This is sappiest load of Johnnycakes ever. Feel free to laugh and mock.
Thanx.
The First
Inside the parked Ragnarok, the small group of SeeDs was crouched around the lifeless body of Irvine. They were all silent except one girl, in a yellow dress, who held his head in her lap whispering to him.
Squall cleared his throat. "He's gone Selphie. There's nothing we can do. I'm sor-
She cut him off and looked at him with wild eyes. "He'll be okay. You just see. Any second now he'll wake up. Any second…….". She broke down into floods of tears and collapsed into Rinoa's arms, sobbing hysterically.
"We better get back to the Garden" Quistis said quietly.
"Then we better do it fast" Rinoa stood up.
"Why?" Zell asked.
"There is a spell that can bring back the dead. But we have to move fast. It's dangerous, painful and it might not work." She looked at Selphie. "It will take all of us to bring him back and from what I've heard it's like being ripped apart inside"
Selphie looked the sorceress straight in the eye "Do it" She climbed into the drivers seat.
"You're sure?" Quistis asked with one eyebrow raised.
Selphie let out an impatient breath. "Quistis, Irvine is dead and there is a way to bring him back. I love him and would die for him and I wish he wasn't dead. Of course I'm sure!" Her voice cracked. She sounded as if she might cry again.
"Sorry" muttered Quistis under her breath.
And off they flew back to the Garden at speeds not considered safe to anyone except Selphie. Especially when her boyfriend was dead. Or not.
They were stood around Irvine's bed. They had had to smuggle him in since there was no way they would be allowed to do this spell.
"This spell is ancient so we will have to read it out from the book. Join hands and close your eyes. You may feel kinda drained after this." Rinoa said. She began to recite the spell.
I am that soundless boundless bitter sea
Gaia flows through the river in me
All tides are mine and answer unto me
Gaia flows through the river in me
Tides of the airs, tides of the inner earth
The secret silent tides of death and birth
Tides of men's souls and dreams and destiny
Isis veiled and Ea, Binah ,Ge.
Rinoa took a sharp intake of breath as blue magic welled up inside of her and flowed into the rest of them.
"Now!" Rinoa shouted and they all placed their hands on Irvine's still body. The magic surged into him making him jolt off the bed as if he had had an electric shock.
" That was…bracing" Zell said before sitting down very suddenly "This is gonna kill tomorrow. Mind if I go to bed?"
"No, go ahead. Thank you all so much."
"Did it actually work?" Squall said, walking over to Irvine's body.
Selphie put her ear to his mouth.
"He's breathing!"
"Thank Hyne. Selphie it's probably an idea if you get some rest" Squall sounded concerned.
"I'll sleep here. Y'know, be with him when he wakes and all" She sat herself down in a nearby chair.
"Won't that be uncomfortable?" Quistis asked.
Selphie looked at her witheringly. " You ever heard of compassion, Quistis?"
Quistis opened her mouth to say something but Squall wisely stopped her.
"We've all had a long, hard day not to mention bringing our friend back from the dead. Let's just get some sleep" He said the last part almost pleadingly. Squall, Rinoa, Quistis and Zell departed from the room leaving Selphie alone with her sleeping cowboy. She settled herself into the chair and closed her eyes. Sleep was a long time coming but when it did, it was deep and dreamless. However, Irvine's magic induced unconsciousness was far from peaceful.
Death. Sparingly simple Death. It can be quiet Death. You live in the moment. The blood cry and the death blow. Or in your case my lover, death shot. You killed them and now you shall kill me. Irvine looked at the bodies. His friend's bodies. Squall, Rinoa, Zell and Quistis. But Selphie was still alive. She looked at him, her words echoing around his skull. Kill me Irvine, in a fit of passion pull the trigger and set me free. It's your purpose.. Irvine loved her. He couldn't kill her. So he kissed her. And put the gun barrel to her neck. He squeezed the trigger and the gun went off silently. His lover's blood ran down his face. That's right, a voice said, your purpose fulfilled. Drink up.
"Gah!" Irvine woke with a start, sweat pouring down his face. Through the grainy darkness, he could see Selphie sleeping in the chair. She looked uncomfortable. After that dream he didn't feel like going back to sleep so he got up and put the duvet over Selphie. Why was she here? He couldn't remember getting back and going to bed. Huh. It was nearly six so he had a shower. When he'd finished, Selphie was awake.
"Mornin'" he said, wrapping a towel around his waist. Selphie looked up blearily from under the duvet.
