Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ When Darkness Falls ❯ Chapter 24 ( Chapter 24 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Zell tugged a black shirt over his head then climbed out of the van. He didn't see a need to change but Zack said his red shirt was too bright, and he would be seen easily. So he changed. The four walked through the dump carrying bats, except for Reno who had a night stick that he'd stolen from a cop last year; he loved the solid swing of the thing.

As they walked, the three of them talked about a good strategy to get in and out with everything; Zell insisted that they take it all; though where they'd stick it all they didn't know. Even through their talking, Zell's ears picked up on something. It was faint, but he could hear it...

'He smells familiar..' A faint voice whispered.

Zell turned his head in the direction of the voice.

'Closer... get closer.' Another said.

'What is that?' Wondered Zell, looking all around him now, turning short circles to check out the perimeter. 'Is someone there?'

A gasp was heard in the distance. 'He heard us, he must be one too.'

'One?' Wondered Dincht. 'One what?'

Shadow glanced over his shoulder seeing that Zell has stopped walked and was looked around. "Hey, Zell..." He called to him. The blond turned his gaze at him but said nothing. "What are you doing?"

Zell didn't have an answer, so pointing a finger in any random direction he replied. "I... thought I heard something that's all."

Shadow slowed to a stop then turned around snagging Zell by his upper arm. "Don't get cold feet now, you're supposed to be heading this mission, remember?" The leader said, keeping a hand on Zell's back between his shoulder blades. "So lead, Chuck, lead."

Reno began to laugh about something Zack had said and he whispered something back to him and the two cracked up over it. "You're sick man," Zack commented shaking his head from laughter.

"You never know." Reno defended.

From the distance a shadowy figure peeks out from behind a tree. A thin red smile can be seen in a slight show of moonlight. "There's the boy..." A deep voice muttered. "Maybe later I should take him home and play house..." The voice sounded much higher this time only it was the same person. Coming out from behind the tree, Kefka sneered at the four young men, but his vision was mostly captivated by Zell.

...

"You saw him?!" Selphie questioned. "Where was he? What was he doing? Is he okay?" She was on the phone with Seifer, who had just told her he saw Zell earlier.

"It was earlier at school during first break, he was..." Thinking of the right wording. "I don't know, getting beat up; I went to help him but some guys stepped in and they ran off with him."

Selphie's eyes welled with tears, she couldn't believe it. He was still in town and close enough to still come by the school!

"Selphie, you there?" Seifer asked, hearing the, unusual for Selphie, silence on her end.

"Yeah, I'm here... But was he ok?" She asked.

"His forearm was bleeding, it looked fresh too. He had a big bruise on the side of his head, but other than that he looked fine." He corrected himself. "And a bit under nourished, but all-in-all fine." He moved the phone from his ear hearing a loud groan from Selphie's end.

"Zell hates being hungry..." She sniffled. "Did you know that when we were kids, just little kids he competed in a pie eating contest with adults and woooonnnn..." She began to cry.

"And he's not fat?" Seifer said to lighten the mood.

"Not funny." She said with a sniffle. "...Who only knows where he is now; or if those guys are..." She trailed off whimpering. "taking care of him or not.."

"God I hate it when girls cry." Said Seifer becoming restless. "Selphie listen, you and me can go look for him right now if you want. I'll bring my car around to your house."

She smiled and nodded, brushing her hand across her eyes.

"Audible answer, please."

"Oh, yeah. And hurry up pleeease." Her voice was returning to its normal happy stature.

Seifer said goodbye and hung up the phone.

Selphie got up from her bed and jumped up and down. "Yes, yes, yes!" Hurrying to her closet she grabbed a pink sweeter pulling it over her head. Then diving to the floor she fished around under the bed for her boots. "Come on..." Unsuccessful, she turned to the corner of her room grabbing her sneakers instead. "I hate sneakers," she griped as she slipped them on and laced them up.

The bedroom door cracked opened and the hyperactive girl glanced up from what she was doing peeking her head up over the bed. She couldn't see anybody so she ignored it and went back to lacing up her sneakers.

"Sweetie?" It was her mom.

Scowling, Selphie said nothing, hoping her mother would get the hint and take a hike. But getting her pushy side from her mother, the woman walked farther in, investigating the room.

Watching Selphie's mouth twist in bitterness. "Can I help you with something?" She asked scaring the life from her mother.

The woman had started but held fast to a plate of cookies she was carrying. "I uh... thought that maybe you'd like a snack before bed." She offered.

Selphie's facial expression couldn't have been more dead if she tried. Standing up, she shook her head and walked to the other side of the room. Her mother's eyes were on her the entire time, wondering what the girl was up to. "Selphie?" She followed her.

The two of them walked down the stairs; her mother calling her name the entire way.

