Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Sowing the SeeDs ❯ Chapter 3

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 3

a fanfic by Greenbeans
edited by Helen Fong
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C.


- Xu -

Xu sat on the chair at her former desk and stared at the two duffel bags
that were set by the door. It was odd to have all the things she owned
condensed into that little of space. If life was to acquire material things,
she was woefully behind in the game. Even more so considering that only one of
the bags belonged to her. The other bag was filled with Sean's belongings.
She was to return them to his family at the funeral.

Leaning back in her chair she played with a small trinket on a chain
between her fingers. The Headmaster gave it to her last night when she
reported for her final briefing. It was a gift Sean entrusted with him to give
to Xu when she left the Garden. She couldn't recall ever seeing the Headmaster
so nervous as he hemmed and hawed then finally gave it to her when she was
certain that he was going to launch into another one of his infamous speeches.

The pendant itself was simplistic in that it appeared as though he had
taken a bead of Fire, Thunder, and Blizzard magics and bound them together
within a wire frame. She wasn't sure how she felt about having three
potentially deadly spells hanging around her neck, but figured it wasn't much
worse than having them hanging from her belt. Somehow, it struck her as a very
Sean-ish gift. At least he hadn't asked the Headmaster to give her some
undergarments. He was fully capable of that as well...

The Headmaster covered a lot of ground during their last meeting. He'd
given her charge of Sean's items and a letter with his condolences to give to
the family. Among the other items given to her were copies of her orders for
the Galbadian Headmaster and a packet of annual reports. She felt more like a
courier than a SeeD.

Then they discussed Quistis. The Headmaster had a way of asking one
question when he was really interested in something else. There was an
unspoken agreement that he wouldn't ask who had taken the pact that was
performed at a memorial, but that didn't stop him from being curious.
Especially when so much was riding on this particular one. He knew enough
regarding pact tradition to know what was generally agreed upon. If Quistis
didn't joined, that could indicate the type of uphill battle that was ahead of
him.

"What do you think Quistis' chances of successfully completing her
training at Garden are?" The Headmaster asked. Translated it was, 'Will she
continue her training at all?'

"I'm confident that she will strive to complete her studies with the help
of her new friends," was Xu's oblique answer. 'She's taken the pact and has
her new 'family' to help her.'

"I wonder if it was due to your influence," he added reflectively. 'Did
she join because you joined?'

"I've had no such influence on her," Xu shrugged. 'I didn't join the
pact.'

The Headmaster arched an eyebrow at that. "So I see," he drawled slowly.

"Very well, let us move on to my expectations of you. I want you to learn
everything that you can from Martine. He may not be the most *agreeable* of
people, but he's an excellent teacher," Cid paused to give her an appraising
look. "I would have never thought that I'd tell *you* this, but don't be
afraid to stand your ground with him. He has some biases that won't rub you
well. Not that they rub *me* well either, but that's neither here nor
there..."

Xu wondered exactly what the Headmaster was driving at. 'I'll likely find
out when I get there,' she thought to herself.

Indeed, she was still wondering what he meant as she sat there staring at
the duffel bags. She stopped playing with necklace Sean left her, clasping it
around her neck before tucking it safely under her tunic. It was nearly time
for her to go. She said her good-byes this morning before people went to
class. It was mid-morning now and the transport for Balamb would be leaving
soon.

Xu went to the Parking Garage with one duffel bag slung across her back
and the other on her shoulder. Kei was waiting for her at the transport to
help load the duffels.

"Are you ready?"

"Aren't I always?" Xu answered in kind.

Kei didn't comment. She was of the opinion that it was too soon after
Sean's death to send her out. Kei did agree with the Headmaster's decision for
her to be part of the Honor Guard, but she wanted Xu to return to Balamb for a
while afterwards. The instinct to protect her cousin was always a strong one,
and it was kicking in full force right now.

The train ride to Deling City was uneventful. Xu had never imagined that
the cars reserved for SeeDs would be as plush as they were. It was like they
were traveling VIPs instead of mercenaries. Not to say that being a SeeD was a
disreputable job, she just wasn't accustomed to the perks that came with the
position. Kei, of course, was taking things in stride. She was like that.

Xu tried not to think about their destination too much. She didn't look
forward to meeting Sean's parents -- not this way at least. If things had been
different... She would've liked to meet them. If for no other reason than to
see what kind of parents would produce a son with his sense of humor. This...
This was terribly unfair. Life in and of itself wasn't a fair thing and he was
right in saying that it could be so cruel at times.

A complement of Galbadian SeeDs met them at the train depot in Deling
City. The funeral would be held the following day. Arrangements had been made
for them at the Galbadia Hotel.

Kei wanted to explore the city. Xu didn't blame her, it was one of the
largest in the world and quite a contrast to the sheltered clan they had grown
up in. Kei dragged her from shop to shop along the arcade. She wasn't much
interested in it until they passed a junk shop. She couldn't explain what drew
her to it. There wasn't much to be done to improve upon the simplistic design
of her sai. Perhaps it was because junk shops reminded her of Sean and his
quest to find parts for his pistol.

"I want to stop in here," Xu motioned to the shop. Kei shrugged and
followed her in. It wasn't a very large store. It had weapons of all makes
set up on display. The person behind the counter immediately perked up when
the door opened, then stood up even straighter when he noticed that they were
SeeDs.

"What can I do for you gents?"

"We're just looking around, thanks," Xu said with a smile.

She walked over to one of the display cases and admired the craftsmanship
of the weapons until the young man behind the counter spoke up again.

"'Scuse me?" Xu looked up from the display with a questioning expression.
"We don't get many SeeD coming around here in full dress uniform. Would you by
any chance be here for Sean's funeral?"

Xu turned sheet white. Kei was at her side in an instant. "Xu?"

The man cocked his head to one side at hearing her name. "Xu? You're
that lady Sean fancied, aren't you?"

"You could say that," she whispered. "How do you know him?"

"He was my younger brother," he answered; sorrow coloring his voice at
speaking of Sean in the past tense. "Please wait here a moment," he pushed
through a small door that led further back into the shop. Several minutes
passed while Xu tried to regain her composure. Sean's family owning a junk
shop would certainly explain his fascination with them.

A towering older man with a mustache ducked through the low doorway. His
sharp eyes immediately snapped onto Xu and her cousin. He moved around the
counter and approached them. Kei pulled herself up to her full height, which
was absurdly shorter than him. His eyes flicked over to Kei, then locked back
onto Xu.

"I'm Sean's father," his voice came from deep in his chest and rumbled out
of his throat.

"I'm SeeD Xu of the Anshin clan," she bowed formally to him. Now wasn't
the time to be coy.

His eyes slid over the Kei. She apparently had the same thought Xu did
about not pulling any punches with this man. "I'm SeeD Kei of the Anshin clan,
Xu's cousin," she bowed.

He seemed satisfied with their introductions. Turning back to Xu, he
said, "Sean spoke highly of you, young woman. I wish it were under other
circumstances that we met."

"You and me both, sir," she answered with meek sincerity.

He nodded his head, an act that hardly seemed possible considering his
thick, muscular neck. Sean was a runt compared to his sire -- inheriting the
height, but none of the mass. "Would you be available for dinner tonight?
There are many things my family and I would like to ask you if you were
willing."

"I'd be honored," Xu replied, surprised that they would even want to speak
with her. She could understand their hatred of SeeD for the death of their
son.

"Excellent," he rumbled, then turned to Kei. "All members of the Anshin
clan are welcome in our home if you'd care to join us as well."

"I thank you for your generous invitation," Kei showed more diplomacy than
usual with her answer. Perhaps becoming SeeDs did finally mature the two of
them...

"Please come with me," he led them to the back of the shop. Before going
through the doorway he turned around and asked them to leave their weapons up
front. "We don't allow them in the house," he said by way of explanation.

The small shop gave way to a large living space in back. This much space
of prime shopping arcade reality would surely fetch a high price if it were
ever up for sale. The reason they had so much space quickly became apparent:
children. Lots of children of all ages were seen scampering from one room to
another, sitting on a couch reading, or helping prepare dinner. The members of
the Anshin clan were close, but to have so many family members under one roof
was extreme -- even for them.

He led them into a large room with two long tables set up in it. He told
one of the children that was milling about to set the larger of the two tables
with two more place settings. Xu figured that one table was an 'adult' table
and the other a 'children'.

"Are all the people we've passed immediate family?" Kei asked, keeping a
staggering mental tally of how many people they'd seen so far.

"I only have six children and most of them are married. A few decided to
live here with their families," he explained.

Kei whistled appreciatively. "And some people call *us* a clan..."

Xu jabbed her cousin in the ribs to silence her. There was no way to know
how these people would react to such comments.

A deep chuckle was their answered. "We've been called that on occasion,"
he admitted with a small smile.

"Let me introduce my wife," he went into the kitchen to retrieve her.
They couldn't see the woman at first because she was completely shadowed by her
husband's huge body. She was the exact opposite of his size, being a short and
petite woman. The very idea of these two extremes having children together
startled the SeeDs.

"So you're the Xu we've heard so much about?" The woman actually had to
look up to Xu. It was rare when that would happen with an adult considering
her own small frame. "Sean spoke well of you."

Xu flushed, uncomfortable with the idea of being well thought of among
people she didn't know. "Allow me to introduce my cousin, SeeD Kei," she said
to deflect the focus from herself.

Sean's mother peered up at Kei. "He made no mention of you," she
commented more to herself than to Kei. She leaned in closer as she examined
the person standing before her. "You aren't a man, are you?"

It was Kei's turn the flush. Usually she took such realizations in
stride, but the humor of this tiny woman looking over her like a child to be
reprimanded was too much. "I am a woman, madam," she answered politely.

Sean's mother rocked on the balls of her feet for a moment before turning
away. "Our Sean always had a knack for choosing *interesting* friends. Please
be welcome in our home." She returned to the kitchen.

"Maybe I should have shown her my teeth," Kei commented slyly in their
native tongue.

"Where are your manners?" Xu scolded in the standard language.

Sean's father began to laugh. The two women gave each other a long look
before he stopped to catch his breath. They were stunned when he spoke in
their native language. "I can see why Sean liked you!" His accent was
clipped, but understandable.

"Please, ladies, sit," he gestured towards the dinner table. Once they
had done so, he continued. "My parents, Sean's grandparents, were traveling
traders by profession. When I was a hair younger than you, we went on a trip
to the Centra continent. They realized that nothing of interest was there, but
they'd never been. I'm certain it was their life goal to set foot on every
square centimeter of this planet," he grinned broadly.

