "Calling yourself a captain is a joke."

Even Squall winced at that last barb. Seifer's face turned a ruddy red before he hunched, glaring at the floor. Xu and Quistis walked away after that. Headmaster Cid came nearer and sighed. His kindly face was the epitome of disappointed as he shook his head, looking less like a frustrated headmaster taking a student to task all of a sudden and more of a father castigating an unruly son.

"Seifer," he called heavily. "You will be disciplined for your irresponsible behavior. You must follow orders exactly during combat," he continued to chastise. Seifer refused to raise his head, continuing to stare at the floor. Cid sighed again at this, his expression softening. "I'm not entirely without sympathy for you," he murmured then. "I don't want you all to become machines. I want you to be able to think and act for yourselves. I am—,"

A Garden Faculty member suddenly approached and cleared his throat, interrupting the headmaster. "Headmaster Cid, you have business in your office," the man announced officiously. Cid sighed.

"There are so many issues at hand, here," he muttered half under his breath, then turned and walked away toward the elevator. Squall stood near-by for a moment while Seifer continued to glare at his shoes, wondering if he should say something or what he would even say if he should. Luckily the PA suddenly gave it's sickeningly sweet tone, and then an unknown voice suddenly called out through the halls;

"All students who participated in today's field exam, report to the 2nd Floor hallway. I repeat, all students who participated in today's field exam, report to the 2nd Floor hallway."

Squall hesitated a moment longer, then sighed and turned on his heel without a word and headed for the elevator. He exited and then walked forward into the hallway, finding several students sitting or standing in the hall. Zell was one of them, pacing back and forth with his hands stuffed in his back pockets. He hesitated when he spotted Squall, and lifted his chin in acknowledgement.

"S'up," he called heavily. "Said they were gonna call out names, one at a time."

Squall nodded, then came to stand near the wall and leaned back against it while Zell continued to pace. All motion suddenly stopped however when a Faculty member with a clipboard suddenly appeared from down the elevator hallway. He came to a stop and glanced down at the board before straightening.

"Dincht," he called out. "Zell Dincht."

Zell leapt up a good three feet in the air, fists pumping toward the heavens.

"Oh yeah!" He landed again, then gave the others a wave. "See ya!" Then the blonde began strutting down the hallway past the Faculty member. Squall snorted under his breath, a little stunned that Dincht had managed to pass. The Faculty glanced down at the board again, then straightened.

"Leonhart, Squall, from Squad B," he called next. "Please step forward.

The breath he didn't even know he'd been holding was released in a gusty sigh, though his expression didn't change and give away his immense relief. Instead Squall merely pushed himself off the wall and then strode forward. The Faculty member nodded.

"That is all," he then announced, and the other students' faces fell. "Dismissed."

Squall headed for the elevator, inwardly sighing. Seifer had failed the field exam. Again. Somehow Squall couldn't help but feel that that was an unfair call. Sure, he had ordered them to leave the square against instructions, but he'd made a split decision on the battlefield and had been pursuing an unknown development that command hadn't known about beforehand and couldn't have possibly made provisions for. Sure, most of the reasons for doing so were from boredom, but Seifer had still proven himself to be a very capable leader—if a little on the arrogant and insulting side. Squall just gave another mental shrug as the elevator doors closed behind him.

It wasn't for him to decide. No use in thinking about it.

He and Zell were taken to the third floor—normally off limits to students—and lead to Headmaster Cid's office. Selphie already stood in front of the desk along with a dark-haired youth their age. The Faculty member stepped off to the side.

"These are the four that passed today's exam," he announced. All four of them stood at attention and saluted the headmaster, who gave them a warm smile in return.

"First of all, congratulations," he murmured kindly. Then he sighed. "However, from now on, as a member of SeeD, you will be dispatched all over the world. We are proud to introduce SeeD, Balamb Garden's mercenary soldiers. SeeD soldiers are combat specialists. But," he suddenly stressed, "that is only one aspect of SeeD. When the time comes—,"

"Headmaster," the Faculty member suddenly called, interrupting again. "It's almost time for the meeting," he announced. "Please make this short." Cid looked flustered, and Squall felt a twinge of annoyance stir in his chest because of it. The Faculty member stepped forward and continued in his place. "SeeD is a valuable asset to Garden. It's reputation is solely dependant on each one of you. Handle your mission with care. Is that what you wanted to say, sir?" he suddenly questioned, swinging back to the headmaster. Cid just nodded. The red-robed official turned back to them. "Here is your SeeD rank report!"

