This story is an continuation of the previous one shot, Crescent Moon Rising. If you have not read that one, I suggest that you read it first because this story will not make sense without knowledge of the first story.
This story is dedicated to my other Aunt, who died. I hope that I can make her proud as well. Let us begin.
Disclaimers: I do not own any of the final fantasy seven characters. They are owned by square enix, I am simply borrowing them.
Crescent Moon Waxing
"She's been like this for a week now, doc," Yuffie complained, "how long is Tifa going to be in this coma?" she finished, looking over her shoulder at the attending Physician, who shook his balding head.
"There is no way to know, Princess. We are doing the best we can with the limited information of what Sephiroth did to her,"
"Can you tell us anything?" she pleaded.
The Doctor sighed, "It is difficult to explain, but I will try," he began, "Miss Lockhart's body is systematically shutting down,"
"So she's dying?" Barret asked in the faintest of whispers.
"That is the complicated part; her cells are rejuvenating at an alarming rate,"
"In English doc," Yuffie fussed.
"I will put it as simply as I can," he paused, meeting their anxious gazes, "When a woman is carrying a baby, the cells rapidly divide and multiply in her womb, creating more and more cells as the baby develops. However, in Tifa's case, she is dying and developing more cells at the same time, which is scientifically impossible," he concluded.
All the eyes in the room watched Tifa. Her usually vibrant skin was ashen and her hair was dull and brittle. The warrior's petite frame was swallowed by the heavy covers of the hospital bed, and IVs were hooked to both arms, pumping her with medicine. Tifa's breathing was shallow yet labored.
"She looks damn near dead," Barret grumbled, narrowing his gaze, "I ain't never seen my girl like this. It's almost too much," he tightened his grip on her small hand, "That crazy son of bitch is dead whenever we find him,"
"You can bet every last materia I have on that," Yuffie declared, looking sadly at Tifa. "I don't know what to do in situations like these. Tifa's the one that pulls everyone together," she whispered, climbing into the bed beside Tifa, hooking her arms around her. "Cloud is going crazy trying to find Sephiroth, Reeve and Rufus are trying to figure out what that bastard wants this time, and nobody knows where Vinny is," she took a deep breath, "I need you to come back Tifa, we can't do this without you,"
Barret brushed his hand through Yuffie's ebony hair, "Our girl's tough. She'll beat this and we'll stop Sephiroth," he nodded, meeting Yuffie's gaze, "that's what we do,"
"I know,"
"I'm sorry to do this, but visiting hours are over," the Physician announced to Barret and Yuffie. The burly man nodded at him, grabbing Yuffie's shoulder.
"Come on, Reeve needs to meet up with us anyway," he said, tugging her out of the bed. Yuffie allowed him to pull her away from Tifa.
"Alright," she turned to Tifa, "I'll visit again tomorrow, Teef," Yuffie, Barret, and the Physician left Tifa's hospital room.
Emerald eyes watched the closing of the door, before landing on the fragile warrior on the bed. Watching the rise and fall of her chest intently, the cat eyes took in the beauty of the wounded creature. Sephiroth emerged out of the shadows, stepping into the light of the bed lamps. The steady beep of Tifa's heart monitor created a rhythm that Sephiroth matched his on heart beat against.
"Humans are so feeble," Sephiroth spoke, glaring at the closed door, "they believe that they can stop a god," he asked, turning to Tifa, "your friends are welcomed to try," he chuckled, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. The ex-general looked at her sleeping face, "however, you have very loyal friends. They are willing to die for you. What is about you Lockhart that inspires such faithfulness? What spell have you cast upon them," he asked, before turning away from her. Friends, he thought, I once knew what that meant. The proud faces of Zack, Angeal and Genesis flashed across his mind's eye, causing a bitter smile. Friends, loyalty, pain, and betrayal are all synonymous.
Pulling the glove of his left hand off with his teeth, he pulled the covers back revealing Tifa's small body underneath. She was covered by a flimsy hospital gown.
"Let us check your progress," he whispered, slipping his hand under her gown, resting his hand on her abdomen. Closing his eyes, he searched her body for his essence, and devilish smile breached his handsome face. He leaned toward her face, whispering in her ear, "Rebirth is a painful process, but it will not last much longer. You will be like me soon," he reached into his coat, pulling out a syringe with glowing mako in it. He looked at the syringe a moment, before injecting the substance into her IV. Tifa thrashed and whimpered, jerking violently in the bed.
