Hello everyone. First, I'd like to thank the reviewers from chapter 1. You guys rock!
JadeAlmasy: My first reviewer. And for once, I get a first review that doesn't say. "THIS FIC SUCKS." I hate "stupid" flames…you know the ones that have no point behind them and are either humorous or very annoying. Well…this one isn't one of those. Thanks for your review.
Sora-Doragon: Irvine's not dead. It's kind of a long, strange story of how he got there and back, but he's alive and dying to get back to Selphie. And thanks for telling me that I got most things right. I've been reading a TON of Fanfiction so I'm getting an idea of some of the places. Thanks for your review.
Pinklove: It had been 5 days since Selphie last saw Irvine. I meant that they would search for 6 weeks (meaning that 6 weeks later, they would pull out the search troops, and pronounce him dead). Sorry for the confusion. And this is the earliest I've been able to update. Writer's block sucks ass. Thanks for your review.
Verdanii: I'm glad that you like my fic. It helps someone who's entering a new fandom to get positive feedback. Not that I can't stand negative feedback. Because, I'll tell you, I've got enough of it to make me sick. Especially with my Pokemon stories…they seem to be flame-getters. Tis very annoying. Thanks for the review.
Again, I would like to remind people that I only own a copy of the game that doesn't save, so I rarely play (due to the fact I'm nowhere in the game). If there is error in information, tell me.
Also, can someone give me a url for a map of the world in FFVIII so I sound like I know what I'm talking about, or tell me an example of some faraway places so I can have some clue of what I'm talking about. My FFX reviewers know that I'm notorious for writing about the only thing that I know nothing about.
Disclaimer: You see; I'm too stupid to own FFVIII. I mean, all I've got is a copy of the game (THAT DOESN'T SAVE) and a head full of bad ideas. Whoopdie doo!
Chapter 1- Before Dinner Stories
It's been five years since Irvine left on his mission. Selphie had the baby, three months later, 3 weeks premature but still fine. She's four now, and Serenity Yunalesca Tilmitt still has no clue as to who her father is.
Serenity, as Selphie named her, has asked her mother before, but she'd say his name and start bawling.
Selphie never knew why every time she said Irvine, she'd start crying. Was it because she was angry? Sad? Selphie believes that it is reflection, her way of dealing with the world.
So the world dealt her a bad hand? Now what? Now, she has no income since she stepped down from her SeeD duties, living off the remainder of her salary and the hefty salary of her dead boyfriend, with the kid he never knew about. "Well, at least he knows about her in heaven."
Heaven. She smiled at the mention of such a wonderful place. The place of escape; the place where you could escape the horrible world you were in and live with the non-living. The best part; that's where Irvine happened to be. It would be easy to unlock the safe and pull the trigger on his gun on herself, but she had to live. She had to live for her child, her baby girl. The belief and that belief alone got Selphie through every day.
"Mommy," a tiny voice asked her mother, handing her the requested cup of tomato sauce, "You promised me you would tell me about Daddy today. You don't have to say his name…I know it makes you sad."
The young mother tensed. She couldn't wiggle her way out of this one. Taking a quick breath, she turned off the stove and faced her daughter. Collecting herself, she spoke, "Okay sweetie, but we should take this to Ir…" Selphie held back a sniffle. She couldn't cry this time. It was just a name. Deciding not to push it, she decided to change it to daddy, "Daddy's room. I think it'll be easier to imagine him there." She said softly, lightly guiding her daughter to the usually forbidden room.
The toddler clapped her hands together in excitement. Serenity had never been allowed to enter the room; Selphie felt that her daughter wasn't ready to go in there. But deep inside, Selphie knew that it was because she wasn't ready to go back in there.
Selphie grasped the lock nervously. She was going to do it this time. Letting go of the lock with one hand, she fished the tiny silver key out with the other. Hand shaking, she struggled to open the lock, but was eventually victorious. The left side popped up, and Selphie removed the lock from the door, opening the door for her daughter before entering the room.