Cid came forward and handed Selphie her folder first, shaking her hand and leaning forward to offer a few hushed words. Even though she was on the other side of the line, Squall could just barely make out the words that were spoken—probably thanks to Shiva's assistance.

"I'm looking forward to the Garden Festival," he murmured with a grin, one she eagerly returned. Then Cid stepped over to the dark-haired youth and also shook his hand.

"Do your best," Cid murmured to the guy, "even if you don't stand out."

Next was Zell. "Try to control your emotions a little." Squall almost snorted at that one, but kept his stern mask on through years of practice. Cid finally came to him, handing him his folder and taking his hand in a firm shake.

"Finally," Cid sighed, "a gunblade specialist."

Cid stepped back to his desk and the Faculty member snapped to attention. "This ends the SeeD Inauguration. Dismissed!"

All four of them turned and exited the room and got in the elevator. Squall winced as Selphie and Zell immediately began hooting and hollering with joy. The other kid put a finger to one of his ears to try and block the noise, but grinned at their enthusiasm. Squall just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, then glanced at his scores.

SeeD Graduation Report : Squall Leonhart

Conduct : 70

Judgment : 100

Attack : 80

Spirit : 100

Attitude : 100

SeeD Rank : 8

Bi-Weekly Salary : 6000 gil

Squall smirked, then closed his folder again and straightened as the elevator doors opened with a ding.

Zell and Selphie began skipping and strutting down the hall. Squall and the other guy followed along more sedately. They all hesitated at the crowd that had gathered at the end of the hall. Among them was Seifer, Raijin and Fujin on either side of him. Squall tensed.

Seifer gazed at them, his expression unreadable, green eyes shuttered. Squall didn't know what to expect, though it certainly wasn't for the blonde to suddenly start clapping and give them a genuine smile of congratulations. Very slowly Fujin joined in, then Raijin, and then the whole hallway full of people were applauding and cheering. Zell and Selphie immediately started posturing. Squall just stood perfectly still, his eyes never leaving Seifer's.

Squall was now a SeeD. Seifer wasn't. Their balance had just been broken.

Seifer sighed heavily as he watched Squall and the others head off toward the classroom to go be pawned and preened over by the cadets. Fujin sighed herself, shaking her head. Raijin just clapped him heavily on the shoulder. Seifer did his best not to dwell. He never liked feeling sorry for himself. It always pissed him off when other people did it, and the last thing he wanted to be was a hypocrite.

These humans are pathetic fools, Tiamat suddenly commented of a sudden, and the sound of his offended anger made Seifer smile.

Military organizations tend to have a problem with free-thinkers, Seifer answered in his mind, to which the Dragon Prince snorted, clearly not impressed with this logic.

I am the Prince of Dragons, he announced arrogantly. I am one of few of the Guardian Forces not in any real need of a human host to survive. I can assume physical form for years at a time, and if I choose to ally myself with another being, it is for a specific reason. You are a king among common men, hatchling, was Tiamat's biased opinion, then. These other humans should be praising you, not squashing you beneath their jealous, prejudiced boot heels. And I still say you should have let me unleash Dark Flare on that ugly female who dared to insult you earlier, Tiamat finished, now sounding more like a petulant child who'd been denied their favorite toy rather than the pompous Prince of Dragons he professed.

Seifer chuckled aloud at the thought of Tiamat hitting Xu with his ultimate attack. Half the reason why he hadn't replied to her taunt was that he'd been preoccupied with soothing the ruffled feathers of his easily angered GF—who at times was just a bit too overprotective of him than was necessary.

The other students began trickling away down the halls. Seifer turned to the other two, opening his mouth to ask them if they wanted to go back to his room and help him give that mutt—who was undoubtedly slobbering all over everything and spreading it's dirt and fleas everywhere—a bath. Yet all of a sudden Fujin's eye widened and she jabbed him in the ribs.

Seifer oofed, then turned back to see what she was staring at. His own eyes widened at the sight of a Faculty member approaching him, clipboard in hand.

"Almasy, Seifer," he called. "The Headmaster will see you now."

Seifer glanced at the other two, who shrugged. He finally strode off down the hall as he'd been ordered and entered the elevator, his mind going a hundred miles an hour. What did Cid want with him? Was he going to give him his punishment now? Seifer sneered. Probably a month in detention, if not a week in lock. He scowled then, hardening his features. If so, then so be it. Better to get it the hell over with.

