Disclaimer: dont own FF8
Chapter 11
Their thin and graceful frames leapt and twirled in the fire's light as the music continued to play. The children watched them and many other women joined in the dance. The men were not able to do this one because of the many things it required of the dancers. The fire glinted off their coffee colored skin and their bracelets joined in on the tune. The younger sister's chestnut hair swirled around her as an image began to take shape in the flames. The firelight played with the ebony locks of her older sister and created the illusion that they were dancing among the flames. The music continued to grow louder and louder as the images of birds grew in the flames. The images became real and tiny fire birds flew from their home and swirled about the dancers and musicians and spectators.
The sisters continued to dance and swirl around the flames that licked at them as the music continued. The musicians were not surprised by this happening. It had happened many times before. A pair of gray eyes watched them from the edge of the light as a pair of golden eyes watched from the roof of a house. It would be very soon that the two sisters would have to leave the island and head to the gray area. There was no doubt that they didn't know why they were going even if it was clear to everyone else. Those two could call the great spirits from their homes and ask them to do great or horrible things. The darkness and the light wanted them to join their sides. No matter what. And it was their job to protect them from whoever tried to hurt them.
Squall's breath brushed against her neck as he fell asleep, the story still ringing in his ears. Lony's fingers brushed through his hair one last time before she laid him back on the bed. Irvine was also starting to fall asleep she noticed and Star had already curled up next to Squall and was sleeping soundly. Lony swept the glass off the bed and into the trash, ignoring the pieces that sliced into her skin, and pulled the covers around Squall and Star. She shook Irvine a bit and left the room. Irvine soon followed and the sound of arguing died down considerably once she entered the room.
"How is he?" May asked quietly.
"He's asleep. So is Star," May nodded and turned to Seifer.
"That gun was in her night stand drawer for protection," she said. "There have been a recent string of robberies in this neighborhood and we'd like to feel protected." Lony sighed and walked into the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator door and pulled out a bottle of water. The setting sun cast a rainbow of colors across the sky as she walked out onto the porch. The darkness seemed so far away. The breeze was cleared of the heavy anxiety that the rest of the world was feeling. The scent of smoke did not linger in the air nor brush against her skin and the icy feeling in her gut had left for a short time but was slowly making it's way back to her. She could feel the breeze combing her hair softly and the sun's portrait of colors soothed her. The darkness was being held back but it wouldn't be long before it was released upon the world once more.
Mountains near the Shumi Village
Shumi blood was as vile tasting as the fiends that he had once encountered along these fields. Now, not one fiend approached his slowly moving form. A dark smirk twisted the demon's lips as he continued forward, towards the city of life where the Lion now resided after that rain drenched night. He had already sent many of the people that he had taken to his side to that city. He heard that there were sweet tasting children there⦠many sweet tasting children. He shivered as the thought flittered through his dusty head and reached Her. He could feel Her pleasure at the thought of the young ones' ambrosia filling her throat and burning away the lust. He sighed in pleasure as that thought filled his throat with the very taste of it. He couldn't wait for that day when he arrived. The town would be covered by darkness and the people wouldn't even notice.
The Lion, The Hawk and The Knight could do nothing to stop him and his followers as they drained the area of ambrosia. It would also be a sweet time to spill some of their blood into the dry canteen that was about his neck. He sighed forlornly as the sun began to rise on this half of the world. On the other it was merely night fall. The dawn's light painted the sky with dark hues of blue gradually fading to a light sky blue tinted with yellow as the sun began its assent into the silken blanket of sky that he wished would fall and reveal the darkness that lay beneath it. But, alas, it would not happen this day. No on this day he would feast upon a small village at the base of the mountains. It appeared that they too had children here. He licked his lips and entered the town.
