Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters/storyline of FF8; it all belongs to Squaresoft. I am in no way making money off of this story, and being that it was made completely for the pleasure of the author and the readers, it can be distributed freely or posted on websites (as long as I am notified) and there is no marketing or selling. Etc. You get the point.
Selphie crouched in the deep underbrush, holding the nunchucks in a ready position, the gf carbuncle in her lap. It had been three hours since she had come into the forest, and so far she had been lucky enough to avoid any monsters or animals.
I cant beweive I did this! Oooh, its sooo dark and cweepy in here… I hope no monster guys get me. But I've got you Cawbuncle. You'll protect me, wont you?
She grasped the silver orb in her small hands and felt it glow slightly with warmth, and a quiet purring sound emitted from the orb. Selphie giggled as the orb began to shake in her hands, as if being tickled. Suddenly, a loud roar slip the air, followed by a crash and several thuds, each one getting louder and closer to where Selphie knelt.
Oh no oh no I've got to get out of here!
Selphie jumped to her feet, shoving the orb into the pocket of her tightly knit trousers and ran through the thick underbrush, ducking the various branches and wincing as leaves and twigs snapped in her face. She could hear the creature crunching through the underbrush after her, its jaws snapping in the air as if in anticipation of a new meal. Suddenly the beast crashed into her back, and Selphie found her face pressed into the soft earth, a heavy weight on her back, its horrid breath breathing heavily near her head as it sniffed her hair.
Selphie screamed at the top of her lungs, frantically trying to tear herself out from under the beast. Suddenly she realized that the guardian force orb was pressed painfully into her thigh, and wrenched her body far enough to grasp the orb and pull it free of her pockets.
"Carbuncle!" She yelled as she held the orb in both hands. It glowed a bright silver for a minute, then she vanished from beneath the heavy beast, leaving it dazed as it realized that its prey had escaped. It watched in wonderment as a hole appeared in the ground just a few feet in front of it, and a strange creature popped its head out shyly. The creature hopped out of its hole and leaped into the air, strangely levitating for a moment and emanating a luminous glow on the beast. The monster screeched loudly in terror and ran off into the underbrush it had come from, loudly snorting in panic the whole way.
Selphie rematerialized on the ground, gasping as she realized what she had done.
What have I done..? Matwon always said never to play with her "toys". She said we're not old enough.. ooh Im gonna be in big twouble!!!
Selphie sat back on her heels, exhausted, and patted the silver orb appreciatively. It made another purring noise, sounding content to have been able to help, and Selphie couldn't but smile, though she was aching and weary to the bone. The orb glowed brightly, then began pulsating. Selphie set it down on the ground in front of her, then laid back onto the soft moss, yawning loudly.
"Thank you Carbuncle." Selphie said sleepily, then sighed as she pulled more of the comfortable moss in under her head to make a pillow.
Whoo… that was soo scary… but if Matwon ever finds out… The rest of Selphie's thoughts were lost as she drifted off into peaceful sleep.
Meanwhile…
"This way, Cid! I've found her!" Edea called back to her husband, then rushed ahead to kneel in front of Selphie. She held her breath as she checked for a pulse, and exhaled heavily when Selphie's eyes snapped open at her touch.
Her eyes widened as she saw Matron kneeling in front of her and sat up quickly. She looked from side to side, then managed to open her eyes wider when she Cid and Irvine, who had insisted repeatedly on coming along burst into the clearing behind them.
"Are you alright Selphie?" Matron asked quietly, relieved to see that she was relatively safe. Suddenly her eyes fell on the gf orb, and it was her turn to express the buggy eyed look.
What is she doing with Carbuncle? Oh Hyne…what if she used it? The consequences…
"I'm okay… I guess… but Matwon? What am I doing out hewe?" Selphie looked around again, her confused look taking in her surroundings. Matron drew in a breath quickly, and felt the ice wrapping around her heart.
