Beyond
Flora Winters
I do not own Final Fantasy VII.
Summary: Sometimes the dead simply do not stay dead. This story will contain boy love, strong language, and scenes of explicit violence.
Chapter Nine
Cloud walked through where there should have been large wooden doors with ornate symbols carved into the grain. They had been lost in an age that had passed for the rundown slums where only shattered ruins remained of the glory that had once been. Rows and rows of endless pews littered the stone-worked ground where the multitudes had come to worship a long lost, forgotten, faceless, and nameless Deity. The echoes of the haunting past filled the broken walls of stone and plaster with song. He could hear the soft coos of doves that were nesting up in the sun-drenched rafters that were covered in glittering dust.
There she was, kneeling in the midst of yellow flowers, smiling with the face of an angel. She was giving words to the song in which the planet eternally hummed. The sunlight beamed down through the many holes in the roof, enveloping her in a halo of radiant splendor.
"You came," she whispered, lifting her face to look at him with glorious lime green eyes. They were glowing with heavenly brilliance. Her very being was pulsing with a soothing calm that washed over him like warm water.
All of the yellow flowers seemed to be glowing with a molten yellow shimmer, filling the air with their sweet aromatic scent. She slowly rose to her feet, walking towards him in gentle whispers of flowing white silk. It glittered all around her porcelain smooth flesh like feather soft kisses.
Tears filled his eyes when she held out her moon white arms to him. His bottom lip began to tremble and he rushed to her without even thinking. He wrapped his arms around her, resting his head against her breast, as the tears fell from his gemstone eyes.
"Everything will be all right," she said, holding onto him with such splendid warmth. "You've been given a second chance."
"I'm sorry," he whispered, holding onto her even tighter. "I'm so sorry."
She giggled and it was like the soft twinkling of silver bells. "What are you sorry for?"
"I…I couldn't save you," he cried, knees trembling. "I'm so sorry, Aeris."
"You did save me, silly," she laughed, planting a blissful kill on top of his head. "Your love for me saved me and the whole planet, Cloud. Your love helped give me the strength and the courage to make Holy shine."
The tears kept falling as the air around them was filled with divine voices. They were singing to the heartbeat of the planet.
"Do you remember our date?" She asked, gently lowering him to the ground where he could rest his head in her lap.
He sniffed, nodding his head. "I was so mean and boring."
"You held me in your arms," she said, running her soft fingers gently through his silky hair. "And you hummed to me while we watched the fireworks."
He tightened his hold around her narrow waist. "You gave me calm."
"You do the same for him," she laughed, mussing his hair. "He loves you so much, Cloud."
"I love you so much," he whispered, burying his face in her lap. "I didn't mean…It wasn't…"
"I know you weren't trying to replace him with me and you didn't steal him from me," she said, gently pulling his hair. "You were such a mess, Cloud. You still are such a beautiful mess. You can't even pull the blonde card with me."
He slowly turned over so that he was on his back, looking up at her. He closed his eyes as she gently ran her thumbs under both, wiping away his tears.
"You can change things," she said, poking him on the nose and he was suddenly on his feet, looking at her. "You can make this world shine, Cloud."
The white silk billowed and flowed around her as great white wings sprouted from her back. Soft white feathers floated all around him.
"Wait," he said, holding out his hand to her. "Where are you going? I don't want you to go."
"I'm always with you, Cloud," she smiled with such luminous warmth as she slowly floated backwards and upwards. "I'm just going someplace where I can wait until we're all together again."
The brilliant yellow flowers began to glow with molten golden radiance as their petals filled the air all around her.
"Forgive him," she said, sending the petals to spiral around him in intoxicating scent. "He was twisted and shunned by all around him. All he ever wanted to know was kindness."
"Who?" He asked, running towards her, but she kept getting farther away.
"I love you, Cloud," she smiled, waving to him as her wings carried her up. "Tell Zack I will always hold him in my heart."
