Gomenasai!!! I didn't mean to leave this so late!
I had tests... lots, and lots... of tests...
School 3vil....
Now, the reviewers!
Koluno1986: Arigatou! No - I didn't get candy, though. My family have never celebrated Halloween, so I've never gone trick-or-treating.
In the movie, I've no idea what Kadaj wants with the kids for the Reunion, but this is my own version in the fic - so I don't know if it's right or wrong. Thanks for reveiwing!
Hollowed Shame: Heehee, you'll see what happens to Loz and Yazoo - although I've a feeling everyone will hate me for what I have planned in the next upcoming chapters. Thanks for reveiwing!
Vindina: Arigatou! They're not as detailed as I'd like them to be, but if you like it, that's important too. Thanks for reveiwing!
beginner150: YAY!! A Loz follower! (leaps and pounces on you) Glad you liked the fight between him and Tifa! I don't like the idea of the SHM dying in AC either, but there's this strange inkling feeling I have about this movie when it comes out....Thanks for reveiwing!
Kadaj: Heehee, owwie... (rubs head). I'm glad you like my style - it just seems strange to most other people who've read my stuff. Oh yeah - and I like cliffhangers - so be warned!!! Thanks for reveiwing!
Divine-Star: Divvie-Chan!! (hugs) Hee - I love Loz, so I wanted to give him more limelight in this fic. Thanks for reveiwing!
Note: Any italics with "" in them is another voice. It's from a memory of Kadaj's.
The Advent Child
Ugh - I've had enough of this body.... too damaged and old...
The first thing that hit him was a pounding headache, and the second thing was his limbs felt like they were on fire. The third was he realized someone was holding his left armand he was holding some... someone small in his right.
Loz groaned, then coughed weakly. His eyes slid open and he slowly began to register in his mind what had just happened.
"Kadaj...."
His eyes shot open wide, and he saw the little girl called Marlene by his side, and Yazoo was on his left - both unconscious. His head spun round the area, looking for any signs of his little brother and the other kids.
"KADAAAAAAJ!!!!!!"
The wind whistled through the trees without an answer.
I've... never felt so peaceful...
So this is what its like....
You see? They're like you now - so you're not alone anymore, Kadaj. You and you're brothers can come with me with the children and we can save more - so no filthy, diseased humans are left.
Hu.. Humans.... all humans... are?
Filthy. Dieased. Putrid. They've polluted this planet and now the planet is like them - so we must cleanse it. Children are pure, so we must save them before they turn into filth as well.
Humans... are filth....?
Yes - humans a-
"Good morning Seth! Sleep well?"
W...who?
"How about some breakfast? We can eat it here and talk if you like?"
I.. I know this..voice...
Don't listen to that, it's just an unimportant memory
"Hey, why are you crying? Did you remember something bad?"
Y...Yeah - I did. I had a nightmare... about....
"A woman in you're head? Oh, you mean you can hear a woman's voice in you're head - thats what you're drawing?"
I had a nightmare about someone I thought I...hated... but... turns out he was someone I looked up to so much... I wanted to be everything he was...
Sephiroth....
I wanted to be like you....
But... then you disappeared....
And never came back to us....
You left is alone in a world where no one would look at us - or treat us like people... because of something you did...
I... I started to hate you for that....
But.. then I realized...
It was because...
You... Loz... Yazoo....
All of you...
Were my only world....
You see? He abandoned y-
No - he didn't... He's here now - with us. With me.
What am I doing...?
Wh y have I made things so... difficult now...?
You're helping others, including Sephiroth and Loz and Yazoo - isn't that what you wanted...?
"Oh - so you want one particular book? Why don't we go to the library and I'll help?
Le....
Pay attention! We have important things to do! KADAJ!!
Levee....
You were...
My friend....
Yazoo.... killed you.... because you were... human....
The four of us hated humans.....
But Levee was my friend....
But why should I care? He was human - and all humans are horrible....
Levee...