His room was exactly how she left it. Books on fighting and fiends lined the bookshelf. The bed was unmade, with a denim comforter and plain white sheets. A desk and a lamp lay in the back corner, covered in important SeeD papers. His drawers were all opened, leaving a clear view of his underwear drawer to any who looked at it close enough. A thick layer of dust was on everything, and everything needed a through cleaning.
Selphie froze. It was exactly how she always imagined it, in all the nightmares of coming back to his room. Except Irvine wasn't there, and he certainly didn't turn into Chimera.
Serenity, noticing her mother's lack of motor functions, jumped up, waving a hand in front of her face. "Anyone in there, mommy." The toddler teased playfully, smiling a silly grin as her mother came back to the room.
Selphie grinned sheepishly at her daughter, being caught in another elaborate daydream. "Thanks."
The toddler mocked her sheepish smile, earning a laugh from both of them. It was nice to laugh again. "So, tell me about Daddy." The toddler jumped up in excitement as the mother and daughter collapsed on the bed, causing a layer of dust to jump into the air.
Selphie sneezed, silently cursing her allergies. Dashing down the hall for a tissue, Selphie quickly blew her nose and came back. "Sorry sweetie…just allergies." She said softly, her nose a bit clogged because of the allergies.
"What about Daddy?" the child squealed, both anxious and excited at the same time.
Selphie smiled at her child's curiosity. She definitely got that from her mother. "Um…where should I begin." Selphie rubbed her temples in touch, and with some inspiration from her daughter, began. "I met your daddy at the orphanage when we were a little older than you. In fact, that's where I met Auntie Rinoa, Uncle Squall, Uncle Zell, and Auntie Quistis."
The toddler beamed in excitement. "Really? Thanks really cool, Mommy!" she squeaked, motioning for her mother to continue.
"I was the youngest by a few months in the group, and sometimes the kids teased me. But your Daddy always stood up for me, always played with me. It didn't matter if he was playing dolls with me, or cowboys and cowgirls with me and Rinoa; we had such a good time."
Selphie paused, collecting her thoughts. She always thought that the words would come to her when she told Serenity, but she kept having to stop; to decide what she would say next. Serenity shot her a look of desperation, a look that screamed, "Tell me more, tell me more."
"So, when we got older, Matron…the person who owned the orphanage, sent me to Trabia Garden, Irvine to Galbadia Garden, and the rest to Balamb Garden. I think we were…9 or 10 when it happened."
The child smiled wide, knowing there was more. "Mommy, what happened next?"
Selphie smiled. She was getting there. "So I got most of my training down in Trabia. Then, I was transferred to Balamb Garden to get my SeeD exam. Then I was asked to me on a mission, which ended up bringing into the Time Compression, and you'll learn what happens there when you go to school."
Serenity's eyes popped out of her head. "So you WILL let me go to Garden…like you? Thanks mommy." Selphie was suddenly barraged by a giant hug from her tiny daughter. She obviously got her height (or lack of) from her mother.
Selphie nodded. "So after that mission, I was already a SeeD, Daddy began studying to be one, and we started dating. We were together for about…a year I think. I found out that I was pregnant with you, and I didn't know how to tell your father. I mean, we were 18! So he went on a mission, and I was planning to tell him that I was pregnant, but then…he went missing." Selphie sniffled. She hated to tell her daughter this part of the story, as it was the saddest. She wiped the only tear that escaped her eye.
The child stared at her mother in sadness, then hugged her poor mother. Selphie collected herself, then got up from the bed. "Serenity, we have to finish making dinner. It's almost 7."
The toddler nodded ecstatically, jumping off the bed and bounding to the kitchen to make spaghetti.
They finished dinner, then Serenity went off to bed. Selphie cleaned the dishes, then got into her pajamas. She hit the sack, returning to the place where she could be were Irvine again. In her dreams.
Well, that's the chapter. Kind of short for my tastes, but I didn't have much to write about. Irvine is coming back…but it'll be in a few chapters…one or two…
GiRlwHoGiGgLeS