She used it… please Hyne do not rob this sweet innocent child of her memories…
"Its okay Selphie. We were just out walking and you happened to get lost.. but everything's okay now sweety. Why don't we go home?" She asked gently, then helped Selphie to her feet. She quickly retrieved the orb from the ground and slipped it into a pocket, then turned back to Cid and Irvine.
"Well… I think it is about time for us to be going home now…"
Later that night…
After repeatedly reassuring Irvine that she was completely alright, he had finally stopped asking and aloud her to get out of the bed he had forced her to rest in.
"Why'd you leave, Sephie? You didn't have to take Seifer's dare… you know he's just a big meany." Selphie looked quizzically at him, her brows drawn together.
"What dare? I don't wemember any dare.." Selphie said slowly, her voice full of confusion. Irvine eyed her strangely for a moment, then slowly moved closer to her, his eyes full of concern.
"Selphie, are you sure you're okay..?" Selphie opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted as Cid and Matron suddenly began arguing loudly about something in the other room.
"Cid, you cant just separate her from the other children like that! I told you already.. to wait until we find a family willing to adopt all of them. By Hyne, I know that they don't get along half the time, but Cid, they're children! They might not seem like it, but they're all best friends! They'll be traumatized if they're separated!" Matron's voice rose in volume throughout the speech, and she breathed in deeply to calm herself.
Irvine and Selphie looked at each other for a moment, then moved closer to the closed door and pressed their ears to its cool wood, their curiously boiling in their small bodies. They listened as Cid let out a heavy sigh, and there was a rustling of clothe as he moved across the room to gently hug his distressed wife.
"Matron.. I love those children as if they were my own… but it is only the best for them to move out. And with an offer such as this, from a nice family living so close to Trabia Garden.. it is only the best for her. The other children will understand. Besides, I have been communicating with a family that wants to adopt Quistis, as well as being halfway through the adopting process with Mrs. Dnicht."
Matron sighed again, a pained sound of sadness and surrender, and Selphie gasped as she realized who they had been talking about. She looked at Irvine, alarmed, and saw that he had the exact same expression of shock and fear on his face. Finally they heard Matron's comforting voice seep through the door again.
"Very well. I suppose it is the best for them. I just cant help but wonder… what they'll be like when they grow up, or if they'll remember each other.. or me. I can just imagine Seifer and Squall dueling together in some academy or Selphie and Irvine going on adventures together." They heard soft laughter from the couple, followed by soft footsteps.
Irvine and Selphie quickly scrambled away from the door and grabbed a few toys from the floor and sat down in the corner, just in time to watch Matron and Cid enter the room. The couple looked at the pair suspisciously for a moment, then smiled gently.
"Selphie, may I speak to you for a moment alone? From girl to girl?" Matron asked gently, taking the small girl by the hand. She gave Cid one of those "adult looks" that Zell and Irvine would sometimes try to figure out together, and Cid came over to Irvine and promptly began telling him a tale about a lost warrior of the centra, softening the story to the point where it sounded as if the warrior was actually fighting plants instead of monsters. Matron led Selphie back into the room she and Cid had just left and sat down in the plush leather chair that Selphie and the other children had gotten in trouble for sitting on plenty of times.
"Selphie, Im afraid I have some.. news. We found a family that wants to adopt you. A very loving family.. a very nice mother to sing to you at night, a father to tuck you in to bed, even a cute little dog for you to play with! And you know what's best?" Although Selphie now had a terrified look on her face after receiving the horrible news, Matron leaned forward, a devious look on her face.
"What?" Selphie asked timidly, tears forming in the corner of her eyes.
"You can name the dog anything you want. Poo Poo the Pup, Rocky The Cow, Rainbow Bubbles with Sprinkles on Top…" Despite herself, Selphie giggled a little, and found some of the raw terror drain from her body.
