Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Snow Drift ❯ Going on ( Chapter 15 )

Quistis sits in Edea Kramers office; filing papers in her hold while resting on her lap. She's wondering just how to approach the subject of Squall's leaving Garden with her but she can't think of a thing beyond telling the woman who pratically raised her that she was insane for letting their dear friend go without a fight. She can respect his wanting to do something right by the baby in Irvine's name but she just doesn't believe that he can- muchless that he sincerely wants to. Squall loves being a member of Garden and from what she can tell by the expression on his usually pensive face he really likes being SeeD commander. So why would he decide to just leave it all to raise a child whose mother may come back for him and who already has comfortable living conditions with Ellone Loire. Since Irvine died things are just slipping from life's grip to join him.

Ceasing her writing, Edea looks over at her assistant with a worried expression. "Quistis, is something bothering you?"

The younger woman adjust her glasses before releasing a sigh to allow her voice out without cracking on her- hopefully. "Edea... was it wise to let Squall go. He isn't thinking clearly- I'm sure of it. When Squall is in pain he can be very brash and indecisive, surely you know that he's making a huge mistake by doing this."

"Honestly, I know Squall better than he thinks" She turns in her seat so that she's facing the distraught blonde. "and what he's doing is very noble, it could be good for his character. As far as leaving Garden he tried to get out of it but I stopped him."

"How do you mean? He told us the other day that he's quit."

"I asked Squall to stay on as an exam monitor. He won't be called on in the line of duty as he wished but he will still be a part of Garden."

Relieved Quistis held a hand to her chest to calm her rapidly beating heart a little. "That's wonderful news, I'll be sure to tell the others."

The headmistress laughs to herself. "You're all so caring of each other; its very sweet to see."

"Sometimes in life, whether you're surrounded by new faces or not, you feel like those closest to you are all you have." She smiles softly. "I'm never gonna stop feeling like a big sister to any of the others and I hope that deep down they'll never stop seeing me that way."

"I'm sure they will not."

Resuming her work duties Quistis thumbs through the folders in her lap but a laugh escapes her mouth as a thought occurred to her. "Squall, sitting in that room monitoring cadets while they take an exam, don't they have enough to worry about without the Lion of Balamb breathing down on them."

Edea laughs as well. "I know what you mean, the thought had crossed my mind ten minutes after I'd offered the job. He'll do great at it- minimal talking, maximum intimidation."

The two women laughed heartily.

In the warmth of the summer night; Seifer and Selphie are taking a walk down by the peer. The blond is idly knocking gravel into the dark water with his boot while Selphie walks quietly beside him, hugging herself as if she were cold regardless the 79 degree weather around her. The ex-knight was becoming impatient waiting for the girl to open her mouth, but he wasn't going to say anything less he release the flood gate for her tears. He had to wonder why Selphie wanted to take a walk with him in the first place. Zell would gladly have come out with her, but she wanted him- is she insane? He'll only make whatever is wrong with her worse- accident or otherwise. Just as he's ready to clear his throat to make the girl talk Selphie opens her mouth instead.

"Say something silly."

Just as he's about to roll his eyes over the girl telling him something that he's already heard before, he's taken aback by her strange request. "What?"

"Say something silly. Everyone else is acting strange, you may as well change too."

"Who's everyone? Zell is the same, Trepe is- as far as I can tell, Rinoa and I'm hardly changed."

"Aren't you? I've seen you around, Seifer- especially after Squall said that he's quitting." She stops walking to take a seat, letting her legs dangle off the wooden bridge. "You're gonna walk around in a huff and want all this private time with Zell to get over it and then I won't see you or him anymore either. It'll just be me and the other guys but then they'll feel all weird because everything is changing and then I won't have anyone."

Seifer had nothing to say to that, she wasn't completely wrong about it. He doesn't like the fact that the only physical entertainment- weapons-wise, is leaving Garden to retire and be a daddy. It doesn't make sense and it sucks ass but that's no reason to think he'll spiral into a great depression, that's more Quistis' bag. Sighing, he places a hand on her head to help himself sit down beside her. "You wanna hear something silly? How 'bout I say that I'll sleep with you every other day until you feel better about all the scary changes" He wriggles his fingers in her face at 'scary changes' "going on."

Chuckling, Selphie shoves Seifer by the shoulder. "Don't be weird."

"Why not? Its a mad world, you don't know what I'll do next." He grabs her by the shoulders shaking her like there's an earthquake.

