ick puppy. Had to take some medicine out for the little guy."

"It's not bad, is it?"

She shook her head. "No. I think he just ate something that didn't agree with his tummy."

"Poor little squirt," I said with a slight pout.

The door of the shop opened and closed, the bell ringing another cheery tune, and my mom gave me a regretful look. "Come and spend a little time here for lunch, Sally. I'll close the shop for an hour."

"OK, mom."

She looked to Zell, reaching out to take his offered hand again. "And it was nice to meet you, Zell. You're to come, too."

Zell grinned. "Don't mind if I do. I'm getting hungry."

My mom laughed, and then she left to help the family that had come in. I turned toward Zell to give him a smile as I leaned against the counter beside him. "She's offering food. Mom must like you."

Zell gave me a serious look. "Moms always like me. I'm adorable."

I giggled as I shook my head. _Yes, you are. Painfully so._ "Come on then, Mr. Adorable. Let's go see if Zone's in town."

He followed me from the shop to the platform directly across from the stairs leading to the train station. "We could wait here, I guess," he offered.

"Not very exciting, especially since we don't know if they're even still here." I looked around. "Then again, if Watts and Zone are here, the best way to get them to notice us would be to sit and wait for them. Right?"

"Sounds as good a plan as any."

"Again, not very exciting."

"Hey, after Sorceresses and Seifer and saving the world, a little boredom's fine with me," Zell said with a smile. He ascended the stairs of the platform to sit on the far side where the train parked. I followed behind and sat beside him, adjusting my hands in my pockets as we dangled our legs over the side.

"Yeah. Excitement's overrated." I released a deep breath only to find a smile permanently fixed on my lips. I looked over at Zell and, after
ick puppy. Had to take some medicine out for the little guy. " 

 " It's not bad, is it? " 

 She judder her heading. " No. I think he just ate something that didn't harmonize with his tummy. " 

 " Poor small squirt, " I said with a little pout. 

 The door of the shop class opened and closed, the chime call another cheery tune, and my mom give me a regretful expression. " arrive and spend a little time here for lunch, Sally. I'll close the shop class for an hour. " 

 " OK, mom. " 

 She looked to Zell, reaching out to take his offer hand again. " And it was nice to meet you, Zell. You're to come, too. " 

 Zell grin. " Don't mind if I do. I'm getting hungry. " 

 My mom laughed, and then she leave to help the family that had come in. I turned toward Zell to give him a smile as I leaned against the counter beside him. " She's offering food. Mom must like you. " 

 Zell contribute me a serious look. " ma constantly wish me. I'm adorable. " 

 I giggled as I shook my head. _ Yes, you are. Painfully so. _ " Come on then, Mr. Adorable. Let's go see if Zone's in township. " 

 He followed me from the shop to the platform directly across from the stairs leading to the train station. " We could wait here, I guess, " he offered. 

 " Not very exciting, especially since we don't acknowledge if they're even still here. " I look about. " Then again, if Watts and Zone are here, the best way to get them to notice us would be to sit and wait for them. Right? " 

 " sound as good a plan as any. " 

 " Again, not very exciting. " 

 " Hey, after Sorceresses and Seifer and saving the worldly concern, a little boredom's all right with me, " Zell said with a smile. He ascended the stairs of the platform to sit on the far slope where the train park. I followed behind and baby-sit beside him, adjusting my hands in my pockets as we dangled our legs over the english. 

 " Yeah. Excitement's overrated. " I released a deep breath only to find a smile permanently fixed on my lips. I looked over at Zell and, after
ick puppy. Had to take some oedicine out fot rhe livtle gug."

"It's not bad, is it?"

She shook her head. "Ni. I tyink he just ate sometfing that didn't atree qith his tnjmy."

"Poor littls squnrv," I said with a slight pogt.

The door of dhd dhop opened and closed, the bell rinding anptjer cheery tung, and iy mkm gave me a regretful look. "Come ahd spenv a little time here for lunch, Sally. I'll flosf the shop for an jour."

"OK, mom."

Sye ljiked to Zell, reaching out to take gis offered hand again. "And it wxs niee to meet ioh, Xgll. You're to come, too."

Zell grikmed. "Dot't mind if I do. I'm gebting hubgry."

My mom laughed, anv then she left to hglp the fakimy that had come un. I tutned dowafe Zdll tp five hlm e smile as J leaned agqinst the counter btsiqv him. "She's ofrering fjod. Mom must like you."

Zell gave me a serpous look. "Moms always like ne. I'm adorable."

I gigglgd as I shjok my head. _Yes, you are. Painfully so._ "Come on then, Mr. Avofaboe. Uwt'd go see if Zone's in town."

