Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Snow Drift ❯ Littlebird what do you see ( Chapter 18 )

As the train from Balamb pulls into the station of Fisherman's Horizon many sounds hit the ears of the passengers who leave it: the trains bell, the chatter of people, scuffled foots steps, always a sound of industrial origins as these people make a living by helping build and engineer things, then there's the shouts of the fishermen that work the boat yards and the familiar sound of the ocean all around them. The four, Squall, Zell, Rinoa, and Kait walk down the long stone stairs from the train yard to the main part of the sea scented town. While the adults chat, Kait's big blue eyes scan the area for the familiar face of his new friend but being only 2 foot 7 inches tall its not exactly easy to get a look at the terrain. Kait has decided to himself that he won't cry this time and hoped that his Shumi friend will forgive him for doing so before, but he wasn't afraid of the man just very surprised because he looked like a hero of his and how would that not shock anyone to tears? Maybe, to take some of the edge off, he could get the man to come over and meet his father this time, that would be nice.

"Hey Squall," Zell says when stepping from the last stair and falling into step with the brunet. "what ever happened with that message from yesterday. Did you get to read it?"

Figuring that Zell is curious because he'd taken it upon his self to read something meant for him, Squall considered his curiosity justifiable. "No. But my phone's in the kitchen charging now." He glances down when feeling a tug on the belt loop of his jeans to see if the boy wanted anything but discovering that Kait only wanted to hang onto him he turns his attention back to Zell. "I doubt that its anything important, though, they would have called back if it were."

"Not necessarily, if they battery is low you wouldn't know that they called back, would you?" He kicks a rock in his path.

"Both of my numbers are listed, Zell, if it were important they would have called the other phone."

"I guess."

Half into the conversation Rinoa asks. "What phone call?"

"Squall got some message when we were at the gym yesterday-" With a shrug he says. "phone died before we could read the full message."

"Probably chain letters from some dumb ass." Squall concludes to drop the subject.

Hopping onto his father's right foot, Kait swings from front to back singing "We're giiiiant stepping for Blues clues, giiiant stepping for Blues clues." which he learned when the television reran the episode for the fourth time or as Kait likes to say "the show forgot that they already did this so they're playing it again" but then try explaining the concept of reruns to a four year old and see how far the conversation goes.

Watching Kait, who's having the time of his life while his 28 pound weight is torturing his father's jeans, Zell laughs at the sight before saying to the child. "Do you want a ride?"

"Uh huh." He nods making a happy face when Zell's strong hands reach under his armpits lifting the boy up and over his shoulders to have a seat. "I can see the tops of heads." He looks over at his father, then Rinoa then look down at the top of Zell's head. Turning his attention to the ocean his happiness escalates ten fold because out on the water looks to be his new friend. He seems like he's having a hard time fishing or maybe he's just rowing the boat, but whatever he's doing he's coming back to shore. "Daddy?" He taps his father on top of his head. "Can I go see my friend?"

"What friend?"

"The not yellow, yellow friend." He points. "He's over there!"

The three adults turn their heads to where the child is pointing but they don't see anyone.

"I don't see anyone."

"He's right there!" He continues to point.

Rinoa and Zell look to Squall with a shrug. F.H. is pretty peaceful, at least that's what the mayor says, there's nowhere for vehicles to drive around so there isn't any chance of Kait being hit by a car and his son knows better than to hang around by the water without supervision.

"Alright, but remember the two rules."

"I remember," He removes his whistle. "see."

Patting the boy on the back he takes him down from Zell's shoulders setting him on the ground. "Okay, go ahead."

"Thank you." He said before dashing off.

Zell had to make a show of unvoiced concern about Kait wandering off. They all know that Squall has gotten murderously touchy about people leaving and not checking in, but he's trying very hard to prove otherwise; he schools it away if you will. With Kait, he gives the boy freedom to roam but every time he does the guardian will look over his shoulder every second to ensure that the child is still within sight. As for the rest of them they make a conscious effort to call and check in the moment a mission has ended to let him know that they're alright. Squall can't take anymore sudden disappearances from them and it shows more than Squall would think.

