Memories

A small group of children were sat in almost a perfect circle around the television set. The room was dark except for the small amount of light given off by the TV. The children were entranced by the film. A brave knight defending his beloved sorceress from the evil dragon.

"Matron, Do you think I can become a sorceress and have a cute knight like that one?" asked one young girl, briefly turning her attention away from the screen to question her guardian.

"You’d have to become a sorceress first, dear." Answered Edea, not really paying attention to Selphie. She was focusing on the film. She suppressed a small giggle at the antics of the knight. Laguna Loire may be a top-class fighter, she thought, but actor he definitely is not.

Edea was the matron of a small orphanage on the continent of Centra. There were very few children there at that time, and each one of them had been there for about four years. Edea had seen many children come and go, but these few had always been left behind. The oldest was Quistis Trepe, a young blonde girl who was sat next to Selphie. On the other side of Selphie was Zell Dincht, who kept bouncing around the room chasing invisible shadows, and, much to the annoyance of the others, as his ‘fight’ would often take place directly in front of the TV. Sat in the small armchair in the corner was Ellone, with Irvine Kinneas sitting on the floor and leaning back against it. On the couch next to Edea was Seifer Almasy, with his small sister Jade curled up in his lap. Seifer’s full attention was on the moves of the knight, from the way he dodged the dragon’s claws to the he held the gunblade. Seifer’s eyes absorbed every detail, their avid interest only occasionally broken by a flicker of irritation caused by Zell’s constant interruptions.

"Seifer?"

"Yes Matron?" replied the boy, keeping his gaze on the screen

"Don’t you think it’s time Jade went to bed?"

Seifer looked down at the girl in his lap, who was practically asleep but had her eyes fixed to the TV in stubborn determination. He felt her small hands grasp his T-shirt tightly, as if to say If I’m going, your coming with me.

"Can’t she watch the end of the film?"

Edea rolled her eyes and sighed. There was no point in trying to argue because Seifer would draw it out until Jade had watched the entire film anyway.

"Very well, but then its straight to bed for you, young lady!"

Jade nodded in reply.

Edea sighed again and returned to watching the film. Her attention was quickly regained by a small figure standing in the doorway.

"Squall, anything wrong?" Edea asked gently

"No Matron." Said the young boy quietly, creeping over to sit on the arm chair beside Ellone.

Zell stopped bouncing to talk to Squall

"Yo, you watching the film? It’s really good, its about this-" Zell was cut off as a cushion hit him directly in the face and knocked him to the ground

"Sit down and Shut up!" said Seifer, ignoring Matrons reproachful look and glaring at Zell, who had been standing directly in front of the TV

"Yeah, we’s is watching the film." Added Jade, copying her brothers glare.

"Are watching the film, dear." Corrected Edea, almost automatically.

Zell got up rubbing is head and muttering to himself, but he sat back down to watch the rest of the film quietly.

Much to Edea’s relief, they were able to watch the end of the film in peace. There were so few times when the orphanage was quiet that it was a godsend when it was. And although Edea enjoyed the peace while it lasted, she knew a part of her would die if one day the constant bickering ended. The children may not always get along, she thought, but they’d be lost without each other.

***********

"No, I’m the princess!"

"Fine then, I’ll be the hero’s beautiful girlfriend!"

Irvine shook his head as the two girls continued arguing. He had been cast as the hero in their little game, again, and both Selphie and Quistis wanted to be his princess, again. He listened quietly as bossy little Quistis dictated her own version of logic to Selphie.

"Ya can’t be Selphie, coz the hero falls in love with the princess. Which is me."

Quistis stood with her hands planted firmly on her hips, glaring at Selphie. With a sigh, Selphie finally gave in

"Okay, I’ll be the hero’s sister, or some thing."

Quistis nodded in approval

"Zell can be the side-kick," she stated, " now all we need is the villain…..Seifer-"

Jade cut off Quistis, much to the blonde girls annoyance

"I’m gonna be the evil sorceress!" she said, waving around a thick branch she’d found in the garden

Irvine laughed.

"And I suppose that’s your wand?" he asked lightly

"Nope," said Jade, her nose crinkling up in distaste, "Wands are for girlie amateurs, this is my magic stick!" she announced, beaming proudly

Zell snorted in laughter, and crept up next Irvine, who put on a face of mock panic

"Ooooh, I’m the scary sorceress and I’m going to turn you into a frog with my wand!"

The two boys laughed together. Jade’s eyes narrowed.

"I told you, it’s a STICK!!" The last word was emphasised with an almighty blow to Zell’s head. With a shriek of laughter, Jade ran to hide behind her older brother.

"Seifer’s gonna be my big, strong knight!" she said. Seifer bent down and picked up his sister, swinging her up to shoulder height.