"Morning" Then she remembered the night before and jumped of the chair. "Irvine! You're all okay and everything?" she asked concernedly. She flung her arms around him and kissed him.
"Wo! Shouldn't I be okay?"
"Well…last night you kinda died…."
"What!"
"Only for a bit….then we brought you back"
Selphie told him about the spell and everything that had happened. Irvine just looked dazed. And confused. Selphie sat on the bed and pulled Irvine down on top of her. She smiled.
"And to think that was nearly our last night together…." Selphie said, kissing Irvine on the nose.
"Yeah. Bummer" He said this seriously but Selphie just laughed.
"So I think we should spend ever night like it's our last one together. Starting now." She raised her eyebrows suggestively.
"I agree." Irvine said grinning. He suddenly looked annoyed. "But I just had shower."
Selphie snorted with laughter. "Ha! You're the first guy I've known to have a dilemma between sex or showers. So what'll be, cowboy?"
"Ooh now that's a hard one" he said with mock brain strain.
Selphie pressed Irvine's body closer to her own.
"Too right"
Irvine kept having the dreams for a good six weeks. Each time though, it was a different person who told him to kill.
One day Selphie woke to find her man already dressed and ready for breakfast.
"Why so early, Irvy?" she asked, propping herself up in bed. But Irvine just looked at her and said "Meet me at the car rental place at lunchtime. Bring the others". He then walked out without so much as a goodbye. Selphie rolled her eyes at the closed door.
"Jeez I only asked. What's wrong with him?"
At lunchtime, Rinoa, Squall, Zell, Quistis and Selphie were waiting for Irvine at the car rental place. He was late as usual.
"Has anyone noticed Irvine acting, well, weird, lately?" Selphie asked.
"I know what you mean. He was acting the strong and silent type today." Remarked Zell as he started shadow boxing away his boredom. "Kinda like Squall really." Squall looked at him. " Sorry man. Some chicks really dig that…and….stuff…." He trailed off.
Rinoa laced her fingers with Squall's. "Yeah. Me"
"Here he is" said Quistis as Irvine drove up and parked the car.
"Speak of the devil" Zell said as he hopped in the backseat.
Irvine just looked at him and smiled darkly. "Oh, I'm much more than that"
Zell looked at him. "That's.....nice. Where we going then?"
"To have food on a rug outdoors. I believe it's enjoyable."
"Great. Lot's of frolicking picnic fun to be had then." said Rinoa and looked at the other's as if to say, "What's his problem?"
Irvine led them to a grassy clearing in a nearby forest. As the others ate, he and Selphie wandered away and lay down in silence, looking at the clouds.
Suddenly Irvine got up and sat over Selphie, a leg each side.
"Irvine! It's a bit public isn't it? The other's are only over there!"
"Oh well" he said and placed a hand around her throat.
"Irvine! What are doing? You're scaring me! Stop it!"
Irvine replied by putting his hand over her mouth. Selphie looked at him with frightened eyes. Irvine then took out his gun and placed it to her forehead.
"I love you Selphie" he said with no emotion what so ever.
Zell looked over at them.
"Can't they keep that sort of thing behind closed doors. Some of us are eating" he said and to prove it, crammed a hotdog into his mouth.
Squall looked at them and got to his feet.
"I don't think that's what they're doing" he said slowly. He looked harder. "Oh Hyne!"
Squall ran at Irvine and knocked him off Selphie, who now being able to breathe properly started sobbing uncontrollably. Squall and Zell started punching Irvine and his nose began to bleed.
"Ow! Stop it guys! What'ya doing!" shouted Irvine as he tried to defend himself against the punches they were packing. They stopped punching but held him down warily.
"Where am I? What's happened?" He asked looking around from his vantage point of the floor. He saw Selphie with tears running down her face looking at him as if he something yucky. "Sefie, what's wrong? Sweetie?"
"Don't call me that." She replied through clenched teeth.
"You just went all O.J on your girl, man! That's what's wrong!" Zell said fiercely and raised his fist to hit again. But Squall stopped him.
"You really don't remember anything?" he asked.
Irvine shook his head.
"No. I remember going to bed last night and then a weird dream where…"
He stopped and his eyes went wide. "Ohno! Something possessed me! I've been having these dreams where you tell me to kill you and I do. Selphie, you gotta believe me. I didn't know what I was doing!"
She looked at him skeptically, her eyes still full of frightened tears.