Sephiroth calmly held her down, with the hand on her abdomen. A smile tugged at his lips when she clutched his wrist in her small hands. "Hang on to me, and I will lead you to the Promise Land," Tilting his head, he studied her face that contorted from pain, to despair, and finally peace. A gasp flittered from her lips and her head rolled to the side. Removing the last glove, Sephiroth slipped his hand beneath her neck, steadying the small woman.
Looking up, Sephiroth felt Cloud's presence nearby, and chuckled, "The Puppet is close," he whispered, looking back at Tifa, "I'm going to destroy him this time," he stood, tucking her within the blankets and putting on his gloves. Walking over to the mirror, over the room's sink, Sephiroth glared at his reflection. Emerald eyes bore into the mirror, until the image disappeared from his eyes.
Black asphalt blazed past him, with the broken lines merging into one continuous stream. Smog choked the air of the city, leaving an acidic smell in its wake. The wind whipped against his face as the speeding highway and the roar of a motorcycle over took his senses.
Cloud, Sephiroth spoke to him, smiling at the torrent of conflicting emotions swirling inside the smaller man. It has been a while.
Sephiroth!
He chuckled, enjoying the rage Cloud was sending him. How is Tifa doing?
You son of a bitch! I will make you pay for what you did to her!
How? When you aren't sure what it is I did to her? Sephiroth taunted the blonde.
Why her? Cloud growled. Why couldn't you have just gone after me?
Sephiroth chuckled again, Because she is what you care about most, and I have found her worthy.
Stay away from her, Sephiroth. Leave her out of this! Cloud screamed at the ex-general.
I will give you a chance to stop me, Cloud. Meet me where it all began for the three of us. Meet me in Nibelheim. I will be waiting for you there.
Sephiroth severed the link, locking eyes with his reflection once more, "This will be interesting. I have information I need to siphon from him, and I will crush him once and for all," he wore a demented grin. Turning back to the sleeping Tifa, Sephiroth drank in her image, "One of us will not return as we are. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me," he laughed at the foolishness of that hope, "Good bye for now, Lockhart," he walked to the window, glancing back at her once more, before leaping out and flying into the night.
The morning rays descended upon the villagers of Nibelheim. Fresh autumn air permeated the village, and the normal activities went on seamlessly. The blacksmith's hammer, colliding with tempered steel sent reverberating clangs, the giggles of children running, through the cobbled streets on their way to school, and the Mayor chatting with the citizens were all a part of the sounds of Nibelheim. The school bell tolled, warning the children that they were late for class, as they ran through the doors.
Mt. Nibel was the backdrop to the village, as well as the constant reminder of greed, in the form of the Shinra reactor. Smoke flowed from the reactor that was dormant for the last four years. Yet the villagers ignored the looming darkness.
Leather booted feet landed on the well, in the heart of the village. Emerald eyes gazed at the people going about their day. Taking in their complacency, a snarl tugged at his lips. Pathetic creatures, he thought, glaring down his nose at them. Enjoying the peace my departure has allowed them. I will make them pay for the sins that have committed against me! I have returned to the village that created me and I will make them suffer.
A high pitched scream ripped through the village, shattering the peace. A young blonde woman, pointed in his direction, screaming in utter terror. Villagers near her ran to offer assistance, but paled when they faced the man standing, at the center of the town.
"SEPHIROTH!" the blonde woman screamed, falling backward on her bottom, "We're going to die! We are all going to die," she hollered. The blonde was surrounded by people, wearing the exact expression. The village erupted into a chorus of frighten whispers, wails, and whimpers. The villagers trembled before him, taking hesitant steps away from the well.
Sephiroth looked down his nose at them. That is much better. Tremble before a god and I may show mercy.
"What do you want?" the brave blacksmith asked, holding the sword he was working on, in his hand. "Are you here to destroy us?"