"That’s right, so now we’re gonna go find our secret hide-out. I’ll see you so-called hero’s later!" With that Seifer, carrying Jade, disappeared, leaving the hero’s to work out their strategy.

A few hours later, they were all stretched out on the small beach next to the orphanage. The mystical journey of Irvine and Selphie had been a success. The princess Quistis was safe and sound, and the evil sorceress now used her powers for good, having been bribed with a tub of strawberry ice cream. Even Squall and Ellone had joined in.

Now they were all lying exhausted on the white sand, bathed in the warm glow of sunset.

"It’s been almost a week since Katie went away." Quistis suddenly blurted out.

"Yeah…" muttered some of the others. Katie had moved in with a Galbadian couple the previous week, and Quistis had only just got round to coping with the loss of her best friend.

"Wonder who’ll go next…" said Irvine, staring at the clouds.

"Not me!" stated Seifer "Someone’s gotta stay and look after Matron." He said, by way of an explanation.

Jade rolled over onto her front and looked out over the sea. "I’m staying too!" she said softly.

"Let’s promise never to go anywhere without the others!" said Selphie

"And never forget!" added Quistis

"Promise!" they all called out in unison

**********

Edea glanced briefly out the window. Squall and Zell were playing with a couple of small toy cars around the stone pillars which marked the entrance to the orphanage. A little further along the path, Jade was sat making a small daisy chain, a small white bear perched on a small rock next to her. The rest were all inside, Selphie and Irvine playing hide and seek and the others watching TV. Satisfied, Edea’s attention returned to the washing up.

"Zell, this is boring!" moaned Squall.

"Yeah, I guess…" said the blond boy

"So what are we going to do?"

Zell leaped up in excitement "Ooh! I know, truth or dare! You dare me, Squall go on!"

Squall grimaced slightly and started to think. A smug grin spread over his face

"You’ve gotta snatch the bear from Jade." He announced

Zell looked at him with a mixture of horror and panic "I can’t do that! Matron would kill me!"

"Your just scared!" teased Squall

"Yeah but this is Jade, as in Seifer’s little sister! And of course I’m scared of Seifer. I’d bet you are too!"

Squall snorted "No way!"

"Then you snatch the bear….or are you too scared?" said Zell.

"’Course not! Just watch!" said Squall as the two boys began to creep up on the unsuspecting young girl.

Moving silently from shadow to shadow, it crept closer towards the distant smell of another life form. Growling slightly, the Behemoth sniffed at the air. It knew it shouldn’t be where it was. It knew if it didn’t eat soon then it never would. It knew something else was out there.

Stepping cautiously forward, the behemoth went to satisfy its curiosity and its hunger.

"NOW!" shouted Zell.

Squall leapt forward and ran past the bewildered Jade, snatching the bear mid-flight. Zell and Squall carried on running down the path.

"HEY!" yelled Jade "Give that back!" she cried, swiftly getting up and giving chase.

Squall tossed the toy to Zell and laughing, Zell and Squall ran down the path of the orphanage, with Jade closely behind them. They ran down past the stone pillars and the flower field and out onto the open plains….

Edea, Cid and their friend Jason stood in the kitchen, watching the children and talking. Ellone and Quistis had joined them and were asking Cid and Jason what the world outside the orphanage was like. Their answers were cut short by a high screech.

"Oh my! That’s Zell, what’s he done now?" said Edea moving towards the door. Seifer and Irvine smirked.

The screech was immediately followed by two others.

"Jade!" cried Seifer, beating Edea out of the door and running towards the sound as fast as possible. When he reached the end of the track, the shock stopped him dead. He heard the others approach behind him and gasp in horror.

The three children ran as fast as the could towards the safety of the orphanage, the behemoth close behind. Zell stumbled on a rock, and although he managed to keep his balance, he dropped the small bear to the ground. Jade stopped to pick it up, but the few seconds she was stationary was more than enough for the beast to close the gap. Seifer let out a strangled sob as Jade was sent flying to the ground with one sweep of its giant paw. He ran forward and threw one of the large stones which littered the ground at the Behemoth’s head. It reared up in pain and Jade tried to crawl away as quick as possible. Seifer tried to run forward to help her, but was held back by Cid.

"Edea, get them inside NOW!" he roared, pulling Seifer back.

Seifer struggled against Cid as hard as he could but the man’s grip was hard as iron. Cid dragged him through the door as Jason ran back out carrying his rifle. Seifer was pulled to the other side of the room as Edea bolted the door. Seifer’s struggling decreased and Cid relaxed his grip. Then Seifer, fear coursing through his mind, gathered all his strength and punched Cid in the stomach. The force of the blow winded him and Cid was unable to stop Seifer as the young boy charged at the door. He watched Seifer pound desperately at the door, trying to break through either the wood or the bolt.

