Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Snow Drift ❯ Hope ( Chapter 22 )

Irvine is standing very still in a large white- wherever he is right now. His image is blurry, and everytime he moves: turns his head, blinks, sways absently, his image is shadowed by a tail of his own reflection.

'Where am I?' Taking a step forward his legs cease movement as they feel like wiggly Jell-o.

Something up ahead comes into view, it seems small but as it moves closer Irvine can start to make out what it is.

'That's me! What am I-...?'

The other Irvine walks up to him then passed, yet, its walking up to him again and again, and again.

"Stop!" He shouts but it comes out as a whisper, bouncing all over the invisible walls.

The images of him do stop walking, but strangely they begin to laugh. It was haunting, everywhere, and loud. He looks at them all, all fifteen of them wondering what its supposed to mean. Is he laughing at himself about something.

"You just don't get it do you?" Asks one of the images.

"What? What don't I get?" Irvine asks wondering why his voice is still at a whisper even though he's sure he's raised it to shout.

"How badly do you want to come back?" The other Irvine asks him.

Wondering why his voice sounds so weird Irvine looks down at himself, his surroundings then up at his image. "Come back from what?" Blinking in confusion, he looks to another image of himself. Cocking his head something dawned on him. He isn't even dressed as he normally dresses. "The hell is goin' on here- who are you?"

A grin spread across the persons face. "Why, I'm you."

"You ain't me. You don't sound like, or act anything like me." He sucks in a breath of shock as all the images draw bows loaded with an arrow at him. Raising his hands in defense he says calmly. "Surely we can talk about this, after all, I'm unarmed."

"Don't let them near me." Says the other him.

"Who?"

"The others... keep them away from me."

It sounded so serious that Irvine had to wonder if he were talking about the other images of himself or someone else. Because from where he's standing he's the one that needs the protection. "Listen partner, I promise I won't let anyone touch you, or whatever but you've gotta lower your weapons."

The image began to breathe hard very suddenly before letting out a loud scream. All of them begin shrieking like banshees. Covering his ears, he's relieved to see them drop their weapons due to holding hard to a pain that erupted in their heads. The forms hunch over, crying out in pain. Concern, yet cautious, Irvine walks over to the image of himself wrapping an arm around its shoulders.

"Hey, hey... what's wrong? A headache?"

The image of him looked up surprised, only... his hair went from brown to pink. Infact, as he looks around, all the images are mimicing what's happening to the one he has a hold of.

'What is going on?' He wonders noticing the different colors of hair that they're all sporting.

Purples, blues, greens, blond, reddish violet. What could it mean? Irvine was sure that he's seen them somewhere before but he can't remember from where. His mind has been foggy, drifting in snow.

'I died during the mission... I think that I drowned. If the others didn't find me then I really am dead as I suspect but then if I'm dead, what is this place?'

The invisible floor shifted hard enough to bring him to his knees, taking the image of himself and the others down with him to a kneel.

"You were trying to tell me before, that I don't get something? Am I in a coma? Have I been alive all this time?!" He asks the pained image, nearly shaking it for answers. But it did not answer it only began to cry. "...What... What is it? Tell me."

It said nothing, only faded away taking the others with it.

"Don't go! I have to know!"

"Dammit!" Squall punched the wall hard enough to crack it. "I can't believe this happened!" He bit out angrily. "I was too damned hasty, I wanted Irvine back too much, and now look at him."

Selphie stood up from her seat to place a hand on the saddened male's back; giving it a gentle caress.

"Its my fault, Squall, don't beat yourself up." Zell says sadly. "I wanted him to go back to the accident spot. I'm the one who was too hasty."

"You should have seen us, though, I was snapping at him, telling him that we wouldn't give him the slightest chance to know us- that our only concern was for Irvine."

"What would you say a stupid thing like that for?" Quistis asks. "Imari is the only way to get Irvine back and you're not making it easy for him to submit saying things like that." She went on.

"I know that!" He snaps, but the woman was un-phazed by it. "But... if he recovers... I'll make it up to him and I won't pressure him to recover Irvine's memories."

