Note: I've never written a story before that I have decided to rate 'R', and to perfectly honest was in two minds about posting it. Anyway, I like it and I hope you do. This story, however, has been rated for strong language, violence, and sexual themes.

'Par Un Sourire (By One Smile)

Bonjour Tristesse' (Hello Sadness)

La Vie Immédiate. P Éluad.

Final Fantasy Eight

BY ONE SMILE

JetNoir

PROLOGUE

This is the noise that keeps me awake

My head explodes and my body aches

But don't worry baby

We'll be alright.

Garbage.

"Stop...Please just stop.

Please don't do this. Don't."

A dreamer.

Asleep at night; the murmurings of a restless man.

The room was dark, the only illumination coming from a rapidly setting moon, upon which a slit could be seen through heavy blinds.

"NO!" the man screamed, and with a startled gasp, flew upright. His startling brown eyes glimmered as he blinked blearily, and gently rubbed sleep from the corners, then checked the clock to the side of the bed.

One hour before dawn.

One hour before this endless night comes to a close.

The man swung his legs gently out of the sweat-soaked covers, and stumbled into the shower down the hall.

Drying himself off, he pulled on black trousers, and t-shirt; a floor-length black leather jacket and matching leather gloves. Almost as an afterthought the man pulled on a black cowboy hat. He was not in the mood for being frivolous. Irvine Kinneas was a man on the edge of his sanity.

He slid out of his room in Balamb Garden, even though the curfew was still in place, and quietly slipped towards the front gate. The Garden was back in Balamb for the next few weeks, for its annual maintenance so there was no danger of him being left behind.

Elsewhere in the garden, a small brunette was working busily in the Quad. With special permission from Headmaster Cid, she was preparing for the annual Garden Festival, which was in a few weeks. From the corner of her eye, she caught a dark-clad figure walking away. Her curiosity piqued, she decided to follow.

The sea crashing onto the beach provided an odd contrast with the dejected Irvine, shoulders slumped as he stared out to the blue abyss.

"What is it?" a voice asked behind him. Irvine jumped and whirled around. Selphie gasped as she saw the haunted look on Irvine's face, growing stubble, black rings, and red stained eyes.

Irvine turned to leave, but the persistent brunette grabbed his arm tightly, concerned.

"What is it, Irvy?" she repeated, quietly.

"The same dream," Irvine whispered, "again, and again. Going around my brain. I feel I'm going insane!"

"Tell me," Selphie pleaded, "let me help."

So he did, on the cold beach, the sea a cacophony of pain, he told the story, his story, of an artists search for a lost city.

Disclaimer: All the characters are copyright to Square Enix; and the story to me. This story has been written on the understanding that you may read it and print it out; but you may not pass it off as your own, hire it out, or sell it for money. You also may not put it on your own or any other web page without my express written permission. Thankyou!

JetNoir