Written as a Christmas present for my favorite fanfiction author, CryptCreeperX.
Part 1: Cloud
Cloud…
Cloud…
Come to Me...Cloud…
Cloud woke up with a start. For a moment, he forgot where he was. He shook his head to clear out the last shreds of sleep. He found that he had fallen asleep at his desk, his face planted on the open pages of his book. He remembered staying up all night rereading the first three chapters from Studies of Sephira for today's test. He looked at the clock: 7:45.
"Shit."
He scrambled to his feet and rushed to get all his things together for the day. He would have to wait until after his first class to have breakfast. As he left his apartment, he wondered, once again, why he picked a class that started this early in the morning.
Name three prophets.
The questions on the test weren't multiple choice, but the first few were still very easy. Cloud didn't even have to think when he wrote down the answer: Adam Genesis, Adam Angeal, and Adam Zack. His stomach growled. He silently told it that he would eat as soon as he was done with this test.
How do Sephirans celebrate Reunion?
He knew the answer thanks to being friends with Aerith, a devout Sephiran herself. She had told him about the one time she was able to go there, and how great it was. He wrote down the answer: by traveling to Keter and praying at the Bracha Springs to renew their faith and connection to Sephiroth.
What years did the Leviathan War take place?
He had read about the Leviathan War in his history books back in high school. The people of Atziluth had wanted to spread their influence to Tsukihon, but everyone there resisted. The religions of Sephira and Shukyo clashed, and the Leviathan War was the result. Against the odds, Atziluth won and, though they couldn't completely wipe out Shukyo, they did rename Tsukihon to Yetzirah.
Cloud knew it was hundreds of years ago, but he forgot how many hundreds it was, as well as the exact date of the war. He could only make a horrible guess: 1234-1242. He moved on to the final question.
How does the Sephira of modern times differ from the Sephira centuries ago?
Cloud groaned; he always hated the essay questions at the end. He did his best, but he wasn't entirely confident of his answer. By the time he was done thinking and writing, the class was already over.
As he shuffled out of the room, he heard a familiar voice shout out, "Cloud!"
He turned around. Running up to him was a girl with long brown hair tied up in a ribbon. She said, "Geez, I called you several times. Are you okay, Cloud?"
She called me?
"Yeah, sorry. Guess my head's not really there today."
"Not there? I'm almost afraid to ask how you did on the test."
"Think I at least passed it." He shrugged.
"You 'think'? Didn't you study yesterday?"
"I did…"
"Let me guess: you spent most of the day training and you fell asleep while you studied. Cloud Strife-."
"Aerith, I'm sorry, but I haven't had breakfast and I need to eat something now. If you want to give me a lecture, go ahead, but I'm off to the food court."
Cloud started to walk off, with Aerith keeping up the pace as she told him how important it was to balance studying and physical training. By the time she was done, they were already waiting in line at the SFC in the food court.
"I know you're aiming to join the army, but you got to focus on your studies, too. Don't you want to at least graduate before you go, Cloud?"
Instead of answering, Cloud ordered a Champion Chocobo platter. Once he got it, he looked for a place to sit. As always, all the tables were taken, so he found a wall and sat down with his back to it.
"Cloud?"
He finally turned his head to face Aerith once he felt her hand on his shoulder. She looked worried as she asked, "Is everything alright?"
"Huh?"
"You've been kind of distant lately. You don't talk much anymore, and Tifa's told me that she hasn't seen you in a week. Did something happen?"
Cloud shook his head. "Honestly, I don't know."
Aerith rearranged her pink skirt before sitting down next to him. She looked in his eyes as if expecting him to continue.
"I guess...I've been feeling out of it? Like...time doesn't feel like it's moving right, head's foggy, then there's the weird dreams."
"What kind of dreams?"
"Dreams of floating, voices…"
The fogginess had started a little over a week ago. He didn't want to worry anyone, so he kept it secret. Avoiding people, as he was learning right now, wasn't the best way to go about it. The dreams first came during the weekend. He always felt like he was floating in something warm, and there was the same voice calling for him. He never actually saw anything during them, but they bothered him the most.
He shook his head again. "Forget it; they're just dreams."
"Do you think you need to see a doctor?"
"No, I think I'm just not getting enough sleep."
"Maybe." Aerith looked unsure of his response. "I know I say this a lot, but please take care of yourself, Cloud. Promise me?"
Cloud lay on the concrete, his face and limbs sore from the beatings. He could usually take care of himself in a fight, but he was ambushed this time and didn't stand a chance. When his attackers left the stairwell, he began to move. He froze when he heard footsteps coming from the stairs.
There was a gasp and someone ran to his side.
"Oh! Are you okay? Can you move?"
It was a girl to came to his side. She helped him to his feet and told him, "Lean on me. Are you able to walk?"
"I don't need your help." He said.
"Of course you do, just look at yourself! Here, my room is upstairs, so at least let me patch you up."
Cloud was about to object, but stopped when he saw her scolding at him like a mother. He knew right away that he would get nowhere trying to argue with her. He conceded with a sigh and said, "Fine."
"Thank you. I don't know what happened to you, but please take care of yourself. Promise me?"
Cloud knew he couldn't keep that promise, but he said it anyway.
"I promise."
"Okay." She got to her feet. "See you at Wednesday's class?"
"Yeah."
Aerith smiled and walked away. Cloud turned his attention back to his food and started wolfing everything down.
The next day, Cloud headed straight to Zangan's dojo after his afternoon classes were over. He went to the locker room to change into his shirt, shorts, and protective gear. When he entered the room, he saw a group of five students of different ages warming up. One girl with long dark hair took notice of him and waved him over.
"You doing okay, Cloud?" She asked.
"Yeah, Tifa." He said.
"You missed last week's class. Where were you?"
"Sorry about that; kinda forgot."
"'Kinda forgot'? That's not like you, Cloud."
It was unlike him. Whatever was going on with him was not doing any favors. He was about to say something when an older man entered the room. Everyone lined up before him as he gave his warm up instructions.
Soon enough, everyone was paired up for a mock sparring match. Cloud found himself paired up with a large man with big muscles. He didn't allow himself to be intimidated by the man's physical prowess. Instead, he reminded himself that it was technique that mattered.
"Ready?" The instructor announced.
"Yes, Master Zangan!" Everyone answered.
"Fight!"
They were on their toes with their arms up immediately. Both Cloud and his opponent shuffled left and right, both looking for the moment for attack, evasion, and counterattack. Cloud decided that he would be the one to strike first.
The next thing he knew, he was grappled and tossed over his opponent's shoulder. He landed hard on the mat, but he quickly got back to his feet and default stance. Everything from there went by in a blur.
Cloud wrestled with the armed assailant. He had threatened him to hand over his wallet, but he was having none of that. The man twisted his wrist so that the knife sliced against his arm. Cloud's grip weakened and the assailant used that chance to stab him just below the sternum.
The pain drove him berserk.
He whaled on his attacker with everything he got. Even when he was curled up on the ground and pleading he didn't stop. Over and over and over and-.
"Cloud! Enough!"
Cloud blinked when he heard Zangan shout. He looked down and saw his sparring partner on the ground, holding his hand up and signaling him to yield. The other students were staring at him, with Tifa looking particularly surprised.
"I-I'm so sorry-!"
"You need to learn how to control yourself, Cloud." Zangan said sternly. "You can't let your emotions get the best of you."
He could only hang his head. It wasn't the first time this had happened, but it hadn't happened in months. When he was fighting in the streets, the rage and adrenaline would always take over. It was one of the reasons he was taking this class: to have better control over himself when in a fight.
Zangan helped the fallen man up and asked, "Are you okay, Barret?"
He rubbed one of his sore arms. "Yeah, Spikey jus' got me real good, that's all."
Cloud tried again. "I am so sorry about what happened."
"Control over emotions is important." Zangan reiterated to the class. "I saw a few of you caught up as well, so I have a little homework for you. I want you all to find a quiet place, it could be at home, the park, anywhere peaceful, and practice meditation at least once a day. That is all for today. Be safe and have a good day."
While everyone grabbed some wipes to clean the mats, Cloud left for the locker room. He got out of his clothes and wrapped a towel around his waist. He was about the enter the furthest shower stall when his opponent from earlier, Barret, entered. He could already see the bruises forming on his dark skin.