"What do I want?" Sephiroth asked, boring into the frighten eyes of the blacksmith. "Your feeble human mind cannot comprehend what it is I want,"
"Please spare us," the blonde cried out to him, "Please don't kill us,"
"What is it you need from this village? Can we somehow help you," The Mayor asked, taking a step closer to the well, "Are you here to kill us, Sephiroth,"
Sephiroth chuckled, shaking his head at them, "No, I am not here to kill you," he narrowed his eyes at the audible sigh that rushed through the village. "I will allow you the honor of doing so,"
Confused murmurs exploded from the villagers, as they looked at one another for answers. People clung to each other for support, looking to the Mayor for leadership.
The Mayor stood tall, "What do you mean by that? Do you not care that there are children in this village?"
"Is it the children you're really concerned about, or is it yourself, Mr. Mayor?" Sephiroth asked his face in a stern expression.
"Please don't hurt the children," the blonde woman pleaded, tears streaming from her wine colored eyes.
Sephiroth narrowed his gaze at her, looking deep within her familiar wine eyes. Tifa, he thought. He was puzzled by her concern, "Do you have children, Miss?" he tilted his head when she shook her head no, "Hmm, that is interesting," he shrugged, "Where are the children?"
"At the school," the Mayor spoke, receiving a death glare, from the ex-general. Immediately he was silenced.
Sephiroth locked eyes with the blonde woman, "I will spare them. Go to the school and allow no one to come out, until this time tomorrow,"
"Thank you," the blonde wine-eyed woman shouted, bowing her head, before running toward the school, on the other end of the village. Sephiroth watched her for a moment.
"So what are you going to do with the rest of us," the Mayor asked, hoping that they all would be spared.
"I am not going to lay a finger on any of you," Sephiroth shrugged, "You will have that privilege," he raised his hand to the sky, looking down at the confused and frightened faces. "Hades," he proclaimed, turning his eyes to the darkening skies, "Come forth,"
Four pillars fell to the planet, from the heavens, landing in a square around the well. Terror stricken cries filled the surrounding area, and Sephiroth relished in the music of their fear. The ground quaked as a boiling cauldron tore through the breaking crevices. The villagers began running from the area. Hades, the summoned wizard, appeared behind Sephiroth, who stood with his arms against his chest. The monstrous wizard began casting his spell, purple mist rolled out of the cauldron as he spoke in an inhuman voice, enrapturing the villagers in the haze.
Sephiroth looked down at them, taking in the sight of the pathetic villagers, running in a chaotic fury, trampling one another in hopes of escape. Narrowing his eyes at them, "Black Cauldron," he spoke, breaking the final tether the villagers had on their sanity. Hades's skeleton arms shot into the air, and the spell was cast. Purple mist blanketed the entire village. Coughs, gages, and crazed screams filled the village.
When the mist lifted, the villagers were revealed. Some were petrified, turned to harden stone. Their concrete arms frozen, forever reaching toward the heavens. Other villagers were reduced in sized, smaller than rats as they ran around, trying not to be trampled. A few were poisoned, lying on the ground in a green glow. Their moans were barely audible over the crazed screams and ranting of the last group of villagers.
Crazed villagers scratched at their skin, tearing the flesh from their bones, and ripping the hair from their scalps, before running blindly through the town. They tore through the village destroying everything in their path. Attacking without prejudice, the crazed slaughtered the poisoned villagers, knocked over the petrified villagers, shattering them into pieces, and crushing the mini villagers, in a blind rage.
Sephiroth looked at them, studying the sight intently. I was once crazed. He took to the sky, when they began beating their bodies against the wooden posts of the well. The smacks of raw flesh beating against wood became the rhythm of the village. With one final shove, the well toppled over, flooding the town in water. The crazed were knocked around the town, wildly flinging their arms to grab on to something. The poisoned and minis were submerged in the depths of the new pool, helpless to avoid their impending death.
An explosion erupted through the village, casting the buildings in flames. Sephiroth's eyes widen, ensnared by the beauty of the fire. His wing fluttered, beating wind against the blaze, creating a swirling inferno. Beautiful, he thought. The heat reached his location, forming beads of sweat down his back. Pain and crazed howls flowed about, knocking Sephiroth from his reverie. He frowned at them, disgusting.
Looking to his left, he sensed Cloud nearing his location. "Now, we can end this, Strife," he murmured, flying in the direction of the Nibel reactor.
