It was the night before graduation and needless to say, the graduates of the Vermillion Bird Peristylium were freaking out. Their problems were pretty petty; ranging from what to wear to how to act and to whether or not there's going to be a graduation party afterwards. All in all, it was typically what graduating students worry about.

But the ones who worry the most were Class Zero.

While the graduates of other classes were petty in their problems, Class Zero sure as hell wasn't. They had valid reasons to worry; they had no idea what they were going to do after the Peristylium. Most of them didn't know whether they should travel or continue their studies or do something else entirely. As of now, they were sitting in the living room of their dorm house, just mulling over things and letting the reality that graduation was tomorrow sink in.

"I can't believe we're graduating, yo." Nine said out of the blue as he sat on one of the armchairs.

"And we can't believe you're graduating with us." Eight responded as he was splayed on the couch. Moglin, who was floating around them, was suddenly thrown to his face.

"So…what do we do after we graduate?" Jack asked them. Nearly every single one of them groaned at the question. With the exception of Machina and Rem, they all grew up in the care of the government and they were sheltered in the Peristylium. They didn't know what type of life was waiting for them outside of the Peristylium.

"I-I don't know…I'm actually scared." Cinque said with a small whimper.

"Well, there must've been something you guys wanted to do when you were children." Rem said as she sat on the floor beside Machina. That got all of them thinking; what did they want to do when they were kids?

"Chocobo ranch." Ace spoke up all of a sudden.

"What was that, Ace? You want to go to the Chocobo ranch?" Cater asked him in confusion.

"I wanted to build a Chocobo Ranch when I was a kid. I still do." He clarified, answering Rem's question and clearing up Cater's confusion at the same time. Well, if there was one thing they expected to stay with Ace after the Peristylium, it would be his love for the big fluffy birds.

"I intend to pursue my studies. Be a scholar eventually. I've always felt this need to share my knowledge to the world like-"

"Say, what about you, Cater? They must've been something you wanted to do as a child." Machina said, cutting Trey off before he started to go on a tirade, much to the relief of Sice.

"Hmm…I never really thought about it. Maybe I'll go travelling for a bit. Just until I find out what I really want to do." She answered. "What about you, Cinque?"

"I…I want to be an adventurer!" Cinque cheerfully declared. When they heard her answer, they all felt like they both expected and didn't expect her answer at the same time. Shaking her answer off, they all turned to Sice, who was reading a book on one of the chairs.

"W-What makes you guys think I'm going to answer your question?" She responded. She was never going to admit what she wants to do after they graduate…

"She wants to be a chef." Seven said without missing a beat.

…unless of course, someone was going to answer the question for her. She glared at the silver haired girl opposite her, but Seven merely shrugged in response. While they all weren't expecting that answer, they did notice that Sice can be a bit obsessed with food sometimes.

"Well, what about you, Seven? What do you want to do?" Trey asked her. Seven thought about it for a while before answering.

"Well…I don't really know…help people, I guess. Especially kids."

"Why's that? Surely, there's gotta be a reason for that." Rem said upon hearing what has got to be the most unusual ambition they've heard throughout the discussion.

"Well, there are plenty of kids out there who are just like us. Alone and without their parents. I guess I just want to help them." She answered.

"That's our Seven. Always looking out for others." Cater cheerfully said.

"Let's see…what about you, Eight? What do you want to do after all this?" Seven asked.

"I always wanted to try my luck at being a competitive martial artist." He admitted.

"Don't get your skull bashed in and yourself killed now." Sice said teasingly. "Or your neck snapped via a roundhouse kick. Or your ribs cracked. Or your heart punched. Or-"

"Okay, Sice. I think that's enough scenarios for Eight's death, now." Rem said, cutting her off with a sweet yet nervous smile before turning to Nine.

"How about Nine? What does he want?"

"Huh, if you can get me some apples, that'd be great, hey." He mumbled in his sleep from his perch in the armchair, prompting Queen to hit him in the chest with a book.

"We're not talking about food, Nine." Seven told him.

"Huh, we're not? But she asked what I want, yo." The scarred student complained.

"We're talking about what we want to do after the Peristylium, idiot." Sice scolded him.

"Oh…well…I don't really know. I haven't put a lot of thought into it, yo." Was his response as he scratched his head. None of them had any idea why they expected something else. Oh, well, it was free to dream.

"Hey, Jack! What do you want to be after we graduate?" Machina asked him. Jack looked up from the chess game he was playing with Trey.

"I'm going to be a comedian after this." He confidently answered.