"Cloud, right?" He asked.
"Yeah."
"Tifa's told me about you."
"You know Tifa?"
"I'm a regular at 7th Heaven. We talk all the time. She told me how she and you were doin' trainin' with Master Zangan, so I thought I'd give it a go. She also said that you may look rough, but you're a softie on the inside."
"...Am not."
"But damn! You fight like a wild animal! You fight a lot?"
Cloud didn't answer. Barret started removing his protective gear. When he took off his right mitt, Cloud saw that he had a prosthetic hand. Hoping to change the topic, he asked, "What happened?"
"This?" Barret held out his prosthetic hand. "Mining accident. Was lucky that I knew someone who could give me a new hand, cause I gotta keep workin'; gotta support Marlene, you know."
"Your daughter?"
Barret nodded. "Gotta do everything to help her. That's why I'm here, too: I wanna know how I can protect her."
Good reason to fight. Wish I had one, too.
He was once again about to enter the shower stall when Barret called out, "Whoa! Did I get you that hard?"
"Huh?"
"That bruise on your arm."
He pointed at Cloud's left arm. Cloud looked it over and saw the bruises on it. One bruise, however, stood out among the rest. It was pitch black and it took up a good amount of space on his tricep. He lightly pressed it and found that it didn't hurt.
How did I not notice that?
"I'll be fine." Cloud said. "I've had worse."
He entered the shower and began washing the sweat off. He scrubbed at the black bruise to make sure it wasn't some sort of stain, but it didn't come off. He didn't know what it was, but he was positive that it wasn't a bruise. He had suffered many of them since childhood, and none of them were ever that dark.
I should look it up later.
Later that night, Cloud sat in front of his computer and started searching on the Internet. He first looked up bruises, but found nothing that fit what he had. He thought that the bruise might be a rash, but it wasn't really bothering him. Nevertheless, he looked it up.
The first result he found was "Black rash! Help Pls!". He clicked the link and started reading.
"I got this black rash on my body and it won't go away! It's not a bruise and i have no idea how it got there! I don't know if it's relatd, but i've also had these weird dreams and i can't think strait. Just yesterday i started sleepwalking and i'm really scard. Pls help me!"
This caught Cloud's interest. Aside from the sleepwalking, this pretty much described what he was experiencing. He read the responses.
"That sounds like Stigma. It's a very rare disease that few people get, and no one knows how it's contracted. Unfortunately, no cure has been developed, and those who get Stigma eventually die."
"U gonna die, man."
"No! I don't want to diiiiiie!"
"It's a sign from Sephiroth. It means that They want you to come and be Their prophet.
'Those with the black markings on their flesh are to be My prophets. Come to My abode so that we may have our Reunion.' 7-20 Prophet
You will be saved if you go to the cave at Mt. Kadmon."
"But i dont want to be a prophet either.."
"If you don't come, you will die. Don't let this blessing go to waste."
"I dunno...i'd rather be a guinea pig to science. Mayb they can find a cure from me."
"Why are you being so selfish? We haven't had a prophet in ten years, so this means that Sephiroth has words to give to us. This is important; go to Mt. Kadmon."
"Dude, leave the guy alone. If he doesn't want to be your prophet then he doesn't have to. Let him do what he wants."
"Thank u."
"Are you even reading what you are typing? He will die if he defies Sephiroth's will. I don't understand why-."
From there, the forum turned into an argument. Now that Cloud thought about it, he remembered reading about the black markings in class. His copy of Studies of Sephira said that Sephiroth chose Their prophets through the black rashes. Those that went to Mt. Kadmon near Keter became prophets and adopted the title of "Adam". Those that didn't go eventually died as punishment for disobeying Sephiroth's will. People gave a name to those black rashes and its other symptoms: Stigma.
Cloud clicked out of the page and started looking up a cure for the Stigma. He saw two articles that caught his interest and he opened them up in two different tabs. He started reading the first one: "Stigma: What we Know".
"The Stigma has been around for as long as history has been recorded. However, though we know what it does, we still don't know how it is contracted and a cure has yet to be developed. While there is something in the cave near the top of Mt. Kadmon, no one but the afflicted have been able to enter due to the presence of the dragon, Bahamut. Interviews with the afflicted, now 'prophets of Sephiroth', have also been fruitless, as they have refused to reveal or share the cure, saying that it was the will of their god.
"So, what do we know about the Stigma? Let us go over the symptoms first.
"Brain fog is typically the first symptom, though most people won't attribute it to being a symptom of Stigma. Sleepwalking and somniloquy are also common symptoms that one would not initially attribute to Stigma. The defining symptoms are the black rashes that appear on different parts of the skin. They are often mistaken for bruises, but they start necrotising two weeks after the first bruise makes itself known. Fever and loss of sensation in the affected areas also occur during this time. Auditory and visual hallucinations will also occur. Eventually, the afflicted will die from infection brought on by the Stigma. Pre-existing medical conditions and lifestyle may affect the progression of the Stigma."
Cloud clicked on the other tab and found it to be an in-depth article on the symptoms of Stigma. He tried to read it, but the medical jargon only served to confuse him. He put his head in his hands.
Why me? No...it just might be a coincidence. I should get it checked out. There's no way I can have the Stigma. It's just a bruise...and I'm just not getting enough sleep...that's all.
His PHS rang. He picked it up and checked the caller ID: Mom. He answered it.
"Hello?"
"Cloud, it's mom." His mother said. "You haven't called me in a week. How are you doing?"
"Yeah, sorry. I'm fine."
"You don't sound fine."
"Just tired; nothing to worry about, mom."
"Are you staying up late to study, or have you joined a fraternity and started partying?"
"Mom-."
"I'm kidding about the last one; I know you're not that type of person, Cloud."
"I know."
"If you're up studying, then I guess your grades are good?"
"They're alright."
"Have you given any more thought on what you would like to do in the future?"
This was a question that his mom brought up at every phone call. Years ago, she threw a fit when Cloud told her that he wanted to join the army so he could be a hero. She had already lost her husband, and she didn't want to lose her only son either. Cloud had tried anyways, only to find out that he wasn't eligible due to his extreme motion sickness and violent history in high school.
He considered being a member of SWAT or an SAR unit, but even though he was in college for a year, he couldn't bring himself to completely devote to the idea; it didn't have the same appeal as the army. He could only hope that he would better himself enough for the army to one day accept him.
"No...not yet." He answered.
"...I see." His mother sounded disappointed. "I'm sure you'll find something soon."
"Yeah." He decided to change the topic. "How are you, mom?"
"I'm okay. It gets a bit lonely at times, but Mrs. Lockhart keeps me company. How is Tifa, by the way?"
"Good. She's the best in Zangan's class now."
"That's wonderful! I'm sure Mrs. Lockhart is proud of her."
"Yeah."
Cloud got out of his chair and walked to his bed. He let himself fall backwards on the mattress and sighed. "Got nothing else to report."
"Okay, sweetie. Call me soon, alright?"
"Yeah, I will."
"Love you, Cloud."
"You too, mom."
He hung up. He got up and did his usual nightly rituals before bed: brush teeth, adjust thermostat, check the locks, and turn out all the lights. He lay in bed for many long minutes, his head buzzing with thoughts about the Stigma.
There's no way…
It took some time, but he did eventually fall asleep.
Cloud…
Cloud…
It's time, Cloud.
Come to Me.
Cloud found himself standing in front of his front door, his hand on the knob. He backed away and shook his head, thinking that he was just dreaming. He bumped the heel of his foot on the corner of the sofa. While it didn't hurt nearly as bad as if he would have stubbed his toe, it was still noticeable.
Noticeable enough to know he was not dreaming.
What the hell? Was I just...no…
He did not want to admit that he was sleepwalking, but there was no other explanation. He looked out the windows and saw that it was still dark outside. A few drunk students were out and about under the streetlights, hooting and hollering about girls they've met at the party they went to. Aside from them, there was no one outside.
Cloud sat down on the edge of the sofa. He was tired, but he was also afraid of going back to sleep. He didn't want to imagine what would have happened if he had continued to walk out into the open while asleep.