That only made her laugh more. Seifer snickers as well, releasing his hold of her. Somewhere out in the distance a frog croaked before there was a splash of water from where it must have jumped into the ocean or fell on accident. The two are quiet for a moment just listening to the sounds around them not knowing what more there is to say.

"Selphie ...I'm not going to change, no one is" He elbows her. "trust me, this will all blow over by next month then we'll be the same old us minus one." He shrugs. "Shit happens, change happens, you can't avoid it no matter how hard you try- I might grow facial hair next week, there's no need for it to effect everyone personally. Its time we let all that together forever stuff go and live realistically."

"What if I can't?"

"You can." Looking around as though he'll be caught on the spot he says to the girl. "You're one of the strongest people that I know, you only feel like you're cracking because everything is happening so suddenly. Give yourself the time to calm down the speed you feel you're in and it'll stop hurting so much."

"..."

"All right?"

"...All right."

"Good. Now come on, its late and I'm tired. I have a damned mission tomorrow and I need my ego rest for it." He stands up. "The only yawning from me will be false ones from how bad those idiot cadets are doing."

Snickering, she takes the offered hand up, brushing off her butt before bouncing along beside the tall male, who put a stop to it by placing a hand atop her head.

"First lesson in recovery, man up and stop bouncing about like that- you're like a gnat slamming into a window."

She only laughed while swatting at his intruding hand. "Whatever."

Seifer looks down at the girl beside him and taps her lightly on the shoulder. "Hey messenger, can I ask why you always choose me to have these little chats with?"

"Because, you won't try to comfort me in anyway, you'll tell me what to do and not care that you're being upfront about it. I can respect that. I can be pretty cut throat too, you know." She grins as though they're handing out trophies and she's getting one simply for shock factor.

"Yeah right." He gives her another playful shove.

Squall brushes his fingers gently through Kait's whispy brown bangs. Its his third night with the baby in his care and in those three days he's been living like he's been under attack with no relent; Ellone was right about what she'd said when he approached her about raising Kait, he would never sleep again. First timmers never do, she'd said. He thought that was a weird thing to say since he'd slept just fine when he and Irvine were caring for him before but without Irvine being the one constantly worried and awake here he is watching over the sleeping one year old. In those three days he's also been peed on, due to putting the diaper on incorrectly, had cereal flung at him- which wouldn't have been a problem if it weren't moist with drool. Why do babies like cheerios anyway? He's an adult and he's never once cared for them. He's also been jolted out of numerous attempts to sleep by the child waking up in a crying fit for reasons he can't yet figure out. He wondered how long it would be before the baby could be successfully potty trained. But he's sticking to his word and he's sticking by the baby.

"...I never told you this but, you're very lucky to have been loved by someone who would have given you everything he had just for being around." He cocks his head so that it rest on his forearm that's placed on the crib. "Irvine said to just 'be there' that its not the hardest thing in the world so I'm gonna do that for you. I'm gonna be here and keep Irvine's memory alive for you. ...I think its important that you know the man who cared about you when your parents didn't or maybe they did- I don't know much about it, hell, I don't know much about anything sometimes, but I know this ...you will be loved, the best way that I can." A tear came to his dual colored eye. "I promise."

He wouldn't have teared up but the fifth month that he was with Irvine, those words are exactly what he'd said to him. He didn't know from being a romantic boyfriend or even a boyfriend at all but he knew how to care and he knew that he could be someone to love Squall, he promised. Promises really are cheap because when they're made no one ever consideres the possibility that they'll die from an unknown cause. Look at him now with that promise under his belt. Living in Balamb town in an apartment, retired ...the only action he'll be making is seeing that people don't cheat on written exams- oooh, look out, he's got a red marker!

"I made the right decision; so far you're still intact and you even smile at me when I talk to you. And anything that I can't do Ellone will do it for me- at least this year anyway." He looks at the sleeping child. "Aren't you lucky? I'm not gonna start crying to wake you up. ...What do you say Kait, can I get some sleep tonight? Or are you gonna make noises to keep me awake with worry?"

Kait only slept away, completely unaware of anything being said or done around him.

"I'll take that as a, yes." He smiles. Kneeling down beside the crib he rests his head against the bars closing his eyes waiting for sleep to come- if it came.

September 3rd.

Irvine checks over the list of items he has to take into the town of Timber. Some gift shop opened up there and all the sculpters and Karvers have had their hands busy making up these little statues and trinkets that the shop owner asked for a month back. The longest project to do were these little wooden trains. Irvine felt like Santa's little elves with all the things he's been doing and the things that go on around him on a daily basis. He wondered if being a harvester or an attendant had a certain feel to it as well. It was hard to think about being crouched down or bent over pulling food all the time. He's pretty tall, he'd have back problems for days!