"I hope they have white fish." Rinoa says, unknowing of the worry spell she'd thankfully broken, rubbing her hands together with anticipation of eating the sea creature later that day.

"Tch. I'm hoping for the prawns are in good catch. I can taste them now." Zell is nearly drooling over the taste.

That's when something dawned on Squall. "Where's Seifer anyway, I thought he was coming with us?"

"You kidding," Zell rolls his eyes. "the moment he heard that a fire pit was needed he decided to stay behind with Quistis and Selphie to help out."

Rinoa giggles from the image of the pyro calling for more things to burn to build the fire higher and higher, nevermind the fact that its supposed to be a pit for cooking over. Having not grown up with the male, she wondered when his fire starting ways had begun. He seems to want to be the master of the blaze- among other things in life.

The fish market is covered by a large overhead tent with no cover over the sides, used to keep the fish out of the sun so it stays fresh while put on display. The market has every type of seafood imaginable: octopus, squid, tropical fish, mainland fish, even urchins! Squall took one last look over his shoulder to see that Kait was still in view which he is, so he walks further under the tented market.

"Mister! Mister!" Kait darts across the town towards the peer where his shumi friend is exiting the water to land.

Tying the boat to the peer, Imari looks around to see who, if he, is being called. "Hey, its Kait!" He says with a smile. "I was hoping I'd see you again." Kneeling down to be eye level with the child he's not surprised to see the shocked look on the boys face again. He must really look like this Irvine guy. "You're not still scared of me are you?"

"I wasn't scared, I was just suprised." The boy spoke in his defense.

Laughing, Imari says. "Well then I'm sorry that I suprised you."

"That's okay. My daddy said that we can talk but I have to see him," Looking over his shoulder, he definitely can't see Squall from where he is. "Can you pick me up?"

"Sure." Lifting the child he holds him to sit on his hip.

"Whoa..." He voices when lifted, wrapping his arms around Imari's neck he looks down, his eyes widening. "I'm up so high!" He looks down again then to Imari. "You're tall like Seifer, do you know him?"

"Can't say that I know any Seifer, but if you introduce me to him, I'll gladly meet him."

"Okay." Twisting his face in thought he asks. "What's that big word mean?"

"Which one?"

Looking to where Squall is standing, he shakes his head. "Oh I can't say it; my daddy says that if there is a words I don't hear a lot then its grown up talk."

"I see." He nods. "Smart dad you've got there but, maybe if you whisper it to me I can help you understand it."

Looking back to Squall like the his guardian might overhear he leans to Imari's ear then whispers.

"Introduce? That's not grown up words, it just means... to meet new people." Snapping his fingers he says. "Here, its like this." He looks at the childs clown doll. "Clown-.."

"Jojo." Kait informs.

"Jojo, meet Kait- Kait, meet Jojo. That's how you introduce someone."

Laughing into his hand, Kait shakes his head. "But Jojo already knows me; what's your name again?"

"Imari Karver."

"I can only remember one name."

"Oh, okay, then call me Imari."

"Imari." He says it as if to file it away. "Sorry, but sometimes I forgot."

"That's okay. I've forgotten a lot of things, at least, that's what I think."

Laughing the boy pulls Imari's cheek singing to him. "If you only had a brain."

"Ahaha. You're really funny, Kait." A thought occured to him just then. Reaching into his pocket he removed the carved lion with the beautiful blue gray eyes.

The boys gasp could have doubled for a sudden asthma attack it was so hard. "Ohhh, its a lion."

"Yup. When I was making presents I made this one for some reason; I must have been thinking about you. I was gonna give it someone else but I'm glad that I didn't. It seems made for you little lionhart." He teased.

"No, not me, but my daddy is a lion. I hear things, the other grown ups at his work call him the lion of Barumb."

"Balamb."

"Yeah, Balamb. My name is little bird, all my friends call me that- do you wanna call me that?"

"Little bird, huh, alright."

"Can I keep the lion?"

"You can. It can be at Jojo's circus."