Quistis made a thoughtful sound. "Maybe he should stay at a hotel for a while."

Squall shakes his head. "He can't afford to."

"Garden could pay for it." Zell suggest.

"Garden can't afford it." Squall shoots it down. "He's going to stay with me, and things will be fine. I swear it."

Dr. Kadowaki exits the recovery room after having been in there for eight hours; her hands hold up to keep the small group- minus Seifer, from pummeling her. "He's stable now. But I want to know what happened."

They all glance at each other wondering whom should speak, Zell decidedly went first.

"Dr. K., we wanted Irvine to get his memory back and only ended up making it worse because now he's unconscious, he probably won't even remember what he saw and-..." He turns his head when a hand touches his shoulder. Its Seifer; shaking his head telling him to just stop talking.

Quistis could have thanked the man, taking Zell's place in the explanation. "Dr. Kadowaki as you can see Irvine is alive. He ended up at Winter Island with no memory of what happened to him or how he got there. Over the years he's gotten a name, Imari Karver, and a life together in Winhill, but we found him and asked him to come here. We wanted for Irvine to remember us and himself but when we brought him to the place where he disappeared he flipped out and ended up here."

"Is he alright?" Squall asks. "What happened to him?"

"I'm amazed at the resilience of you kids; dead one minute, amnesia the next." Expelling a sigh she reports. "Imari," Her use of the name was heavily loose. "has never been exposed to magic- from what I can guess after what you've told me. Irvine still had his magic junctioned but the use of it never came to be because Imari doesn't know the command to cast them. Remembering what happened to him must have triggered that much in his mind and the spells exploded out of him. We're lucky that Imari only recalled Scan and not the Pain the man had junctioned or he'd be in worse condition than a little fainting spell from the mental strain."

"So then he will wake up? He's not in a coma?" Selphie asks, hands clasped in hope that Hyne will keep her friend safe.

"Yes, he'll be fine. Its not like the nasty condition that happened to Rinoa a few years back."

The girl rubbed her arm uncomfortably. She can't recall what happened but her body ached all over when it was done.

"He should be able to return home with you in a day or so." She informs looking to Squall, knowing of his and Irvine's relationship.

The male nods.

"I removed the Silence cast on him and unjunctioned his other spells to protect him when he wakes up; casting that spell was good, quick thinking on your part, Zell."

The blond grinned then wiped it off to remain professional in the eye of tragedy.

"For now, tell him to take it easy with remembering things."

The group nod.

"I have other patients to attend to, so I'll leave you all to sit with him if you like. Remember what I said, though." She points an accussing finger Squall's way before disappearing.

Turning to them, the gunblader cocks his head in the direction of the room. "I'm going in. Zell, will you go home and be with Kait. He'll probably have to spend the night and I don't want him giving your mother any trouble."

"Got it." He pats his friend on the shoulder to comfort him before walking off.

"We should go too." Rinoa touches Squall's shoulder as well.

He receieved a raised hand of a 'bye' from Selphie and Quistis before he's left alone with Seifer.

"Still gonna force his memories?" Asks the ex-knight.

"No. I meant what I said, I'll be nice to Imari while gradually introducing things about Irvine to him."

Seifer shrugs his shoulders. "Alright. Good luck with that."

Squall cocked a brow. "I thought you said luck was for suckers."

"Exactly." He smiles fiendishly before walking away.

Squall watched his departure before going into the patients room. Taking a seat on the stool beside Imari's bed, he rests his hand down on the sleeping male's chest; watching as it rises and falls from Imari's breathing.

"I'm sorry." He says softly.

"That's okay." He smiles, eyes closed, he begins to giggle.

Squall's serene face soured. "I thought you were sleeping, I thought that you were hurt?" He removes his consoling hand.

"I am hurt but, I was faking sleep, though- I hate doctors, you see."

"I thought that your best friend in Shumi was a doctor."

Imari shakes his head. "He was more of a healer than a doctor." Grunting as he moves to sit up; he thanks Squall for his help to do so. "Doctors always smell weird, and poke and prod you with weird things. He just sort... I don't know, healed me." He smiles at the memory.

