Chapter Five: Dreamrippers
Tryphaena was in her room, sitting on her bed with her long legs tucked under her. Medusa slithered around her hips, hissing musingly. The curtains were pulled, blocking out the moonlight. "We haven't found her yet," Tryphaena purred. "But she will show up sooner or later. And for the moment I'll settle for a little indirect torture." She smirked in the darkness. "I wonder how long it's been since the little sparrow's had her dreams ripped." She rose her hands into the air, betwixt them procured a sphere of black light that hung independently in the air. Her violet eyes glowed, her slender fingers making tiny flimsy gestures around the sphere. The black sphere grew larger, and Tryphaena concentrated on Laurena. She concentrated on her face in her mind, so pretty it was disgusting. She willed her mental self to enter the dreamworld, and Laurena's mind, wherever she was. The black sphere began to alight, swirling with the images of Laurena's dreams. She entered one she was currently having, and Tryphaena was very surprised to find she was in the Alcauld Plains on a bright summer day, but even more surprised to find the image of a very familiar man in a beige trenchcoat and cowboy hat. "My, my...what have we here...?"
~~~~~~~~~~~
Laurena was flying. She was in the bright blue sky, her bright white wings dipping over the air currents. When she cried with joy, her voice rang out in musical chirps. She was a white sparrow. She spun in and out of the clouds, singing cheerily, her soul exploding with exultation. Then far below, she spotted a man in a trenchcoat and hat, lying in the field and looking up at the sky. "Irvine!" She swooped down and caught his attention with her birdsong, flitting merrily around him. He smiled and held out his hand. She landed upon it, singing of her love and happiness. He couldn't understand the beautiful language, but smiled all the same and watched as she flew up into the clouds again. But something happened. The clouds were turning a boiling black around her, the sun faded away. The air became cold and bitter to breathe. ::Laurie:: She chirped in alarm, hearing the deep voice in the air and her dreaded nickname. She swooped out of the clouds, only to see flocks of glistening black hawks swarming about, slashing at her with their talons. She dodged the deadly blades and flew from them, trying to fly to Irvine. ::Laurie:: The wind was blowing at a hurricane force, tossing her small bird body about. She bore the savage wind to reach Irvine, who was standing now, looking up at her. And he was not alone. Tryphaena and Sorceress Ultimecia stood behind him. ::Laurie:: "Irvine--" she gasped, only sounding out in frightened chirps. "Irvine--" She was suddenly alarmed by Irvine's dark smile, as he raised his rifle in one hand and fired. "AAWWK!" The pain was so real, so burning. A bloody hole pierced her left wing. ::Does it hurt, Laurie?:: He fired again and hit her right wing. The blood gushed, crimson against the white feathers. ::You're going to die, Laurie:: Once more he fired, sending a silver bullet spearing through Laurena's sparrow chest. ::Good-bye, Laurie:: The pain was unbearable and Laurena screamed as she fell. She hit the ground hard, feeling the life fluid gushing from her fragile body as she writhed in pain, her eyes blurring. She saw Tryphaena's pet cobra Medusa slink up to her and lunge forward, swallowing her bleeding body whole. Everything went black. But Laurena still screamed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Irvine awoke with a start, for what reason he didn't know. The air was quiet and serene, the crickets chirped softly in the bushes. Everything was peaceful. "Hmmm...Irvine..." Irvine pulled up his hat and found with surprise and deep comfort that Laurena laid beside him, snuggled up against his chest, murmuring his name. There was a look of calm happiness on her face, her eyebrows still and relaxed. He smiled tiredly and held her closer. She was such an angel, he thought. So beautiful...so gentle...he stroked her silky hair, having relish for its softness. It would be so easy, here, under the opal moonlight, under the silver stars, with Laurena wrapped in his arms, sleeping as peacefully as an infant; it would be so easy to just... Fall in love with her. "Hm...no..." "Huh?" Her body suddenly tensed against him, and she murmured in her sleep. He looked at her face again. Now it was troubled, no