A single gunshot was heard, followed by another agonised roar. As the roar grew quieter with distance, the recovered Cid gently pulled Seifer away from the door and unbolted it. Edea held Seifer back as Cid slipped through the door.

A few moments later, Cid returned. He walked slowly through the door, shutting it gently behind him. His head was hung low and he was gazing at a small toy in his hand. Seifer stared in horror at his sister’s bear. It was dirty and bloodstained, with stuffing starting to fall out of a few small tears in the fabric.

"Where’s…" started Edea

"He took her round the back. It is something the children should not see…"

Edea’s eyes opened wide as she looked to Cid for the answer of the one question they all wanted to know. Cid shook his head solemnly. Tears pricked at Edea’s eyes and she bit her lip to stop them from falling. Then a sudden thought struck her and Cid simultaneously, but they were too late. They turned round to see Seifer through the door to where he knew his sister would be. Edea followed, Cid stopping any of the other children from doing the same.

Seifer’s heart skipped a beat as he stepped into the dim room. Having heard him, Jason stepped backwards away from the bed, allowing Seifer to see his sister. Seifer’s heart almost stopped completely as he gazed at the frail body lying on the bed. The white sheets were already stained with deep red blood, which still flowed from cuts all over. Seifer moved to the edge of the bed. He felt Edea’s hand gently touch his shoulder.

"I should have been there. I should have been able to help her." He said, his voice contorted with anger and grief.

"Sssh," soothed Edea "You were powerless, there was nothing you could have done."

The words shot through Seifer, adding to the pain building up inside him. He heard Edea and Jason quietly leave the room, leaving him alone with the lifeless body of his sister. He looked at her face, expecting to see the pain somehow shown on her face. Instead, her expression was of a serene tranquillity, as if she were merely sleeping. Seifer’s eyes were drawn to a large gash on her forehead. It started just by her right cheek and crossed the bridge of her nose and ending above her left eye. The dried blood gave it the appearance of a scar more than a fresh cut. Seifer delicately traced the line of it with his finger tips, finally running his fingers down her cheek. It was so easy to think of her as sleeping, and the bloodstained sheets and the absence of her breathing were the only things that reminded Seifer that he would never be with her again. He would never hear her gentle laughter or see the mischievous look which made her eyes sparkle. The sense of loss finally became too much for him, and for the first and last time in his life, Seifer Almasy cried.

***********

Squall and Zell watched warily as Seifer stepped silently into the room. It had been two months since Jade’s death. It had changed Seifer more than anyway one could have known. What had once been gentle teasing had turned into malicious attempts to hurt people. Both Zell and Squall bore physical reminders of times he had lost his temper and lashed out at them. He also abhorred authority and made Cid’s life hell, only ever listening to Edea. Seifer’s better nature, Cid had said, died with Jade.

Zell eye’s fearfully followed Seifer. Ever since Seifer had found out what had happened on that day, he had punished Zell and Squall mercilessly. Zell didn’t have the guts to stand up to Seifer, but Squall would fight back. Squall knew Seifer blamed him for Jade’s death and felt it was unfair. Their fights often got hand, with either Edea, Ellone or Quistis having to break them up.

The two boys breathed a small sigh of relief as Seifer walked out the door and went down the rocky trail that led to the beach. It meant Seifer would be there all day, and no one would be hurt for now.

*********

Seifer looked back to the crumbling orphanage, and then to the small grave in front of them. Squatting down, he delicately perched a small object on top of the stone. After ten years the writing had faded off, but Seifer knew who the grave belonged to. For some reason, he had always remembered the grave, even if he hadn’t remembered why. Many of his memories had returned, regardless of whether he wanted them or not. The memories had been the answer to one thing that had always puzzled him. He smiled sadly at the small, grey bear that sat upon Jade Almasy’s grave. He had always carried it around with him, not knowing quite why he had it or where he had got it from. He had never thought about throwing it away. He felt attached to it, it had brought him luck and it had kept him alive. Picking up the bear, Seifer sighed and stood up. Despite the sadness, for the first time he could remember he felt content, the need for power and strength had abated, and his hatred for Squall had faded to a mere indifference. It was over, and Seifer could finally let go of a memory he had only recently remembered.

The creature stared dimly out of its good eye, the other having been damaged a few years before. It winced as the pain began to cloud its mind. It was dying, and it knew it. It had fought, but old age had slowed it down and its foe had gained an easy victory. Now it was over, and the Behemoth slowly drew its last painful breath as the gunblade wounds finally took its life.