"Well…you are good with jokes so good luck with that." Cater said encouragingly. "Hows about you, Queenie? I'm sure you of all people would have some sort of plan for your future."

As they expected, Queen did indeed have something planned.

"I'm going to get into higher education. Then after that…" She paused for a second in contemplation before continuing. "I might come back here and be a teacher."

"Great. Then you can be mean and scare the crap out of the kids, yo."

This time, Queen hit Nine in the head with her book.

"Well, Queen is class leader. I'm not surprised if she does come back here to teach. It suits her." Jack stated as he ate Trey's black knight using his white bishop.

"I am not the class leader." The woman denied.

"How about you, King? Got any plans?" Ace asked the man, who sat by the window, reading a book.

"I'm going to go be a cop. I don't know what else I'm going to do so I might as well help keep the peace." He stoically answered without looking up from his book.

"See. All of you, except Nine as usual, know what you want to do. Some of you just don't know where to start." Machina said as he scratched his cheek.

"Well, where do we start?" Jack asked him. Out of all of them, it was Machina and Rem who knew the most about the outside world, so they were willing to bet that they were the ones who can help them. However…

"That's up to you. We can't tell you what to do. That should be your decisions." Rem answered them as she stood up. "I'm going to bed. Good night."

"Night!" Everyone greeted her. All of a sudden, Jack realized something.

"Hey, where's Deuce?" Jack wondered. They all started looking around, wondering where the resident flutist went.

"I'll find her." Ace volunteered as he got up from his sleep. He went upstairs to her room but he wasn't there. He went to the Crystarium next but there was no sign of her there either. Neither was she in the infirmary or the courtyard. As he used the great portal to get to the terrace, he heard a soothing melody. Melody that can only come from…

'A flute.' Ace thought as he tried to find the source of the sound. Indeed, it was coming from the terrace.

"Deuce?" He called for her as he approached her. Deuce abruptly stopped playing and turned around.

"Oh, Ace, hello." She politely greeted him.

"Hey. Don't stop on my account. I just came to find you since the others were wondering where you ran off to." He said with a small smile on his face.

"Have I worried everyone? I'm sorry. I just wanted to get a good look of the place before…you know…" She said as she looked down on the ground. "It's just…we're graduating tomorrow and it might be a long time until we can come back here."

"I know the feeling. This has been our home since we were children. It's hard to imagine leaving it." Ace said as he stood beside her. Suddenly, he remembered the conversation from earlier and his curiosity was piqued upon realizing that they had no idea what Deuce wanted to be after they graduate.

"Deuce, what do you want to do? After all of this?" He asked her. Deuce thought about it for a while before answering.

"I-I want to be a musician. I've always felt like it's my calling to play music for the enjoyment of others. To spread the beauty of music around."

Ace smiled as the girl and he observed her as she looked at the stars. To be honest, ever since their last year as students rolled in, he realized that he likes the young flutist more than a brother should. Almost everyone in Class Zero grew up together and considered one another as siblings but Ace's feelings for Deuce were beyond that now. He often wondered when he should tell her about this. But like any boy his age, he was afraid of the rejection that could be in store for him once he's confessed his affection for her.

"Maybe you should audition at a conservatory, be it here or any of the other countries. Any conservatory would be lucky to have you, Deuce. I'm sure of it." He confidently told her with a small smile.

"O-Oh, I already have. I have an audition at the conservatory in Mahamayuri." She answered with a small smile. To be honest, the fact that Deuce submitted an application for a conservatory behind their backs hurt Ace a little. But he still felt happy for her; because she's actually working on fulfilling her ambitions.

"When?" He asked her.

"2 days from now. I leave the day after tomorrow." She answered him.

"Oh. That's great." He said half-heartedly. "Do the others know?"

"Only Queen, Rem, Commander Kurasame and Chancellor Khalia know." Deuce admitted. "I'm sorry for not telling you."

"No, it's fine. You had no obligation to tell me." Ace told her. He worried for her. In a day and a half, she would be on a transport to Concordia and if she does pass the audition, she would be all alone there. Separated from the rest of them. He wondered if she could handle that. No one would be able to watch her back there anymore.

"To be honest, I'm kinda scared. I'll be there alone if I pass the audition. Separated from anyone else. If I had my way, I wouldn't want to leave this place. I'd like to stay here with everyone forever." Deuce admitted. Ace could see that she was about to cry and he simply couldn't have that. Hesitantly, he approached her and wrapped his arms around her. He could sense Deuce tense up but eventually relaxed in his hold.