He looked at the microwave clock: 1:57. He went to the fridge and pulled out a can of soda. He decided to stay up the rest of the early morning. He grabbed a second can before going back to his room and turning on the computer. He spent the next several hours watching videos that were too stupid to be funny.
The first thing Cloud did after his first class was to go the clinic on campus. He wore a light jacket to hide the black rash, as he did not want to draw any unwanted attention to it. He sat in the waiting room and pretended to show interest in the news on TV.
Days ago, the president of Shinra Electric Power Company, Rufus Shinra, had proposed an idea for a new energy source: Assiah's Lifestream. The company had done tests and found that using condensed Lifestream would produce more energy than standard electricity. With that amount of energy, they could also proceed to expand the city.
Protestors were quick to respond.
The news today was about the large gathering of protestors in front of Shinra HQ. Things had turned violent and the police had to intervene. Cloud turned his attention away from the TV and looked around the waiting room itself.
There were a few students sitting and either reading the magazines or looking at their PHSs. They all showed the telltale signs of a cold. Cloud felt out of place being the only one who may or may not actually be sick.
He spent one hour waiting before his name was called. He went through the typical check-up routine and was placed in a room. He told the nurse his symptoms and removed his jacket to show her his arms. In addition to the rash on his left arm, there was now one on his right. The nurse pursed her lips and went to get the doctor. Minutes later, a man with a ponytail and wearing a white coat entered the examination room. He didn't look at Cloud, instead focusing on the clipboard in his hand.
"Cloud Strife, correct?" The doctor asked. He went on without waiting for an answer. "I'm Dr. Hojo and I'll be taking a look at you today." He adjusted his glasses. "Hm...it says here that you have a low fever and a slightly fast heart rate. You have also described the following symptoms: black rash, being disoriented, strange dreams, and sleepwalking." He finally made eye contact with Cloud. "Tell me, what do you think it is?"
Cloud turned his head away, not wanting to look at this doctor in the eye. He answered, "Stigma."
"You would be correct. I used to do research on the Stigma, so I can recognize it when I see it."
"Why did you stop?"
Dr. Hojo bristled at that. "I would rather not discuss the details of that. If I could, I would continue my research; we still need to find a cure, after all. At this point, most people would go to Mt. Kadmon to be cured, as unscientific as it is, however, I do have another option for you."
Cloud perked up. "What is it?"
"The Gast Research Institute is still researching a cure, and they are always welcoming anyone with the Stigma to help out."
"...Are you suggesting that I should be a lab rat?"
"A crude way to put it, but yes. You would be devoting your life to a good cause."
Cloud lowered his head. He still didn't know what he was going to do with his life. He didn't want to be a prophet, but he didn't want to be a lab rat either.
"Not interested." He answered.
Dr. Hojo frowned at his response. "It is a pity you would say that, but if that's your choice, then I can't do anything about it. Will you go to Mt. Kadmon then and become one of those half-baked prophets?"
"I'll go there, but I'm not going to be a prophet, no matter what anyone says."
"If that is the case, then I'll write a note for your professors explaining your absence. Oh, and if you do get there, you wouldn't mind sharing with the world what the cure is, would you?"
Everyone does want to know...
"Yeah, might as well."
Cloud's late arrival in class didn't go unnoticed that day. After his Religious Studies class, Aerith approached him and asked, "How come you were late, Cloud?"
"Had to go to the clinic."
"Your face does look a little red. What was it?"
"It was…"
Out of all the people he knew, Cloud was sure that Aerith would be most interested in his case. He spent his time in class thinking about what he would do about the Stigma. He would have to go traveling, but he did not have the money to do so. There was no way he was going to Mt. Kadmon without help.
"Actually, is there somewhere we can talk in private?" He asked.
"In private?" Aerith slightly tilted her head. "There's the library, but...is something wrong, Cloud?"
"I'll explain when we get there."
They both went to the library together. Aerith suggested going to one of the private study rooms on the third floor. They peeked through the windows of each room until they found one that was empty. Once Cloud shut the door behind them, Aerith said, "Okay, now can you tell me what's wrong?"
"It's easier if you see it." Cloud answered.
He removed his jacket. Aerith's eyes widened and she gasped when she saw the rashes on both arms. She took a step forward and started examining them.
"Cloud Strife, you didn't get into another…" She started scolding him, but her voice trailed off. She then said softly, "No...this is Stigma. You...you've been chosen by Sephiroth to be Their next prophet, but…"
Aerith moved to sit down. She put a hand to her head and asked, "Why? You told me before that you didn't believe in Them, so why did They choose you?"
"I have no clue," Cloud said, "but I have to go to Mt. Kadmon if I want to get better. Problem is: I don't have the money to get there. At this point, I either turn myself in as a lab rat or die. I was wondering if you had any advice."
"I've only traveled to Keter once by plane, but I don't want to go on another plane since the 12/13 attack. We could go by boat, but...how long have you had the Stigma?"
"Since yesterday. Wait, what do you mean 'we'?"
"I want to go with you, of course. Sephiroth chose you, and I want to help however I can. If we pool our money together, then we should be able to purchase a boat ticket."
"Aerith, wait. I got a doctor's note excusing my absence, but you don't have an excuse. You'll get put on probation if you miss all your classes without dropping out."
Aerith looked at him straight in the eye. "Cloud, this is more important than college. Even though some people are getting the Stigma, none of them have made it to Mt. Kadmon. Sephiroth has something to tell us, yet we haven't had a prophet in ten years. You need to get there, and I will do everything I can to help you."
"I'm not-."
"One moment."
She pulled out her PHS and started searching the Internet. Cloud decided to change the topic and pointed out, "It's not just the boat ticket we should think about. What about money for food? Buses? Places to sleep at? We also need to think about the cost for a return trip. Unless you have rich relatives, I don't think-."
"I don't," Aerith answered without looking up, "but I have saved up a lot of gil since I was a little girl. We can use that."
"How much?"
"Around 11,000 gil. Oh, these tickets cost 3500 each, but the boat leaves in a few days. We would have to leave tomorrow."
"It's enough to get us there, but not enough to get back."
"It's not just my money, you know; you got yours, too." Aerith put away her PHS. She beamed, "This is actually pretty exciting. I never thought I would actually get to travel together with you for this occasion. I wonder what kind of Scroll you will write once you become the next prophet? 'Adam Cloud', I never thought I would say those words."
"I'm not becoming a prophet."
The smile left Aerith's face. "Is it because you don't believe?"
Cloud turned his head away from her. Sephira was one topic they had different opinions on, so Cloud almost never brought it up. This time, there was no avoiding the topic. His opinions flooded out of him.
"Yeah, I don't believe. How am I supposed to believe in a god that wants constant worship yet doesn't give anything back? If They want me to be Their prophet so badly, then why can't They just come get me instead of infecting me with this disease? Why can't They tell everyone everything Themselves? The Scrolls don't even answer the biggest questions. Why were we created in the first place? If Sephiroth is supposed to be good, then why are They letting all these bad things happen? Why did They give us free will? How am I supposed to believe everything the Scrolls say when they don't even say why?"
Aerith's expression turned serious. "It's because you are not supposed to question Sephiroth's word. Cloud, if you really don't believe, then why do you want to go?"
Cloud put his jacket back on. "Because I want to live."
"Prophet say that those with the Stigma should come to Sephiroth's abode. Everyone who has gone there has always come back as a prophet."
"Not going to happen to me. Once the Stigma is gone, I'm going to finish college and join the army."
"So you really believe that...however it turns out in the end, you still want to go, and I still want to help you." Her expression softened. "You may not believe, but that doesn't stop us from being friends, does it?"
"...No, and I don't want it to."
"Good. Now…"
Aerith opened her bookbag and pulled out her notebook and pencil bag. She took out a freshly sharpened pencil and tore out a blank page from her notebook. She said, "Okay, first, we need to find out our combined money amount, then we have to plan the trip."
Cloud pulled up a chair and sat down next to her. They both pulled out their PHSs and placed them on the table. Aerith took the lead in planning.
"Let's pull out our accounts first...so I have 11,560 gil, and you...wow, that's not much, Cloud...I'll look for cheap hotels, you look up maps…"
Cloud was mentally tired when he came back to his apartment. He and Aerith had spent hours looking up prices and directions, as well as calculating their budget and total time it would take to get to Mt. Kadmon. From what he read on the Stigma report yesterday, necrosis would start two weeks after the first bruises showed up.
