I'm Not Alone…
Rated: T
Genre: Romance/Supernatural
Inspired By: The Phantom of the Opera (the title track, not the movie/play/book as a whole)
Artist: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Summary: Tifa Lockhart was a lonely college student contemplating suicide, until the day came when he visited her and saved her… and himself in the process. Tifa's POV.
A/N: I got the idea for this while constantly listening to this track in Widows Movie Maker, making a video to it. It didn't come out to badly either. I was thinking of getting a YouTube account so I could post what I've done, but I don't know… Anyway, thanks for reading and please review! This is my first time writing a POV story, so any advice or criticism is more than welcome! Oh, and imagine Red is like a real house cat. Meow!
I kept my eyes to the pavement as usual. I slowly made my way out of the Science Building after my introductory psychology class. Yet another class I was failing. I doubt I'll be able to stay in school with these grades. My dad'd be so disappointed. It sucks that he died when I was a teenager, but look on the bright side; I got his responsibility lecture so much growing up that I remember it word-for-word now. I glanced down at the test I was gripping in my right hand. A forty-three. That's great! If the highest was fifty.
It was out of a hundred.
I wander into my dumpy, one-room apartment and throw my backpack on the floor. I kick my pet cat off the couch and drop down. Taking one last look at my test, I crumple it up and throw it towards the trash. I feel the tears coming and let them flow. I don't see a point in stopping them anymore. I don't honestly see the point in stopping there, either. I stand up and make my way to the kitchen and dig in a drawer where I find the paring knife I never used. I hold it to my wrist and whisper a small prayer. Before I can split the flesh, my cat, Red, walks over and rubs up against my leg. I feel another burst of tears coming and drop to the floor, the knife clattering beside me. Red jumps and runs off. He's never been the smartest creature, but he knows well enough to be afraid of small, sharp objects. He pokes his head around the counter when he doesn't hear anything else but my constant sobs. Finally, I give up, throw the knife in the sink and get ready for bed. I crash into my pillows, regretting every choice I ever made in my sad life.
***
"Hello?"
I opened eyes and was immediately blinded by a white light. I squinted, trying to find the embodiment of the voice. My eyes adjust to the pallid glow, but there's nothing to see. It's just… white. That's it. I realize my guest is probably waiting, and, unable to find them, I call out, "Hello?" Okay. Not the most genius thing to say, but whatever.
"You… can hear me?"
I concentrate on the voice; I can't tell if it's male or female, just that it sounded excited. Well, as excited as a history professor can sound, anyway. I shrug and say to my blank surroundings, "Sure. Where are you?"
"I'm not sure. Where are you?"
"You know, I'm not sure either."
A low chuckle sounds around me, "You're a very interesting girl."
I let out a laugh, and then jump in surprise. It had been so long since I laughed. "Why do you think that?"
"I have to go for now. I'll see you again tomorrow."
"No! Wait! Don't go!" I cry, but it's too late. My new friend is gone. I sit up and look at my surroundings, half expecting my vision to be filled with white. I blink the sleep out of my eyes and can't help the disappointment in my heart when all I see is the dilapidated walls of my apartment. I roll out of bed and make my way to my ice-cold shower.
***
"Tifa?"
"Huh?" I look over at the girl sitting across from me, "I'm sorry, Aerith. I know you're trying to help me, but I just can't concentrate."
"Well, there's your problem. You just need to focus a little more," my tutor gave me a bright, ear-to-ear grin.
"That's just the thing. I don't know how."
"Well, you just need to find a way to-" her cell phone started ringing with some god-awful jingle. She checked to see who her caller was, "Oh, hang on. I gotta answer this."
"I'll be here," I mumbled. She ran off and I stared at my textbook. The words started blurring as I felt my face make contact with them.
***
"I'm sorry. I just couldn't wait to talk to you again."
I rub my eyes. Apparently, I was still tired in my dreams, "It's okay. I'm just waiting for my tutor to come back. She had to take a call."
"I see. Anyway, I just wanted to talk. You're the first person who could actually hear me, so I'm pretty excited."
"How come?"
"It gets lonely here. The others are very demanding of me since I'm the youngest."
"I don't get it, but whatever."
I heard that laugh echo around me. I guess I was funny? I thought I could hear a smile when it asked, "What's your name?"
"Tifa. What's yours?"
"I am… I have no name. Call me what you want."
"Well, since there isn't anything but white here, how about 'Heaven'?"
"Sounds feminine. Try again."
"So, you're a guy?"
"You can't tell!?"
"Not really, no." What was it, he, getting so upset about? "Okay, fine. How about 'Light'?"
