The World That Never Will Be Chapter 10
by the infamous and notorious tocasia
11/1/2018
CHAPTER 10
She huddled up against him, made no move to separate. Sephiroth began to worry if he'd overdone it. Too much of his influence, directed to nurture... could that induce a Reunion instinct? He wished to avoid that complication.
He was furious with Xehanort! For damaging his beautiful toy... no, for hurting his chosen friend. For hindering his progress towards her recovery.
Because he had been making proud progress, delicately relearning to protect with this greater power, optimizing his spell's measured application to reinforce, not seize... His care was proving effective; he'd been pleased.
...and now Master Aqua seemed not to want to follow her light anymore.
Xehanort's heart had slipped through his shield...
What if he failed her? Was his power not sufficient?
The parasitic darkness swarmed around him.
Wretched. So wretched. All of it. It was all going to die.
...even if he gained nothing beyond spiteful satisfaction? Sephiroth preferred having a purpose for destruction, a goal. Heh. Revenge had been enough on Gaea, hadn't it? Well, in the beginning.
His revenge for Master Aqua would carry him a long way.
"You should get up, Master Aqua. Look at your charm, and lead me to your light. Like we did before."
She didn't answer him.
He would not know lonely loss again!
"Get up. Now."
Her eyes widened. Her light resisted his command. Perhaps it was for the best.
Sephiroth slumped back down, and turned his energy instead to imagining a field of stars for them to watch.
The population of heartless in the immediate vicinity must be depleted; there were no more deathly fireworks to entertain him.
Sephiroth laughed; he was going to get some practice after all. To keep Master Aqua safe, he'd test how long he could will the Realm of Darkness's draining hostility into submission. She was already doing better... she was! she had to be! her light was glowing brighter! He marveled anew at her resiliency. Force of will, force of heart, connection to the keyblade, whatever it was that kept her going, he hoped it would last.
But she was too quiet.
Sephiroth was a master of denial.
The darkness writhed.
No, the landscape would not change to a variegated forest choked with mephitic lava vapors! Not the (admittedly small) space he guarded!
Dizzy spiraling freefall in boiling nothingness? No. Levitation was easy.
Swept away in bone-rending sound, grinding headaches into jelly, pummeling all coherence? Nope. His serenity reigned!
Entombed in tar? No.
Jagged thunderstorm plains appeared to be a realm favorite. No bolts would strike here. The crawling filth, the oily sheen, would creep no closer! In fact, the clouds should break, and there should be sunlight... sunlight would be good for Master Aqua. Even if it was just an illusion...
...it seemed he couldn't manifest something so incongruous. Yet.
"I am going to get you out of here."
He decided his wing wasn't sore, aching from being held stiff with concentration. He flexed it anyway. Snapped it angrily, kicked up a tiny whirlwind, that he then stilled, killed!, with a thought.
Sephiroth jerked his head upright.
the pain
thrumming
nerves afire yearning for Mako...
and the
slightly unwilling sense of being someone else.
This was the call of Reunion, of darkness, of despair awoken! The only other who had Mother's cells, summoning him in gnawing misery. Despite contorted distance, such strong negative emotions were traceable.
How nice that he always had cause to celebrate Cloud's misfortune!
The tug intensified, warped by the terror of its initiator's realization. An accident, then? What trigger for this prophesied moment of weakness? What horrible event? Sephiroth reached for thoughts, gleeful, inquisitive... anguished protest unheeded.
He'd missed this! Oh, their glorious, ruinous past!
But self-control was important. He had a mission.
No, he did not want to be Cloud; he wanted to be where Cloud was.
Where are you, Cloud? You have my attention.
Sephiroth began urging, prodding, unearthing instinctual need... the strings he'd so deftly pulled lifetimes ago.
His most useful enemy. Tether to life, tether to light. A ladder out of this darkness...
For him, and for Master Aqua.
He needed Cloud to want him there, by his side...
More.
Let me help you remember. How to take away your hurt, your guilt. That's right. Relive your victory, the solitary example of your worth. The one time you didn't fail. My death. Remember it, desire it... Your forgiveness lies in my destruction. My shadow is what torments you; defeating me will save your light. Whatever ails you, killing me will cure. I am your only answer... call to me... depend on me...
Don't be afraid. Bring me back so we can end this. Isn't that what you want?
There. Good boy.
I'm coming, Cloud.
...and this time, I'm not alone.
"Aqua. It's time to go."
"Aqua!" Sephiroth was shaking her.
"Nnngh? Go where? I want to stay here... with you..."
"Back to the Realm of Light. My enemy is calling. Soon, the way will be open."
Sephiroth looked sharply above her to the left, but Aqua didn't see anything.
His expression softened, tenderness and concern. "We have to hurry. Can you stand?"
Aqua did, a little wobbly. She'd assumed she barely had energy to move! Maybe the weakness was a trick of the darkness? She hated that she couldn't tell, couldn't get an accurate assessment of her battle-readiness.
He praised her effort, "Good."
"I don't know if I can run..." Please... don't leave me behind!
"Then I will carry you. Here." Sephiroth removed his coat. "Put this on. A black coat will protect you in the Corridor of Darkness."
"But what will happen to you?" Aqua asked.
"I'll be fine."
Aqua took it. It was heavy but she'd expected it to be heavier; oh, the metal pauldrons were gone. There was no hole for his wing? The garment was too big for her; he was much taller, and she felt silly. She put it on. Which meant... Sephiroth wasn't wearing it. Her thoughts bubbled with nonsense about beautiful musculature and flawless skin. Those shoulders... Don't blush! The coat smelled good around her... winter skies, and leather, and power like windy day waves, and whatever shampoo or bodywash that was... No, don't concentrate on that! Come on Aqua, get it together!
"My enemy will be waiting for me; probably not at full strength, but it will be dangerous. In your condition... Try to get away if you can. I don't want him to kill you too."
"I will fight, like I said I would. You need my help, right?"
"Don't sacrifice yourself."
"I'll be careful."
Sephiroth accepted her choice, when she hadn't accepted Ven's...
"Hold tight."
Aqua braces for the jolt of pounding steps as he runs... but the ride is smooth; he's flying for the portal he's opened, so fast, she hears no beating of wings. Only the humming darkness, Sephiroth's heartbeat, her own. Fast. Plunging into whirling vast emptiness, an abyss of sorrow, a place where everything almost stops.
Greedy, it pulls at her warmth where the coat doesn't cover. She never thought she'd travel like this... it's so wrong...
"Close your eyes. It's brighter on the other side. You'll have to get used to it again."