Final Fantasy VIII: Dreamers

Author: The Notorious Naurwen

Chapter 8: Darkness and Dreamless

Disclaimer/ Author's Notes: Only own the kids. There will be a slight crossover in this chapter, as in those to come. Oh! And the 'Dreamers' thing comes together partly in this chapter, also! ^_^

The room was pitch black. Tempest couldn't see anything around her. Her clunky combat boots clicked against the seemingly invisible floor. The farther she walked the more worried she grew until finally she stopped walking all together. The cold air enveloping her suddenly became faintly warmer and in the distance, she could see a pale pink light. Tempest decided to walk towards it since the nothingness gave her a bad feeling and she wanted away from it. As Tempest came closer and closer, the pale light grew bigger and bigger, until it finally took the form of a woman.

She had long, brunette hair that she wore in a thick braid. Her long, pastel pink dress and red jacket complimented her soft features and kind green eyes. Her voice was as pleasant and soothing as her sudden appearance in the dark void.

"Hello, Tempest." She smiled as she said this, tilting her head to the side.

"How do you know my name?" Tempest asked, placing her hand on her hip and looking at the woman curiously.

She laughed a soft laugh. "Everyone in this world knows your name. Just as everyone in my world does." She paused when she saw the confused look on Tempest's face and laughed again. "You're a Dreamer."

"Who are you?" Tempest demanded, sick of not getting any straight answers. "And what is a 'Dreamer'?"

"My name is Aeris. I'm a also a Dreamer." The woman replied, walking away and indicating for Tempest to follow.

"But what IS a Dreamer?" Tempest asked, baffled.

"Tell me," Aeris said, looking at the younger girl walking besides her, "have you noticed something that makes you different? Something that sets you apart?"

"I suppose so. I mean I never got along that well with kids when I was younger. Hyne, I don't get along with kids that well now." Tempest answered.

Aeris shook her head. "No, I mean, something special. Something that very few people have."

"Someone is after me. A sorceress. And no one has any idea why." Tempest said. "Is that what you mean?"

Aeris smiled and let out a slight giggle. "Something like that." She replied.

"Do you know why she's after me?" Tempest asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No." Aeris said a little primly. "But you do. In your heart, you know." Aeris smiled and pointed to a portal in the distance. "We're almost back to your world. After that, I must go back to mine. You'll be visited by other Dreamers before we meet again." She leaned over and whispered in Tempest's ear. "There's more of your mother in you than you think." She giggled at Tempest's puzzled face again. "Loosen up!" She said, smiling. Tempest nodded, even though she really wanted to roll her eyes and jumped through the portal.

~*~*~*~*~

Tempest woke up in cold sweat and swallowed hard. "What a weird dream," she said allowed, "what a really weird dream."

~*~*~*~*~

Maverick tossed and turned in her bed, mumbling incoherent words and groaning as if she were in pain. Suddenly, she shot up into a sitting a position and got out of her bed. She grabbed her gunblade and began walking towards Tempest's dorm like in a trance. Her eyes were hollow and vacant- the eyes of someone who has had their dreams taken away.

~*~*~*~*~

Hard pounding on her dorm door yanked Tempest away from her thoughts. She got out of bed and opened the door. The second it was opened, Tempest was shoved roughly to ground and the tip of a gunblade placed to her throat. Tempest squinted in the darkness, trying to see her attacker clearly. All she could make out was long hair and a pajama set.

"Who are you?" Tempest asked, shaken.

"Tempest Leonhart must die." Came the reply from the distinct voice of Maverick Almasy. It was hollow and void of any emoution, which was completely different from her usual confident tone. Tempest's worst fear had come true: Maverick had lost her dreams.

~*~*~*~

Seraph giggled wickedly with happiness at the sight in her floating crystal orb. Her wishes were coming true and Tempest's life was now in danger. "I can almost smell her fear!" She said in between laughs. "It'll all be over in a matter of seconds! And I shall receive Tempest's powers!"

~*~*~*~

"Maverick . . . this is not you . . . please, if there is at least part of you still in control, listen to me. You can fight this sorceress. She has no power over you if you believe she doesn't." Tempest said, swallowing her fear and pride in one gulp. Maverick's eyes flashed in the dim light.

Maverick released her hold on Tempest and turned on the lights. "You should go to your father . . . It's not safe here . . . " Maverick said shakily. Tempest paused and looked at her questioningly. "Go!" Maverick shouted, her eyes slowly becoming hollow again.

Tempest ran out of the room in a panic to the Headmaster's office.

~*~*~*~

"I can't believe it!" Seraph shouted, clearly irate. "My spell is faltering already! I am so weak!" Tears began to form in her bottle green eyes. "Mother . . . Father. . . why am I so weak?"

Author's Notes: Yay! Another chapter! And the plot thickens! ^_^