The future wasn't what it used to be.

As smoke rose off the still-smoldering remains of a bomb shelter, Lucca crouched in the ashes and typed furiously away at her laptop computer. Something had gone wrong, drastically wrong. Destroying Lavos was supposed to have fixed everything. Without Lavos' fiery rampage ravaging civilization on the cusp of the millennium, Mother Brain should never have been able to establish any dominion over humankind. The future was supposed to be a bright, happy, peaceful one now.

But somehow Mother Brain still reigned over this barren, war-torn wasteland in A.D. 2300. Something else must have been the catalyst that allowed her to overthrow and conquer human civilization. And so that too had to be corrected.

Lucca scrolled through pages and pages of historical documents, searching for clues that might help her pinpoint when Mother Brain might have first formed. Tracking down Mother Brain's origin in the past 300 years might be difficult, but it would be easier than fighting the robot armies now - and cutting Mother Brain off at the source would also prevent countless years of suffering and wasted lives.

Fortunately, she had all the time in the world to continue her search. Whether she had the fortitude to maintain her vigil for that long, however, was another story.

* * *

Chu-Chu's light-pen scribbled furiously across her study panel while Quistis narrated her economics class. "A zero-sum game is a situation in which gains only come at another's loss; value is only redistributed, not created. For example, chess is a zero-sum game. In order to win the game, you must make someone else lose the game. We call these situations zero-sum games, because the total gains and losses of the participants add up to 0. Think of dividing up a pie. The total amount is fixed and you can only change what proportion of the pie each person gets. Indeed, in the real world, most zero-sum games arise from situations in which something is being divided up. For example, land ownership is a zero-sum game. There is a fixed amount of land in the world and acquiring land reduces the amount of land available for everyone else."

Chu-Chu nudged the snoozing student that shared her study panel. "Yuffie!" she hissed.

"Real-world situations, however, are more likely to be non-zero-sum games, in which the total amount gained or loss is variable. Instead of only dividing up the pie, you can change the size of the pie. As a result, there are not clear winners and losers. It is possible for all sides to profit - or all to lose. Or perhaps one side will gain a lot and another lose a small amount, so there is still a net gain. These situations tend to be more difficult to understand and analyze because there are no black-and-white winners and losers. But think of a mutually beneficially trade. Suppose I have two copies of the Fastitocalon Triple Triad card but none of the Bite Bug card. I know someone who has two Bite Bug cards but no Fastitocalons. I trade one of my Fastitocalons for a Bite Bug. This may seem to be a zero-sum game, because the total amount of cards does not change, but the value we each have does change. I am giving up a card that I value little for one I value more. Likewise, my friend is giving up a card that she values little for one she values more. We are both gaining value."

"Yuffie!" Chu-Chu tried again.

Yuffie's head finally jerked up. Oops, had she fallen asleep. "Gawd, I'm so tired."

Chu-Chu frowned, fixing her roommate in a gaze of stern disapproval. "Well, that's what chu get for staying up all night playing video games."

"It can often be hard to see how a situation is a non-zero-sum game, if indeed it is one. However, it is not difficult to prove that there are non-zero-sum games. Imagine if you were the only person in the world. You would have 100% of the pie - but it would actually be a very small pie. You would not have anything that others create. And think about how of much what you own is created by others. You couldn't make that all by yourself. In other words, having other people around means that you actually get more pie. Likewise, trying to be completely self-sufficient does not net one the most value."

Quistis glanced at the clock and saw that her classtime was over. "For Wednesday's class, please write two examples of a zero-sum game and two of a non-zero-sum game. Class dismissed."

Chu-Chu neatly packed her books back into her tiny Gap Kids backpack. Yuffie just shoved them them in hers, making it too stuffed to zip shut - so she just left one side hanging open. "Gawd, what a boring class," she muttered as they got up to leave. "Why do we need to learn this stuff, anyway?"

Tsk tsk. Chu-Chu was very fond of her roommate, but she did dearly wish that Yuffie could be a bit more serious about her studies! "Chu-Chu thought it was interesting. Maybe chu should take more of an interest in the rest of the world!"

Quistis too gathered up her things to leave the room. She stopped when she saw that Selphie had been waiting for her outside the classroom. "Hi, Quisty," Selphie said. "Can I talk to you for a bit?"

"Well, I still have a lot of moving to do, but I can make some time, sure."

"Oh, I can help you!" That was no problem at all. "We can talk about while we work."

"Er... sure."

