Hi all,
this is my first ever Final Fantasy VII fanfiction, it is also my first fic to ever feature a gay relationship, it took me a long time to build up to writing it and then even longer to post it, my nerves kept getting in my way. So I finally posted it and thank you to eveyone who has favourited or reviewed my story it means alot to me.
I now have the privilege of submitting to you 'Ghosts,' the beautiful new edited version thanks to spopococ - check her out she is awesome!
P.S - as much as I wish they were mine, the characters and world belong to Square Enix.
Sephiroth stabbed me repeatedly; through the arm, hand, leg, torso, even through my foot! The pain was terrible. I fell to the ground. Hard. I forced myself to move, blood coating the ground around me, pouring from my wounds. I couldn't die here. Not now. I forced myself into a sitting position, leaning heavily on my sword; my lifeline.
"So what if it looks hopeless? If it were me, I still wouldn't give up."
I stiffened. That voice, so familiar… so painful to hear...
"Embrace your dreams, and whatever happens, protect your honor as SOLDIER. Okay... you never made soldier, but it's what's in here that counts," The figure tapped his chest over his heart.
Yes. It had to be Zack. Nobody else could joke in this situation.
"Z...Zack...I..."
"Well? You need a hand with him?"
The voice was warm and familiar. I wanted to say yes. I wanted Zack to stay with me. Nothing could make me happier, but… that was selfish. I shook my head, a quick movement. I stood, painfully, struggling with even that simple task. My sword felt heavy as I dragged it upward, my muscles groaning and painful. Half holding, half leaning on my sword, I tried to find my balance. I had to have some strength left to finish this; once and for all. Finally I was upright, staggering.
"You already beat him once, didn't you? This should be a cinch!"
He turned to face me now. It took everything I had not to turn to him, to see him one more time; to kiss him, like so many times before...
I missed him, more than anything, and his death had been all wrong. He shouldn't have died. I'm not worth protecting… I'm weak! Unfit to help anyone. Why do I always end up being protected?
He turned away now. His time with me was coming to an end. Gaia, how could I lose him again?
"Cloud..."
A single murmur of my name passed through his lips. It was like a caress, and yet, like a stab through the heart. This would be the last time. He continued with his words…
"You know what I told you."
Oh, how many things he'd told me. How he loved me, that we would always be together, that nothing could separate our love. How he'd lied. His promises were broken now, and I was utterly alone. I knew what he wanted me to say, what I needed reminding of.
"That's right. I am your living legacy," I murmured.
Did he know what that meant to me? Did he know that I became him; that I took on his personality as my own? How long I had believed... forgotten...
His head bowed, and the wind whispered lightly. He was gone. I had no time to grieve his passing once more. I had to finish this, while his borrowed strength still coursed through my veins. Sephiroth would die. He was the reason for all of this. I let that anger guide me and I flew. My first attack was blocked. I gathered my power, the blue trail of mako crackled as it swept through the air, leaving a glowing trail behind me and my Buster sword.
"I pity you. You just don't get it at all! There's nothing I don't cherish!" I cried, meeting his gaze.
With a final act I struck him, again and again, using every enhanced blade of my sword.
Finally, I delivered the last blow… I landed on my feet, catching my blade as its many parts fell to the ground, embedding themselves in the steel structure around me. I stared up into the face of my enemy and let a few simple words fall from my lips.
"Stay where you belong. In my memories…"
Just like all the others. I knew Sephiroth as the General he once was. He had been so strong; so sure. I believed in him and I looked up to him; he and Zack and I, we had gotten along well, especially on missions together. Nibelheim; why did we ever go there? As far as I know, that's when it all went wrong. If only I could go back and change things...
Sephiroth looked at me, his eyes cold and unfeeling as always, even in the face of his own death.
"I will... never be a memory," He murmured. With that, he wrapped himself in his solitary beating black wing and reverted back into Kadaj.
The poor little puppet was dying. He stumbled forward, sword in hand. I tensed, at the ready; always the SOLDIER… or at least, always the SOLDIER I had pretended to be. Then Kadaj fell, his energy gone. I caught him. What else could I do? These were his final moments. Lunatic as he was, surely everyone deserved some form of comfort in their final moments. Funny how I seem to be so good at it... Death is no stranger to me.
"Brother..." Kadaj's last moments were of his own making. He shouted for his mother, and he reached for her. He was taken, and his body returned to the Lifestream, as all else does and will. It was done.
It was raining. It reminded me of Aerith and Zack. Aerith, because she existed in the water, or at least to me she always did… and Zack, because he had drawn his last breath in the rain. I stood, letting it wash the blood from me, as I tilted my head upward. It was cool and soothing my flushed skin. I finally had a moment of peace. I let my mind wander. I could feel them both with me, watching over me.
