M/N: I've been putting off posting this for so long...but, well.... here's another one from me. . . this might be kinda depressing at times and I'm sure that some of you might hate it and want to flame me, but please don't flame! I beg of you don't flame me . . . this is just how these events occurred. I just wrote them down. The events occurring in the first chapter will probably be confusing, but just to help you out, there are two POVs happening here . . . you just have to figure out who the other one is since you already know one of the girls is one of them.
Disclaimer: I don't own FF8 or any of the characters. I'm not making any money off of writing fanfics and if I was, I would definitely do more of them.
~*~*~*~ = change scene
'words in between these' = thoughts
Another note: I don't support a lot of the stuff that goes on in here. As I said before, I'm just the storyteller repeating the events as they occurred. Just thought I'd let ya know that! -.^
bChapter One: The Future (some assembly required)\b
i"Our tickets to the future are always blank." -Rem Saverem\i
It was a dark, cold night - as most nights are in stories like this - and there she sat. Her eyes wet from crying and empty with longing for something that was gone. Taken from her with such force and cruelty. Nothing could help her now. This was the end. She'd make sure it was.
~*~*~*~
A figure walked across the field towards the house. This was the only option. This was the only being the person could trust with this secret. No one else could know. Not even........ It was all too confusing and worrying and the figure dismissed the thought.
Tears rushed down the form's face as it neared its safe haven. The shape wiped the tears from its cheeks . . . it never cried, not on anything, and this was no exception. The house in front of it was fairly new, pretty drapes and shutters . . . like an out-of-the-way bungalow. There were flowers planted around the perimeter, a small grove of trees to the west and a lake to the east. The town lay far behind to the north. This house was at the edge of town. Secluded was good right now.
The figure reached the front door and hesitated knocking, seemingly judging what it was about to do. This was such a big decision. But it knocked anyway. "Just a minute," came a muffled voice from inside.
~*~*~*~
'Great, just what I need right now, company', she thought bitterly. She looked longingly at the object in her hand. Merely decorative, it had adorned a shelf atop her fireplace only for appearance's sake. At the top, a dragon with ruby-gemmed eyes ornamented the hilt. Vines of flowers with jeweled centers wrapped themselves around the rest, with one long strand coursing down the middle of it, ending at the razor-sharp point.
She murmured a 'Just a minute', sighed, and put the object back on her mantle. This task for today would just have to wait.
She collected herself, smoothed her hair, and went to the front door.
'Who would come by at this hour? All decent people should be asleep!' she grumbled to herself as she reached the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's me . . . let me come in!" She stopped. That voice. That achingly familiar voice.
"I-is that-?" her voice quivered.
"Yes it's me! You know who I am! Let me in!" the person on the other side cut in anxiously.
She opened up the door to find a dark, huddled person in a black parka and hood. The individual rushed in as the owner of the house shut the door quickly, as it had begun to rain. The dark figure shed the parka as it sat on the couch, revealing the person within.
"So it is you."
"Yes, it's me," the figure whispered after a long pause. Lightning illuminated the form for a brief moment, confirming its identity. After an even longer pause, the individual still wrapped in darkness spoke:
"I realize that. . . I realize that, being someone from your past, I'm not one of those whom you would most like to see at the moment."
"Bingo sunshine," the owner of the house deadpanned from her seat in the large armchair. "I always hated you for your happiness. I would think, 'Why can others be happy while I'm so miserable? Will no light shine on me in my gutter of despair?'" she said the last part bitterly cynical; a talent she had perfected over the last week or so.
The dark shadow-person across from her sighed, shaking its head. "I wondered what was wrong in those last few weeks." The person paused, as if giving the owner a chance to explain. None came. The being sighed again and continued exasperatedly. "I don't expect any friendliness towards me, on your part, but I'm trying so it would be nice if you could at least be civil to me!"
"Civil?!" the woman in the chair hissed venomously. "Civil? All right then, I'm listening. Go ahead." The woman folded her arms and stared fiercely at the person across from her.
"Thank you, even though I know you're still imagining murderous things about me." This comment escaped a chuckle from the angry form in the armchair.
All of a sudden, a small cry escaped from the dark figure's lap. Everything was dead silent save the pattering of rain on the roof.
"This is the reason I came," the shadow whispered and paused, trying to think of how to phrase the predicament.
The woman, now immensely interested, stepped over to the couch and sat beside her visitor.
"Is it a girl?"
"Yes."
