Selphie Kinneas
Roses
The SeeD's Rose
Chapter Two-Betrayer

Irvine walked through the grassy plains relieved to be away from Garden. The cold stares send trickles of cold sweat down his back. He wasn't on top anymore; no he was at rock bottom.

In the distance Irvine saw the sunset shining a shadow of a person. With relief he rushed towards the sandy line. There before his eye was the petite Selphie. Her back was turned with arms crossed over her chest.

"Selphie…" Irvine breathed not believing his eyes. Selphie turned with a look of hatred in her eyes.

"What are you doing here Kinneas?" She interrogated with a taste of acridness in her voice.

Irvine went numb with shock. Was this really Selphie? "Sefie! It's me, Irvine! Don't you remember me Rose?" He gasped. Selphie's eyes widened as she came near and slapped him hard on the right cheek.

The cowboy's head turned to the side with his cheek blooming pink. "You have no right to call me that… betrayer." She hissed. Irvine's lost his breath and fell to the ground as Selphie passed without a care. Betrayer…? I'm a betrayer!

"Don't get any ideas Kinneas…" Selphie continued bitterly. "I only defended you since you saved my life. A life for a life, my debt has been paid. Now, I never want to see you again." Irvine's heart beat like no other. His pulse raised and he couldn't speak.

"This… doesn't make any sense." He whispered. Selphie turned to Irvine crouched on the sand.

"IT DOES TO ME! DID YOU THINK ABOUT WHO YOU WERE KILLING THAT NIGHT? When you took her life! I can't believe you!"

The impossible had been accomplished, Selphie looked at Irvine as the criminal he once was.

ooooo

Irvine sat dumbstruck on his bed. His newly acquired ammunition and gun lay before him. Irvine gave it no attention as his mind strained on what he has just heard.

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The cowboy's head turned to the left with his cheek blooming pink. "You have no right to call me that… betrayer."

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He felt a lump in his throat as he digested the memory… it was too unbearable to be true. He must've fell asleep. He'd awake and it'd be the trial day… ANY DAY WAS BETTER THAN NOW!

Living in Brahia with his cruel uncle… I want Selphie.

Sitting solemnly in the orphanage… only you Selphie.

Taken in by the sickening G-Aero where he barely survived… There's no one else for me now.

Being on the run for his life… what have I done?

Going to jail and questioning existence… I'm nothing without you Sefie.

Little black dots blinded Irvine's vision as he fell unconscious.

ooooo

"I love you Irvine, my little Irvine." A sweet voice of a lady rang through. Who are you? Do I know you? "Be strong Irvine… I'll come back for you, soon." The voice broke as the murmuring of sobbing interrupted.

"Don't worry about a thing Lillian, I'll take care of him like he was mine." I know this voice, my uncle! But I can't see anything…

"Lillian, we have to go." Another unfamiliar voice of a man came.

"He's so young…" The lady pleaded.

"Lillian. Come now, I love him too but we have got to go."

Were you… my parents? How come… I can't see them? Wait, I must've been only one. It's surprising I even remember these voices. My mother… was named Lillian?

This is painful!

"You have no right to call me that… betrayer."

No Selphie! I would never betray you! I love you!

"IT DOES TO ME! DID YOU THINK ABOUT WHO YOU WERE KILLING THAT NIGHT? When you took her life! I can't believe you!"

Whose life? Whose life Selphie! Tell me!

"When I was 13…my mom had an accident. There was some dumb idiots fighting with guns, and they shot my mom."

He remembered the last time he went to Trabia…he was on a mission to go assassinate a Galbadian representative. Two bodyguards pulled him to have an alley fight. The two didn't stand a chance no matter how fast they dodged, but an innocent…there was a car that passed. With a lady inside. Did I kill Selphie's mom?

"Is it also true you murdered an innocent at that appointed time?"

"… it may be possible but not intentional." Irvine muttered quietly.

An official from Trabia stood from the stand. "The proof your honors, Miss Vinassa Tilmitt was shot at the same area where two of Ms. Andert's bodyguards had been murdered."

…Selphie. What have I done?

ooooo

Selphie rubbed her red eyes. They were sore from crying. She lifted herself from the saddened pillow. The night was falling into place.

… I want the day to end. She sobbed to herself. She buried herself with sheets and cried herself to sleep. The night dragged dreamlessly.

Morning arrived with haste. Selphie woke with a start. She sighed as she looked on her nightstand. I small, old envelope sat there with the words written To Selphie, from Irvine. Selphie slipped her hand into the envelope and read to herself the note that Irvine had left… that very first time he left.

Selphie

I swear to you, nothing I've ever said, other than my name, was a lie. Selphie, I would've left last year had I not met you. I was told to return to my base. I couldn't leave you. Honestly, I don't give damn what Squall said about me. I only cared about you Selphie. I'm sorry for every pinch of pain I've caused. I never stop thinking about you. Remember, you will always be my rose. I'll never forget you Selphie, but I don't mind if you forget me. I hope maybe you can accept me, as I truly am.