"I-I know you're scared. We all are. None of us want to be separated from each other. But you don't have to be scared. Even though we're going our separate ways, we'll always have your back and be there for you. If the others aren't available, then you can always count on me being there for you."

Ace hoped that his words were enough comfort for Deuce. After a while, he separated from her and she wiped her tears away before smiling at him.

"Thank you, Ace." She said. Ace returned her smile as he memorized every facet of Deuce's pretty face. It would most likely be a while before he would see it after all.

"Let's go and get some sleep. Big day tomorrow, after all." She said as she held his hand. Before Deuce can drag him away, however, Ace held her back, prompting her to look at him with a confused look on her face.

"Deuce, I-I-"

'Say it, you idiot! Say it! Tell her you like her.' He egged himself on.

"If you don't pass the audition, you can always come home here. You can always come home to us. To me." He told her, all the while mentally kicking himself for not telling her what he truly felt.

"Thank you, Ace. That brings me great comfort." She told him as the smile that everyone cherished and adored graced her face.

'Tomorrow. I'll make sure to tell her tomorrow.' He said as he followed Deuce's lead back to the dorms.

"Ace, get up!" A familiar and authoritative voice yelled at him. Ace groggily opened his eyes and saw Queen standing in his room before him.

"5 more minutes." He mumbled as he turned around. Queen responded by pulling his blanket away.

"Get up. It's graduation. Be downstairs in 15 minutes." She ordered him as she left the room and slammed the door behind her. Reluctantly, Ace got up and prepared himself before heading downstairs. Everyone was downstairs waiting for each other, dressed in their uniforms.

"Is everybody ready?" Queen asked them.

"Yeah!" Cinque cheerfully answered. With everything set, they headed on to the field where the ceremony was being held. Once they arrived, they immediately sat at their assigned seats and the ceremony commenced. Some of the students' parents, including Machina and Rem's parents as well as Izana, were even watching the ceremony. From long speeches by the Chancellor and some of the faculty to the Valedictorian's speech from Queen, half of the students were ready to give in and simply yell at them to just give them their diplomas. Fortunately, none of the students, not even Nine, had the guts to actually do it. Finally, they moved on to the actual awarding. Almost all the students that were graduating with Class Zero were amazed at how much awards Ace, Trey and Queen managed to receive.

"This is it, guys. The end of an era." Jack said lightheartedly as soon as it was their turn to receive their diplomas. For some reason, the elite class has to be the last ones to receive their diplomas. As per usual, Commander Kurasame handed Ace his diploma first, followed by Deuce and so on. For once, Nine didn't even try to make a smart ass comment when Kurasame told him it was a miracle he managed to graduate with them. He didn't want to make a scene because…well…Queen may have threatened to inflict severe injuries on him if he does.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Parents and Friends, I introduce to you the new graduates of the Vermillion Bird Peristylium. I wish you all good luck in finding your path in life." Chancellor Khalia proudly said. The students cheered at the fact that this chapter of their lives has now closed as a new one begins. Of course, a graduation wouldn't be complete without a few students tearing up as they hugged their friends. Deuce, Cinque and Rem were one of those students. Class Zero convened and congratulated each other on one area of the field.

"Well everyone, it'll most likely be a while before we all see each other again." Machina said as he stood beside Rem like always.

"I-I won't forget e-everyone h-here." Cinque told them as she cried. Cater stood beside her and wrapped an arm around her.

"We all may be going our separate ways but I'm sure everyone will keep in touch, right?" Queen said with a small smile on her face.

"Yeah!" Everyone responded.

"Thanks for the memories, everyone. I'll be sure to cherish them." Rem said as she wiped her tears away.

"I'll miss everyone. Especially when I'll be at Concordia." Deuce said with a smile.

"Concordia? What are you going to doing there?" Sice asked her in confusion. Deuce looked at Ace, like she was waiting for his orders to tell them what she intends to do. Ace simply nodded at her.

"I-I have an audition at the conservatory there. If I get in, I might not see everyone for a while." She admitted to them.

"I'm sure you will, hey. They'd be idiots if they don't accept you, yo." Nine confidently said with a grin on his face, which made her feel better. "But really; I'm gonna miss everyone, yo."

"I'm going to miss everyone too." Eight said before he pulled Cinque into a hug. Everyone followed his lead and they started hugging each other. After all, for the first time in years, their little family would be going their separate ways.

"Hey, let's all cheer up! There's still the graduation party this evening. Naghi told me about it. Later this evening, there's going to be a party here for the students. So let's rest up and get ready for it." Jack cheerfully informed them. They all nodded in agreement before moving on to give the other students (and to see their parents, in Machina and Rem's case) their congratulations and retreating to their dorms.