"Imari, I really am sorry for forcing you to remember things. I didn't think it would be painful."

"I know. You don't have to apologize." He sighs. "I wouldn't have flipped out so badly but... what the hell was that?"

"What was what?"

"Its like... having a personal tattoo of a blue blanket needled to your eyes, and yet, everyone and everything else were coming in but you had green lines all over you and all this information was buzzing around in my head."

"Sounds like Scan, Irvine had some junctioned to him when he went on the mission. Dr. Kadowaki said that his magicks were bursting out of you because you unintentionally activated the spells."

"Geez. You military people must be strong to take that kind of mental abuse."

Squall smirks. "It does hurt the first time you learn how to do it, but in time," He holds out his hand forming a clump of ice in the center of his palm.

Imari looked spooked then amazed. "Wow."

"Its almost like breathing."

"That's amazing."

"Some cadets can't handle it so they never learn but they always become specialist in weaponary so they're equally as useful as anyone else."

"Hmhm. I can't imagine being part of something like that. I've been brought up to disagree with violence and I stick by it. Monsters are a necessary vanquish but people..." He shrugs with a shake of his head.

Squall said nothing.

"How long was I out for?"

"A good few hours, Selphie cried."

Imari frowned then smirked. "Tell her I'm fine."

"She knows, but I'll tell her." Standing, he says absently. "We're in Balamb Garden now... do you wanna look around? I can give you a tour?"

Holding a hand to his head. "You would ask a bedridden man to move about after he just woke up?"

"You said you were faking it." Squall popped the patient on the shoulder.

Imari chuckles throwing the covers over. "I forgot," He winks. "let's move out then. Is this gonna be okay with doctor...?"

"Kadowaki. I don't see why not, you can move can't you?"

"Yeah."

"Good enough reason to walk around then."

...

"This is the training center, there are monsters inside; they're caught weekly."

"How do they keep them from escaping into the school?"

"Barriers."

"Oh."

"Everything is colored, makes it easier, I guess."

Imari nods.

Squall couldn't believe how weird this was, it was like that time the school had been overrun by monsters and everyone was turning this way and that all flipped out about who really knew what. Irvine had come with him then, he needed him... although, back then and still to this day, he wasn't even sure of why.

"Up here is the library," He points to the entrance. "they never have what you're really looking for, but they're willing to order it for you." He shrugs.

The cadets looked spooked to say the least, as they watched a ghost walk down the hall with Squall. Let them stare though, so long as no one comes over and says anything he could careless. Last thing Imari wants is a crowd of people he doesn't know swallowing up his personal space.

'Kind of like what we planned on doing.' He scolds himself. "This is the cafeteria. The speciality of the school is hot dogs, they have all kinds of toppings to put on them. But everything else is good as well."

"Galbadia's specialty is chili." Imari says casually.

Squall didn't comment on it, but his insides churned with enthusiasm that having a tour of the school might do the trick. A nice gentle ease into his oldself might be just what he needed. Imari seemed to read Squall's thoughts because he shook his head sullenly.

"Its just like what I've told you about; I'll have these moments where I will say something or do something that isn't like me but there's nothing behind it. ...Its like I'm stuck in a snow drift, wind will blow flurries around me and I'll watch them move, but I can't feel the cold."

Squall's gaze lowered to the floor. "I know what that's like. Back when we were all fighting a sorceress named Ultimacia, I got stuck in time a compression; the sky was gray the ground was bare and there wasn't anyone around but me ...I gave up all thoughts of getting out of there, I was ready to accept oblivion wandering but Rinoa helped me, my friends helped me... She had gone in too and she brought me back."

Imari seemed to be thinking that over.

"Forget it. Let's just keep moving, over here is the parking lot." He points. "You can use it but you have to pay, we also have rentals from the school. The quad is over there- avoid it at all cost."

The crafter snickers. "Why? Too much gossiping?"

"Trust me, avoid it."

"Okay." He laughs quietly trying to see beyond the entrance as they pass it.