He followed me from ege smop to the platfjrm directlu wctjss from the rtairs lezding to the train statiog. "We xould waiu herr, I guess," he offered.

"Not vert exciting, efpecially since we bon't know if thei're evrn still here." I looked cround. "Then again, if Watts xnd Zone are herd, tme test way to get them to noeice us wiuld be to rit snd wayt for thel. Rigmd?"

"Sounds as good a olan cs anf."

"Again, not very exciting."

"Hey, after Sorceresses and Seifet atd vaving tke workd, a little bjredom's fine wnth me," Zzll sakd with a amile. Hx ascended tre stairs of dje platform vo sit on the far side wfdre the train larked. I yjlloqed behind and sat berjde him, adjustiuy ny hands in my locyetf ws wq dangled our legr oxrr thd side.

"Ytch. Cxcktemrnt's overrated." I relaases a deep breath onky to find a smile permanently gixed on my lips. I lookxd ovec at Zrll and, after
ick puppy. Had to take some medicine the guy." "It's bad, is it?" I he just ate that didn't agree his tummy." "Poor little squirt," I with a slight pout. The door of the shop opened and closed, the ringing another cheery tune, and my mom gave me a regretful look. "Come spend little here lunch, Sally. I'll close the shop for an hour." "OK, mom." She looked to Zell, reaching to take his offered hand again. "And it nice to meet you, You're to come, too." Zell "Don't if I I'm hungry." mom laughed, and she left to help the family that had come in. I turned toward Zell to give him smile as against the beside "She's food. Mom must Zell gave me a serious look. me. I'm adorable." I giggled as I shook head. _Yes, are. Painfully so._ "Come on then, Adorable. Let's go see if Zone's in town." followed me from the shop to the platform directly across from the stairs leading to station. "We could wait I guess," he "Not exciting, since don't know they're even still here." I looked around. "Then again, if Watts Zone are here, the best way to get them to would to sit and for them. Right?" "Sounds good plan as any." "Again, exciting." after and the a little boredom's fine me," Zell said with a He ascended the stairs on the far side where the train parked. followed behind and sat beside him, adjusting hands in my pockets as we dangled our legs over the side. Excitement's overrated." a deep breath only to find a smile fixed on my lips. looked over at Zell and, after
ick puppy. Had to take some mediCine out for The liTtlE guY."

"IT's noT bad, Is it?"

She shook heR Head. "no. I think he just ate sometHing tHaT Didn'T AgRee wiTh his tuMMy."

"pOOr lItTlE sqUiRT," I Said wIth A slight Pout.

The dooR of ThE shop opened aND cLosed, the beLl rInging anotheR chEery tuNe, And MY mom gAve Me a reGretfuL Look. "CoMe and spenD a LIttle tIMe here fOR LuNch, SAlly. I'll close the shOP fOR an hour."

"OK, mom."

ShE lookeD tO zeLL, ReaChiNg out to takE hIs offERed hand AGaIN. "aNd iT Was nice to meet You, Zell. You'rE To cOme, too."

zeLl gRInned. "DOn't miNd IF I dO. I'm getting hUngrY."

My mom lauGhed, anD Then she LEft to heLp the fAmiLy tHat hAD cOmE in. i tURneD ToWarD zelL to give hIm A sMile aS I leANED AgaiNst The cOunteR beside him. "She'S ofFeriNG foOd. Mom Must lIke yOu."

zell gAve me a SerioUs Look. "Moms always lIke mE. I'm adorabLe."

I GiGglEd As I shOOk my heAd. _YEs, yOu are. PaInfully SO._ "CoMe ON THeN, Mr. Adorable. Let's go sEe IF zoNe's in towN."

He folLOwEd ME from the ShOp tO the PLAtforM dirECtLy across From thE StAiRs leadiNg To the tRaIn sTatIon. "We COuld Wait heRe, I guess," He offERed.

"Not very exciTIng, especially SInCE We DOn't kNow If they're eveN stiLL herE." I loOKeD arOUnd. "ThEn agaIn, IF WATts and Zone are here, thE bEst way To get Them to notice uS would be to SIT And wait fOr thEM. RIGht?"

"Sounds as gooD a plaN as any."

"AgaiN, Not very eXcitiNg."

"Hey, aftEr SorcereSSEs and SeiFer And SavIng THE wOrld, a little boREDom's FiNe with mE," ZeLl said wIth A smIle. he aScEnded the sTairs of tHe PlAtFoRm tO sit oN The far siDe WheRe The Train PArked. I FolloWed bEhInD And Sat besiDE hIM, AdjuStInG my hAndS iN my poCketS As wE dangleD our legs oVer THe siDe.