"Too… anime."
"You said I could call you what I wanted!"
"Within reason."
"Fine! Let's see… What else is white…? I know! Clouds! I'll call you 'Cloud,' okay?"
"I…guess its okay… It'll work, anyway."
"Okay, Cloud! Nice to meet you!"
"And you as well, Tifa."
"Okay, um, how old are you?"
"Age is not a relative issue."
"Yeesh. I was just trying to get to know you better. I'm twenty, by the way."
"I don't have an age."
"But you said you were younger than the 'others'?"
"I… It's hard to explain. I am just… the youngest. I am the newest one to this place."
"Huh?"
"I told you it was hard to explain. I arrived the most recently, so I am the youngest."
I shake my head and change the subject, "What do you look like?"
"Hm? I… I'm not sure. There aren't any reflective surfaces here."
"Where is 'here'?"
A gasp sounded around me. When he spoke, he sounded almost… frightened. "He's coming. I have to go. If he catches me here, my punishment will be… No! Wait! I didn't-!"
Now I was curious, "Cloud?" No response. I felt a nudge on my shoulder and opened my eyes. Bright green stared back. I yawned, "Aerith… Sorry…"
"Well, it's no wonder why you can't get good grades." Somehow, she managed to drop that bomb with a smile plastered to her face. "I'm sorry, Tifa. I have to go. We'll finish this later, okay?"
I nodded numbly, "Sure."
She gave me another of her mind-bogglingly large smiles and grabbed her bag before skipping off.
I just groaned and dropped my head back to my book, 'I wonder if Cloud's okay…'
***
That night, I crawled into bed, hoping I'd see my friend again. Well, not see, so much as hear. I felt Red curl up in his regular spot by my feet and his snoring started almost immediately. I lay back and tried to get comfortable. I closed my eyes, and though it seemed like only a second had passed, I opened my eyes to the glare of my clock. It read 4:37. I felt a sigh escape my lips and rolled onto my back, scaring Red in the process. I laid there without moving for awhile. I blinked and groaned at the white light suddenly surrounding me.
"Sorry I took so long."
"What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"More or less. My punishment was a weak one. I think Perfection must be getting a little soft."
"Perfection?"
"He's in charge here."
"Oh. Does he have an appearance?"
"Sure. Everyone does. Why?"
"Can't you ask someone else what you look like?"
"I… suppose I could. I never thought about it. But I have a better idea. Hang on a second."
"Okay…" I waited, "Cloud?" He didn't reply. I sat down in the middle of the white and laid back. I closed my eyes and exhaled deeply. I fell asleep, which I thought was weird, since I was already sleeping.
***
I woke up and looked around. Saturday. No classes today. I got up and wandered out to the kitchenette in the corner of the living room and poured myself a bowl of cereal. I added the milk and grabbed a spoon on my way to the couch. I sat down and started munching my fruity-marshmallow mix. I felt a headache coming just before my vision got fuzzy and I fell over onto the next cushion, vaguely aware of my bowl crashing to the floor.
***
I opened my eyes to the white, except… It wasn't white this time. I was standing in the middle of a dumpy little village with a couple of houses that looked to be in worse shape than my apartment. I could see a castle in the distance; a real, dark, Dracula-like castle featuring turrets and stained-glass windows. It seemed to be calling to me somehow, so I wandered through the buildings towards it for a minute until I came to a center square looking place with some wooden contraption built in the middle. I had no idea what it was, so I continued on. As I was starting to leave, a voice called out from behind me, "Tifa?"
I knew that voice. It was Cloud's. A little different; clearer, maybe. He sounded much more masculine now, more raspy. But it was definitely him. I turned around, "Cloud?"
"Since you called me that, I'll assume we're both right."
"Where are you?"
"Right here."
I looked up to the top of the wooden structure to see a young man with messy blond hair and bright blue eyes. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw his outfit. He was donned in a full vampire-like suit; complete with the tailcoat, frilly white collar and black-on-the-outside-and-red-on-the-inside cape. He gave me a quick once-over and raised an eyebrow. I looked down at my oversized t-shirt and stopped laughing. His face showed a smile as he leapt off the top of the structure and landed nimbly beside me. I gave a whistle, "How high is that… thing?"
"You mean the water well?"
"If that's what it you call it. They look a little different in Midgar."
He gave a sigh, "Midgar. The world's prison."
"What do you mean?"
"Shin-Ra keeps the people of the world locked away within those oversized walls."
I crossed my arms, "Shin-Ra is protecting the people from the world."
"Is that what they tell you?"
