DEVIL BEHIND THE DISGUISE
I'LL MADE THIS QUICK AND PAINLESS I DO NOT OWN FINAL FANTASY/ SQUARESOFT SO I'M STILL SAFE FROM THE LAW...FOR NOW.
CHAPTER 1- TALKING IT OVER
PROLOGUE
She uttered no gasp as she was impaled on the masamune. All that escaped her lips were two words:
NOT HIM
(end prologue)
It had been two years since Aeris's death and one and a half years since the meteor scare. Cloud always visited the forgotten city and sat at the edge of the lake watching
his shadow swaying lazily across the surface. Sometimes he would gaze into the crystalline depths for minutes or even hours on end. Cloud often brought flowers with him- Aeris's favourites: lilies and chrysanthemums, then throw them into the water and watch them float across the surface like miniature ballroom dancers before sinking below the surface and down into the dark depths.
Cloud was doing this as he did every time he came to the city. The sunlight filtered across the clearing, making it look like a scene out of a storybook. Cloud stared at the still surface; no breeze lifted it at all. Suddenly ripples started forming from a point in the middle of the lake. The ripples went faster and faster, washing over the bank. Cloud jumped backwards heart thudding madly. A shape was rising up as if through a hole in the lake. The figure was kneeling on the lake surface. Her dress was torn and frayed and her bronze coloured hair that was once braided flowed recklessly down her back and across her shoulders. She held a glowing, green pearl in one hand, her other hand was clasped against her chest, blood dripping through her fingers and onto her dress. It was Aeris, back from her watery grave.
Cloud froze- in both body and mind. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Even if he had said something he wouldn't have been heard anyway, as Aeris started to scream words at him
'CLOUD! IT WASN'T HIM! IT'S HER! LISTEN TO ME! LISTEN TO ME! DON'T LET HER- !'
She screamed desperately as her sunken eyes leaked tears of blood across her death white face. She was being dragged back into the lake. The water was rearing up like a huge glass monster. Aeris clawed at the surface of the lake, trying to get a hold of something. Cloud's mind raced as he instinctively stretched out a hand. For a split second his fingertips brushed her's. He felt a tingling sensation of cold in his hand as he watched, transfixed as a roaring wave washed over the whole lake as it became still once more.
Cloud wondered if he had imagined the whole thing. Sweat was beaded on his forehead and his heartbeat was rapid and shallow, as fear gripped him in an iron vice. He had seen Aeris, but what did she mean? Sephiroth had killed her he saw him do it, but what had she meant by 'it's her?' Sephiroth was a man, a cold, cruel, evil- a wave of nausea swept over Cloud and he vomited all over the bank. His head swam and his vision kept swimming in and out of focus as he promptly passed out on the ground.
__________________________________________________________-
'Hey Cloud! You ok? Yes, you! You ain't touched your beer'
'What? Oh, yeah I'm fine' replied Cloud vaguely. He looked up into the kind, anxious eyes of the old pilot, Cid.
'Ok, if you say so' he said before walking away to join Barrat in his drunken attempt to pour a pint down Vincent's throat, whom he currently had in a headlock.
Cloud was still dwelling on the previous happenings that morning. He absently ran a finger around the rim of his glass so that it made a faint humming sound. Had he just imagined Aeris? He asked himself for the hundredth time. His thoughts were cut short by a loud smash and the tinkling of shattered glass- Cid and Barrat, who were both blind drunk had fallen sideways onto a table, smashing several glasses, as Vincent had made a desperate swipe at the drink and then jumped up onto the chandelier. But the chandelier was not accustomed to holding the weight of a 'human' hanging from it and gave way, causing Vincent, the chandelier and a great amount of plaster from the ceiling to land in a heap on top of Barrat and Cid, who were too unconscious to take the slightest bit of notice.
'Oh my God! Are you all alright?!'
Tifa was sprinting the length of the bar over to the three of them where Cid and Barret were lying across a broken table and where Vincent was gingerly picking bits of glass out of his arm.
