Selphie Kinneas

Roses

The Fugitive's Rose

Chapter Eight-Captured At Last

Selphie forced herself back onto her feet. She smeared her tears as she looked to the hidden passage Irvine had just closed. I'm alone again. She hugged herself as she left the musty corridor to the hot air outside. She scouted for the campsite that the SeeDs had. Far past the Centra Ruin she could make out the minute Elecktreah ship. She paced for a moment recapping all that had happened.

Esther spent a lot of time and money trying to find everything they can about this place. They knew about the hidden dormitories, but do they know how Irvine got out?

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Irvine crawled through the cramped space of the narrow tunnel. He would already be running the long open trails of the ruin if he went a little faster. He turned his head to make sure no one had followed his trail. Disappointedly he turned forward again, secretly he prayed Selphie was tailing him. No, he was idiotic enough to shoo her away.

He saw dashes of light leaking through, he must've exited the ruin now. He sat on his knees and pushed the dirt ground overhead. The dirt shifted and sprinkled Irvine as he climbed out of the hole. Oh… fresh air. He held his hand to the right side of his coat to be positive he still had his rifle with him. He did, he gathered speed as he sprinted through to open plain. He could easily be spotted, but with such vast land how would anyone see someone as unnoticeable as him? Anyways, his clothing had grown caked his filth all he needed to do is lie to the ground and he'd easily camouflage with the ground.

Irvine came to a halt. Maybe… he could turn around take Selphie and start a happily ever after? Selphie wanted to come anyways did she not? He turned on his heels. One wrong move and it was the end… it's too risky. Bye Selphie.

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The sun was slowly coming down. It still hung high in the sky and started to paint its sunset portrait. All the SeeDs, not including Selphie, sat around the ashes of the fire from last night.

"I wonder where Selphie ran off too." Rinoa said in concern as she sat on her sleeping bag. Zell shrugged as he tore the cover open of a jar or baked beans.

"My guess, she's gonna kill herself."

"ZELL!" Everyone shouted simultaneously.

"What? I sure would. Amy… she'd turn out to be some serial killer, I'd love her more, then I have to capture her. Plus Selphie doesn't gots mucha of a family. Aren't her parents dead?"

"No chicken wuss. She just got a bastard for a dad." Seifer sneered.

"How would you know!?" Zell argued.

"Quisty dear asked her why she didn't wanna go to Trabia. And she told her."

Squall ignored the quarrel. He looked at his plate, there was an odd vegetable sliced onto it. He lifted it and held it to Zell's nostrils.

"What is this?" He asked. Zell gave a good look at it and snatched from Squall. He observed then popped it into his mouth.

"I dunno, tastes kinda funny though." Zell said as he stuffed another mouthful of beans into his jaws.

"Squall! Zell isn't some dog are test-food person!" Rinoa snapped.

"You're right. Where's your limit break? OH ANGELO!" Squall called. Rinoa turned her head,

"I didn't bring him smart aleck." They heard a small bark as the brown and white dog trotted to them. Rinoa's eyes nearly popped out of her sockets. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! HOW DID YOU GET HERE?!"

"I brought him, anyway try this boy," Squall dropped a slice of the weird vegetable into his mouth.

Seifer oddly enough sat himself beside Zell and looked him in the eyes. They were blank, and closed. Seifer patted his back, and floppily Zell fell to the ground. Rinoa rushed over to him.

"What happened?!" She shrilled.

"I didn't do anything! Maybe he was more chicken than I thought, dying like that," Seifer said as he scratched his head. Rinoa listened to Zell's soft breathing. "He's asleep! Of course." She grasped Squall's food plate.

"These are slices of Sleep Weed! One whole slice is enough to knock you out for hours! Oh no! ANGELO SPIT!" Rinoa pounded Angelo's back. Angelo attempted to cough out the weed; instead his body fell to the ground as he too fell into a slumber.

"Why would there be bits of Sleep Weed in our food?" Seifer interrogate as he searched his plate of food for any sign of the plant.

"I don't know… I got this food from the Esther soldiers. They said we needed our energy." Squall explained. Rinoa scratched her head.

"This doesn't make any sense, why would they want us to be sleepy?" Rinoa laid Angelo gently on her patting and stroked his fur. Seifer dragged Zell to his sleeping bag as he fit a mouthful of lettuce down his throat.

