Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ When Darkness Falls ❯ Chapter Seventeen ( Chapter 17 )

"Aaaaaaaahhhhrrrrrrrrr!" Selphie collapsed back onto her bed, arms spread and legs straight out. She then proceeded to make little whimpering noises as tears filled her eyes. "What a waste..." The girl began. "We spent all day looking for him - twice! And now it's getting late."

Seifer sat himself down on Selphie's rocking-chair, gently rocking it back and forth with only the slightest pressure from his foot. 'She's right... We've looked everywhere and still nothing...' He began to chew on his fingernail as he thought of their next plan of action. Seifer would never get to sleep at night knowing that Zell was wandering the streets, alone and defenseless.

Silently listening to the girl's whimpers, Seifer finally spoke up saying. "Selphie.."

She quieted and turned her head in his direction. "What?"

"Zell's smart enough to know not to wander around at night; and even if he has no place to go he'd find shelter somewhere." The determined assured; although he wasn't entirely convinced of it himself. He could at least calm Selphie down for the time being.

Sitting up, the weeping girl dried her eyes and smiled. "You really think so?" She asked him.

Seifer rolled his eyes and stood from the chair. "Yes, I do. So can you cut the crying for tonight." He crossed the bedroom to the exit. "We'll start looking again tomorrow."

Saluting him, Selphie stood and walked him out of the house. When they reached the front door, Selphie blocked it by standing in front of it with arms spread out. "Even though... I know you're not sure... I know you were only trying to make me feel better." Slinging her arms around Seifer's waist she hugged him tightly. "Thank you."

Patting her back Seifer looked around uncomfortably, then pushed her back. "You're welcome. Now will you let me out of here?"

Selphie chuckled; stepping aside she let him out of the home.

"Follow a girl home and you never leave, that's how men get trapped you know." Joked the abducted guest on his way out.

"Whatever... And don't you go looking for him without me. I'll be waiting by four!" She waved. Closing the door, Selphie returned the frown to her face but smiled a second later. 'We are gonna find Zell. Now it's not just me looking...' Pushing off the door she trotted down the hall to the stairs.

Seifer checked his watch. 'Nine o'clock.' He noted. 'I've still got some time left to look.' Crossing the yard to the street, Seifer climbed into his car and started off. Holding onto the wheel with one hand, he dug into his pocket with the other and pulled out his cell phone. Quickly glancing, he dialed a number from his contacts.

"Hello?" A female voice said.

"Mom, I need you to look up a number for me." He began.

"You've been out awfully late; and the school called," Seifer rolled his eyes. "Why weren't you there today?"

"I'll answer all that when I get home. But right now can you please just look into some information for me." He pleaded. He heard his mother's exasperated sigh of defeat, and smiled to himself. "Thank you. Now I'm on my way home. Love you. Bye." He rushed out then hung up. 'Someone has to know the numbers to those damn shelters.'

Back at the shelter. Zell snapped his eyes open from another nightmare. This one was about the night before. He remembered such a surge of pain coursing through him that night. 'What did Squall do to me?' He touched his neck remembering where the pain had come from.

"Dinner." A familiar voice said.

Zell felt a hand pat his back, turning his head to the touch he watched Irvine gesture with a hand to follow him. Standing, Zell brushed his pants leg down and followed his new friend. There was a line formed and every one grabbed a plate.

'I guess it's not so embarrassing if everyone else is doing it too,' Thought Zell. 'It's almost like getting lunch at the cafeteria.'

A loud comotion came barrelling in through the door, and everyone turned seeing Clyde and his friends walk in. Zell noticed something different about them, this time there was another guy there that Zell has seen once before, but from where...?

"You're money or your life." The words echoed in his memory.

Shaking his head, Zell cleared the false imagery from his head. "No, it couldn't be him..." He whispered.

"Couldn't be who?" A girl he'd never seen before asked.

She was cheeky with her smile. Her light brown hair was drawn up into a ponytail with little braids here and there; her clothes looked less than new but they were stylish, so it looked as though she, like Clyde, used to come from money.

"Um, nothing. I was just talking to myself." Replied Zell.

lyde and his friends shoved some people aside so they could get their food first. "Hey!" A boy cried out but said nothing more after recieving a stern look from Zack.

