Irvine struggled to move forward, his left wing badly mangled. His right was not faring much better, as was his right arm. He was pretty sure something was broken. But, he had to fight on - he had to find Squall.
"You wish for your love?" A voice called out to him. As cold as the winds that caressed this dead land. Irvine growled, glancing around.
"I want him back, you bitch."
Low, soft laughter. "Naughty words will get you nowhere, Irvine."
He whirled around, nearly falling in the process. And there she stood.
Squall was next to her, on his knees. A silver collar shackled around his neck, the matching bracelet around her wrist.
"I think he likes where he is. Don't you agree, my pet?"
She ran her fingers through Squall's hair. He remained mute, looking through Irvine. Irvine gritted his teeth, his eyes meeting those of the woman's.
"You will not win."
"Oh no?" Onyx eyes flared with amber sparks, as a ball of purplish haze gathered in her palm. "Look at you. A pathetic shell of what you used to be to him. You can't save yourself, how can you save him?"
The orb floated away from her hand, still gathering mass and energy.
"I have already won. Squall is broken, and belongs to ...me."
"Noooo!" Irvine jerked upright, trembling. He drew the covers tighter around himself, in a feeble attempt to remove the chill that invaded him. Then, he felt a pair of arms encircle his waist, and the sudden weight of Squall pressed against his back. "Another one?"
Irvine nodded, unable to speak. They had been plaguing him for the past week, this woman who took Squall... and then killed him, taking his powers as well.
"Squall... I can't.... I can't go on like this..."
And once again, Squall held him as he cried. Though he was unable to see the nightmares, he felt the pain coming off Irvine. He was going to call Matron in the morning - this was serious now.
---
"How long have you been having the nightmare?"
Edea asked, sipping from her cup of tea. Irvine was quiet before answering, studying her. Even though they were all in their twenties, Edea looked no different from when they had been children. There was an agelessness about her, a fountain of youth that she held.
"A week... Thereabouts. Matron..."
"Yes?" Dark brown eyes met his. "Will I... Will I always look young, even if Squall seems to age? I ask because you and the headmaster..."
Edea smiled sadly, setting down her cup. "Honestly, Irvine. I do not know. We do age, but I also had the powers of another within me for thirteen years." A pause. "Remember, though. Your bond with Squall is very strong; it's been there since you both were young. Perhaps he will age as you. Since you're.. The first... There's much I don't know."
"Guess it's best to worry 'bout that when the time comes, correct?"
"Yes." She nodded, lifting the cup again. Irvine often tried to change the subject when it was something he didn't really want to talk about. But this was important; she heard the urgency in Squall's voice when he had called her.
"Now. What did this woman look like?"
Irvine sighed slightly. He really didn't want to talk about the nightmares, having the odd feeling that discussing them would actually cause them to happen.
"Black hair, about as long as yours. Eye color matching the hair. She's... endowed, very curvy. Hourglass." He nods to himself, while trying to recall what he could remember about her.
"She's wearing a dark blue dress, with a silver overskirt... The silver bracelet on the left wrist, the one that connects Squall's collar to her. She's wearing a gold choker, a medallion hanging from it. A name is on the medallion, but its not hers."
A pause. "Looked like it said Hyne in some odd language."
Matron was frowning thoughtfully, till he mentioned the choker.
"It couldn't..." She whispered to herself, but he heard her.
"Couldn't what?" She set her cup of tea down again, looking into the brown liquid as she spoke.
"Aislinn." He frowned, the name having no meaning to him.
"She was a consort of Hyne, before the people rebelled against him. You've heard of the story, how his body was cleaved in half. He did retain the more powerful half; the magic he left behind was split into many pieces, settling into those who become Sorceress. Many think we're a descent of Hyne, but we are descended from his magic - not his blood."
He frowned, listening. He'd never paid much attention to myths and legends while in school, not a believer in fate. But as of the past year, he'd learned that fate played a *huge* part in everyone's lives.
"Aislinn had a power of her own, a gift from Hyne. She was able to create dreams, or go into the dreams of others. However, unlike his other two consorts, she sided with the humans, using her power to help them defeat him. Of course, in a way - he still won... And she was punished."