"That's my favorite show! Jojo has a lion for a best friend." Unable to contain his love for telling people about his favorite things he goes on. "She sings great songs."

"She does?" He starts to walk with the child towards the market.

"Uh huh."

"Well, I have a carved Chocobo back at the hotel if you can wait here for me to get it, I'd be happy to give it to you before I leave today."

"I can't stay, we're shopping for Palayla to have at the beach." He looks towards the approaching market. "We're playing at the beach, can you come?"

Shaking his head, Imari says. "I can't, I have to get home so I can get back to work, I have a job to do and its in Deling."

"Aaaww." He pouts a moment. Suddenly distracted by Imari's ponytail he plays on it while thinking of what to say to the man next. "Do you like Blues Clues?"

"I've never seen it."

"Its fun. You have to look for clues then solve the clues at the end. I sometimes get it." He pulls the man's braid up until he's holding the tip, then he presses it to his lip for a false mustache. "Can you go back to your hotel and get it now? I can come."

"Uuumm, I don't think your parents would like that too much. Sorry."

"No parents, just me and my daddy. I don't have a mommy because my dad likes boys- that's what Seifer said."

That came off as a shock. He thought for sure that the man and the little lady from before were together. He never would have thought that the man was gay. Kait must be adopted. Pretty good match for the man, though, from what he can see they really do look related. "Well you know what, I'll mail it to you, how 'bout that? Do you know your address?"

"Yup. Its 4D on Maytance Street."

"Balamb?"

"Uh huh." Gasping he points. "Look at that big bird!"

Turning a bit, he ends up setting the child down since he's reaching for his large tropical friend. "Here I thought you ditched me for the day." Imari says to the bird. "His name is Pal."

"Pal? Is he yours?"

"Mhm. You can pet him if you'd like he's friendly."

Marveled the boy reaches out a hand smiling when the bird dips its head to be touched. "Rinona has a dog, name Angelo. He's nice too."

"No, no, its said like Rinoa." He wonders how he knew that but he can't dive to deeply into it as Kait's name is being called.

"Kait!"

"That's my daddy." He hugs the man further snapping him out of his mental tumble. "Bye, and thank you for the lion."

"You're... wel..come..." He says quietly. Where has he heard that name before? Feeling his shirt tug upward he stands being assisted by the bird. "What are you hopped up for? We'll go."

The large bird darts away towards the hotel, Imari following closely behind.

...

Squall brought with them: towels, sunscreen, toys of buckets, shovels and pale, little sea life moldings, and Kait potty seat plus a tent to cover the child and give him privacy.

"Is it alright if Jojo comes with me?"

"If you keep inside the plastic, don't want her to get ruined by sea water."

"Oh nooo." He shakes his head before returning to making the toy train a new lion that he got from his mysterious shumi friend. He's been playing with it since they got back from F.H. Kait's been speaking of the man a great deal as well, that he's nice and fun and so on. Squall is beginning to think that he should meet this man his son has so much interest in, make sure he's not some kind of sicko or stalker using Kait to get to them or his un-son in general. Squall wouldn't stand for it, and nothing short of coming across his blade will be fitting a punishment for the man. Removing his phone from the charger, he stuffs it into his jeans pocket.

"And guess what daddy, he slips down from his seat at the kitchen table. "He's gonna give me a chocoocobob, but he couldn't give it to me today because he said that you wouldn't like it if I went to his room at the hotel."

"He's right, I wouldn't like it." Taking the boy's hand he kneels down a second to kiss the child on the cheek as if to say, thank you for being responsible then standing he says. "Let's go have some fun."

...

'Rinoa... How do I know that name?' He wonders while packing his clothes and things. 'It was like my mouth just said it but my head can't get a face to match with the name and there's no further knowledge along with it, so, what? Do I know her?' His action of putting a shirt into the bag is paused as his gaze falls out the window looking at the clear blue ocean before they fall upon boxed flowers set in the windowsill. They're yellow, foreign flowers that only grow naturally in the south. Even they seem familiar. Taking a seat on the bed he falls back onto the bed. Rinoa. Rinoa?' Closing his dark dual colored eyes he continues trying to unwrap the thick layer of subconscious that's causing him to get a very painful headache but he can't, nothing is coming to him. "Fuck! What do you want from me Hyne?! To remember who I was or be happy with who I am?!" He can feel tears stinging his eyes. In a choked sob he says. "I like who I am." Running his hands through his loose hair he then wipes his tears. "And if I jumped to end up on Winter Island... should I be who I was?" He doesn't want to remember the life of someone suicidle its just not him; he's been over this 4 years ago; he's happy and isn't that what living is all about- being happy, or at least that's what life has branded as most important.