Sunlight danced into the room through the filter of trees by the window. The little hole in the glass let the wind flitter through and play with his hair. The little Moomba beside him stirred slightly and caused him to awaken. His blue gray eyes fluttered open slowly and he narrowed his eyes against the assault. The breeze wafted in and brought the fresh scent of the outside world to him. His body refused to move and get up but the sound of kids yelling and having fun made his protesting body move and get dressed. Limbs moved slowly in the morning haze and slowly brought him to the living room. The room was empty. He frowned slightly but shrugged and went into the kitchen. The sliding glass door was open and let the breeze flow through the room. Star ran passed him and out the door as the kids' laughter floated in on the breeze.
Tired muscles protested the movement as he trekked across the tiled floor to the door and peered outside. Kids were running around shrieking with laughter as two men chased them playfully. One of them had a cowboy hat while the other, the blonde one was playing cards with the kids at a picnic table set out in the massive back yard. May was curled up on a swing playing a board game with two of children while Lony was no where to be seen. Squall frowned faintly and stepped outside. One of the kids that the cowboy was chasing ran over to him and gripped his hand, chirping a sunny good morning at him. He smiled down at the girl and ruffled her hair giving her a quiet greeting as well. The blonde glanced up at him then back to the card game as one of the kids at the table claimed that it was his turn. Squall moved to the swing that May was comfortably curled up on and sat down at the other end. May moved and puts her head on his shoulder.
"Sleep well?" she asked quietly. He bit his lip a bit and nodded faintly. In truth he hadn't slept that well at all. May pointed a finger at the blonde playing cards and apparently loosing.
"That's Seifer and the one with the cowboy hat is Irvine," she said. He nodded slightly and chewed his lip thoughtfully. The name's sounded awfully familiar⦠he pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind and refused to acknowledge them. Something was plopped onto his head and he tried to move it so he could look up but all he could move was his eyes and his bangs blocked most of his vision.
"You must act like a kitty now," Lony said from above him. He blinked and looked up at her confused. She moved something on his head and he realized that it was a head band with cat ears on it. May pulled it off his head and put it on Lony's.
"Wrong," she said. "You must act like a kitty now," Lony blinked at her then bounced off the porch to chase a small group of kids playing in the sandbox. Squall blinked confused. He could tell that Seifer was confused as well and so was Irvine. May laughed lightly at their confused faces as the other kids abandoned their games to run around and chase Lony.
"It's this old game that we made up a while ago," May started to explain. "What would happen is we would get these headbands with different animal ears or something on it and the person wearing them would have to act like that animal. Lony's the best at it so she usually gets stuck playing the game though I don't think she minds that much anymore." Squall nodded slightly and watched as Lony chased the kids around. Irvine walked up onto the porch and sat down in front of the swing.
"Those kids must eat sugar for breakfast or something," he said. May chuckled slightly and snatched Irvine's cowboy hat off his head.
"Hey!!" he yelled. Squall frowned slightly as he tried to push the image of a seven year old Irvine chasing a little girl who had a huge cowboy on her head. They were kicking up sand as they ran down the beach while three other kids were laughing. He smelled fire again and shoved the image away. He stood and went back into the house, ignoring Irvine and May's concerned looks. His feet stopped moving and he turned his up to peer at the mural painted on the kitchen wall. The waves crashed up against the cliff rocks while more gentle waves lapped at the sand on the beach. The sun painted the sky and the waters with varying shades of orange, red, yellow, and as the sky grew darker, velvety blue and purple.
He could see another sunset like this one, only different. There was a house up on the hill from the little beach and rocks protruded from the sands. A lighthouse stood on the cliff about a mile away while stone steps led up to the house from the beach. The little house was cozy and big enough for six children and two adults to stay inside on the coldest winter days. There were mats laid out on the cool grass of the back yard, ready for stubborn five, six, seven and eight year olds to take their afternoon naps after lunch. A few toys were strewn about the beach during the day while a chair with an umbrella over it was set up for a young woman to sit in and watch the children play once her chores were done. A van pulled up with people once every few months with prospective parents inside, eager to look at the children and see if any of them would be perfect for them. The cool ocean waters always lapped at his feet when he stood near the edge. He looked out at the waters and felt safe and content. He fell back onto the sand and let the waters rush up to run their cool fingers through his hair and brush against his skin. He didn't even feel the crack of pain that laced through him when his head collided with the tile floor.