They started for the parking garage. "Well, I hate to you bug you for advice again, but..."

Quistis nodded. She was happy to give it, though she was always saddened when the situation was such that she had to. "I don't want to . Is it Zell?"

"I don't know," Selphie confessed. "It's not really a problem. Somedays I'm just not sure what I want, what the future is supposed to be like." She sighed. Where to start? Her problems were never a linear story; they were an all-encompassing mess. "Can I talk for awhile and you just listen?"

"Sure." Listening was often half the solution.

"I... I don't think of people as interchangeable parts. A lot of us have things in common, but none of us are completely the same, not even identical twins. Everyone's put together a little different. Which is why I can never really write anyone off in my heart. No matter how frustrating they get."

Quistis nodded. "Of course; I agree."

"But a lot of people don't. A lot of people look for a few friends and a significant other. And if one boyfriend or girlfriend doesn't work, they just find another one. They don't really care about the people, they just want the role. And I ... I guess I love people. You know, labels - boyfriend, girlfriend - that doesn't matter to me much. There's lots of people I love: You, Zell, Yuffie, my friends back in Trabia, Irvine ... and I'd never want to turn my back on any of you. Which is why it's frustrating when we don't get along, 'cause I can't pretend I don't care. And Zell and I were arguing about music again last night; you know, him only wanting to listen to bands that are 'punk' enough."

They got into Quistis' car and pulled out of the Balamb Garden parking lot.

"I'm sure there's plenty of busybody advice columnists out there who would say that he's not worth it. I could toss him aside and find some other guy to call my boyfriend. But who am I to say that another person isn't worth it? Like I said, I don't think of people as interchangeable parts. I want people, not just a 'boyfriend.' That's what Irvine was. I mean ..." She paused, trying to phrase it eloquently, and then realized she didn't really need to. "It's nothing about him. He's a good guy; he's still my friend. But he was a good boyfriend, I guess, but that was it. He did always made me feel good; he cheered me up when I failed and congratulated me when I succeeded. And he still does, talking to him. And he knew all about me and buys me nice things and we go on dates and stuff, but ... that's about all we can do, really. There's not much else we can do together - I'd just go off and hang out with Yuffie and Chu-Chu, or work on my website, or..."

Quistis nodded. "I understand."

Selphie shrugged. "I think that's all he really wants. A girlfriend. Which is fine; I'm not saying it's wrong, but I want something more. But, Zell and I ... whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same. We have so much more of the same outlook on life. I really feel understood when I'm talking to him. I don't have to account for myself or try to justify why I am the way I am. He gets me. It's really a great feeling. Plus there's a lot more things we can do together. I can have a great time with him doing things that have nothing to do with romance or dating. The problem is just ... as much as I love him, as happy as he makes me a lot, he can also be really frustrating sometimes." She sighed deeply. "I hate to say anything negative about him, because I know he means well, and he's trying hard. But... I'm just not sure what to do with him. I don't want to attack him for the dumb things he does; I just want him to stop. And, well... I guess that's the problem. I really do want to help him, because I love him and I can see that the Zell deep inside of him is capable of a lot more than bitching about music and arguing with Seifer. The only problem is ... just because he's capable of it doesn't mean that he ever actually will."

Quistis turned into what was now her driveway. Usually when Selphie went down this road, she noted with amusement, it was to the Dincht family residence. But now there was an additional stop on the road: the house one more down the road, now under the new ownership of Quistis and Xu.

Unfortunately, there was only one car in the driveway right now. Quistis sighed. Mengshi should have been home by now; she was working late again. Not that she really had any choice at this time of the year -- in additions to her usual duties in human resources, she was having to help with admissions to Garden. Still, Quistis missed having her around, and she was worried that the poor woman was going to work herself to death. Mengshi was never too good on recognizing her limits.

"And I'll be fair; I have plenty of my own faults too," Selphie continued as they got out of the car. "And often Zell helps me a lot with them. Heck, half the time he has the same problems I do. So please don't think we just fight all the time; we have a lot of great times. But that doesn't mean the times that aren't so great don't still hurt."

Quistis unlocked the front door and they stepped inside into the living room. This was the first time Selphie had actually been in the new house, and she took a moment to look around. Like most of the houses in Balamb, it was built in a circular shape and with circular rooms. They stood in the living room, with a bathroom on the left, the kitchen and dining room on the right, and a spare room that Quistis and Xu hadn't really settled on a use for directly across from them. Stairs in the corner led up to the bedroom and another bathroom. Of course, the whole place was still a mess of furniture that hadn't been arranged quite right and unpacked boxes full of Quistis and Xu's things. But those could wait; Selphie was in the middle of talking.