"As you know, people *are* there. Your clan saved my family when a pair
of Death Claws attacked us. It was the first and only time I've seen an Anshin
kill a monster. A striking young man with long hair and strong features led us
back to the compound where the clan lives. I stayed there for a few years. My
parents felt that the Anshin would be able to mellow their wild son." He
smiled softly at the memories. "I picked up the language quickly and learned
many of the Anshin customs during my time there."

"Sir, if I may, who was the man that saved you?" Xu asked. As far as she
knew, their generation was the first to actively kill monsters. It would take
some of the sting out of all the reprimands they had received over the years
knowing that it wasn't just her and Kei.

"A man you would know very well, child. He was your father," his eyes
grew bright at the shocked expression on her face. "I know how your clan
works. The elders told him that his unruly daughter was his punishment for
killing the monsters that saved my family. That it was his violent heart that
produced you. I also know that he has never regretted his actions, as I hope
that you'll never regret yours. Please know that he sympathizes with your
feelings more than he's allowed to show."

"Do you still speak with him?" She asked to cover for being stunned.

"Often. The last time he visited us was during one of Sean's breaks. The
lad never put together the connection between us all. The story I just told
you was one I never shared with him. Your father and I were both pleased that
our children found each other. He will mourn when he hears of Sean's death.

"The elders will likely says that his death is *your* punishment for your
violent heart. Know that none of us blame you for the accident. We share the
grief that you're feeling. The Anshin try to release it quickly through the
Spirits, but it's never that easy."

He reached across the table to place his large hand over hers. "You are a
member of our family, Xu. Our 'clans' have been associated for many years. A
marriage between them would have made us the proudest parents on the planet."

Xu was torn between tears and embarrassment. It hurt to speak with such
familiarity. The revelations Sean's father gave were overwhelming. And the
assumption that they would have formed a bond... Could she honestly deny that
the groundwork for one wasn't there? That thought made the loss all the more
acute.

Kei, who was seated next to Xu, pulled her into a comforting hug. She
cried on her cousin's shoulder, trying to stop the tears that wouldn't.

"I'm sorry. SeeDs shouldn't cry," she said between sobs.

"Shut up, you fool. No where in the Regulations Manual does it say SeeDs
can't cry," Kei scolded, hugging her tighter.

"I agree," Sean's father said while standing. "I'm going to help prepare
for dinner. The washroom is down the hall and to your left." He walked behind
them and gave Xu a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. "We'll have dinner when
you're ready, daughter."

He left the room then with Xu's tears renewed at his easy acceptance of
her.

Later that evening, after the meal and a lengthy after dinner
conversation, the SeeDs bid them a good night. Sean's father escorted them
back out through the shop. When he returned their weapons to them, they
immediately noticed that he had worked on them. Xu offered to pay for his
services, but he staunchly refused.

"I don't accept payment from my children," was all he would say as he
showed them out.

Kei comforted her cousin as they walked back to the Galbadia Hotel. The
realizations of what she lost with Sean's death continued to strike her with
every passing moment. He had a truly wonderful family who was supportive of
him... and of her. Their love was amazing... and crushing.

*****

The Honor Guard stood at rigid attention as Sean's coffin was lowered into
the ground. The 'professionalism' that restrained Xu's tears had worn away not
long after they arrived. She could not -- would not -- hold back the sorrow
she felt. This was a ceremony for the family, of which she was a part. She
performed her duties faithfully as Headmaster Cid charged them to her despite
the tears that traced along her face.

After the services Kei bid her farewell. The SeeDs from Balamb had a
train to catch. The SeeDs from Galbadia, who she would be joining, had some
time before the train that would take them to the Garden departed.

"Worry not, I'll hold down the fort while you're away," Kei assured her.
"I sent the Spirits many memories of Sean last night. I may not have known him
well, but I know how happy you were because of him."

"Thank you, Kei," Xu was touched by her cousin's thoughtfulness. "If
anything happens-"

"You'll be the first I call after the Headmaster," she finished the
request. "Have a little faith in my abilities!"

Once the Balamb SeeDs were gone, others came up to speak with her. The
Galbadian SeeDs knew her story and were maintaining a respectful distance from
her. That didn't bother her; she didn't long for their comfort or sympathy.

It was late evening when they arrived at the train depot. From there it
was a short walk to the Garden. On the way, she coaxed one of the SeeDs into
giving her directions to Headmaster Martine's office so that she could report
in for duty. 'What's with these people?' She wondered as they seemingly
avoided her like the plague.

The waiting room she was directed to was on the second level of the
Garden. She was amazed by Galbadia's size. She'd always known intellectually
that it was the largest of the three Gardens, but seeing it for herself
re-enforced that fact. After making her wait for over 45 minutes the
Headmaster finally presented himself. She swallowed her annoyance and saluted
promptly.

"SeeD Xu reporting for Instructor training, Headmaster Martine," she said
crisply.

He didn't respond to that, instead pacing around her as she stood at
polite attention. He sighed audibly and asked for her paperwork in a tone that
certainly wasn't harboring any note of welcome for her.

Martine was an older man with thinning, golden-blond hair that was turning
gray at the edges. He wore a blue overcoat with gold trim. Deep wrinkles
creased his face, making him look older than he probably was. He seemed to be
the opposite of Cid's outgoing and friendly nature. She couldn't imagine
herself warming up to him.

He finished reading through her paperwork before looking at her with beady
blue eyes. "Would the SeeD care to elaborate on these orders?"

She clamped down on her growing distrust of the man. "How may I clarify,
Headmaster?"

"You could begin by telling me what your full name is," he drawled.

"My name is Xu, sir."

"Is Xu your given name or your family name?"

"It is my name." Not a complete evasion. The argument could be made that
her family name was Anshin, but the clan didn't see it that way. Anyone --
related to them or not -- could be an Anshin if they lived by the precepts of
the clan. Conversely, since she refused to live by the precepts, it could be
said that she *wasn't* an Anshin. There was a lot of gray area to work with
depending upon whose definition was used. Headmaster Cid understood this and
hadn't pressed her on the issue.

"Show me your diploma. I'll have no unqualified persons receiving
Instructor training at my Garden."

Xu opened her duffel and rummaged around in it until she found what the
Headmaster wanted. She handed it over to him, careful to keep her emotions in
check. How *dare* he imply that she wasn't who she said she was!

His frown only deepened as he looked it over. "Why isn't your full name
on this?" He demanded.

She swallowed down the urge to yell at him. Instead she answered in a
tight voice; "My full name is on the diploma. If the Headmaster believes it to
be in error, may I recommend he contact Headmaster Cid of Balamb Garden?"

"You can be certain that I will, SeeD Xu or whatever your name truly is,"
he handed the diploma back to her. She carefully tucked it back into her
duffel, using the act as a controlled exercise to contain her stunned pride.

"Where are you from?" His eyes narrowed.

"I'm from Balamb Garden, sir," she answered, growing tired of his games.

"Don't be coy with me, girl!" He snapped.

Her lips twitched. "With all due respect, Headmaster," the title felt
dirty when applied to this man, "a Garden is a SeeD's home."

He grumped and paced around the room with unconcealed anger. 'Enough of
this nonsense,' Xu thought just as angry but better at hiding it.

"Have accommodations been arranged for me, sir?" She could go to her room
and shadow box or *something* to release her pent up frustrations.

"Oh? You expect Galbadia Garden to put you up when we can't even confirm
who you are?" His tone was patronizing.

She wanted to ask him what Cactuar had gotten up his butt, but refrained.
"When did the Gardens start turning away their SeeDs?" She asked instead.

He didn't have a snippy response to that. Perhaps he finally remembered
his duty to his SeeDs because he relented. "I'll assign you quarters in the
Dormitory block. You will be a student before an Instructor." He called for a
cadet to join them in the waiting room. The cadet arrived promptly and
escorted her to her quarters.

Xu was startled, though not really surprised, when she discovered that
he'd put her in a room with a SeeD cadet. He hadn't shown her any of the other
courtesies granted a SeeD thus far, why should he start now by giving her a
private room? The cadet in the room saluted her when she entered. Judging by
the condition of the room, she hadn't been expecting a roommate any more than
Xu had.

"I guess we're roommates," Xu said as the cadet who escorted her here
quickly withdrew. "There's no need to salute me. When we're in a Garden we're
all on equal terms." Well, that was almost true. SeeDs could walk around
after curfew without being reprimanded like the students were. Cid was careful
to maintain an atmosphere of mutual respect that didn't include letting SeeDs
get on a high horse above the classmen they once were a member of.

"Uh... yes, sir," she replied hesitantly. Xu could sympathize with the
puzzlement she must be feeling. She was probably wondering if living with a
SeeD was some part of the training that no one warned her about. It was
terribly unfair of Martine to dump Xu on her like this.

She shook the thought off. What's done is done. She held her hand out to
the cadet. "My name is Xu. What's yours?"

"I'm Summer, SeeD Xu," she took the offered hand in a loose grip when
shaking it. 'Wasn't she capable of showing a bit more daring?' Xu wondered.
Garden wasn't known for it's timid students. Those who started that way
(usually due to their youth) would outgrow it by the time they were Summer's
age. That was another thing; they appeared to be the same age.

"How far along in training are you?" Xu asked, clearing the unused bed of
the items that were scattered on it.

"I haven't taken either exam yet," she answered meekly. "Mostly because I
haven't learned my Limit Skill."

If she was Xu's age, she still had time to learn her Limit and strengthen
any skills that she needed to before taking the exams. Time was running short,
but she wasn't in a crunch situation... yet.

Xu finished putting her things away. The temptation to call Balamb Garden
was strong, but she resisted. If she couldn't handle her own disagreements,
what kind of SeeD was she? Why did the Headmaster dig into her in the first
place? He didn't even know her.

Nothing could be accomplished by worrying about it tonight. Getting
something to eat and then going to bed would be for the best. Summer directed
her to the Garden's Cafeteria. It was late in the evening with only a few
people sitting around the large room eating.

She walked up to the counter and ordered something light for dinner.

"What meat would you like with that?" The lady behind it asked, bored.

"No meat. I'm a vegetarian," she explained.

"People at Galbadia Garden are expected to eat well-rounded meals."

Xu sighed on the inside, too tired to become angry again. Was she going
to have to fight with every person at this Garden for the next two years?
"What I asked for is nutritionally sound. As you can see, I'm hardly wasting
away for lack of meat."