"Seifer! What are you doing? That might have Sleep weed in it too." Squall snapped as he snatched his tray away from him. Seifer scrunched his nose, then gave an abrupt yawn.

"Damn you Squall… you're right." He yawned again and toppled over Zell. Rinoa screamed, Squall had been mistaken, no Sleep Weed was in Seifer's food, but there was a white powder sprayed around the dish.

"It's not poison is it?" Rinoa whimpered to afraid to near Seifer. Squall poked Seifer oddly then smelt the powder.

"Sleeping Powder… they really wanted us to get our sleep." He said sarcastically. "I don't think the soldiers should be trusted. If they wanted us to sleep, they must want to get something done without us there, don't eat anything! We need to find out what they're planning. Who knows, Selphie might be in trouble too."

oooo

It's like one big labyrinth. Selphie took step after step, not even watching forward to see what lay ahead of her. There was another enormous arch as an entrance to some room. She entered, Irvine is gone, she'd never see him again. The thought tormented her.

She heard raspy whispers. She spun around checking every angle for sights of someone. No one was there, or was there? Someone took a step, she flipped around and came face to face with an Esther soldier. Selphie sighed in relief.

"I thought you were a monster or G-Aero member." She laughed. The soldier stood stiffly not sharing her amusement. She gave an awkward glance as she turned back onto her way.

Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain hit head. She fell to the ground and clutched her cranium and moaned. She laid on her back and spotted the Esther soldier, no longer single there were ten men surrounding her. She shrieked as she jumped to her feet at once and withdrew her knunchuks. She hit someone hard in the face and leapt out of the circle. The soldiers scurried after her and knocked her to the ground.

The Strange Vision flew from her grip and skid across the ground. Selphie reached out her hand to grasp hold, suddenly a soldier stopped her as he stepped on her hand.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! THAT HURTS!" She cried as she fought off the foot from her palm. Two soldiers held her to the floor as they tied her legs, arms, and wrists. "What do you all want!? I thought we were on the same team!" She cried trying to hide her snuffles of pain. The soldiers were not very kind and showed no mercy on her sore legs and arms. Her hand was ripe red from where the soldier had smashed it.

"Sorry kid, got notin against ya. Just orders." He said coldly. Two Esther solders lifted her to her feet and one stood before her with a black bottle, did they want to kill her? They stuck the bottle's opening between her lips. Immediately Selphie spit the bitter liquid out.

Somehow, Selphie couldn't exactly remember, they poured more than half the bottle down her throat. Her eyelids grew heavy and fell shut the next second.

"Man… she's just a kid. Idin't this kinda harsh?" One soldier queried as he glanced at her helpless corpse on the ground.

"Even if it is harsh, we gots orders. They said they spot him down ten miles. We best get this girl down there or we'll be dead." Another replied. A few men carried Selphie carefully out of the room, two or so lingered inside.

"Hey! Whats about those oder SeeDs? They bounds to go find her." One mentioned with caution.

"Don't worry about them, I sent them a whole meal infested with Sleep powder and Sleep Weed, they won't be waking up none for at least an hour." Was the answer.

oooo

Squall hurriedly came near the Elecktreah. Rinoa stood close by. "Can you hear anything?" She whispered. Squall waved his hand as he leaned his canal further out.

"Everything is according to plan sir. They are heading out now with the girl. Their Rock Rangers will be able to stop him within ten minutes. It means we shall have to ride the Chocobo Turbos. They are the fastest vehicles we have. We'll be able to send twenty men out. Clear sir?" The voice of an adolescent soldier explained.

"Yes, yes. Do whatever is necessary. I'll send a report to the city for our update. Keep the target under a close watch, understood? The G-Aero have many tunnels and secret passageways. We cannot lose him. We've worked too hard. How are the other SeeDs?" Came a much more matured accent.

"We sent someone to see them. Two are fast asleep, as well as the dog."

"Dog?"

"Yes sir, the stowaway. He belongs to the female SeeD, who is also missing."

"Who's the last missing SeeD?"

"The Loire boy."

Squall's eyes nearly bulged out of his head and Rinoa too. They listened attentively to the conversation.

"Urr, I knew the President made a mistake putting his son on this mission. Send someone to find them. This could ruin everything!"