"You wanna come too, Pal?" He asks the bird that's been bouncing from foot to foot beside him since he left the village with the scouter.

They're just outside of the village, loading up two birds for the trip out. It'll take them a while to get there but the Chocobo's are amazing birds: light on their feet, and very fast. He couldn't help but think that if he'd had a place of his own he'd have at least six or seven of them to raise for his very own. But leaving the village seemed like a far away thought to him- at least in a perminant sense. Travelling about while they drop off deliveries has been good enough for him so far, very satisfying to wander without staying but at some point he thinks it would be kind of nice to see a life uncovered by the villages walls. This is his forth delivery. So far Irvine's been to Timber- once before, this is the second time out, a place called Deling, F.H.- that place mostely asked for statues or helpers with good engineering skills, and a town called Winhill- that was Irvine's favorite place of them all. He was sure that if he did decide to flee the nest he would live there, plus its right through the mountain so he wouldn't be but an afternoons ride away from the tribe.

Pal only needed the word 'come' to seat his self atop the Chocobo's head. The larger bird didn't seem to mind it just made a few low sqwaks to itself.

Scout situated himself upon the saddle of the bird, Robes drawn up about his waist exposing his yellow colored legs. Irvine lifts his robes as well, exposing black jeans as he mounts the birds back. The two Chocobo's stand easily with the weight of the men and items then await their command. Scout gave the reigns a snap and the bird started away for the mountains. Irvine follows. The trips are usually in silence but its a comfortable silence between them. Irvine takes in the scenery of each location while Scout merely stays a steady head, steering along to where they should go. But today was different because today Irvine has questions; lately he's been feeling- well, not so much feeling but waking up with another part of himself very much awake and don't get him wrong he's very capable of handling it but that's the problem- it! He's never heard any Shumi conversation lean towards sex or pleasure of any kind and he's curious to know about it. He knows that they're an entire tribe of men but should that mean that they can't like each other in the sense or at least help one another out so that it doesn't come to degrading themselves.

The amnesiac bundled the neck of the robe about his neck when they reached the cave. It always gets colder in inclosed places. There lanterns are already lit, glowing bright enough to create light and shadows throughout the cavern. Irvine always thought that if someone were to see them in the distance they might look pretty frightening all dressed in robes with large yellow bird beneath them, those big hats on their heads to cover them. The Shumi's are very secretive about their looks and don't like to flash themselves around very much. So Irvine has adapted to that as well. He won't willingly show his face to anyone and keeps his hands mostly covered by the long sleeves of his robe and other times he'll just shove the sleeves back to his elbows for some contact with the sun- he's gotten very pale. If that's abnormal to him at all, he honestly doesn't have a clue. Its weird to not be aware of oneself, to not know anything about you or who you were when you were that person. He kind of wished that someone would tell him something more than a few disgarded pieces of clothing.

Trying to think about it, he's alerted to the present by Pal's soft churling in his ear. "Sorry about that, its keeps happening sometimes." He says to the bird. Remembering that he had a question he leans forward trying to see the man's face. "Scout, can I ask you a question?"

"Yes." Answers the man.

"I've been waking up some mornings with..." He trailed off suddenly embarrassed.

"With?" The man pushes.

"With um..." He blushes. He'd really rather talk to medic about this, he feels closer to the man- plus he's a healer so that helps. He might have something to keep it from happening or at least naturally going away. "some problems."

"What problems?"

"You're not making this easy." Irvine says mostly to himself.

"Scout's not doing anything but waiting on what you have to ask."

Irvine chuckled guilty of making himself uncomfortable. "Its just that some mornings I have to... sort of... assist myself to get rid of a certain problem, you see."

"What problem?" He repeats.

"I get erections." He spat out bluntly kicking himself for it all the same.

Scout seemed to hear that but made no real response to it. "Well, what about it?"

"I just was kind of wondering because I have to" He swallows hard. "pleasure myself to get rid of them and I wanted to know if, you know, you and the others have the same problem?"

"And how is this a problem?"

"Its kind of gross, empty, creepy."

"Has Karver thought of just peeing it out?"

Irvine could have fell over from that statement. "Its not so easy to just do that."

"Well, then may Scout suggest becoming shameless in pleasuring yourself."

"But see, that brings me to another question... you and the others.. have you ever, you know, been intimate with each other?"