The soft feathers atop Pal's head brush against his moist cheek, the birds way of comforting him.

Sighing in agitation he sits up. "You're right, stop doing this to myself. I'd better get moving." Retrieving the shirt from the floor where it fell he tosses it into the suit case closing it up. "Right, don't wanna forget this." Grabbing a pen from the desk he writes his address on the top left corner of a small brown box containing the carved bird. He has to have the return address written incase Kait gave him the wrong address; the child is very smart and seemed pretty sure of it, so there's no way its a fake but you can never be too sure. He did say he forgets things sometimes.

Heading out of the hotel he makes a quick run to the post office then boards the train to head back to Winhill.

"Your fish are very cute Kait." Quistis takes a seat, on her knees, beside the boy.

"I made one for each of us," Pointing them out as he names them he says. "This is Selphie, Seifer, Zell, you, Squall, and Rinoooa."

Overhearing, as she's close beside the child soaking up some sun, said woman smiles. "Aaaw you said my name." She applauds.

"Uh huh, Imari taught me."

Question crosses over her happy expression. "Your friend knows me?"

Confused all together, Quistis asks. "Who's Imari?"

"Kait's Shumi friend."

"Weird name for a shumi, I thought they called each other by job desciption myself. ...Hmm."

"Kait, does your friend know me?"

The boy shrugs. "I don't know."

"That certainly would be weird, does Squall know him?"

"Not that I know of. Not only that I don't know any Shumi's either." Shaking her head in thought she adds. "I've never even been to their village."

"Kait," Quistis touches his shoulder to call his attention away from poking eyes into the sand fishes. "how does your friend know Rinoa's name?"

"I don't know." He looks into the woman's eyes. "I just said Rinona and he told me its pronounced Rinoa, he didn't say anything after that."

Not through questioning, Quistis asks. "But how did he say it? Like he knew her or as if he's heard the name before?"

"I don't know- can I go swim now?"

"Sure sweetie."

The boy took off towards the crystal clear waters, stopping when he got to where Zell has just come from swimming. Hopping up and down, arms up; Zell picks him up taking him out into the water on foot.

"What do you make of that?"

Rinoa shrugs, pulling her bangs out of her face in thought only to have them drop back down into place. "I'm not sure, though, I am a famous general's daughter- at times," She adds with a hint of chuckle. "plus we've all had our names tossed around after the war, maybe its just well known by now."

"That's true." Standing, she brushes sand from her legs. "Well, let's go have some fun. No reason to waste this beautiful day worrying about nothing."

"Volley ball." Tightening her ponytail Rinoa grabs Quistis by the wrist to drag her over towards the net.

"Wow!"

Looking up from checking his messages Squall rolls his eyes spotting Selphie casting Water spells so she can dance the large bubble over the rocking waves for Kait's amusement. The boy loved seeing magic, not that they did any dangerous ones around him and they're all beyond their abilities with using them so there was never any risk if they had to use dangerous magic around the child.

'To whom this may concern, I think that I may have seen Irvine Kinneas at a costume party I attended not long ago. The man had his face covered by a small mask but I was sure that it was him. He didn't sound like Irvine from what little of his voice I'd heard, but I went to Galbadia in my youth and I'm pretty sure I know what the guy looks like in posture and-...' It took everything in Squall's power not to crush the phone into little bits. How dare someone do something so ignorant, so incredibly rude as to play tricks on him and especially after so long! And yet the world seemed to start pulling away just like it had when he had gotten the first pre-recorded phone call from the man. The sounds of his friends chatter and laughter, the roll of the waves, Kait's big laugh after being dunked under the water by Zell, even the smells disappeared, the heat and the seafood, hot dogs, all of it! Swirling into the black abyss of his heart where he desperately misses his cowboy. Breathing hard he pulls himself back from the darkness having dealt with it long ago through talks with his Laguna, whom he's slowly accepting as a father, and raising Kait to young to understand death or pain just knowing that he needs someone and that person is him.