One day had already passed, and it would be two by the time they departed tomorrow. It would take them the entire day to get to Chesod port. It would be day three when they board the boat. The boat trip would take seven days to get to Binah in Atziluth, then the bus ride from there to Keter would take three more. The final walk to Mt. Kadmon would take almost a whole day. After it was all over, they would have just enough money to make the trip back. Cloud pulled out a copy of Aerith's list. They would be cutting it close, and that was if everything went smoothly. If they came across any delays…
Cloud's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door. He folded up the list and went to look through the door's peephole. To his surprise, he saw Tifa standing there with a Midgar's Plate pizza box in her hands. He opened the door.
"Surprise!" Tifa said.
"Didn't expect you to stop by." Cloud admitted.
"I was going to call, but I thought it would be nicer to surprise you."
"What's the occasion?"
"Occasion? I just wanted to see if you wanted to spend some time together; watch some TV or something."
"Uh...sure; I'm not busy."
He let her in. While Cloud pulled out plates and soda bottles, Tifa plopped down on the couch and started channel surfing. She stopped at one channel and asked, "How does 'Shuriken 2' sound?"
Cloud took two slices from the box and put them on his plate. "That's fine. You alright with Lime Fizz?"
"Yeah."
Tifa got up and fixed her own plate before joining Cloud on the couch. They spent the first few minutes watching Shuriken the ninja sneaking into a pagoda and assassinating her enemies. Eventually, Tifa asked, "So how are classes?"
Cloud, who had a mouthful of pizza, just shrugged.
"Yeah, that's what I thought. Hey, I was wondering: you want to go to the park tomorrow after Zangan's class?"
He swallowed his bite. He had planned to send emails to his college professors about his sudden trip, but he had forgotten about Tifa and Zangan's classes. Cloud became self conscious about his rashes, even if they were still covered up by the sleeves of his jacket.
"Actually, tomorrow's not a good day." He said.
"Oh? Then maybe next Tuesday?"
"No..."
Tifa turned to look at Cloud. She analyzed his face and said, "I know that expression: something's troubling you. Want to share it with me?"
"I...I'm actually going to be out of town for some time."
"Really? That's the first I've heard of this. Where are you going?"
"Back to Yesod; family emergency."
"...You're lying."
"No I'm not."
Tifa stood up. "Cloud, how many years have we known each other? Fifteen. I know when you're lying. The real question is: what are you lying about?"
Yeah, she can tell. I should've known.
"I just don't want to worry you."
"You've already done that by lying to me, dumbass."
Cloud sighed and also stood up. He removed his jacket and pointed to the rashes on both arms. "It's Stigma, Tifa. I have to leave so it can be cured."
Tifa stared at the rashes and softly said, "Cloud…"
"I'm leaving first thing tomorrow. I won't be back for a few weeks."
"Stigma...I can't believe it." She lightly touched his left arm and asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I already said I didn't want to worry you."
"Cloud...have you told anyone about this?"
"The doctor at the clinic...and Aerith. She's actually helping me to make the trip."
"Aerith? Your classmate in Religious Studies?"
Cloud nodded. Tifa withdrew her hand and said, "If you're going to Mt. Kadmon, then that must mean you're going to be a prophet. I know you're not a Sephiran, but I also know you want to live."
"I do, but I'm not going to be a prophet."
"Yeah, that sounds like you." She paused for a moment before asking, "Do you have a plan to get there?"
"Aerith and I worked out the route and costs. We should be able to make it if nothing goes wrong."
Tifa sat back down. "Can you tell me?"
Cloud turned off the TV and told Tifa the details of the plan. When he was done, Tifa folded her arms and said, "You're cutting it too close with your budget. By the time you return, you won't have enough to pay rent or bills. You're going to need more money than this."
Cloud sighed. "I know, but we don't have time to save up more money."
Tifa thought for a moment. "Have you tried asking your mother? I know she would help."
"She would freak out if I told her that I had the Stigma. I don't want to worry-."
Tifa snapped, "Cloud, stop worrying about worrying other people and let us help you! If you don't get help, then the Stigma is going to kill you!"
Cloud lowered his head.
She's right.
He took a deep breath and said, "You're right. Give me a moment."
She nodded. Cloud went to his room and called his mom.
"Cloud!" She greeted. "I didn't expect you to call me so soon! What is it, sweetie?"
"Mom, do you have a few minutes?" Cloud asked.
"Of course! What's going on?"
"You might want to sit down for this…"
He told her everything that was going on. She reacted just as he had expected her to: upset. It took a few minutes for her to calm down. Once she did, he brought up the main issue.
"I've made plans to go there, but I don't have enough gil to make the return trip."
"I understand," his mother said, "I'll transfer all my savings to your account. 14,000 gil should be enough, right?"
Cloud blinked in surprise. He had no idea she had saved up that much. He answered, "Yeah, that's more than enough. Thanks, mom. I'll send the rest back once it's all over and done with."
"Thank you. Oh, and Cloud? Whether or not you become a prophet, I want you to call me once you're all better. Promise?"
"I promise, mom."
"Please be careful. I love you, Cloud."
"I love you too, mom."
Cloud hung up and went back to the living room to report back to Tifa.
"You see? It's okay to ask for help." Tifa pointed out.
He nodded.
"That said, I want to come with you."
"Huh?"
"We can all ride in my truck so you won't have to pay for gas for your motorcycle, and I figured you would like another familiar face by your side. You don't mind, do you?"
Cloud hadn't expected this. "I...no, I don't, but I don't think we have enough-."
"Don't worry about the gil; I can pay for myself. I want to be there for you, Cloud."
I guess extra company's not bad, and it's Tifa. She may not be in school, but she's still got a job, though.
"Are you sure? What about your job?"
"Not a problem; I got vacation days saved up."
"...Okay. I'll call Aerith and let her know that you're coming with us."
"Great! You said you're leaving at the crack of dawn, right? I bring my truck then."
"Sounds good. Thanks for the support, Tifa."
Tifa pulled Cloud into a hug. "Of course, Cloud."
He felt awkward, but he wrapped his arms lightly around her back. They broke the hug and Tifa headed out, saying that she had to pack for the trip. Now alone, Cloud had one last slice of pizza before calling Aerith and telling her the news.
"Tifa? Your girlfriend?" She asked.
"Tifa is…"
Cloud wasn't sure if he was doing the right thing, but Tifa seemed to be enjoying it. He wouldn't tell her, but he was only mimicking what he saw on online porn. He trailed kisses on her breasts and stomach, stopping just above the hair that grew between her legs. She urged him to go on.
Cloud knew that his relationship with Tifa was complicated. They were friends from childhood, and they did go on a few dates with one ending intimately, yet he wasn't completely sure if he loved her. He did care her, but he didn't know if he could call it love.
"We're just friends, and she wants to help out, too."
"That's sweet of her, and it's nice that she's bringing her truck; we can pack a little more stuff now that we have a bit of extra room."
"Yeah."
"So she's going to come pick you up first, then me?"
"That's the plan."
"Okay. I'm going to bed early; tomorrow's going to be a long day. I already said this earlier, but I'm actually excited about this. Now that Tifa's coming, it feels like we're a group of adventurers off to complete our quest."
"I guess."
"See you tomorrow. Goodnight, Cloud."
"Night."
He hung up. He was very tired since he woke up earlier that morning, and though his body was ready for bed, his mind was a little nervous about the possibility of another sleepwalking episode. He went back to his room and changed into his night clothes. When he went to the bathroom to brush his teeth, he looked at himself in the mirror and saw the tiredness in his eyes. Cloud hoped that he would actually get a good night's sleep this time.
When he was done brushing and doing his other nightly rituals, he went to his computer and went to work on sending his notice of absence to his professors, as well as a digital copy of the doctor's notice he got this morning. He then got to packing whatever was needed, including his bottle of motion sickness pills. While he was fine riding his motorcycle and in cars, he could not handle things like boats and buses. He decided to use his backpack instead of his suitcase, since it would be easier to carry around.
The last thing he did before he turned in was to set the alarm on his clock. He crawled under the sheets and closed his eyes. Now that he wasn't doing anything, he could now think about everything that had happened today.