A sudden explosion in my chest winded me. It took a moment for the pain to set in. I fell to my knees. How could I have forgotten? Loz and Yazoo… How stupid of me to lower my guard so soon after a battle!
They spoke, but I couldn't hear them over the pounding of blood in my ears. I dragged myself to my feet once more. This was the last push; the final act. I ran towards them, a cry of rage and effort escaping my lips. They raised their hands and the materia in their arms glowed brightly, blinding, and then... nothing.
I can only remember snatches of voices.
"Cloud? Cloud!"
...
"Spiky hang in there, yo?"
...
"There's so much blood..."
...
"I don't think... losing him..."
...
"...no...stay....please...without you...Cloud!"
Then I was suspended in a warm soothing place. Everything was calm and I felt something. A hand, on my forehead?
"Mother?" I mumbled.
"Again? Why is everyone calling me their mother lately?" A feminine voice eased.
"I guess they must be fond of you…"
"I think this one is a little too big to adopt."
"Sorry friend. It looks like, there's no place for you here," That familiar voice washing over me again, bringing confusion to my mind and love to my heart…
I felt a sharp tug and I was falling… Then, I was suspended once more. There was a light snuffling, and I began to stir. Water? I opened my eyes, and there were children there; about six of them holding me in a pool of water. I stood hesitantly. All of my wounds had healed and my stigma was… Gone? I was cured. I would survive. Again. Once again, I had survived, letting others' sacrifices protect me. I was weak; a coward! Perhaps I should just have died…
"Welcome back," A voice snapped me out of my dull musings. I looked up and there they were. Everyone. Tifa, Barrett, Cait Sith, Red XIII, Cid, Vincent, Yuffie, Marlene and Denzel; everyone I cared about except...those two. I nodded.
"I'm back."
Tifa smiled gently in reply, and Red spoke up.
"There are still children with the stigma," he gestured at the others. I nodded again, and Denzel stepped forward.
Tifa crouched down to speak to him at eye level.
"Come on, let's get you fixed up."
He nodded hesitantly.
I stepped forward as he did and lifted him into the pool. I scooped some water into my palms, and poured it over his stigma. A green glow surrounded it, filling it, and then… he was cured.
There was laughter everywhere.
"Last one in is a rotten egg!" A voice cried. The children were dancing and jumping around, splashing each other and smiling. Everyone was happy. I took in the scene around me. Children, Tifa, Marlene, and Aerith playing with some of the children...wait!
I felt myself freeze. It wasn't possible. It was not possible! She couldn't be… but... I watched as she walked away, her pink dress fitting her perfectly. How I wish she would come towards me, instead of moving further away. I acted without thought.
"Wait!" I cried, and I jumped out of the pool, running forward to quickly close the space between us. She turned to look at me, the first time I had ever seen her face during a 'visit'. She was as beautiful as ever; even more so, if possible.
"Aerith, I'm sorry..." I began, making to grasp her arm, but my hand just passed through.
"I can only touch you," She said, her voice soft and melodic. As she said this, she rested her hand upon my cheek. I looked into her eyes and felt the agony of having to part from her well up within me.
"I am so sorry. I couldn't save you, I wasn't strong enough... I couldn't save anyone..."
"Cloud," His voice was as I had heard it earlier. I gasped and looked around. Zack. My Zack was standing feet from me. Aerith dropped her hand at once. Yes, she was my friend, but Zack was…
I stepped toward him.
"Zack, please," My voice broke on the last word, "Please, stay with me…"
I was begging now. I would beg, plead, anything I could, if he would only stay with me. His face changed from calm to distraught in a moment.
"My time is done, Spiky. I've done my job. I made sure you survived to do this," he gestured toward the happy crowd. Suddenly he began to fade.
"Ah! My time is up. I've used my quota of visits. This is goodbye for real this time," He turned with Aerith, and began to walk toward the light that waited just beyond the doorway. Just as he reached it though, he turned to me once more. I quickly walked to him, and he leaned in to kiss me just once. It was beautiful. It was soft and lovingly feather light, but it spoke of nothing but the purest love. He looked at me, love and longing in his eyes along with grief at our parting.
"Cloud, I love..." but he never got to finish. He faded out of existence along with Aerith. "No!" I shouted in panic, "No! You can't…"
I ran out the door, searching. I was always searching...
"Cloud?"
I turned sharply to see my companion's watching me warily. Tifa came forward. She seemed unsure of how to react to my sudden bout of madness.
"Cloud, what's wrong? What are you seeing?" She asked softly. Everyone's eyes were full of pity, concern, and undoubtedly, worry. I sighed and slumped to the ground. The weight of everything settled upon me, as I whispered my reply.
"Ghosts…"
Thoughts?