Please
Murmurs drifted from the larger group to the brothers and me as the morning began to turn to afternoon. Two hours had passed, but Kadaj remained comatose. Now seated beneath the trees, I placed my hand on his damp forehead and winced at the raging fever. Loz was leaning against the tree from the other side, staring into the forest. Yazoo had fallen asleep long ago in the shade of a nearby tree, exhaustion and pain overcoming him. I felt tears burn my eyes, but forced them back; now was neither the time nor the place. I did not want Kadaj to wake to tears.
Footsteps neared and I raised my head, my eyes locking with Tifa's. "Kiyoko, the others have decided to leave for now and go back to the bar with the bikes to set up places for Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo to heal. Cloud and Cait Sith will stay here with you, but I will be going with Barret and Yuffie. Vincent says he'll hang around for a few more minutes, but then will leave to take care of something. When you are ready Cloud, Cid, and Barret will move Kadaj and Yazoo into the jeep." I nodded slowly, hearing but not really listening. My eyes drifted back to Kadaj and I touched his forehead once more.
More steps came closer and I moved aside to give Cloud and Barret space to life the limp form. Cid moved to Yazoo as the younger man stirred, helping Yazoo to his feet and supporting him to the jeep. Loz stood by my side, watching with red eyes. I heard his whispers, and turned my head to face him, "Ki, I should have done something. It's my fault. Daj shouldn't be hurt, nor Yaz. I, I-" I reached out and buried my face in his chest, dry sobs racking my frame. His arms reached around and his head fell to my shoulder, tears flowing freely.
Silence fell as the others waited patiently. Loz lifted his head and lowered his arms, staring blankly at the jeep and moving forward. I turned to follow, but now that my back was to the forest I felt the dread in my heart build. Something was very wrong.
Before I could turn back to the eerily quiet forest, Yuffie moved to me, giving me a quick hug. "Don't worry, it'll be okay. Remember, the good guys always come out all right in the end." With that she smiled and squeezed my arm reassuringly. I smiled back, but the emotion never reached my eyes. She nodded and walked over to the bikes where Barret and Cid were already seated. Tifa followed Yuffie after a smile of her own and mounted Fenrir; in any other situation a crack could have been made at Cloud but at the moment there was only silence. The four sped off, leaving Cloud, Cait and Red behind; Vincent had vanished in his usual manner.
I stepped away from the forest and approached the jeep. Yazoo and Kadaj were in the back, Daj's head in Yaz's lap. Loz had taken a seat in the passenger chair. Cait jumped onto Red's back, who in turn jumped into the back to lay on Kadaj;s other side. Cloud slid into the driver's seat and started the engine, leaving me to join Loz on the passenger side. As Cloud pulled away I looked toward the forest a last time. Sunlight glinted off metal.
I did a double take, but when my eyes scanned the same spot nothing was there. Dismissing it as my imagination I turned my gaze to the mirror, watching the lake grow smaller and smaller behind us. The jeep gained speed and the trees flashed by, silence crowding the air. As my mind wandered through the events that had led to this point only Loz's tightened grip warned me of Cloud's stopping the jeep sharply, swerving to avoid collision with the figure who stood before us.
Sunlight reflected off metal buckles and plates, and shone like liquid off the long blade of Masamune. Cloud stopped the jeep and tensed grabbing the core blade off the dash board. I reached down onto the sheath on my leg and grasped the short shaft of Naginata. Sephiroth turned, facing us with mirth in his eyes and a smirk. "I hope you enjoyed my earlier gift, are you ready for more?" He called to us, causing Loz to growl behind me. Cloud stepped out the jeep swinging the core blade expertly. I lowered myself from the other side, lengthening Naginata. Red joined me on my right and Loz stepped to my left. Cait stayed with Yaz and Daj in the jeep, knowing that his physique would only hinder this battle. I heard Dual Hound click as it opened and felt Loz tense beside me. "Well, are you waiting for an invitation?" Sephiroth called tauntingly; Loz lost what little control he had and rushed forward, yelling. Cloud ran from the other side. Red moved next, and I followed last with a quick look at the jeep, hesitant to leave Daj and Yaz.
I focused my attention on my enemy and looked for an opening in which to stab with Naginata. Loz and Cloud were constantly throwing in attacks, Cloud swinging the Core Blade dangerously and Loz using his material induced speed to try to catch Sephiroth off guard. Red was jumping in a out of the fray, snapping and clawing at the tall man. But none of the attacks were landing, and were even growing more and more wild, coming closer to injuring ally than opponent. And with that ever present smirk, Sephiroth calmly warded off the blows.
As Loz swung his right arm, narrowly missing Red's head, he came within millimeters of Sephiroth's face but the force of his momentum carried him past his target and into Cloud. Cloud had been waiting to counter a defense from Sephiroth, but lost his footing as Loz slammed into him. Red had been forced to back off after a previous attack and was too far to help either man as Sephiroth turned on them. I took my chance and leapt forward, stabbing with Naginata. Sephiroth had expected my attack though and changed his footing at last minute to swing at me with Masamune. I had taken a risk by putting all my momentum into the stab and now was wide open to his slash.