This time it was Scout who wanted to fall over. A deep blush spread across his face. "Scout can't say that Scout has or ever thought about it. But maybe someone in the village has."

"Is that all right?"

"Scout doesn't know, Karver will just have to ask Elder of it."

"I see." He scratches his chin.

They go quiet again. The trip through the cave brought them to Bika and they make their way to the train tracks hidden away along a path to a bridge that leads to Fisherman's Horizon. Irvine wondered if they'd get there by sun up; he loves being in the midst of town, all the people roaming about talking to each other. He loves being in crowds. The tribe is filled with Shumi's of all kinds- though he used to think he'd never be able to tell them apart, nevermind the similar names thing, but as time went on they all took on distinctive things about them so now he knows exactly whom he's speaking to whether there be two Sculptors or twelve.

Scout cleared his throat to get Irvine's rose smelling attention. "Has Karver had anyone in mind for his desired intimacy?"

Cocking a brow, Irvine puts on an amused smirk. Scout can be so uptight sometimes, which made it too fun to mess with him. "Well, there is someone" He lied. "a short guy, about your height to be exact ...he's good with traps and smart with the land. Kinda guy that makes a constant pout and often chooses not to talk when there's a whole world of things that he'd like to say. That's the kind- do you know him?"

The Shumi blushed a deeper red than before, its obvious that Karver is speaking about him. Straightening his back he says dryly. "Karver is foolish in effection then because a certain someone like that has no interest, no matter how curious it may become." Snapping the reigns a little harder he pushes the birds speed.

Laughing, he snaps his reigns as well to catch up. "And that scar on his cheek, talk about sexy!"

The shumi about teleported he wanted to get away from the situation so badly. What is wrong with this guy? Did he harrass his former comrads this way?

"Will you relax? I was only joking." He laughs a little more. "You should learn a few jokes, lighten your mood sometime."

"Scout's mood is just as it should be. Slacking gets you into danger, one must always be alert."

"Yes sir. I'm very alert, nothing gets past Imari Karver." He smiles sweetly earning another blush from his companion who chose then to glance at him.

Truth is, Scout has sort of liked spending this personal time with Karver all the other Shumi in the Tribe speak so kindly and highly of him, refering this of the great Laguna and that in comparison to the male. He was sort of curious all the time and then to get one on ones with him he can see why everyone is taken with the male. He's nice and attentive. But to think of such a thing as gaining pleasure from one another, its unheard of!

"Don't you love sunrise- I mean, its got nothing on sunset, but its pretty nice too."

"Its nice."

"Mhm." Looking on ahead he asks. "Its the right turn, right?"

"Yes, go on that way." He says when he realizes that he's slowed down and been passed.

"Let's get some speed going; I'll race you!" He calls over his shoulder already speeding away.

"Karver always does this." The shumi rolls his large black eyes but speeds off as well.

The bridge, hovering over the water, has train tracks running along it but as they turn the bridge of tracks turns to land laid. An hour later the two travelers end up outside of Timber, dismounting from the Chocobo's that lay down to wait patiently for the men. Unloading the items they've brought with them the two men enter the town. The men and women of the town often whisper when they see the shumi's come through because of their need to cover up most of the time. Its strange being whispered about but at the same time it feels kind of exciting being the focal point of attention.

"Hey Scout, do you think we can stop for something to eat here?" Asks Irvine. "I've been dying for a bacon sandwich, I'll treat you."

"Scout does not eat meat- here's the shop." He says checking the address.

Entering the shop behind the male he continues his pestering for something guilty to eat. "I know you don't, they have all kinds of things to eat, though. ...You can get a veggie omlette- no wait, that's meat too isn't it?"

"We have a duty first, we can discuss eateries afterwards." Ringing the bell on the counter with his large yellow hand he waits quietly while watching his companion fidget beside him.

"Well its the happy delivering men from the Shumi tribe!" Greets the store owner, arms spread wide as if he's going to hug them by dragging them over the counter. "Come to the back, we can get a good look at everything there." He waves them over to where he's going.

Walking around to the side of the desk the two pass through a swinging door then cross behind the desk to a tiny room in back where the store owner is.

"My nephew will set these things up in the store," Explains the owner. "so you don't have to worry about that. I just need to check that the order is correct, right?"

"And sign here." Says Irvine holding out a clipboard with a piece of paper attached to it.

Emptying the contents of the sacks he checks through the order he's made. Tiny cars and wooden statues litter the table, a few mini stone carved statues are among the items but the thing the man is most impressed with is the eleven car train, beautifully crafted by Irvine and hand painted in such a way it would be a shame to make it out to be just some toy when it should sit upon a shelf for adoration.

