Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Abandoned Soul ❯ Sleep will make it better ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I better say it, before Squaresoft can hit me with the "Hammer of Squaresoft". (look Body Switch) NOT MINE!!!!

Author´s note: For Elisheva: Thank you very much for your card. ^_~ (She knows what I´m talking about, don´t worry.) I have a beta, now. Juuuhhhuuuuu. Thanks a lot CC-Chan. You´re the best beta-reader. ^_~ I would have update sooner, but I worked so much overtime. I´m really sorry and I hope the chapter will make up for it.

Warning: Not for Rinoa lovers. Extrem-Rinoa-Bashing!!! (Can somebody tell me, what´s so great about her??? Because I don´t get it. *shrugges*)

Part 3

By Little Leila

*Ring-Ring*............*Ring-Ring*

There was an annoying sound, probably going on for five minutes. Seifer turned around in his bed and tried to switch off the alarm of his clock. He reached out to push the button, but the alarm-clock was already off.

*Ring-Ring*

It was the phone! Seifer stood up and walked into the living-room. The caller was very persistant, even after five long minutes, it was still ringing. He picked up the phone, overcome with curiosity. Who was brave enought to dare call and wake Seifer in the morning?

"Almasy here! And I hope it´s important." He said with a drowsy voice.

"SEIFER?!"

Seifer held the phone a arms lenght away. He only knew one person, who could bawl at him on the phone, so early.

"Thank you for the morning call, Selphie. Now I´m deaf."

"Sorry, but this is reeeeeeaaaaaaaallyyyyyy important. I swear."

"Ok, ok now spit it out already. What happened? Did Irvine blow up the location, or did you run out of make-up?"

"That´s not funny! It´s terrible! Quistis doesn't know it yet. The director is angry and........."

Seifer was close to losing his patience. It was like that everytime people started rambling about things.

~Trust Selphie to blabber you into insanity.~

"Selphie! Get to the point! I´m really busy." He snapped. It was a lie, but Seifer coudn't care less.

"Oh yes, …were was I? Oh yeah! Listen Seifer. A few of the interior workers found a… a…a corpse in studio C. The corpse is beaten up badly. The police is here and they say, it was murder and… and the victim ...is …is Nida."

"What? Nida? Are you serious?"

"I´m not kidding. You have to come here. Now! The police wants to interrogate you, too."

"Why? I didn´t do anything."

"Some people saw you yesterday with Nida. Now the police is suspicious."

"Ok. I´ll come over. Give me one hour and in that time, do me a favour and keep the cops busy."

"OOOOOKEEEEYYY. See you later. Byeee."

"Bye!"