longer the peaceful expression from before. "No..." her murmurs became louder, her head shaking. "Laurena?" he said her name. Was she having a nightmare? But she wouldn't wake up for him. Instead she began to tremble in his grasp, her fingers digging into his shirt. Her breathing became erratic, frightened. "Irvine--" she gasped loudly, moaning as she strained against an invisible force. "Irvine--!" "Laurena, wake up! You're having a nightmare, wake up!" he cried, shaking her. But she wouldn't wake up. She was somehow trapped in her terror. Her legs began to kick and her arms flailed as she whimpered and moaned, her face contorted in fear. Then suddenly she let out a high pitched scream of pain. "Aaaaaaaaaaah!" "Laurena!" Her one arm went somewhat limp, twitching as her other one still flailed. She hit him in the face, knocking him away. She screamed shrilly again, both her arms went limp. "IRVINE, NO!!!" She screamed, shaking uncontrollably. She reeled backward suddenly and from her throat came a bloodcurdling scream that hurt Irvine's ears and pierced his soul. He lunged for her and grabbed her bodily, pinning her to the ground with his own body so she couldn't move. She was screaming and crying endlessly now, her beautiful face having a look of extreme pain and agony. "LAURENA!!!" he shouted at her face. "WAKE UP!" Her eyes snapped open wide like saucers, her long scream trailing off into silence. She struggled, not knowing where she was, much less the man lying on top of her. She cried in fear, trying to kick and punch at him but she couldn't move. "Shh, shh," he hushed. "It's me! Just me." Slowly her struggles ceased and her throat made no noise. She stared at him, then looked around at the clearing. Her irises were like shards of cracked green ice, filled with fear as Irvine had never seen. Then, staring at him again, she whispered, "Irvine." "Yeah, Laurena. It's me. Irvine. Ya had a nightmare, darlin'." His own breath panted, a rivulet of blood coming from the corner of his lip from when she'd whacked him. Her eyes were on his split lip and she understood what had happened. With a gasping breath, she broke down into sobs, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I-I'm s-so sorr-ry," she sobbed. Irvine sat up, pulling her up with him and holding her close. "S'okay, Laurena. Don't be scared." She whimpered, still trembling with fear. "Tell me all about it, Laurena." She couldn't speak, she could only sob quietly. "Laurena..." Laurena lowered her head, sobbing into his shirt. He felt the dampness soaking through to his bare skin but he didn't care. "Laurena," he coaxed, smoothing her hair with his hands. "It was only a nightmare. Ah, darlin' you know I'd never hurt you..." "But it was all so real..." "But it wasn't." He opened up his trenchcoat and wrapped it around her and him, still holding her tightly. "Dreams are just that. Dreams." "You don't understand. It was Tryphaena. She ripped my dream. She ripped it." "What?" "That's a Gift of the Dark Sirens. They are all born as what they call Dreamrippers." She clenched onto his shirt, still afraid. "It's one of their most prized methods of torture. They seek out your mind when you're asleep and invade your dreams. And then they rip them." She gasped back a sob. "They turn them into nightmares. And they don't let you wake up until they want you to. She doesn't care how long it takes to capture me. She'll always find me in my dreams." "Laurena..." he tried to soothe her, tried to comfort her but she was beyond the reach of comfort. Her eyes shut tightly and her slender body trembling against him, she was inconsolably devastated. And it seemed there was nothing he could do about it. It made _him_ want to cry. "Please don't cry. Don't cry. Go to sleep." "But she'll come back..." "No she won't. Not while I'm here," he said decisively, protectively. "So just go to sleep." Irvine felt as she tried to relax, still trembling but nuzzling into his chest again, holding a bit more tightly than before. "I'll try, Irvine." "You do that." ~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was far past midnight now. Laurena slept soundly, but her breath still spoke of tears, her face no longer peaceful but wary and worn. Irvine was still awake. How could he go to sleep after what had happened? What if Laurena woke up again afraid? Even now he could tell her sleep was troubled. He had to stay awake. He licked his bottom lip, feeling