Chapter 11
Their thin and graceful frames leapt and twirled in the fire's light as the music continued to play. The children watched them and many other women joined in the dance. The men were not able to do this one because of the many things it required of the dancers. The fire glinted off their coffee colored skin and their bracelets joined in on the tune. The younger sister's chestnut hair swirled around her as an image began to take shape in the flames. The firelight played with the ebony locks of her older sister and created the illusion that they were dancing among the flames. The music continued to grow louder and louder as the images of birds grew in the flames. The images became real and tiny fire birds flew from their home and swirled about the dancers and musicians and spectators.
The sisters continued to dance and swirl around the flames that licked at them as the music continued. The musicians were not surprised by this happening. It had happened many times before. A pair of gray eyes watched them from the edge of the light as a pair of golden eyes watched from the roof of a house. It would be very soon that the two sisters would have to leave the island and head to the gray area. There was no doubt that they didn't know why they were going even if it was clear to everyone else. Those two could call the great spirits from their homes and ask them to do great or horrible things. The darkness and the light wanted them to join their sides. No matter what. And it was their job to protect them from whoever tried to hurt them.
Squall's breath brushed against her neck as he fell asleep, the story still ringing in his ears. Lony's fingers brushed through his hair one last time before she laid him back on the bed. Irvine was also starting to fall asleep she noticed and Star had already curled up next to Squall and was sleeping soundly. Lony swept the glass off the bed and into the trash, ignoring the pieces that sliced into her skin, and pulled the covers around Squall and Star. She shook Irvine a bit and left the room. Irvine soon followed and the sound of arguing died down considerably once she entered the room.
"How is he?" May asked quietly.
"He's asleep. So is Star," May nodded and turned to Seifer.
"That gun was in her night stand drawer for protection," she said. "There have been a recent string of robberies in this neighborhood and we'd like to feel protected." Lony sighed and walked into the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator door and pulled out a bottle of water. The setting sun cast a rainbow of colors across the sky as she walked out onto the porch. The darkness seemed so far away. The breeze was cleared of the heavy anxiety that the rest of the world was feeling. The scent of smoke did not linger in the air nor brush against her skin and the icy feeling in her gut had left for a short time but was slowly making it's way back to her. She could feel the breeze combing her hair softly and the sun's portrait of colors soothed her. The darkness was being held back but it wouldn't be long before it was released upon the world once more.
Mountains near the Shumi Village
Shumi blood was as vile tasting as the fiends that he had once encountered along these fields. Now, not one fiend approached his slowly moving form. A dark smirk twisted the demon's lips as he continued forward, towards the city of life where the Lion now resided after that rain drenched night. He had already sent many of the people that he had taken to his side to that city. He heard that there were sweet tasting children there⦠many sweet tasting children. He shivered as the thought flittered through his dusty head and reached Her. He could feel Her pleasure at the thought of the young ones' ambrosia filling her throat and burning away the lust. He sighed in pleasure as that thought filled his throat with the very taste of it. He couldn't wait for that day when he arrived. The town would be covered by darkness and the people wouldn't even notice.
The Lion, The Hawk and The Knight could do nothing to stop him and his followers as they drained the area of ambrosia. It would also be a sweet time to spill some of their blood into the dry canteen that was about his neck. He sighed forlornly as the sun began to rise on this half of the world. On the other it was merely night fall. The dawn's light painted the sky with dark hues of blue gradually fading to a light sky blue tinted with yellow as the sun began its assent into the silken blanket of sky that he wished would fall and reveal the darkness that lay beneath it. But, alas, it would not happen this day. No on this day he would feast upon a small village at the base of the mountains. It appeared that they too had children here. He licked his lips and entered the town.
Sunlight danced into the room through the filter of trees by the window. The little hole in the glass let the wind flitter through and play with his hair. The little Moomba beside him stirred slightly and caused him to awaken. His blue gray eyes fluttered open slowly and he narrowed his eyes against the assault. The breeze wafted in and brought the fresh scent of the outside world to him. His body refused to move and get up but the sound of kids yelling and having fun made his protesting body move and get dressed. Limbs moved slowly in the morning haze and slowly brought him to the living room. The room was empty. He frowned slightly but shrugged and went into the kitchen. The sliding glass door was open and let the breeze flow through the room. Star ran passed him and out the door as the kids' laughter floated in on the breeze.