"Yeah. The world was polluted years ago by our ancestors, making the air toxic to our health. Why?"
"Shin-Ra sends very few of their trusted employees outside those walls. There are a few settlements set up throughout the world where these people research and warp the natural way of life. This is one such settlement. They're getting ready to send out another round of researchers as we speak."
"What are you saying?"
He sighed, "The world is perfectly inhabitable. Shin-Ra only wants for the world to be theirs. So they tell lies and, without proof, the people would rather go by their word and live comfortably, rather than face a very possible, and very gruesome, death."
"How do you know that?"
He held his hand towards me, "Come here."
"What?"
"Take my hand."
I hesitantly reached out and placed my hand in his, and his fingers closed around mine. He pulled me close, wrapping his free hand around my waist. I felt a small rush of fear that was quickly replaced by excitement. I couldn't help but ask, "Is this the part where you steal me away and kill me?"
"I'm sorry?"
"I read a book once, where this girl fell in love with this guy, but he turned out to be a vampire who just wanted her blood."
He leaned closer and smiled, "Was that a roundabout way of telling me that you've fallen in love with me?"
I felt a flutter in my heart, "D-don't flatter yourself."
With one of his hands still grasping mine somewhere between us, he turned his head, tucking his chin beside mine and whispered in my ear, "Hold on."
Before I could react, I felt us leave the ground. His cloak fluttered around us, and I threw my available hand around his neck to avoid falling. Ironic, really. I had tried to take my own life just a few days ago, and now I was clinging to a stranger in clown clothes for my life. The ground returned under my feet and I released my breath and opened my eyes, staring right into his.
He smiled again, "Where were we?"
"I…"
"Oh, right. Shin-Ra's monopolous control of the planet."
I breathed a sigh of relief as he let go of me and stepped back. He turned and sat down. His actions scared me so much; I hadn't even taken the chance to realize where he'd taken me. I looked to my right to find he'd just taken me to the top of the water well. I looked down at where he was sitting with his feet slung over the side. I sat down next to him. "So, you were saying?"
"I was once a normal human, living in Midgar with my family. I decided to sneak out of the city and explore the world myself. Shin-Ra caught me, and I've been trapped here ever since."
"How?"
"My physical body is locked away in the basement of that building," he pointed towards the base of the mountains, at a large house standing there. It was easily the largest building there, except the castle. "I don't know what they did to me. I just remember falling asleep, and then waking up here, in this form."
"What about the 'others'?"
"They underwent similar fates. They, too, are locked away in that building."
"So, if I go there, I could help you?"
"No."
"No?"
"I won't allow you to suffer a fate like this. Shin-Ra would love to get a female specimen, I'm sure."
"You won't 'allow' me? Since when do you tell me what to do?"
"I'm sorry. But, you're my friend. My sole link to the real world. If you were to join us here, we'd all be stuck without a hope of ever reaching our families."
"You want me to find your families?"
"Would you mind?"
"What's your family like?"
He grimaced and placed his hands on his temples, "I… can't remember… How could I forget my family?"
I wasn't sure how to react to that, so I opted for, "Are you okay?"
"I… I don't know…" He looked back up at me, "What is your family like?"
I waved a hand casually, "My family's gone. My mom died when I was twelve, and my dad when I was eighteen. Since then, I've been on my own."
"I'm sorry."
I gave him what I think was a small smile, "Don't worry. I'm okay."
I caught the sight of bright blue gazing at me through his mess of bangs, "You didn't seem like it two days ago."
"You saw that?"
"It was hard to miss."
"Were you watching me? I mean, that happened before we started talking, so… were you watching me before that?"
He gave me a good-natured smirk, "You got me."
"Why?"
"I was curious."
"Huh?"
"Think about it. Here I am, stuck in this world, longing to be seen; and then I find you, a girl with no hope to live, wanting to disappear."
"Huh… I guess that makes sense…"
"I wasn't stalking you or anything," he paused, as if listening for something. "I have to go. I'll see you again soon," he smiled, "Have a nice day."
"Hang on! I…" It was useless. I was back on my couch, looking left and right. I sighed and made a snap decision. I grabbed my backpack and pulled my books out and threw them on the floor. I ran into my room, got dressed, and started throwing a few changes of clothes and all my saved-up gil inside. Then I ran into the kitchen and grabbed every last cereal bar I had and threw those in as well. I grabbed Red and pushed him inside his carrier and grabbed his food and threw that into my pack, too. I slung my bag over my shoulder and picked up Red's carrier and headed for the door. Before I could, though, my phone rang. I walked over and answered it, "Hello?"