The lady glared at her. "I'll give it to you tonight, but I'll need the
Headmaster's approval for your diet." She left the counter to get together her
order. Now Xu was feeling angry. All she needed was another reason for
Martine to take shots at her.. Oh well, they could put all the meat they
wanted on her plate that didn't mean she had to eat it.

*****

The next morning she was startled awake by the most god-awful music being
played over the public address.

"What *is* that song?!" She demanded of Summer, wishing her pillow was
thick enough to drown it out.

"It's 'Cactus Jack', the Galbadian national anthem. They play it at the
beginning of every school day," she explained while getting herself out of bed.

"They do this six days a week?" She couldn't keep the despair she felt
from her voice.

"You get used to it after a while," Summer assured. "I know some cadets
who can sleep through it easily."

"..." Xu buried her head under her pillow again until the music stopped.
This was not a good way to start the day.

Unfortunately, things didn't improve.

"I *will not* have you disrupting the smooth inner workings of my Garden!"
Martine thundered at Xu. She blinked, surprised at the anger in his voice and
because that statement was how he chose to greet her this morning. It was
fairly early since he'd called her to his office first thing.

"May I ask what offences I've committed so that I may avoid them in the
future?" She could already feel her blood begin to boil. This was *not* going
to be a good working relationship if her first days here were any indication.

"Not even here for 24 hours and you've undermined the chain of command by
telling a cadet that she didn't have to salute you. You then go to the
Cafeteria and demand they prepare a special menu for you. What's next on your
list? Would you like me to move the Garden for you?!"

Xu's raged flared at his skewing of the facts. "Allow me to elaborate
upon the details of the situations you mentioned."

He waved his hand, inviting her to do so, but doubting it would change his
mind.

"It was my understanding that in a Garden SeeDs, cadets, and junior
classmen are all equal in rank. Some are allowed more privileges than others,
of course. But we are all members of a family in which the Headmaster is the
'father' of. Is it not this way in Galbadia?"

"It is not," Martine said. "Galbadia is a military state. The Garden
here is ran like a military establishment. We provide a majority of the
officers for Galbadia's armed forces. Discipline is *extremely* important and
I will not have you bucking against it because you were raised soft in Balamb."

She bristled at the insult to her home Garden, but didn't comment. "I
understand, Headmaster. My apologies."

"Now, in regards to the Cafeteria, I asked for nothing that wasn't readily
available. My diet does not include meat. I have eaten this way all of my
life and am fully capable of remaining healthy. I don't want to be an
exception. I'm simply sparing the Garden portions that would be wasted on me
if they were to be placed on my plate."

"Have you a good reason for causing this inconvenience?" There was still
an edge to his voice, but not nearly the anger that had greeted her earlier.

"I do not believe it to be an inconvenience. In fact, I believe it would
be *better* if more students followed such a diet. I'm sure the Garden's
Doctor could fill you in as to the advantages. I simply ask that my request be
respected to avoid unnecessary wastefulness."

Martine's eyes narrowed as he regarded her. "I have already spoken with
the Doctor and he's informed me that what you propose is nutritionally sound.
If you want to maintain this diet instead of the one that the Garden follows I
want you to prepare a weekly meal plan and submit it to the Doctor for
approval. You'll continue submitting meal plans until he's confident in your
ability to balance your diet."

"As you wish, Headmaster," she sighed to herself, but felt somewhat
encouraged. Her diet was well rounded and better than what most of the
students ate at the Cafeteria. The Doctor shouldn't have any objections. She
could gripe about having to make out meal plans in the first place, but she
wasn't going to devalue small concessions.

"Now that we understand each other, let's discuss your Instructor
training," he opened a drawer and began to pull out file folders. He made no
mention of her qualifications being in question or that she wasn't who she said
she was. The call he made to Balamb, assuming he did, must have straightened
him out some. Cid's way of placating people wasn't as emotionally satisfying
as Xu's preferred method of digging her heels in and out-stubborning them, but
it must have worked.

Martine handed the folders to her. She thumbed through them quickly,
noticing that they were mostly student progress reports.

"The requirements for leaving here as an Instructor are simple: graduate
twelve SeeDs in two years. Accomplishing that is significantly more complex.
Those are the files for the first class you will take over from a Faculty
member. Everything you need to know regarding the students is within those
files. If you *don't* graduate twelve SeeDs within the allotted time, you will
be sent back to Balamb Garden as a failure. That is all," Martine dismissed
her with a gesture.

"Wait, that's all?" That couldn't be it. Weren't there any classes or
instruction or *something* that would teach her how to best help others?

"That is all unless you have a specific question," he repeated. The
expression on his face wasn't malicious, but he was definitely enjoying the
spot he'd stuck her in.

"Would it be possible for me to get a copy of the Regulations Handbook and
any text books that are relevant?"

He nodded. "I'll have them sent to your room by mid-morning. Anything
else?"

"Not that I can think of off the top of my head. Would it be possible for
me to consult with you again if I have any other questions?" He owed her
*that* much. If he refused to meet with his own student Instructor she was
doomed.

"I'm a busy man, so consult with your fellow Instructors first. If they
are unable to assist you, a meeting can be arranged," he conceded.

"Thank you, Headmaster," she saluted.

"Good luck to you, Instructor Xu," she couldn't judge the sincerity in his
tone, but she was certain she'd need all the luck she could get.

She spent the rest of the day in her room reading the materials he
provided her. The students were a real mixed bag. It appeared as if only
three of the seventeen she was assigned had any real chance of becoming a SeeD.
She was disturbed to discover that one of the students given to her was her own
roommate. A note was made to remind her to speak with Martine in regards to
conflicting interests. She was going to request that she either change dorm
rooms or have Summer returned to the Faculty member from whence she came.

As Martine promised, a cadet delivered the books she requested by
mid-morning. 'At least he's prompt,' Xu noted. Her suspicions were confirmed
when she saw the Regulations Handbook on top of the stack. The thick manual
definitely was *not* the same rulebook Balamb Garden played from.

She would need to read it thoroughly from cover to cover before long, but
paused in her other studies to give it a quick flip through for now. Most of
the additions were in regards to Galbadian military procedures and
expectations. She quickly clued in on one glaring omission: Guardian Forces.
The Handbook made absolutely no mention of them. Didn't the SeeDs from
Galbadia learn the most powerful form of para-magic available to them? Another
note was made to the growing list of things she would need to ask Martine when
she saw him next.

Sean's comments regarding the militaristic outlook of Galbadia were driven
home as she glanced through the book. Her stomach felt queasy at the thought
of having to live here for the next two years. Everything short of how to take
a crap was precisely detailed in the Handbook.

According to this, everyone had an exact ranking and was to be addressed
accordingly. No wonder Martine was upset with her. She had so blithely told a
cadet that was near the bottom that she was the equal to an Instructor who
followed only the Headmaster, Doctor, and her fellow Instructors rank wise.
With her Instructor rank, she was higher up in the chain of command than even a
seasoned SeeD. She couldn't imagine that sitting well with all the SeeDs here.

That was another thing to ask Martine. Why were their so many SeeDs
stationed at Galbadia? Every Garden was permitted to maintain a small force
for defensive and instructive purposes, but a majority were assigned to -- and
deployed from -- Balamb Garden. She was also under the impression that all
field exams for potential SeeDs were conducted at Balamb. From the way Martine
and the Handbook described it, Galbadia did its own field exams independent of
its sister Gardens.

Galbadia struck her as a rogue Garden, if even such a term as 'Garden'
could be applied to this Galbadian military academy. The training of SeeDs was
to be the first priority of any Garden, but it wasn't here. Producing officers
for Galbadia's military was the foremost goal. That disturbed Xu greatly. She
was here to produce SeeDs. That may not be everyone else's priority, but that
is what Headmaster Cid sent her here to learn.

Xu sighed when she read a passage stating that Triple Triad was forbidden
and that any cards found would be confiscated. Weren't these people allowed
any fun at all? She should probably mail her cards to Kei as soon as possible
or risk Martine scolding her for rebellious behavior.

She closed the book feeling frustrated with the foreignness of a place
that should be like a second home. Now would be good time to take a walk and
clear her mind. Galbadia was significantly larger than Balamb. The directory
she expected to find out front wasn't there. It was such a common sense item
that the idea of a Garden not having one didn't even occur to her.

The only option she was left with was to systematically explore the Garden
until she felt familiar with it. Several puzzled looks were cast her way as
she moved from one area to the next. The female cadet uniform of Galbadia
looked just like the one from Balamb except that their bow was the same rich
red color as the Balamb female SeeD's ties were. The male cadet uniforms from
both Gardens looked identical. The overall result was that Xu's uniform, at
first glance, made her look like a cadet. Upon closer examination the
differences became clear.

She briefly considered asking Martine to issue her Galbadian SeeD uniforms
so that she didn't stick out so much, but then she would be hiding her Balamb
roots. She finally decided that if Martine issued her uniforms of his own
prompting, she would wear them, else she would stick with what she brought with
her. The students should be able to identify the various uniforms from the
different Gardens on sight any ways.

It didn't take Xu long to notice that all the Faculty and Instructors here
were humans. At Balamb, the Faculty was all of the Shumi Tribe with only a
handful of humans being Instructors. The complete lack of Shumi was
disconcerting. She was so used to seeing them that when they were absent, she
missed their constant presence.

She found the room that the papers Martine gave her indicated as her
classroom. It was nicely set up with plenty of study panels and a large
display at the head of the room. She had no complaints regarding the
facilities. A part of her began to believe that she would find a way to make
things work out.

"Excuse me?" A woman dressed in the Galbadian SeeD uniform peered into the
room. She was significantly taller than Xu. Her long red hair was flowing
unrestrained past her shoulders. A slim finger nudged her glasses back up her
nose before she moved the rest of the way into the room. "I saw that the light
was on. Who are you?"

"I'm SeeD Xu, excuse me, Instructor Xu. I just transferred here from
Balamb Garden," she threw up a salute before offering her hand to shake.

A smile played on the woman's lips as she returned the salute and
handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm SeeD Instructor Jennifer
Sakachi. I do believe that this brings the total number of female Instructors
up to two. I'm impressed," she laughed. "Let me guess, you're here to earn
your teaching credentials?"

Xu nodded. "I am. I'll then return to Balamb Garden to teach there."