When all the sounds and smells returned to his senses he releases a calm breath but glares at his cell phone. What good did this person think they'd get out something like this? His anger, the laughter at his eager to know more. Well, they've got another thing coming if they believe that he's going to call them back so they can get their kicks. Deleting the message, he stuffs the phone into his beach bag. Taking another deep breath he then stands heading towards the water to join the others. He can't let that bother him. He can't reopen that old wound. To think of Irvine being alive after all this time and not saying anything is just damned stupid. Impossible.

...

Kait looks at his father's far away gaze. "Daddy, you're not making lion noises." He splashes the polished wooden creature under his bath water then brings it back up. "Daddy?"

Blinking back from his thoughts to register the bathroom and the little bird calling to him he turns his head. "Sorry, I'm just thinking about something." He smiles apologetically.

"What?"

He doesn't want to plague the child with his heavy thoughts, but ignoring his questions would be rude. He's not just someone he can brush off, Kait's his un-son, its almost like Laguna and himself- minus the fact that he and Laguna are blood related they're very much odd father and son.

"Someone is playing a mean trick on me by saying that they've seen someone who's no longer with us anymore." He shrugs. "I'm just upset because it surprised me."

"I'm upset from being suprised." He closes his eyes when Squall's hands begins rinsing the shampoo out of his hair. "Daddy, can I have a picture of cowboy Irvine?"

"Of course," He sets the cup down once the shampoo is out. "but why do you need it?"

"I'll show my friend Imari so he can see that he looks like him."

Squall's hands froze in place and before he could realize what he was doing he gripped the boys bony shoulders hard.

"Ow!" He cried out.

"Your friend is a shumi, right, then why do you keep talking about him as though he looks human?!" He nearly shouts.

Unable to answer the boy pouts hard enough to say its sagging to his shoulder.

Seeing the look on the boys face Squall shakes his head releasing the child. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Kait." Grabbing a towel from the bar beside the tub he wraps it around the child before pulling him from the tub to sit him on his lap. Holding him close, he kisses the top of the boys wet hair, rubbing Kait's shoulders hoping that he hadn't hurt him. "I'm really sorry for yelling and hurting you, there's no excuse for it."

Wrapping his arms around his dad he asks quietly. "Are you mad at me?"

"No, I'm not mad at you."

"I forgive you daddy." He hugs the man.

"Thank you." Picking him up he walks him into his bedroom; the birds on the wall, flying through a blue sky can be seen when the light is turned on.

Drying and dressing the child he tucks him into bed with a cup of warm milk to help him need to use the bathroom; climbing in beside him Squall holds him close. "Kait, this is very important to daddy that I ask you. But what does your friend Imari look like?"

"But I told you what he looks like."

"You're young, your eyes may be playing tricks on you to make him look like.." He swallows hard unable to say the name without a tinge of tears wanting to come. "cowboy Irvine. So you have to tell me what he looks like to you."

Kait thinks about that. What Imari looks like... "He has hair like mines is and... really pretty eyes, daddy they have two colors like yours." He points.

Squall felt sick, very sick like he really has to fight to hold being physically ill in. "Kait, is Imari's hair short like ours or-..."

"Oh nooo, he has long hair," The boy giggles. "I weared it like a mustache." Tapping his dad's arm he adds. "He has a pet bird, name Pal, and its pretty like a toucan."

'I erased the message, I can't remember the phone number to call the person back.' Squall beats himself.

"Daddy, you're gone again."

"Sorry about that, I was just thinking that your friend does sound very much like cowboy Irvine."

"Uh huh, that's why I cried. I wasn't always seeing him before." Holding up the toy lion he says. "He made me this and he said that he'd send another toy."