The girl looked over Zell's head and twisted her mouth to the side. "Looks like Clyde brought his friends with him again." She said. "We're in for a rough night. Hopefully they're only staying for dinner then they'll leave."

Looking at the red head, Zell was sure he was the same guy from yesterday. "Hey um... I'm sorry I don't know your..."

"It's Rikku," she held her hand out.

"Zell, hi. Can I ask you something?" The girl nodded. "Who's the red head with Clyde and Zack? Does he stay here, too?"

Waving a hand. "That's Reno, you don't wanna bother with him. The guy's nuts." Rikku commented. Zell turned his vision to the trio. Rikku watched him then went on saying. "They steal from people non-stop; and Reno sometimes cuts them or kills them."

Zell felt his Adam's apple swelling in his throat. 'What if he remembers me from before?' Trying to hide his face from view by yanking his hair down over his face, he watched behind parted tufts of hair. They were rowdy and loud until their plates were full then they trotted away to one of the tables to eat.

"Lines moving." Said his new acquaintance, giving Zell a tap.

"Oh, sorry." Zell filled his plate with as much as they permitted, but he kept his eye on Clyde's table while going to his own. With such meger portions Zell was finished rather quickly. He remained seated at the table with Irvine, Terra, and a younger teen Gau.

The three of them talked for a while about this and that; things that Zell couldn't jump into, he remained quiet. 'How long does it take to eat this stuff,' The blond thought trying to mentally rush the trio. 'Oh gawd, they're getting up.'

Zell blocked his face again, but it did no good. A heavy arm dropped around his shoulders, pulling him to his feet. "I'm really sorry for kicking you, it was just self-defense. I just..."

Reno merely smiled, and began to walk with the panicking blond still at his side. "Calm down. I'm not gonna beat you up." His rich city accent assured.

"You're not?" Asked the, still terrified, shorter male.

"No. It was really brave of you, I honor that. No one's ever kicked me before."

Zell felt another arm rest around his shoulder from the right side. Turning his head, he saw Clyde grinning at him.

"Right height." The brunet commented.

"Right weight, too." Said Zack. "And look at his arms."

"For what?" Zell looked at all three of them. Something was going on, that much was clear. He wasn't exactly sure he wanted to be a part of it.

Reno spoke again making sure his voice sounded as kind as he could get it. "We've been looking for someone else to join us, someone like you."

"Like me?" He asked. The trio nodded. "What do you need?"

This time Clyde spoke up. "It's just a little project we've been trying to pull off since last month; let's get out of here and we'll explain the details."

Zell hadn't even noticed they were heading for the exit until the door opened and they were standing on the street turning into an alley way.

A car went cruising slowly by; a blond guy looked out the window, looking first left then right before pressing down on the pedal speeding by.

At the edge of town, in the lavish mansion. Squall and Edgar are sitting at a small table in his room having a drink of blood from wine glasses. A calming glow flickered about the room from the fireplace.

"You've barely touched your food, your drink as well... There's no way you're sick." Reported Lord Edgar.

"I'm thinking..." Simple as that. Squall is thinking a lot lately.

"Mmm." Edgar swirled the drink in his mouth before swallowing. He placed the cup down, and leaned across the table and touched Squall's cheek. "You're worried about the boy?" The vampire nodded, leaving his head down with a sighed.

"If you're worried go look for him." Said Edgar. "He's got your blood in him... You can find him with your bond."

"But," Squall began but quieted.

"But nothing. I'm going out tonight. I will not be needing you."

Looking up, Squall smiled a thank you. "I do not deserve you, my Lord." Standing, he leaned down and kissed his lover on the cheek before going to the window. "I will return by two."

Edgar showed no concern; however, to remind his eager little vampire, he said. "Don't forget you must finish the transformation within the three days that you've first bitten him, or it will not take."

Squall nodded before jumping out the window. Edgar walked up to the frame looking after him. "You know what happens then..." Looking down the corpsed hands of the vampire zombies reached out of the soil hoping Edgar had some food for them.

"I will bring you something to eat much later. But for now, I must do a little hunting of my own." Shifting into the atmosphere, Edgar drifted out of the window and into the night.