"That's a shame. I liked the idea of having another woman around to help
keep these aggressive males in line. Ah well, I'll enjoy it while it lasts,"
she said. "Do you have any questions? I'd be happy to show you around the
Garden if you would like?"

"Would you? I'd certainly appreciate it," Xu gave a sigh of relief on the
inside. Jennifer seemed to be nice enough. Xu placed her age to be mid to
late 30's. That meant she should have perspective that Xu didn't while still
being young enough to be in touch with her students.

"Tell me about yourself," the older woman invited as they walked.

"I'm a recently graduated SeeD from Balamb Garden. Physical training was
my favorite subject when I was a student. My weapon of choice is a pair of
sai, though I feel confident in my hand-to-hand skills if that's what I have to
use," Xu was at a loss as to what else to add to that. Jennifer seemed willing
to pick up the conversation from that point.

"It sounds like you'll get along well with the Weapons Master here.
Personally, I prefer history to combat, but one can't choose the roles SeeD
will cast them into, can they? I use a sabre named 'Kedalion' for my weapon.
I've been an Instructor at Galbadia Garden for nine years now. I joined SeeD
shortly after Galbadia Garden was founded. Before that I was on active duty
during the Sorceress War in the Galbadia army. That wasn't a good time to be
an officer. I'm glad things have settled down -- for the most part -- since
then," her brow creased slightly as she recalled the War.

For as significant of an event as the War was, Xu still felt rather shaky
in regards as to exactly *how* it ended. One day the world was falling apart
and the next everyone was putting it back together again. If Jennifer was
willing to discuss it she would have to coax some stories from her at some
point. As it was, Jennifer was onto another subject already.

"Eileen and I have built our home here at the Garden. Any complaints I
have about life are minor. I can only hope that things will remain peaceful,
but I'm not holding my breath."

As they walked Jennifer pointed out things of interest. The layout didn't
bare much resemblance to Balamb. The Garden was circular in floor plan with
multiple levels. One could get to the second floor via an elevator along the
'ring' or by a set of stairs that were tucked away in an alcove. At the center
of the Garden was an open area. That did offer the advantage of not having to
run around the corridors to get from one section to another, but it wasn't
nearly as pleasing to the eye as the ringed fountain at Balamb.

Galbadia was a lot more functional than Balamb. It wasn't exactly ugly;
it just didn't have the detailed touches that Balamb sported. Balamb really
was a garden with all the plants that grew on and around the campus. Galbadia
lacked that.

"Who's Eileen?" Xu asked.

"Eileen Pearcy. She's an administrative assistant to Headmaster Martine.
She's also my partner." There was no apology in Jennifer's tone. She spoke
with pride of her mate.

Xu smiled softly. The idea of having a significant other struck a chord
with her as she fought back the pang of sorrow. The wound from Sean's death
was still too fresh for such innocent comments to not sting. "I'm happy for
you," she replied politely.

Jennifer noticed the hollow expression on her face. "I'm sorry, I
forgot... You were attached to the SeeD cadet at Balamb that died recently,
weren't you?"

"Yes, Sean," she shook off the sorrow. Now wasn't the time, not with
Jennifer giving her the concerned look that she was. "I'll be fine."

Jennifer took her hand in her own. "If you ever want to talk about
*anything*, don't hesitate to find me."

"Thank you," Xu smiled weakly.

*****


Xu found herself before the Headmaster of Galbadia Garden for the second
morning in a row. This time, he greeted her a bit more civilly after she
wished him a good morning.

"I apologize for taking up your time, but the issues I wish to discuss
could only be done so with you," she began respectfully. Perhaps he'd ease up
on her if she showed that she really was trying to become a member of his team
and play by his rules. She'd asked what questions she could of Jennifer, but
some of them could only be answered by him.

He grunted and motioned for to get on with it.

"I've looked through the materials you provided and have questions
regarding a few points. The first was about the use of Guardian Forces. I saw
no mention of them in the SeeD Regulations Handbook. Is it in error?" She
asked.

"There is no error. We do not use Guardian Forces at Galbadia Garden. I
suppose you brought some with you, didn't you? I won't confiscate them, but
you are not to summon nor instruct others on how to use them. Is that clear?"

Xu nodded sharply. "As the Headmaster wishes, though I do ask for your
indulgence. Guardian Forces can become irritable if they're not kept on your
person for extended periods of time. Would it be all right if I kept them in
my belt pouch?"

"They're like demanding children; always wanting to be pulled out and
played with. Yes, you may keep them in your pouch. I wouldn't want to offend
your little friends." The sarcasm in his voice wasn't lost on her, but she
overlooked it. What mattered was that she wouldn't be forced to send them back
to Balamb with her cards.

Her concern for not angering them was a valid one. It took months to
build a strong rapport with a Guardian Force and she didn't want to lose her
hard work. Judging by his snippy answer, it wouldn't be a good idea to ask why
they weren't allowed, so she moved to the next topic.

"I have a question regarding a possible conflict of interests. My
roommate is one of the students who have been transferred to me. I believe
that maintaining our current living situation would be against everyone's best
interests."

"I disagree," Martine said promptly. "It will give Summer more access to
you. Perhaps you can increase her slim chances of graduating if you're living
together. If nothing else, give the girl a spine!"

Xu took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Sir, wouldn't this
undermine my authority as an Instructor?"

"What authority do you have?" He snapped. "Only a title. While that
counts for more at Galbadia than in most places, it's not enough. Your every
action, your very essence, should speak of the authority you have over others.
The girl standing before me in a SeeD uniform has no authority until she
believes that she does!" He thumped his fist on his desk to emphasize his
point. And he did have one, insults aside.

She didn't carry herself with the authority her rank allowed her. Being
trained at Balamb, she was used to thinking of everyone as equals. As an
Instructor, she was responsible for others and needed to act accordingly. She
could try to be as fair as possible, but situations will present themselves in
which the only option is to insert herself into a position of authority.

Martine's 'lesson' made sense, but it was a nasty way to drive home his
point. She didn't want to have to be stuck in 'Instructor Mode' all day and
night simply because Summer was there. On the other hand, that's exactly what
she needed to practice. Two years of this treatment should break her of any
reservations she had about taking command of those ranked beneath her.

He gazed at her from across the desk for several long moments before
speaking again. "Why, pray tell, are you wearing the Balamb SeeD uniform?"

She flushed, but recovered quickly. "I wasn't issued any Galbadian
uniforms. Who do I speak with to requisition some?"

"Hum... Good answer," he commented as he jotted a few things down on a
slip of paper before handing it to her. "Go down the hall and into the second
door on the left. That's the requisition room. The slip I just gave you is a
list of items they are to issue you. Be sure they give you everything listed.
They're fond of leaving off hard to come by items."

"Thank you, sir. One final question: when exactly will I begin teaching?"

He leaned back as he considered the question. "You're as down to business
as Cid said you were," he drawled before leaning forward again. "You'll begin
next week once the students have returned from their winter break. Rushing
ahead into a situation I doubt you fully understand after only a day's reading
won't do anyone good. I want you to be comfortably familiar with the Garden,
its facilities, and your fellow staff before you begin. Off with you now.
Other matters demand my attention."

Xu showed herself out of the office. Once in the hallway, she leaned up
against the wall and sighed heavily. Martine was such a mixed bag of emotions!
He would rage against her one moment and then be helpful the next. Somewhere
between those two extremes she was to learn how to be a good Instructor. 'The
first lesson should be emotional consistency,' she thought darkly.

She didn't realize that Galbadia was in the middle of its winter break.
Balamb's didn't begin until next week. There were enough students milling
about that she'd assumed classes were in session. Either this Garden didn't
empty like Balamb tended to or there were a lot more students than she thought.

Pushing off the wall, she found the room Martine directed her to. A man
in the uniform of a Galbadian enlisted man was inventorying items before she
came in. He noticed her and walked up to the counter between them. "What do
you need?"

"Uniforms and the items on this list," she slipped the paper across the
counter to him.

He looked it over and grunted. "Fill out these papers for the uniforms.
The list is going to take some time," he said as he laid the appropriate forms
out before her.

"How long?"

"A few days," he shrugged. She didn't have a pressing need for any of the
items Martine gave her, but was this a test? There was no reason it should
take a few days to gather the items unless they had to be imported from Deling
City. None of them were that rare.

"That's unacceptable," she said boldly. "I'll come back after the lunch
break to pick them up. I expect everything to be ready by then."

"Yeah, whatever," he set a neat stack of uniforms on the counter for her
to take.

She wasn't timid by any means, but she didn't want to be throwing her
weight around either. That aside, 'yeah, whatever' was an inappropriate
response when given instructions. She leaned across the countered and *glared*
at him until he began to fidget..

"What is the correct response to an order?" She asked in a cool tone.

"Yes, sir," he gulped. "I'll get right on it, sir." He scurried to the
back shelves of the room to begin gathering her items.

Feeling surprisingly satisfied with the result of their little discussion,
Xu took her uniforms and left. A quick change later and she was looking the
part of a Galbadian Instructor. Now all she needed was the attitude to match
it.

*****

An attitude she found when she went to the training room to work out the
next day. She could feel her muscles protesting slightly as she performed her
pre-work out stretches. The others who were there gave her a wide berth.
Doing so after she worked out was understandable, but not beforehand. A man
who looked younger than he likely was approached her when she was nearly
finished with her warm-up routine. His age led her to assume that he was an
Instructor since his workout clothes gave no clue as to what rank he held.

"Children aren't allowed in the training room," he warned. Xu paused to
look around her. There weren't any children here that she could see.

"I'll keep that in mind, thanks," she took hold of her toes as she slowly
stretched the muscles of her calves.

"I'm talking about you, Anshin," he spat the name out as though it were a
curse.

She slowly drew herself upright from her stretched position. "Is there a
problem we need to discuss?"

"There's no place at Galbadia Garden for an Anshin weakling. You people
are the exact opposite of what we want to be. Take your monster loving ways
and get the hell out of here!" He growled through gritted teeth. Every eye in
the room was on them. Xu's anger flashed at being confronted like this.

She stood up, careful to replace her sai from where they had been lying on
the floor besides her into their belt loops. "You shouldn't make assumptions
about people," she answered coolly.

"You saying that you aren't an Anshin? We all know that you are, so don't
even bother trying to deny it!"