the sting and taste of blood again. She hadn't meant it, but she felt so bad about it and apologized over and over, only to be silenced by his fingers on her lips. Hyne, she had been so scared. He'd seen people that scared before--but only if they were up against a whole pack of male T-Rexaurs. She'd been terrified to that extent by a mere nightmare. He had tried to hold inside his feelings for Laurena. But he was a very emotional person. If he was in love, he needed to express it. But he'd suppressed his flirtatious nature so that Laurena wouldn't feel uncomfortable. But was he in love? He looked down at Laurena's face. She was so pale now, in the moonlight. But still so beautiful. Maybe he did love her. But was it really a sin if he did? Laurena needed someone to protect her. Someone to make her understand that she deserved to feel the sunlight. She deserved to feel wanted, loved. He had a strong feeling she didn't know that. Someone had to let her know. "You don't gotta be afraid no more," he whispered to her face. "I'll protect ya from those Sirens, Laurena. They won't be able to touch a hair on your pretty head. No one will hurt ya anymore. I promise." She stirred subconsciously but said nothing. He held her close, breathing in the fragrance of her hair. Her hair smelled like fresh strawberries. He felt her breathing shakily but sure. To hear her breathe through her slightly parted lips was music in his ears. He fell asleep to that music, under the moonlight and hint of dawn. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Seifer Almasy awoke suddenly in his bed, in a cold sweat, crying out. He was a lot thinner and paler than he was before Lunatic Pandora, and his attitude had changed drastically. The circles under his eyes were dark with fatigue and weakness. A slender figure opened the door to his room, and turned on the light. Quistis lived in the dorm right next to Seifer's, and for the past few weeks had been disturbed and moved to sympathy by Seifer's nightmares and fear of them. "Another nightmare, Seifer? I heard you screaming." She rushed over and sat down on his bed, dressed in her light pink nightgown, her hair let loose and flowing down her shoulders. She took his hand as he started to tremble. "What was it this time?" Seifer took a few moments to catch his breath. "It was some scary shit, Quistis. Ultimecia was there--" "Oh no, not again! What did she do to you this time?" He swallowed. "Nothing. She was just standing there. But there was also this Egyptian chick and that Irvine guy, the guy with the gun? They were there and the sky suddenly turned black and the air was filled with black hawks...but there was this one small white bird...a sparrow I think, and it tried to fly near them but Irvine raised his gun and blew its wings and chest to pieces. It hit the ground and it was still alive and this cobra came up and ate it whole. It was chirping and screeching and all I could do was watch..."
A/N: Now this is grade A sap, don't you think? But hey, you wanted more romance...you got it! Are you wondering why Seifer's sharing Laurena's dream yet? You think this is bad, the next couple of chapters will show you how low I can go! Please review!
Tryphaena was in her room, sitting on her bed with her long legs tucked under her. Medusa slithered around her hips, hissing musingly. The curtains were pulled, blocking out the moonlight. "We haven't found her yet," Tryphaena purred. "But she will show up sooner or later. And for the moment I'll settle for a little indirect torture." She smirked in the darkness. "I wonder how long it's been since the little sparrow's had her dreams ripped." She rose her hands into the air, betwixt them procured a sphere of black light that hung independently in the air. Her violet eyes glowed, her slender fingers making tiny flimsy gestures around the sphere. The black sphere grew larger, and Tryphaena concentrated on Laurena. She concentrated on her face in her mind, so pretty it was disgusting. She willed her mental self to enter the dreamworld, and Laurena's mind, wherever she was. The black sphere began to alight, swirling with the images of Laurena's dreams. She entered one she was currently having, and Tryphaena was very surprised to find she was in the Alcauld Plains on a bright summer day, but even more surprised to find the image of a very familiar man in a beige trenchcoat and cowboy hat. "My, my...what have we here...?"