'Hey- HEY! Cloud! Can you give me a hand? Ive had enough of these two! They are going out the back now! They are making my bar look bad! She grabbed Barrat's arm and dragged him out through a door behind the bar. Cloud took a hold of cid and followed Tifa around the back and lay him on one of the beds that were specifically designed for this purpose.
When he returned to his drink he found somebody else sitting at the table in the corner. He was watching Cloud thoughtfully through a single, amber eye. As Cloud sat down, he deliberately made no eye contact. His companion. Spoke in a low growl that only he and Cloud could hear.
'Cloud, something is wrong, your usually drunk by ten and its half past now which is pretty amazing. Said the fiery red animal Red XIII.
Cloud sighed. When they were back saving the planet he told Red all his deep emotions and troubles. These days he felt he could trust Red with his life and definatly trusted Red more than anyone else after Aeris was brutally slaughtered...
'Fine, just promise me one thing, you won't tell the others- not yet, at least'
Red XIII blinked slowly. 'I solemnly swear it, Cloud'
'I...I saw Aeris and...' he told Red XIII the whole story up to where he found himself lying on the ground, panicked and flew back to Midgar on the highwind.
Red XIII was silent for a while. Cloud looked up from his glass. Red XIII had changed in appearance since the meteor scare. His mane was longer and grew around his neck and across his shoulders. Two yellow fangs protruded from his top jaw and his left ear was now severely torn. He had also gained a couple of inches in height. He would have looked extremely fearsome apart from one feature that had not changed- his single amber eye had a warm gentle gaze to it.
'Are you sure you did not imagine her Cloud?' He asked
'I thought I was hallucinating at first but how could I imagine feeling her as well as seeing her?' He glanced over to the other side of the bar where Tifa was glaring at the broken chandelier with her hands on her hips. Vincent was stalking towards the door when Tifa called after him ('I expect you to pay for the repairs!') Vincent scowled before slamming the door so hard it made the windows rattle and even more plaster to fall from the ceiling.
Cloud sighed again. 'I'm going to bed. Goodnight. He said shortly as he got up and walked up the stairs behind the bar.
Red XIII blinked slowly again.
'Goodnight.'
(This is not the end there will be more chapters)
I'LL MADE THIS QUICK AND PAINLESS I DO NOT OWN FINAL FANTASY/ SQUARESOFT SO I'M STILL SAFE FROM THE LAW...FOR NOW.
CHAPTER 1- TALKING IT OVER
PROLOGUE
She uttered no gasp as she was impaled on the masamune. All that escaped her lips were two words:
NOT HIM
(end prologue)
It had been two years since Aeris's death and one and a half years since the meteor scare. Cloud always visited the forgotten city and sat at the edge of the lake watching
his shadow swaying lazily across the surface. Sometimes he would gaze into the crystalline depths for minutes or even hours on end. Cloud often brought flowers with him- Aeris's favourites: lilies and chrysanthemums, then throw them into the water and watch them float across the surface like miniature ballroom dancers before sinking below the surface and down into the dark depths.
Cloud was doing this as he did every time he came to the city. The sunlight filtered across the clearing, making it look like a scene out of a storybook. Cloud stared at the still surface; no breeze lifted it at all. Suddenly ripples started forming from a point in the middle of the lake. The ripples went faster and faster, washing over the bank. Cloud jumped backwards heart thudding madly. A shape was rising up as if through a hole in the lake. The figure was kneeling on the lake surface. Her dress was torn and frayed and her bronze coloured hair that was once braided flowed recklessly down her back and across her shoulders. She held a glowing, green pearl in one hand, her other hand was clasped against her chest, blood dripping through her fingers and onto her dress. It was Aeris, back from her watery grave.
Cloud froze- in both body and mind. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Even if he had said something he wouldn't have been heard anyway, as Aeris started to scream words at him
'CLOUD! IT WASN'T HIM! IT'S HER! LISTEN TO ME! LISTEN TO ME! DON'T LET HER- !'
She screamed desperately as her sunken eyes leaked tears of blood across her death white face. She was being dragged back into the lake. The water was rearing up like a huge glass monster. Aeris clawed at the surface of the lake, trying to get a hold of something. Cloud's mind raced as he instinctively stretched out a hand. For a split second his fingertips brushed her's. He felt a tingling sensation of cold in his hand as he watched, transfixed as a roaring wave washed over the whole lake as it became still once more.