"Hi, Tifa?" It was a girl's voice.
"Um, who is this?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. It's me, Aerith."
"Oh, what's up?"
"I'm sorry, Tifa, but I have to cancel out study sessions. Something came up and I'll be leaving the sector for awhile. I'm so sorry."
"Don't worry about it. I have something to do, too. I would have called you, but I couldn't find your number."
"Oh, okay. That's good. I hated feeling like I was letting you down."
"You're not, I promise."
"Alright… Well, I have to go. See you some other time."
"'Bye." I set the phone back into the cradle and sighed. I picked up the cat carrier and finally got out the door.
***
I made my way down to the loading docks I'd located on one of my many self-loathing walks. And, as I thought, I found a group of Shin-Ra employees getting ready to leave. I located a bunch of supply crates on the side and tried to see if I could find a way to get closer without being seen. I was watching the patterns of the guards when I saw a flash of pink out of the corner of my eye. I ran out and grabbed Aerith's hand and pulled her out of the sight of one of the soldiers. I pulled her back to my hiding place behind some broken pallets and turned to face her. I hissed in the silence, "Leaving the sector, huh?"
She gave me an innocent smile, "I didn't lie."
I clapped my Red-less hand over her mouth, "Shh…!"
She lowered her voice, "Sorry…!"
"C'mon…! Let's climb in one of those crates… Then we're talking!"
She gave me a silly salute, smiling all the while, "Yes, Ma'am!"
She waited patiently beside me, clutching a backpack of her own, letting me take the lead. The guard standing beside the crates turned to talk to another one and I glanced at Aerith, "C'mon! Now's our chance!" I slipped out from behind the busted wood and ran for the crates, Aerith right behind me. I pried the first one open and climbed in, set down Red and turned to help my partner-in-crime inside. Once she was in, I pulled the lid back over us and sat down.
She whispered in the dark, "We made it! Now we-"
"Shh! Quiet!" I hissed in the dark, "I get the feeling these crates aren't soundproof."
"Gotcha!"
We waited in silence. God! If I'd known how long it took for Shin-Ra to pack up and leave…! I blinked and sat back, trying to get comfortable among whatever it was that we sitting on. I felt a yawn and closed my eyes.
***
I wasn't in any mood for this, "What is it, Cloud?"
He crossed his arms, "I told you not to come…!"
I looked around at the illusion of my apartment, "I don't care! I want to see the world! This has nothing to do with you!"
"Then it's just coincidence that the caravan that you snuck onto of is headed straight to Nibelheim?"
"Where the hell is Nibelheim?"
"It's the settlement where my body is; the place where I took you this morning."
"Oh. Well, someone was pretty vague on the details."
"You're blaming me?"
"Yep."
"You're so irresponsible! Why can't you just leave well enough alone!?"
"Why can't you just accept some help!?"
"You're my friend!" He glanced at the floor, "My… only friend…"
I felt a twinge of guilt in my chest, "Cloud…" I reached out to touch his shoulder.
He looked back up at me through his bangs, "Please, Tifa. Go back."
"Cloud… I can't. I don't have anything there. You saw it yourself. I'd rather live in seclusion with one friend than live in Midgar without anyone at all."
"Really?"
"Uh-huh."
"But… I haven't told you about the pain…"
"Pain?"
"The pain of the experiments. Sometimes, one of us will disappear for an unknown period of time… When we come back… the pain is terrible. It hurts so much. And then… we have abilities we can't even fathom. But… they're not worth the pain."
"So… your… abilities… Are they good?"
"That's subject to opinion."
"Huh?"
"I have to go. I'll see you later."
"Cloud! This is getting old!" I shout to the fading building. I woke up to find Aerith zonked out against the side of the crate. Suddenly, I felt sick as the whole thing shook around us and she didn't even stir. I sighed and leaned back, hoping this wouldn't be too difficult.
***
"You sure you'll be okay?"
"Yeah! I'll be fine! It's just a matter of getting out…"
"I'll talk to the others. Maybe they can help!"
"How?"
"If we pool our powers together, I'm sure we could do something… Beginning just woke up, so he's pretty antsy to try out his new abilities… on some Shin-Ra freaks."
"I see… How's everyone else?"
"Same old. Messenger's been helping Beginning get back on track, Perfection's been occupied with Corruption, and, well, I'm bored."
"Haha! That sounds just like you!"
"And… Demon's waiting on you two. Better make it quick."
***
When I woke up, it seemed like hours had passed. The crate was no longer moving, so I assumed we stopped. I looked around, wondering where Cloud had been the whole time I was asleep.