Denying the fact was never an option in her mind. "You shouldn't assume
that I'm weak," was her answer instead. Her words were a carefully prepared
barb. She knew that at some point someone was going to confront her and that a
fight was very likely. When he came up accusing her of being an Anshin the
pieces snapped together. Of course the peace-loving Anshin would be a threat
to the aggressive Galbadians. Best to squash such foolishness to prove that
the Anshin are truly inferior because of their way of life.

Her words hit the mark. His nostrils flared as she calmly stood before
him. He was larger than her, but she was used to encountering that
disadvantage. That would also give him the greater reach, another common
obstacle. He appeared to be well built. This wouldn't be a pushover victory
for her if he chose to take up the gauntlet she'd thrown down.

He was all too willing to accept her challenge. "I demand that you fight
me. Prove yourself worthy of the SeeD rank you supposedly hold."

"There's more to being a SeeD than fighting. But if one is what you want,
so be it!"

The students on the practice mat quickly cleared as the combatants took
their positions. He snapped for someone to bring him his weapons. Xu's heart
skipped a beat when he strapped on a belt that matched her own. He, like her,
practiced the use of the sai.

Xu drew her weapons and sketched a bow to him. He didn't return the
common courtesy, instead gesturing rudely at her. The anger she felt was
firmly kept in check. Anger was a valuable tool in battle, but it was also the
thing most likely to defeat you..

They circled around each other, making an occasional jab to test the
other's reflexes. It appeared to be a near even match. The students lined the
edges of the mat as they watched. The training facilities must be larger than
she thought because there weren't nearly this many people in the room when she
came in.

Sai clashed as they locked together. His eyes gleamed as she held her own
against his attempts to force her to the mat. She was caught off guard when he
brought his foot up and booted her away with a kick to the belly. The blow
knocked her back onto the mat. It wasn't hard enough to injure her, but it did
get its point across. The next attack wouldn't be pulled. If that was how he
was going to play...

Xu quickly arched herself back to her feet. They dodged each other's
feints and jabs. The speed with which they sparred left the students dazed.
It looked more like a carefully choreographed danced than a battle of honor.
Both fighters were coated with sweat by the time he managed to relieve Xu of
one of her sai.

In his haste to finish the job, she was able to return the favor by
sending one of his weapons skittering across the mat. Both held their
remaining sai in their left hand. It became obvious early on that they shared
the advantage ambidextrously.

They locked horns again with each having the others weapon hand captured
by their right hand. Xu wasn't going to give him the opportunity to kick her
away twice. She dug her fingernails into the tendons of his wrist. A whoop of
pain was her reward as his weapon fell to the mat. Angered by her temerity, he
took firm hold of her arm and threw her down, causing her to drop her weapon as
well.

Fire could be seen in both of their eyes as they prepared to grapple. He
tried to use the size and strength advantage he would usually have as a man to
throw her down, but she wouldn't fall. She had worn him down too much during
their earlier scuffling for him to finish the match that easily.

His patience was at an end with hers fairing about the same. He allowed
himself to be put into a compromising position. It was a mistake no first year
SeeD cadet at Balamb would make and she was going to make him painfully aware
of that fact. She took hold of his shirt and threw him over her shoulder with
a resounding 'THUD!' echoing throughout the room as he landed.

He lay stunned on the mat briefly before recovering enough to snake an arm
out to latch onto her ankle, preventing her from moving away. She could have
freed herself with the gamble that he couldn't pull the leg out from under her
before she could kick him in the head. Such an action against another person
-- especially in the training room -- was totally inappropriate. Thus she was
dragged down to the mat.

His efforts to pin her down were admirable, but they were both so slick
with sweat that it made grappling difficult. Whenever he thought he had her
down, she would contort her body into a new position that was even harder than
the last to untangle and hold down. They continued like this until it had
drawn on to the point of absurd. The bored students on the sidelines began
yelling for them to call it a draw. They were both too spent to finish the
other.

"Yield?" Xu asked as he weakly tried to pull her out of another one of the
twisted positions she managed to work them into.

He huffed as he gave one final 'hard' yank on her leg to no avail.
"Yield," he agreed, releasing her.

Utterly exhausted they both sprawled out on the mat. One of the students
brought them each a drink and a towel to mop off with. He stretched out to
retrieve one of her discarded sai. Sitting up, he examined it. "Hum... This
weapon is 'Heart Breaker'. I'd recognize the work anywhere. You've been to
the junk shop in Deling City, haven't you? You would be hard pressed to find a
better Weapons Smith," he studied the sai more carefully.

"This must have cost you a small fortune," he commented appreciatively.
"Good to see that it's in the hands of a serious student." He leaned over and
handed the weapon to her. She paused to look the sai over herself. She hadn't
realized that the weapon was named, but now that she was looking in the right
spot she noticed the faint etching of 'Heart Breaker'. The irony of it seemed
somehow fitting.

Various students scurried around them, returning their weapons and
cleaning the mat. Taking the hint, Xu picked herself up and walked slowly to a
nearby wall bench. He gave some instructions to the students around him before
he sat down next to her.

"I don't believe I've introduced myself. I'm Master Pan, the combat
trainer here. I'm neither a SeeD or a Galbadia officer, so don't expect me to
stand on ceremony for you," he inclined his head to her. "You do Balamb proud
with your skill Xu Anshin, it's been quite some time since I've been so
challenged."

His demeanor was a complete turnaround from his earlier aggression. He
was friendly towards her now; as through their bout were a practice and not the
result of an insult and challenge.

"My name is Xu, if you will. Why did you provoke me?" She wasn't so
willing to let her anger go without a good reason.

"Xu it is then," he drew a bit closer before speaking. What he had to say
must remain between the two of them.

"I did it to prove to these numbskulls that not all Anshin are planet
worshipping, monster loving, tree hugging freaks. Even before you got here
word that you were a member of the despised Anshin clan was being booted
around. I have my suspicions on how the rumors started, but that isn't
important at this time. What *you* must realize is that your clan isn't well
thought of in this country. The principles that form your way of life are
repulsive to most Galbadians with that repulsion turning into hatred for some."

Xu shook her head. "But I haven't told anyone that I'm from the Anshin
clan. People would assume as much without confirming it first?"

He shrugged. "I don't trust most of the people here further than I could
toss them, to be honest. The SeeDs are the best of the lot and some of them
aren't that great. Listen to your own name. It's obviously foreign to them.
If that weren't damning enough -- in their minds -- you confirmed it yourself
by the diet you requested from the Cafeteria. It fits what they know of Anshin
eating habits. Your diet is completely reasonable if you just wanted to eat
better than the slop they feed this mindless herd.

"Word of your possessing some of the 'legendary' Guardian Forces also got
around. The Galbadians don't seem to understand that GFs are a more powerful
magic than they'll ever possess. They see it as a sort of mysticism
earth-loving thing and refuse to make use of the GFs incredible power. That's
why they aren't taught here, blasted fools," he grimaced before continuing.

"Unfortunately, you have a country full of militaristic xenophobes to
fight against. At least having the respect of the Garden would be a start.
Many of the students asked me to challenge you and 'put you in your place'. I
decided to do it when I saw you come in. Fortunately, this is the busiest time
of day. The more students who saw our battle, the better in my opinion. Let
them turn up the mud over this, rumor-mongering worms that they are."

Xu got the distinct impression that Master Pan didn't think too highly of
Galbadians in general. He had to be a foreigner since he never referred to
himself as part of the Galbadian 'we'. Her anger towards him soothed. His
intentions were honorable in what he was trying to accomplish, which was to
disprove a preconception about her.

"I must admit that the idea of fighting you intrigued me. Word of your
speed preceded you and I wanted to test it against my own. I'll have you know
that I pulled no punches with you. The draw was a well-earned one. I hope we
can have a rematch at some point under friendlier circumstances," he stood up
from the bench. His sharp eyes were keeping a lookout on his students while
they spoke. Even Xu could tell that some of them were in need of correction
regarding a practice they were working on.

"Get cleaned up. I'll make sure the grubs here have something to really
talk about once I'm finished with them."

"Thank you, Master Pan," she said, standing up quickly as he was about to
leave.

"Come back tomorrow if you would be so kind," was his parting request
before he yelled at the students to stop their exercises. He demanded to know
where they learned such sloppy stances.

She watched him for a few minutes before leaving herself. He truly was a
combat specialist from how well he demonstrated the exercises he wanted his
students to mimic. Once again she wondered where he was from. And how he so
shrewdly assessed her without having met her first. People were so often
different from the way others made them out to be that she rarely trusted
other's opinions. She wouldn't have trusted her judgment of a person from
reputation alone.

The next few days were spent between preparing for her first day of class,
figuring out where Summer was scholastically so that she knew where to begin,
and the training room. The Headmaster and his aides decided the curriculum for
each class. It wasn't something she needed to work out beyond knowing which
lesson was to be taught on which day. A standard education provided a solid
base for the students to expand upon. Extra-curricular activities such as
sports, additional weapons training or tutoring sessions were designed to
'polish' the SeeD they were trying to produce.

The system was quite different from Cid's 'one-on-one' approach with his
students. An upper division SeeD cadet was guaranteed to have the Headmaster
as an Instructor at some point before they were eligible for the exams. He
used that time to get to *know* his students and to discover how their skills
could best be put to use for the Garden while still allowing the students to
follow their dreams.

Martine taught no classes at Galbadia. He was strictly an administrator
and liaison to the Galbadian government. The size of his staff astounded her
as she came to understand better how things worked here. He oversaw two sets
of teaching staff (one for SeeD cadets and another for the officers corps), and
the independent contractors such as Master Pan, the Garden's Doctor, and the
Cafeteria and Maintenance personnel. Once one had waded through all of that
the students themselves could be found at the bottom of the dog pile. It
caused Xu to pause and wonder how Headmaster Cid managed the facade of
simplicity in his personnel structure. Then she would remind herself that
Galbadia seemingly had a knack for complicating simple things.

When Xu returned after her first encounter with Master Pan, he announced
his desire to give her additional training. 'You have good technique, but
there are things we can do to make it even better,' he explained. Personally,
she saw it as a reprieve from the piles of paperwork she was being buried
under. When was she going to be allowed to teach?

Master Pan was a demanding trainer, but not unreasonably so. Cid had dug
into her enough times for her to be able to withstand the pressures Pan
presented. His first act was to knock her down a few notches to pre-weapons
level training. From their bout he'd seen plenty of room for improvement in
that area. She didn't protest. The beauty of a weapon like the sai was that
almost any improvement she made in her hand-to-hand skills could be applied to
her repertoire when armed. It was a win-win situation.