"The dorms are this way. Irvine and I shared a room, but..." He trailed off.

"You quit to raise Kait?"

"I quit to raise Kait, and... I couldn't take being here, in that room alone. Before it was not a big deal to me, but once Irvine started sleeping with me everything changed."

Puffing up his cheeks he deflated them like a balloon being let go. "I can tell this is upsetting you, how 'bout we get something to eat. I'm starving."

"Yeah."

"I've never had a hot dog before, what should I put on it?"

"Maybe Zell's the one to eat with." Comments the male as they head for the cafeteria.

"Agent Orphin, its Tall Hair, do you copy?" Zell releases the red button on his walkie talkie.

A gasp came over the other side before Kait says. "That's my middle name, how did you know?"

"Secret agent, Lion's Den told us."

"Who's that?"

"Your Dad."

"Oh."

"Agent Tall Hair, where are you?"

"I'm in the bathroom, bring the flash light."

"Okay."

Kait turns on a small pen light with a very bright white bulb. Sneaking through the dark hall of the house, he turns into the bathroom then walks back out.

"What's the matter?" Asks Zell behind him.

"Its dark in there."

"I thought that's why we have the flash light."

"Right." Sneaking back into the bathroom the two grab a monkey from the tub.

"We've rescued another one!" Announced Zell, throwing his hands up.

"Yay!" He jumped twice.

Listening to their game, Martha Dincht walks to the buttom of the stairs. "Zell, its time for Kait to get his bath and get ready for bed."

"Okay, Ma."

"Okay, Ma." Copies the boy.

Lifting the child from the floor he takes him into his bedroom. "You get ready for the bath, bring one toy; I'll get your towel."

The boy did as he was told, removing his shirt and jeans, tugging at the toe of his sock having it stretch as long as it could go before it popped off his foot, then does the same to the next one.

"Who wants to come into the tub?" He says in a comical high pitched voice. "Jojo will be your watch guard." He makes the clown take a bow. Choosing his farm pig he dashes off to the bathroom to drop it into the water.

"This shampoo smells like apples, you'll love it."

"Do I like apples?" Asks the boy.

"I think so, yeah." Sitting on the rim of the tub he places his hand under the water. It felt nice enough. "Is this temperature alright?"

"What's that word mean?"

"Uhh, is it too hot, or too cold, or just right?"

"Just right."

"Okay. How high does Squall fill it? Passed your tummy, or your hips."

"I get lotsa water." He's already making the pig nose around under the filling water.

"Alright. ...Is it alright if I sit in with you?"

"Uh huh."

"Just to be sure." Zell nods to the reply sitting on the toilet.

"Do you want a toy?" Ask the child eyeing the bubbles growing around him. He loves bubble sollution in his bathes it always smells like bubble gum. He can't wait until he's five so he can chew some like the girls do.

"No, I'm good."

By then the boy was making swooshing sounds while his pig dove from the soap dish into the water.

Imari was not liking all the staring going on while he and Squall are eating. He feels like a celebrity only he hasn't done anything. Its kind of icky. As if Squall were reading his mind, he says.

"Don't look so surprised, you are a ghost after all."

"Yeah but the open stares are kind of weird." Looking at the main peepers he waves a hand to them. "Come over if you're gonna look."

Embarrassed the small group walks over to their table taking seats around it, some braved sitting right at the table.

"We don't mean to stare, its just that... you look exactly like Irvine Kinneas."

"He is IrvineKinneas. Irvine wasn't dead, he went missing but he has amnesia now and doesn't want to be bothered. Spread the word so no one else gawks at him and go about your business." Squall snips without so much as losing a beat during his bite.

Frightened they all stand.

Imari gaped at the brooding male. How can he be so cruel? Trying to salvage the cadets pride, he holds out a hand, standing from the table. "Imari Karver, nice to meet you."

"Hello." A male says right away shaking his hand.