"I was so scared. The man I loved was about to kill me. It's all too weird" She turned and walked back to the car, followed by Quistis and Zell, who gave him angry looks. Irvine's shoulders drooped.
"Please. Selphie…" he whispered.
"I believe you" said Rinoa, helping Irvine to his feet. "I've heard of stuff like this before. Somebody kills a loved one and swears they didn't know what was happening. C'mon, we'll get back to the Garden and check it out. There's got to be something on it somewhere".
Irvine got up with difficulty and walked back with his head down. What the hell was happening to him?
The journey back was silent. Selphie wouldn't look at him, let alone talk to him. When they arrived back, Selphie went silently to her room.
"Let's go to the library then" Squall said after she'd gone. "Find out what this thing is"
After about two hours of Irvine, Rinoa, Squall and Quistis looking through ancient books and Zell chatting up the girl in the library, there was a breakthrough.
"I think I found something" Squall said, his eyes skimming the text.
"What?" Irvine looked at him expectantly.
"Yeah, here it is" he began to read from the musty old book in front of him "Say's here that it's called The First. It's evil. Absolute evil, older than man, older than monsters- very few have heard of it, fewer believe in it. While it is unknown to have any tangible form, it is capable of plucking images and emotions out of one's thoughts. Wo."
Rinoa got up and looked over Squall's shoulder.
"If it's power is focused, it can bring back the dead" She looked at Irvine. "The First is drawn to love. It can't abide it. But if it can replace that love with despair and loss, it's happy. It brought you back to destroy you again. By making you kill the one thing you loved."
Zell walked over. He looked at Irvine.
"Sorry man. Bout hitting you and all" Irvine was lost in his thoughts.
"Easy mistake to make" he murmured. Suddenly he stood up. "How do I kill it?"
Rinoa consulted the book's brown pages.
"You can't. The only way to make it leave you alone is to spend time away from Selphie. It will get bored and go away"
"Kinda like Seipher at the orphanage" Zell mused.
"Time away from Selphie?" Irvine said his thoughts out loud.
Quistis spoke up. "Well it seems to me that's it's what you both need right now"
Irvine looked at her. "Yeah, your right. I'll go pack and catch a bus out of town."
"Now?" Squall looked surprised. " Aren't you gonna say good bye to Selphie?"
Irvine considered this. "No. It'll be too hard. I just have to leave". And with that he walked out of the library.
Selphie knocked on Irvine's door. There was no answer.
"Irvine!" she called through the door "We need to talk!"
Zell walked up behind her.
"He's gone. Leaving town"
"What? Why?"
"So he doesn't kill you!"
Selphie's mouth hung open.
"I have to talk to him!"
"You can't. He already at the bus station. You won't get there in time. Unless you take the Ragnarok, but that's just sil-.."
"Good idea" Selphie cut him off and marched past him.
"No Selphie! No!"
Selphie ignored him and ran down the hallway. Zell sighed and hit his head on the door. Why did she have to be so willful?
Selphie landed the Ragnarok only meters from the bus station. She got out and ran round the corner. There he was! Still time! Suddenly everything around her went black and she gasped. She turned round to come face to face with a huge ghostly skull. It looked her. She considered her nunchakus.
"I wouldn't bother" It said. It's voice echoed around her head. "You can't hurt me little girl. I'm not a monster. I'm something you can't conceive. The first evil. Beyond sin, beyond death- I am the thing the darkness fears. You will never see me but I am everywhere. Every being, every thought, every drop of hate-.."
"I get the picture" Selphie said sarcastically.
"Don't mock me child. If your lover can't shake me off, he'll kill himself. Either way, somebody gets hurt and I win. See ya round"
The skull exploded into a swarm of bats that flew off into the night. The blackness drained away and Selphie's surroundings returned. She breathed a sigh of relief. She looked over at Irvine, who was still there. You're not going to leave me now!
"Irvine!" She called. He looked around but turned away, tears in his eyes.
"Let me go Selphie" he said still not looking at her.
"Why?"
"If I stay I'll kill you. Simple as that" He turned to face her. Tears were in her eyes now as she realized he was going.
"That's your solution?" she said angrily "Just leaving?"
"It's the only solution"
"You can't leave! Irvine I'm….I'm pregnant," She played her trump card.
"What!" Irvine couldn't believe it. He had to stay. But if he did… "Selphie. If I stay I'll kill the baby too!" He turned as the bus pulled up. "Goodbye Selphie. I'm sorry" He turned to get on the bus. Selphie was desperate now.
"Irvine, don't you love me?"
Irvine stopped and considered the question. It was such an easy one. He turned round and held her face in his hands.
"My whole life, I've never loved anything else"
They looked into each other's tear filled eyes. Irvine kissed her on the forehead and ran to the bus, leaving Selphie crying alone at the bus stop. To top things off it began to rain. Selphie let the rain wash away her tears and walked slowly back to the Ragnarok.
Eight months passed and Selphie's bump got bigger. She had a craving for hotdogs, which Zell could understand. They must have eaten hundreds between them. But she still waited for her cowboy to return.
One morning after having a shower, there was a knock on the door.
"Hang on!" she called and wrapped a towel around her. She opened the door and her jaw dropped.
"Irvine?"
"I'm back" he smiled slightly.
They stood there in silence just taking each other in.
"Uh…come in" Irvine stepped in and Selphie closed the door.
"So…" She didn't know what to say. So she kissed him. Long and deep.
"I can't believe your back. That thing is gone?"
"Yeah. It's gone" He regarded her swollen belly. "You been coping?"
"Uh huh. We have to go tell the others. Just let me get dressed" Irvine moved to leave, but Selphie stopped him.
"You've seen me naked before"
"Yeah, but never…. pregnant"
Selphie's smile faded, "That's your fault"
Irvine looked at his feet. " Selphie, I had to leave. You know that. In fact maybe I should just leave again!"
"What?" Selphie looked at Irvine hard.
"You seem to be coping okay without me" He turned to leave but Selphie grabbed his arm and turned him around.
"No! You can't keep waltzing in and out of our lives. It's not fair!"
He turned to go again. Selphie shouted, "Irvine! Listen to me!"
Out side her room Zell had come to see her. He heard her shout. Oh no, he thought, Irvine's back and he's trying to hurt her again. Zell kicked the door down, grabbed Irvine by the shoulder, whirled him round and punched him, knocking Irvine unconscious.
"Zell!" Selphie knelt down by Irvine and looked up at Zell. "What the hell was that for?!" Zell looked sheepish.
"He was attacking you wasn't he?"
"No! He was trying to leave again. Though I spose you stopped him"
"Oh. Okay. I'll let you get dressed then" He turned to leave but heard Selphie gasp.
"Zell! My waters have broken!"
"Whaddo I do? Whaddo I do?" Zell asked frantically. Selphie lay herself down on her bed.
"Get Rinoa and Squall. Don't care much about Quistis. There's a commlink over there. Aah!"
Zell picked it up and called Squall.
"Get up here now, man!" was all he said before turning back to Selphie.
"Now what?" he asked. Selphie looked at him.
"Help me! Ow! This is painful!"
To Zell's relief, Squall and Rinoa burst in. Rinoa walked straight over to Selphie.
"Squall, get blankets and stuff. You know." Squall departed. "Zell, can you see anything?"
"What! You want me to look?!" his eyes were wide with disbelief.
"Yes! Look!"
Zell closed his eyes, muttered "Sorry Sefie" and looked. "Nothing there. I think". Zell went pale and fainted.
"What happened?" Selphie asked. Rinoa regarded the unconscious Zell and Irvine.
"Zell fainted. Do you always have this effect on men?"
"Only when I'm giving birth. AHA!"
Squall returned. He gave Rinoa blankets and a bowl hot water. Rinoa went to ease the babies' head out and Squall caught sight of it. He blushed.
"Squall, I can hear you blushing. Don't be such a prude!"
"Selphie might want something to squeeze. Squall, give her your hand" Rinoa instructed. Selphie took his hand.
"Okay Selphie. Push!"
Selphie pushed and squeezed Squall's hand. He nearly swore but thought better of it. Wasn't this Irvine's job? Crying interrupted his thoughts.
"It's a girl!" Rinoa held the baby up and wrapped it blankets. The crying baby woke Irvine and Zell up. Irvine got up unsteadily.
"You gave birth and I was out cold?" he said in disbelief.
"Sorry, man" Zell said sheepishly. Irvine walked over to the bed where Selphie lay holding the baby girl.
"I'm sorry Selphie. About everything."
"I know" She smiled. "Just don't ever leave again. Not now we got this little thing"
"She's beautiful" said Rinoa, as she walked over. Irvine smiled.