"I… what about Irvy an Quisty an Squalwy an Seify an Zelwy?" She asked, the words coming out in a whoosh of breath. Matron winced, then smiled gently.
"They're going to stay here sweetheart, until we can find families to take care of them too. It'll be okay.. they'll be okay…" She drew back as Selphie suddenly started screaming, her small voice at a squeaky high pitch.
"No! I don't wanna leave! No no no no no! Im stayin here! I don't want a new family.. I wanna stay here… with Irvy and Quisty and Squalwy and Zelwe and Seify.." Her voice trailed off and her screams subsided to mere trickles of tears and sniffles. Matron leaned forward and hugged her, rubbing her small back soothingly.
"Shh.. It'll be ok, Selphie, I promise. You'll go to Trabia and you'll meet all kinds of new friends, and you'll get a new family who'll love you, and maybe you'll even learn how to use those nunchucks you have." Matron smiled as Selphie's eyes widened largely.
"How'd you know about them?" Selphie asked incredously. Matron laughed slightly, then covered her smile with a hand.
"Well my dear, I have my ways… don't worry, you're not in trouble." Selphie exhaled audibly, obviously relieved.
"Well, Im gonna get some real nunchucks. Big ones, not just these little plastic fakies.. big ones so I can beat people up.." Matron looked at her sternly, and Selphie gulped.
"Just remember that weapons are only supposed to be used in self defence. And before you even use them for that, you must learn how to use them properly, or you might hurt yourself or someone else accidentily." Matron scolded her, then lowered her tone a bit.
"I know how you must feel Selphie. This must be very confusing to you. But don't worry. You're new family is very loving, and Im sure that they'll take very good care of you."
"Okay…" Selphie said, her tone and face downcast.
"Cheer up kiddo. Soon you're going to be the proud owner of Poo Poo Rocky Bubbles with Sprinkles on Top Cow." Selphie giggled, and burst into laughter as Matron began tickling her, all of her pain soon forgotten..
Authors Note: Chapter 3 soon to come! Next up is Selphie's departure from the Orphanage.. sooo sad! They're just soo cute! Well, please review! Thanks!
Selphie crouched in the deep underbrush, holding the nunchucks in a ready position, the gf carbuncle in her lap. It had been three hours since she had come into the forest, and so far she had been lucky enough to avoid any monsters or animals.
I cant beweive I did this! Oooh, its sooo dark and cweepy in here… I hope no monster guys get me. But I've got you Cawbuncle. You'll protect me, wont you?
She grasped the silver orb in her small hands and felt it glow slightly with warmth, and a quiet purring sound emitted from the orb. Selphie giggled as the orb began to shake in her hands, as if being tickled. Suddenly, a loud roar slip the air, followed by a crash and several thuds, each one getting louder and closer to where Selphie knelt.
Oh no oh no I've got to get out of here!
Selphie jumped to her feet, shoving the orb into the pocket of her tightly knit trousers and ran through the thick underbrush, ducking the various branches and wincing as leaves and twigs snapped in her face. She could hear the creature crunching through the underbrush after her, its jaws snapping in the air as if in anticipation of a new meal. Suddenly the beast crashed into her back, and Selphie found her face pressed into the soft earth, a heavy weight on her back, its horrid breath breathing heavily near her head as it sniffed her hair.
Selphie screamed at the top of her lungs, frantically trying to tear herself out from under the beast. Suddenly she realized that the guardian force orb was pressed painfully into her thigh, and wrenched her body far enough to grasp the orb and pull it free of her pockets.
"Carbuncle!" She yelled as she held the orb in both hands. It glowed a bright silver for a minute, then she vanished from beneath the heavy beast, leaving it dazed as it realized that its prey had escaped. It watched in wonderment as a hole appeared in the ground just a few feet in front of it, and a strange creature popped its head out shyly. The creature hopped out of its hole and leaped into the air, strangely levitating for a moment and emanating a luminous glow on the beast. The monster screeched loudly in terror and ran off into the underbrush it had come from, loudly snorting in panic the whole way.