Sephiroth stood at the top of the stairs, in the Shinra reactor, waiting for his nemesis to run through the door. He felt Cloud's rage and confusion, at the state of the village he ran through, and chuckled at him. Almost here, he thought, crossing his arms against his chest. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, excited at the prospect of completing a necessary goal. My plans will succeed. I have no doubts. He opened his eyes, after calming himself.
"SEPHIROTH!"
The ex-general snorted at Cloud's yelling for him outside reactor. Outstretching his hand, Masamune materialized within his palm. He swung the metal bloodthirsty entity, slicing through one of the long forgotten pods to his left. Steam seeped from the destruction, and the pod slid apart, as a decayed body fell to the ground.
"SEPHIROTH!" he heard Cloud calling to him again, the patter of his booted feet, clamoring up the metal staircase, echoed in the room. The doors burst opened, revealing the blue-eyed blonde, glaring at him in hatred.
"SEPHIROTH!" Cloud screamed, taking a menacing step toward the ex-general.
"Hello puppet," Sephiroth smirked, looking down at the bane of his existence, "Did you like the present I left for you?" he asked, tilting his head.
"Why did you destroy that village? Those people were innocent they never harmed you,"
"Innocent? Hmm," Sephiroth pondered, before shrugging, "how have you been Cloud? Sleeping well at night I hope,"
"You bastard,"
Sephiroth chuckled, "I have enjoyed watching you search for me, it was quite amusing," he smiled at Cloud's growl, "and you were correct when you were talking with Barret, I had not made a move because I was recovering. Swimming as a spirit in the lifestream, is quite different to being in the physical realm,"
"How did~"
"I see that you brought Angeal's Buster sword. Were you feeling a bit nostalgic too?"
Cloud snorted, "I suppose I was," he replied, "I thought it was a good idea to kill you with the sword that started it all," looking down at the sword, "the first time I used it on you, was right here, in this reactor. I rammed you through the back with it,"
Sephiroth blinked in a bored manner, "Yes you did,"
Cloud smirked, "I am going to send you back to my memories,"
"I heard you confess your love for Tifa," Sephiroth snorted, ignoring Cloud's taunt. He tilted his head, resting his arms against his chest, with Masamune pointing toward the ceiling, "how pathetic, all the chances you had to assuage her doubts about your feelings, and you reveal your secrets to her when she cannot respond,"
"You were there?" Cloud narrowed his eyes at him.
"Yes," Sephiroth shrugged, "I am here to tell you that Tifa is no longer your concern,"
"Stay away from her," Cloud growled, aiming the Buster sword at his nemesis, "I am going to end you today,"
"Hmm, come and try,"
Cloud charged up the stairs, in a blur of black and blonde, swinging the sword down on Sephiroth, who raised Masamune, holding him off at the last possible moment.
Sephiroth smirked at Cloud, "This is familiar," he replied, batting Cloud through the wall and into the next room.
The blonde somersaulted mid-air, landing in a crouch. He searched for the ex-general's whereabouts, when a streak of silver hair flew past him. Cloud ducked, barely missing Sephiroth's swing. The two warriors parried the other's blows. Sephiroth flipped away from Cloud's massive arch, grinning at him.
"You never did answer me, Cloud," he said, running toward the man with his sword at the ready, the spiky haired man raised his Buster sword, countering Sephiroth's relentless blows.
"Yeah, what's that," he asked, pushing Sephiroth back. The blonde ran at him leaping into the air.
"Did you like the present I left you," he stepped around the man hanging in the air, punching him in the back. Cloud bounced mercilessly against the floor, before sliding to a stop against the wall. "Did you enjoy madness?"
"Why are you so twisted?" Cloud asked, gathering his bearings. He slowly stood to his feet, "I looked up to you, and now you are filled with insanity," he taunted, holding his sword out in front of him. Sephiroth was hidden, watching Cloud look for him.
"Asked by the man, who straddles perception," Sephiroth's voice echoed throughout the hollow room. He looked at the large pit of mako and the winding mechanical arms, pumping the substance from the planet. "So, tell me," Sephiroth narrowed his eyes at the blonde, walking toward mako pit. "Are you really Cloud today or are you someone else?"
"Those mind games won't work on me," Cloud hissed, searching for his target.
Sephiroth eased around the metal tub, positioning himself directly above Cloud.
