The Plan
“I’ve got a plan!”
That got everyone’s attention. Hearing those words from one who didn’t tend to take charge was enough to garner the interest of those within earshot. Eyes were drawn to the brunette in front of the group, her green eyes shining with enthusiasm. She had a finger pointing toward the sun and was beaming brightly. She knew that her plan was going to work out, come hell or high water.
“Really, Selphie?”
She nodded deeply. “Of course I do! Every good Garden Festival starts with a plan! A plan to try and get more cadets to help out with it and a general theme for the event.”
“Sounds like trouble.”
She shook her head at her heckler. “It’s never trouble!”
“Why should we help out when we haven’t even heard your idea?”
“That’s easy Jonah,” she responded brightly. “We’re going to bring Spring to Trabia Garden this year! Bright pastels, tulips, daffodils, all of the things associated with a nice Spring!”
Jonah, the elder of their group canted his head curiously. He was interested now and wanted to encourage his juniors to keep pursuing their passions. He knew from the brightness in Selphie’s eyes that she was dedicated toward this plan of hers.
Fifteen years old and wanted to see everything in the world. Trabia’s SeeD were always sharing stories with the cadets.
“It sounds like a lot of work,” Jonah continued.
“It is a lot of work,” Selphie conceded. “But it has to start somewhere! Trabia’s next Festival is in the Spring anyway and it’s still the middle of the summer so there’s lots of time! If we start expanding on my idea now, we can pitch it to the student council and get funding! Then, we can make the best Garden Festival that Trabia’s ever seen.”
“Selphie, you say that every year,” a third person in their circle chimed in.
“I know I do Maika and every year, we deliver. Last year had the biggest turnout that the festival has ever seen! We can do way more for the community and Garden as a whole if we keep continuing with this momentum. There’s nothing that we can’t do.”
Maika grinned. “You’ve got big boots to fill this year Selphie.”
“I know I do,” Selphie pressed on. She pointed at each of the six at the table in earnest. “I can’t do it without you guys.
Maika looked to Jonah who was in the middle of considering the youngest of their group. A cool wind blew through the courtyard as the perky brunette pressed on with her idea.
“We can have a grand ball at the end of it and fireworks every single night for the duration of the festival. We can have face painting for the little kids and guided tours of the entire facility. Not only will it give the kids something to take pride in, it will show off all the work that we’ve been doing at Trabia. We can have concerts and scavenger hunts and all sorts of other ideas. We can put a suggestion box in the cafeteria if people have ideas. The Festival from the Spring was such a success because of the input of the entire student body.”
“I see,” Jonah hummed. “You’ve been putting a lot of thought into this haven’t you?”
“I have! And I can’t do it alone,” she carried along. “I was hoping to have the support of you all again this year. The whole Festival might’ve been a super mega disaster without that help you all gave last year. As you know, most of last years committee have transferred to Balamb to write their SeeD exams so there’s—”
“—There’s only you again,” Maika cut in with a grin. “I dunno Selph, it seems like a tall order.”
“And there’s nothing that we can’t do once we put our heads together. I’m sure if you guys pitch in for the committee and help with the planning that we can get the entire student body on board again.”
“Some of us are prepping for exams though, Selphie,” Jonah pointed out. “Some of us simply don’t have the time.”
“I know, I know,” Selphie pressed again. “But like I said, I’ve got a plan and a theme but I can’t do it all by myself. If the senior students at Garden were willing to pitch in then everyone and everything else would fall into place.”
A couple of the others were considering her words seriously as she cast expecting glances at each of them individually. She bent over and rest her hands on the table, her head bowed.
She wanted to do one last festival with her friends before they transferred to Balamb.
“It’s just a few hours a week and there’s still tons of time for you guys to study for your exams. We can do much of the planning on the weekends and every class can contribute ideas for the theme. I just…”
She looked at them with a pleading look. She really didn’t want to do all the planning alone.
“If it’s just a few hours a week,” a fourth jumped in. “I don’t mind lending a hand.”
“Really Michael?” Selphie leaped up from the table excitedly. “You’ll really help me out?!”
He grinned at her. “Of course. I can’t let my dear junior do all the work by herself.”
All it took was one person and Selphie soon had the entire table on board. One after another, her friends all fell into place and her committee was fully formed.
“Great! Thank you so much you guys. It means the world to me that we can do this together.”
It was going to be the best Garden Festival ever.
-----------------
crossposted from jaydesummers @ AO3
Actions