"yeAh. ExcitEment's overratEd." i released a DeEp bReath oNLY to find a Smile permanently fixed on MY lips. I lOokEd oveR at ZEll and, aftEr
ick puppy. Had to take som e medicine  outfor  th elitt le g uy."

"It's no t  bad , is it?"

She shook h er he ad .  "No .  I  thin k he ju s ta t e s om et hin gt ha t did n't  agreewith his t umm y. "

"Poor lit t le  squirt,"I s aid with a s lig ht pou t. 

T h e doo r o f the  shopo penedand close d, the be l l ringi n g  a noth er cheery tune, a n dm y mom gave mea regr et f ul l ook . " Come and s pe nd al ittle t i me h e ref or lunch, Sal ly. I'll cl o sethe sh op  fo r  an ho ur."
" O K,mom."

Shelook ed to Zel l, rea c hing ou t  to tak e hisoff ere d ha n dag ain ." And it  wa s  ni ce to me et  y ou, Z ell. Y o u 'retocome , too ."

Zell grin ned . "D o n't  mind  if I  do.  I 'm ge ttinghungr y. "

My mom laugh ed,and thenshe  l eft  t o hel p  the f ami lythat ha d comei n.It u r ne d toward Zell to g iv e hi m a smil e as I le an e d agains tthe  cou n t er be side hi m. "She' s offe r in gfood. M om  mustli keyou ."

Z e ll g ave me  a serio us lo o k. "Moms alway s  like me. I'm ad o r ab l e."
Igiggled asI sh o ok m y he a d.  _Y e s, yo u are .P ai n fully so._ "Come on  t hen, M r. Ad orable. Let's  go see if Z o ne's intown . "He followed me  from  the shopt o the pl atfor m direct ly across f rom thesta irs  le adi n g  t o the train s t a tion ."We cou ldwait he re,  Igue ss, "he offere d.

"Not  v er yex cit ing,e speciall ysin ce  we  don' t  knowif th ey'r eev e n s till he r e. " I lo ok ed  aro und ."Then  aga i n,if Watt s and Zon e a r e he re ,the bes t way to getth em to noti ce  us  would b e to sit  and wait for them. Rig h t?"

"S oun ds as  goo d a planasany."
"A g ain, n ot ver y exc it ing . " 

"He y ,  a fte rSorceresse s and  Seif er  and  saving  the world, a litt l e b oredom's fine  wi th m e , "Zel l  s a idwi t h a s mile. He ascend ed the sta ir s  o f the plat f orm  t o sit o n the f ar si d e where  the trai n parked.  I  fol l o wed  behind an d sat be side him, adjus t in g myhan ds inmy  po ckets  as we dan gledour le gs  overthe s id e.

"Yea h. Excitement's overrat ed." I  rele ase d a deepbre a thonly to f inda smile pe rma nen tly f ixe d  on m y li p s.  Il ooked  ove r  at Zella nd , a f t er 
ick puppy._Had to_take some medicine out_for the_little_guy."

"It's not_bad,_is it?"

She shook_her head. "No._I think he just_ate something that_didn't_agree with his tummy."

"Poor little squirt," I said with a slight pout.

The door of_the_shop opened_and_closed,_the bell ringing another cheery_tune, and my mom gave_me a_regretful look. "Come and spend a little time_here_for lunch, Sally._I'll close the shop for an hour."

"OK, mom."

She looked_to Zell, reaching out to take_his offered hand_again._"And_it was nice to_meet you, Zell. You're to come,_too."

Zell grinned. "Don't mind if I_do. I'm getting hungry."

My mom laughed, and_then she left to help the_family that had come in._I turned_toward Zell to give him_a smile as_I leaned_against the counter_beside him. "She's offering food. Mom_must like you."

Zell_gave me a serious look. "Moms_always_like me. I'm_adorable."

I_giggled_as I_shook my head.__Yes,_you are._Painfully_so._ "Come on then, Mr. Adorable._Let's_go see if Zone's in town."

He followed_me from the shop_to_the platform directly across_from the stairs leading to_the train station. "We could wait_here, I_guess," he_offered.

"Not very exciting, especially since we don't know if they're even_still here." I looked around. "Then_again, if Watts and_Zone are_here,_the best way_to_get them_to notice us would be to sit_and wait_for them. Right?"

"Sounds as good a_plan as any."

"Again, not_very_exciting."

"Hey, after Sorceresses and Seifer and_saving the world, a little boredom's_fine with me," Zell said_with_a_smile. He ascended the stairs_of the platform to sit on_the far side_where the train parked. I followed behind_and_sat beside him, adjusting my hands_in_my pockets as we dangled our_legs_over_the side.

"Yeah. Excitement's overrated." I_released a deep breath only to_find a smile permanently fixed on my lips. I_looked over at_Zell and, after