A few hours later, Ace was walking out of his room in the dorms after changing his clothes, ready to meet the others for the party in the field.

"Hey, Ace! Grab Deuce and take her to the field, will you? We're going ahead. Cinque's getting restless!" He heard Sice yell at him from the sitting room of the dorms.

"Okay!" He responded before heading for Deuce's room. Standing in front of her door, he gently knocked on it.

"Come in." He heard a voice say. When he entered Deuce's room, he saw that she was sitting on her bed with a duffel bag full of clothes beside her. He saw that she was already done preparing for the party; her hair was in its usual style, she was wearing a knee length skirt, a dress shirt with fashionable belt and boots. All in all, for Ace, she was prettier than she usually was.

"Are you ready?" He asked her, all the while trying to distract himself from the duffel bag that reminded him of the fact that she was leaving tomorrow. She looked up with a small smile on her face as she nodded. Ace, being the gentleman that he is, offered his arm for her to take.

"Thank you." She said with a small blush. To be honest, Deuce has always admired Ace, even when they were children. Dare she say it, she's had a crush on him ever since they were 12 and he defended her from the bullies in the Peristylium. She always thought that it was just an admiration that would soon pass. How wrong she was. It persisted until now. After a few minutes of walking, they finally arrived at the field. The party was already in full swing, with students either dancing to the beat, eating, drinking or playing party games. No surprise; the party started two hours ago. Finally, the music became a slow one and people started picking their partners to dance with.

'This is it. This is my chance to tell her.' Ace thought to himself as he turned to her.

"Dance with me?" He asked her as he held his hand out. Deuce smiled and nodded before taking his hand and he led her to where everyone was before he put his hands on her waist and Deuce wrapped her arms around his neck.

"So, how does it feel to have finally graduated?" He asked her with a small smile as they danced. Deuce thought about it for awhile before answering.

"It seems so…surreal. I feel like everything's happening so fast. It's like one moment we were kids playing in the hallways and the fountain courtyard and then the next, here we are. Ready to leave."

"Don't worry. I know the feeling." He told her. As they danced, Ace took a deep breath and mentally prepared himself.

"Deuce, I-I have to tell you something."

"Well, don't be shy. Tell me." She cajoled him with a gentle smile.

"I feel like I have to tell you this now because it could be a while before we could see each other again and I'm not telling you this in hopes that it would stop you from leaving but I just need to be honest with you."

Deuce didn't speak but simply waited for him to continue. And that was what he did.

"D-Deuce, I-I really, really like you. Hell, I love you."

There he said it. Now, all he has to do is to wait for the rejection that was bound to come. However, instead of rejection, he heard her sniffling. And when he looked at her again, he saw tears in her eyes.

"Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong?" He asked as he wiped her tears away. Deuce shook her head in denial before she smiled at him.

"N-No, not at all. I-I'm crying because I'm really happy. Because I like you too, Ace. No, I love you too." Deuce answered.

Well, needless to say, Ace was shocked. He never expected her to return his feelings.

"A-Ace, are you alright?" She worriedly asked him.

"Y-Yeah. It's just…I never expected your answer, that's all." Ace said with a nervous smile as he leaned his forehead against hers. They didn't notice that the song ended until they heard the congratulatory fireworks go off. Startled, they both looked up just in time to see the colorful explosives light up the sky. The students clapped and cheered at the wonderful display.

"Deuce." He called for her. Deuce looked back to Ace with a confused look on her face, wondering what he wanted to tell her.

"Just remember that you can always come home here, alright. I'll always be waiting for you. Just send word and I'll come for you." He whispered in her ear.

"I know you will." Deuce answered. Time seemed to slow down for the two of them and they both leaned in for a kiss. It wasn't rough or passionate. But it was just right; gentle yet it conveyed the love they held for each other. When they separated, no one can deny the love they had for the person in front of them. Right now, to them, no one and nothing else existed but each other and the colorful fireworks lighting up the sky.

Maybe graduation wasn't so bad after all.

AN: Hello, everybody, this is GroundZeroFirework. Some of you may remember me from back then. Like waaaaay back then. Wow, it's been 3 years since I last showed my face in this fandom and I thought about writing this story when my school year ended, coupled with the fact that the reality that my brother just graduated College sunk in. Anyways, please leave a review. I know you want to. And also…

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GRADUATES OF THE SCHOOL YEAR 2014-2015, BOTH HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES AND AROUND THE WORLD. GOOD LUCK IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS.