A/N: This is the third time I've rewritten this fic for your reading
pleasure. Please R/R, and no flames thanx! It's a sweet little ficcy
involving Irvy Kinny-poo and a girl he meets in the Balamb Forests.
There's a lot of weird stuff going on that no one can explain, too. Rated
PG-13 just to be safe.
The Sirens
Chapter One: Egyptian Beauty
Irvine Kinneas walked aimlessly through the forests around Balamb, with no particular destination except far away from the Garden. At least for a while. He just had to get his thoughts straight.
It was nearly sunset. The sky was dull yet bright with fiery colors, and the foliage around him had bloomed and prospered with the summer, looking almost jungle like. The monsters within the forests were comatose at this time of the day, it was just too hot to attack people. They'd come out later in the night, though, but Irvine really didn't care about that.
He came to a small clearing with willow trees all about, and sat upon a large boulder, listening a moment to the soft chittering of animal life. He looked up at the sun, which was nestling within the trees and slowly lowering over the horizon, his pretty amethyst eyes watery and pitiful.
"Selphie..."
It had only been an hour ago that he had gone to her dorm, excited about taking her to a party in Balamb. It was that same hour that he had found her locked in a passionate kiss with his friend Zell Dincht. And it was also the same hour that she had told him that their relationship had to end, that she was in love with Zell. He hadn't yelled, hadn't carried on. How could he ever yell at Selphie? No. He hadn't done that. He had just turned tail and ran.
And now he had really no idea what he was going to do without her.
"Life is lonely for the sharpshooter," he reminded himself. "No one understands..."
Suddenly something hit him. No really, something hit him in the back of the head, knocking his hat off. It was a small rock.
"Ow! Huh? What the hell--!"
A badly stifled eruption of soft laughter echoed from the trees above. Irvine shot to his feet, grabbing his hat and shoving it roughly back on his head. He looked up and around erratically, though he could see nothing within the lushly leaved willow branches.
"Who's there?" he demanded quickly.
The laughter continued, as if the attacker could not quiet themselves. Finally, angry and outraged that someone saw him in this state, he picked up his gun and aimed it into the trees.
"Who's there?! Show yourself--or I'll shoot!" he threatened loudly, his finger on the trigger.
The laughter stopped abruptly, replaced by a cry of terror. Suddenly there was a rustle of leaves, and a short scream as a figure fell from the branches.
Irvine looked down at the figure who had fallen. It was a figure of a young woman, but he couldn't tell any more about her appearance because she had gone down on her knees in front of him, her head in her lap and graceful arms crossed protectively in front of her, hair flowing over her entirely. She was whimpering and shivering in fear.
He lowered his gun, his face softening. "Ah, jeez--I'm sorry...I didn't mean to...get up, I ain't gonna shoot ya..."
She slowly ceased to tremble, and lowered her arms, using them to push herself up to her feet. She brushed her hair elegantly out of her face.
Irvine could only stare.
She was a young woman about his age, and a more beautiful girl Irvine had never seen, and that counted Selphie. She was a few inches shorter than himself, maybe about as tall as Rinoa. Her slender, shapely figure was covered by a white sleeveless dress of linen, contrasting lightly upon her creme skin. A royal purple sash of silk was tied at her waist. Her face was perfect in such a way that would make the Greek statues green with envy, not a single freckle or scar upon her lovely features. Her luscious soft pink lips parted slightly in fear. She had the most beautiful eyes, large, almond shaped eyes, the round irises colored dark, sparkling green, lined with thick dark lashes. Her satiny dark chestnut hair was long and straight, traveling down to her small waist gleaming in the setting sun. Her eyes were wide, staring at him in a similar manner, but mostly fright. Something about her struck him as Egyptian, or at least the Egyptians you read about in stories.
"I...didn't mean to scare you," Irvine said breathlessly. "Are you all right?"
She drew in a slight breath. But the girl didn't move, she was still wary of the gun in his hand. She glanced at it like it was a hissing cobra.
Noticing her fear, he put it down. She relaxed noticeably.
"What is your name?" she asked softly. Her voice was ever so slightly accented with the Egyptian tongue, but so beautiful, like a song Irvine had never heard the end of. For a moment he lost his own voice.
"...Irvine. Irvine Kinneas."
She opened her lips again, as if about to speak, and Irvine listened for her beautiful voice, suddenly entranced, ensnared. But the voice he heard was not the girl's.
"Irvy!!!"
"Yo, Irv! Where are you?!"
"Irvine!"
The voices of Selphie, Zell and Rinoa rang out through the forests, crying his name. The girl looked afraid again, as if having one stranger entering her grounds wasn't bad enough, but three more?
"No! Don't be afraid," Irvine said, wanting her to stay. "Those are my friends. Don't be scared..."
But she backed away, shaking her head fiercely and, with graceful agility, climbed up into the willows again and disappeared.
At that moment Selphie, Zell and Rinoa ran into the clearing.
"Oh, Irvy, there you are!" Selphie cried, hugging the sharpshooter tightly. "We were sooooooo worried! I'm so sorry, Irvy, I didn't think you'd get that upset!"
"S'okay, Selph," Irvine said, hugging her reluctantly. Maybe if she quieted down, the girl would come back... "I don't mind..."
"YES YOU DO!" she sobbed. "You DO mind, and that's why you ran away because you HATE me!!!"
"I don't hate you!" he protested. "I couldn't hate you. I--I'm happy that you're happy with Zell. That's all that counts, don't it? I just needed to think for a while."
She sniffled. "Okay," she mumbled. She released her bone grinding grip on him. "As long as you're okay, Irvy. You'll be okay...right?"
"'Course," he said confidently. "I always bounce back."
She grinned widely, happy again. "YAY! I feel so much BETTER now! C'mon, it's getting dark." She hugged him once more and ran ahead, grabbing Zell's hand. Zell looked back at Irvine and gave him a thumbs up and a grin before being dragged away by Selphie.
"You okay, Irvine?" she asked, concerned.
"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine, Rin."
"Who were you talking to?"
"Talking to? N-nobody. I was the only one here before you guys came."
She looked at him strangely, then shrugged. "All right. C'mon. Let's go before night falls."
~~~~~~
She hid behind the trunk of the weeping willow, listening to the foreign voices and hearing them leave. She sighed in relief, finally alone again.
She hadn't meant to anger the young man. He just looked so melancholy and forlorn that she wanted to cheer him up a little. She hadn't known that he would pull a...gun...on her. But he had lowered it when he saw her.
His handsome face lingered in her mind. He was so beautiful, masculine wise, he had taken her breath away when she saw him and that was why she had stared so. His skin was as fair as a baby's skin, and looked just as soft. His face was so boyish and yet manly, pouty pink lips open in awe and charming violet eyes, enchanting eyes, wide and spellbound. His figure was broad and covered in a coffee colored trenchcoat, his silky looking reddish brown hair flowing from under his cowboy hat, which made him look very charming indeed.
But then those other people had come...she'd gotten scared. She thought she would be safe in the deep lush forests of Balamb, she thought she would be unoticed. But what if that man--Irvine--let others know of her? She would have to find another hiding place, and to do that would be very difficult. Especially from who she was hiding from...
She settled upon her favorite branch, nestling against the smooth bark. Night would soon fall, and she would be safe for a time. If she had any luck left with her, the man called Irvine Kinneas would not tell anyone about her, like he had done with the others who had come for him. But for some reason...
She hoped he would come back.
~~~~~~~~~~
Somewhere unknown, in a large cavern deep witin the earth, a tall woman paced back and forth, very furious and impatient at the quivering minion that cowered before her. They were both just like any other human, except from their back sprouted black feathered wings. The cavern expanded into smaller caverns and tunnels, where thousands like them lived. But this cavern was the woman's personal chambers, she was virtually their queen. Her shouts of anger and the minion's wavering responses filled the spacious place.
"You searched the entire Centra continent?" she demanded. Her voice was deep and thick with the Egyptian accent.
"Yes, your Majesty."
"And all the islands?"
"With a fine toothed comb, your Majesty. We searched Galbadia too, every town, every sand dune. We even scaled the entire continent of Esthar for her. It was a tedious procedure to sneak around the government and the security, but we did it."
"What about Trabia? Did you search Trabia?"
"Every mountain, every cliff, every snowflake we searched! She wasn't there!"
"DAMN!!!" she shouted, her voice battering against the walls. "Damn you! Where are you, you little---!" The woman paused in her speaking, and, not even looking at the other woman, said,
"Did you check Balamb?"
The girl thought for a minute, and then, trembling, slowly shook her head. "N-no, Your Majesty..."
"Oh. Well, don't you think that's the reason we haven't found her yet?" she spat dryly.
The minion girl shot to her feet. "I'll gather a troop right away!"
"No!" she stopped her. "No. This is good. This is very good. Balamb is peaceful. It's the first place she'd go, you see? But she'll be hidden very well. So all we have to do is be patient. Sooner or later she shall let down her guard, and that is when we shall strike. Oh, it is so perfect!" She frowned at the winged minion, her own glistening black wings fluttering dangerously.
"Leave me." And the girl was gone.
She chuckled deeply in her throat as she walked over to her couch, dropping down upon it and sighed with relaxation. She did not even flinch when a female black king cobra slithered into her lap.
"Ah...Medusa," she purred, stroking the snake lovingly under its jaw. "Did you hear the good news? Hm?"
Medusa hissed in response.
"Yes, my pet. We now know where she is, and finally we will both recieve our reward. And you what else, my beloved cobra?"
"Hiss?"
The woman's eyes glistened. "We are going to Balamb Garden."
A/N: Whaddya think so far? Is it good material? Please review, but don't flame me! I can't...handle...the PRESSURE! hee hee hee ;) Good reviews inspire me, they really do!
The Sirens
Chapter One: Egyptian Beauty
Irvine Kinneas walked aimlessly through the forests around Balamb, with no particular destination except far away from the Garden. At least for a while. He just had to get his thoughts straight.
It was nearly sunset. The sky was dull yet bright with fiery colors, and the foliage around him had bloomed and prospered with the summer, looking almost jungle like. The monsters within the forests were comatose at this time of the day, it was just too hot to attack people. They'd come out later in the night, though, but Irvine really didn't care about that.
He came to a small clearing with willow trees all about, and sat upon a large boulder, listening a moment to the soft chittering of animal life. He looked up at the sun, which was nestling within the trees and slowly lowering over the horizon, his pretty amethyst eyes watery and pitiful.
"Selphie..."
It had only been an hour ago that he had gone to her dorm, excited about taking her to a party in Balamb. It was that same hour that he had found her locked in a passionate kiss with his friend Zell Dincht. And it was also the same hour that she had told him that their relationship had to end, that she was in love with Zell. He hadn't yelled, hadn't carried on. How could he ever yell at Selphie? No. He hadn't done that. He had just turned tail and ran.
And now he had really no idea what he was going to do without her.
"Life is lonely for the sharpshooter," he reminded himself. "No one understands..."
Suddenly something hit him. No really, something hit him in the back of the head, knocking his hat off. It was a small rock.
"Ow! Huh? What the hell--!"
A badly stifled eruption of soft laughter echoed from the trees above. Irvine shot to his feet, grabbing his hat and shoving it roughly back on his head. He looked up and around erratically, though he could see nothing within the lushly leaved willow branches.
"Who's there?" he demanded quickly.
The laughter continued, as if the attacker could not quiet themselves. Finally, angry and outraged that someone saw him in this state, he picked up his gun and aimed it into the trees.
"Who's there?! Show yourself--or I'll shoot!" he threatened loudly, his finger on the trigger.
The laughter stopped abruptly, replaced by a cry of terror. Suddenly there was a rustle of leaves, and a short scream as a figure fell from the branches.
Irvine looked down at the figure who had fallen. It was a figure of a young woman, but he couldn't tell any more about her appearance because she had gone down on her knees in front of him, her head in her lap and graceful arms crossed protectively in front of her, hair flowing over her entirely. She was whimpering and shivering in fear.
He lowered his gun, his face softening. "Ah, jeez--I'm sorry...I didn't mean to...get up, I ain't gonna shoot ya..."
She slowly ceased to tremble, and lowered her arms, using them to push herself up to her feet. She brushed her hair elegantly out of her face.
Irvine could only stare.
She was a young woman about his age, and a more beautiful girl Irvine had never seen, and that counted Selphie. She was a few inches shorter than himself, maybe about as tall as Rinoa. Her slender, shapely figure was covered by a white sleeveless dress of linen, contrasting lightly upon her creme skin. A royal purple sash of silk was tied at her waist. Her face was perfect in such a way that would make the Greek statues green with envy, not a single freckle or scar upon her lovely features. Her luscious soft pink lips parted slightly in fear. She had the most beautiful eyes, large, almond shaped eyes, the round irises colored dark, sparkling green, lined with thick dark lashes. Her satiny dark chestnut hair was long and straight, traveling down to her small waist gleaming in the setting sun. Her eyes were wide, staring at him in a similar manner, but mostly fright. Something about her struck him as Egyptian, or at least the Egyptians you read about in stories.
"I...didn't mean to scare you," Irvine said breathlessly. "Are you all right?"
She drew in a slight breath. But the girl didn't move, she was still wary of the gun in his hand. She glanced at it like it was a hissing cobra.
Noticing her fear, he put it down. She relaxed noticeably.
"What is your name?" she asked softly. Her voice was ever so slightly accented with the Egyptian tongue, but so beautiful, like a song Irvine had never heard the end of. For a moment he lost his own voice.
"...Irvine. Irvine Kinneas."
She opened her lips again, as if about to speak, and Irvine listened for her beautiful voice, suddenly entranced, ensnared. But the voice he heard was not the girl's.
"Irvy!!!"
"Yo, Irv! Where are you?!"
"Irvine!"
The voices of Selphie, Zell and Rinoa rang out through the forests, crying his name. The girl looked afraid again, as if having one stranger entering her grounds wasn't bad enough, but three more?
"No! Don't be afraid," Irvine said, wanting her to stay. "Those are my friends. Don't be scared..."
But she backed away, shaking her head fiercely and, with graceful agility, climbed up into the willows again and disappeared.
At that moment Selphie, Zell and Rinoa ran into the clearing.
"Oh, Irvy, there you are!" Selphie cried, hugging the sharpshooter tightly. "We were sooooooo worried! I'm so sorry, Irvy, I didn't think you'd get that upset!"
"S'okay, Selph," Irvine said, hugging her reluctantly. Maybe if she quieted down, the girl would come back... "I don't mind..."
"YES YOU DO!" she sobbed. "You DO mind, and that's why you ran away because you HATE me!!!"
"I don't hate you!" he protested. "I couldn't hate you. I--I'm happy that you're happy with Zell. That's all that counts, don't it? I just needed to think for a while."
She sniffled. "Okay," she mumbled. She released her bone grinding grip on him. "As long as you're okay, Irvy. You'll be okay...right?"
"'Course," he said confidently. "I always bounce back."
She grinned widely, happy again. "YAY! I feel so much BETTER now! C'mon, it's getting dark." She hugged him once more and ran ahead, grabbing Zell's hand. Zell looked back at Irvine and gave him a thumbs up and a grin before being dragged away by Selphie.
"You okay, Irvine?" she asked, concerned.