"You can get out. The coast is clear."
I jumped at the sound of Cloud's voice, "I'm not sleeping… Why can I hear you?"
"We're all working together to talk to you… We all want freedom."
"Oh. I guess I should wake Aerith, then, huh?" I didn't hear anything else after that. I crawled across the crate and prodded my pink-clad companion in the ribs.
She jumped awake, screaming, "Wah! I'm awake! Don't hurt me!"
I release a sigh. "Aerith. It's me. C'mon, let's go."
"Where?"
"Out of this crate."
"What if there's someone out there?"
"There isn't."
"How do you know?"
"Can you hear anything?"
"Well, no, but…"
"C'mon. Do you have any practice in combat?"
"No…"
"I've had martial arts training, so you be in charge of Red."
"Red?"
"My cat."
"I guessed as much… I was more curious about the name…"
"Not important. Let's move." I push the top of the crate open, silently thankful it didn't tip at all during our trip. I looked through the room, some sort of garage, and hop out. I turned around to take the backpacks and Red from Aerith, and then help her out. She landed somewhat less gracefully than I did and then picked up her pack and Red; who'd been amazingly quiet throughout our trip. I picked up my bag and pulled it over my shoulders and inhale a deep breath before taking a step into the semi-darkness.
A voice sound from around me, "Wrong way. Go left." It wasn't Cloud. It was deep, masculine and stoic. I guess one of the 'others' were taking action.
Before I could stop myself, I asked, "Who are you?"
Aerith gave me a strange look, "Tifa? Is someone there?"
I looked down the hall I'd been heading towards, "No, I guess not…" I turned and started down the hall to my left. "C'mon… this way…" I waved my hand over my shoulder and started walking without turning to see if Aerith was following me. I kept walking, hoping Cloud and the others would tell me when to turn.
As I turned towards the large stairwell, I caught a glimpse of the water well Cloud had shown me through the window. I cocked my head, realizing we were inside the building with Cloud's body. I felt a jolt of excitement and ran for the stairs, taking them two at a time. I turned and ran to my left and through the door, Aerith fighting to keep up. I ran into the large room and looked out the window. I searched the horizon for the castle. I couldn't help the disappointment when I couldn't find it. Aerith ran up behind me, panting, "Tifa! What in Minerva's name are you doing?"
I kept my focus to the mountains, "Nothing… I thought I saw something, that's all…"
"Well, next time you 'see something,' let me know, okay?"
"Oh, right… I'm sorry…" I tore my gaze away from the window, wondering what happened to the castle.
I started towards the door out of the room when a voice, neither Cloud's nor the stoic one that had greeted me, sounded in my head, "When you get to the stairs, keep going straight. You'll see a bedroom to your right. Just go in there, alright?" I gave a little nod, once again forgetting that I was only hearing things. I turned to explain to Aerith, but I found that she, too, was heading straight without question. I raised an eyebrow, but she didn't see it as we headed over to the bedroom. We walked inside and started looking around.
Aerith piped up while flipping through a book, "What d'you suppose we're looking for?"
I looked up, "I have no idea…"
Aerith grinned all of a sudden, "In here!" She ran to the connecting room and stood in front of a bookshelf. She ran her hand along the spines, absent-mindedly looking for something. "Ah-ha!" she pulled back on a particular volume and the shelf slid back, revealing a staircase spiraling downward. She turned to me and grinned.
I was pretty sure my skepticism showed, "H-how did you know about that?"
"You'll see soon enough," she replied, smile never dimming.
"If you say so…" I figured I wasn't in any position to question her spontaneous actions. After all, I was hearing voices of comatose guys, right?
"Fighters first," Aerith gestured to the rickety stairwell that appeared oddly well-maintained. I shrugged and started down the steps, deciding that now wasn't the time to tell her that my training wasn't anything more than a few classes in varying forms of martial arts. Given how deep the stairwell was, I crept down with my back to the wall. I've never really been scared of heights, but the rickety stairs combined with the darkness is just a freaky combination. I got to the bottom and screamed when something swept past my face. I looked towards it. A bat. I watched it cautiously and finished my descent.
I looked around, "Now what?" I shuddered; the earthen hallways creepy in their own right. The bats and spider webs added to the effect.
"I don't know. Maybe we should ask that guy?" Aerith pointed straight ahead.