Selphie rematerialized on the ground, gasping as she realized what she had done.
What have I done..? Matwon always said never to play with her "toys". She said we're not old enough.. ooh Im gonna be in big twouble!!!
Selphie sat back on her heels, exhausted, and patted the silver orb appreciatively. It made another purring noise, sounding content to have been able to help, and Selphie couldn't but smile, though she was aching and weary to the bone. The orb glowed brightly, then began pulsating. Selphie set it down on the ground in front of her, then laid back onto the soft moss, yawning loudly.
"Thank you Carbuncle." Selphie said sleepily, then sighed as she pulled more of the comfortable moss in under her head to make a pillow.
Whoo… that was soo scary… but if Matwon ever finds out… The rest of Selphie's thoughts were lost as she drifted off into peaceful sleep.
Meanwhile…
"This way, Cid! I've found her!" Edea called back to her husband, then rushed ahead to kneel in front of Selphie. She held her breath as she checked for a pulse, and exhaled heavily when Selphie's eyes snapped open at her touch.
Her eyes widened as she saw Matron kneeling in front of her and sat up quickly. She looked from side to side, then managed to open her eyes wider when she Cid and Irvine, who had insisted repeatedly on coming along burst into the clearing behind them.
"Are you alright Selphie?" Matron asked quietly, relieved to see that she was relatively safe. Suddenly her eyes fell on the gf orb, and it was her turn to express the buggy eyed look.
What is she doing with Carbuncle? Oh Hyne…what if she used it? The consequences…
"I'm okay… I guess… but Matwon? What am I doing out hewe?" Selphie looked around again, her confused look taking in her surroundings. Matron drew in a breath quickly, and felt the ice wrapping around her heart.
She used it… please Hyne do not rob this sweet innocent child of her memories…
"Its okay Selphie. We were just out walking and you happened to get lost.. but everything's okay now sweety. Why don't we go home?" She asked gently, then helped Selphie to her feet. She quickly retrieved the orb from the ground and slipped it into a pocket, then turned back to Cid and Irvine.
"Well… I think it is about time for us to be going home now…"
Later that night…
After repeatedly reassuring Irvine that she was completely alright, he had finally stopped asking and aloud her to get out of the bed he had forced her to rest in.
"Why'd you leave, Sephie? You didn't have to take Seifer's dare… you know he's just a big meany." Selphie looked quizzically at him, her brows drawn together.
"What dare? I don't wemember any dare.." Selphie said slowly, her voice full of confusion. Irvine eyed her strangely for a moment, then slowly moved closer to her, his eyes full of concern.
"Selphie, are you sure you're okay..?" Selphie opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted as Cid and Matron suddenly began arguing loudly about something in the other room.
"Cid, you cant just separate her from the other children like that! I told you already.. to wait until we find a family willing to adopt all of them. By Hyne, I know that they don't get along half the time, but Cid, they're children! They might not seem like it, but they're all best friends! They'll be traumatized if they're separated!" Matron's voice rose in volume throughout the speech, and she breathed in deeply to calm herself.
Irvine and Selphie looked at each other for a moment, then moved closer to the closed door and pressed their ears to its cool wood, their curiously boiling in their small bodies. They listened as Cid let out a heavy sigh, and there was a rustling of clothe as he moved across the room to gently hug his distressed wife.
"Matron.. I love those children as if they were my own… but it is only the best for them to move out. And with an offer such as this, from a nice family living so close to Trabia Garden.. it is only the best for her. The other children will understand. Besides, I have been communicating with a family that wants to adopt Quistis, as well as being halfway through the adopting process with Mrs. Dnicht."
Matron sighed again, a pained sound of sadness and surrender, and Selphie gasped as she realized who they had been talking about. She looked at Irvine, alarmed, and saw that he had the exact same expression of shock and fear on his face. Finally they heard Matron's comforting voice seep through the door again.