"Selphie?"

"What, mom, I'm going out." Selphie said stopping at the front door putting her hands on her hips.

"Going out where?" Questioned Maria; her daughter has been in and out of the house so many times without a word; and now it's time for some answers.

"Out with Seifer," she got in her mother's face. "to look for Zell. You do remember Zell, don't you?!"

"Of course I do but... Honey.."

Selphie pulled the door open hearing the bell go off. "That must be him now."

"Please don't leave," Her mother pleaded.

"Ready to... Sabin?" Takes a step back. 'What is he doing here?' She wondered.

"Wow, you must be psychic or something." He pulled his girlfriend into an embrace; dumbfounded she hugged back.

"Sabin, what are you doing here?" She asked into his chest before pushing herself back for air.

"We have a date. I wanted to surprise you."

Drooped, she laughs listlessly. "Oh, Sabin, you pick the worst times." She mumbled.

"What?" The kind young man asked, not hearing his girlfriend's words.

Another car pulled up outside. Seifer climbed out and walked up to the front door. "Ready to go?" He asked Selphie, then noticing the plate of cookies her mother was holding he reached out for one. "Oh, thank you." He took a bite.

Sabin shook his head in confusion. "Who are you?" Asked the blond giant, getting into defense mode.

Seifer smiled, knowing right off who Sabin was. And Seifer being Seifer, an agitator, he wrapped an arm around Selphie's shoulders pulling her to his side. "I'm gonna be occupying Selphie's time for tonight, so you can sit this one out, big guy. Three's a crowd."

"Excuse me?" Sabin stepped into the arrogant blond's path.

"Yes, move, you're in the way." Joked Seifer, heightening Sabin's growing anger.

Selphie sighed loudly listening to the commotion of the pair; along with her mother chiming in asking who Seifer was, and how he knew her. "Eeeenough!" Taking Seifer's hand and then Sabin's she walked them out of her house then releasing them. She tugged the knob on the door slamming it shut.

"Sabin," she turned to her boyfriend. "I'm sorry about our date, but I can't go out tonight."

Her boyfriend scoffed.

"Becaaause, I was going out with Seifer.."

"Well I can see that-..." He cuts her off being short worded himself.

"To look for Zell..." she held his hand. "Please understand...?"

Sabin felt defeated. There was no stopping her on her hunt for her best friend. So with a nod to give her permission she doesn't need from him, Selphie jumped into his arms scattering kisses on his cheek. Seifer who had been watching, clutched his stomach and tossed the cookie into the grass.

"Needless to say I just tossed my cookies, can we go now?"

"Yeah," she looked back at Sabin, giving him pleading eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Sabin nodded but said nothing. Selphie gave him a weak smile and planted a single kiss on him wherever her mouth could reach then she rushed to the curb climbing into Seifer's car. Waving from the window one last time, the two were gone.

Sabin sadly watched their departure, then a smile lit up his face. "Maybe I could find Zell for her... that would make her happy." With new confidence, the blond walked to his car and climbed in.

...

"Turn off the flashlight." Shadow instructed.

The trio did as their leader had said and crouched down under the windows of the balcony. They had made it to the building with no trouble from the doorman, who now has a large bruise growing out of his head thanks to Zack. The three of them very stealthily snaked up the fire escape.

Zell's ears pricked up and he listened to the inside silence. It was a little scary, almost like he could hear everyone's individual sleepy breathing. His nose flared and he could smell things in the air he normally couldn't, like: Food, water, the smell of his friends to the boiling baby bottle across the street.

'What is going on?' Wondered Dincht, looking at his hands, front and back.

"I got it, come on." Reno waved a leading arm over his shoulder, and his friends followed him inside the jarred open window. Once inside, the four snuck along the hall way staying low to the floor.

Shadow pulled the flashlight from out of his belt strap and flicked it on shining it at the door numbers. "F43. That's the one." Turning the flashlight off, Shadow crept to the door pulling out a tiny lock picking set.

It took a little prying but he got it open. "Shit." He muttered. The others watched in silence as their resourceful partner pulled the door slightly shut against his arm, while his hand fished around to pull the chain lock over. "... Almost got it..." Probing with it a bit more the door soon swung open.

Shadow, Reno, and Zack walked in carefully, but Zell sped on by them. "He's not home." The changed young man mentioned. He could smell every scent in the air and none of it was of Cid. 'Damn it, I wanted a shot at that guy.' He thought angrily.

The four of them didn't waste another second of their time and began snatching everything that wasn't nailed down. They stuffed mini clocks, watches, lamps and even batteries into the plastic bags.

"Who has this many pictures of themselves?" Zack noticed picking up another picture of the man in some idiotic pose. Dropping it to the hard carpeted floor, the glass shattered into tiny piece.