"This isn't really a question of what I want. I know what I want; I want to be happy and love and be loved, and I want Zell to be there with me. But sometimes I feel like I can't help him until I solve all of my own problems, so that then I could help him with his problems without hindrance. And I'd almost be okay with that except that I know I'll never solve all of my problems, not completely. It's frustrating. Sometimes I fear I have my expectations have gotten too high; that I should revert back to Irvine and just fall in line and find some random ol' 'boyfriend' who will take me out to dinner once in a while. But my heart would never be satisfied with that."

The front door creaked ajar. It appeared to have been opened by a ghost, until it swung open far enough to reveal the small pink creature standing on the doorstep.

"Uh, yes, Chu-Chu?"

"I just had a question about our assignment, Instructor Trepe," she said. "Would sex be a good example of a non-zero-sum game? Because it seems like chu can all get pleasure so everyone wins and no one loses!"

"Er, yes," Quistis said.

"Ookya! Yay! Thank chu!" She closed the door and departed.

Selphie chuckled. Some things never changed. "Anyway ... I'm not really in a crisis. I'm sure things will work out. But sometimes when I get worn down, I need something to keep my faith up and ... you're good at that." She grinned.

"I understand," Quistis said. "Selphie, Zell probably feels the same way about you. He probably wishes he could make all of his problems disappear so he could better support you."

Selphie nodded. "Oh, yeah. Of course he does."

"Then let me get you something that I think you might appreciate." She ventured up the stairs and, after a bit of rummaging around in her books, returned with an art history textbook. "I kept this from when I was in the Headmaster's art history class because I loved this one picture in it."

Quistis opened up the book to said picture. It was a two-page photograph of the Nisan chapel focusing on the two giant statues suspended over the altar. One was male, one was female, but each bore a single wing, and together they were lifting each other towards heaven. "You can help each other, Selphie. You don't have to solve all your problems before you can help his. You can help each other solve them at the same time. Neither of you are meant fly alone; together, you can be far more than you could alone. A single hand cannot clap."

What a perfect answer. And what a lovely picture. Selphie grinned. Quisty always knew exactly how to make her feel better and restore her confidence. Now she wondered what she had even been thinking. Of course they could help each other. What had she had been thinking?

Quistis offered her the book and Selphie quickly took it. "You're welcome to borrow it so you can show it to Zell."

Selphie nodded. "Oh, I will. Thanks so much."

* * *

Chu-Chu backed away from the front door. Those big Dumbo ears of hers were good for listening if nothing else. And now she was infuriated. Selphie was one of her best friends, but Chu-Chu couldn't believe how unbelievably ungrateful she was being! Loving all these people was a solution, not a problem. Selphie should be happy that so many people loved her and wanted her hot body. She was just spoiled ... if she was like Chu-Chu, fighting every day to get people to even consider her species as a viable sexual partner, she'd be singing a different tune.

Great Mambo, this was totally unfair. Selphie had so many hotties and she had none. Why didn't Selphie just give one of her love interests to her? Then they'd both be even. In fact, she would -- and she was so proud of herself for knowing this now that she had taken economics and was smart -- even go so far as to label this another non-zero-sum game! Well, that made the other example she needed for her homework. "Your friend gives you one of her hot human boyfriends and now her problems are resolved and you are getting laid." Chu-Chu surged with pride for being so intellectual. She could really undersand the world now. What an eye-opener that class had been!

Unfortunately, she doubted whether Selphie was educated enough to see things so clearly. Chu-Chu frowned. There had to be some reason was Selphie was getting all the hot humans? What was it about her that attracted all the hot humans? Playing guitar? But Chu-Chu played drums in the band, that was good enough, and Zell hated their band anyway. Her clothing? Chu-Chu didn't even wear anything - the guys (and girls) should be all be over a hot naked chick like her. She had everything going for her. She even took bubblebaths and washed behind her ears!

Clearly, some greater malice must be at play here. After all, the Wondrous Mambo God was protecting her, which meant she should have a harem full of bishies -- or at the very least one bishie. That wasn't too much to ask for, was it? Perhaps the dark forces of Chu-cthulchu were at play here. Emboldened with a new desire to determine the root of her troubles, Chu-Chu hopped on her tricycle and pedaled back to Balamb Garden to visit the library.

Next chapter: ChuChu Fever!