I can't believe we're going to Mt. Kadmon. It's all happening too fast.
It took him some to fall asleep.
Cloud found himself floating in warm, dark green water. He felt disoriented, yet calm. He didn't know why he was here, but he felt like this was where he belonged.
"Cloud."
The voice reverberated in his body. He slowly sank into the water. He felt like he was heading towards something at the bottom, if there was one. He tried to think, but he had a hard time forming thoughts. The only thing he felt was a strong compulsion to follow the voice.
"Come to Me."
"Come to My side."
"Come to where you belong."
Cloud felt a sharp pain in his foot. He looked down and saw that he had stepped on a broken piece of pavement with his bare feet. Confused, he looked around.
He was standing in the middle of the road, not too far from his apartment.
What the hell?! How did I get out here?!
He ran back to his apartment and saw that his door was wide open. He went back inside, locked it, and propped the door with a chair. He went back to his bed and collapsed on top of it. His clock read 2:00.
Cloud was afraid of falling back asleep.
I can't believe...I actually left my apartment. I could have walked for miles. A car could have hit me. Why? Why is this happening to me?
He thought back to the dream. Unlike the other ones where it was just darkness, he was actually somewhere. The voice was also clearer. It was smooth and masculine, but also powerful. What scared him almost as much as the sleepwalking was how compelling the voice was.
Could it be Sephiroth's voice? No. No, They don't exist. There's no way.
Cloud shook his head. Tifa was supposed to be arriving in another four hours. He went to the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of soda. After drinking the whole bottle, he decided that he would exercise. He did pushups, situps, and lifted 20 lb weights. He did this until he felt exhausted. He spent the rest of the time looking up random things on the computer.
Four hours later, he got a text from Tifa: "Coming now. You ready?"
He texted back: "Yeah."
He started to get dressed. He put on a pair of jeans, a gray t-shirt, and his jacket. Once he was done, he grabbed his backpack and headed outside.
He waited a few minutes before he saw a worn green truck pull up to the curb. He walked up to it and opened the passenger's side door. The smell of coffee drifted his way and he noticed that Tifa had a cup in her hand.
"Morning." Tifa said. "I know you don't like coffee, so I got you a soda."
She pointed to the bottle of soda in the cup holder. Cloud threw his backpack in the back next to Tifa's suitcase and hopped into the truck. He pulled out his phone and said, "I'll let Aerith know we're on the way."
He texted: "You awake?"
The reply was quick: "Yep. I'm surprised you're up, sleepyhead. Did Tifa have to wake you up?"
"No. We're on our way now."
"Okay, just need a min to get ready."
With the text conversation done, Cloud pulled up the navigation module on his PHS and gave Tifa directions to Aerith's place. While she drove, Cloud looked out the window. Though it was early, there were still people walking about. It was a crowd mixed with early bird workers and college students.
They moved from the apartment complex area to somewhere more suburban. Tifa stopped in front of a white house with many types of flowers blooming in the garden. The door opened and they caught a glimpse of Aerith hugging an older woman. She briskly walked out with a goodbye wave, the suitcase she was holding onto dragging behind her. Cloud got out and opened the back door for her.
"I can get that." He offered.
Aerith smiled. "Cloud, I didn't know you were such a gentleman."
He grabbed her suitcase and shoved it in the back, leaving only enough room for one person in the back. He stated the obvious, "It's cramped back there. You want the front seat?"
"No, I'm small enough to fit. Thank you, though."
Aerith climbed into the back seat and saw Tifa. She said, "You're Tifa, right? I'm Aerith."
Tifa eyed her for a second, but she stretched her arm so she could shake Aerith's hand. "Nice to meet you."
Cloud got back in and buckled up. He pulled out his PHS and once again opened the navigation module, as well as his copy of Aerith's list. He looked at both of his friends.
"Let's review this first part." He began. "It's a day's ride to Chesod. It'll be late by the time we get there, but we can make it. Aerith's found a hotel we can stay at that costs 100 gil a night. It's not luxurious, and we'll have to share a room, but even with all of our money combined, we can't spend it on unnecessary luxury; this isn't a vacation. Tomorrow the ship to Atziluth departs at five in the morning. Again, not luxurious, but at least we can buy the tickets at the door. From there, it'll take seven days to get to Atziluth."
"Seven days on a boat…" Tifa mused. "Cloud, you did pack your motion sickness pills, didn't you?"
He sighed. "Yes."
"You get motion sickness, Cloud?" Aerith asked.
"He has it real bad." Tifa answered for him. "I remember this one time during middle school when we went to Little Johnny's Chocobo Farm. The bus was horrible enough, but when it was his turn to ride a chocobo-."
"Not now, Tifa." Cloud interrupted her.
"Aw, but I wanted to hear the story." Aerith pouted.
"The sooner we get on the road, the better."
Tifa nodded. "True. I'll finish the story later, Aerith."
Cloud set the navigation module to direct them to Chesod. As Tifa followed its directions, he plugged his PHS into the truck's charger and removed the soda in the cup holder to make room for it. He sipped it and watched the scenery change from suburbia to the highway.
Malchut was the largest city in Beri'ah, and Cloud could never get used to its size. Large buildings and busy highways took up most of the city space. In the distance, he could see headquarters of Shinra Electric Power Company, the largest building in the city. He thought back to yesterday's news and wondered if there were still protestors there.
Tifa turned the radio on to rock music.
"Actually," Aerith spoke up, "can you change it to 99.1?"
Tifa turned the dial to that station. A hymn in another language played. She asked, "Sephiran hymns? Not really my thing, but okay."
"Sorry," Aerith said, "but rock isn't my thing, either."
"We'll have to compromise. How about one hour of your music, then one hour of my music? Or maybe we can listen to something else?"
"Something else sounds better, but I always start my day by listening to the hymns."
Tifa left the dial alone. Cloud closed his soda bottle and set it by his feet. He rested back against his seat and continued to stare out the window. Even with the caffeine in his body, he was still sleepy. The soft hymns that were playing weren't helping.
"You know what they're saying?" Tifa asked.
Aerith closed her eyes and said rhythmically, " 'Love, family, harmony, all is one. Such beauty, such grace, such divinity, all is one,' and then it repeats."
Cloud's eyes started to flutter.
Might as well try to sleep. Not like I can sleepwalk while I'm strapped in.
The last thing he saw before closing his eyes was the sign: "You are now leaving Malchut. Hope to see you again soon!".
The drive was long, with the group's only entertainment being the radio and their conversations. They passed through towns and open fields with chocobos roaming freely. Once in awhile, they would see a monster in the distance. They stopped a few times for gas, food, and bathroom breaks.
It was a little after sunset when they arrived at the port town of Chesod. There were small stores and many rows of simple houses in the town. The harbor was large and had many boats docked. There were cargo ships, fishing boats, and sailboats, among many other types of boats.
The first thing they did was to look for the ticket office. Fortunately for them, it was still open, though it was about to close soon. They jumped out of the truck and rushed inside.
There was a lone woman working behind the ticket booth. She was fiddling with her PHS and didn't notice the group. Tifa spoke up, "Excuse us."
The woman jerked her head up. She said, "We're closing soon."
"I know, but we're here for tickets."
"For which ship?"
Aerith chimed in, "Three for the Gelnika."
"Oh, you didn't hear? The Gelnika's engine failed today. The trip to Atziluth has been postponed for a few days."
"Postponed?!"
Cloud groaned, "You're kidding me."
"Tickets are still available, you'll just have to wait."
"But we can't wait!" Aerith exclaimed. "We have to leave for Atziluth tomorrow!"
"Are there any other ships heading there tomorrow?" Tifa asked.
The woman thought for a moment. "Not passenger or cruise ships, no. We are sorry for this inconvenience." She looked at her PHS. "It's now 8:00. I'm sorry, but could you please come back tomorrow?"
"...Yes."
They left the ticket office. They got back in the truck and watched the lights in the office turn off. Cloud asked, "What now?"
"We don't have much of a choice." Tifa said. "We'll have to wait until the ship is up and running."
"But we can't wait!" Aerith said.
"She's right." Cloud agreed. "If we wait, the rashes will start necrotizing before we can even get to Mt. Kadmon. There's got to be another ship we can get on."