"I know." Taking the cup from the child he sets it down on the dresser. "Come on, let's go to the bathroom and then get some sleep."

Kait follows his father's lead out of the room to the bathroom.

"Hey, how would you like to visit grampa for a little while?"

"I like grampa and aunt Ellone too."

"Good. It'll only be for a while, though, I have something I need to do."

"A mission?" He understands that much about his life with a military man. The others are often gone for a while on missions. He doesn't know exactly what one is but he knows it takes people away for a while so he's used to it.

"Something like that."

"Okay. I'll miss you."

Smiling he replies. "I'll miss you too."

"All done!" He announced as he stood up; wiping himself with the offered toilet paper he drop it into the potty then walks out of the bathroom. Climbing into bed he asks. "And you'll be back quick?"

"Hopefully."

Nodding to the answer, he closes his eyes. "Bedtime song?"

"Bedtime song."

After what seemed like years they were on their way to Winhill after dropping Kait off with Laguna. He left instructions with the man, the shows the boy likes to watch and when they air, his potty chair with the instruction to give him a drink before bed to help him go so that he can sleep through the night without having to get up too much, but incase he does wake up to use it he has a lion shaped night light. Kait isn't afraid of the dark but being away from home often causes anxiety in children. Not too many sweets- not that the boy ever craved candy that much, if he asked for fruit cubes only as lunch then give him extra dinner to make up for it. A nap in the afternoon and the lyrics for the bedtime song, Kait would tell him how to sing it. Laguna tried to stall the man to chat with him but Squall was in a hurry and Laguna quickly told him to go when finding out why. The others couldn't believe the phone call Zell had made to them when Squall called last night about what the message had said and what Kait told him. But here they are loaded up in the air craft shaped like a dragon heading towards the tiny hidden town of Winhill.

Looking at the address on the box that came for Kait around 10 o'clock fingers the letters of the mans initials. 'Imari Karver, Irvine Kinneas... it couldn't just be coincidence. But what I can't figure out is why? If this man is Irvine why would he hide away? Was it a secret mission or a secret desire to leave. He always has that sad look in his eyes like he's waiting for something, or maybe he was secretly apologizing for the day when he would take off. Sharp shooters are loners he used to say. But he loves me, he tells me that all the time he would not do something like this to me. But then what else could it be?'

He felt vomit lurch in his stomach when the Ragnarok came to a stop outside of the town. The small group marched through there like they were on a killing mission, headstrong and a determined look in their eyes. But when they reached the home.

"He's not answering." Selphie whined after the seventh knock.

"Maybe the creep found out we were coming and skipped town." Seifer chimed in.

"We could get a hotel and wait until he comes back? He could have gone to the store." Zell shrugs.

Jiggling the knob, Squall intended to just strole in to wait. He wasn't going to miss this man for a minute.

"Oh move." Shoving his rival aside Seifer pulls a piece of metal from his pocket; kneeling down he picks the lock with ease pushing the door open once the lock turned.

The first thing they were greeted with was the sound of schreeching.

"What in the world is that?" Quistis asks coming in last.

"Duck!" Rinoa covered her head as a large lavander bird flew their way with a murderous look in its eyes.

But the bird got no closer, it merely fell from the sky to the floor frozen.

"Seifer." Zell looks at his lover with disapprove.

"I'm out of sleep spells." He laughs when being punched on the arm. "Anyway, that thing was ready to attack, I was defending myself."

Everyone looked to Squall when they heard the male's foot steps walking through the living room. He seems to be looking for something, traces of Irvine's personality perhaps but he sees none. Only... he can't even discribe it, its just so not Irvine- almost a woman's touch with the little details while still being masculane by being completely bare.

"Do we wait here?" Zell asks.

"May as well." Squall says taking a standing place by the window in the back of the room. The others join him sitting down.

And they waited. They waited and waited and slowly their patients wore. Trips to the bathroom leaving for something to eat, and yet Squall remained. Night approached and the others took their leave but Squall remained and it seemed no sooner then the others leaving the front door opened and in walked...

'Irvine.'