Xu was grateful that his directions to her weren't peppered with the
scathing comments he used with the Garden's students. She didn't appreciate
being cut down unnecessarily by anyone. It was an acceptable method to goad
along lazy students and not coddle them, but she didn't have to agree with it.
She was enough of a realist to know that it was the only way to get through to
some, but she preferred to believe that most could be taught with reason
instead of taunts.

'Offer every student the same measure of respect and adjust accordingly.'
That was going to be her methodology for her first term here. It may not work
well in such a strict environment, but the idea of treating her students like
wind up soldiers instead of people bothered her to no end. There *needed* to
be an element of humanity else they were nothing more than biological machines
designed to kill.

Some would say that is exactly what they are. For as prestigious as being
a member of SeeD was, it wasn't without its critics. The idea of an
independent army of highly trained soldiers that wasn't accountable to any
nation didn't sit well with some. The fact that the people who complained the
loudest were the larger countries, while those who were their staunchest
defenders were the smaller nations wasn't lost on her. Personally, she
believed that the larger nations disliked having the playing field evened out
by SeeD. If the need presented itself, a small country could better afford to
hire the services of a ready made fighting force than to have to maintain a
large standing army.

The ethics of it all were probably better left to someone more capable of
matching consequences to actions. It was enough for her to know that she loved
living at the Garden and enjoyed her work. If she wasn't a SeeD... Well, she
didn't know where she would be, but she was fairly certain that it wasn't where
she desired. She was even more certain that she wouldn't be happy there.

No, this is where she belonged. She may not enjoy every assignment she
was given (like this one), but she didn't want to be anywhere else. Come what
may, she'd make the best of it.

*****

"I don't know. I mean, everyone says she is, but after seeing her duke it
out with Master Pan..." a student shrugged his shoulders to indicate his
indecision. "I'm willing to give her a chance. Anyone who can last longer
than a minute on the mat with the Master deserves some respect."

"Respect for an Anshin?" The male student who sat next to the first at the
study panel grimaced. Today was the first day of classes after the winter
break and everyone was unsure of what to make of their new Instructor. The
only one of them who had spoken to her so far was Summer, and she -- as usual
-- wasn't saying much.

News of the match between the new Instructor and Master Pan was spreading
through the student body like wildfire. Anyone who dared suggest that Master
Pan pulled his punches with the Instructor was promptly invited to participate
in a re-enactment by the Master. That threat alone was enough to keep most of
them in line. Some cockily boasted that they could take on the Instructor, but
none had the guts as of yet to challenge her. Those who witnessed the bout
with the Master were well aware of her skills and discouraged the ignorant from
doing something foolish.

"Has the idea of respecting her for the simple fact that she's an
Instructor even crossed your puny minds?" A female cadet who was seated in the
next row up turned around to address them.

"I don't *disrespect* her," the first clarified. "I'm just curious as to
how one can live with such a conflict of interests? Is she really qualified to
teach us?"

His partner snorted. "Probably not. She'll tell us that the monsters are
misunderstood and that we can avoid every battle if we tried hard enough."

"The Headmaster wouldn't allow her to teach if *that* was what she was
going to say. Don't be an idiot, Logan," the female cadet turned back around,
effectively ignoring the two cadets, who were roommates.

"Don't pay attention to her, Kent," Logan said in a loud whisper. "Tory
still has it in her head that women are equals to men."

"Hum..? More bitter than usual because no female on campus will stop to
give you the time of day? Logan, you're such a pri-" her insult was
interrupted by a woman in a Galbadian SeeD uniform striding into the room
purposefully.

They immediately stood and saluted. She was shorter than Kent expected.
From how everyone was talking about her, he was expecting someone who was at
least 175cm. He put her at around 160cm if not a hair taller. Maybe his
mother was right with the oft-given warning to never underestimate those who
were unpresuming in stature. If he didn't miss his mark, the Instructor would
make up every centimeter of it in personality.

She met each of their eyes before releasing them to sit. With measured
steps she stood squarely before them with her hands firmly clasped in front of
her in a waiting stance. When she spoke, her arms slid to her sides and her
voice rang clearly to the back of the room.

"I am SeeD Xu, your new Instructor," she said with a curiously accented
voice. Her introduction was lost on Kent as his sharp ears picked up on the
nuances of her inflections. There was a certain quality to it that fascinated
him. He'd spent some time in the Balamb region, and thus was familiar with
their accent. Hers was the same, but different. The Balamb influence was
definitely there, but it wasn't the core of her speech pattern. He couldn't
quite put his finger on it.

Instructor Xu had distributed the syllabus and was going over it when he
finally dragged his attention back to what she was saying. It was the basic
information they'd come to expect. She wasn't dropping any surprises on them
regarding the bookwork. Indeed, the surprises were left for when it came time
to explain her policy on individual study.

"I will be consulting each of you on a one-to-one basis. During that
time, with the assistance of Master Pan, we will assess your physical skills.
Once that's done, an individualized course of study will be chosen that best
suit your needs and skills. The 'cookie cutter' method may work for Galbadian
officers, but you're here to be *SeeDs*. We want people who are highly
skilled, creative in their approach, and are confident leaders. You each have
a personality. You each are a *person* first and a mercenary second. I want
to know the person so that I can make you the best mercenary possibly."

The class sat in stunned silence as she lightly tapped a few keys on her
terminal at the front of the class. Their study panels shifted to display the
file she uploaded to them. "This is the tentative schedule of individual
meetings. If you have a conflict, let me know by end of class tomorrow. The
schedule will be firmly set after that and you'll be expected to attend the
meeting. Master Pan's time is valuable and I'm certain he would be displeased
if you wasted it."

Kent shivered on the inside. Instructor Xu certainly knew how to hit a
chord with them. Logan might have skipped seeing *her* for a meeting, but he
wouldn't dare anger the Master by not attending.

She finished covering the syllabus before opening the floor for any
questions they may have. The first cadet promptly shot down her intent of
fielding questions regarding the syllabus.

"Where are you from?" He spoke politely enough as he stood to address her.

An eyebrow arched slightly before she spoke. "I'm from Balamb Garden as I
stated during my introduction. I would advise paying closer attention to my
presentations in the future since I dislike repeating myself."

The student blanched as he returned to his seat. Kent had to give her
credit for how she handled the question. She answered it without answering it.
The next student stood to ask his question.

"Instructor, what is your family name?"

"You may address me as Instructor Xu or SeeD Xu," she answered promptly,
while neatly blocking off his line of questioning.

"Thank you, Instructor," he mumbled as he sat.

Kent watched with interest as his classmates tried to pin her down with
their questions. Every answer she gave was direct and cut off any further
prodding on their part. It wasn't everyday one got to see such a battle of
wits being conducted. She could have called an end to it at any time, he
realized, but there must be some reason she was allowing them to carry on so.
Perhaps because -- while curiosity may have killed the cat -- that didn't
prevent the cat from trying. Let them get it out of their system before trying
to get any serious work done.

"Do you use Guardian Forces?" Another student asked.

"Yes, they're required learning at Balamb Garden," she replied.

He blinked with surprise. Required learning? No person would seriously
consider using them in the first place. He was under the impression that
Guardian Forces were a mysticism version of magic that 'those attuned to the
planet' practiced. Judging by the looks on his classmate's faces, he wasn't
the only one startled by her answer. In a single breath she'd not only
confirmed the existence of Guardian Forces but also legitimized their usage by
SeeD.

"Why don't *we* use them?" A female in the back asked.

"Balamb is the only Garden to make use of Guardian Forces. Each Garden
decides its own curriculum. Why Galbadia and Trabia Gardens have excluded them
is information I'm not privy to."

"Could you teach us?" The female student pressed.

"I cannot," she said without giving a reason. The student wanted to ask
why but a fixed look from the Instructor sent her back to her seat. "I don't
decide which subjects you'll be taught. My job is to assure that you are
competent regarding the matters placed before you."

"How about at least showing us one?" Kent's classmates persisted.

"I'm bound by the same regulations that you are. They prohibit the use of
Guardian Forces." What she said was true. It was stated clearly in one of the
obscure subsections that most people tended to skim over quickly. Kent had the
Regulations Handbook firmly committed to memory and could recall the exact
phrasing of nearly any passage if the need arose.

The Instructor firmly nudged the conversation back to more appropriate
subjects. When it came to scholastics, she seemed to know what she was doing.
The glimpse she provided into the ways other Gardens worked was fascinating.
He almost regretted when class was over and they were dismissed for lunch
break.

He followed Logan and Tory to the Cafeteria while still deep in thought.
Many of the students from Instructor Xu's class were already gathered at a long
table to discuss their impressions of her.

"She didn't answer our questions," one was grumbling as they sat down.

"Of course she didn't," Tory jumped into the conversation. "She's an
Instructor. They don't have to answer to the students."

"You're biased because she's a woman," Logan said.

"You're right," Tory agreed. "We need more women Instructors here. There
are far too many guys."

"At least she's pretty," a male at the end of the table jested.

Many of the guys agreed with that statement.

"Her accent's pretty too," another added. "Hey, Kent, any idea where she
could be from?"

Tory muttered 'Balamb Garden' under her breath before he answered.

"Well... She is definitely from Balamb, though I don't think so
originally. Excluding the Balamb inflections, I don't recognize it," he
shrugged.

"See? She has to be from Anshin if our world traveling friend here
doesn't recognize the accent," Logan reasoned.

It was common knowledge that Kent's parents were well off and believed in
giving their son the best education possible. The 'best education' being
defined as sending him to various schools the world over. He joined the Garden
at age fifteen, which was the last year he was eligible to enter the SeeD
program. Even though he was 'stuck' in Galbadia, his parents insisted on
sending him places during his breaks.

He didn't begrudge the amount of traveling he did. It fascinated him to
learn about other peoples and cultures. If Instructor Xu really was from the
Anshin clan, then he had a long list of questions to ask her. His curiosity
was sincere since he long ago learned to respect other's beliefs no matter how
much he disagreed with them.

"Logan, you idiot, Anshin isn't a country, it's a clan," Tory corrected
rudely.

Kent was about to correct his friend as well, but in a kinder way. He
cleared his throat to catch the attention of his classmates. There were a few
more things they all needed to be made aware of considering the questions they
were asking her. He was certainly no expert on the Anshin clan, but he'd read
a few books about them and felt it time to share his knowledge.