Edea's eyes glanced upward, seeing Squall leaning against the doorway. Irvine smiled slightly, leaning back in his chair. He felt better when Squall was around.
"She was forced to become a dream herself, remembered only by those who knew the myth, and those with magic within them. A few humans know of her, and all of the sorceresses did as well. There would only be one way that she'd be able to create dreams again, or become human..."
For some reason, Irvine's stomach clenched at those words.
"A Sorcerer's blood would break the spell."
Irvine winced at Squall's grip tightened on his shoulder. However, as if hearing a mental yelp, Squall's fingers relaxed.
"Is there no way to stop her?"
Edea sighed, shrugging slightly. "I'll see what I can find... But since none of us believed there would be a Sorcerer... I don't know. You may have to go to Odine for help. He knows her."
"But if we go to him, then he'll know that Irvine's...."
Irvine placed his hand over Squall's. "Then he must know. I don't want that dream to come true, Squall. I'm willing to do whatever it takes."
Irvine glanced up, his eyes meeting those of his lover. Worry was etched into those stormy orbs. He was remembering what had happened with Rinoa. And he was not about to risk Irvine to Odine.
"Very well. I'll call Laguna. But I'm not leaving you alone for even a second with that collared freak of a doctor."
"Squall..." Edea picked up her cup. A sheepish look crossed over the Commander's face, even after this time, she just had to say his name to reprimand him. Irvine chuckled slightly.
As they left, Irvine took one last look at the stone cottage. He wished for a moment that he were still a child, able to run through the flower field and along the beach as he wished. With no thoughts about tomorrow, no care other then Matron getting after him.
When she stood at the doorway and waved, a lump grew in his throat. She'd been that way after each child... After each of them had left, standing in the doorway and waving till they could no longer see her.
Irvine remembered standing next to her, until it had been his turn to go. And he knew, the moment she had disappeared from sight, his world would never be the same again.
---
A/N - Takes place after "Neon Moon", I got the idea after replaying FF8. Remember the old man talking to the little girl in Balamb? (the house next to Zell's) I was planning on doing a second part for Irvine and Squall, but hopefully this is a new twist to the "guy gets the gift" tale.
Let me know if I should cvontinue, or whatnot.
Disclaimer: Characters are copyright Square, except for Aislinn.
"You wish for your love?" A voice called out to him. As cold as the winds that caressed this dead land. Irvine growled, glancing around.
"I want him back, you bitch."
Low, soft laughter. "Naughty words will get you nowhere, Irvine."
He whirled around, nearly falling in the process. And there she stood.
Squall was next to her, on his knees. A silver collar shackled around his neck, the matching bracelet around her wrist.
"I think he likes where he is. Don't you agree, my pet?"
She ran her fingers through Squall's hair. He remained mute, looking through Irvine. Irvine gritted his teeth, his eyes meeting those of the woman's.
"You will not win."
"Oh no?" Onyx eyes flared with amber sparks, as a ball of purplish haze gathered in her palm. "Look at you. A pathetic shell of what you used to be to him. You can't save yourself, how can you save him?"
The orb floated away from her hand, still gathering mass and energy.
"I have already won. Squall is broken, and belongs to ...me."
"Noooo!" Irvine jerked upright, trembling. He drew the covers tighter around himself, in a feeble attempt to remove the chill that invaded him. Then, he felt a pair of arms encircle his waist, and the sudden weight of Squall pressed against his back. "Another one?"
Irvine nodded, unable to speak. They had been plaguing him for the past week, this woman who took Squall... and then killed him, taking his powers as well.
"Squall... I can't.... I can't go on like this..."
And once again, Squall held him as he cried. Though he was unable to see the nightmares, he felt the pain coming off Irvine. He was going to call Matron in the morning - this was serious now.
---
"How long have you been having the nightmare?"
Edea asked, sipping from her cup of tea. Irvine was quiet before answering, studying her. Even though they were all in their twenties, Edea looked no different from when they had been children. There was an agelessness about her, a fountain of youth that she held.
"A week... Thereabouts. Matron..."
"Yes?" Dark brown eyes met his. "Will I... Will I always look young, even if Squall seems to age? I ask because you and the headmaster..."