~~~~~~~~~~~
Laurena was flying. She was in the bright blue sky, her bright white wings dipping over the air currents. When she cried with joy, her voice rang out in musical chirps. She was a white sparrow. She spun in and out of the clouds, singing cheerily, her soul exploding with exultation. Then far below, she spotted a man in a trenchcoat and hat, lying in the field and looking up at the sky. "Irvine!" She swooped down and caught his attention with her birdsong, flitting merrily around him. He smiled and held out his hand. She landed upon it, singing of her love and happiness. He couldn't understand the beautiful language, but smiled all the same and watched as she flew up into the clouds again. But something happened. The clouds were turning a boiling black around her, the sun faded away. The air became cold and bitter to breathe. ::Laurie:: She chirped in alarm, hearing the deep voice in the air and her dreaded nickname. She swooped out of the clouds, only to see flocks of glistening black hawks swarming about, slashing at her with their talons. She dodged the deadly blades and flew from them, trying to fly to Irvine. ::Laurie:: The wind was blowing at a hurricane force, tossing her small bird body about. She bore the savage wind to reach Irvine, who was standing now, looking up at her. And he was not alone. Tryphaena and Sorceress Ultimecia stood behind him. ::Laurie:: "Irvine--" she gasped, only sounding out in frightened chirps. "Irvine--" She was suddenly alarmed by Irvine's dark smile, as he raised his rifle in one hand and fired. "AAWWK!" The pain was so real, so burning. A bloody hole pierced her left wing. ::Does it hurt, Laurie?:: He fired again and hit her right wing. The blood gushed, crimson against the white feathers. ::You're going to die, Laurie:: Once more he fired, sending a silver bullet spearing through Laurena's sparrow chest. ::Good-bye, Laurie:: The pain was unbearable and Laurena screamed as she fell. She hit the ground hard, feeling the life fluid gushing from her fragile body as she writhed in pain, her eyes blurring. She saw Tryphaena's pet cobra Medusa slink up to her and lunge forward, swallowing her bleeding body whole. Everything went black. But Laurena still screamed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Irvine awoke with a start, for what reason he didn't know. The air was quiet and serene, the crickets chirped softly in the bushes. Everything was peaceful. "Hmmm...Irvine..." Irvine pulled up his hat and found with surprise and deep comfort that Laurena laid beside him, snuggled up against his chest, murmuring his name. There was a look of calm happiness on her face, her eyebrows still and relaxed. He smiled tiredly and held her closer. She was such an angel, he thought. So beautiful...so gentle...he stroked her silky hair, having relish for its softness. It would be so easy, here, under the opal moonlight, under the silver stars, with Laurena wrapped in his arms, sleeping as peacefully as an infant; it would be so easy to just... Fall in love with her. "Hm...no..." "Huh?" Her body suddenly tensed against him, and she murmured in her sleep. He looked at her face again. Now it was troubled, no longer the peaceful expression from before. "No..." her murmurs became louder, her head shaking. "Laurena?" he said her name. Was she having a nightmare? But she wouldn't wake up for him. Instead she began to tremble in his grasp, her fingers digging into his shirt. Her breathing became erratic, frightened. "Irvine--" she gasped loudly, moaning as she strained against an invisible force. "Irvine--!" "Laurena, wake up! You're having a nightmare, wake up!" he cried, shaking her. But she wouldn't wake up. She was somehow trapped in her terror. Her legs began to kick and her arms flailed as she whimpered and moaned, her face contorted in fear. Then suddenly she let out a high pitched scream of pain. "Aaaaaaaaaaah!" "Laurena!" Her one arm went somewhat limp, twitching as her other one still flailed. She hit him in the face, knocking him away. She screamed shrilly again, both her arms went limp. "IRVINE, NO!!!" She screamed, shaking uncontrollably. She reeled backward suddenly and from her throat came a bloodcurdling scream that hurt Irvine's ears and pierced his soul. He lunged for her and grabbed her bodily, pinning her to the ground with his own body so she couldn't move. She was screaming and crying endlessly now, her beautiful face having a look of extreme pain and agony. "LAURENA!!!" he shouted at her face. "WAKE UP!" Her eyes snapped open wide like saucers, her long scream trailing off into silence. She struggled, not knowing where she was, much less the man lying on top of her. She cried in fear, trying to kick and punch at him but she couldn't move. "Shh, shh," he hushed. "It's me! Just me." Slowly her struggles ceased and her throat made no noise. She stared at him, then looked around at the clearing. Her irises were like shards of cracked green ice, filled with fear as Irvine had never seen. Then, staring at him again, she whispered, "Irvine." "Yeah, Laurena. It's me. Irvine. Ya had a nightmare, darlin'." His own breath panted, a rivulet of blood coming from the corner of his lip from when she'd whacked him. Her eyes were on his split lip and she understood what had happened. With a gasping breath, she broke down into sobs, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I-I'm s-so sorr-ry," she