"Xu really is her name if she's from the Anshin clan. They don't have
surnames as we use them. The closest thing would be 'of the Anshin' since they
*aren't* all related. There are a handful of major families called elders; a
dozen minor families who are go betweens when a conflict arises, and the common
families. They consider themselves 'related'," he put his fingers in the air
to indicate the quotes around the word 'related', "in spirit even if they
aren't so by human blood.

"I say human blood because, from how I understand it, they believe that
everyone is related in some way on the spiritual plane and that the physical
world is just a temporary manifestation of that. When they die on the human
plane, they will return to the trail they were walking on the spirit plane when
they decided to sit along the Path of Life for a rest. Human existence is just
a dream -- a minor detour, really -- from their true lives on the spiritual
plane," he paused to take a sip of water while his classmates digested that.

"I know there is more to it than that. But there are so few Anshin
running around who are willing to answer questions. There are even fewer books
regarding them," he frowned. "One book I read mentioned that they have a rich
oral tradition that views it as sacrilegious to write their legends down. The
only way to hear their stories is to find one and coax them into telling you
the story."

"That is *so* weird," a girl commented.

"What if someone doesn't tell the story 'cause they don't like it and that
story is forgotten because they were the last one to know it?" Someone else
asked.

Kent put his hands up in surrender. "I don't know, guys. There is so
much we just *don't know*. It would be wrong of us to condemn any of them
without at least sitting down and having a long chat first."

"I don't care if they believe humans are the result of some deity having
hallucinations. What I can't swallow is the whole idea of monsters being
good," Logan's sentiments were shared by those seated around the table.

"Hey, I agree with you there, but they don't believe monsters are good per
say -- more like monsters are neutral. Again, I can't tell you much except to
say that they try to live in harmony with monsters, humans, and the earth. It
has something to do with the Path of Life and trials that will be faced once
they return. The more violent they are on the human plane, the more grief they
will suffer along the Path or something to that effect." Kent didn't want to
give them the wrong idea any more than he wanted them going around with the
misconceptions they already had.

"Even if Instructor Xu isn't an Anshin, it's an interesting topic of
discussion, don't you think?" Tory smiled, thoroughly enjoying herself.

"Boot-licker," Logan growled.

"Forget you!" Tory would have gestured rudely at him, but there was no
telling when an Instructor would be around to write her up for unbecoming
conduct.

"Now that we've milked Kent for book information, what do you think,
Summer?" The cadet at the end of the table asked.

All eyes turned to the overly shy Summer. She had yet to add anything to
the discussion, just like she hadn't said anything earlier during class.
Glancing around her like an animal looking for a means of escape, she answered
only after discovering that leaving was impossible. "Um... She's nice to me.
We already did my evaluation."

"And?" Logan prompted in an annoyed tone when it became clear Summer
wasn't going to say anymore.

"I'm going to practice with Master Pan. She says it'll help me gain
confidence," she answered softly.

"Getting laid would increase your confidence," Logan commented dryly.

Summer flushed brightly and turned away.

"That was uncalled for," Kent scolded Logan as he patted Summer
reassuringly on the arm. "I think it's a good idea. Learn all you can from
the Master," he encouraged.

The discussion broke up into several smaller conversations. He preferred
to sit back and listen as his classmates tried to put the puzzle of their new
Instructor together. She didn't seem like a bad person in his estimation. It
was still too early to be making any firm judgments, but he liked what he saw
so far.

*****

Xu had the opportunity to meet Eileen when she turned in the paperwork for
some training missions she wished to conduct during the upcoming term. Eileen
spoke with friendly familiarity. Jennifer must have told Eileen about her.

Eileen wore a smart-looking business suit with her brown hair pulled back
into a tail. She presented herself with all the professionalism of a public
relations guru. Xu could imagine her being a great asset to the Headmaster
when he had meetings with Galbadian officials.

Once the papers were signed off, Eileen motioned for Xu to lean closer to
her over the desk. "A word of advice for you. From one foreigner to another,
don't take any crap from these people. They'll settle into their place once
you've put your foot down," Eileen sat back.

Xu blinked several times before standing upright again. "Thank you, I
think," she replied.

"Good luck!" Eileen gave her a jaunty wave as Xu left the small office.
For as much as Galbadians hated foreigners, there certainly seemed to be enough
of them running around the place. 'When you're the biggest country in the
world, allowances have to be made,' she reasoned to herself.

Later that day found Xu in the training center working out under Master
Pan's watchful eye. She jabbed low, and then followed through with an
uppercut. Her 'enemy' moved away from her before coming back again. She
performed a spinning kick against the bag to send it swinging away.

"I appreciate your help in evaluating my students," she said between
strikes. Master Pan didn't respond from his leaning position against the wall.
When he did speak it was to comment that her footing was a bit off from where
it should be. She stopped to adjust her stance before resuming with the bag.

"Do you think any of them have what it takes?" She asked.

She saw him shrug out of the corner of her eye. "What do you think? You
know that only a handful will make it. Who will those few be?"

"Are you saying that I get to choose?" She snapped her arm back to catch
the bag 'off-guard'. "They either have what it takes or not. I know that not
all of them will make it, but I want to give as many of them as much of a
chance as I can."

"I'm glad that I don't have to tell you that," he agreed. "How are you
feeling? Confident that you can whip these slackers into shape?"

"Whipping them is your department I do believe," she chuckled as she
slammed her elbow into the bag. Pan gave a short bark of laughter in response
to her comment.

Removed from their conversation, a pair of students watched them from
across the room.

"Feeling a little less confident about challenging her now?" Kent asked
Logan, who was stretching beside him. His friend said nothing, but the fear in
his eyes said it all. Instructor Xu was quick and ruthless with her attacks
against the bag. The strikes produced a 'thud, thud, thud' cadence. From
their vantage point, it didn't even look like she was working that *hard*.
That's what frightened Kent the most. Her stamina was incredible.

"She's just a girl, I could take her on," Logan boasted to regain face.
"I'll show you! During our individual training we have to fight her, don't
we?"

Kent shook his head. "Master Pan does all the combat training, you know
that."

Logan screwed his face in a frown as he thought. "Then... I'll take her
on *now*!" He proclaimed as he stood up and marched over to the Instructor and
Master.

"Wait!" Kent tried to grab hold of him to pull him back, but he was
already within speaking distance of Instructor Xu.

"Why do you wish to challenge me?" She stopped her practicing to address
him. He was too late to prevent Logan from getting pounded.

"To prove myself!" He proclaimed.

"To who?" Now Master Pan was in on it.

'Logan, you idiot!' Kent thought, 'The Master will pound you before you
even get to the Instructor.'

"The Garden," Logan hooked his thumbs on the waist of his sweatpants in an
effort to act big. Kent wanted to give him a solid kick in the butt for his
pride.

"A bully is what you are. Instructor Xu doesn't have time to waste on
you," the Master stepped forward.

"Master, Instructor," Kent inserted himself between them, "please honor
his request. Logan needs to know where he stands in regards to his peers and
his superiors."

"I'll show him exactly where he stands," Master Pan cracked his knuckles
as he spoke to Logan. "Impudent worm. I'll teach you where your place is and
make sure you stay there in the future."

"Wait," Instructor Xu gave Logan a long, hard look. "Is this really what
you want? There are strings attached if I take up your challenge."

"What strings?" Logan jutted his chin out at her.

"They're quite simple. If I win, you'll be spending your spare time in
here until you're strong enough to challenge me again and win. Are you still
up for it?" She crossed her arms as he considered it.

"Alright," he agreed, "and if *I* win, you have to answer our questions.
None of the half-assed, evasive answers you gave us the other day either!"

"You're not in a position to be making the deals," Master Pan growled.

Instructor Xu held up her hand. "Fair enough. Shall we begin?" She
gestured to an unoccupied mat nearby.

Afterwards, Kent had to explain to Logan what happened. It wasn't pretty,
to say the least. In less then a minute she had thrown him down with enough
force to knock him unconscious. He came around when the Master put some salts
under his nose. Logan hadn't even gotten a hit in on her.

Logan was utterly humiliated. The fact that three people witnessed his
deal meant that he would be spending his free time in the training room
preparing for a rematch with the Instructor. It was odd that Instructor Xu
insisted that he improve so that he could challenge her again. Very little
good came from inviting trouble, in his opinion.

A part of him did regret that Logan lost. He could have his pride. What
Kent wanted was the allowance to ask her questions about the Anshin. While he
wouldn't 'condemn' her like some others were, he was fairly certain regarding
her origins. He longed to learn as much about the Anshin and about her as she
was willing to tell.

Maybe if he asked her privately she would be more forthcoming? No, after
all the grief she's received from the student body in general she wasn't likely
to be co-operative. For all she knew, he could be trying to get the dirt on
her to create more mud with. Why did all the xenophobic idiots have to ruin
such a rare opportunity?!

*****

Summer closed the door to her room quietly after entering. Instructor Xu
was sitting at her desk with her chin buried against her chest. She thought
the Instructor was asleep until she welcomed Summer back in a soft voice.
Summer put her book bag down next to her own desk before asking what the
Instructor was doing.

"I'm regaining my equilibrium," her voice was barely above a whisper.

"I don't understand," Summer admitted.

"Have you ever had a day where everything seemed off balanced? Or so many
things are happening at once that you feel overwhelmed by it all?"

She nodded. "I feel overwhelmed all the time. Especially when I'm
working with Master Pan."

"I'm performing a mental exercise that helps me to relax. When I'm
relaxed, the problems don't seem as big anymore. I figure things out in a more
orderly fashion because my concentration has been refocused."

"Kind of like a lens?" Summer offered.

"Very much so."

Summer sat on her desk chair and watched Instructor Xu for several
minutes. The other wasn't moving at all, just sitting there with her chin down
and her eyes closed. Her hands were folded neatly on her lap with her posture
relaxed, but not sloppily so..

"Um... Instructor?" Summer began tentatively. "Could you teach me how to
focus?"

"I thought you'd never ask," she spun the swiveling chair around quickly,
surprising Summer. She motioned for Summer to roll her chair over across from
hers. Once the student was within reach, the Instructor took Summer's hands up
in her own.

"Close your eyes," she coached. "I want you take a deep breath and listen
to me as best you can. We're going to begin by clearing your mind.

"You are standing in the middle of a cluttered room. Shelves of books,
knickknacks, and other items surround you on all sides, boxing you in. Now
hold out your hand," Instructor Xu took her right hand and positioned it away
from her, palm up.