"Ssshh, don't make so much noise." Said someone, Zell didn't know who. Taking his bag outside into the hallway, he opened a window and tossed it out onto the fire escape.

"Look at this shit." Reno said, flopping down on Cid's bed. "Hey baby, want a smoke?" He said talking to a blow-up woman that was lying in the bed with him.

Shadow and Zack cracked up at the sight of Reno fingering the blow-up. Turning his head seeing movement, Shadow waved over the strange acting Zell. "Zell, come look at this thing."

Zell was on his way over to the bedroom, when his ears pricked up again. Whistling, low and distant. A bing from the elevator confirmed where the sound was coming from. A loud familiar-toned cough came from the hall and Zell looked at the door. "It's him."

The seasoned thieves turned their head, despite still being in the bedroom as though they could see who Zell was talking about through the wall. "Who?" Asked Reno, getting up from the bed.

"Cid."

Shadow and Zack's eyes went wide, knowing they were gonna be caught; there was no way they could slip into the hall and out before the man got into his room. Looking around with his eyes, Zell grabbed a bat that was sitting against the couch, and walked over to the door closing it silently.

Cid ceased his whistling and pulled out the key to his apartment. Zell waited on the other side of the door poised for combat. His friends were hidden throughout the room waiting for the man to come in.

When the door pushed in, Cid's hand scraped a little too closely to the metal on the lock hole of the door. "Ah. Dammit." He shook his head and a fresh droplet of blood founds its way to the surface of Cid's hand and to the floor.

It was almost in slow motion for Zell, the sight... the sound... the smell... the hunger. Cid brought his hand up to his mouth sucking the blood away, swearing at the tight pinch of pain.

"May I?" Asked Zell out of nowhere.

"Huh?"

Snatching the man's hand into his own, Zell brought the bleeding hand up to his mouth and bit down hard. "Aaaahhhh! Fuck!" Cid shook his arm as hard and fast as he could to dislodge the stranger, but the teen held on. Hungry growls escaped Zell's mouth, at the taste of the blood. Rich and salty with a hint of alcohol, telling that Cid was out drinking.

Shadow, Zack, and Reno's jaw dropped. It was dark, but they could make out enough darkened silhouette to see that Zell was biting Cid!

"Get off!" The man cried out, beating Zell over the head.

The sickly blond felt nothing but pure ecstacy, and he hummed in pleasure through the continued pounding down on his head by Cid's fist.

Pulling back from the delectable hand, Zell let out a satisfied "Aaaa." Picking up the bat he had dropped, the satiated teen raised the weapon up over his head and started whacking the apartment owner. Repeatedly, over and over, the bat slammed into Cid until he was bleeding from the side of his head.

A siren sounded in the distance and the three muddled trio knew it was time to go. "Come on, Dincht." Zack said trying to pull the guy up from Cid. He was shoved backwards into Shadow; Reno tried his hand at it.

Zell hissed at the red head, aiming the bat then at him. Reno advanced first, pinning Zell's arms behind his back. "I got him, let's move."

Zack gathered the bags. Shadow opened the windows then helped Reno with Zell on their way out. Cid rolled over onto his stomach, groaning in confused pain. Crawling over to the phone, he picked it up from the base and dialed 9-1-1. "I wanna report a..." He wiped blood from his forehead. "a break in..."

They managed to make it down the fire escape in one piece - bags and all - but when they were on solid ground, Reno shoved Zell to the ground tossing his bag at him. "What the fuck was that?" He asked in a bark.

"Leave him alone Ren'." Warned Shadow. Walking over to Zell, he held out a hand asking. "You all right?"

Zell swatted the offer away. "Get away from me!" He shouted curling himself into a ball. His breathing was ragged and he clutched at his hair hard enough to rip out handfuls, if he didn't let go.

The sound of the cop cars was coming closer; whatever Zell's problem was would have to wait till morning because it was time to go. "Come on." Shadow tried yanking Zell to his feet. "Get your shit we have to leave before the cops get here."

Zell sniffled loudly crawling over to his bag, gripping it for dear life. Shadow smiled. Hopeful that Zell was coming along with them, he helped him to his feet despite the blond wanting no such assistance. But no sooner had he got to his feet, Zell took off in the opposite direction.

"Where are you going?!" Shadow called after him, feeling a tug on his arm.

"Forget him, let's go." Zack tugged at Shadow until he turned and ran with them.

Zell tore down the street. He had a place in mind, but he had to make it there first. Maybe Squall could tell him what was going on, and help him fight this... whatever it was he was changing into. Crossing the street, Zell didn't see the oncoming car and had to stop suddenly with his hands out to protect him from the car that nearly ran him over.

The bright headlights hid nothing from the darkness, and Selphie cried out in a gasp. "Zell!"