"She's got Selphie as a mother. What do you expect? Now I'm in love with two beautiful women"
The First
Inside the parked Ragnarok, the small group of SeeDs was crouched around the lifeless body of Irvine. They were all silent except one girl, in a yellow dress, who held his head in her lap whispering to him.
Squall cleared his throat. "He's gone Selphie. There's nothing we can do. I'm sor-
She cut him off and looked at him with wild eyes. "He'll be okay. You just see. Any second now he'll wake up. Any second…….". She broke down into floods of tears and collapsed into Rinoa's arms, sobbing hysterically.
"We better get back to the Garden" Quistis said quietly.
"Then we better do it fast" Rinoa stood up.
"Why?" Zell asked.
"There is a spell that can bring back the dead. But we have to move fast. It's dangerous, painful and it might not work." She looked at Selphie. "It will take all of us to bring him back and from what I've heard it's like being ripped apart inside"
Selphie looked the sorceress straight in the eye "Do it" She climbed into the drivers seat.
"You're sure?" Quistis asked with one eyebrow raised.
Selphie let out an impatient breath. "Quistis, Irvine is dead and there is a way to bring him back. I love him and would die for him and I wish he wasn't dead. Of course I'm sure!" Her voice cracked. She sounded as if she might cry again.
"Sorry" muttered Quistis under her breath.
And off they flew back to the Garden at speeds not considered safe to anyone except Selphie. Especially when her boyfriend was dead. Or not.
They were stood around Irvine's bed. They had had to smuggle him in since there was no way they would be allowed to do this spell.
"This spell is ancient so we will have to read it out from the book. Join hands and close your eyes. You may feel kinda drained after this." Rinoa said. She began to recite the spell.
I am that soundless boundless bitter sea
Gaia flows through the river in me
All tides are mine and answer unto me
Gaia flows through the river in me
Tides of the airs, tides of the inner earth
The secret silent tides of death and birth
Tides of men's souls and dreams and destiny
Isis veiled and Ea, Binah ,Ge.
Rinoa took a sharp intake of breath as blue magic welled up inside of her and flowed into the rest of them.
"Now!" Rinoa shouted and they all placed their hands on Irvine's still body. The magic surged into him making him jolt off the bed as if he had had an electric shock.
" That was…bracing" Zell said before sitting down very suddenly "This is gonna kill tomorrow. Mind if I go to bed?"
"No, go ahead. Thank you all so much."
"Did it actually work?" Squall said, walking over to Irvine's body.
Selphie put her ear to his mouth.
"He's breathing!"
"Thank Hyne. Selphie it's probably an idea if you get some rest" Squall sounded concerned.
"I'll sleep here. Y'know, be with him when he wakes and all" She sat herself down in a nearby chair.
"Won't that be uncomfortable?" Quistis asked.
Selphie looked at her witheringly. " You ever heard of compassion, Quistis?"
Quistis opened her mouth to say something but Squall wisely stopped her.
"We've all had a long, hard day not to mention bringing our friend back from the dead. Let's just get some sleep" He said the last part almost pleadingly. Squall, Rinoa, Quistis and Zell departed from the room leaving Selphie alone with her sleeping cowboy. She settled herself into the chair and closed her eyes. Sleep was a long time coming but when it did, it was deep and dreamless. However, Irvine's magic induced unconsciousness was far from peaceful.
Death. Sparingly simple Death. It can be quiet Death. You live in the moment. The blood cry and the death blow. Or in your case my lover, death shot. You killed them and now you shall kill me. Irvine looked at the bodies. His friend's bodies. Squall, Rinoa, Zell and Quistis. But Selphie was still alive. She looked at him, her words echoing around his skull. Kill me Irvine, in a fit of passion pull the trigger and set me free. It's your purpose.. Irvine loved her. He couldn't kill her. So he kissed her. And put the gun barrel to her neck. He squeezed the trigger and the gun went off silently. His lover's blood ran down his face. That's right, a voice said, your purpose fulfilled. Drink up.
"Gah!" Irvine woke with a start, sweat pouring down his face. Through the grainy darkness, he could see Selphie sleeping in the chair. She looked uncomfortable. After that dream he didn't feel like going back to sleep so he got up and put the duvet over Selphie. Why was she here? He couldn't remember getting back and going to bed. Huh. It was nearly six so he had a shower. When he'd finished, Selphie was awake.
"Mornin'" he said, wrapping a towel around his waist. Selphie looked up blearily from under the duvet.