"Maybe they will work on Tifa," Sephiroth countered, watching the blonde's back become ridged.
"I'm going to enjoy killing you a lot more than I should,"
"Hmm, I wonder what Tifa would think if she heard you speak like that,"
"She would probably back me up," Cloud replied smugly, turning to face the opposite direction.
"Then you don't know her at all," Sephiroth chuckled.
"Shut up, I've know her longer than you have, she's my best friend,"
"You know what she allows you to see. I know the real Tifa. The one behind the closed door, the Tifa that she doesn't want you to know about,"
"You will never know her the way that I do," Cloud countered weakly. His brows were furrowed in a tight line.
Sephiroth laughed, his voice ricocheting all about the man below him. "I know Lockhart in ways that only you can dream of puppet,"
"You wish,"
"Seventh Heaven is quite a cozy little bar. Too bad Tifa has not been around to serve her loyal customers. She could be so much more than she is,"
"What did you say?" Cloud seethed in rage, his head jerking from left to right in his diligently search for him. He paused, taking a deep breath to settle himself.
"You heard me Cloud or whoever you are today," Sephiroth chuckled, watching the man beneath him.
"Why are you here, Sephiroth?"
"To shape the world in my image," he replied with a shrug.
"You have lost your mind," Cloud deadpanned, "and how are you supposed to do that?"
"Since you will not survive this battle, I don't mind telling you,"
"Enlighten me," Cloud taunted, taking a few steps forward, searching for Sephiroth around the corner.
"I am going to fuse Black Materia with White Materia, creating the Altamateria,"
"Altamateria, huh?" Cloud snorted, "Now, I know you've lost your damn mind,"
"The time I spent in the lifestream was very educational, and I will become the god of this planet. By combining the ultimate destructive force with ultimate protective force, I will have the power to alter reality to my will,"
Cloud gasped with a look of horror on his face, "I won't let you!"
"You have no choice puppet," Sephiroth taunted the man.
"Where are you? Get your ass out here!"
"As you wish," Sephiroth snarled, silently dropping down on the unsuspecting man. His long silver hair flew behind him like a banner, and Cloud looked around at him at the last moment, bringing the Buster sword up to counter Sephiroth's attack. "It's over," he spoke with finality as Masamune sliced through Cloud's left wrist and right bicep.
Cloud howled in agony, with his maimed appendages flopping in shock. The Buster sword fell away, with the hands still clutching the handle, landing a few feet from the two warriors. Blood sprayed in the air, splashing against Sephiroth's face, as Cloud fell backward to the metal grate behind him. The ex-general stared down at him, with a demented glare in his eyes, pointing the sword at his jugular.
"How does it feel Cloud?" he asked the man, whose eyes rolled around in his head. "You have humiliated me with your very existence," he snarled at the blonde, before kneeling over him, straddling the man under him. "Hey, Cloud, what's the location of the Black and White materias?" Sephiroth tilted his head.
Sweat poured from Cloud's brow as he glared into Sephiroth's cat eyes, "You won't get away with this. The others will stop you,"
Sephiroth tilted his head, "No one can stop me Cloud and you know it," he leaned toward Cloud's ear, his hair spilling around them, "I'm going to rip your mind a part, making you the puppet you always were," Sephiroth hissed in the man's ear. He forced his way into Cloud's mind, bursting through all of his memories and dreams. Cloud screamed, pushing against the one winged angel with his bloody stubs.
"AAHHHH! Get off me!"
"You will tell me the location of Black and White Materia, trust me," Sephiroth plunged deeper into Cloud's mind, destroying his very essence. An image of Rufus and Reeve came into view, and Sephiroth had all that he needed. He burst through Cloud's mind, destroying the man he once was. Leaning back, he looked into the blonde's wide eyes. Drool ran from his mouth and into his ear. Sephiroth stood, looking down his nose at the destroyed man. "The only reason you will draw breath is because of her," Walking over to his sword, he looked back at the broken man, "Hmm, I wonder if she can forgive this," he chuckled, walking toward the exit.
That's that! I hope you enjoyed this one shot. It's probably the darkest fic I have written for fanfiction. Honestly, I'm nervous, hopefully I did not disturb anyone. Adios!
~Auktober