He entered Cid's office and the Faculty member closed the double doors after him, leaving him alone in the room with the headmaster—who was currently leaning on one hip against his desk, arms crossed. He nodded that Seifer should approach, so he did so, fighting to keep his face blank. With just one look from those blue eyes Seifer always felt himself regressing back to his childhood, an errant six year old standing in front of this very same desk, hanging his head, being chastised for anything and everything under the sun.

Despite his best efforts, by the time he came to a stop in front of the headmaster—a man who had been his father figure for most of his life—his shoulders were hunched and his head hung low just like that snot-nosed kid of yester-year. Cid sighed heavily.

"You disobeyed direct orders, Seifer," he began heavily, "and in so doing you endangered—not only yourself—but your entire squad. When you're put into a position to lead, you must consider all the consequences of your actions. Men will live—and die—by the orders and the decisions you make." Cid set the folder he'd been holding down on the desk top and crossed his arms, leaning more heavily on the desk behind him. "Not only did you ignore your orders, but your continued insistence on thumbing your nose at every rule and regulation set before you is troubling in the extreme."

"So you don't want to raise machines," Seifer suddenly interrupted bitterly, "but little dogs that always bark on command are perfectly acceptable?" Cid shook his head.

"You are one of my best and most promising students, Seifer," he returned, countering Seifer's bitter venom with softly-spoken praise. "You always have been, ever since you were a child. Always so passionate, so full of life, so determined to succeed no matter the cost. The last thing I want is for that passion and determination to be wasted now in your budding adulthood. But you have to learn how to temper that with humility and restraint. Or you're going to get yourself killed far before your time."

Cid's gentle castigating was effecting him far too much for comfort, so Seifer forced himself to lift his head and give the older man a glare.

"Can you just get to the part where you tell me what my punishment is so I can get this over with? I've got a dog in my room probably pissing on the floor as we speak." Cid just gave him a look in response to that, and Seifer swallowed any other snotty comments, turning his eyes back to the floor.

"I have your exam scores here," he announced, reaching for the folder again and opening it, "as well as your performance review. Disturbing lack of control," he read, "arrogant to a fault, no discipline, complete disregard for anyone other than himself."

Seifer grit his teeth. Yeah, I don't give two shits about anyone but me. That's why I kept Chicken-wuss from falling apart after he snapped that guy's neck. That's why I saved him from that huge ass snake. That's why I jumped in and kept that Messenger Girl from getting torn apart by that demon thing. That's why I hung back and helped defeat the Widow, and made sure everybody got out to the boat okay. That's why I rescued that stupid fucking dog. Arrogant and selfish to a tee, that's me.

"Every one of your scores—aside from Attack, are deplorable," Cid continued mercilessly. "Every single instructor on the field today voted for you to fail this exam. However, as the headmaster of this facility, I have the final say and can—if I see fit—override their decision." Seifer tensed, and then slowly looked back up, his eyes beginning to round with disbelief. Cid sighed and set the folder back down. "I'm going to go against everyone else's recommendation and graduate you today," he proclaimed, stunning Seifer all the way down into his toes. "As of today, you are officially a member of SeeD. You represent Garden, and you represent me." His expression became suddenly fierce and stern, blue eyes steely. "Do not make me regret it."

Seifer just stood there, mouth somewhat agape. Cid smirked after a moment, then reached over and handed him his folder. Seifer blinked, then glanced down. He winced.

SeeD Graduation Report : Seifer Almasy

Conduct : 10

Judgment : 20

Attack : 100

Spirit : 30

Attitude : 10

SeeD Rank : 1

Bi-Weekly Salary : 500 gil

Seifer scowled. "Rank 1?!" he burst out, incensed. He lowered the folder and pinned Cid with a black scowl. "Well geez, don't go doin' me any favors, Headmaster," he sneered. "Rank 1?! You've gotta be shitting me!"

Cid just shook his head and sighed, re-crossing his arms. "Be thankful for what you have, Seifer," he admonished sternly. "If you want your rank to increase, then you're going to have to show me you want it. Your behavior from now on will have to reflect that. I don't want you to follow every order blindly, and I don't want you to become a machine or a dog. But I do want you to tone down your arrogance, become a team player and become the man I've always hoped you'd be."

Seifer sighed at that, then straightened and for the first time in nearly six years he gave someone a proper salute, perfect to the letter. Cid grinned, then nodded.

"Dismissed."