"But she said that there aren't any ships leaving tomorrow."
"Not passenger or cruise ships. Chesod's got a lot of cargo ships. We just gotta find one that's leaving tomorrow and sneak on board."
"Sneak on board?" Aerith asked. "What if we get caught? They'll arrest us and we'll never make it to Mt. Kadmon in time."
"Maybe we should try bribing?" Tifa suggested.
"Let's see if we can find a ship first." Cloud said.
Everyone agreed to that idea. They drove near the port and looked at all the ships that were docked. There were a few people that were loading up on an oil tanker. Tifa suddenly slammed on the brakes, causing Cloud and Aerith to lurch forward.
"Tifa?" Cloud asked. "What's-?"
"Look!"
Tifa pointed outside. Standing under one of the lights of the nearest dock was a familiar figure. Tifa parked the truck and ran out to greet him. Cloud and Aerith followed behind her.
"Barret!" Tifa called out.
The man from Zangan's class turned around and exclaimed, "Tifa! What are you doin' here?"
"I could ask you the same thing!"
"Me an' the rest of the minin' crew are goin' to Atziluth to get oil. We just loadin' up our food for the trip."
"Wait," Cloud said, "you said you're going to Atziluth?"
Barret blinked in surprise. "Spikey! You're here, too?" He looked at Aerith. "An' you got another friend with you? What's goin' on here?"
"We need to get to Atziluth, too." Aerith explained. "Cloud has the Stigma and we need to get him to Mt. Kadmon before it's too late."
"Aerith," Cloud groaned, "you don't need to tell everyone about this."
"Stigma?! Was that what that bruise was?"
Cloud nodded.
"Barret," Tifa said, "do you think it would be possible for us to get on board?"
Barret uneasily scratched the back of his head. "I dunno. I want to, but I'm not the capt'n. Be right back."
He ran up the ramp that lead to the ship. Tifa asked, "What are the odds of finding Barret here? And with a ship that can take us to Atziluth?"
"Is he a friend of yours?" Aerith asked.
"Yeah. Cloud's only met him once, though."
"It is wondrous that he's here with a ship. Sephiroth must be helping us."
"It's just a coincidence." Cloud said. "We don't even know if we're getting on or not."
Barret came running back. Walking some distance behind him was a young woman in uniform. Barret stopped in front of the group and said, "The capt'n wanted to see you personally."
The captain walked up to Cloud and asked, "Are you the one with the Stigma?"
"Yeah."
"Show me."
Cloud was getting tired of taking off his jacket to show the Stigma, but he did it nevertheless.
"You got another one?" Barret asked.
No one answered him. The captain pressed her gloved fingers against the rash on his right arm and rubbed. She withdrew her hand and looked at her glove as if expecting something to be on it.
"You're not faking it." She observed. She then asked, "How long have those been there?"
"Three days now." Cloud answered.
"I assume you tried to board the Gelnika first?"
"We've heard about the engine failure."
"Why not take a plane, then? It would be much faster."
Cloud looked at Aerith, then back at the captain, and simply answered, "12-13."
"...Of course. I'll allow you and your friends on board, since this is a matter of life or death, but I expect the same amount of payment that you were going to pay for the Gelnika's tickets."
"Thank you so much!" Aerith blurted out.
"Yeah, thank you, capt'n!" Barret joined in.
"I wouldn't normally do this, but this is unusual circumstances." The captain reminded them. "We're actually departing in thirty minutes, so it would be best if you handed the money right now."
Aerith stepped forward and fished out a wad of bills. She counted them out before handing them over to the captain. She looked over the amount, then nodded.
"Everything's good to go. I'm Captain Elfe, but I still expect to be addressed as 'Captain'. We have sleeping quarters below deck and enough food for everyone, but don't expect anything more than the basics. Try not to cause too much trouble and we'll be just fine. Welcome aboard."
Elfe turned on her heel and went back to the ship. Barret said to the group, "She's actually nice when she's not on duty."
"I can kind of see that." Aerith admitted.
"Let's get our things." Tifa said. "It's unfortunate, but the truck is going to have to stay behind. It's probably going to get towed…"
They pulled their things out of the truck and followed Barret into the ship. He gave them a quick tour of the ship, telling them where they could and couldn't be. They passed by several members of the ship crew, who were busy checking different parts of the ship. When they arrived at the residential deck, he made a quick count of the rooms.
"This one is empty," he pointed out, "and this one and-aw crap."
"What is it?" Cloud asked.
"We're short one room. Two people are gonna have to share."
"...I'm not sharing my room with anyone."
"Hold on." Tifa said. "You said that you've sleepwalked once already, Cloud. What if it happens again? I think someone should stay to keep an eye on you. I will-."
"I'll stay." Aerith interrupted.
Both girls looked at each other. Cloud butted in before anything could happen. "I'll be fine on my own. If I do start sleepwalking on the ship, then I'll share a room with someone."
"Maybe you girls can share." Barret suggested.
Neither said a word for a moment, then Aerith said, "Fine."
"Fine." Tifa echoed her.
The ship's intercom suddenly crackled to life. From it, everyone heard Elfe give an announcement of their departure. The ship soon began to move. Cloud immediately excused himself to one of the empty rooms.
The room was big enough for one person. There was a small bed, a toilet, and a shower. Cloud set his backpack down and fished out his motion sickness pills. He took one out and swallowed it dry. He sat on the bed and realized just how tired he was. Though he napped in the truck, the long drive still tired him out. He and the others already stopped at a fast food place for dinner on the go, so he wasn't hungry.
There was a knock on the door.
"Are you alright, Cloud?" Tifa asked from the other side.
"Yeah, I'm coming."
Cloud exited the room. A thought crossed his mind and he said, "The rooms are pretty small. How is there going to be enough room for you and Aerith?"
"Barret's getting us extra blankets so that one of us can sleep on the floor."
"And who's sleeping on the floor?"
"We've decided to take turns, starting with me."
Barret reappeared with an armful of blankets. He passed them over to Tifa and said, "Hope this will be enough."
"We can make it work." She reassured him.
"Hey, when you're done, can you come to the break room? I wanna introduce you to the rest of my group."
"Sure. We'll be there shortly."
Tifa went back to her room. Cloud decided that he would go on ahead. He started to follow Barret to the break room.
He suddenly stopped in his tracks. He felt something that he always experienced before he would get caught up in a fight: the feeling of being followed. He turned around.
No one was there.
Goosebumps appeared on Cloud's skin and he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand. He hadn't heard anything that would indicate that someone was following him, yet that feeling wouldn't go away. He turned back around and saw that Barret was gone.
Where did he go? Who's following me? Who...someone's watching me. But no one's here. It...it's only me.
"You are never alone, Cloud."
Cloud nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned around and expected to see the owner of the voice from his dreams. Instead, he saw Tifa and Aerith.
"Did we startle you?" Aerith asked.
"Sorry," Tifa said, "it just looked like you were zoning out. Are you tired, Cloud?"
Hallucinations. Another symptom. Damn, this keeps getting better and better.
"I am a little." He answered the half-truth. "I'll turn in after we meet the others."
The three of them walked together to the break room. In addition to Barret, there were three other people sitting around a table. One was a pudgy man eating a bag of chips, one was a slim man with his feet propped on the table, and the other was a woman chewing a piece of gum. Barret began the introductions.
"Okay, here's the rest of the mining crew. Over there is Wedge, next to him is Biggs, and the little missy is Jessie."
Jessie blew a bubble and popped it. She asked, "Who you calling 'little missy'?"
"Well he wasn't referring to Biggs." Wedge laughed.
Biggs lightly punched Wedge's shoulder. "Shut up!"
"Guys," Barret spoke up, "these are Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith. They'll be stickin' with us until we reach Binah port."
Biggs swung his feet back to the ground. He said with interest, "Yeah, I heard the Captain talking about extra passengers, and that one of them has the Stigma." He looked at Cloud. "That's you, right?"
"Why you think that?" He asked back.
"Captain said that the rashes were on the arms, and you're the only one with their arms covered up. Can we see them?"
"No."
"Aw c'mon." Wedge joined in. "We've never seen anyone with the Stigma in person."
"Leave him alone, guys." Jessie interrupted. "He's probably sick of everyone wanting to see his Stigma like he's a freak."