"Are you, um, one of her parents or just the messenger?" the owner asked quietly.
"Of course she's my daughter!"
"Well then who's the other?" the woman asked, intrigued.
"Look at her . . . can't you tell?" the form murmured, handing the bundle over to the woman beside it.
The woman stared for a minute, then with a gasp, her wide eyes flew up to the person next to her.
"No! Not . . .?"
"Yes. It's true." The form paused for a minute or so before continuing.
"I know I can trust you explicitly, right?" the person continued cautiously.
The woman paused before carefully answering, "Yes."
"I have a favor to ask of you . . . and it's a large favor."
The woman holding the baby suspiciously eyed the person next to her. "Do I want to know where this is going?"
"I- well, iwe\i can't take care of her. She needs a home . . . that's something we can't give her. We'd always be away on missions . . . endangering our lives. We wouldn't be good parents . . . but you . . . you could-"
The figure was cut off by the person beside it.
"No! I can't believe I'm even having this conversation! You want to give up your baby?! That's unheard of! How can you even think of it! I can't believe y-"
The woman stopped abruptly at the sound of the baby whimpering slightly. Although it only shifted positions, the two figures on the couch were rigid with apprehension. When all was silent, they let out a breath they had been holding. The woman holding the baby started to say something before the person beside her began.
"Before you reject this completely, just give it a little thought, ya know? We really wouldn't be good parents. . . I mean, our situation is complicated enough as it is . . . can't you help us out?"
"I-I don't know what to tell you . . . it's all so sudden . . . and this is isuch\i a big decision. . . I mean, this is your idaughter\i . . . you'd actually sacrifice seeing your own ichild\i grow up, learn, live. . . I would think you'd do anything to keep her."
"We have no choice . . . no one else knows. . . I ihad\i to bring her to you! It was either here or the Orphanage and I didn't think Edea would approve of any of this . . . she's so strong in her beliefs. . ."
"Yeah, I know. . . Edea never wavered in anything like that . . . always felt so sorry for us all. . ."
"So," the figure paused, "will you help me?"
The woman beside the form on the couch sat silently for a while, just looking at the baby in her arms. She had always wanted a baby. It had always been one of her goals to achieve in the future. Settle down, have some kids, keep a spotless house . . . the perfect housewife. Just like in the storybooks.
Yes, she wanted the perfect life . . . but so far, it was pretty screwed up. She had her chance now to have one of the things she'd always wanted: a baby. A baby to love and cuddle and teach and watch grow up . . . and that would love her back.
"What's her name?" the woman asked, still pondering.
"I like the name Naia. But I'm lost on a middle name," the figure replied.
'Huh, Naia . . . how appropriate,' the woman thought. Naia meant 'decide' in some ancient language. The woman again looked at the little bundle in her arms. So small . . . and so beautiful.
"I-I think there might be a problem with her though. . . I figure that you know more about this than I do. She won't breast-feed. . we've tried almost everything . . . she just doesn't know how or she doesn't like our milk. We've resorted to store bought. It's the only thing she'll drink. . ." the figure faded off.
"I think she's fine. . ." the woman said. "But are you sure about this? I mean, would you come and see her? Would you just never let her remember you?"
"I think I want it to feel like you're adopting her . . . actually you would be. I would give you everything of hers, all the papers, everything. She would be yours."
There was a long pause. It stretched on for quite a while. The two figures sat and listened to the rain beat on the windows while thinking hard about the decisions ahead. Whichever way they chose would be life-altering.
"How long do I have to decide?" the woman asked, still unsure.
"It would be easier for you to choose tonight. I am expected back where I'm staying."
"Well then tell me how this came about so I can understand what you're dealing with," the woman sighed.
The figure explained its tale while the woman beside it listened intently. It was quite bemusing how intertwined their stories were, but the woman didn't tell the figure that.
After another long pause the figure asked anxiously, "So, will you do this for me?"
~*~*~*~
M/N: Heh, thought I'd leave a bit of a mystery there. Is it good? OK? Should I send it to story heaven and let it die peacefully? Well, you see, below is a magic button you can press that will help me with all my questions. . . it will also gain you my love forever if you press it and say a few words about this story you just read. -.^ OK then, also, the first person to tell me from what show the quote at the beginning of the chapter came from, I'll tell you a clue to the story, or something.
Thank you soooooo much! Also, if you have any theories you'd like to share personally, email me and put in the subject line that you're from FF.net and that I shouldn't delete it. Thanks again!