Visions Of The Darkness

Chapter 6, Another New Face

The walked out from the desolate darkening beach and kept walking towards what looked like their worst dream come true. The once shining blue, silver and teal delicately formed Garden now looked a deserted and grey Garden with its delicate curves and decoration now torn, broken and destroyed. Irvine and Quistis looked shocked at what was left of the Garden they had just left no more than a day ago in the past. Malacia, holding hands with the others as they stood at the entrance of the Garden while someone walked lightly behind them. He had shoulder length black hair tucked behind his ears, almost shimmering smirking turquoise eyes standing out from his lightly tanned face. He wore a tight black shirt with a set of black cargo pants with a familiar grey jacket with the mark of the fire cross over the shoulder; around his neck he wore two necklaces; one a matching necklace to Irvine's crystal one only with a set of twin swords made out of the strange metal and a rustic chain carrying a small pendant of a name on a silver plate written in cursive writing, he stood easily at 6'2 and was well muscled beneath his shirt. He walked up behind the group and then stopped right behind Malacia and slipped his arms around her neck. Malacia jumped as she let go of the others hands and turned around to come face to face with her stalker.

'Man who the hell is this…..is he one of her sister's minions or is he a local ….or just a pervert? I don't know but I wish he didn't just walk up behind us…..I nearly lost my nerve and a lot more when Lacia jumped and let go. '

Malacia looked at the mysterious man for a minute and then slipped her arms around his neck as he moved in to kiss her.

'This makes it even more confusing ….who is this guy…and damn it looks like I got Lacia all wrong then …..sigh least I got Selph.'

After they had finished, Lacia turn to face Q and Irvy. "Well everyone. May I present my Knight, Syke Almasy," she said with the guy's arms still wrapped around her. "Hello. I have heard much about you two. It is an honour to meet you. I am Syke Almasy. I am Malacia's husband and Knight," said the sleek confident soothing voice of the young man holding Malacia.

'CRAP! You mean this whole time I have been flirting with a MARRIED woman and her husband is Seifer's SON! DEAR HOLY HYNE! Must not flirt must not flirt! Ahhh damn why are all the gorgeous hot ones taken, just my luck…..oh well back to Selphie I go…..sigh'

Irvine trying to cover his surprise, shock and disappointment was about to speak when Quistis seeing Irvine's discomfort spoke over the top of him. "Hello, I guess you have already been informed about myself and Mr Kinneas here. You look a fare bit like your father you know; you have the same smirk especially. We both knew your father. I was even his instructor when he was about your age at this very Garden." said Q with a touch of sadness in her voice as she turned to look at the Garden. "I know. I appreciate your comment about or likeness but I am glad that I take after my mother in personality and hair colour." he said with the trademark Almasy smirk. Malacia answered their next question before they asked it. "His mother is a Galbadia Garden student he met after his reintroduction into the Gardens after he formally apologised about what he did in the Sorceress War. He restarted at Galbadia majoring in Gunblade where he met a girl almost the exact opposite of him except for their fighting skill and love of the Gunblade. Her name is Selina Azul." said Lacia then continuing, "Now that we have had the whole group reunion, can we get back to why we are here?"

The others now taken by surprise turn to look at her and nod yes before she gets angry. Following Malacia over to the now half empty town of Balamb and promptly going into their hotel. Malacia, Syke and Irvine all sat on a side of three out of the four beds while Quistis took the chair near the balcony overlooking the harbour. "So this is what we will do. Irvine, Q you know what you have to do and Quistis, Syke will go with you just in case something happens. Now we have 2 more days left not including today before I have to meet Melotia here, in that time we will search the areas for traps and disarm them as well as search the area for our advantage. Tomorrow Quistis and Irvine will try and gives us a tour so we know where we are going if we have to regroup or get separated. The day after we will set up out traps, escape routes and prepare for the worst. Now for tonight we will order dinner, relax and have an early night if we can." said Malacia rather Quistis like. They ordered dinner and ate as they chatted about food cravings or as Syke put it "the want of good nutritional food orgasms". The joked and laughed all night trying to keep each other light hearted for the terror and troubles that may lie ahead on the morrow. Irvine's last sights of the night was the Balamb ocean and Quistis sleeping peacefully, Syke pushing his bed and Lacia's together and Lacia falling asleep in his arms. Irvine pulled back the covers to his bed after stripping into just his boxer and lay in bed staring out the balcony door to the now silvery ocean as he fell asleep.

'Now this is the time I miss Selphie the most….I only wonder if she is missing me. I guess I can only hope that Selphie and I end up as happy as those two…..if only my wish comes true.'

Back in the past, Balamb Garden, SeeD apartment (Unit 404)

Selphie sat at her window on the large window ledge starring out into the stars.

'I wonder how Irvy is ….he has been away for days now and Quistis too…I really miss both of them….not only that but Zell and I are teaching all of Q's classes, so we are nearly all warn out. I really miss Irvy though…..especially the look on his face when I steal his hat….or how he hugs me so tight nearly every time we see each other….hmmm is this what Rinoa ment by love, how it feels like spinning around in circles…just to spin and spin and spin… I think it does…from that night at the SeeD Party for us….I think that's when it hit me….oh Irvine….I wish you luck….my Irvy…my cowboy.'

Selphie slid of her perch near the window and lay down in her bed, snuggling into the covers of her blankets and dreaming of her perfect love as she drifted off to sleep.