"Morning" Then she remembered the night before and jumped of the chair. "Irvine! You're all okay and everything?" she asked concernedly. She flung her arms around him and kissed him.
"Wo! Shouldn't I be okay?"
"Well…last night you kinda died…."
"What!"
"Only for a bit….then we brought you back"
Selphie told him about the spell and everything that had happened. Irvine just looked dazed. And confused. Selphie sat on the bed and pulled Irvine down on top of her. She smiled.
"And to think that was nearly our last night together…." Selphie said, kissing Irvine on the nose.
"Yeah. Bummer" He said this seriously but Selphie just laughed.
"So I think we should spend ever night like it's our last one together. Starting now." She raised her eyebrows suggestively.
"I agree." Irvine said grinning. He suddenly looked annoyed. "But I just had shower."
Selphie snorted with laughter. "Ha! You're the first guy I've known to have a dilemma between sex or showers. So what'll be, cowboy?"
"Ooh now that's a hard one" he said with mock brain strain.
Selphie pressed Irvine's body closer to her own.
"Too right"
Irvine kept having the dreams for a good six weeks. Each time though, it was a different person who told him to kill.
One day Selphie woke to find her man already dressed and ready for breakfast.
"Why so early, Irvy?" she asked, propping herself up in bed. But Irvine just looked at her and said "Meet me at the car rental place at lunchtime. Bring the others". He then walked out without so much as a goodbye. Selphie rolled her eyes at the closed door.
"Jeez I only asked. What's wrong with him?"
At lunchtime, Rinoa, Squall, Zell, Quistis and Selphie were waiting for Irvine at the car rental place. He was late as usual.
"Has anyone noticed Irvine acting, well, weird, lately?" Selphie asked.
"I know what you mean. He was acting the strong and silent type today." Remarked Zell as he started shadow boxing away his boredom. "Kinda like Squall really." Squall looked at him. " Sorry man. Some chicks really dig that…and….stuff…." He trailed off.
Rinoa laced her fingers with Squall's. "Yeah. Me"
"Here he is" said Quistis as Irvine drove up and parked the car.
"Speak of the devil" Zell said as he hopped in the backseat.
Irvine just looked at him and smiled darkly. "Oh, I'm much more than that"
Zell looked at him. "That's.....nice. Where we going then?"
"To have food on a rug outdoors. I believe it's enjoyable."
"Great. Lot's of frolicking picnic fun to be had then." said Rinoa and looked at the other's as if to say, "What's his problem?"
Irvine led them to a grassy clearing in a nearby forest. As the others ate, he and Selphie wandered away and lay down in silence, looking at the clouds.
Suddenly Irvine got up and sat over Selphie, a leg each side.
"Irvine! It's a bit public isn't it? The other's are only over there!"
"Oh well" he said and placed a hand around her throat.
"Irvine! What are doing? You're scaring me! Stop it!"
Irvine replied by putting his hand over her mouth. Selphie looked at him with frightened eyes. Irvine then took out his gun and placed it to her forehead.
"I love you Selphie" he said with no emotion what so ever.
Zell looked over at them.
"Can't they keep that sort of thing behind closed doors. Some of us are eating" he said and to prove it, crammed a hotdog into his mouth.
Squall looked at them and got to his feet.
"I don't think that's what they're doing" he said slowly. He looked harder. "Oh Hyne!"
Squall ran at Irvine and knocked him off Selphie, who now being able to breathe properly started sobbing uncontrollably. Squall and Zell started punching Irvine and his nose began to bleed.
"Ow! Stop it guys! What'ya doing!" shouted Irvine as he tried to defend himself against the punches they were packing. They stopped punching but held him down warily.
"Where am I? What's happened?" He asked looking around from his vantage point of the floor. He saw Selphie with tears running down her face looking at him as if he something yucky. "Sefie, what's wrong? Sweetie?"
"Don't call me that." She replied through clenched teeth.
"You just went all O.J on your girl, man! That's what's wrong!" Zell said fiercely and raised his fist to hit again. But Squall stopped him.
"You really don't remember anything?" he asked.
Irvine shook his head.
"No. I remember going to bed last night and then a weird dream where…"
He stopped and his eyes went wide. "Ohno! Something possessed me! I've been having these dreams where you tell me to kill you and I do. Selphie, you gotta believe me. I didn't know what I was doing!"
She looked at him skeptically, her eyes still full of frightened tears.