Edea smiled sadly, setting down her cup. "Honestly, Irvine. I do not know. We do age, but I also had the powers of another within me for thirteen years." A pause. "Remember, though. Your bond with Squall is very strong; it's been there since you both were young. Perhaps he will age as you. Since you're.. The first... There's much I don't know."
"Guess it's best to worry 'bout that when the time comes, correct?"
"Yes." She nodded, lifting the cup again. Irvine often tried to change the subject when it was something he didn't really want to talk about. But this was important; she heard the urgency in Squall's voice when he had called her.
"Now. What did this woman look like?"
Irvine sighed slightly. He really didn't want to talk about the nightmares, having the odd feeling that discussing them would actually cause them to happen.
"Black hair, about as long as yours. Eye color matching the hair. She's... endowed, very curvy. Hourglass." He nods to himself, while trying to recall what he could remember about her.
"She's wearing a dark blue dress, with a silver overskirt... The silver bracelet on the left wrist, the one that connects Squall's collar to her. She's wearing a gold choker, a medallion hanging from it. A name is on the medallion, but its not hers."
A pause. "Looked like it said Hyne in some odd language."
Matron was frowning thoughtfully, till he mentioned the choker.
"It couldn't..." She whispered to herself, but he heard her.
"Couldn't what?" She set her cup of tea down again, looking into the brown liquid as she spoke.
"Aislinn." He frowned, the name having no meaning to him.
"She was a consort of Hyne, before the people rebelled against him. You've heard of the story, how his body was cleaved in half. He did retain the more powerful half; the magic he left behind was split into many pieces, settling into those who become Sorceress. Many think we're a descent of Hyne, but we are descended from his magic - not his blood."
He frowned, listening. He'd never paid much attention to myths and legends while in school, not a believer in fate. But as of the past year, he'd learned that fate played a *huge* part in everyone's lives.
"Aislinn had a power of her own, a gift from Hyne. She was able to create dreams, or go into the dreams of others. However, unlike his other two consorts, she sided with the humans, using her power to help them defeat him. Of course, in a way - he still won... And she was punished."
Edea's eyes glanced upward, seeing Squall leaning against the doorway. Irvine smiled slightly, leaning back in his chair. He felt better when Squall was around.
"She was forced to become a dream herself, remembered only by those who knew the myth, and those with magic within them. A few humans know of her, and all of the sorceresses did as well. There would only be one way that she'd be able to create dreams again, or become human..."
For some reason, Irvine's stomach clenched at those words.
"A Sorcerer's blood would break the spell."
Irvine winced at Squall's grip tightened on his shoulder. However, as if hearing a mental yelp, Squall's fingers relaxed.
"Is there no way to stop her?"
Edea sighed, shrugging slightly. "I'll see what I can find... But since none of us believed there would be a Sorcerer... I don't know. You may have to go to Odine for help. He knows her."
"But if we go to him, then he'll know that Irvine's...."
Irvine placed his hand over Squall's. "Then he must know. I don't want that dream to come true, Squall. I'm willing to do whatever it takes."
Irvine glanced up, his eyes meeting those of his lover. Worry was etched into those stormy orbs. He was remembering what had happened with Rinoa. And he was not about to risk Irvine to Odine.
"Very well. I'll call Laguna. But I'm not leaving you alone for even a second with that collared freak of a doctor."
"Squall..." Edea picked up her cup. A sheepish look crossed over the Commander's face, even after this time, she just had to say his name to reprimand him. Irvine chuckled slightly.
As they left, Irvine took one last look at the stone cottage. He wished for a moment that he were still a child, able to run through the flower field and along the beach as he wished. With no thoughts about tomorrow, no care other then Matron getting after him.
When she stood at the doorway and waved, a lump grew in his throat. She'd been that way after each child... After each of them had left, standing in the doorway and waving till they could no longer see her.
Irvine remembered standing next to her, until it had been his turn to go. And he knew, the moment she had disappeared from sight, his world would never be the same again.
---
A/N - Takes place after "Neon Moon", I got the idea after replaying FF8. Remember the old man talking to the little girl in Balamb? (the house next to Zell's) I was planning on doing a second part for Irvine and Squall, but hopefully this is a new twist to the "guy gets the gift" tale.
Let me know if I should cvontinue, or whatnot.
Disclaimer: Characters are copyright Square, except for Aislinn.