All he could do was wave back to her. He smiled and held out his hand as a glowing white feather landed in his gloved palm. He closed his fingers around it and a heavenly gong split the silence.
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He opened his eyes, sitting up on the bed. His cheeks were stained with dried tears. All he could do was smile into the warm afternoon sunlight. The bedroom window was open and he could hear Zack yelling at someone from down below. He got to his feet, pulling the sheet around his waist, and walked over to look down.
Zack was looming over poor Rik, hitting him across the head with a clipboard. "What do you mean they don't have the nice pens that flow across paper like water!?"
"I'm so sorry, Sir," Rik cried, bowing his head over and over with every smack that hit him. "I'll look elsewhere!"
"What in the world are you doing?" Another voice shouted. It was the general. "Quit playing and get to work! Where's Cloud?"
"He's on probation," Zack growled, releasing his prey. "Remember, oh Great One?"
Cloud narrowed his eyes.
"Is he in your room?" Sephiroth asked.
Zack nodded his head. "I think he's a little under the weather."
"Under something," Rik muttered.
"What was that?" Zack snapped, throwing the clipboard at him.
"I didn't say anything!" Rik cried out, ducking down as the clipboard flew over his head, hitting the pavement with a loud smack.
"I'm going to go talk to him," Sephiroth said, turning around, causing Cloud to duck behind the curtain in case he happened to look up.
"I made sure to hide all the sharp objects!" Zack yelled after him. "But do look out! The bed knobs do come off!"
"Oh," Rik asked. "And how did you figure that out?"
Zack growled and the smaller man squeaked.
Cloud was totally in the nude and Sephiroth was coming up to see him. What the hell was he going to do?
He hiked up his sheet, ran over to the bed, and threw himself down across it. He looked to see that the sheet was doing just what he wanted it to. It was leaving everything and nothing to the imagination. This would cause the general to take one look and run the hell away. He quickly closed his eyes and waited for the knock to come at the door. He wasn't going to say a thing.
Sure enough, the knock came almost two minutes later. He just stayed the way he was. Hopefully the guy would take a hint and go jump in a vat of Mako.
"Cloud," the general called. "I'm coming in."
Cloud tensed. What the fuck? No! He couldn't do that! That was breaking and entering…or something like that.
He heard the door open and he stayed perfectly still, and almost snickered when the general slightly gasped. Okay, he thought to himself, you can run the fuck away now, crazy boy.
But, the general didn't run the fuck away. Instead, he heard nearly silent booted feet slowly walking over to where he was.
What the fuck? What is he doing?
He didn't make a sound when he felt a cool hand lightly brush his cheek. Okay, that so sent shivers of fear racing down his spine. But, those shivers soon stopped when the general sighed and began walking away.
"If only I had gotten to you first."
Cloud's eyes snapped open when he heard the door silently close. He slowly rolled over and looked at the door.
What the hell was that? He didn't fucking know. He sat up, running his hands through his hair. What the hell did he mean by that? What the hell was going on?
Forgive him…All he ever wanted to know was kindness…
He put his hand to his cheek where Sephiroth had gently touched him. Just the thought of the guy touching him like that made his penis invert and his ass clang shut.
He was twisted and shunned by all around him…
"I can't," he whispered, getting to his feet. "I'm sorry, Aeris. I just can't."
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Cloud's mind was in a million different places. He was on probation now. So that would give him plenty of time to flap around with Vincent to find some of the summoning materia. He was in the man's room, drawing up plans to destroy the Shin-Ra once and for all. For some odd reason, he was starting to get the feeling that Vincent was getting really comfortable around him. The guy had actually taken off his cloak and shoes. That had blown his mind. He had never seen Vincent get comfortable. It was so odd and spooky. This would happen just as he was starting to get used to the whole untouchable vampire persona, too.