He hung up and went back into his bedroom. Muttering under his breath, that he seemed to have many problems with the police lately.

~~~

The interogation wasn´t so bad. Actually, Seifer himself could gather informations from it. He spoke with the detective Caraway. Seifer was sure that he knew him from somewhere, but he couldn´t say from where. The corpse they had found, was really Nida. It seems the murderer had used an axe to kill him. The first strike, in the head, had killed him, that´s what the medical examiner said. The murderer had been very brutal, one could say he *choped* Nida into small pieces. A real psycho.

Seifer was sorry for Nida. He had been annoying, but no one deserved to die like that.

The rumours about the phantom were spread around the studios again. Seifer thought about it too. Could his blond dream be a phantom? Maybe a murderer? No, it was beyond impossible. How could somebody like the little blond, be a murderer? Especially a murderer with such a sick mind? But then again, nobody should be judged by their appearance. But Seifers trail of thoughts were disturbed by a bouncing Selphie Tillmit.

"Hey Seifer. Did they asked you many things? Like where you were in the evening and so?"

Selphie could be really a nice person. However, most of the time, she was only acting childish. And asking questions like a child, too.

"Yes. But don´t worry they don´t think that I´m the murderer. I switched the burglar alarm on at ten pm(?). And I didn´t turn it off until this morning. So I didn´t leave the house."

"Hmmmm. That doesn´t prove anything. You could have climbed out of the window."

Seifer stared at her with his eyes narrowed. He was shocked to hear that from her.

"… Excuse me? I think I heard you wrong. Do you suspect me, or what?" He snapped.

"It´s just that I saw you yesterday with Nida and thus he kissed you."

~Great! Did the whole world see that?~

Seifer rolled his eyes at her comment. He wasn't really in the mood to think about his last memory of Nida.

"And?"

"Well since the murderer had cut off his lips, I thought it could have something to do with it."

He looked really dumbfounded now. He didn't know anything about it, from where did Selphie know? He admitted, that she could be surprising, occasionally. She was right on one point. The murderer could have seen the kiss, too. And it could be the reason why he had cut his lips off. Was it possible that his infatuation made him blind, and his petite dream was really the murderer? He saw the kiss and walked, disappointed away, didn't he?

"He... really cut off ...his lips???" He asked.

"Don't tell me you didn't know it. Didn't the cops talk about that?"

"No... And you think I've done it, right?"

"Oh sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I suspected everyone, who saw the incident yesterday. Except me and Irvine, we were together the whole time." She answered.

"Ok, then let me say this: I didn't do it, and I wouldn't murder someone, even if he'd deserve it. If you excuse me, there are other things I have to do. Bye Selphie." He sneered.

With that, Seifer went out of the studios. He didn't have to attend to his firm, because it was enough, if he showed up four times a week. Being the boss had its bright sides, too. Seifer just wondered why Quistis wasn't here at all. She didn't show up in the studio and she didn't answer the phone. It was odd, since Quistis was a reliable person, but Seifer didn't worry at all.

First of all, at the moment, he needed help. Someone who could tell him, what was going on.

~~~

After a long, eventful day, Seifer made himself comfortable on his couch. He didn't turn the TV on. He didn't feel like watching anything. In his opinion, the whole day sucked. He thought he needed professional help, so he left the studio and visited a good Star-psychiatrist. Her name was Dr. Kadowaki and well known by movie stars. Squall visited her one time and he recommended her to Seifer, if Seifer ever had problems. Seifer had smirked at Squall's offer of visiting her. If somebody would have told him, two weeks ago, that he would visit her soon, then he would have laughed in the person's face. But now, things were different.

Nevertheless, he spoke with her and after his visit he was more confused then ever. She told him that, the young teenager was really part of his imagination. He was the product of his lonely years, of yearning for contact. His wish of somebody, who would care for him. Who would be there, forever. So his mind created an imaginary friend for him. But that wasn't a problem at all. Normally, only children have their imaginary-friend-phase. When they were ignored by their parents, or even abandoned. Seifer didn't have a normal childhood either. His parents died in an accident and he lived with his aunt, until he was seventeen. Then his aunt died too, because of a disease. Momentarily that was the time when his life had been going downhill. Seifer had never had an imaginary friend before, not even as a child. Why should he need one now? He asked this the doctor and her answer wasn't revealing for him.

He didn't have a normal childhood, so he was living it now. Somehow, it didn't make sense to him. Dr Kadowaki was a really strange woman, but Seifer guessed, all psychiatrists were kind of weird. The only thing he understood was the advice to date random people, or just to be more often around other people. But one thought still disturbed him. Was she right? Was he really like that? A child, which needed somebody? A person ...a stranger, who would be there for him? Was he ignored?

An abandoned soul?

On a few specified points she could be right, but he still didn't believe, that his blond boy only was part of his imagination. In fact he knew that the blond wasn't, the only problem was that he couldn't explain it to, neither himself nor Dr. Kadowaki. Whenever the cute blond was simply near him, there was this profound , warm feeling. Seifer used to have this feeling when his mother or his aunt had hugged him. It was such a long time ago. The sweet boy didn't need to touch him because his presence was enough.