"Look at your hand. Sitting in your palm is a small stone. Can you feel
it?" Summer did feel it. The Instructor must be touching a fingertip to her
palm. She nodded. "Good, concentrate on it. Notice its color. Feel it as it
rolls around in your hand," Instructor Xu traced her fingertip around her palm
slowly.

"Now close your hand slowly into a fist. Hold the stone tightly in your
hand." She did so. She... She really could feel a stone in her fist! Before
she could wonder about this too much, the Instructor continued. "Reopen your
hand, palm up. You can see the stone nestled against the webbing of your
fingers, can't you? A magic sphere is growing from it, capturing you in a
bubble that encompasses you completely in darkness.

"Don't panic," her voice soothed. "This darkness has a welcoming warmth
to it. This is your sanctuary. Only those whom you invite may enter your
bubble. None of the clutter that was once surrounding you is here. It is a
completely open space for you to work within. May I join you?"

"Of course," Summer murmured, caught up in the exercise.

Instructor Xu walked out of the dark to stand near her. She carried a
smallish block between her hands. This, she placed in the air before them. It
sat there as though on a pedestal when none was present.

"We'll begin with something simple. Turn this block into a ball," she
invited.

Summer cocked her head in confusion. Into a ball? All right... She tried
to picture the block as a ball, but it wouldn't change. A slightly bemused
look crossed the Instructor's features at her failed attempt.

"You're trying to solve the problem in one step. Why not try something
like this?" She rubbed her hand over one of the corners of the block, smoothing
it out. "Approach the task systematically and it becomes more manageable."

Summer took the block into her hands and rubbed at one of the corners. It
smoothed out as she did so. Understanding the gist of the exercise, she worked
the block between her hands until she had it smoothed into a round ball. When
she was finished, she presented it to Instructor Xu for approval.

"Turn it back into a block."

She squished the ball between her hands, but getting the hard edges would
be difficult. Sitting down on the ground, she used it to create a flat
surface. That worked until she tried to create an adjoining edge and the
'flat' surface became warped.

The Instructor knelt down and asked, "Why not use the tools that are
available to you?" She looked besides her to see a box mold with removable
sides next to her as though it had always been there. The non-shape was placed
in the mold where she pressed it into its original box form before removing it.

"There are many other puzzles to try, but this is enough for today." When
they stood up Summer saw neatly organized shelves with different shapes sitting
on them behind the Instructor.

"What puzzle are you currently working on?" Summer asked.

"This," she held up a panel with a round hole in it with one hand and a
squared peg in the other.

"I thought a square peg being forced through a round hole was just a
figure of speech," she whistled appreciatively.

"The concept behind the problem -- conformity -- has been around since the
dawn of time. I'll find my answer to this puzzle eventually. My cousin has
been stuck on it for years now, so it's too early for me to give up hope of
finding a solution," she placed the puzzle on a conveniently appearing
tabletop.

"How do we return..?" Summer walked with her into the darkness.

"All you need to do is open the door," Instructor Xu placed her hand into
the dark and twisted. A door swung towards them with light pouring through.
The Instructor led the way. As soon as she stepped through the door her eyes
opened. She blinked them several times then looked around her to confirm that
this really was their dorm room.

"That was..." she was at a loss for words. The Instructor stood up to get
them both something to drink. It was then that she noticed that at some point
Instructor Xu had released her hands. They were now balled up into fists
resting on her knees. Slowly she turned her right hand palm up and opened it.
A small, black stone sat there.

The impossibility of a stone really being in her hand caused her to do a
double take -- a few times. "Did you put this in my hand?"

The Instructor shook her head. "I did not, just as I can't tell you who
put the Puzzle Stone in my hand for the first time either. When you wish to
work with the puzzles, have the Puzzle Stone in your hand and take yourself
through the mind-clearing exercises until you're in the black sphere."

"Is it magic?" Summer examined the stone closely. It looked like any
random stone she could have picked up between here and Deling City.

She shrugged. "I can safely say that it's not magical in a way we
understand it. There are many mysteries in this world; the Puzzle Stone is one
of them. When encountered with something beyond my comprehension, I tend to
just accept it and keep going. Perhaps it will be explained to this simple
girl at some later date," she smiled reassuringly before going on.

"I was hoping you would be able to get it. Not everyone has the
imagination to make a Puzzle Stone work. Don't be afraid to sit back and use
it. The puzzles it presents usually have a deeper meaning that can be applied
to some aspect of your life. I must admit to the possibility of you learning
more from the Stone than from me," she favored her with an impish grin.

"I doubt that, Instructor Xu. Thank you very much."

*****

"A Puzzle Stone, huh?" Master Pan considered the news carefully as he
watched over his students practicing. "That certainly won't help get rid of
the rumors that are running amuck if she tells her classmates."

"Perhaps," Xu allowed from her position next to him. Master Pan was fully
capable of teaching the students without her hovering at his elbow, but he
didn't seem to mind her curiosity. "It's what I thought would help her most to
work through her shyness. The Stone's first puzzle to her was to change a box
into a ball."

"Didn't change shape until she took it into her hands, did it?"

Xu nodded. "Once she realized that she could influence the environment
around her, she was up to the challenge."

"Huh," he grunted. "So, any ideas how you got your Puzzle Stone?"

"The Spirits gave it to me, of course," she answered with a chuckle. The
origin of the Stone was the biggest puzzle of all. All Anshin children were
taught how to use one since it was considered a way for the Spirits to guide
them when they ran into difficulties. Xu thought the answer of spiritual
guidance was as good as any she had heard. "How about you?"

"It was my grandfather's doing," he grinned. Xu was surprised when he not
only knew what a Puzzle Stone was, but was also in possession of one. She knew
that they weren't exclusive to the Anshin, but they weren't common either.

She oft-times wondered why they weren't required learning at Balamb.
Perhaps she would mention it to Headmaster Cid when she returned. She wasn't
about to suggest the idea to Martine lest he think that she was trying to rock
the boat too much.

"Have you considered what to do about Kent?" Master Pan said with a sigh
at the end of his question.

"Kent? How do you mean? He seems to be one of my more dedicated
students," she wasn't aware that anything needed to be done about him. Was his
best friend and roommate, Logan, more of an influence on him than she thought?

"He only has until a few weeks before the next winter break to finish his
SeeD qualifications. His 20th birthday will bump him out of the Garden then.
Don't get me wrong, he's an excellent student, but that's what he is: a
student. More of a thinker than a fighter if you ask me," he said.

"What exactly does he have left to do?" She felt foolish for not knowing
the answer to the question or even knowing that there was a problem to begin
with. Tonight would be spent pouring over the student's files more carefully.

"One thing besides the exams; his Limit Skill. He's been block for nearly
two years now. Everyone here has run out of ideas for trying to work him past
it. Perhaps a fresh perspective on the problem will save his SeeD career at
the 11th hour."

She nodded. "I understand," she shivered on the inside. If she were
Kent, she'd have given in a long time ago to the despair of not being able to
find the Limit. He was obviously a gifted student. To be this *close* to his
goal and fail would be devastating.

Xu shook herself. This class certainly wasn't lacking personality.
Between trying to draw Summer from her shell, keeping Logan on a short leash
while preventing Tory from choking him with it and now this matter with Kent --
her plate was full. Part of her idly wondered if Martine gave her all the
problem students. That wasn't true, of course, since every class had its
jokers and its nerds. Her perspective as an Instructor allowed her to remove
herself from the antics of the classroom. She saw more of the overall picture
that she would have missed if she were still a student. And looking at that
picture, there was a lot of work to be done before the term was over.

Later that evening she sought out Jennifer. Perhaps the seasoned
Instructor would have some advice for her on how to proceed. Eileen answered
the door to their quarters, dressed casually for the evening. She welcomed Xu
warmly as she ushered her in.


"I wanted to consult with Jennifer," Xu explained when Eileen asked what
brought her.

A playful grin crossed her face. "Call her Jen, everyone else does. Let
me go drag her away from whatever book she's reading for you." Eileen left Xu
to find a seat in the comfortable sitting room. Xu had been half wondering
where the Garden had the plusher quarters hidden. Living with the students
didn't bother her since she was used to it, but it wasn't what she was entitled
to as a SeeD.

Jen came into the room dressed in a bathrobe.

"I'm sorry. If I've come at a bad time, I can return later," Xu stood up
from the couch she was on.

"Sit, sit. A bathrobe is less revealing than some uniforms I've had to
wear," she grinned impishly. "Eileen said that you had some questions for me?"

"Er- yes. I have a student who needs to learn his Limit before he can
continue in the SeeD program-"

Jen held up her hand to stop her. "Kent, right?"

Xu nodded. "Do you have any ideas?"

"I did a couple years ago, but they've all been exhausted by now. At this
point, I'd say any Anshin mysticism you might have that could unblock him would
be worth a try," she paused as Xu grimaced.

Eileen had been watching them from the doorway. She stepped into the room
to address Xu. "Oh, you might as well admit it. Everyone here is convinced of
your lineage. At this point, whether you are or you aren't doesn't matter. In
their minds, you are an Anshin, so live it up!"

"It's a difficult matter for me," she muttered. "I can't deny genetics,
but I don't agree with the peaceful co-existence of monsters any more than they
do."

"I think that much is obvious," Eileen commented dryly. "You're different
from the Galbadians. I say 'so what?' It's their loss if they don't want to
learn from those differences and broaden their own horizons."

"When I suggested applying something you learned back home to help him, I
wasn't teasing you," Jen added gently. "There are so many things that can't be
explained but seemingly work. Historically speaking, the Anshin clan has
mastered these 'undiscovered' abilities and made use of them."

"I'll... I'll see what I can do. But won't the Headmaster be upset if he
finds out?" Xu didn't care what Martine thought, but she didn't want to blow
her chances of being an Instructor either. That would mean that she failed the
mission set to her by Headmaster Cid, and that was unacceptable.

"Perhaps," Jen allowed, "but if you get results, can he really complain?
In all honesty, we've exhausted every other resource we have. If you can bring
something new to the mix and get results, Martine will forgive just about
anything."

"Besides, you've got me on your side," Eileen assured. "I can spin the
worst situation into something upbeat. Martine can be difficult, but he's not
impossible and he *will* listen to me."

"Thank you both for your advice and encouragement," Xu bowed politely to
them. She left with a few ideas rolling around in the back of her mind.

-----

The characters Jennifer Sakachi and Eileen Pearcy are property of LeVar Bouyer
and have been used with permission.

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