I followed her finger to find… a mess. Suddenly, I believed everything Cloud had said about Shin-Ra's experiments. The guy had a tattered red cloak, two black and red bat wings jutting out of his back, one eye glowing yellow, the other too dark to see. His hair was long and black, some weird red… something… tangled within. His face was pale with patches of grey piercing through his natural skin. His pants were torn at the sides by black spikes protruding from his hips. He wore golden guards on his left arm and on his legs, shielding from his feet all the way up to his knees. I dropped into a ready stance, thinking that this wasn't going to be much of a fight. My doubts were confirmed when he pulled out a large, three-barreled gun and pointed it at me. I gulped and thought an apology, 'I'm sorry, Cloud… I couldn't help you…'
"Wait!" Aerith ran forward, jumping in front of me and spreading her arms wide, "Are you… Demon?"
He cocked his only eyebrow at her and lowered his weapon, speaking with a distorted, gravelly voice, "Is that what the Somnusi call me?"
"Somnusi?"
"Those who slumber. Their name is derived from the Latin word for 'sleep.'"
I looked at him, "If your name isn't Demon, then what is it?"
His yellow and, apparently, red eyes shifted to me, "You may call me Chaos. Or Vincent. Either way."
"Which do you prefer?"
"Chaos is the name Shin-Ra gave me. Vincent is my birth name. I don't believe either name to be acceptable. Call me what you will."
"Alright. Vincent it is. I'm Tifa." I held my hand out in a friendly greeting, waiting for him to take it.
His eyes narrowed, "Help me."
I pulled my hand back in alarm, "Huh?"
"Shin-Ra controls me with this god-forsaken collar." He pulled down the top of his cloak to reveal a dangerous looking device attached to his neck with a tight metal band.
Aerith's eyes widened, "Is that… a bomb?"
Vincent nodded, "Set to detonate with the press of a button… or so they say. I'm not exactly in the mood to find out."
I took a step forward, "We'll help you if you help us."
"Fair enough. What do you want?"
"We are, at least I am, anyway, here to save the… What did you call them? Somnusi?"
"I see. I would do so anyway. They alone help me remain myself with their powers."
"So, how do I get that thing off you?"
"There is a code you must enter. I assume it was recorded within the nothi workbooks. There is a field protecting their laboratory from me. If I should pass through, the device will detonate."
"What are… nothi?"
"Nothi. Another Latin word. It is the plural form of 'nothus,' which means 'bastard.'"
"Oh… Sorry I asked. Does the device have name that would make it easier to find?"
"If you bring the books out here, I can help. Just see if you can avoid the cameras." He pointed up to the small machine keeping a silent vigil on the doorway to the lab.
I nodded and crept past to find a stack of books on the table just inside. I peeked in them and they looked like they were written out by hand, so I grabbed them and went back out to where Aerith waited in the hall with our new friend. I handed him the books and he tossed through them, as if he knew exactly what book he needed. He stopped on a black one and flipped it open. He paused and ran a finger down the page. He held the book towards me and bent to the ground. He pulled his hair over his shoulder with his free hand, exposing the keypad on the device. I gulped and walked over to him, took the book after he pointed out the code, and propped it on his back so I could have easy access between the pad and the log. 'This can't be that hard…! Let's see… 75W39KLE81RVX6Q370…' I heard a faint click, 'That should do it!' The collar loosened and fell off his neck. He reached up and caught it before it touched the ground, just in case it was still active. He set it on the floor gently and walked over to the door he'd first come out of. He paused, waved Aerith and I over by him and drew his gun. He pointed it at the camera and fired, blasting the little thing to a thousand pieces.
"Come…" he mumbled, turning back to the door and opening it. We walked inside and I couldn't help giving a little cry. Five coffins lay throughout the room, each with a heavy lid hiding their contents. Connected to each one was a container of minty-green liquid that flowed under the lids. They reminded me of an I.V. that I'd seen on hospital TV shows.
I walked over to one and rested a hand on top, "Are they inside of these?"
"Yes."
"How do we wake them up?"
Vincent didn't say a word as he moved over to where eight switches sat on the wall. He wrapped his long fingers around the first switch and pulled it down slowly. He moved to the second and repeated his action. He skipped over the third and fourth and lowered the fifth and sixth with the same measured rate. He moved past the seventh and finished by lowering the eighth. He turned to face the coffins and watched as the lids opened by a mechanical release. I jumped as the one beside me started sliding open. A cool fog from a cold sleep inducer misted out of them. As the haze cleared, I made out spiky blond hair lying within. I heard a scream behind me and turned to see Aerith run over to the one opposite Cloud's and throw her arms around the now-sitting inhabitant, a man with messy black hair slicked back in a choppy mane. His eyes widened when she connected and fell back into coffin. She cried a name over and over, "Zack! Zack! Zack!"