"I was so scared. The man I loved was about to kill me. It's all too weird" She turned and walked back to the car, followed by Quistis and Zell, who gave him angry looks. Irvine's shoulders drooped.
"Please. Selphie…" he whispered.
"I believe you" said Rinoa, helping Irvine to his feet. "I've heard of stuff like this before. Somebody kills a loved one and swears they didn't know what was happening. C'mon, we'll get back to the Garden and check it out. There's got to be something on it somewhere".
Irvine got up with difficulty and walked back with his head down. What the hell was happening to him?
The journey back was silent. Selphie wouldn't look at him, let alone talk to him. When they arrived back, Selphie went silently to her room.
"Let's go to the library then" Squall said after she'd gone. "Find out what this thing is"
After about two hours of Irvine, Rinoa, Squall and Quistis looking through ancient books and Zell chatting up the girl in the library, there was a breakthrough.
"I think I found something" Squall said, his eyes skimming the text.
"What?" Irvine looked at him expectantly.
"Yeah, here it is" he began to read from the musty old book in front of him "Say's here that it's called The First. It's evil. Absolute evil, older than man, older than monsters- very few have heard of it, fewer believe in it. While it is unknown to have any tangible form, it is capable of plucking images and emotions out of one's thoughts. Wo."
Rinoa got up and looked over Squall's shoulder.
"If it's power is focused, it can bring back the dead" She looked at Irvine. "The First is drawn to love. It can't abide it. But if it can replace that love with despair and loss, it's happy. It brought you back to destroy you again. By making you kill the one thing you loved."
Zell walked over. He looked at Irvine.
"Sorry man. Bout hitting you and all" Irvine was lost in his thoughts.
"Easy mistake to make" he murmured. Suddenly he stood up. "How do I kill it?"
Rinoa consulted the book's brown pages.
"You can't. The only way to make it leave you alone is to spend time away from Selphie. It will get bored and go away"
"Kinda like Seipher at the orphanage" Zell mused.
"Time away from Selphie?" Irvine said his thoughts out loud.
Quistis spoke up. "Well it seems to me that's it's what you both need right now"
Irvine looked at her. "Yeah, your right. I'll go pack and catch a bus out of town."
"Now?" Squall looked surprised. " Aren't you gonna say good bye to Selphie?"
Irvine considered this. "No. It'll be too hard. I just have to leave". And with that he walked out of the library.
Selphie knocked on Irvine's door. There was no answer.
"Irvine!" she called through the door "We need to talk!"
Zell walked up behind her.
"He's gone. Leaving town"
"What? Why?"
"So he doesn't kill you!"
Selphie's mouth hung open.
"I have to talk to him!"
"You can't. He already at the bus station. You won't get there in time. Unless you take the Ragnarok, but that's just sil-.."
"Good idea" Selphie cut him off and marched past him.
"No Selphie! No!"
Selphie ignored him and ran down the hallway. Zell sighed and hit his head on the door. Why did she have to be so willful?
Selphie landed the Ragnarok only meters from the bus station. She got out and ran round the corner. There he was! Still time! Suddenly everything around her went black and she gasped. She turned round to come face to face with a huge ghostly skull. It looked her. She considered her nunchakus.
"I wouldn't bother" It said. It's voice echoed around her head. "You can't hurt me little girl. I'm not a monster. I'm something you can't conceive. The first evil. Beyond sin, beyond death- I am the thing the darkness fears. You will never see me but I am everywhere. Every being, every thought, every drop of hate-.."
"I get the picture" Selphie said sarcastically.
"Don't mock me child. If your lover can't shake me off, he'll kill himself. Either way, somebody gets hurt and I win. See ya round"
The skull exploded into a swarm of bats that flew off into the night. The blackness drained away and Selphie's surroundings returned. She breathed a sigh of relief. She looked over at Irvine, who was still there. You're not going to leave me now!
"Irvine!" She called. He looked around but turned away, tears in his eyes.
"Let me go Selphie" he said still not looking at her.
"Why?"
"If I stay I'll kill you. Simple as that" He turned to face her. Tears were in her eyes now as she realized he was going.
"That's your solution?" she said angrily "Just leaving?"
"It's the only solution"
"You can't leave! Irvine I'm….I'm pregnant," She played her trump card.
"What!" Irvine couldn't believe it. He had to stay. But if he did… "Selphie. If I stay I'll kill the baby too!" He turned as the bus pulled up. "Goodbye Selphie. I'm sorry" He turned to get on the bus. Selphie was desperate now.