"So," Vincent asked, reclining back on the pillows, crossing his shapely paper white feet at the ankles. "When do you want to sneak away and go find this magic?"
"I'm not sure," he said, sitting back in the chair that had been offered him, taking a sip of his beer. "Tomorrow, Sephiroth is going to get a call from Headquarters that we are to track up the mountain to the reactor."
"Oh," Vincent said, grinning with devil red lips. "And does he know this call will come in?"
Cloud shook his head. "No, he does not."
"What are you planning?" He asked, looking at him with glowing crimson eyes.
"I'm going to fall off the bridge," he said, looking away from him. It was going to scare Zack to death, but he had to do it. "And you're going to swoop in and catch me."
"You're going to make your boyfriend think your dead?" Vincent asked with a cocked brow, and a cold glare.
"That will buy us at least a whole day," he said, turning to look at him. "Zack will not go up the mountain until he has found me. We can then go and find Ramuh at the Gold Saucer and rush right back."
Cloud knew his whole probation thing wouldn't last. Sephiroth would need him for the track up the mountain.
"You do realize that you're only going to scare him to death by doing this?" Vincent asked.
Cloud cocked his head to the side. "I have to do this."
"And what if Sephiroth won't scrub the mission just because you've fallen?" He asked.
"Oh, believe me," Cloud said, grinning. "The general will scrub the mission."
"How do you know?"
"Because," Cloud said, getting to his feet. "I'm the one who has fallen."
Vincent just looked at him and then sat up. "What are you saying?"
Cloud downed his fourth beer. "The general has repressed feelings for me."
"And you're going to use those repressed feelings against him?" Vincent asked, moving to get up.
Cloud suddenly felt funny. In fact, he almost felt bad. What the fuck?
"Why not?" He asked, walking over to look down at the crimson eyed man.
"Cloud," Vincent said, rising up to slightly tower over him. "This Sephiroth isn't the man you fought. This is a man who is still normal and probably won't crack up now that the mansion is destroyed and Jenova is no more."
"Are you saying the same for Shin-Ra?" Cloud asked.
"No," he said, matter of fact. "They are all evil to the core. It doesn't matter what you change. They will still suck this planet dry and destroy anyone who gets in their way."
"Sephiroth is evil," Cloud hissed. "He killed…"
Forgive him…
"Cloud?" Vincent suddenly asked in concern. "What's wrong? What is it?"
He was trembling and backed away from him.
All he ever wanted to know was kindness…
"Can we go to Midgar?" He asked, looking at Vincent. "I just…I have to know something."
"I can't fly across an entire ocean, Cloud. And that would take a really long time, too."
Cloud just stood there. He had to know. He had to know if she was really alive.
"All right," he said, shaking his head. "I'll just have to wait until we head back to Midgar then."
Vincent nodded. "So, are we still on with your plan to get this Ramuh?"
"Yes," Cloud said, going for his fifth beer.
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Cloud walked into the local temple. "Are you in here, God?"
A deep chuckle was his answer. It nearly made him jump out of his skin.
"Where have you been all day?" Sephiroth asked, standing up from where he had been sitting on a tiny pew. "I've been looking for you."
"I've been around, Sir," he said, making his way further in. It was rather hot in the place. "Why were you looking for me?"
Sephiroth shook his head. "It doesn't matter now. Did you really come to speak to God?"
"Not really," Cloud said, walking up to look at the altar. "I think I just came to talk to a friend."
"Oh?" Sephiroth asked.
"I think she might have returned to the planet," he said, sitting down on the other side. "She came to me in a dream."
Sephiroth's emerald green eyes widened just a little.
"Sorry," Cloud said, wanting to spit at him. "I'm probably just spooking you out."
"No, not at all," Sephiroth said, taking his seat again. "It's not spooky at all."
"Really?" Cloud asked, not really caring either way.
Sephiroth nodded. "The planet is alive, you know that, right?"
Cloud glanced over at his former idol, wondering what he had ever seen in the jerk.