Zack looked at her, "Aerith…?" He looked really tired, but his eyes showed an inner strength.
"Zack!" she screamed again, this time pressing her lips to his. Since he was still lying on his back, I couldn't really see what happened behind the high edge of the cherry casing.
"Unn…" I looked over to see another man sitting up, this one also having long black hair; only his was neatly kept and slicked back behind his ears. The man in the coffin beside his, this one with reddish-brown hair, also sat up, a fire burning in his eyes. Long silver hair came up from the next one; he'd apparently been laid on his stomach for reasons I couldn't even imagine. He pushed himself up, every motion looking pained and slow. All of them were wearing a uniform-like get-up consisting of a long, leather jacket in varying colors with shoulder pads on top and black pants with knee-high boots. I turned to look at Cloud's peaceful-looking face and ran a hand along his jawbone. His eyes snapped open and he looked around, not fully comprehending what was happening.
I smiled, "Cloud…"
He forced himself to sit, grimacing all the while, "Tifa…? How can I thank you…?"
I sat on the edge of his confinement, "You don't have to. I'm just a friend helping a friend."
"Tifa… You know I can't accept that…" his shoulders stiffened and his eyes closed in pain.
I touched his arm, "Are you alright?"
He turned to me, a faint smile adorning his lips, "You try to sleep for god knows how long and wake up with a body that's much heavier than what you're used to and let's see how you fare."
"Huh?"
He fixed the collar of his dusty-blue jacket, "Never mind. Let's get out of here."
"Yeah…"
"Oh, wait. I just thought of the perfect way to repay you."
"Cloud, you don't have to do anything…"
"Yes, I do," he said. I felt his fingers close on my wrist and pull, forcing me closer. He caught me with his other hand and I sucked in a breath just before his lips closed on mine. My eyes closed as I felt his hand move from my wrist to my hip. Behind the darkness of my eyelids, I felt my way up his arm to run my hand through his hair. He pulled back after a moment, his breathing heavy, "That takes more air then it looks…"
I opened my eyes to stare at him, hand still caught in his blond locks, "Wha…?"
His gave me a little smile, "I've always cared about you, Tifa. Ever since I first started watching you…"
My mind was swirling with questions, but the only one I could manage was, "Why me?"
He looked at me curiously, "Why not you?"
"That's not a real answer."
"Alright… Because you could hear me. You spoke to me like I was normal, never questioning the fact that I was interrupting your dreams. You made me feel welcome, feel normal."
"Cloud…" I struggled to find another question, "When you asked if I'd fallen in love with you, were you… already…?"
"In love with you?" his chin dipped into a nod, "Yes."
"Cloud…" I turned away, trying to fight his brilliant gaze, when I saw Aerith and Zack in a similar position. I smiled a little, "I guess I wasn't the only one you guys were talking to, huh?"
"Your friend seems to have given Remembrance the change he needed."
"Remembrance?"
"His name. Much like he's Perfection," he nodded his head towards the silver-haired man who now stood beside the other two, "He's Messenger," the man with slick black hair, "And he's Beginning," the one with reddish-brown hair.
"If they have names, why don't you?"
He scratched the back of his head, "I do… I just hate it."
"What is it?"
"Promise you won't laugh?"
"Promise."
"I… My name is Corruption."
I didn't get it, "Corruption?"
"Yeah…"
"What's so bad about that?"
"Filth, squalor, putrefaction, foulness, pollution, contamination… How would you like it if your name represented such atrocities?"
"I suppose…"
"Come on, let's go."
I nodded, "Right."
He turned to Perfection, "Shall we?"
Perfection nodded, "Very well. Beginning? Messenger?" They nodded and closed their eyes, the former touching his brow in concentration. After a moment, a single wing spread from each of the three men's backs. Zack jumped up as Messenger flew behind him and picked him up; Vincent flew on his leathery wings and grabbed the collar of Cloud's coat. Perfection nodded to Beginning and flew to his right, grabbed Aerith, who was still clutching Red, around the waist with one hand before flying over and grabbed me with the other. I couldn't help the squeal of surprise that escaped my lips when I felt myself leave the ground. Beginning looked to the ceiling and crossed his arms over his head, bands of flame spreading when he snapped his arms outward. The blaze shot towards the earthen ceiling and blew a hole straight through. He launched another fireball to make the opening larger before flying up into it. Messenger followed, still holding Zack, Vincent went next, Cloud hanging numbly by his collar. Our eyes met for a moment and he flashed me a grin just before disappearing into the gap. I felt the air rush around me as Perfection followed suit, pulling Aerith and I up with him. My head was spinning with disorientation as the black-clothed man dragged us out. I felt myself lose consciousness as the world blurred around me.