"Very well. I suppose it is the best for them. I just cant help but wonder… what they'll be like when they grow up, or if they'll remember each other.. or me. I can just imagine Seifer and Squall dueling together in some academy or Selphie and Irvine going on adventures together." They heard soft laughter from the couple, followed by soft footsteps.
Irvine and Selphie quickly scrambled away from the door and grabbed a few toys from the floor and sat down in the corner, just in time to watch Matron and Cid enter the room. The couple looked at the pair suspisciously for a moment, then smiled gently.
"Selphie, may I speak to you for a moment alone? From girl to girl?" Matron asked gently, taking the small girl by the hand. She gave Cid one of those "adult looks" that Zell and Irvine would sometimes try to figure out together, and Cid came over to Irvine and promptly began telling him a tale about a lost warrior of the centra, softening the story to the point where it sounded as if the warrior was actually fighting plants instead of monsters. Matron led Selphie back into the room she and Cid had just left and sat down in the plush leather chair that Selphie and the other children had gotten in trouble for sitting on plenty of times.
"Selphie, Im afraid I have some.. news. We found a family that wants to adopt you. A very loving family.. a very nice mother to sing to you at night, a father to tuck you in to bed, even a cute little dog for you to play with! And you know what's best?" Although Selphie now had a terrified look on her face after receiving the horrible news, Matron leaned forward, a devious look on her face.
"What?" Selphie asked timidly, tears forming in the corner of her eyes.
"You can name the dog anything you want. Poo Poo the Pup, Rocky The Cow, Rainbow Bubbles with Sprinkles on Top…" Despite herself, Selphie giggled a little, and found some of the raw terror drain from her body.
"I… what about Irvy an Quisty an Squalwy an Seify an Zelwy?" She asked, the words coming out in a whoosh of breath. Matron winced, then smiled gently.
"They're going to stay here sweetheart, until we can find families to take care of them too. It'll be okay.. they'll be okay…" She drew back as Selphie suddenly started screaming, her small voice at a squeaky high pitch.
"No! I don't wanna leave! No no no no no! Im stayin here! I don't want a new family.. I wanna stay here… with Irvy and Quisty and Squalwy and Zelwe and Seify.." Her voice trailed off and her screams subsided to mere trickles of tears and sniffles. Matron leaned forward and hugged her, rubbing her small back soothingly.
"Shh.. It'll be ok, Selphie, I promise. You'll go to Trabia and you'll meet all kinds of new friends, and you'll get a new family who'll love you, and maybe you'll even learn how to use those nunchucks you have." Matron smiled as Selphie's eyes widened largely.
"How'd you know about them?" Selphie asked incredously. Matron laughed slightly, then covered her smile with a hand.
"Well my dear, I have my ways… don't worry, you're not in trouble." Selphie exhaled audibly, obviously relieved.
"Well, Im gonna get some real nunchucks. Big ones, not just these little plastic fakies.. big ones so I can beat people up.." Matron looked at her sternly, and Selphie gulped.
"Just remember that weapons are only supposed to be used in self defence. And before you even use them for that, you must learn how to use them properly, or you might hurt yourself or someone else accidentily." Matron scolded her, then lowered her tone a bit.
"I know how you must feel Selphie. This must be very confusing to you. But don't worry. You're new family is very loving, and Im sure that they'll take very good care of you."
"Okay…" Selphie said, her tone and face downcast.
"Cheer up kiddo. Soon you're going to be the proud owner of Poo Poo Rocky Bubbles with Sprinkles on Top Cow." Selphie giggled, and burst into laughter as Matron began tickling her, all of her pain soon forgotten..
Authors Note: Chapter 3 soon to come! Next up is Selphie's departure from the Orphanage.. sooo sad! They're just soo cute! Well, please review! Thanks!