He's not being a jerk, Cloud.
Oh, yes he is!
How so?
He's breathing!
"Do you really believe that?" Cloud asked him. Was the guy actually opening up? Sephiroth never opened up. This was kind of creepy, almost like that light touch he had received on the cheek earlier.
"Maybe," Sephiroth smiled with really white teeth.
Cloud just looked at him. What was going on behind those emerald eyes? What was he thinking? Oh, he's probably just thinking about how he would like to bend me over that altar and praise Jesus.
"Why is your face all red?" Sephiroth asked.
"Hot," Cloud muttered, feeling like an idiot.
"Well," he said, rising to his feet again. "I'll just leave you to talk to your friend."
"Can you hear them?" Cloud asked out of the blue, not knowing why, either.
Sephiroth froze. "Who?"
"Nothing," Cloud lied, turning his face away.
"You're such an odd one," Sephiroth chuckled. "I think Zack is going to drag us all out for drinks later."
Cloud nodded. He really wasn't in the mood for drinks…but he was in the mood for a drunk Zack. He could play all kinds of naughty games with him.
"He almost has today's list completed," Sephiroth smiled. "He only has a hundred more to go."
Cloud gawked. "You can't be serious. He can't do all that by himself."
"Well, you should have thought of that before you went crazy on your superior officer," Sephiroth said matter of fact, but then shook his head. "Don't worry. I'm only making him do this for today. Some people are coming in later to look into what started the fire and to do the lists themselves."
Cloud closed his mouth, putting his invisible knife back in his pocket. "That's…wicked."
"I know," Sephiroth chuckled. "I can't help but laugh at him. He's been grumbling all day. He has ink on his nose and all over his fingers."
Cloud nodded. "I didn't have the heart to tell him."
Sephiroth snickered.
Cloud suddenly stopped himself. He was having a normal conversation with Cracky. What the fuck? He had to get out of here before they started swapping materia junctioning combos.
"Cloud?" Sephiroth asked, stepping closer to him. "Was it really a joke?"
Cloud decided to just play along with the whole being nice to Sephiroth. Hell, it would probably make his life a little easier…and he could get Sephiroth to…trust him. Oh, that could come in handy later on.
"I'm sorry," Cloud said, getting to his feet, looking up at him in the shadows that were playing across the taller man's face. "I've not been sleeping well and the dreams…"
Okay, maybe that was going a little too far. His dreams were none of his business.
"I used to have bad dreams," Sephiroth said, walking by him to admire the stained glass window. "But, for some odd reason, they've stopped."
Cloud looked at his broad back. Did this have to do with Jenova being no more?
"There is this girl in my dreams now," Sephiroth said, reaching out, touching the painted glass rose. "She keeps telling me that everything is going to be all right."
Cloud put a trembling hand to his mouth. He could feel the tears stinging his eyes.
Was she really gone? Was she not in this new world? Why?
"I wonder what she means," Sephiroth whispered, slowly turning around to look at him. A long strand of hair fell across his face, shimmering like silver wire, and his green eyes widened. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Cloud said, quickly turning away from him. "I think I got dust in my eye."
Sephiroth had actually sounded concerned for him. Well, wasn't that the shit of nightmares?
"General!" A voice shouted. It was Steff. "You have a call!"
Sephiroth grounded his teeth, walking by him. "How do they always find me?"
"Hey!" Cloud shouted after him. "You can buy me a drink tonight to say you're sorry for putting me on probation!"
Sephiroth waved over his shoulder. "You can use these two weeks to sleep and get that mind in order."
Cloud rolled his eyes. He was going up that mountain, just so he could fall off it.
The door closed, leaving him in shadows. He turned around and looked at the altar. There was a little figure standing there. The image was of a man. He was tall, lithe, and dressed in flowing robes. His faceless face was accentuated with coiling and almost hissing looking stone carved hair.
TBC…