"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine, Rin."
"Who were you talking to?"
"Talking to? N-nobody. I was the only one here before you guys came."
She looked at him strangely, then shrugged. "All right. C'mon. Let's go before night falls."
~~~~~~
She hid behind the trunk of the weeping willow, listening to the foreign voices and hearing them leave. She sighed in relief, finally alone again.
She hadn't meant to anger the young man. He just looked so melancholy and forlorn that she wanted to cheer him up a little. She hadn't known that he would pull a...gun...on her. But he had lowered it when he saw her.
His handsome face lingered in her mind. He was so beautiful, masculine wise, he had taken her breath away when she saw him and that was why she had stared so. His skin was as fair as a baby's skin, and looked just as soft. His face was so boyish and yet manly, pouty pink lips open in awe and charming violet eyes, enchanting eyes, wide and spellbound. His figure was broad and covered in a coffee colored trenchcoat, his silky looking reddish brown hair flowing from under his cowboy hat, which made him look very charming indeed.
But then those other people had come...she'd gotten scared. She thought she would be safe in the deep lush forests of Balamb, she thought she would be unoticed. But what if that man--Irvine--let others know of her? She would have to find another hiding place, and to do that would be very difficult. Especially from who she was hiding from...
She settled upon her favorite branch, nestling against the smooth bark. Night would soon fall, and she would be safe for a time. If she had any luck left with her, the man called Irvine Kinneas would not tell anyone about her, like he had done with the others who had come for him. But for some reason...
She hoped he would come back.
~~~~~~~~~~
Somewhere unknown, in a large cavern deep witin the earth, a tall woman paced back and forth, very furious and impatient at the quivering minion that cowered before her. They were both just like any other human, except from their back sprouted black feathered wings. The cavern expanded into smaller caverns and tunnels, where thousands like them lived. But this cavern was the woman's personal chambers, she was virtually their queen. Her shouts of anger and the minion's wavering responses filled the spacious place.
"You searched the entire Centra continent?" she demanded. Her voice was deep and thick with the Egyptian accent.
"Yes, your Majesty."
"And all the islands?"
"With a fine toothed comb, your Majesty. We searched Galbadia too, every town, every sand dune. We even scaled the entire continent of Esthar for her. It was a tedious procedure to sneak around the government and the security, but we did it."
"What about Trabia? Did you search Trabia?"
"Every mountain, every cliff, every snowflake we searched! She wasn't there!"
"DAMN!!!" she shouted, her voice battering against the walls. "Damn you! Where are you, you little---!" The woman paused in her speaking, and, not even looking at the other woman, said,
"Did you check Balamb?"
The girl thought for a minute, and then, trembling, slowly shook her head. "N-no, Your Majesty..."
"Oh. Well, don't you think that's the reason we haven't found her yet?" she spat dryly.
The minion girl shot to her feet. "I'll gather a troop right away!"
"No!" she stopped her. "No. This is good. This is very good. Balamb is peaceful. It's the first place she'd go, you see? But she'll be hidden very well. So all we have to do is be patient. Sooner or later she shall let down her guard, and that is when we shall strike. Oh, it is so perfect!" She frowned at the winged minion, her own glistening black wings fluttering dangerously.
"Leave me." And the girl was gone.
She chuckled deeply in her throat as she walked over to her couch, dropping down upon it and sighed with relaxation. She did not even flinch when a female black king cobra slithered into her lap.
"Ah...Medusa," she purred, stroking the snake lovingly under its jaw. "Did you hear the good news? Hm?"
Medusa hissed in response.
"Yes, my pet. We now know where she is, and finally we will both recieve our reward. And you what else, my beloved cobra?"
"Hiss?"
The woman's eyes glistened. "We are going to Balamb Garden."
A/N: Whaddya think so far? Is it good material? Please review, but don't flame me! I can't...handle...the PRESSURE! hee hee hee ;) Good reviews inspire me, they really do!