Before Cloud could thank her for speaking up for him, Aerith snapped, "Cloud's not a freak!"
"I wasn't saying he was."
Biggs' eyes lit up. "Ooh, we getting a cat fight here?"
"No we are not!"
"We just took off and things are already getting exciting." Wedge commented.
"Chill!" Barret shouted.
The three of them hushed up. Barret went on, "It's been a long day for everyone. I'm pretty sure our new friends want to get some shuteye."
Cloud was the first one to turn around and leave. "Night."
He heard a few "goodnight"s in response. His mind was still focused on that hallucination, and he didn't feel like dealing with anything else tonight. He went to his room and locked the door. It hadn't stopped his last sleepwalking incident, but it still gave him a slight sense of security.
He brushed his teeth and changed into his night clothes. He turned off the light and crawled into bed. He tried his best to think of positive things before he fell asleep.
Cloud was once again floating in the dark green pool. Warmth and calm engulfed his body. His mind was fuzzy and he couldn't think straight, but he was coherent enough to know that he had experienced this before.
He tried to move, but he found his body to be sluggish and heavy.
"Cloud."
It was the voice. Again, Cloud began to sink deeper into the water. He still struggled to move, but it was like being trapped in jello.
"You have no reason to fight."
Cloud shouted, but only bubbles came out of his mouth.
This is a dream! I have to wake up!
"Yes. Wake up, Cloud."
His vision suddenly became blurry and a loud, high-pitched ringing filled his ears. He instinctively covered his ears, but it did nothing to block the sound out. It became harder to think.
"Let us have our Reunion. Come to Me."
Cloud opened his eyes and shivered. He was outside on the top deck, standing between the large containers. The sky was black with only moonlight illuminating the darkness. He rubbed his arms and started to make his way back inside.
Damn! Not again!
When he opened the door to the lower deck, he was surprised to see Elfe standing there. They both jumped.
"Cloud." Elfe said. "What are you doing out here?"
"Sleepwalking." He grumbled. "It's been happening since I got the first rash."
"Damn. I can't even imagine. At least you didn't jump off the ship."
Cloud decided to change the topic. "What about you? What are you doing this late?"
"Couldn't sleep. I was going to smoke." Elfe pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered it to Cloud. "You smoke?"
"No."
"Well, you're welcome to talk with me anyways."
Elfe walked over to the railing and pulled out a cigarette. She lit it up, inhaled, and blew out a puff of smoke. As cold as Cloud was, he didn't feel like going back down to reattempt sleep, at least not yet. He walked up to Elfe and leaned on the railing.
"This is an oil barge, right?" He asked. "Shouldn't you not be smoking near those tanks?"
"Tanks are empty." Elfe said.
"Oh."
Cloud looked towards the ocean. The waves were calm and there weren't any clouds in sight. The full moon shone brilliantly on the water's surface. Elfe took another puff from her cigarette. Without looking at him, she said, "Hey."
"Hm?"
"Are you Sephiran?"
"No. I can't believe in Sephiroth."
"Why not?"
"Science can answer things better than the Scrolls can. Plus, if Sephiroth exists, why can't They just prove it instead of having a prophet speak for Them?"
Elfe didn't say anything for a moment, instead taking another puff. Once she exhaled the smoke, she said, "I used to be Sephiran. My father and I really believed in Sephiroth and the Scrolls, then…" She let out a heavy sigh. "He got into a fatal accident. I kept praying to Sephiroth to save him, but…" She flicked the cigarette into the ocean. "Why would a god like Sephiroth let someone who loved Them so much die? I realized that there was only one reason."
"There is no god." Cloud answered for her.
"...Yes."
Elfe pulled out a second cigarette and lit it. She said, "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I feel for you. Nobody should have to suffer the Stigma."
"...Thanks."
Cloud turned around and headed back in. He still didn't feel like sleeping, but the cold was finally getting to him. He went to his room and switched on the light. The bright glare of the bare lightbulb caused him to shield his eyes for a bit. He did a few sets of pushups and squats before trying to sleep again.
The next seven days were boring for everyone. The mining crew had the foresight to bring some board games to entertain themselves with, but they got bored of them after the third day. When they weren't playing games, they were telling stories. Between seven people, excluding Elfe that busied herself with the ship crew, there was plenty to talk about.
Cloud, meanwhile, was reluctantly about to accept the fact that he was better off sharing a room with someone after what happened the first night. Fortunately, Jessie had an idea that could help out. She gathered a bunch of empty soup and soda cans, some string, and a roll of tape. She lined the cans in front of Cloud's door and started taping string to each of them.
"And what is this supposed to do?" Cloud asked.
"It's a makeshift alarm." Jessie explained. "When you try to walk through, your ankles will catch the string connecting the cans. Trying to walk with them on you will make enough noise to wake you up...unless you're a heavy sleeper, then I'll have to think of something else."
"Let's give it a shot, then."
Cloud had the usual dream of floating in green with the voice telling him to come to Them that night. As usual, he tried to wake himself up. It seemed like it was going to continue speaking when he heard a loud clanging noise. He woke up to find himself standing in the hallway, the string and the cans wrapped around his ankles
The plan worked just as expected.
Jessie's setup worked on every other night after that. Cloud's dreams, however, became different. They were all different scenarios where he was something or someone other than himself. He was a malboro hunting for food, a chocobo being sent to the slaughterhouse, and a woman who had no choice but to prostitute herself just to get enough money to eat for the day. Not once did he hear the voice from the other dreams. However, he had gained two more black rashes, one on each thigh.
At least that voice is gone.
The crew grew anxious about making landfall on day six. They could see Atziluth on the horizon, yet they had one more day to go through. Cloud and Barret decided to pass the time by watching Biggs and Wedge trying to create a new game out of the ones they already had.
"So the chocobo, moogle, sword, and sack of gil are the player pieces." Wedge explained. "The goal is to reach the end of the board while collecting money. The one with the most money wins."
"We move however many spaces the spinner lands on." Biggs jumped in. "You land on a colored square and draw a colored number card. If it's a seven, then the first person to shout 'lucky' gets to draw a money card. Any number below a seven means that you have to play a game of charades. The one doing the charades picks the category-."
"Wait, we should be writing all this down. We need to patent this once we get home."
"Yeah! It'll be the best game ever!"
"I doubt it." Cloud mumbled.
"What was that?"
"Yeah," Barret agreed, "it already sounds way too complicated to play."
"But we didn't even list all the rules yet!" Biggs said.
"You tryin' to combine five games into one. How's that not complicated?"
"We'll make it work, won't we Wedge?"
Wedge nodded enthusiastically.
Cloud lost interest and left the break room. He was headed back to his room when he heard Aerith call out to him. He turned and saw that he was in front of the open door to her room. Aerith herself was sitting on her bed with a book in her hands. She stood up and approached him.
"I know you only read this for class," she said, "but I thought it might be a good idea for you to look it over."
Upon closer inspection, Cloud saw that she was holding a copy of the Scrolls. He immediately felt that she was trying to force the whole prophet idea on him. He gave her an accusatory look and said, "You still think I'm going to be a prophet, aren't you."
Aerith looked taken aback. "What? No, I just thought...well...it would be something to do?"
Cloud sighed. He knew that she was lying, but he also really had nothing to do. A surprised smile appeared on Aerith's face when he took the book from her.
"You're right," he said, "it would be a good idea. This might help me strengthen my resolve to fight back."
He left before he could get a chance to see her expression change. He went into his room, shut the door, and sat down on the bed to read. In addition to strengthening his resolve to defy everyone's expectations, he also hoped to find anything else about the Stigma. He had read through Prophet only one time, so he didn't remember much from it. He started skimming through the book until he found what he was looking for.
Those with the black markings on their flesh are to be My prophets. Come to My abode so that we may have our Reunion. Those that heed My call shall be blessed and given the title of Adam. Those that do not shall suffer before returning to Me. Heed the words of My prophets, for I speak through them. Remember what they say and keep those words close to your heart, for My words are absolute.
It talks about the markings, but not the other symptoms. "Those that heed My call"...do dreams-no, that's just coincidence.