***
I woke up to find myself sitting under a tree, Nibelheim far in the distance. I looked up at the six men, Perfection in black, Messenger in grey, Beginning in red, Zack in dark purple, Cloud in blue and Vincent in his red cloak. I looked to my side to find Aerith had also passed out and was still unconscious. I chuckled to myself when I noticed Cloud was almost a head shorter than the others. I stood up and all of them turned to face me. I smiled shyly, "So… Now what?"
Aerith stirred and Zack knelt down next to her, "Hey, you awake?"
She looked at him with big green eyes, "Mm… Yeah…"
Messenger stepped forward, "We are in your debt as it stands. We will not take up much more of your time."
I felt panic rush to my heart, "Wait! You don't have to! I-I mean…"
Cloud shot me a secret smile and sat down across from me, "I think what she means is that we don't really know much about surviving. There is still much we have to learn…"
Beginning snorted, "Hmph. We've been observing humans for generations. We know all we need to."
Messenger took a step forward, "Seeing and doing are two different things, Beginning. I don't know about the rest of you, but I even had trouble breathing at first."
Aerith gave a little pout, "I think you guys need new names. Tifa already took the liberty of renaming Corruption over there, and Remembrance is Zack now… I think you three should get some nicer names."
Perfection raised an eyebrow, "Why?"
"Think of it as a step towards a new life."
Beginning rolled his eyes, "You mean a life period."
"Whatever. Let's see… Well, Beginning is obvious. Your new name is Genesis."
"Why is that so obvious?"
"Genesis is the first book of the Catholic Bible. It literally translates as 'beginning,' or 'the origin of.'"
Genesis sighed and spoke with thick sarcasm, "Fine. So, I'm Genesis. I'm so happy."
"Okay. Messenger… The angels are God's messengers… So, how about Angel?"
"I think not."
"Then what about Angelo?"
"Enh…"
I looked up, "How about Angeal?"
Aerith turned to face me, "Where'd that come from?"
"I heard it on TV once. I think it's a cool name… and it still sounds kind of like 'angel'…"
He stroked his stubble-covered chin, "Angeal, eh? I think I could get to like that…"
Aerith turned to the final one, "I have the perfect name in mind for you."
Perfection didn't even appear fazed, "I shudder to ask."
"Sephiroth!"
"Where did that come from?"
"It's Jewish. The Sephiroth, or Sephirot, are the ten steps to God's Divine Plan. Ten is also the number of divine perfection."
"I see."
"That's all you're gonna say?"
"Do I need to say more?"
"Well… Do you like it?"
"It is… acceptable."
She looked at Zack, "Is he always like that?"
He laughed, "Pretty much, yeah."
"Hey…" everyone looked at Cloud as he spoke, "Remem- Sorry. Zack. How did you get that name?"
He grinned, "Aerith picked it for me!"
The blond turned to the brunette, "Dare I ask?"
She giggled, "It's not that bad. When I couldn't find anything with religious roots, I cross-referenced 'remembrance' with a list of baby names. 'Zachary' came up meaning 'God has remembered.' I thought it fit. And 'Zack' was just easier to say than 'Zachary.'"
"Oh."
I leaned over to Cloud and whispered, "I bet you're regretting turning down 'heaven' with all this religious stuff flying around."
He smiled, "Not at all. At least I know I'm different."
"Hey… What happened to the castle? The one in Nibelheim?"
"You saw that?"
"Yeah…"
"That… was our home. That's where we lived up until now. It existed only in our world."
"Huh?"
"It was only on our plane of existence. Now that we're here, I hope never to see it again."
I gave him a smile, "Makes sense."
He smiled, "I'm glad you understand." He leaned a little closer and I felt myself blush before feeling his chapped lips overcome my own. He pulled back and grinned like a little kid.
Desperate to escape my embarrassment, I looked around at my new friends and repeated my original question, "So… Now what?"
Sorry…! That was kind of long for a oneshot… I hope you enjoyed it and, please, leave a review! Like I said in the beginning, this is my first time writing first-person, so any advice or comments you have to offer is appreciated! Thanks for bearing with my incredibly long story… I have a thought for a sequel, but I don't know… What do you think?
Ohh... and all my info on the Sephirot came from thesaurus(dot)com. I am not Jewish, and if it's wrong, please feel free to correct me and I will change it. Thanks!
Again, I'm always open to criticism, constructive or otherwise! -OCV