sobbed. Irvine sat up, pulling her up with him and holding her close. "S'okay, Laurena. Don't be scared." She whimpered, still trembling with fear. "Tell me all about it, Laurena." She couldn't speak, she could only sob quietly. "Laurena..." Laurena lowered her head, sobbing into his shirt. He felt the dampness soaking through to his bare skin but he didn't care. "Laurena," he coaxed, smoothing her hair with his hands. "It was only a nightmare. Ah, darlin' you know I'd never hurt you..." "But it was all so real..." "But it wasn't." He opened up his trenchcoat and wrapped it around her and him, still holding her tightly. "Dreams are just that. Dreams." "You don't understand. It was Tryphaena. She ripped my dream. She ripped it." "What?" "That's a Gift of the Dark Sirens. They are all born as what they call Dreamrippers." She clenched onto his shirt, still afraid. "It's one of their most prized methods of torture. They seek out your mind when you're asleep and invade your dreams. And then they rip them." She gasped back a sob. "They turn them into nightmares. And they don't let you wake up until they want you to. She doesn't care how long it takes to capture me. She'll always find me in my dreams." "Laurena..." he tried to soothe her, tried to comfort her but she was beyond the reach of comfort. Her eyes shut tightly and her slender body trembling against him, she was inconsolably devastated. And it seemed there was nothing he could do about it. It made _him_ want to cry. "Please don't cry. Don't cry. Go to sleep." "But she'll come back..." "No she won't. Not while I'm here," he said decisively, protectively. "So just go to sleep." Irvine felt as she tried to relax, still trembling but nuzzling into his chest again, holding a bit more tightly than before. "I'll try, Irvine." "You do that." ~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was far past midnight now. Laurena slept soundly, but her breath still spoke of tears, her face no longer peaceful but wary and worn. Irvine was still awake. How could he go to sleep after what had happened? What if Laurena woke up again afraid? Even now he could tell her sleep was troubled. He had to stay awake. He licked his bottom lip, feeling the sting and taste of blood again. She hadn't meant it, but she felt so bad about it and apologized over and over, only to be silenced by his fingers on her lips. Hyne, she had been so scared. He'd seen people that scared before--but only if they were up against a whole pack of male T-Rexaurs. She'd been terrified to that extent by a mere nightmare. He had tried to hold inside his feelings for Laurena. But he was a very emotional person. If he was in love, he needed to express it. But he'd suppressed his flirtatious nature so that Laurena wouldn't feel uncomfortable. But was he in love? He looked down at Laurena's face. She was so pale now, in the moonlight. But still so beautiful. Maybe he did love her. But was it really a sin if he did? Laurena needed someone to protect her. Someone to make her understand that she deserved to feel the sunlight. She deserved to feel wanted, loved. He had a strong feeling she didn't know that. Someone had to let her know. "You don't gotta be afraid no more," he whispered to her face. "I'll protect ya from those Sirens, Laurena. They won't be able to touch a hair on your pretty head. No one will hurt ya anymore. I promise." She stirred subconsciously but said nothing. He held her close, breathing in the fragrance of her hair. Her hair smelled like fresh strawberries. He felt her breathing shakily but sure. To hear her breathe through her slightly parted lips was music in his ears. He fell asleep to that music, under the moonlight and hint of dawn. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Seifer Almasy awoke suddenly in his bed, in a cold sweat, crying out. He was a lot thinner and paler than he was before Lunatic Pandora, and his attitude had changed drastically. The circles under his eyes were dark with fatigue and weakness. A slender figure opened the door to his room, and turned on the light. Quistis lived in the dorm right next to Seifer's, and for the past few weeks had been disturbed and moved to sympathy by Seifer's nightmares and fear of them. "Another nightmare, Seifer? I heard you screaming." She rushed over and sat down on his bed, dressed in her light pink nightgown, her hair let loose and flowing down her shoulders. She took his hand as he started to tremble. "What was it this time?" Seifer took a few moments to catch his breath. "It was some scary shit, Quistis. Ultimecia was there--" "Oh no, not again! What did she do to you this time?" He swallowed. "Nothing. She was just standing there. But there was also this Egyptian chick and that Irvine guy, the guy with the gun? They were there and the sky suddenly turned black and the air was filled with black hawks...but there was this one small white bird...a sparrow I think, and it tried to fly near them but Irvine raised his gun and blew its wings and chest to pieces. It hit the ground and it was still alive and this cobra came up and ate it whole. It was chirping and screeching and all I could do was watch..."
A/N: Now this is grade A sap, don't you think? But hey, you wanted more romance...you got it! Are you wondering why Seifer's sharing Laurena's dream yet? You think this is bad, the next couple of chapters will show you how low I can go! Please review!