*Ring-Ring*............*Ring-Ring*

The same sound, the same phone. Seifer glared at it, considering whether he should take the call, or just leave it. He had enough trouble for one day and he couldn't stand further bad news. It rang two more minutes then he stood up and picked up the receiver. There was no use in denying it. He was curious by nature.

"Almasy here."

"Hi Seifer, ya know?"

"... Raijin?"

Seifer didn't expect this. He hadn't heard anything from his *groupies*, Raijin and Fuujin for so long. Why were they calling now?

"I thought I could call you, ask how you were doing and stuff, ya know... *OUCH!*"

Seifer snickered, because he knew that Fuujin was the only one courageous enough to hit Raijin. She wasn't a very patient person and when she had enough of Raijin's rambling, she silenced him with a kick or punch.

"SEIFER? FEELING?"

"I'm fine, Fuu. And you?"

"GOOD."

Fuujin didn't say much, but at least the conversation wasn't boring. For Seifer, it was normal to figure out what Fuujin meant. In reality he was so skilled at it, that he didn't any problems in understanding her.

"Hey Fuu, why are you calling. Did something happen?"

"NO. VISIT!"

~What? They're going to visit me? Why now? That doesn't fit at the moment... Wait. Maybe it will fit.~

"When?"

"WEEKEND!"

~Let´s see. Saturday, only a short shoot at the location and Sunday I'm free.~

"Weekend is just fine Fuujin. What have you planned?"

Seifer heard a rustle at the other end of the line and Fuujin how she yells the word: *Explain*, to Raijin. He snickered again. No, explanations weren't Fuujin's strong point.

"Hey, Seifer. We planned just to visit and talk to you, ya know. When have you time, ya know?"

"Sunday would be fine. Is that ok?"

"That's alright. We'll stay in the Deling Hotel, ya know?"

"Ok. I'll see you on Sunday then. Bye."

"Bye, see you on... *OUCH*" ................."BYE."

Seifer hung up, still smiling over Fuujin's interruption. Maybe they were groupies, but they cared more about him, than anyone else at the moment. He traced a finger along his scar. Thinking about it now, he realised that, since he had met the boy, his life had changed in a week. A week ago, he stood on the roof of his firm, ready to jump. And now? He was alive and not thinking about another suicide attempt anymore. Now he had a reason to go on with his life. Even, if it was just for the blond boy's sake. Seifer refused to believe the psychiatrist. An imagination can't be so vivid, caring and beautiful. Yes, the boy was beautiful, indeed. Not only his appearance. His soul seemed to glow and Seifer could feel it, in every part of his being. In his opinion, this was real beauty.

He felt how tired he was. The day was really exciting, one event after another. Seifer was too lazy to drag himself to bed and it was late afternoon. Too early to go to bed. He decided, that a nap on the couch wouldn't be so bad. When he was a child, his aunt said once: *Sleep will make it all better*.