Tired muscles protested the movement as he trekked across the tiled floor to the door and peered outside. Kids were running around shrieking with laughter as two men chased them playfully. One of them had a cowboy hat while the other, the blonde one was playing cards with the kids at a picnic table set out in the massive back yard. May was curled up on a swing playing a board game with two of children while Lony was no where to be seen. Squall frowned faintly and stepped outside. One of the kids that the cowboy was chasing ran over to him and gripped his hand, chirping a sunny good morning at him. He smiled down at the girl and ruffled her hair giving her a quiet greeting as well. The blonde glanced up at him then back to the card game as one of the kids at the table claimed that it was his turn. Squall moved to the swing that May was comfortably curled up on and sat down at the other end. May moved and puts her head on his shoulder.
"Sleep well?" she asked quietly. He bit his lip a bit and nodded faintly. In truth he hadn't slept that well at all. May pointed a finger at the blonde playing cards and apparently loosing.
"That's Seifer and the one with the cowboy hat is Irvine," she said. He nodded slightly and chewed his lip thoughtfully. The name's sounded awfully familiar⦠he pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind and refused to acknowledge them. Something was plopped onto his head and he tried to move it so he could look up but all he could move was his eyes and his bangs blocked most of his vision.
"You must act like a kitty now," Lony said from above him. He blinked and looked up at her confused. She moved something on his head and he realized that it was a head band with cat ears on it. May pulled it off his head and put it on Lony's.
"Wrong," she said. "You must act like a kitty now," Lony blinked at her then bounced off the porch to chase a small group of kids playing in the sandbox. Squall blinked confused. He could tell that Seifer was confused as well and so was Irvine. May laughed lightly at their confused faces as the other kids abandoned their games to run around and chase Lony.
"It's this old game that we made up a while ago," May started to explain. "What would happen is we would get these headbands with different animal ears or something on it and the person wearing them would have to act like that animal. Lony's the best at it so she usually gets stuck playing the game though I don't think she minds that much anymore." Squall nodded slightly and watched as Lony chased the kids around. Irvine walked up onto the porch and sat down in front of the swing.
"Those kids must eat sugar for breakfast or something," he said. May chuckled slightly and snatched Irvine's cowboy hat off his head.
"Hey!!" he yelled. Squall frowned slightly as he tried to push the image of a seven year old Irvine chasing a little girl who had a huge cowboy on her head. They were kicking up sand as they ran down the beach while three other kids were laughing. He smelled fire again and shoved the image away. He stood and went back into the house, ignoring Irvine and May's concerned looks. His feet stopped moving and he turned his up to peer at the mural painted on the kitchen wall. The waves crashed up against the cliff rocks while more gentle waves lapped at the sand on the beach. The sun painted the sky and the waters with varying shades of orange, red, yellow, and as the sky grew darker, velvety blue and purple.
He could see another sunset like this one, only different. There was a house up on the hill from the little beach and rocks protruded from the sands. A lighthouse stood on the cliff about a mile away while stone steps led up to the house from the beach. The little house was cozy and big enough for six children and two adults to stay inside on the coldest winter days. There were mats laid out on the cool grass of the back yard, ready for stubborn five, six, seven and eight year olds to take their afternoon naps after lunch. A few toys were strewn about the beach during the day while a chair with an umbrella over it was set up for a young woman to sit in and watch the children play once her chores were done. A van pulled up with people once every few months with prospective parents inside, eager to look at the children and see if any of them would be perfect for them. The cool ocean waters always lapped at his feet when he stood near the edge. He looked out at the waters and felt safe and content. He fell back onto the sand and let the waters rush up to run their cool fingers through his hair and brush against his skin. He didn't even feel the crack of pain that laced through him when his head collided with the tile floor.