Love Forever,

Irvine Kinneas

Selphie threw the note to the ground. How she fell for him… when he first came. How, oh how could he! She looked back at the note, as it stayed opened on the ground. The first sentence she caught was "I hope maybe you can accept me, as I truly am."

ooooo

Irvine tapped his fingers softly on the cafeteria table. He chewed slowly finding it harder than ever to swallow. Zell hungrily ate whatever lied before him. Once his plate was empty, he took notice Irvine had barely touched his breakfast.

"Hey man, you going to eat those sausages?" He asked anxiously.

Irvine awoke from his train of thought. He looked at his plate, "N-no, you can have it." He pushed the tray towards Zell who devoured every crumb. Betrayer… I'm a betrayer.

"Zell…" Irvine asked softly for his voice wouldn't raise. Zell, who was in the middle of a bite, swallowed and raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah Irvine?" He replied.

"If you… betrayed Amy, what could you do to get her to forgive you?"

Zell shrugged as he pondered, "Nothing, I'd date someone else. Like Lindsay McGraw, ain't she a beauty? Plus Amy is breaking it off with me anyways. Why?"

"No reason…" Irvine sighed hopelessly. The first bell sounded and bounced off the walls of the cafeteria. The cowboy slowly got up and walked away from the room. Without raising his heads to see the peering pupils at him he walked with his eyes at his feet until he reached the second floor to Instructor Elijah's classroom. Upon entering Instructor Elijah walked to him with a grave face.

"Mr. Kinneas," He started ever so slowly. "I have seat for you in the back. It'll will avoid commotion with the other students if you understand what I mean." He whispered slightly trembling in fear himself. Irvine said nothing but walked to the end of the room where sat a lonely desk with its computer set up on it. It had no partner desk beside it. At least this way he didn't have to face Selphie face-to-face.

The bell rang loudly once again and Selphie entered the class and sat where she always did. The seat Irvine once occupied beside her stood empty. She didn't turn to face him, she simply steadily looked and paid every inch of attention to the class.

As the hour dragged relentlessly Irvine tried hard to not keep his view at Selphie but the actual Instructor. Soon he heard the dismissing signal and he was freed. Selphie was gone in blink of an eye to his surprise, he didn't linger as he pushed aside and went outdoors.

He breathed happily as he sat in a place where there was no one to judge him. He looked to the cement ground just relieved to be alone. He had been all day but when everyone gave nothing but cold stares at you your self-esteem lowered by the minute. Irvine looked out to the sun.

Why… why me! Couldn't you let someone else take this? Why did I have too! WHY! WHY HYNE DID YOU PUT ME HERE? DAMNIT! WHY WAS I HERE! TO CAUSE CHAOS AND PROBLEMS FOR EVERYONE! TO LOSE EVERYONE I CARED FOR!

In anger he began to run. He could hear his heart after running a great distance. Once he stopped he was at no other but than the beach. He threw himself on the sand and pounded it with his fist.

"WHY!"

He gulped down his frustration as he set his eyes to the blinding distance. Nothing but water for hundreds of miles. Hyne… I want to forget the G-Aero. I want to never think about it again. So I can learn to find ways to be accepted again. Please…

"Look to the sky boy… you young boy."

The feminine voice came from merely thin air. In confusion Irvine stood and kept firm ground. "Who is there?" He asked sternly without fear.

"I am the answer to your prayers. I give you strength at the price of your memories. I will eat them away and you will not remember them again."

Irvine stood fully armed, with a lousy rifle, but still armed to fight whatever was possibly threatening him. "How did you know I was trying to get rid of my past?" He continued to interrogate in the same sober tone.

"I as many read consciousness'."

Pondering deeply Irvine considered what was truly calling him. Could it be his own state of mind? "I'm Irvine Kinneas." He shouted.

"I am Pandemona. Queen of the wind. Accept me now and you shall be my master. Call on me at your very wish and will erase the memories of the past."

A wonderful offer, almost too wonderful though. "Will I lose them forever?"

"Perhaps if you are reminded or think very hard you will find them trapped in box that lays locked in your heart. That box will always have your memories, whether you wish them gone or not. I can erase them so you cannot think of the presently, not from the box to your unfortunate luck."

"I accept you Pandemona."

Irvine felt a sudden surge of energy as wind swept his body leaving him with mixed singes all over his body. He stood firm then a moment later they vanished. He felt a small presence in his own mind but small and weak that he could block it out if necessary. For now, it would be good to have someone who he could to talk too.

They'll be gone?

Forgotten, not 'gone'. I use memories to feed my power.

I'm Irvine Kinneas, once a mercenary for an illegal group and now a SeeD for Balamb Garden. A slave to any orders given to me. I will follow.

Ooooo

Sorry for the wait, I'm busy with school and I was grounded. I'm also working on a joint story with Crox Angel called Moonlight. Check it out it you guys want. Roses is almost finished and I'll work on giving it one final edit. After that I'll post and be done… whew!

I'm hoping to post my next Selvine "Beautiful Prison" soon. And hopefully a KH story but I'm so short of ideas. Probably since im still waiting for number two. Anyone know its coming out? Or if you live… I mean hypothetically speaking here… if you live in Tarrant County in Texas, and possibly know how to pay in advance for a guaranteed game I'll do something to thank you!