Somehow it was right. When he was upset, he let a nights rest fix his problems and the next day, it didn't seem so bad anymore. Or if he worked too long, it was always refreshing to wake up being relaxed and well rested. Seifer stretched himself out on the couch and soon he fell into a deep sleep.

~~~

He walked over a meadow, but the grass looked wilted and dead. There were sounds of waves, breaking on the shore. He walked over a hill and saw the ocean. The colour, of the water wasn't blue or green. It was dark, like early in the evening. The weather didn't appear so bright either. The sky was grey, like it would rain at any given minute. But there was nothing. No rain. No thunder. No wind. Everything was so quiet. He looked around and spotted something like mist. The mist wasn't white or blurry. It was darker as the ocean. Almost black. The longer he tried to look into the mist, from far away, the more he felt the allusion of danger, coming from it. He shivered and felt cold, all of sudden. For a second he thought he saw a face in the mist, a human who was trapped inside of it. He knew, that if he ever came near the mist, he'd endanger his life and his soul. So he stood were he was, not daring to go one more step in the direction of it. A voice disturbed the quiet atmosphere.

"What are you doing here?"

Seifer spun around, he had longed for that voice, for so long. And he was rewarded for his patience. The young blond stood a few yards away and then he slowly approached Seifer.

"I don't know. But does it matter?" Seifer said.

Now the boy stood besides Seifer, glanced at him and then he stared at the dark ocean.

"You shouldn't be here."

"Why not?" Seifer asked.

"You don't belong here."

Seifer mind was spinning, first he saw his long awaited dream and now the dream told him, that he didn't belong to his world. But where was *here*.

"Then where are we, if I don't belong here...?"

Unconsciously, Seifer had stretched the sentence. He wanted to call him by a name, only to realise he didn't know it, yet. The young boy noticed it, but kept his sapphire blue orbs at the ocean. He sighed, like he had made a difficult choice.

"Zell!" The boy answered.

"What?"

Seifer whispered the word. The whole time, since the boy had arrived, Seifer had admired him in silent awe. He was like a fallen angel. Expelled from heaven, because of his forbidden, inner beauty.

"My name. Just call me Zell!"

The name was strange and heavenly, at the same time. Like the boy himself.

"And ...I don't know, if you would understand, where you are." *Zell* continued.

"Try me!" He challenged.

Zell became silent, considering his answer cautiously. Seifer wondered how he could act, like an old, wise man. He didn't look much older than Seifer himself. Something strange occurred Seifer in the moment of silence. Whenever he met Zell, he looked the same. The same clothes, the same spiked up hair and the same attitude. He saw him only one time smiling. That was, when Seifer stepped away from the edge of the roof. When he was safe. After their first meeting he didn't smile anymore. But why? His life couldn't be poorer than Seifer's, could it? Did Zell know something that he didn't?

Zell turned his gaze to Seifer and looked deep into his emerald eyes. Searching for something, which seemed to be very important, to him. Seifer hold his breath. These eyes were so divine, so innocent. Every shade of blue was reflected in them.

Zell crossed his arms over his chest and spoke to him in an uncertain voice.

"I'm not sure, if you would believe it. What I'm going to tell you is difficult to understand."

"I guess I would believe anything you said."

Zell tore his eyes away and looked to the ground, like he was blushing. But Seifer couldn't see anything red on his cheeks at all. He didn't have any doubt, that a blush would look adorable, right now.

"Ok, I hope you can follow."

Zell let his gaze wander over the place.

"You're not really here. Not with your body. Actually, you're dreaming."

"So, I am in the land of dreams???" Seifer interrupted.

"Yes and no. This place has many names and land of dreams, is only one of them."

"That doesn't explain, where we are, exactly."

"You're right... "

Zell seemed to think about the right words, for a believable explanation.

"Imagine your world, as a mirror! Everything you know and learned, is reflecting in it. Showing you everything you have ever experienced. And this place..."

Zell gestured with his hand over the scenery, from the ocean to the mist and to the hills.

"... Is, what lies behind the mirror."

Seifer tried to comprehend the explanation. Was he in another dimension of his own reality? Was this really the land of dreams? So dark and threatening? Seifer looked over the dark ocean to the mist. He was still cold. This couldn't be the land of dreams. It was the land of nightmares.

"What lies behind that?" Seifer pointed to the mist.

"I don't know, for sure. I know only little of the Dark Mist."

"I can see it's dark, but what is it?" Seifer said sarcastically.

"No, you don't understand. It's called the Dark Mist. Think of it, as a kind of punishment, for everyone who does a certain sin in his life. The Dark Mist is there, for only one sin of life. Those who have done it are pulled into it." Zell explained.

"What sin?" He asked.

There was a long pause, until Zell continued. He looked at Seifer again, with deadly serious eyes.

"... Suicide" He answered softly.

Seifer gasped in shock. The Dark Mist was the *punishment*, for those, who committed suicide? Zell had saved his life, before he even knew him ...before he fell in love with him.

~I could have been trapped in the mist! But why did he save me? Can I hope? Hope of returned feelings?~

Before Seifer could get a grip of his thoughts, Zell looked back to the ocean. He almost startled Seifer, when he spoke in a sad voice.

"Everyone, who wants to commit suicide, is selfish and betrays the life. They're going to throw it away like it's nothing. It's a sin! They think after they killed themselves, they're free. That isn't the case! The truth is, that the real torture starts after their death, inside of the mist. And you thought about it, too."

"Right. But... why did you save my life? My soul?" Seifer asked.

Zell didn't move at all. Nevertheless Seifer had noticed the slight flinch in Zell's frame.

"Because... because... " Zell stuttered.

"Because, ...what?" Seifer asked tenderly.

"...Because, it would be a shame, if someone like you just died. You don't deserve to be thrown into the Dark Mist."

Seifer was speechless. No one had ever cared so much for him like Zell did. Zell looked back into Seifer's emerald, glowing eyes and Seifer felt the urge to kiss him right there... right now. However, before he could make a move towards his blond, fallen Angel, his own frame started to flicker. He looked down at himself and felt strange.

"What the...?"

"It's about time. You'll wake up soon!" Zell said.

"I don't want to..." Seifer started.

"You have to! It's important!" Zell interrupted.

"Why?"

"Because, you have to keep an eye on your friends! They're all in danger."

With that, Seifer started to fade more and more, until...