Cloud wondered if he had imagined the whole thing. Sweat was beaded on his forehead and his heartbeat was rapid and shallow, as fear gripped him in an iron vice. He had seen Aeris, but what did she mean? Sephiroth had killed her he saw him do it, but what had she meant by 'it's her?' Sephiroth was a man, a cold, cruel, evil- a wave of nausea swept over Cloud and he vomited all over the bank. His head swam and his vision kept swimming in and out of focus as he promptly passed out on the ground.
__________________________________________________________-
'Hey Cloud! You ok? Yes, you! You ain't touched your beer'
'What? Oh, yeah I'm fine' replied Cloud vaguely. He looked up into the kind, anxious eyes of the old pilot, Cid.
'Ok, if you say so' he said before walking away to join Barrat in his drunken attempt to pour a pint down Vincent's throat, whom he currently had in a headlock.
Cloud was still dwelling on the previous happenings that morning. He absently ran a finger around the rim of his glass so that it made a faint humming sound. Had he just imagined Aeris? He asked himself for the hundredth time. His thoughts were cut short by a loud smash and the tinkling of shattered glass- Cid and Barrat, who were both blind drunk had fallen sideways onto a table, smashing several glasses, as Vincent had made a desperate swipe at the drink and then jumped up onto the chandelier. But the chandelier was not accustomed to holding the weight of a 'human' hanging from it and gave way, causing Vincent, the chandelier and a great amount of plaster from the ceiling to land in a heap on top of Barrat and Cid, who were too unconscious to take the slightest bit of notice.
'Oh my God! Are you all alright?!'
Tifa was sprinting the length of the bar over to the three of them where Cid and Barret were lying across a broken table and where Vincent was gingerly picking bits of glass out of his arm.
'Hey- HEY! Cloud! Can you give me a hand? Ive had enough of these two! They are going out the back now! They are making my bar look bad! She grabbed Barrat's arm and dragged him out through a door behind the bar. Cloud took a hold of cid and followed Tifa around the back and lay him on one of the beds that were specifically designed for this purpose.
When he returned to his drink he found somebody else sitting at the table in the corner. He was watching Cloud thoughtfully through a single, amber eye. As Cloud sat down, he deliberately made no eye contact. His companion. Spoke in a low growl that only he and Cloud could hear.
'Cloud, something is wrong, your usually drunk by ten and its half past now which is pretty amazing. Said the fiery red animal Red XIII.
Cloud sighed. When they were back saving the planet he told Red all his deep emotions and troubles. These days he felt he could trust Red with his life and definatly trusted Red more than anyone else after Aeris was brutally slaughtered...
'Fine, just promise me one thing, you won't tell the others- not yet, at least'
Red XIII blinked slowly. 'I solemnly swear it, Cloud'
'I...I saw Aeris and...' he told Red XIII the whole story up to where he found himself lying on the ground, panicked and flew back to Midgar on the highwind.
Red XIII was silent for a while. Cloud looked up from his glass. Red XIII had changed in appearance since the meteor scare. His mane was longer and grew around his neck and across his shoulders. Two yellow fangs protruded from his top jaw and his left ear was now severely torn. He had also gained a couple of inches in height. He would have looked extremely fearsome apart from one feature that had not changed- his single amber eye had a warm gentle gaze to it.
'Are you sure you did not imagine her Cloud?' He asked
'I thought I was hallucinating at first but how could I imagine feeling her as well as seeing her?' He glanced over to the other side of the bar where Tifa was glaring at the broken chandelier with her hands on her hips. Vincent was stalking towards the door when Tifa called after him ('I expect you to pay for the repairs!') Vincent scowled before slamming the door so hard it made the windows rattle and even more plaster to fall from the ceiling.
Cloud sighed again. 'I'm going to bed. Goodnight. He said shortly as he got up and walked up the stairs behind the bar.
Red XIII blinked slowly again.
'Goodnight.'
(This is not the end there will be more chapters)