The others relaxed doing the same. Lunch was nice, the cadets were friendly and talkative; they found his archory skills fascenating and some even asked to be taught by him. He found that hillarious and said if he were still around then he would be glad to teach them. Squall found it all very irritating and yet, his friendly nature is so much like Irvine he had to sit aside the fact that this man is someone else so that he could for a moment pretend that his lover is the one carrying on conversation, holding everyone's interest as he often does or tries to.

Imari glanced to Squall seeing a very distant look on his face, with a soft smile he reaches across the table touching the male's chin between his fingers. "Get out of your head darlin', its not good for you."

Squall couldn't help but get heated cheeks from being called 'darlin'.' in that voice Irvine kept only for him. Its working, though, Irvine is pushing through whatever is holding him still inside of his body. Nodding, he stands from the table.

"Let's head back to my house, its getting late."

"Okay." He stands as well saying goodbye to the group of cadets before following after Squall to the trash bin and tray drop off.

Squall thought about going over to the Dincht's to get Kait, but the idea of being alone with Imari is very tempting, especially if glimmers of Irvine are coming out.

'Dammit, stop thinking like this. I have to control my physical urges.'

"I like this school, its nice... I mean, peaceful for a military school. I thought they'd have you doing drills or something."

"Garden's aren't like normal schools but they do teach basic education, we're not warheads."

Imari nods.

Squall didn't feel up for walking home, he just wanted to get into his bed- well, his son's bed since Imari is staying in his and clock out. Taking a car from the school, they're back to Squall's apartment in ten minutes rather than the half our to forty minutes it would have taken them if they'd walked.

"Is it alright if I take a shower?" The carver asks.

"Go ahead. I'm gonna call Dr. Kadowaki and tell her where you are, incase she's flipping out." He dials the woman's office phone.

"Well, well, you finally call. Where's Mr. Karver?"

"At my house. He says he feels fine, so I figured we'd eat and come home."

"Mhm. I should have known you'd abduct him, your friends don't stand a chance when it comes to you, do they Mr. Leonhart?"

Squall can hear the smile in her voice. She knows him well enough by now, and to be honest, no, he doesn't like his friends cooped up in a hospital for too long. But those were always under special conditions. Isn't action better than sitting around? "I'm taking good care of him, and I won't over-excert him in any way."

"See that you don't. But if he gets a headache tell him no asprins."

"Right."

"Just lay him down in a dark room and tell him to relax."

"I got it."

"Bye."

He hangs up the phone. Going into his room, Squall changes into his pajamas heading then into the living room he calls the Dincht home.

"Hey Squall, how's Imari- did he wake up?" Zell asks.

"He was never asleep, he said he hates hospitals so I sprung him out. How's Kait?"

"Being good as usual. He's asleep now, unless you wanna wake him up to bring him home."

"No, let him sleep. I'll be by after breakfast."

"Woo hoo, alone with your burning lover- what'cha gonna do with him?"

Blushing Squall grumbled. "Nothing. He's not Irvine, and stop mimicing Selphie, its creepy."

Zell only laughed.

"I'll be by tomorrow. Goodnight."

"Night."

Turning around, he's forced to swallow hard when the man walks out of the hall into the living, again, shirtless. "You don't have a top for that?" He waves him over to the couch when he sees the offered brush.

"I do, but I get really hot when I sleep and it keeps me up. Its either shirtless or pantless." He sits down.

"If it bothers you when you're sleeping then we have to make another rule that all clothes must be on until you're in the bed. Otherwise, I'll break your rule and end up sending you packing and I can't risk that." He brushes through his lovers hair gently one inch at a time.

"Oooh, am I too tempting." He laughs, making his chest flex impressively. Irvine never could figure out how to do that, he and Zell were practically making spectakles of themselves on the beach one summer.

Squall snickers giving him a shove. "Don't tempt me. I will screw you into this couch."

Imari chuckled but it ended as he popped up from the seat. "Shit, I forgot about Pal. He hasn't eaten anything all day."

Squall watches the man head into the kitchenette.

"Do you have any ground beef or something?"

"We should. Check the lower drawer."

"Here we go. Thanks." He heads into his room

"No problem." Mumbles the itchy male. Looking down at his lap he heaves a heavy sigh. "Fuck."