~~~

He woke up with a start. Seifer scanned the room. He was in his house. In his living room, on the couch. And it was thursday, early in the morning. He slept the whole night, on his couch. He stood up, groaning at the pain in his shoulder. Then he took a few deep breaths and held his head still, thinking of the dream and his blond angel.

~It can't be a dream! It was so real. He was there, I know it.!~

He was almost desperate. Seifer had been so close to him. He could have reach out, to touch him. The time they had together was too short. He wished he could have had more, but at least he had seen him, Zell, once. Maybe there would be a second time.

~~~

The Saturday morning didn't start very well. Not for Seifer. He was upset, he hadn't seen Zell again, since his *dream*. That was more than two days ago. Too long in his opinion. He was addicted to Zell. A day without him was a wasted day. And the fact that Rinoa Heartilly was still bugging him made this day only worse.

He sat on a chair, thinking over the events of the week and of Selphie's and his dialogue while she fixed the make-up.

"Oh, Seifer. Don't give me such a meeeaaaaan scowl. I can't fix your scar, if you narrow your eyes like that." Selphie whined.

"Huh? Oh, sorry Selphie. I didn't notice." He apologised.

"What's the matter Seifer? You're looking like you would punch the next person in the face. Is it because of the shoot? Don't worry, the scene with Rinoa is really short."

~If Selphie can see my dislike towards her, then why in gods name, didn't Rinoa notice it?~

"I know, but it doesn't help much."

"Then what shall I tell you, to brighten your mood?"

"Nothing Selphie. My friends Raijin and Fuujin are going to visit me tomorrow. That brightens my mood."

Seifer didn't really think, that they could do something about his mood, but he was grateful if somebody distracted him for a few minutes. While he'd be distracted, he wouldn't crave for Zell. So Seifer looked forward to Sunday. He hadn't seen his *groupies* for a year. Raijin and Fuujin were a couple and Seifer was happy for them, but while they moved to Dollet and he stayed in Deling. He didn't see them at all and they almost lost contact. Another reason, why he wanted to kill himself.

"Where are they staying and how long?" She asked.

"The whole weekend in the Deling Hotel. Why are you asking?"

"In this case, I think you should postpone the shoot and visit your friends."

"Nice try Selphie. But you know I can't. I have to attend to the firm almost every day next week." He countered.

"If you say so. Ok, finished."

Seifer looked at himself in the mirror. Selphie made a good job. It was nothing, noticeable left of his scar. He thanked he and went of to the studios.