"Irvine, don't you love me?"
Irvine stopped and considered the question. It was such an easy one. He turned round and held her face in his hands.
"My whole life, I've never loved anything else"
They looked into each other's tear filled eyes. Irvine kissed her on the forehead and ran to the bus, leaving Selphie crying alone at the bus stop. To top things off it began to rain. Selphie let the rain wash away her tears and walked slowly back to the Ragnarok.
Eight months passed and Selphie's bump got bigger. She had a craving for hotdogs, which Zell could understand. They must have eaten hundreds between them. But she still waited for her cowboy to return.
One morning after having a shower, there was a knock on the door.
"Hang on!" she called and wrapped a towel around her. She opened the door and her jaw dropped.
"Irvine?"
"I'm back" he smiled slightly.
They stood there in silence just taking each other in.
"Uh…come in" Irvine stepped in and Selphie closed the door.
"So…" She didn't know what to say. So she kissed him. Long and deep.
"I can't believe your back. That thing is gone?"
"Yeah. It's gone" He regarded her swollen belly. "You been coping?"
"Uh huh. We have to go tell the others. Just let me get dressed" Irvine moved to leave, but Selphie stopped him.
"You've seen me naked before"
"Yeah, but never…. pregnant"
Selphie's smile faded, "That's your fault"
Irvine looked at his feet. " Selphie, I had to leave. You know that. In fact maybe I should just leave again!"
"What?" Selphie looked at Irvine hard.
"You seem to be coping okay without me" He turned to leave but Selphie grabbed his arm and turned him around.
"No! You can't keep waltzing in and out of our lives. It's not fair!"
He turned to go again. Selphie shouted, "Irvine! Listen to me!"
Out side her room Zell had come to see her. He heard her shout. Oh no, he thought, Irvine's back and he's trying to hurt her again. Zell kicked the door down, grabbed Irvine by the shoulder, whirled him round and punched him, knocking Irvine unconscious.
"Zell!" Selphie knelt down by Irvine and looked up at Zell. "What the hell was that for?!" Zell looked sheepish.
"He was attacking you wasn't he?"
"No! He was trying to leave again. Though I spose you stopped him"
"Oh. Okay. I'll let you get dressed then" He turned to leave but heard Selphie gasp.
"Zell! My waters have broken!"
"Whaddo I do? Whaddo I do?" Zell asked frantically. Selphie lay herself down on her bed.
"Get Rinoa and Squall. Don't care much about Quistis. There's a commlink over there. Aah!"
Zell picked it up and called Squall.
"Get up here now, man!" was all he said before turning back to Selphie.
"Now what?" he asked. Selphie looked at him.
"Help me! Ow! This is painful!"
To Zell's relief, Squall and Rinoa burst in. Rinoa walked straight over to Selphie.
"Squall, get blankets and stuff. You know." Squall departed. "Zell, can you see anything?"
"What! You want me to look?!" his eyes were wide with disbelief.
"Yes! Look!"
Zell closed his eyes, muttered "Sorry Sefie" and looked. "Nothing there. I think". Zell went pale and fainted.
"What happened?" Selphie asked. Rinoa regarded the unconscious Zell and Irvine.
"Zell fainted. Do you always have this effect on men?"
"Only when I'm giving birth. AHA!"
Squall returned. He gave Rinoa blankets and a bowl hot water. Rinoa went to ease the babies' head out and Squall caught sight of it. He blushed.
"Squall, I can hear you blushing. Don't be such a prude!"
"Selphie might want something to squeeze. Squall, give her your hand" Rinoa instructed. Selphie took his hand.
"Okay Selphie. Push!"
Selphie pushed and squeezed Squall's hand. He nearly swore but thought better of it. Wasn't this Irvine's job? Crying interrupted his thoughts.
"It's a girl!" Rinoa held the baby up and wrapped it blankets. The crying baby woke Irvine and Zell up. Irvine got up unsteadily.
"You gave birth and I was out cold?" he said in disbelief.
"Sorry, man" Zell said sheepishly. Irvine walked over to the bed where Selphie lay holding the baby girl.
"I'm sorry Selphie. About everything."
"I know" She smiled. "Just don't ever leave again. Not now we got this little thing"
"She's beautiful" said Rinoa, as she walked over. Irvine smiled.
"She's got Selphie as a mother. What do you expect? Now I'm in love with two beautiful women"