Cloud read further on ahead, but found nothing else about the Stigma. He closed the book, then flipped it open to the first Scroll: Origins. In addition to Prophet, he also read Origins and Reunion for class. He had not read anything past Prophet. Knowing that he still had several days before making it to Keter, he decided to go ahead and start again from the beginning.
Might as well, since I'll have to catch up when I get back.
In the beginning, there was none but Mother Jenova. She made the cosmos, the stars, and the world, which was barren. She gave birth to Sephiroth and entrusted Him with the world. "Bring life to this world and reign over all that are born from You. All shall revere You, My son."
So Sephiroth let Himself bleed onto the world, and from His blood sprang life. Plants and animals flourished, but none revered Him. Not knowing what to do, Sephiroth consulted Mother Jenova. "I have given My blood so that life may exist, but they do not revere Me like You said they would. I need your guidance, Mother." Wise Mother Jenova told Him, "We are gods of great power, My son. All shall know and worship Us. You will have My guidance, and I will always be with You.
"We shall create humans in Our image to honor us. We shall grant them the knowledge of Our existence so they may revere Us. We will love them, and they will love Us in return. They shall have dominion over the plants and animals, but We shall have dominion over them and the world."
And then Mother Jenova and Sephiroth came to know one another and became one. From Their blood sprung the first humans, and so it came to be that humankind was made to serve Sephiroth.
Serve Sephiroth? So we can't live for ourselves? Bullshit.
The rest of the Scroll told the story of Genesis, the first prophet. There was no mention of the Stigma, but it did say that "Genesis heeded Sephiroth's call". Cloud thought about the dreams again, but dismissed them once more. He had had enough reading for the day and he put away the book. He left his room and looked for Tifa.
He found her on the upper deck, stretching her arms towards the sun. He approached her and asked, "Stretching?"
"Yeah. Stretching in the sun is the best."
"Want to spar?"
"Sure. I got nothing else to do, plus this will make up for missing class."
Cloud landed a punch square on the other kid's face, knocking him to the ground. He got up and scowled at his opponent before getting to his feet and running off. Cloud looked at Tifa, who was still whimpering and holding onto her ponytail.
"He's gone now." He reassured her.
"I-I know." She sniffled. "It's just that my head still hurts."
She looked down at the strands of hair that were on the ground. She screamed and kicked at the ground. Cloud tried to calm her down. "If he ever shows up again, I'll protect you."
"But I don't want to be protected! I don't want to be helpless and I don't want to be rescued every time that jerk picks on me! I...I-I want to get rid of him myself!"
Tifa balled her hands into fists and gritted her teeth. Cloud asked, "You want to fight him?"
"Y-yeah. I know it's not what girls do, but I'm just so sick of this."
"...I can show you how to fight, if you'd like." Cloud could feel himself blush a bit.
"Really? You would do that for me, Cloud?"
"It wouldn't hurt to know how to fight back against bullies like him. Plus," he grinned, "I would like to see the look on his face when you kick his ass."
Normally, Tifa would scold him for using bad words, but she smiled this time.
"I want to see that, too. Now, show me."
Together they spent the rest of their free time sparring. Cloud and Tifa noticed that he moved slower than normal. Tifa always had the skill advantage over him, but she dominated the match this time.
"Maybe we should hold off on sparing until you get better." She suggested.
Cloud felt winded. He noticed that, in addition to his decreased reaction time, his strength was also weaker. Knowing this was due to his condition only made him irritated.
Damn Stigma.
He agreed with her and they went below deck for dinner.
Anan was lying on a bed made of hide and soft down. He was surrounded by warm sunlight and wrapped in furs. He found himself caught in a strong but gentle embrace from behind. He leaned back and he found his head pressed against a pair of plump breasts.
He was happy. He felt loved. It was the complete opposite of his past life in the village. The memories of everyone hating him came back and he felt a twinge of sadness beginning to grow. He didn't want to remember, but the thoughts and emotions were threatening to grow out of control.
"Do not think of those things." The one who held him commanded.
Anan's mind was wiped clean. The memories were still there, but the happiness and love had returned stronger than before. He wondered how They knew-.
"I always know what's in your head. What has happened is all in the past now."
Of course. It doesn't matter now.
He felt Them nuzzle the back of his head. "Yes, so don't be sad. I am here with you now."
Anan asked, "You won't leave me, won't You? I don't want to be-."
"You are never alone, Anan, and you never will be."
Never alone…
He closed his eyes and sighed in content.
They leaned close to his ear and whispered, "I would like to hear you speak My name. I want to hear your love for Me in your voice."
Anan's heart was suddenly overflowed with emotions. Love. Joy. Content. One name escaped from his mouth.
"Sephiroth."
One of Their hands slid up to grip his chin and turn his head to the side. Anan could feel Their breath inches away from him. His heart pounded furiously at the close contact, yet he kept his eyes shut.
"Good boy."
Their lips made contact.
"Cloud!"
Cloud jumped at the sudden shout. He saw Barret looking down at him. He looked around and was surprised that he was still in his bed.
I didn't sleepwalk this time...I feel like hell, though.
"'Bout time you woke up." Barret said.
"Barret?" Cloud asked. "What are you doing in my room?"
"We're here! We've docked at Binah port!"
"Huh? I thought Elfe said we would be here around lunchtime."
"It is lunchtime!"
"I...overslept?"
How long was I asleep? Twelve hours?
"Tifa was gonna wake you up earlier, but then she figured you needed the rest, what with the sleepwalking and all that." Barret suddenly leaned forward and said, "You don' look good. You sit tight, Spikey."
Barret left his room. Cloud got up and looked at himself in the mirror in the bathroom. His face was a little red and his shirt was drenched in sweat. He also noticed that there was a rash on his forehead. He brushed his bangs down in an attempt to cover it, but they wouldn't stay down.
How am I going to hide that?
The other thing that bothered him was the dream. He now had a name for that voice, and he didn't like it. He also noticed that, just like the dreams where he was different people and animals, he had no control over his actions or emotions. He didn't normally lucid dream, but he had unintentionally started to get the hang of it during the time he was afflicted with the Stigma. The loss of control made him feel more vulnerable than it should have.
And why the hell was I in bed with...Them? That's just messed up.
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in." Cloud called out.
The door opened and Barret, Tifa, and Aerith entered the room, with the latter carrying a first aid box.
"What's going on?"
"Have you seen yourself, Cloud?" Tifa asked.
"Yeah."
"We just want to check to see if you have a fever." Aerith said as she set the box down.
She opened it and pulled out a thermometer. Cloud opened his mouth and allowed her to slide it under his tongue. He closed his mouth and waited. Everyone seemed a little anxious as they waited for the thermometer to beep. Once it did, Aerith pulled it out and read the number.
"101.5." She frowned. "This isn't good."
"We have to get moving." Cloud stated.
"But Cloud, are you feeling up to it?"
"I have no choice, Aerith."
"Well, at least take some medicine before we get off."
She fished through the box and pulled out a pill bottle. She poured out two pills and handed them to Cloud. He popped them in dry.
"Thanks." He muttered.
"We'll let you get dressed." Tifa said. "We're going to be on the upper deck, so meet us there."
He nodded. The group left the room, leaving him alone. He changed out of his night clothes and took a cold shower before donning on his usual shirt, jeans, and jacket. He gathered his things and went to join the others.
Everybody was outside and walking down the ramp to the dock. Barret, Tifa, and Aerith were waiting for him at the top. He joined them in disembarking the boat. The mining crew was waiting for them, as well as Elfe. Elfe saw Barret and motioned him forward. He ran up to her.
"We should expect your return in two weeks, correct?" She asked him.
"Yeah." He nodded.
"Contact me if anything changes."
"Aye, Captain."
Elfe turned her attention to the trio. "You three still have a ways to go before you reach Keter, but the longest part is over now. I wish you luck in getting to Mt. Kadmon."
"Thank you, Captain." Aerith said.
Elfe nodded and excused herself. Barret looked at Tifa and said, "It was good seein' you here, Tifa, jus' wish it was under better circumstances."
"Yeah." She agreed.
He looked at Aerith. "Aerith, it was nice meetin' you." Then Cloud. "You're tough, Spikey; I've seen it when we sparred. You better make it out alive."
"I don't plan on dying." Cloud said firmly.
They gave their goodbyes and Barret went to rejoin the mining crew.