~~~

The shoot was really short and the director was satisfied with the scene. Seifer still wondered where Quistis could be. She hadn't call and she didn't show up at the location. That was unlike her. On the other hand, maybe she was sick or took vacation. It would explain why she didn't call. However, he made his way out of the studio when an all to familiar person blocked his path.

"Hi, Seifer." Rinoa cooed.

"Rinoa, could you get out of the way, please? I have to go." He said annoyed.

"I wondered if we could go out on Sunday, since it's your free day and all. What are you saying, Seify-pooh?"

There was it again. The ever hated pet name. Seifer wondered how often he'd have to tell her that he hated the pet name. It sounded stupid, it was stupid and on the top of everything... it came from a stupid person, who assumed that he would like the name...someday.

"I say: Sorry, but I have other things to do on Sunday. Now would you please, get out of my way?"

The tall blond glared at her and she stepped aside, immediately. He nearly ran out of the studio and was relieved when she wasn't following him.

Rinoa stood and sulked, because he had turned her down. But suddenly she stopped sulking and smirked instead.

"It's futile to run, my love. Sooner or later, you'll be mine! And you'll see, we're meant for each other." She muttered almost inaudible.

~~~

"Ah. It's good to be back in Deling, ya know?"

"AFFIRMATIVE!"

Fuujin and Raijin arrived Deling by train, late in the evening. They were now staying in the Deling Hotel to meet Seifer the next day. Both were tired and sleepy, after the five hours long train ride.

"Hey Fuujin, where are you going, ya know?" Raijin asked curious.

"SHOWER!"

"Hey can I join you, ya know?" He grinned.

Fuujin gave him a death-glare. And made her way to the shower of their hotel-room.

"NO!"

"Uhm... Ok. I'll wait for you then." He pouted.

Fuujin smiled at him. Sometimes he could be really cute, like when he was pouting. It reminded her of a little boy. Not of the big, bulky giant he was.

She went into the bathroom and turned the shower on. In the meantime he sat on the couch. Flipping through the channels of the TV, when there was a soft knock on the door.

"Who is it?" He asked.

There was a muffled voice behind the door. It sounded female, but Raijin wasn't sure.

"Room service!"

Raijin stood up and walked to the door. He hadn't ordered anything, neither had Fuujin, but maybe that was a service they offered in this Hotel. He went to the door and let the room service in.

~~~

Fuujin came out of the bathroom after a half an hour, dressed in a bathrobe. She turned around the corner and saw Raijin sleeping on the couch. Slowly, she approached him with a tiny smile on her face. It was so different seeing him so peacefully. She shook him gentle, but he didn't move.

~Always the heavy sleeper.~ She thought.

Then she saw the tray on the table. There were two champagne-glasses on it. One was empty and the other half- filled with champagne.

~Hmmm. He must've ordered something, but he can't be drunk, after one glass of champagne, can he?~

She sniffed at the glas, noticing the scent of champagne and something else.

Poison.

Quickly she tried to feel his pulse. After she had touched him she drew her hand back like she was burned.

"Dead?" She whispered.

Fuujin felt her tears coming into her eyes, but she didn't have any time left to cry. There was a sharp pain in her back. The silver-haired woman slumped down to the ground. She looked back to see from where the pain comes from. A person stood behind her with a knife smeared with blood.

Her blood.

She couldn't tell if the person was male or female. She heard a voice in a soft, but insane tone.

"He's just sleeping. Sleep will make it better."

Before she slowly slipped away, her eyes fluttered shut and she could hear how the person leaving the hotel-room stopped, and to be polite added.

"Good Night."

With that the door went shut, leaving a dead man and a dying woman behind.

~~~

Tbc

Wooohhhoooo. Hey that was a really long chapter. If I continue in the same speed (But that´s impossible) I could make the next chapter as long as this. ^^

Hmmm. Should I continue? I guess so. I know it´s Christmas an everything should write lovey dovey stuff, but I don´t care. I´m already sick from all the lovely stories of Christmas. So sue me! ^.^

R&R plz. ^_^