Selphie Kinneas
Chapter Twenty-Four
Goodbye

After she heard the Headmaster's voice fade behind her she locked herself in her dorm. Rinoa and Irvine heard after their exam she was alive and well but she still isolated herself from them. Trying to be considerate, her friends decided she needed some time alone. She slipped out at odd times of day to eat but could always be found locked in her cubicle of a room. It had been nearly a week and she had accomplished her goal… avoiding Seifer.

The week she missed held the Banquet in which Irvine attended proudly as a SeeD taking Selphie as his escort. Rinoa failed her test, it didn't discourage her, she remained adamant for the next year. Seeing Rinoa had failed her exam Selphie swooped in and offered her a position of "Vice-President" of the Garden Festival committee. It didn't suit the former illegal faction leader but she agreed. Selphie locked majority of the friends in her little committee, seeing their success last time she was enthused to make it bigger and better the next time around.

Classes began using the mobile Garden to their advantage. Nida has pressured to resigning from SeeD to permanent driver of the Garden. He was paid well and Selphie could always be found pestering him to teach her to do his job. Nida was holding out, but sooner or later Selphie's begging to give free labor while he still got paid was tempting. Quistis managed to acquire a schedule of Nida's course. From being locked in a week there were only two more days remaining before the Garden would station at Timber for a week.

Quistis had finally made her decision of what she wanted to do. She spent the last two days out of her dorm with her friends explaining her plans, resigning with Headmaster Cid and taking her last check to buy a train ticket. Although there were a few words of discouragement from everyone, her friends insisted to be optimistic about the situation and celebrated as much as they could for 48 hours. Selphie and Rinoa attempted to refill Quistis' lost inventory to prepare for departure, Zell convinced Squall to make a white lie and say Quistis was on a SeeD mission and required her personal SeeD cabin for her trip, Irvine happily congratulated himself for being SeeD, and most importantly… no one asked her about Seifer.

It wasn't that she didn't want to see Seifer before she left, she was simply unsure how to face him. How would he take her leave, her lie for his behalf, and what if he questioned their relationship?

Perhaps it was silly paranoia, but Quistis wanted to avoid it all together. It killed her in her heart that she was leaving without a goodbye but it was her only choice. On the day of her leave she was showered with love and gifts from her beloved friends, Headmaster Cid and his wife, Xu, Nida, and last but not least her Trepe Groupies.

The Trepe Groupies had gone through the worst mourning in the history of the world when news of Quistis' death came to them. When she came back to Garden, they were a huge reason she remained locked and isolated.

Quistis didn't expect gifts, that's why she didn't mind the total amount of gifts that arrived from Irvine, Zell, Rinoa, Selphie, and yes Squall amounted to one small gift bag. The Trepe Groupies should have bought a new suitcase with the amount of gifts she received from them.

When Nida announced they had reached Timber Quistis looked to the exit of the Garden. She had been expecting to leave for the past two days but she never imagined how difficult the first step of leaving would be.

"You know—you're always welcomed back." Selphie called behind her.

Quistis turned around and dropped her hand held items. She advanced hastily back to the group of well-wishers and embraced as many as she could at one time. The only male who ensured he was close enough was Trepe Groupie #1. "I don't know how I'm going to do it," She whispered, "But don't worry I'm not going to be alone." She smiled as she looked one by one to Selphie, Irvine, Rinoa, and Zell. "We'll be in touch more than if I were here."

"With a moving Garden that should be no prob." Irvine winked placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Take care of yourself." Rinoa gave a small painful grin, "Sorry Squall couldn't be here. He had an urgent summons to Esther." Quistis laughed shortly as she turned her for the exit.

"I think I can almost imagine what he'd say." Quistis gave a final wave. A few steps later… she finally left the premises in which she had spent most of her life, for good.

oooo

Timber was larger than Quistis recalled, it was one thing that Nida had to park the Garden a mile or so away from the city but within the darn place there were so many railroads and turns she could barely keep up where she was going. She dragged her luggage to the outskirts of the city finding the railroad that commonly went to Deling City, Galbadia. Satisfied with herself she sat against a bench and relaxed.