Fire burned along my ribs as Masamune connected with cloth and flesh, opening a long, shallow laceration along my ribs. I caught my balance and danced away quickly before he could move again. I stumbled to one knee as I moved away, but had succeeded in one way; Cloud and Loz had been given time to recover and were now preparing to strike again. Red had moved in as well, and together the four of us created a boundary around the man and any normal opponent would cut his losses and surrender. But Sephiroth smiled and mused, "Well this is interesting. Have you created an alliance with my formal subordinate? What did you offer to him? What have you made him promise? Have you made him promise to make sure Jenova never walks again?" I narrowed my eyes, not sure what his plan was and not wanting to find out.
Before I could return a caustic remark, Yaz yelled from the jeep, "Daj, what are you doing? Sit down, you're hurt. There's nothing we can do. Let them deal with him-" Kadaj ignored his brother's words and jumped down from the bed, stumbling slightly as he moved toward us. His pale face still glistened with sweat, and his eyes were unfocused, jumping from one face to the next. He lurched forward, unsheathing Souba and holding it out. The closest member of the outer ring to him was Cloud, but instead of standing beside Cloud or attacking Sephiroth, Kadaj turned on the blonde man and swung Souba wildly. He screamed with each attack, "You-you are going to kill her! I won't let you! You'll kill anyone if it means you get to keep living your simple life!" His attacks lost their crazed edge and he began to move forward with more control. A sneer fell across his face, "Big brother, you are the monster! Mother tries only to protect us and help us, giving us her gifts, but you try to kill her!"
"Kadaj, please stop!" I called out, my voice carrying fear. It was all Cloud could do to defend against Kadaj. My heart lurched, here before me was a chance to kill my enemy, but Cloud needed my help and I couldn't let Daj keep going like this. Something was wrong.
"And you, you who carry Mother and know her best, you would still betray her. But that's all you do, isn't it, betray. You didn't think I'd noticed, the way you claim love for me but watch every man walk by. You didn't think I'd seen the way you lied through your teeth that you would never leave me but you make promises to get yourself killed. You don't even meet my eyes any more when we talk, you unfaithful slut. Well I won't let this monster hurt Mother, and I won't let you either." Kadaj spoke while he attacked, forcing Cloud to block over and over again. I watched in horror as each attack grew closer and closer to connecting with Cloud.
"Isn't it wonderful, what a few drops of Jenova cells will do to a remnant? Quite a slave he makes, willing and dangerous. This will be interesting to watch, ally murdering ally." Sephiroth's cold voice whispered to me. I hadn't sensed him moving, but my attention had shifted fully to Daj and Cloud so it was no wonder. I turned on him, feeling tears begin to well.
"You did this to him. That was what you injected! You bastard! Why won't you just die and leave us all alone!" I tried to swing with Naginata, but he caught my wrist in his crushing grip and lifted me into the air. I winced as the cut along my side bled more freely, but my eyes were caught in his as he smirked. I could hear Loz and Yaz calling out, and saw Loz out of the corner of my eye moving toward us.
"Yes, I did help him change, but what are you going to do now? As a crazed animal, he is not trusted. He will not stop until Jenova is safe. Your options are few. What will you do?" He let go of my hand and I dropped back to my feet. He jumped back as Loz swung, avoiding the blow easily, the smirk never leaving his face as he danced away from Loz and Red's attacks. I looked down at my hands, Naginata gripped in one. Yaz was still yelling at KAdaj, and Cloud was calling out as well. Cait had joined in the shouts, but Kadaj never slowed and he and Cloud moved around each other in a deadly match.
My heart beat in my ears, drowning out all other sounds. Time slowed, and I studied Naginata. The blade reflected my face along one flattened side, the blue sky behind me fringed with the tops of trees. I turned the blade so the sun was in my eyes, but my thoughts only replayed Sephiroth's cruel words and the years I had spent with Kadaj, the pain and suffering, and the love. I slowly looked up, watching Loz and Red fight the man and watching Kadaj and Cloud narrowly avoid killing each other. My cheeks felt wet and I brought a hand to my face, pulling my fingers away to stare at the tears on my fingertips. I closed my fist around the tears, and ran.
I spun around and ran toward Kadaj and Cloud, losing my chance to kill my nightmare. I screamed out to Kadaj as Cloud tripped on a rock and fell backward. As Kadaj lifted Souba and smirked at his prey. I shortened Naginata and threw the blade at Kadaj, watching his blade swing down as if in slow motion. Naginata flew past him but he did not pause. With the last remains of my energy I threw myself between Kadaj and Cloud, my mouth open and his name on my lips, tears on my cheeks. Before I could speak, a blinding pain shot from my right arm. Blood flew across my vision onto Kadaj's face and my own. He pulled back and I looked down, hearing my name called out by Yaz and Cait. Where my arm had once been now was a stump, bleeding; my arm and been flung away by the force of the blow. I looked back up at Kadaj and saw his hand reach up to the blood on his face and his eyes slowly clear. My vision blurred as the pain increased. I swayed, feeling strong arms close around me as I fell forward and then there was darkness.
A/N: So this will be the last chapter posted for a long, long time….Gomen!!!! I will be on indefinite hiatus due to class, so please be patient until the summer comes and freedom returns!