NO! I DON'T CARE ABOUT HIM! I only care about my BROTHERS!
I'm fighting with myself again.... I hate humans, but I... don't hate them all.....
..... why do I think this way.... my thoughts are...
...so messed up....
"I..... I want to just be me...."
The sound of his own voice shook his awake - although he noticed with complete surprise that he wasn't on the ground. He was still standing....and he was...
Walking....?
Kadaj slowed his pace until he stopped.
The children behind him also stopped.
He turned around to face them, only to gasp loudly.
Each and every one of the kids had eyes like his own - glowing green and the slit cat-like pupil. But they were all dead-looking - like the group were in a trance...
Then Kadaj looked around, like he had lost something.
"No... voices... there's no voices... Mother's voice is gone?"
"Yazoo! Yazoo wake up!" Loz shook his younger brother's slim shoulders gently. Yazoo made a small sound before his eyes fluttered open. His head turned towards Loz in a daze. Loz was kneeling over him, but his jacket was missing, exposing his bare upper body to the cold of the forest.
"Is it... morning already...?"
"Ahh..." Loz gave him a weak smile, "Can you stand?"
Yazoo sat up stiffly, "My body feels so heavy...."
Loz nodded, "Same here - the little girl is still asleep. But she seems to be ok."
"Little girl?"
Yazoo looked beyond and saw Marlene lying on the ground. Loz's jacket was draped over her.
Yazoo got to his knees, nearly falling over his side until Loz steadied him.
"How long have we been out?" Then his head shot up in panic, "Kadaj! Where is Kadaj??"
"No idea - they're all gone. Yazoo! Where are you going?!"
Yazoo had climbed to his feet and he had taken no more then two steps forward when he suddenly fell to his knees, his whole frame shaking. Loz ran to his side, "Yazoo..."
Clenching his teeth., Yazoo spoke in a pain-filled voice, "Ka... Kadaj.... Jenova.... She... She's using us.... I was... Wrong to think... We should've listened to Sephiroth's warning.... I should have taken it into account!!"
Loz frowned, "Jenova... she - she's controlling Kadaj?"
Yazoo's head fell, eyes hidden under his hair, "Sephiroth is.... no.... She led us to him... and we found his...."
Loz's face suddenly fell, realizing what Yazoo was saying. His eyes glistened, but no tears fell just yet.
"She's going to drain every one of us dry, starting with us...." Yazoo hissed, his fist digging into the ground, "So thats why she wanted all those children. Fresh and young for her to use like batteries!"
Loz helped Yazoo to his feet, "Come on! We've got to catch up with them - "
A small groan came from Marlene. Both men stood there uncertainly, until Yazoo came to her side.
"D.. Denzel?" she muttered, until she saw Yazoo and yelped.
"We're not going to harm you -" Yazoo held up his hands, "I promise."
She stared at him for a long time, then cried accusingly "You look like that big guy that attacked Tifa in the church!"
"I didn't want to fight her, but she gave me no choice." Loz kicked the ground, looking guilty.
Marlene pouted angrily, "Where is everyone?"
Yazoo shrugged, "Everyone's left - it's just the three of us, so we don't know anymore then you do."
Of course, that was a lie, but...
Marlene picked up Loz's jacket, "Is... this yours?"
Loz walked up to her and took it, "Yeah - didn't want you getting cold..."
Her face lit up in surprise. This "Loz" person... he was acting all friendly again like he didn't when they first saw him. But... he looked so upset - like he was going to cry.
"Why are you so sad?" she asked the two as Loz slipped his jacket back on.
They didn't answer for a moment, until Yazoo looked the other way.
His eyes followed the long empty pathway leading through the trees. He watched the trees glow gently - sombrely thinking how beautiful they were.
If the planet dies... there'd be no beauty like this anymore.... no life to birth...
"We lost someone... close to us..." Yazoo hung his head, eyes closed.
Even though he hid it, Loz could see the tears fall. And so did his.
Hope everyone enjoyed this.