"I never thought you'd be one to runaway."

Quistis shut her eyes knowing the voice very well. Her back stiffened as she raised herself to her feet to face him. "I'm not run—"

"Bullshit." Seifer interrupted. Quistis opened her eyes, the sunlight blinded her as she fixed her gaze on Seifer. He came closer to her. "Why did you do that?"

A nervous giggle slipped out, "Do what? Lie to the headmaster? Hide from you for a week? Get a ticket out of here only telling a select amount of people?"

He was close enough to hold her hand; instead, he grasped her wrist. "Yeah, that." He shook his head slowly and let go. "Where are you going now?"

Allowing her free hair blow in the wind, she faced the train that was loading passengers and luggage. A small helper boy graciously took Quistis heavy luggage to the cargo cart for her. "Galbadia." She whispered.

"So that's it." Seifer mumbled angrily. The silence held as a whistle calling for all passengers rang out. Quistis shut her eyes and began to walk away. "DAMN IT NO!"

The hand around her wrist stopped her.

"Listen, I know there's something between us. I don't know if you're running away from Garden or from me… maybe both but god damnit I have the right to know!" He shouted tightening his grip on her.

Quistis spun to face him, "Yes! It's you! And it's Garden... I cannot say if I truly cared about you or not Seifer. I gave up my credit because I know you needed it more. That is all. I cannot say that a kiss was all to secure a relationship. What if I'm still hurt from Squall? Then you're nothing but the rebound boy. What if there is nothing for us? What if it was just the desert?" Tears began to spill from her eyes.

Slowly Seifer came to her, his hand loosened and let go. He embraced her, softly, his face contained a smile as he moved in towards her and placed a kiss on her lips. Before he moved away, he kissed her again deeply. Quistis felt her tears gush from her eyes as her arms went around Seifer. She could feel Seifer's fingers in her hair, his warmth felt so wonderful. Seifer's arms moved to her back, rubbing her gently.

The tears stopped pouring and the kiss slowly came to a halt. Seifer moved his face from hers, but just barely. He could still feel her breath on his cheek. Seifer moved to kiss her again, Quistis painfully faced her cheek to him. Seifer chuckled pecking her damaged cheek. "I don't think it's a what if." He said slyly. Quistis breathed in and pulled away. The last thing to break free was her hand, clutched tightly in Seifer's fingers.

"If it's love, then this won't be our last meeting."

Holding her handbag, she stepped into the train her eyes full of sadness once again. Seifer watched appalled as she disappeared into the train. The doors closed and the machine began to move forward. Seifer stood just watching; expecting the doors to open once more and Quistis run out into his arms.

Quistis stood inside, her eyes fixed on the blonde knight outside. The train started to pick up speed. Seifer began to run with it, before the train out sped him completely she could hear Seifer's muffled yell.

"Don't go Quistis!"

Her eyes closed as the train vanished from the station. Her heart beat slowly. Just like that… Quistis was gone.

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That is the end of Mission Possible!

So no one despairs here is a summary of the sequel.

Three years after their experience in the desert, Quistis and Seifer are both leading very different lives than they had expected. Quistis has her own column in the Timber Maniacs and, Seifer is Dr. Odine's partner. Three years isn't enough to erase a few months of incredible memories. Still wallowing in despair of each other's absence Quistis and Seifer face the most difficult challenge ever, living life without one another. To make things more complicated there's Mina Theron a Galbadian bar singer who is obsessed with the rebellious Seifer and has him eating from the palm of her hand, or so she thinks. Quistis cannot move on even with the kind Alexston Aurozoth head over heels for her. Can the two come out of their tribulations and move on? Find out in…

MISSION: Impossible

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