The youth saluted and rushed away, meanwhile the commodore returned inside of the ship. "Come on Rin." Squall hissed, "We have to get to the Chocobo Turbos." The two tip-toed their way toward the rear of the ship where ten bright orange motorcycles stood revving. Pairs of soldiers came and drove off.

"Squall, if those are fast, we need to get one and follow the soldiers." Rinoa pointed.

"Yeah, but how? They want us dead asleep." Squall replied blankly. Rinoa searched around the area and found the word "LOCKER ROOM" over a doorway. She shook Squall's shoulders and showed him.

"You're a genius Rinoa!" The duo snuck inside and came out dressed as Esther soldiers. "Ugh! Squall this uniform is so itchy!" She whined. Squall rolled his eyes as he rushed to one of the motorcycles. He sat himself on and Rinoa behind him. He gripped the gas step and zoomed off.

Dust and debris flew everywhere around them. "HURRY SQUALL!" Rinoa screamed.

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Irvine continued to sprint the open land. He hadn't any more plans, there was no area he could hide, he should have lingered with Selphie. At least he may have been a bit safer there. He lowered his pace, he wasn't running to anyplace specific. No boat, he'd sunk Halerd's equipment down the salty blue, he was pretty much abandoned.

The wind's rumbled howled. Or was it something else. He turned around slowly, Nothing was seen for miles and miles. Perhaps even more, had he had binoculars with him. He sat on the ground, tired and breathing loudly. He closed his eyes for a moment, had he forgotten how tired he was?

He laid on the ground, if he heard anything coming his way he'd run for it. He shut his pupils again and allowed himself to dream for a moment. Yes… that's what he needs a few dreams.

The dreams were ended shortly, since Irvine heard the cocking of a shotgun. He shot his eyes open and flew to his feet. Too late, fifteen armed soldiers stood in his path.

"Irvine Kinneas, surrender in the name of Esther." One solider said as eh tightened his armor.

Irvine rolled his eyes as he pulled out the Valiant. Fifteen soldiers were not that many. "Hold your fire Kinneas!" A male called, "We have something for you." A space in the crowd opened and more soldiers poured in, now the fifteen men had doubled.

"Is this what you kept waiting for me?" Irvine asked even more irritated. 30 soldiers weren't a joke, but he'd leave hardly injured. He held the rifle and aimed.

"I said hold your fire Kinneas! You might cause something you didn't want." The soldier repeated. Irvine grew annoyed, they were toying with him. This had been the first encounter with soldiers in a very long time, but this THE IRVINE KINNEAS. What could they alone expect to accomplish?

A space opened again, ten soldiers in a circle surrounded another soldier who held a human figure in his arms. He used one hand holding a gun to her skull and the others to grip her. The figure… it was Selphie!

"Make one damn move Kinneas and she dies. We're not playing! She's living and breathing, aim to even one person and we'll make sure she's dead before you can say Hexadragon!"

Irvine stood dumbstruck. There, helplessly and limp in a stranger's arms was his beloved. This was his entire fault, had he taken her with him she'd be safe by his side. Now she was on a verge of life or death, and she most likely hadn't a clue.

What do I do? I'll have to shoot that guy holding her, but by the time I get to her… they'll shoot her too. DAMN IT! Why didn't you listen!!? This is what I warned you about Selphie. I never wanted to put you through this danger! SHIT!

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"Squall!" Rinoa whispered loudly, what's happening. Is it Irvine?" Squall squinted his eyes and carefully look at the only two different suited people, as Rinoa had inquired one was Irvine and the other was unconscious.

"…Selphie!? Well damn it to hell! They got a gun by her! THEY ARE GONNA KILL HER! RIN GET BACK ON THE BIKE WE HAVE TO STOP THEM!" Squall returned to his seat on the Chocobo Turbo. Rinoa held on tightly around Squall's waist as the sped off again.

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"Your choice Kinneas, it's your life or hers,"

What type of choice is that?! Damn, I wish I could shoot myself instead. Irvine lifted his arm and dropped his rifle. He held both palm high into the sky and looked to the soldiers, he opened his mouth and muttered the words he sworn he'd never say.

"… I surrender."

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SORRY FOR THE LOOOONG WAIT! So one was reviewing so I took my dear love time. Review please!!!!!!