"You men do beautiful work, you should expand your business- make it so that every town has a shop with your works in it. You'd make a killing." He looks at the two with a twinkle in his brown eyes.

"We are but a humble tribe. Money is a necessary but we do not whorship it. Thank you for your business. Good day." He bows exiting.

"You're welcome." Irvine shrugs reclaiming the clipboard and carrying sacks. "See you next order."

"Of course. Say-... young man!"

"Hm?"

"...Forgive my rudeness but, you're human aren't you?"

"Yeah."

Nodding, the man is compelled to ask. "You live with them, the men of the shumi tribe?"

"Mhm."

"Were you born there?"

"No. I just sort of fell into it."

Wanting nothing more in the matter the man nods to bid Irvine a farewell.

Tipping the brim of his wide hat he leaves the store.

"You said something about a breakfast?"

Grinning, he says. "Thanks, I owe you one."

"Forget about it; let's just get it quickly and get on our way back to the village."

"All right. Come this way." He leads them to a restaurant not far from the man's shop. It serves coffee and bagels filled with sweet cheeses or fruits, savories and other things. "We can get something for everyone." The human shumi takes a deep whiff of the air inside the shop. "Smells so good in here." He removes his hat smoothing out his irritatingly long hair. He's been meaning to ask one of the tribe members to cut it for him but hasn't gotten around to it. Living there can be very fullfilling as far as things to do but he never really gets a moment for small talk somedays so when he has questions he's often so distracted he forgets to ask. Placing his hat back atop his head he walks over to the counter. "Excuse me, can we have an order of... I'm not sure, thirty five cinnamon rolls and one bacon, egg, and cheese bagel to go?"

"Of course." Says the woman with a smile to them before she loads up a box with the pastries. "I saw you just now, when you removed your hat... Have I seen you before?"

"You might have, we've been here once before making deliveries."

The woman smacked a hand to her head. "That must be it then." Though her gaze lingers on his slightly hidden face a moment. She's sure she's seen him but it wasn't recent- at least, she doesn't think so. "Enjoy, and have a nice day."

"We will, thank you." Taking the box he hands it to Scout in order to eat his order as they head back out of the village.

"You should have spoke to the woman a little longer, you may know her from your former life."

"I'm not reincarnated." Irvine says dryly. "I have amnesia, and if she remembered me she'd remember me better than asking if she'd seen me before." He shrugs. "I could have stopped by here maybe once or twice back then but I can't remember it now. Besides I like my life with you guys, you're not trying to get rid of me or something are you?"

"No."

"All right." Taking a bite of his sandwich he has a satisfied smile on his face. He can taste every bit of the bite as he's had nothing but what the land gives him to eat for months. The eggs are just right, dry, the bacon has fat on it just as he likes it and the cheese, white- not cheddar like it normally is. Very nice touch. "You should try some." He says after a third bite of food.

"No thank you."

"Just a bite, I won't tell anyone."

Scout laughed.

Snickering, Irvine says. "So that you'll laugh at but my jokes are no good to you."

"Its just funny trying to make someone do something to show they've got your friendship."

"That's not what I was doing. I'm just saying its alright to have some meat if its between us?" After saying that he slaps a hand to his hand. "Damn, that is what I was saying isn't it? I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Karver is a good person, we Shumi know that."

"And you guys are good to... which is why I hope you understand it when I say that I'm thinking about leaving the tribe."

"Is this bacon really that good?"

Irvine laughed heartily giving his companion a shove. "That's the spirit." He says to the shumi's joke. "Bacon is good, but no, I think its just time for me to spread my wings and see how I do out there myself. Make something new for me."

"I can understand, we had an Artisan leave us many years ago for a friend of his that lives in Fisherman's Horizon."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mhm. Do you think that ...maybe it could be because of sexual feelings."

Irvine shrugged. "Maybe they're just really close and he wanted to be around him a lot. I don't know if sex or even romantic love has anything to do with it."

"Mm." Intones Scout thoughtfully.

"I'll miss you guys though."

"Is it good to be missed?"

"I think so. It means someone is thinking about you- and its not like I'll be gone-gone, I'm still gonna come in to work; I'll just be commuting to the village."

"I see." He climbs onto his bird. "Elder is the one you will have to tell these words to then. He will tell you if you can go."

Irvine wasn't sure of it, but as he got onto his bird he thought he'd seen the uptight, business-like, sometimes moody scouter tear up. Nah. Maybe it was just the trick of the light or something.